This guide dives deep into the world of PCB surface finishes: In this article, you will experience a comprehensive analysis of various types, factors for optimal performance, and comparing different PCB finishes to choose right one for your specific application

PCB Surface Finish: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding and Choosing the Right Option

The goal of this guide is to equip you with the knowledge required to make informed decisions when selecting PCB materials for your next electronics project.

The Ultimate Guide to PCB Materials: Choosing the Best Fit for Your Electronics Project

This article provides a comprehensive comparison between UART and SPI by delving into their working principles, advantages, disadvantages, and other factors that influence their performance in embedded systems. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of these communication protocols and be able to make an informed decision when selecting the right protocol for your project.

UART vs SPI: A Comprehensive Comparison for Embedded Systems

<p id="isPasted">It&rsquo;s easy to feel overwhelmed when you&rsquo;re building low power electronics. There are so many different components and technologies to learn that it can be hard to know where to begin.</p><p>Recently, one of our clients wanted to redesign their field-deployed IoT environmental monitor to a smaller, lighter, and more power-efficient package with longer battery life and could be placed more easily into remote locations. In order to achieve this, they faced a choice of going with a Linux-based single-board-computer with a <em>microprocessor</em>, or a <em>microcontroller</em>-based compute platform.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dii" style="width: 758px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc5OTQ4MjY5NDYzLTE2Nzk5NDgyNjk0NjMucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" width="100%" height="auto" srcset="https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-environmental-monitoring-2.jpg 1000w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-environmental-monitoring-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-environmental-monitoring-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><span class="fr-inner">Environmental sensors may require either a microcontroller or microprocessor to compute</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;</span></p><p>In this post, we look at the differences between single board computers and microcontroller kits when it comes to <a href="https://www.mistywest.com/posts/5-reasons-to-use-an-iot-framework/" target="_blank">designing a successful remote sensor</a>, so that you have the information you need to choose the right solution for future applications.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>A summary of differences between microcontroller kits and single-board computers (SBCs)</h2><p>A microcontroller is a small all-in-one computing platform with features like onboard memory, built-in timers, IO handling, and other key features for interacting with electrical hardware.&nbsp;</p><p>Microcontrollers&rsquo; common uses are devices like remote controls, toys, industrial equipment, cars, and implantable medical devices. You can find them in microcontroller kits like <a href="https://www.arduino.cc/" target="_blank">Arduino</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="false" style="width: 758px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><a data-rel="lightbox-image-0" data-rl_caption="An Arduino Uno, one of the microcontroller boards in the Arduino family" data-rl_title="" href="https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Arduino_Uno_-_R3.jpg" target="_blank" title=""><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc5OTQ4MjY5MjAzLTE2Nzk5NDgyNjkyMDMucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" width="100%" height="auto" srcset="https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Arduino_Uno_-_R3.jpg 600w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Arduino_Uno_-_R3-300x300.jpg 300w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Arduino_Uno_-_R3-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><span class="fr-inner" contenteditable="true">An Arduino Uno, one of the microcontroller boards in the Arduino family</span></a></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;</span></p><p>A microprocessor is similar to a conventional computer CPU, which is only the processor, and needs to be connected to external memory, timers, storage, and IO peripherals in order to function. Microprocessors are generally more powerful, and allow for a more granular hardware design by selecting the exact memory, timers and other features that one needs. You&rsquo;ll find microprocessors in consumer computing equipment, and the increase of small and cheap single-board computers (SBCs) like <a href="https://www.raspberrypi.org/" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi</a> has enabled them to be used in new applications like smart devices.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="false" style="width: 758px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><a href="https://opensource.com/resources/raspberry-pi" target="_blank"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc5OTQ4MjY5NDk4LTE2Nzk5NDgyNjk0OTcucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" width="100%" height="auto" srcset="https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-raspberry-pi.jpg 675w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-raspberry-pi-300x205.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><span class="fr-inner" contenteditable="true">Raspberry Pi single-board computer</span></a></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;</span></p><h2>Strengths and Weaknesses</h2><p>When it comes to computing power, how resource-intensive is your problem? Will it be simple sensor reading (low intensity), image processing (high intensity), or machine vision/AI (very intense)? For development, can you use an off-the-shelf operating system or reuse other people&rsquo;s code? And how much power consumption or battery life will you require?</p><p>To help you evaluate the strengths and weaknesses between your options, we&rsquo;ve added them to <em>Table 1</em> below, followed by a detailed breakdown of each feature.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dii" style="width: 758px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc5OTQ4MjY5MDgyLTE2Nzk5NDgyNjkwODIucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" width="100%" height="auto" srcset="https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-microcontroller-microprocessor-compare-v3-01.jpg 717w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-microcontroller-microprocessor-compare-v3-01-300x193.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 717px) 100vw, 717px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><span class="fr-inner">Table 1: strengths and weaknesses between the computing devices</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;</span></p><h3>Computing power</h3><p>Some microcontrollers are designed with low power consumption in mind and are specified to be run at reduced clock frequencies, meaning the chip computes more slowly but with less power consumption. This makes microcontrollers good for less compute-intensive applications like sensor reading, serial communication, or mechanical control systems, but they don&rsquo;t tend to have the processing power for computationally intensive tasks, like image processing.