Newark, the Development Distributor, is now shipping a range of Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors designed to meet the changing needs of design engineers and address demand for 3D information and extended range created by new use cases. Today’s ToF devices support applications such as gesture sensing, distance measurement, robotics, industrial automation and process control, enabling practical solutions such as monitoring the position of an object in production as it is transported through a plant on a conveyor belt.

Devices from leading suppliers, available for next day delivery from Newark, increase distance capabilities irrespective of colour and surface of the item tracked, maximise use potential within both indoor and outdoor environments and satisfy high-speed, small size and low power demands, driven by Industrial IoT application needs.

Time of Flight sensing products available from Newark include:

• New to Newark, the ISL29501 ToF IC from Renesas is designed for detecting objects at distances up to 2m providing a cost effective and efficient solution for distance measurement. The ISL29501 is an innovative time of flight signal processing IC that provides a complete object detection and distance measurement solution when combined with an external emitter (LED or laser) and photodiode. Its one-of-a-kind functionality, including ultra-small size, low power consumption and superior performance, makes it ideal for use with connected devices in Internet of Things (IoT) applications, as well as for consumer mobile devices, home automation and the emerging commercial drone market.

• The VL53L1X ToF Nucleo pack from ST Microelectronics is a complete evaluation kit allowing anyone to learn, evaluate and develop their application using the VL53L1X ToF, the latest product based on ST's patented FlightSense™ technology. The VL53L1X is the fastest miniature ToF sensor on the market with accuracy ranging up to 4m and fast-ranging frequency up to 50 Hz. This ground-breaking technology allows absolute long-distance to be measured independently of target reflectance as instead of estimating the distance by measuring the amount of light reflected back from an object the VL53L1X precisely measures the time the light takes to travel to the nearest object and reflect back to the sensor.

• The newly launched AFBR-S50MV85G evaluation kit, from Broadcom, comprises an NXP FRDM-KL46Z evaluation board and the AFBR-S50MV85G adapter board delivering out-of-the-box connectivity between the sensor and a microcontroller board without the need for soldering. Suitable for indoor and outdoor use and optimised for distances of up to 10m, this sensor has been developed with a special focus on industrial sensing and gesture sensing applications that require high speed, small size and very low power consumption, such as human machine interfaces, robotics, and augmented reality.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Newark said: “Newark's strong supplier relationships with ST and Broadcom, and now including new addition Renesas, give access to the latest technologies in Time-of-Flight sensing options. For design engineers seeking the right devices for their application, our technical support team are available 24/5 to help identify the most suitable device for their application, no matter how complex the design or requirement of the application.”

View the full range of Time of Flight devices by visiting Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Newark, the Development Distributor, continues to offer its community of designers with the varied connector options they need to advance their designs with the addition of the Micro-Bayonet (Micro-B) connectors from Amphenol Industrial Operations. This product line provides an affordable alternative to connectors used in industrial markets requiring high signal counts and small packages.

The Micro-B series offers lightweight, high performance connectors with a small footprint that utilize a robust triple bayonet coupling, providing quick and positive locking. The Micro-B series is ideal for industrial designers seeking high electrical performance at a low price. The new circular connector series is designed for industrial applications such as Telecommunications, HEV, Robotics/Factory Automation, Industrial Instrumentation, Security, and Test Equipment where electrical performance must be met with affordability.

Micro-B meets the requirements of today’s electrical equipment by delivering excellent shell-to-shell electrical bonding for EMI required in rugged connectors. The compact Micro-B features high density insert patterns with size 22D contacts allowing for more circuits to be connected and a simplified termination process with tape and reel contacts. It also offers tool-less and fast mating for ease of use in the field.

Further technical information:

• RoHS-compliant circular connector series
• Various mounting options available, including in-line and 2-hole flange mount configurations
• Operating temperature of -40°C to +125°C, a dielectric withstanding voltage of 500 VRMS and a current rating of up to 3 Amps per contact. It is durable up to 500 mating cycles
• With Gray ZnNi plating, Micro-B can withstand up to 500 hours salt spray without corrosion detrimental to its operation

Amphenol Industrial Operations is a global leader in interconnect systems for harsh environment applications.

