UNIT-4

OVERVIEW OF IOT SUPPORTED HARDWARE PLATFORMS

RASPBERRY PI:-

What is a Raspberry Pi?

Raspberry pi is the name of the “credit card-sized computer board”
developed by the Raspberry pi foundation, based in the U.K. It gets plugged in a TV or
monitor and provides a fully functional computer capability. It is aimed at imparting
knowledge about computing to even younger students at the cheapest possible price.
Although it is aimed at teaching computing to kids, but can be used by everyone
willing to learn programming, the basics of computing, and building different projects
by utilizing its versatility.
Raspberry Pi is developed by Raspberry Pi Foundation in the United Kingdom. The
Raspberry Pi is a series of powerful, small single-board computers.
Raspberry Pi is launched in 2012 and there have been several iterations and variations
released since then.
Various versions of Raspberry Pi have been out till date. All versions consist of a
Broadcom system on a chip (SoC) with an integrated ARM-compatible CPU and on-chip
graphics processing unit (GPU).
The original device had a single-core Processor speed of device ranges from 700 MHz
to 1.2 GHz and a memory range from 256 MB to 1 GB RAM.
To store the operating system and program memory Secure Digital (SD) cards are
used. Raspbian OS which is a Linux operating system is recommended OS by
Raspberry Pi Foundation. Some other third party operating systems like RISC OS Pi.
Diet Pi, Kali, Linux can also be run on Raspberry Pi.
Used:
It also provides a set of general purpose input/output pins allowing you to control
electronic components for physical computing and explore the Internet of Things (IOT).
Raspberry pi Diagram :

Raspberry Pi model –

There have been many generations of raspberry Pi from Pi 1 to Pi 4.

There is generally a model A and model B.
Model A is a less expensive variant and it trends to have reduce RAM and dual cores
such as USB and Ethernet.

List of Raspberry pi models and releases year:

1.pi 1 model B – 2012

2.pi 1 model A – 2013
3.pi 1 model B+ -2014
4.pi 1 model A+ – 2014
5.Pi 2 Model B – 2015
6.Pi 3 Model B- 2016
7.Pi 3 Model B+ -2018
 8.Pi 3 Model A+ -2019
9.Pi 4 Model A – 2019
10.Pi Model B – 2020
11.Pi 400 – 2021

Specs of the Computer: – The computer has a quad-core ARM processor that doesn’t
support the same instruction as an X86 desktop CPU. It has 1GB of RAM, One HDMI
port, four USB ports, one Ethernet connection, Micro SD slot for storage, one combined
3.5mm audio/video port, and a Bluetooth connection. It has got a series of input and
output pins that are used for making projects like – home security cameras, Encrypted
Door lock, etc.
Versatility of Raspberry Pi: – It is indeed a versatile computer and can be utilized by
people from all age groups, it can be used for watching videos on YouTube, watching
movies, and programming in languages like Python, Scratch, and many more. As
mentioned above it has a series of I/O pins that give this board the ability to interact
with its environment and hence can be utilized to build really cool and interactive
projects.
Examples of projects: – It can be turned into a weather station by connecting some
instruments to it for check the temperature, wind speed, humidity etc… It can be
turned into a home surveillance system due to its small size; by adding some cameras
to it the security network will be ready. If you love reading books it can also become a
storage device for storing thousands of eBooks and also you can access them through
the internet by using this device.
Architecture of Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi is a small single-board computer (SBC). It is a credit card-sized computer

that can be plugged into a monitor. It acts as a minicomputer by connecting the
keyboard, mouse, and display. Raspberry Pi has an ARM processor and 512MB of RAM.
The architecture of Raspberry Pi is discussed in this article.

The following diagram shows the architecture of Raspberry Pi:

The following diagram shows some main blocks of Raspberry Pi:

Raspberry Pi mainly consists of the following blocks:
Processor: Raspberry Pi uses Broadcom BCM2835 system on chip which is an ARM
processor and Video core Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). It is the heart of the
Raspberry Pi which controls the operations of all the connected devices and handles
all the required computations.
HDMI: High Definition Multimedia Interface is used for transmitting video or digital
audio data to a computer monitor or to digital TV. This HDMI port helps Raspberry Pi
to connect its signals to any digital device such as a monitor digital TV or display
through an HDMI cable.
GPIO ports: General Purpose Input Output ports are available on Raspberry Pi which
allows the user to interface various I/P devices.
Audio output: An audio connector is available for connecting audio output devices
such as headphones and speakers.
USB ports: This is a common port available for various peripherals such as a
mouse, keyboard, or any other I/P device. With the help of a USB port, the system
can be expanded by connecting more peripherals.
SD card: The SD card slot is available on Raspberry Pi. An SD card with an
operating system installed is required for booting the device.
Ethernet: The ethernet connector allows access to the wired network, it is available
only on the model B of Raspberry Pi.
Power supply: A micro USB power connector is available onto which a 5V power
supply can be connected.
Camera module: Camera Serial Interface (CSI) connects the Broadcom processor to
the Pi camera.
Display: Display Serial Interface (DSI) is used for connecting LCD to Raspberry Pi
using 15 15-pin ribbon cables. DSI provides a high-resolution display interface that
is specifically used for sending video data.