</p><p>In comparison, there&rsquo;s often much more computing power available on commercial microprocessor boards like Raspberry Pi, which can support more complicated tasks like streaming video or running a local website. There are also microprocessors with additional modules, such as the <a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/autonomous-machines/embedded-systems/jetson-nano/" target="_blank">Nvidia Jetson Nano</a>, which has a graphics processing unit for tasks like machine vision and AI.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="false" style="width: 758px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/autonomous-machines/embedded-systems/jetson-nano/education-projects/" target="_blank"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc5OTQ4MjY5MDA3LTE2Nzk5NDgyNjkwMDcucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" width="100%" height="auto" srcset="https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-jetson-nano-nvdia.jpg 800w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-jetson-nano-nvdia-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-jetson-nano-nvdia-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><span class="fr-inner" contenteditable="true">Nvidia Jetson Nano</span></a></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;</span></p><h3>Available packages, development resources, and support</h3><p>If you pick an established platform like Arduino or Raspberry Pi, there are many existing open-source libraries and a community that can help debug issues. However, If you pick a more specialized and less common platform, you may be on your own when sorting through documentation and trying to fix the issue. It is important for you to decide if you need the specialized features of a particular platform and trade that against the support</p><p>With embedded Linux solutions, most of the basic drivers for common connections like ethernet, audio, and video are already available, tested and stable. In contrast, you may need to write the drivers for your particular microcontroller to connect with peripherals, which can be time-consuming and challenging.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc5OTQ4MjY4NzkwLTE2Nzk5NDgyNjg3OTAucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" width="100%" height="auto" srcset="https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-power-consumption-graphic-01.png 612w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-power-consumption-graphic-01-300x74.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Power consumption</h3><p>Microcontroller-based boards usually use less energy than microprocessor-based SBCs. One of the reasons is that microcontrollers generally run at lower clock frequencies than microprocessors which in turn also means reduced computing power.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Coding language support</h3><p>If you&rsquo;re running your code on a microcontroller, you&rsquo;re likely going to need to build your software with a lower level language like C or C++. On a microprocessor with a Linux distribution, you will have the choice between many more languages. This can help to create POCs (Proof Of Concepts) at a much faster pace.<span style="background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;</span></p><p>There are many libraries for peripherals like cameras, sensors, etc. written in higher-level languages like Python, for instance. By picking a platform that can run those languages you will be able to leverage those open source libraries. However, If your solution requires a lot of low-level hardware manipulation, this may not be helpful.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Code portability</h3><p>How tightly integrated is the code with the hardware? If you write a bare-metal application for a microcontroller, it will be challenging to switch over to another platform &ndash; but projects that are running FreeRTOS, for example, make switching easier. If you&rsquo;re using a Linux-based SBC and peripherals over protocol like USB, it will be even easier to change the compute platform because there&rsquo;s often libraries and drivers available. In summary, depending on the tools you are planning to use some platforms might be more flexible to be interchangeable than others.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc5OTQ4MjY4ODY2LTE2Nzk5NDgyNjg4NjYucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" width="100%" height="auto" srcset="https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-boot-time-graphic-01.png 892w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-boot-time-graphic-01-300x100.png 300w, https://www.mistywest.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mistywest-boot-time-graphic-01-768x257.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 892px) 100vw, 892px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Boot time</h3><p>The boot time of a SBC with embedded Linux on it is significantly greater than that of a microcontroller, be it bare-metal or running an RTOS. When utilizing an SBC, an application must not depend on fixed time slots during start up and a few seconds for it to come up must be acceptable.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Cost</h3><p>In general, microcontrollers cost less than microprocessors. As an example, the <a href="https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/" target="_blank">top of the line Teensy</a> costs $26 and the flagship <a href="https://store-usa.arduino.cc/collections/boards/products/arduino-uno-rev3" target="_blank">Arduino board (Uno)</a> costs $25, whereas the flagship <a href="https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi board (Pi 4)</a> starts at $35 and more expensive boards like the <a href="https://store.nvidia.com/en-us/jetson/store/?page=1&limit=9&locale=en-us&product=117&product_filter=117~3,118~3,119~4,120~3,173~1" target="_blank">Jetson Nano</a> may range up to $130. There is a wide range of costs in both domains and plenty of choices available on the market.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Conclusion</h2><p>Ultimately, SBCs and microcontroller kits are both solutions for embedded applications that require computing; it&rsquo;s the use case that will inform which selection is the right one to make.</p><p>SBCs with an embedded Linux OS, even though more costly, offer greater computing power, and allow a quick start to your project, with a wide range of options for your application&rsquo;s programming language, very active online communities and advantageous portability. Microcontrollers, on the other hand, are much more energy efficient and allow full control and fine tuning of their internal configuration &ndash; but additional time for development of features might need to be considered.</p><p>In the case for our client, <strong>there were tradeoffs for both</strong>; a microcontroller-based platform/MCU could achieve lower power consumption, but would require more custom firmware development to integrate. The SBC accelerated development by providing a lot of open-source software packages and drivers that could be rapidly configured, but at the expense of higher power consumption.</p><p>When it comes to making the right selection, if a quick prototype for a proof of concept is needed or if the device is going to be used for inference, object localization or other demanding computing tasks, an SBC is likely the better solution. The portability of the code and the flexibility of the system will simplify development and maintenance significantly.</p><p><br></p><p><em>This article was originally written by Malcolm Dimeglio, Software Developer at MistyWest, <a href="https://www.mistywest.com/posts/choosing-the-right-computing-device-for-a-low-power-sensor-application/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">for the MistyWest blog</a>.</em></p>

Here's what you should consider when designing a successful remote sensor.

