NiceThings Launches $7 Low-Cost, Low-Power STM32F030 PINKY32 Development Board
At just $7, the PINKY32 is designed to be a low-cost entry into the STM32 — and interfaces directly with the Arduino IDE via micro USB.
Czechia-based electronics specialist NiceThings has begun taking orders for PINKY32 — a low-cost, low-power STM32F030 development board with USB programming and Arduino IDE support.
"I originally designed this board for a project that requires slow dimming over one minute where Arduino's 8-bit PWM just doesn't cut it," NiceThings explains of the board's origins. "STM32F030 is capable of 16-bit resolution. Dimensions of the board are 18x39.5mm so it's slightly smaller than Arduino Nano.
"PINKY32 is low power. It has low quiescent current LDO onboard, meaning the board only draws few uA in shutdown deep sleep so it is suitable for battery powered projects. Onboard LDO will perform best at 5V but you can feed up to 12V on VIN."
Key features of the PINKY32, aside from its compact dimension and low power draw, include the aforementioned 16-bit PWM, 16kB of flash storage and 4kB of static RAM (SRAM), and a CH430 serial-to-USB controller which allows for direct connection to a host computer via micro USB and programming from the Arduino IDE.
NiceThings claims the PINKY32 — which is available with a choice of pink or white integrated user-controllable LED — is ideal for anyone seeking a low-cost entry point into the STM32 family, particularly those already experienced with the Arduino IDE, and anyone working on projects which require a low sleep current or high-resolution pulse-width modulation control.
The PINKY32 boards are available to order now via Tindie, priced at $7 each including two 14-pin headers. More information can be found on the project's GitHub repository, where the board design is made available under the permissive MIT Licence.