ARM CORTEX PROCESSORS:-

ARM Cortex is a family of processor cores designed and licensed by ARM Holdings, used in a
wide range of devices from embedded systems to smartphones and tablets. They are known
for their energy efficiency, high performance, and adaptability, with different models
optimized for specific applications.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
 Key Features and Characteristics:
 ARM's Processor Family:
Cortex processors are a core part of the broader ARM processor family, which is widely used in
various applications.
 Microcontrollers (Cortex-M):
The Cortex-M series is specifically designed for microcontrollers, focusing on low cost, power
efficiency, and real-time performance.
 Applications (Cortex-A):
The Cortex-A series is designed for applications that require a rich operating system and complex
software, like smartphones and tablets.
 Real-time (Cortex-R):
The Cortex-R series is optimized for real-time processing and is used in applications where
deterministic performance is crucial, such as industrial automation.
 Performance and Efficiency:
Cortex processors are known for their ability to deliver high performance while minimizing power
consumption.
 Scalable and Adaptable:
The Cortex family offers a wide range of processors with different characteristics and capabilities,
allowing developers to select the most appropriate core for their specific needs.
 Widely Used:
ARM Cortex cores are embedded in billions of consumer devices.

Specific Cortex-M and Cortex-A models:

 Cortex-M0/M3/M4/M7/M33/M55:
These are examples of Cortex-M microcontrollers with varying levels of performance and features.
 Cortex-A5/A7/A8/A9/A12/A15/A53/A72/A73/A76/X4/X925:
These are examples of Cortex-A application processors with varying performance and capabilities.
In summary: ARM Cortex processors offer a versatile and powerful platform for a wide range of
applications, with specific models optimized for different use cases and performance requirements.

ARM processor and its Features

A Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) Processor is considered to be the family of a

Central Processing Units that are used in the music players, smartphones, wearables,
tablets and the other consumer electronic devices. Advanced RISC Machines create a
ARM processor architecture hence the name is ARM. This needs very few instruction
sets and transistors. It is very small in size. This is the reason that it is a perfect fit for
small-size devices.
It has less power consumption along with reduced complexity in its circuits. They can
be applied to various designs such as 32-bit devices and embedded systems. They can
even be upgraded according to user needs.

What is ARM Processor?

An ARM processor is a widely-used computer chip known for its efficiency and
versatility. Designed by ARM Limited using a streamlined RISC architecture these
processors are licensed to various companies rather than manufactured directly. ARM
unique business model allows tech companies to customize and build processors for
diverse devices, from smartphones and tablets to computers and smart devices. Their
exceptional balance of processing power and energy efficiency has made them the
preferred choice for mobile computing, enabling longer battery life without
compromising performance.

Features of ARM Processor

Multiprocessing Systems
ARM processors are designed to be used in cases of multiprocessing systems where
more than one processor is used to process information. The First AMP processor
introduced by the name of ARMv6K could support 4 CPUs along with its hardware.
Tightly Coupled Memory
The memory of ARM processors is tightly coupled. This has a very fast response time.
It has low latency (quick response) that can also be used in cases of cache memory
being unpredictable.
Memory Management
ARM processor has a management section. This includes Memory Management Unit
and Memory Protection Unit. These management systems become very important in
managing memory efficiently.
Thumb-2 Technology
Thumb-2 Technology was introduced in 2003 and was used to create variable-length
instruction sets. It extends the 16-bit instructions of initial Thumb technology to 32-bit
instructions. It has better performance than previously used Thumb technology.
One-Cycle Execution Time
ARM processor is optimized for each instruction on the CPU. Each instruction is of a
fixed length that allows time for fetching future instructions before executing the
present instructions. ARM has CPI (Clock Per Instruction) of one cycle.
Pipelining
Processing of instructions is done in parallel using pipelines. Instructions are broken
down and decoded in one pipeline stage. The channel advances one step at a time to
increase throughput (rate of processing).
A large number of Registers
A large number of registers are used in ARM processors to prevent large amounts of
memory interactions. Records contain data and addresses. These act as a local
memory store for all operations.

What Makes an ARM Architecture Valuable?