Choosing The Right Computing Device For A Low Power Sensor Application

Alif Semiconductor’s™ microcontrollers meet the market need for low-power, AI-enabled embedded solutions with unmatched levels of multi-layered security, and a fully integrated secure element.

How cutting-edge microcontrollers build security from the ground up

<p dir="ltr" id="isPasted">In the world of computing and electronic devices, communication is key. When assembling a complex system of individual components and devices, different parts of the system need to communicate with each other, and they can only do this via protocols: rules and procedures that allow two different devices to exchange information.</p><p dir="ltr">Different protocols are required for different forms of communication. For example, the protocol used to interface between, for example, a computer and a plug-and-play printer is different to the protocol used to transfer information between a microcontroller and a fan speed sensor.</p><p dir="ltr">The I&sup2;C and SPI protocols &mdash; both of which are serial communication protocols, as opposed to parallel ones &mdash; are each used for low-speed communication between microcontrollers and (usually onboard) peripherals, helping to simplify PCBs and reduce the amount of complicated wiring required. Despite their relatively slow speed, these protocols remain highly desirable due to their simplicity and affordability: when connecting simple peripherals, a more advanced protocol is simply not required.</p><p dir="ltr">This article considers the battle of I2C vs SPI in terms of the architecture, function, pros and cons, and common applications of the two protocols.</p><h1 dir="ltr">What is the I2C protocol?</h1><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1673510787984-I2C_board.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="i2c board"><span class="fr-inner">An I2C board with GND, VCC, SDA, SCL wiring scheme</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr">I&sup2;C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) is a serial communication protocol that is mostly used for connecting low-speed peripheral integrated circuits to processors and microcontrollers.</p><p dir="ltr">Developed in 1982 by Dutch company Philips Semiconductors, the I&sup2;C protocol was initially designed to connect a CPU to peripheral chips in a TV set in a straightforward way that used up minimal space on the microcontroller. Today, the protocol has many uses, from reading memory to controlling display brightness.</p><p dir="ltr">I&sup2;C is a multi-master protocol. Interestingly, it uses just two signal lines, a data line and a clock line:</p><ol><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">SDA (serial data)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">SCL (serial clock)</p></li></ol><p dir="ltr">Using these two lines, the protocol can accommodate multiple slaves and masters. The protocol works by defining a 7-bit address for each slave device, data in 8-bit bytes, and control bits for starting and stopping communication. In terms of the physical I2C bus, two bi-directional wires are used for the two signal lines, in addition to a ground connection.</p><p dir="ltr">There are three different data rates available when using the I&sup2;C protocol: standard mode (100 kbps), fast mode (400 kbps) and high-speed mode (3.4 Mbps). However, even the high-speed mode falls short of the data rate offered by the comparable SPI protocol.</p><h2 dir="ltr">I2C advantages</h2><p dir="ltr">The I&sup2;C protocol offers a few notable advantages that have contributed to its continued relevance over the last 40 years.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Bus topology: the I&sup2;C uses only two lines (two general-purpose I/O pins) and therefore takes up minimal circuit board space. Because of this, the protocol is one of the easiest to use when building a system.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Multi-master conflict handling: the I&sup2;C has some surprisingly advanced features such as multi-master conflict handling (i.e. during situations in which one master is attempting to write a zero and the other a one).</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Clock stretching: if an I&sup2;C slave needs to go slower than the clock speed given by the master, it can use a clock stretching mechanism, enabled by the open-drain / pull-up resistor structure of the bus line.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Secure: the protocol can be used for security-sensitive applications like sensor connections, RFID, and biometric devices.[1]</p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">I2C limitations</h2><p dir="ltr">The I&sup2;C protocol also has its share of disadvantages, some of which may be sufficient to lead developers to choose another protocol such as SPI.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Speed: although the I&sup2;C protocol offers a nominal &ldquo;high-speed mode&rdquo; (not always available due to its need for specific I/O buffers) which can transfer data at 3.4 Mbps, the transfer rate is severely limited.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Half-duplex: while the protocol can provide communication in both directions, it can only do so in one direction at a time, not simultaneously in two directions.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">7-bit addressing: the 7-bit addressing system used by the I&sup2;C protocol is insufficient to prevent address collisions between devices. 10-bit addressing can partly mitigate this issue, but it is not widely supported.</p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">I2C applications</h2><p dir="ltr">Today, the I&sup2;C protocol is mostly used for low-speed peripheral connections where affordability and economy of space are prioritized over data transfer rate. It excels in simple multi-master applications.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Accessing electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Accessing low-speed digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Accessing real-time clock signals and non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM) chips</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Reading hardware sensors</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Adjusting volume in speakers</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Adjusting monitor settings</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Controlling power supply</p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" id="isPasted"><strong>Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/the-life-of-pi-ten-years-of-raspberry-pi" target="_blank"><em>The life of Pi: Ten years of Raspberry Pi</em></a></strong></p><h1 dir="ltr">What is the SPI protocol?</h1><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1673511012358-SPI_Protocol_Clock_Interface_Digital.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="SPI protocol"><span class="fr-inner">The four signal lines of the SPI protocol</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr">SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) is a serial communication protocol that is mostly used for short-distance data transmission in embedded systems.&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr">Developed in 1979 by telecommunications company Motorola, the SPI protocol is still widely used today, with some of its most significant uses being communication with Secure Digital (SD) cards &mdash; those found in digital cameras, for instance &mdash; and liquid crystal displays (LCDs).