Arduino Nano 33 IOT
We don’t need a powerful device to create an Internet of Things project – we just need the right kit.
“To ensure that your project is not part of a botnet, the onboard crypto chip is configured to connect securely and via encryption to the IoT Cloud. ”
In the past, getting an Arduino connected to the internet was a bit of a faff. We either used an ethernet shield or connected to an ESP device via a jumble of wires. But with the Nano 33 IOT we have full Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity on a board measuring only 48mm by 18mm – the same size as the Arduino Nano Every. So with this board, can we finally make IoT (Internet of Things) projects? Yes!
This board is best paired with Arduino’s new IoT Cloud, where it can be programmed as a ‘thing’ that can perform a task and report back to the cloud, or it could be a thing that receives control data from the cloud and reacts accordingly. So if you need to build an IoT device, this could be your solution.
The SAMD21G18A package provides an Arm Cortex M0+ processor, which provides plenty of power for your project and related internet connectivity. The onboard ESP32 is used for
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (Bluetooth power consumption is higher than in the Nano 33 BLE), which can be configured via the IoT Cloud. To ensure that your project is not part of a botnet or sending sensitive data in the open, the onboard crypto chip is configured to connect securely and via encryption to the IoT Cloud. The board is also pre-certified for RF compliance. Why is that important? In industrial, medical and military projects devices have to have RF compliance to ensure that they do not interfere with other devices.
The Nano 33 IOT shares the same castellated mounting holes as the Nano Every. Using these holes, we can solder a surface mount project with relative ease. This makes the Nano 33 IOT ideal for embedded IoT projects.
To power the Nano 33 IOT a Micro USB port can provide 5V, but the board will also support up to 21V via the VIN pin of the GPIO.
But the logic level, the voltage at which GPIO pins run, is not the typical 5V – this is a 3.3V-only board, so while the form factor of the Nano 33 IOT matches other Nano boards, great care should be taken to ensure that the voltage does not exceed 3.3V.
But what else does this board have to offer? Well a built-in IMU (inertial measurement unit) accelerometer and gyroscope offers six axes of measurement. This means that the board can be used to measure forces and movement, and when this is used with the IoT aspect of the board we can build a simple device to measure the forces acting upon an object or person.
So what, if anything, is wrong with this board? Minor niggles include the labelling of GPIO pins and the lack of an external aerial connector. The GPIO pins, just like the Nano Every, are not labelled on the top side of the board, but are numbered instead on the underside, which is a pain to see and reference. The lack of an external aerial is bothersome because it reduces the range at which the Nano 33 IOT can be used. But both of these are only minor issues and do not detract from the board.
Overall this board is important quite simply because it has everything that we need for an IoT device in a small form factor. It provides a solid platform for projects while not breaking the bank. The form factor belies the true power of the board, and when teamed up with the Arduino IoT Cloud we have a simple workflow to get projects built and running.