Renesas Launches Quick-Connect IoT Platform with New, Wider Pmod Type 6A Connector

Semiconductor company Renesas has announced a new Internet of Things (IoT) development platform that, it claims, can dramatically ease the simplicity of prototyping — thanks to a modular layout based on a new and wider Pmod interface.

“We are laser focused on delivering solutions that enable customers to get to market faster with superior end products," claims Renesas' DK Singh of the launch. "For example, we’ve developed hundreds of 'Winning Combinations' that give our customers an elevated design platform to mitigate the design risks and reduce development time."

"Quick-Connect IoT is the latest example of our commitment in this area and we will expand its coverage to support more boards and devices in the future. Additionally, having a standardized hardware connectivity platform allows customers to use compatible Pmods developed by third parties and other suppliers."

The key to the platform: A new type of Pmod interface, Type 6A, developed in partnership with Digilent. "The new Pmod interface Type 6A manifests our vision of making system prototyping easier and more accessible," says Digilent's Talesa Bleything. "It conforms to the I2C specifications with an optional interrupt and reset pin plus optional control signals, giving users added flexibility for diverse types of system development."

Wider than the standard I2C Pmod, to accommodate the new pins, the new interface will be used on a wide variety of sensor boards from Renesas — including air quality sensors, flow sensors, bio-sensing, time of flight, temperature, and more.

Switching doesn't mean giving up on existing development boards, either: Renesas says its Type 6A parts are compatible with 25 or so of its microcontroller development boards, either directly or using a small interposer board between the two.

The Renesas Quick-Connect IoT platform is now available through Renesas' website, though the company is not publicly disclosing pricing.