&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr">SPI is a full-duplex communication protocol, which means it can communicate in two directions simultaneously. This is one of the key distinctions between SPI and I&sup2;C, which is a half-duplex system.</p><p dir="ltr">Typically using a single master device, the SPI protocol has four signal lines, twice that of the I&sup2;C protocol:</p><ol><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">SCLK (serial clock): output from master</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">MOSI (master out slave in): data output from master</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">MISO (master in slave out): data output from slave</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">CS/SS (chip/slave select): output from master to indicate data being sent</p></li></ol><p dir="ltr">Accordingly, the physical SPI bus uses four wires. Because of the push/pull drivers used with SPI, the protocol can transmit data at a fast rate.</p><h2 dir="ltr">SPI advantages</h2><p dir="ltr">The SPI protocol has several advantages, both over the comparable I&sup2;C protocol and more advanced parallel communication protocols.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Push-pull drivers: as opposed to open drain, the push-pull drivers provide high speed data transfer &mdash; higher than I&sup2;C &mdash; as well as good signal integrity.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Versatility: communication can take various forms, with total flexibility in terms of message size and content.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Simplicity: although it requires twice as many pins as an I&sup2;C bus (which is still fewer than parallel communication systems), SPI requires minimal circuitry and uses less power than I&sup2;C.</p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">SPI limitations</h2><p dir="ltr">Despite its good speed, versatility, and simple hardware interfacing, SPI has a few important limitations.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Single master: the SPI protocol is typically limited to a single master device, though there are exceptions to this rule.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">No formal standard: SPI is a&nbsp;de facto&nbsp;standard. In other words, it is not formalized, which means each device defines its own protocol. Documentation can be difficult to obtain and navigate.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Four pins: an SPI bus has a larger topology than an I&sup2;C bus, though it is still smaller than most parallel communication buses.</p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">SPI applications</h2><p dir="ltr">The SPI protocol is today most commonly used for short-distance communication in embedded systems. However, it still serves a fairly broad range of applications.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Accessing electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and flash memory</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Accessing digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Accessing real-time clock signals</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Reading hardware sensors</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">SD cards and MMCs</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">LCD screens</p></li></ul><h1 dir="ltr">I2C vs SPI summary</h1><p dir="ltr">Using serial communication protocols and buses instead of parallel buses delivers limited performance but can reduce component costs, space, and power consumption.[2] Both I&sup2;C and SPI are therefore highly useful for many peripheral connections, especially in integrated devices.</p><p dir="ltr">Of course, the two protocols have important differences, and choosing between them depends on the application.</p><p dir="ltr">One of the key reasons to choose I2C vs SPI is the slenderness of I&sup2;C: the bus uses minimal pins, making it easy to build an I&sup2;C network. Furthermore, despite its simplicity, it offers important features like multi-master conflict handling and addressing management. Generally, I&sup2;C beats SPI when it comes to multi-master applications.</p><p dir="ltr">But SPI has its own distinct uses which can make it a better choice than I&sup2;C &mdash; typically for the fast transfer of data streams between SPI devices. It is fast and offers full-duplex communication, in addition to SPI communication being much more versatile than I&sup2;C communication in terms of message purpose, content, and size.</p><p dir="ltr">Neither I&sup2;C nor SPI are a suitable replacement for a high-performance protocol like USB (universal serial bus) or firewire; however, their compactness and efficiency make them essential to many peripheral connection applications.</p><p><br></p><div align="left" dir="ltr"><table><tbody><tr><td><br></td><td><p dir="ltr"><strong>I2C</strong></p></td><td><p dir="ltr"><strong>SPI</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p dir="ltr"><strong>Developer</strong></p></td><td><p dir="ltr">Philips</p></td><td><p dir="ltr">Motorola</p></td></tr><tr><td><p dir="ltr"><strong>Type</strong></p></td><td><p dir="ltr">Half-duplex communication</p></td><td><p dir="ltr">Full-duplex communication</p></td></tr><tr><td><p dir="ltr"><strong>Speed(s)</strong></p></td><td><p dir="ltr">100 kbps, 400 kbps, 3.4 Mbps</p></td><td><p dir="ltr">10 Mbps+</p></td></tr><tr><td><p dir="ltr"><strong>Signal lines</strong></p></td><td><p dir="ltr">2</p></td><td><p dir="ltr">4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p dir="ltr"><strong>Masters</strong></p></td><td><p dir="ltr">Multiple</p></td><td><p dir="ltr">Typically one</p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h2 dir="ltr">I2C to SPI conversion</h2><p dir="ltr">As the two serial communication protocols have similarities, some developers have attempted to develop a protocol conversion unit that could facilitate communication between one device using I&sup2;C and another using SPI.</p><p dir="ltr">Researchers from the K.J. Somaiya College of Engineering have developed such a conversion unit that can take data from a sender device working on the SPI protocol and send it to a receiver device working on the I&sup2;C protocol.</p><p dir="ltr">The researchers did this in order to send commands and data to a peripheral device using the &ldquo;high speed of SPI&rdquo; while simultaneously being able to &ldquo;save on dedicated pins for each peripheral device using a rather simple two-wire interface of I2C,&rdquo; thus maximizing the respective strengths of each protocol.[3]</p><p dir="ltr">However, use of such a conversion unit is not widespread, with most users choosing one protocol or the other and sacrificing one set of benefits.</p><p dir="ltr" id="isPasted"><strong>Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/pwb-vs-pcb-differences-and-similarities" target="_blank"><em>PWB vs PCB: Differences and Similarities</em></a></strong></p><h1 dir="ltr">References</h1><p dir="ltr">[1] Mankar J, Darode C, Trivedi K, Kanoje M, Shahare P. Review of I2C protocol. International Journal of Research in Advent Technology. 2014 Jan;2(1).</p><p dir="ltr">[2] Hanabusa R. Comparing JTAG, SPI, and I2C. Spansion&rsquo;s application note. 2007 Apr:1-7.</p><p dir="ltr">[3] Trivedi D, Khade A, Jain K, Jadhav R. SPI to I2C protocol conversion using verilog. In2018 Fourth International Conference on Computing Communication Control and Automation (ICCUBEA) 2018 Aug 16 (pp. 1-4). IEEE.</p>