Micro-B connectors from Amphenol Industrial Operations are available from Newark.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, today announced the launch of the new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer, the most powerful Raspberry Pi model ever made. The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer offers significant enhancements in processor speed, multimedia performance, memory and connectivity that will make it attractive to general desktop computer users, hobbyist and makers, and professional developers working with compute-intensive embedded applications such as computer vision and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“The new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer provides our customers with a faster, more powerful and more feature-rich single board computer than ever before. This board delivers a real jump in capabilities and addresses the needs of the growing market for Raspberry Pi – from makers to professional design engineers, to consumers looking for a desktop computer. This truly is a Raspberry Pi for everyone,” says Hari Kalyanaraman, Global Head of Single Board Computers at Premier Farnell.

“Our research has highlighted the widespread use of Raspberry Pi products by professional engineers in both prototyping and commercial production; across a wide range of applications from IoT, AI, and industrial automation and control, to predictive maintenance. With more memory options, true Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 and increased processor performance, all at an attractive price, the new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is well positioned to accelerate its adoption for industrial applications.”

According to Raspberry Pi Trading Chief Executive Eben Upton, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer is the most powerful Raspberry Pi ever made. “The extra power and range of memory options support the needs of professional design engineers. AI and machine learning data can be processed right on the board, reducing the need to send data to the cloud and addressing real-world concerns about privacy. And of course Raspberry Pi 4 Model B can be used as a desktop computer, with a powerful processor, multimedia acceleration and dual-display support.”

The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer is the first model to use a 28nm SoC, delivering a significant increase in performance and energy efficiency.

• Processor: A quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 64-bit processor clocked at 1.5GHz enables the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B to run up to three times faster than its predecessor.
• Video and Sound: Two micro HDMI ports support dual-display output at resolutions up to 4K.
• Connectivity:
  • New SuperSpeed USB 3.0 delivers faster transfer rates to mass-storage devices (up to 5 Gbps).
  • True Gigabit Ethernet connectivity delivers network data rates of up to 1 Gbps.
  • Dual-band wireless networking at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz delivers real-world data rates in excess of 100 Mbps. Modular compliance certification allows the board to be designed into end products with significantly reduced compliance testing, improving both cost and time to market.

Other features include:

• Memory: 1GB, 2GB and 4GB LPDDR4 memory options.
• Multimedia: H.265 decode (4kp60), H.264 decode (1080p60) and H.264 encode (1080p30); OpenGL ES 3.0 graphics; image sensor pipeline.
• GPIO: Standard 40-pin GPIO header with full backward compatibility, and additional multiplexed UART, I2C and SPI peripherals.
• SD card support: Micro SD card slot for loading operating system and data storage.
• Power over Ethernet: PoE support, using separate HAT accessory.

“Makers can supercharge their projects with greater processing power and several memory options, alongside the same usability and support they are familiar with from earlier versions. It’s the best Raspberry Pi Computer we’ve ever made and we are excited to build upon our strong relationship with Premier Farnell with this launch,” added Upton.

Premier Farnell is the largest manufacturer and distributor of the Raspberry Pi, and has championed its use with both professional design engineers and makers through the element14 community. “We expect that experienced Raspberry Pi users and novices alike will be excited about what the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer can do,” said Kalyanaraman.

“As a desktop computer, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer provides performance comparable to entry-level x86 PC systems, with an exceptional video and multimedia experience, and is capable of quickly downloading and running 3D games. Users can purchase the entry-level 1GB model for $35, but will see improved performance in memory-intensive applications such as web browsing from the $45 2GB and $55 4GB models.”

The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer will remain in production until at least January 2026. Also available alongside the Raspberry Pi 4 Computer is a brand-new case and a range of accessories including power supplies and micro HDMI cables.

The Raspberry Pi 4 Computer is available now from Farnell across EMEA and CPC in the UK, and Newark in North America.

Notes for editors

We will be adding more resources and content to the newsroom in the coming days including exclusive infographic and timeline of boards.  Please come back to access more imagery and resources as you need them.

• Datasheet - this is available to download from the download module on the left.
• Imagery - including product images, thermal images, animated gif - download below
• Infographics - infographic of key Raspberry Pi event, Timeline of Raspberry Pi boards since launch - download from the download module on the left
• Videos - interview with Eben Upton &  Technical spec video available for download below.  
• Content from the element14 community - Frequently asked questions, Benchmarking tests, Raspberry Pi Comparison charts, information on Roadtests for the Raspberry Pi 4 and the element14 community Raspberry Pi Quiz -  More info below.

If you cannot find what you are looking for please contact us and we will get it sent to you.

