11-06-2019 | Arrow | Subs & Systems
Arrow Electronics has launched a family of radio modules to jump-start IoT-device design, using the power-efficient dual-core performance of STMicroelectronics’ STM32WB55 wireless MCU. The Sharky modules were developed together with Italian designer Midatronics.
The STM32WB55 MCU at the centre of these modules combines a 2.4GHz RF transceiver supporting Bluetooth 5 (including BLE), Thread, and ZigBee stacks. Its dual Arm Cortex-M core architecture allows real-time secure application performance running on the 64MHz Cortex-M4F core, while concurrently maintaining the radio subsystem and security tasks on the co-integrated and fully independent Cortex-M0+.
The Sharky modules, MDX-STWBP-01 and MDX-STWUP-R01, respectively provide users with the option of an onboard PCB antenna or a UFL connector for connecting an external antenna. Balun circuitry for connecting the antenna is combined in the MCU. Alternatively, the Sharkypro modules, MDX-STWBC-R01 and MDX-STWBW-R01 provide an option of a chip antenna or no antenna, respectively.
The modules come with the RF (32MHz) and 32.7kHz crystals needed by the MCU already fitted and are ready to start work. Users can accelerate their projects by taking advantage of the STM32Cube development ecosystem, which offers MCU-configuration tools, middleware, and new extensions for the STM32WB55, including peripheral drivers, connectivity libraries, and a monitoring tool for RF testing.
The Sharky modules measure 16mm x 27.25mm, and the Sharkypro variants are 14.6mm x 23mm or 14.6mm x 14.6mm.