I2C and SPI are both serial communication protocols

Developers are constantly seeking new high-performance protocols like USB4 and Thunderbolt. But low-end communication protocols are just as important. Here we consider the debate of I2C vs SPI, two serial communication protocols.

I2C vs SPI protocols: differences, pros & cons, use cases

<p><em>This article is based on a Renesas webinar which you can&nbsp;</em><a href="https://info.renesas.com/en-securing-your-ip-webinar?utm_campaign=mcu_ra&utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=article&utm_content=secure_IP_sensitive_data_webinar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>access here.</em></a><em>&nbsp;</em></p><hr><style type="text/css" id="isPasted">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 20.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; font: 20.0px Arial; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 18.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} p.p7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} li.li4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; color: #000000} li.li5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 20.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; color: #000000} li.li8 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; color: #103cc0} span.s1 {font: 7.3px Arial} span.s2 {font: 11.0px Helvetica} span.s3 {color: #0d0d14} span.s4 {background-color: #ffffff} span.s5 {text-decoration: underline ; color: #0000ff} span.s6 {font: 10.0px Arial; color: #18376a} span.s7 {text-decoration: underline ; color: #103cc0} span.s8 {color: #000000} span.s9 {color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} ol.ol1 {list-style-type: decimal} ul.ul1 {list-style-type: disc}
</style><p>The Internet of Things (IoT) is no longer a buzzword. Instead, it has become an integral part of our lives. Every sector, from healthcare to manufacturing, uses IoT devices. However, while the total number of devices has been forecasted to reach 83 billion by 2024 <sup>[1]</sup>, the security of these devices remains a significant concern. Without proper security measures, any connected IoT device is vulnerable to a breach, function loss, or hacking to steal user data or manipulate the system. This article examines how IoT security can be addressed with embedded microcontroller units (MCUs).</p><h2>IoT Security Issues</h2><p>A core part of the IoT is the connectivity to a network. Through this link, some 1.51 billion breaches of IoT devices took place from January to June 2020 <sup>[4]</sup>. To combat this, researchers of embedded systems are investigating how to address vulnerabilities of network links. These efforts have resulted in recent security advancements in embedded MCUs.</p><p>With improved processing on the edge (locally), embedded cryptography, and internet protocol (IP) security, embedded IoT security is helping to protect cloud processing through a network link. This is how IoT security issues are being tackled with embedded MCUs.</p><h2>Need for IoT Security</h2><p>As the number of connected IoT devices (nodes) increases, network vulnerability escalates because every node can be a potential entry point for a cyber-attack. Once a vulnerable node is compromised, it can be a link to other nodes,&nbsp;leading to ruinous effects, ranging from minor data breaches to catastrophic information leaks. Infrastructure damage can also occur, resulting in network disruptions and loss of valuable services.</p><p>Unfortunately, IoT devices do not have a one-size-fits-all solution to their security problems because of the wide variety of hardware and operating systems, and hackers continue exploiting connected devices.</p><p>However, to understand why IoT security has become paramount, we need a brief overview of possible IoT flaws and their devastating effects. One example we can all relate to is a fitness tracker. Fitness trackers are designed to measure body parameters to assess the user&rsquo;s health and fitness via cloud-based services. This sensitive information could be misused by third parties not at all interested in health improvement. In fact, users are increasingly concerned about their personal data, and, as a result, this kind of data is protected by privacy protection laws worldwide. Security-focused MCUs can help to protect data transmission against eavesdropping by unauthorized parties.</p><h2>Challenges Addressed by MCUs</h2><p>To tackle IoT security threats, specific features can be included in embedded MCUs. In particular, embedded MCUs need to address the following challenges for a secure IoT device:</p><ul><li>Protection of confidential software and data, such as intellectual property and device identity</li><li>Protection of data integrity to safeguard reliable data transmission</li><li>Provision of a robust foundation (root-of-trust) and a local cryptographic toolkit</li><li>Secured end-to-end communication channels</li></ul><h2>How can Microcontrollers Solve IoT Security Problems?