INTERVIEW WITH EBEN UPTON

TECHNICAL SPEC VIDEOS

CONTENT FROM THE ELEMENT14 COMMUNITY

element14 presents......

In a special episode of element14 presents hosted by DJ Harrigan, Matt Eargle and the community's own Phil Hutchinson, the team discuss the the new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B computer.

https://www.element14.com/community/docs/DOC-92702/l/meet-the-new-raspberry-pi-4-model-b-element14-presents?ICID=HP-pi-ban

Benchmarking the Raspberry Pi 4 Computer

The element14 team has put the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B through its paces by benchmarking the new and faster Processor, we pushed the networking to its gigabit limit and even took some cool thermal images.  See how the new Raspberry Pi performs under pressure.

Link to Benchmarking https://www.element14.com/community/docs/DOC-92642/l/benchmarking-the-raspberry-pi-4-model-b 

Raspberry Pi GPIO

The new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B has the standard 40 Pin GPIO socket for connecting sensors and peripherals. The element14 community team have mapped out the 4 new alternative Pin MUX options for the new Raspberry Pi.  See what connects where in our GPIO pin diagram.

INFOGRAPHICS

Please download regionally branded infographics in PDF from the download section on the left hand side.

The greatest slices of Pi infographic is available branded for Europe (English and German), North America and APAC.

The history of Pi boards infographic is branded for global use and available for download from the downloads module on the left.

Newark is now shipping two new products launched today by Tektronix, delivering the most versatile and easy-to-use oscilloscopes in their class into the market. In the development of the new 3 Series MDO and 4 Series MSO Tektronix have spoken to the users to identify the challenges they face, and built oscilloscopes that deliver features and performance to match the needs of everyday engineers. The new 3 series MDO and 4 Series MSO oscilloscopes are built upon the award-winning user experience introduced in the 5 and 6 series MSOs. They both feature a highly intuitive touchscreen user interface incorporating the touch interactions familiar from phones and tablets, the largest and highest resolution display in their class and modern industrial design.

Typical applications including embedded design and IoT, Power design, Education, Manufacturing Test and Troubleshooting and Service Installation and Maintenance.

3 Series MDO – a versatile instrument for every engineer

The 3 Series MDO offers new levels of versatility and is intended to be a compact, versatile test instrument that can sit on the desk of every engineer, taking up just 6 inches of depth on the bench whilst delivering Tektronix’s award winning intuitive user interface and similar set of knobs and buttons to other models. Featuring sleek industrial design this extremely versatile device offers:

• Largest display in its class - 11.6” (1920 x 1080 HD resolution) capacitive touch display
• Bandwidth ranging from 100MHz to 1GHz
• Option to add spectrum analyzer hardware at 1GHz or 3GHz; arbitrary function generator, digital channels and Serial Bus Decode, Triggering and Search
• A DVM/frequency counter added at no cost following product registration
• Future proofed with fully upgradable bandwidths and options

4 Series MSO – extreme visibility, versatility and usability for any bench

The 4 Series MSO has been built to meet a diverse range of application requirements alongside enhanced user experience with multiple best in class features:

• 13.3” (1920 x 1080 HD resolution) capacitive touch display: the largest and highest resolution in its class with a revolutionary new stacked display mode automatically adding and removing additional horizontal waveform 'slices' (additional graticules) as waveforms are created and removed, reducing tradeoffs between accuracy and visibility.
• Bandwidths ranging from 200 MHz to 1.5 GHz
• Industry leading vertical resolution through 12-bit ADCs providing 16 times the vertical resolution of traditional 8-bit ADCs, enabling users to capture the signals of interest while minimizing the effects of unwanted noise
• First scope in this class to offer six input channels avoiding the introduction of a second scope for complex applications such as embedded systems or power supply design
• Innovative FlexChannel™ technology enabling any input channel to be converted from an analog to eight digital channels simply by connecting a logic probe.
• 8-digit trigger frequency counter added at no cost following product registration
• Optional spectrum view; arbitrary function generator; power measurement and analysis; and Serial Bus Decode, Triggering and Search
• Bandwidth and options are all field upgradeable.

Chris Witt, vice president and general manager, Time Domain Business Unit at Tektronix said: “Tektronix is a company built for engineers, by engineers, and we continued that legacy when we developed our new scopes. Our teams spent 100s of hours meeting with engineers around the world, testing and prototyping new features and designs, and we’re excited to bring the very best oscilloscopes to market – built around insight from everyday engineers.”

