Arduino MKR boards

Arduino MKR – perfect for Internet of Things projects

Arduino MKR boards are advanced electronic modules that are perfect for rapid prototyping of Internet of Things systems. Regardless of whether you are just starting your adventure with programmable electronics or you are at the advanced level, the efficient boards of the MKR series will provide many possibilities. Which of them is the most important?

First of all - unlike standard Arduino Uno boards - the MKR series boards are much more efficient. The boards have been implemented with 32-bit SAMD21 microprocessors. They have much better wireless communication capabilities - in practice, in several different ways. The dimensions of the board are 45mm x 18mm. All Arduino MKRs have got the same number of ports, which is 22, and 12 pins of these enable PWN signal generation. 7 pins are analog inputs, one analog output. Arduino MKR boards are easy to connect to other infrastructure and then to control all assigned systems. So far, if you want to create some IoT project, Arduino MKR is by no means the perfect solution.

Arduino MKR – parameters

All Arduino MKR boards have embedded 32-bit SAMD21 Cortex M0 + microcontrollers. The Arduino MKR processor is clocked at 48MHz. A high-precision real-time clock with a frequency of 32.768 kHz is built in here. Another important parameter of the Arduino MKR is the 32 KB SRAM memory and the 256kB FLASH memory.

Most of the Arduino MKR boards that you can buy from the Botland online store have built-in WiFi and GSM communication modules. They allow connection to almost any other signal receiver. An additional advantage is the wide possibility of configuring the device to ensure communication with the Internet of Things technology. Broadband LoRa networks as well as SigFox are used for this.

The Arduino MKR are slightly smaller than the Arduino Uno, but are still fully compatible with hardware extensions such as the Arduino Shield overlays. We can easily connect the selected external overlay to the Arduino MKR. Thanks to this, we can also support the issues of connectivity between devices that work together within the Ethernet and CAN networks.

What can you do with your Arduino MKR and how to choose the right board?

MKR series inserts are known for their performance and excellent technical parameters. They are most often used to create smart home systems. Modern microcontrollers may be the hearts of the intelligent control systems for home lighting, heat control and even household appliances and your audio / video devices.

In this category of the Botland store you will find different versions of the Arduino MKR. The Arduino MKR 485 model will give you the ability to transfer information via the RS-485 serial protocol. Arduino MKR Vidor4000 - the first Arduino product equipped with an advanced matrix of FPGA logic gates - will allow you to program solutions perfectly suited to the selected application. Another board, Arduino MKR1000, enables connection via Wi-Fi using the WINC1500 chipset (IEEE 802.11 b / g / n standard), which has a data bandwidth of up to 72Mb / s. This will allow you to work quickly in projects that require file transfer. In turn, with the Arduino MKR GSM 1400 board, equipped with the SARAU201 module, you will be able to make phone calls in the GSM standard.

The possibilities are practically endless, and the choice of Arduino MKR board must depend on your individual needs. If you already have experience with programming Arduino Uno and want to expand your knowledge, choose Arduino Zero. This board has a 32-bit microcontroller, I2C serial interface, UART, SPI, a microSD card slot, USB connector for communication with a computer and many other amenities. If you want to create projects using the SigFox network, choose the Arduino MKR FOX 1200 board. Remember that when you buy this product for 1 year you will be able to use SigFox network messages and geolocation service for free.