</h2><p>To achieve IoT device security, MCUs comprise both hardware-based security and software mechanisms. Security-focused MCUs need to provide a cryptographic toolkit for the complete chain of security, including a hardware-based root-of-trust, true random number generation functionality in hardware, and user-code authentication.</p><p>Descriptions of processes that can be implemented on MCUs to improve IoT security are as follows:</p><h3>Hardware-based security</h3><p>For secure IoT applications, a hardware-based approach is preferred as it offers an immutable root-of-trust for the IoT device and integrated storage. In addition, it consumes less power than its software equivalent. Hardware-based security uses integrated circuitry to secure the IP and protect the system. For this reason, MCUs for IoT applications have sophisticated integrated hardware security features, such as cryptography blocks, code protection IP, and other hardware-based mechanisms.</p><h3>Secure key storage</h3><p>By nature, external memory is vulnerable to attackers wanting to exploit internal functions and confidential data. As a result, plaintext keys require protection from physical and logical attacks. A security-focused MCU offers an integrated flash memory that encrypts data within a secure processing environment, binding the key to only this MCU. In other words, immutable device identity and cryptographic keys are used for device authentication and data encryption. In particular, integrated secure memory is an effective countermeasure against identity spoofing and device cloning.</p><h3>True random number generation</h3><p>A true random number generation block obtains a number that is statistically random and based on some physical random variation that cannot be duplicated by rerunning the process. It is an essential cryptographic function required for many security mechanisms and protocols.</p><h3>Symmetric key encryption and decryption</h3><p>For a symmetric key cryptographic algorithm, such as the AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), the same key is used for encryption and decryption, called a secret, or private, key<sup>[6]</sup>. Compared to the asymmetric approach, symmetric ciphers are faster because their keys are significantly shorter and only one is required for the process. However, secure key management is a problem since the secret key is necessary for deciphering, creating vulnerabilities whenever the key is shared.</p><h3>Asymmetric cryptography</h3><p>To better secure the management of cryptographic keys, an asymmetric cipher scheme uses a pair of keys instead of one secret key for both sides &ndash; a public key and a private key. The public key used for encryption can be openly distributed without compromising security, and the private key is kept secret by the recipient needing to decrypt a confidential message. This way, key distribution and storage are easier to handle securely than with symmetric ciphers. While asymmetric ciphers are much slower, security-focused MCUs outperform software-only solutions by integrating various technologies, including crypto accelerators, secure key storage, and unique, immutable chip identifiers.</p><h3>Hash algorithms</h3><p>A secure hash algorithm (SHA) uses cryptographic functions to condense a dataset to render it unreadable by others. Essentially, a hash is a fingerprint of the original data. An SHA is not reversible, unlike encryption. In addition to this security, if the data are compromised, the hash value will change at the recipient&rsquo;s end, providing evidence of an attack. As an example, hash algorithms are often used for digital signatures.</p><h3>Digital signatures</h3><p>Public-key cryptography and hash algorithms are the main ingredients for digital signatures, which authenticate online communication among partners and maintain data integrity, e.g., when confidential messages are transmitted via public networks. Digital signatures are built on certificates for user public keys issued by a trusted third party, i.e., a public-key infrastructure (PKI) offered as a cloud service.</p><h2>Renesas Microcontrollers</h2><p>One company contributing to the secure embedded microcontroller revolution is <a href="https://www.renesas.com/us/en" target="_blank">Renesas</a>. Renesas offers a multi-tiered development infrastructure that provides security protection for various embedded products at multiple levels<sup>&nbsp;[2]</sup>.</p><p>With deep insights and an understanding of the need for improved security, Renesas has doubled down on privacy through advanced MCU technologies, including cryptography. Each Renesas Advanced (RA) Family MCU contains a Secure Crypto Engine (SCE), an integrated crypto subsystem&nbsp;that provides hardware acceleration for the most prevalently used cryptographic algorithms, key generation, and a true random number generator. Renesas binds encrypted keys to a specific MCU, so they are accessible only within the SCE module on the individual MCU that performed key-wrapping. The SCE contains dedicated RAM, which enforces the privacy of plaintext keys by not exposing them to any CPU-accessible bus.