James McGregor, Global Head of Test and Measurement for Newark added: “These new oscilloscopes from Tektronix deliver on usability and versatility, meaning that our customers can focus their time on innovating and solving difficult problems.”

The Tektronix 3 Series MDO and 4 Series MSO are available from Newark

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has extended its embedded product offering to include four powerful and compact Arduino MKR Shields, designed to extend the capability and application of Arduino boards.

Premier Farnell’s extended Arduino product line provides maker engineers and prototype developers with a new suite of accessories that can be seamlessly integrated into an array of IoT applications, streamlining the journey from prototype to production.

Featuring embedded connectivity and extremely low power consumption, the open source Arduino accessories are suitable for a range of battery powered IoT edge applications. All three MKR Shields combine a standardised, modular form factor with the power of a 32-bit Arm microcontroller and the choice of integrated Wi-Fi, GSM, NB-IoT, SigFox or LoRa connectivity.

The new products now available from the website include:

• The Arduino MKR Motor Carrier: The perfect companion for Arduino MKR boards as it allows users to rapidly prototype and build projects. With the MKR Motor Carrier users can connect several motors and sensors to their mechatronic project and control servo, DC, and stepper motors. The Carrier can also be used to connect other actuators and sensors via a series of 3-pin male headers.
• The Arduino MKR ENV Shield: With its compact 61mm x 25mm design, 32g weight and an input voltage of 3.3V, the ENV Shield allows an MKR board to easily gather and store environmental data collected by a range of sensors. Sensors monitor atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity, light intensity (LUX) and ultraviolet intensity (UVA and UVB). The shield is equipped with a microSD card reader and features a ready-to-use library, programmed to read values from different sensors to ensure smooth integration and data collection.
• The Arduino MKR RGB Shield: Users can now write messages and add graphics to show values from an MKR board using the RGB Shield. The RGB Shield is controlled from the Arduino IoT cloud and features 84 dense and bright-mounted LEDs offering full RGB colour. With its simplistic design, the RGB Shield can be easily plugged onto an MKR board with no need for soldering or special adaptors. This powerful 61.5mm shield x 27mm shield has an input voltage of 5V, a maximum current of 2.5V and weighs 32g.
• The Arduino MKR Therm Shield: With an input voltage of 3.3V and the ability to work in temperatures ranging from 200^oC to 700^oC, the Therm Shield allows an MKR board to deliver highly accurate and an extended range of temperature measurements from a Type K thermocouple and a DS18Bxx digital one wire sensor. Two connectors on the shield enable the Type K thermocouple to be used with or without a plug attached to the metal wires while the unit takes advantage of the MAX31855 thermocouple digital interface. The MKR Therm Shield has the same footprint as the ENV Shield.

“The addition of Arduino’s new MKR Shields to our portfolio helps extend the capabilities of the MKR boards for our customers.” says Hari Kalyanaraman, Global Head of Single Board Computers for Premier Farnell. “With a versatile mix of wireless connectivity and sensor options, the MKR series provides flexibility for engineers and makers looking to develop and deploy IoT applications easily using the Arduino ecosystem.”

The four new Arduino MKR Shields are now available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has further expanded its range of semiconductor products by adding the Osram Opto Semiconductor product portfolio to its global offering. The products which include, amongst others, LEDs, infrared emitters, photodiodes and optical sensors, provide experienced engineers with more products to compare and choose from when looking for high-performance solutions.

Osram Opto Semiconductors has more than 40 years’ experience developing cutting-edge products in the fields of illumination, visualisation and sensor technology. The Osram range extends Premier Farnell’s line card to provide customers with products to support applications in markets such as Automotive, Mobile, Smart Grid, Metering, Industrial, Office and Building Automation, Energy Management and Network Infrastructure.

