Technology solutions provider Avnet has announced that it has launched its HoriZone RA development kit to enable proof-of-concept designs for edge-to-cloud Internet of Things (IoT) applications that require secure communications. Available in the Americas and powered by Renesas Advanced microcontrollers for secure IoT endpoints and edge devices, the kit offers security features for resource-constrained embedded systems connected to Avnet’s IoTConnect platform, which is based on Microsoft Azure Cloud.
As a multi-sensor solution, Avnet reports, the development kit is scalable and provides a path from proof-of-concept to project to deployment, including all required building blocks. The kit includes sensors for humidity, temperature, ambient light, air quality and air pressure, as well as a microphone, a digital accelerometer, a digital gyroscope and a inductive proximity sensor for positioning information.
The board integrates several components from Renesas, including the RA RA6M3 microcontroller, which is suitable for IoT applications that require TFT, Ethernet, security, large embedded RAM and USB High Speed. Also included are an ISL88014 voltage supervisor and an ISL80102 synchronous boost converter for power management. Engineers can start developing IoT endpoint and edge devices for a range of applications, Avnet explains, including industrial and building automation, metering, healthcare and home appliances.
According to Avnet, the IoTConnect platform is cloud-based and scalable to address common industry needs and challenges. It provides a standardized method of harnessing the IoT, allowing designers to build smart apps and solutions on the platform, extending capabilities and supporting best practices and data-driven decision-making. By leveraging Microsoft’s enterprise-grade Azure hybrid cloud-computing service, the IoTConnect platform enables the distribution and analysis of data across cloud-based and on-premise systems.
“Our RA Family of microcontrollers delivers on performance with all the advanced security capabilities and features needed for IoT applications,” said Roger Wendelken, the senior VP of Renesas’ MCU Business Division (part of the company’s IoT and Infrastructure Business Unit) in a prepared statement. “These include our Secure Crypto Engine IP with NIST’s Cryptographic Algorithm Validation Program certifications, Arm TrustZone for Armv8-M and tamper detection.”
“IoT devices are complex, and with shortening project timelines Avnet’s IoTConnect platform allows for simpler and faster realization of time to value for deployments,” added Lou Lutostanski, Avnet’s VP of IoT, in the prepared statement. “By utilizing the HoriZone RA kit, designers have all the necessary building blocks for a ready-made and highly scalable solution for developing new IoT use cases quickly.”
The HoriZone RA development kit is available now in the Americas. Avnet will host a webinar on Feb. 21, 2021, focusing on the efficient integration of high-end security into MCU-based IoT devices. The event will explain how to set up an automation use case on a cloud platform based on the development kit.