</p><p>Renesas&rsquo;s RA Family MCUs provide a flexible platform combining Arm Cortex-M cores with the company&rsquo;s embedded system peripheral IP. In addition, the RA Family&rsquo;s Flexible Software Package provides optimized HAL (hardware abstraction layer) drivers and a baseline software platform built on FreeRTOS and associated middleware. This option gives designers the flexibility to integrate their middleware and libraries of choice.</p><p>These new developments have expanded Renesas&rsquo;s portfolio, providing state-of-the-art technology, including MCUs and system-on-chip (SoC) products <sup>[5]</sup>, for a more secure world.</p><p><strong id="isPasted">Recommended reading:&nbsp;</strong><span style="background-color: transparent;"><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/securing-your-ip-and-protecting-sensitive-data" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Securing Your IP and Protecting Sensitive Data</a></span></p><h2>Conclusion</h2><p>With IoT devices flooding the market faster than their vulnerabilities can be identified, security-focused MCUs offer a viable path for confronting cyber threats on multiple fronts. They present a simplified solution with a security design ecosystem to facilitate point-and-click development environments. These specialized MCUs also reduce the cost overhead and power consumption, two primary considerations in the highly constrained IoT designs.</p><p>Trusted and reliable data exchange are prerequisites for most IoT use cases. Hence, this calls for improved security in technology as new products are constantly being rolled out every day, especially in the IoT and embedded microcontroller industry.</p><p><a href="http://Security from Concept to Production" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Read more about IoT security from concept to production here.</a></p><p><em id="isPasted">This article was written with contributions from <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/kersten.heins" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kersten Heins</a>.</em></p><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted"><em>About the sponsor: Renesas</em></h2><p><em>At Renesas we continuously strive to drive innovation with a comprehensive portfolio of microcontrollers, analog and power devices. Our mission is to develop a safer, healthier, greener, and smarter world by providing intelligence to our four focus growth segments: Automotive, Industrial, Infrastructure, and IoT that are all vital to our daily lives, meaning our products and solutions are embedded everywhere.&nbsp;</em><br><em><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NTIzMjYyMzUyLXJlbmVzYXMgc3BvbnNvci5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></em><br></p><h2>References</h2><p>1. Smith Sam. IoT Connections to reach 83 billion by 2024 driven by maturing industrial use cases [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2022, April 17]. Available from: <a href="https://www.juniperresearch.com/press/iot-connections-to-reach-83-bn-by-2024" target="_blank">https://www.juniperresearch.com/press/iot-connections-to-reach-83-bn-by-2024</a></p><p>2. Renesas. How to solve the 6 top security challenges of embedded IoT design. [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2022, April 17]. Available from: <a href="https://www.renesas.com/us/en/document/whp/how-solve-6-top-security-challenges-embedded-iot-design?language=en#:~:text=In%2520Renesas%2520MCUs%252C%2520a%2520flexible,devices%2520in%2520remote%2520manufacturing%2520facilities" target="_blank">https://www.renesas.com/us/en/document/whp/how-solve-6-top-security-challenges-embedded-iot-design?language=en#:~:text=In%20Renesas%20MCUs%2C%20a%20flexible,devices%20in%20remote%20manufacturing%20facilities</a></p><p>3. Shea Sharon. IoT security (internet of things security). [Internet]. 2022 [ cited 2022, April 17]. Available from: <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/IoT-security-Internet-of-Things-security" target="_blank">https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/IoT-security-Internet-of-Things-security</a></p><p>4. IoT Cyberattacks Escalate in 2021, According to Kaspersky [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2022, May 1]. Available from: <a href="https://www.iotworldtoday.com/2021/09/17/iot-cyberattacks-escalate-in-2021-according-to-kaspersky/" target="_blank">https://www.iotworldtoday.com/2021/09/17/iot-cyberattacks-escalate-in-2021-according-to-kaspersky/</a></p><p>5. Renesas &amp; dialog semiconductors join forces to advance global leadership in embedded solutions. [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2022, May 2]. <a href="https://www.gsaglobal.org/renesas-dialog-semiconductor-join-forces-to-advance-global-leadership-in-embedded-solutions/" target="_blank">https://www.gsaglobal.org/renesas-dialog-semiconductor-join-forces-to-advance-global-leadership-in-embedded-solutions/</a></p><p>6. Secret Key. [Internet]. [cited 2022, September 19]. Available from: <a href="https://www.techopedia.com/definition/24865/secret-key" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.techopedia.com/definition/24865/secret-key</a></p>