Key products to be stocked include:

• The OSLON Black family of infrared LED: Now with dedicated automotive versions that include the 850nm version intended for exterior applications such as night vision, pedestrian protection, pre-field recognition and lane detection. The new 940nm version is targeted at interior automotive applications such as driver monitoring, seat occupancy detection and gesture recognition. With different wavelengths and lenses, these products cover a wide range of customer requirements, and can be operated at up to 5A in pulse mode.
• The SFH 2200 family of photodiodes: This new generation of devices is much smaller than predecessors. They feature a new package concept that allows them to be soldered without any damage for up to one year after initial contact with air, compared to only three days for typical standard products. The new package complies with the strict demands of the automotive industry and is approved up to an operating temperature of 125°C. The SFH 2200 devices meet the requirements for AEC-Q101-C qualification and are ideally suited for use in rain sensors.
• The TOPLED E1608 family of low-power LEDs: This family combines a smaller package with exceptional versatility to meet an extremely wide range of customer requirements. They are particularly suited to the automotive sector for applications such as displays, ambient lighting and backlighting of switches and instruments.
• SFH 4776 broadband infrared LEDs: These devices are suitable for use in new application sectors opened up by the adoption of near-infrared spectroscopy techniques for measuring parameters such as the water, fat, sugar and protein content of food and pharmaceutical products.
• The SYNIOS® P2720 platform: Consisting of 15 different LED products with different chip sizes, power ratings and colours which can be configured flexibly within a single footprint to suit different applications. The platforms’ ease of scalability and freedom of design are combined with high thermal reliability and high brightness, delivering new opportunities and cost advantages for automotive manufacturers and light designers.

“The addition of the Osram Opto Semiconductors’ range of products further increases the breadth of our semiconductor product offering.” says Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computing at Premier Farnell: “Osram is a key player in the opto-electronics semiconductor market and this new relationship provides Design Engineer customers with access to cutting-edge technology to build into their designs, helping them achieve a competitive edge on their competition.”

The Osram Opto Semiconductor products are now available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, is now shipping the new 1200 V TRENCHSTOP™ IGBT7 and emitter-controlled EC7 diode from Infineon. Packaged in the well-known Easy housing, this EasyPIM^TM IGBT7 provides higher power density, lower system cost, and reduced system size. The 1200 V TRENCHSTOP™ IGBT7 and EC7 diode technology is based on latest micro-pattern trenches technology and optimized for industrial drive applications which means much lower static losses to meet energy efficiency requirements, softer switching and improved controllability. Additionally, by raising the allowed maximum overload junction temperature up to 175 °C in the power module, a significant increase of power density can be obtained.

The 1200 V TRENCHSTOP™ IGBT7 is available in a range of modules; the EasyPIM™ 1B 1200 V, three phase input rectifier PIM (Power Integrated Modules) in 10 A and 25 A options and the 1200 V sixpack IGBT module EasyPACK™ 2B 1200 V, 100 A sixpack IGBT module. The new modules are designed with the same pin out as TRENCHSTOP IGBT4 modules, which support design engineers in reducing design effort. New modules also enable a higher output current in the same package, or the similar output current in a smaller package resulting in more compact inverter designs where needed. All module types are equipped with Infineon’s reliable PressFit mounting technology for low ohmic resistance and reduced process time.

Key benefits of TRENCHSTOP™ IGBT7 include:

• Low losses - new chip technology shows extremely lower losses with optimized low V_ce(sat).

• dv/dt optimized for 2-8kV/µs, tailored for drive application.

• Short circuit is tailored for better performance, 8µs @150°C is enough for drive application.

• The gate drive is simpler and optimised for application condition. Only a gate resistor is enough to control.

• Increase of T_vjop up to 175°C increase the power density.

• Best-in-class V_CE(sat).

• Operation at 175°C at overload.

• Enhanced controllability optimized for drive applications.

• Higher power density - Same power in 35% smaller package.

The Infineon 1200 V TRENCHSTOP™ IGBT7 and emitter-controlled EC7 diode modules are available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Newark, the Development Distributor, now offers TE Connectivity’s Sliding Power Connector, one of the only connectors of its kind. This solution enables hot swapping of components in a server drawer without shutting power down to the entire system, saving significant operational costs by reducing the need for system downtime. The Sliding Power Connector also eliminates the need for a bulky cable management system within the drawer.

“Reducing downtime and costs is critical when innovating new electronics projects, and the right connector can be an invaluable tool in the product development process,” said Rob Toenies, Product Manager at Newark. “Building on our strong partnership with TE Connectivity, we’re excited to offer this solution to help our engineering customers bring their designs to market faster.”

TE’s Sliding Power Connector opens up more space for airflow and reduces overall cooling costs in high-current applications, and by allowing for a more direct path from the power sources to the server, the Sliding Power Connector offers users improved voltage drop over cables. This simpler design not only increases energy efficiency, but also provides greater reliability and makes the connector less prone to disconnection from the power source.

