Scalable and configurable low-cost single-chip alternative to microcontrollers

Mouser is now stocking the PSoC 4XX8_BLE embedded system controllers from Cypress Semiconductor. Containing the same core features as their popular PSoC 4 family of embedded system controllers, these highly integrated, single-chip Bluetooth low energy (BLE) solutions also add a 2.4GHz radio core that makes the devices compliant with Bluetooth Smart Specification 4.2. The PSoC devices integrate BLE with a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0 core and deliver a highly scalable and configurable low-cost, single-chip alternative to microcontrollers and external ICs typically required for similar functionality. The controllers incorporate programmable and reconfigurable analog and digital blocks with flexible automatic routing. The microcontroller subsystem features a 48-MHz ARM Cortex-M0 CPU, up to 256 kBytes of flash, up to 32 kBytes of SRAM, CapSense capacitive-sensing technology, and multiple low-power modes — including active, sleep, deep-sleep, hibernate, and stop — which are especially useful for IoT applications. All devices include a royalty-free BLE protocol stack compatible with Bluetooth 4.2, and are fully upward compatible with other members of the company’s PSoC 4 platform. The family of devices is supported by the CY8CKIT-042-BLE-A Bluetooth Low Energy Pioneer Kit and the PSoC Creator integrated design environment, which enables complete system design in a single tool. The kit offers footprint-compatibility with Arduino shields as well as 6-pin Digilent Pmod daughter cards. In addition, the kit features a CapSense slider and an onboard programmer/debugger (KitProg) with USB-UART/I2C bridge functionality. The embedded system controllers deliver unprecedented ease-of-use and integration to simplify the design of low-power, sensor-based systems for the IoT. Target applications include home automation, healthcare equipment, sports and fitness monitors, and wearable devices.