IoT security can be addressed with embedded microcontroller units (MCUs).


Solving IoT Security Issues with Embedded Microcontrollers

Food processing techniques require the removal of moisture from the crop without destroying its nutritional qualities. The article proposes a dehydrator/oven whose temperature and humidity can be perfectly controlled and its generated heat is evenly distributed in its drying chamber.

Conceptual design of smart multi-farm produce dehydrator using a low-cost PLC and Raspberry Pi

<p dir="ltr" id="isPasted"><em>This is the final article in a 2-part series about choosing cellular or Wi-Fi.&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/cellular-vs-wifi-for-iot-how-to-choose-the-right-one-foundations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Read article one&nbsp;</em><em>here.</em><em>&nbsp;</em></a></p><p dir="ltr">There&rsquo;s no one &ldquo;best&rdquo; choice for every single IoT project. Choosing cellular vs. WiFi comes with tradeoffs that have to be understood and managed to find the best option for your deployment. Here are a few things to consider as you decide which technology would be best for your IoT project.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Device Location and Movability</h2><p dir="ltr">The first question that you should ask yourself is where your device is going to live and whether it&#39;s movable. For example, any device that&#39;s moving even a few-hundred feet, won&rsquo;t work on WiFi because it&#39;s not going to have access to the same WiFi network across those different places where it needs to operate. If the device is movable, then cellular connectivity would be your best bet. Key examples here would be IoT-connected light electric vehicles, whether they&rsquo;re part of a rideshare, privately owned, or used for last-mile delivery.</p><p dir="ltr">If the device is going to be part of a mostly stationary asset that will have constant access to a reliable WiFi network, then WiFi can be a good choice as well.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Number of Devices</h2><p dir="ltr">A high concentration of connected devices may lend themselves to more to cellular connectivity. This is because the more devices connected to a single WiFi network, the more the signal degrades, potentially leading to lost connectivity. If you have a high concentration of devices in one location, cellular connectivity might be your best bet.</p><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">The Desired End-User Experience</h2><p dir="ltr">If you want to provide a seamless onboarding experience for your customer, you want the device to be instantly connected to the Internet anywhere in the world, cellular would be your top choice.</p><p dir="ltr">WiFi requires the end user to set up the network and ensure the device can connect to it. This isn&rsquo;t a problem if someone with the required technical expertise to do this is present, but can be difficult for those without.</p><p dir="ltr">The ongoing <a href="https://www.particle.io/iot-guides-and-resources/what-to-know-about-3g-sunsetting/" target="_blank">3G sunsetting</a> and introduction of 5G and other advanced technologies is bringing down the cost of cellular connectivity and widening the network coverage. More and more, IoT deployments that were previously impossible to run on cellular due to no coverage or high cost are becoming technically and financially feasible. Cellular will get increasingly more valuable relative to WiFi with the benefits of 5G and technology innovation.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Security Needs</h2><p dir="ltr">Protecting your devices from bad actors is critical, especially if downtime or improper usage can lead to injury or equipment failure. In general, cellular networks offer considerable security advantages. They are encrypted by default, while encryption on WiFi connections must be enabled manually by the network owner. Additionally, security upgrades for cellular-connected devices happen automatically, while security patches must be installed manually for WiFi. If your devices are going to be connected to a public WiFi network, or if they&rsquo;ll be connected to a private network that may not be adequately protected by the owner, cellular would be a safer choice.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Cellular or WiFi? Why not use both with Particle.</h2><p dir="ltr">Particle, an integrated IoT Platform provides an opportunity for the best of both WiFi and cellular connection by working on the same Device OS operating system. Device OS offers an easy-to-use programming framework that makes it simple to write IoT applications that can connect via cellular or WiFi. It gives you the same interface no matter how you choose to connect to the Internet. &quot;Whether you build your specific logic for a hot tub, a scooter, or a water monitoring solution, all of that&#39;s built on the same software interface called Device OS, regardless of its WiFi or tracker or site. That makes it really useful for customers who have what we call heterogeneous fleets,&quot; &nbsp;Calvin Jepson, senior manager of solutions architecture at Particle explains.</p><p dir="ltr">&ldquo;Heterogeneous fleets&rdquo; have multiple device types. If you&rsquo;re using Particle devices, you&rsquo;d be using a mix of the following:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://docs.particle.io/argon/" target="_blank">Argon</a> - a powerful Wi-Fi development kit</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://docs.particle.io/boron/" target="_blank">Boron</a> - a powerful cellular enabled kit</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://docs.particle.io/datasheets/asset-tracking/tracker-one/" target="_blank">Tracker/TrackerOne</a> - a ready-to-go tracker SoM (system on a module) carrier board with optional weatherproof enclosure.</p></li></ul><p dir="ltr">A heterogeneous fleet reduces technical debt associated with managing various projects and allows for switching between device/connectivity types for different stages of development.</p><p dir="ltr">In some cases, people start by buying Argons since there&rsquo;s no subscription fee and you can develop firmware and conduct tests easily. Once it&#39;s time for them to start building the devices, they can switch from Argon to Boron and use the same code, which is a unique proposition that Particle can offer.</p><p dir="ltr">&quot;Imagine you&#39;re a novice at squash, and you&#39;re a right-hand dominator. To get started quickly, you want to use your right hand. But once you join the major leagues, you have to use your left hand to be competitive,&quot; suggests Calvin. &quot;It&rsquo;s the same with IoT. You might be great at using cellular or WiFi during prototyping or at a small scale. But when you <a href="https://www.particle.io/iot-guides-and-resources/iot-scalability/" target="_blank">scale an IoT deployment</a>, you might need to use completely different technologies, redesign a lot of stuff, and redo a lot of the work that you already did to build a scalable solution to be market-ready.&rdquo;</p><h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2><p dir="ltr">By understanding the pros and cons of cellular and WiFi technologies you will be able to make the right choice for your IoT device. IoT platforms, such as Particle are enabling innovation by providing easier routes to creating prototypes that can then easily scale at the appropriate time.&nbsp;</p><h2 dir="ltr"><em>About the sponsor: Particle</em></h2><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.particle.io/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Particle&nbsp;</em></a><em>provides an integrated IoT Platform-as-a-Service that helps businesses connect, manage, and deploy software applications to connected devices, from edge to cloud and back. Over 240k developers, and 160+ Enterprise customers are building on Particle, from fast-growing startups to Fortune 100 companies.&nbsp;</em></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Our expertise goes beyond world-class technology, enabling next-generation business intelligence, insights, and expert customer support to make sure IoT projects succeed. So you can build the business of tomorrow, today.</em></p><p><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1652969762255-particle+bottom.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></p><p><br></p>