The Sliding Power Connector is designed for applications such as hard disk drives, power supply units, racks, servers, storage units and other high-current applications.

TE Connectivity is a leading provider of connectivity, electromechanical and sensor solutions for a wide range of industries and helps make the Internet of Things a reality by linking everyday appliances to the digital world to create new experiences, from intelligent homes and offices to interconnected cars.

To see the Sliding Power Connector from TE Connectivity, please visit Newark.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has further expanded the breadth and depth of its product portfolio by adding the GW Instek test & measurement instruments to its range. The products which include programmable power supplies, electrical safety testers, signal sources and power analysers offer customers excellent quality at affordable cost.

Key GW Instek products to be stocked by Premier Farnell include:

• The APS-7050 programmable linear AC power source - Offering output ratings of 500 VA, 310 V RMS, 2.1 A and a frequency range from 45 to 500 Hz with LAN and USB interfaces. The APS-7050 is ideally suited to producing complex waveform and transient waveform to verify electronic product operation under adverse conditions. Typical applications include production testing in the LED industry and in standby mode power consumption.
• The GPT-9603 electrical safety tester- Used for testing AC/DC withstand voltage and insulation resistance; the GPT-9600 series AC 100VA AC/DC withstand voltage/insulation resistance tester offers an affordable solution for supporting routine tests of major items to safety standards such as IEC, EN, UL, CSA, GB, JIS and other safety regulations. It is equipped with a PWM amplifier to impede influence from input AC voltage fluctuation and ensure a stable voltage output, providing users with an intuitive operation environment by a simple and clear panel layout, large LCD display and colour LED indicators.
• The MFG-2110 10 MHz function generator - Part of the MFG2000 series, which includes the MFG-21XX entry-level models and MFG-22XX advanced models. The output channels of MFG-21XX models include one single-channel 10 MHz arbitrary generator and one 25 MHz pulse generator. All instruments feature a 4.3-inch TFT colour display.

“The addition of the GW Instek range of products provides greater choice for our customers through a wider offering of test and measurements products”, says James McGregor, Global Head of Test & Tools at Premier Farnell. “GW Instek has an industry reputation for quality, reliability, affordable prices and ease of use. These products are incredibly competitively priced and help electronics manufacturers to reduce testing costs and increase their productivity.”

The GW Instek products are now available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Newark is now shipping Particle, a range of next generation cloud-connected development kits with mesh-enabled networking, making it possible to extend your sensor mesh network and get your devices connected to cloud, over Wi-Fi or Cellular networks, in minutes. The Particle IoT platforms offer everything you need to create a robust and securely connected IoT product, from device to cloud, with seamless transition from prototype to global deployment with Device Cloud hosted infrastructure.

Particle offers three developments kits giving different connectivity options to the Particle Device Cloud: Cellular (Boron), Wi-Fi (Argon) and Mesh (Xenon):

• The Argon is a powerful Wi-Fi enabled development board that can act as either a standalone Wi-Fi endpoint or Wi-Fi enabled gateway for Particle Mesh networks. It is based on the Nordic nRF52840 and has built-in battery charging circuitry so it’s easy to connect a Li-Po and deploy your local network in minutes. The Argon is great for connecting existing projects to the Particle Device Cloud or as a gateway to connect an entire group of local endpoints.

• The Boron LTE is a powerful LTE CAT-M1/NB1 enabled development kit that can act as either a standalone cellular endpoint or LTE enabled gateway for Particle Mesh networks. It is based on the Nordic nRF52840 and has built-in battery charging circuitry so it’s easy to connect a Li-Po and deploy your local network in minutes. The Boron is great for connecting existing projects to the Particle Device Cloud or as a gateway to connect an entire group of local endpoints where Wi-Fi is missing or unreliable.

• The Xenon is a low cost mesh-enabled development board that can act as either an endpoint or repeater within a Particle Mesh network. The Xenon is mesh only and designed to function as the endpoint of your IoT network. It is based on the Nordic nRF52840 and has built-in battery charging circuitry so it’s easy to connect a Li-Po and deploy your local network in minutes. The Xenon is best for connecting sensors, motors, pumps, valves, and points of data-interest. Pair it with an Argon or Boron gateway to get all that great data into the Device Cloud.

Particle development kits are available from Newark in North America and are also featured on the Particle design centre space on the element14 Community.