Updates to the Arduino MKR Family

Arduino MKR1010: Wi-Fi Capability & Bluetooth

The MKR1010 is an update to the original generation MKR1000. It uses the same SAMD21 Cortex-M0+ ARM processor, with its wide array of I/O possibilities, 32-bit processing, and the same ECC508 Crypto Authentication to keep your Internet of Things (IoT) devices secure.

MKR1010 has the same footprint as the original, making it compatible with all existing MKR boards. What sets the 1010 apart, however, is its updated wireless module: it not only enables Wi-Fi (like its predecessor), but also adds Bluetooth, opening new possibilities when it comes to connecting your IoT devices to each other and the world around them.

Arduino MKR Vidor 4000 FPGA Circuit

The MKR Vidor 4000 is a new board aimed specifically at makers who are working in the IoT space. This device is the first officially licensed Arduino board built around a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chip. As such, it offers new solutions and easier access to this increasingly popular technology.

The integrated FPGA circuit contains 16,000 logic elements for the user to configure (hence the “field-programmable” part of its name) to meet an application’s specific demands or simply to offer experienced makers increased flexibility in how their device can interface with other equipment. Beyond the flexibility and customization that the Vidor 4000 offers, users will also find multiple connections (micro HDMI, camera connector, etc.) and processing power suitable for processing digital audio and video, both of which make this board especially well-suited for media applications.

The Vidor 4000 employs the same SAMD21 processing chip as the MKR1010, and like the 1010, it also offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and an ECC508 cryptographic chip.

Arduino MKR NB 1500 for IoT Devices

Along with the Vidor 4000, the MKR NB 1500 is part of a group of new boards designed to expand the Arduino’s offerings in the IoT range, and specifically to enable makers to create using newer IoT standards and protocols.

The NB 1500 works on the “narrowband” specification that focuses on:

- Indoor coverage

- Inexpensive access

- Increased battery life. The technology, developed by 3GPP, uses low power WAN technology connectivity in otherwise hard-to-connect environments, such as inside large buildings or factories.

As a subset of the LTE standard, narrowband technology works on cellular networks, making it especially well-suited to fieldwork. The NB 1500 is designed for global use and is compatible in the USA with data transmission via AT&T, T-Mobile, Telstra, and Verizon.

Beyond the narrowband technology, the NB 1500 offers the same core that the other new MKR boards do: the SAMD21 Cortex-M0+ 32bit Low Power ARM processor and ECC508 cryptographic chip round out the connection via LTE, ensuring that function is robust and secure.

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