Advanced RISC Machine (ARM)

One of the most common electronic architectural designs in the market is Advanced
RISC Machine Architecture, even better than x86, which is very common in the server
market. ARM Architecture is widely used in smartphones, normal phones, and also in
laptops. Though x86 processors have optimized performance ARM Processor gives
cost-effective processors with small size, takes less power to run, and also gives better
battery life.
ARM Processor is not only limited to mobile phones but is also used in Fugaku, the
world’s fastest supercomputer. ARM Processor also gives more feasibility to designs of
hardware designers and also gives control to designer’s supply chains.

Difference between ARM and x86

ARM x86

ARM uses Reduced Instruction Set Computing x86 uses Complex Instruction Set
Architecture (RISC). Architecture (CISC).

x86 works by executing complex

ARM works by executing single instruction per
instructions at once and it requires more
cycle.
than one cycle.

Performance can be optimized by a Software- Performance can be optimized by

based approach. Hardware based approach.

ARM processors require fewer registers, but they x86 processors require less memory, but
require more memory. more registers.

Execution is faster in ARM Processes. Execution is slower in an x86 Processor.

 ARM x86

ARM Processor work by generating multiple

x86 Processors work by executing
instructions from a complex instruction and they
complex statements at a single time.
are executed separately.

ARM processors use the memory which is already x86 processors require some extra
available to them. memory for calculations.

ARM processors are deployed in mobiles which x86 processors are deployed in Servers,
deal with the consumption of power, speed, and Laptops where performance and stability
size. matter.
Advantages of ARM Processor
 ARM processors deal with a single processor at a time, which makes it faster and it
also consumes lesser power.
 ARM processors work in the case of a multiprogramming system, where more than
one processor is used to process information.
 ARM processors are cheaper than other processors, which makes them usable in
mobile phones.
 ARM processors are scalable, and this feature helps it in using a variety of devices.
Disadvantages of ARM Processor
 ARM processors are not stable with x86 processors, and due to this, they cannot
be used in Windows Systems.
 ARM processors are not capable of very high performance, which limits them to a
variety of applications.
 ARM processor execution is a little hard, which requires skilled programmers to use
it.
 ARM processor is inefficient in handling Scheduling instructions.
ARDUINO AND INTEL GALILEO BOARDS:-

ARDUINO BOARDS:-

An Arduino board is a programmable circuit board that lets you build electronic projects. It's
an open-source platform that's popular with beginners and hobbyists.

Features
 Microcontroller: Includes an Atmega microcontroller
 Input/output: Has digital and analog pins that can connect to other circuits
 Programming: Uses the Arduino IDE (Integrated Development Environment) to write and upload
code
 Power: Can be powered by USB or a barrel connector
 Arduino board types
 Arduino Uno: A popular board with 14 digital I/O pins and 6 analog I/O pins
 Arduino Nano: Can be powered by USB, or an external power supply
 MKR Family: A series of boards that include radio modules for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more

Arduino IDE
 Uses a simplified version of C++
 Runs on Windows, Macintosh OSX, and Linux
 Is based on the Processing programming environment

Arduino's advantages inexpensive compared to other microcontroller platforms, easy-to-use for

beginners, and flexible enough for advanced users.

INTEL GALILEO BOARDS:-

The Intel® Galileo Gen2 supports shields that operate at either 3.3v or 5v. The board is designed
to be hardware and software pin-compatible with Arduino shields designed for the Uno R3. Digital
pins 0 to 13 (and the adjacent AREF and GND pins), Analog inputs 0 to 5, the power header, ICSP
header, and the UART port pins (0 and 1), are all in the same locations as on the Arduino Uno R3.

The Intel® Galileo Gen2 is programmed using the Arduino Software (IDE), our Integrated
Development Environment common to all our boards and running both online and offline. For more
information on how to get started with the Arduino Software visit the Getting Started page.

Use your Intel® Galileo Gen2 on the Arduino Web IDE

All Arduino boards, including this one, work out-of-the-box on the Arduino Cloud Editor, you only
need to install Arduino Create Agent to get started.

The Arduino Cloud Editor is hosted online, therefore it will always be up-to-date with the latest
features and support for all boards. Follow this simple guide to start coding on the browser and
upload your sketches onto your board.

Use your Intel® Galileo Gen2 on the Arduino Desktop IDE

If you want to program your Intel® Galileo Gen2 while offline you need to install the Arduino
Desktop IDE and add the Intel® Galileo Gen2 Core to it. This simple procedure is done
selecting Tools menu, then Boards and last Boards Manager, as documented in the Arduino Boards
Manager page.

This simple procedure is done selecting Tools menu, then Boards and last Boards Manager.
Select Arduino Certified

1as type and then click on the *Intel i586 boards by Intel*. Select the latest core and then Install.
When the process is completed, the Intel Galileo Gen2 board will be available in the boards list.
 Connect the board to your PC

To avoid damage to your Intel® Galileo Gen2, always apply power to the board via the included
power supply before connecting to your computer via USB. Once the board is connected to power,
connect the Galileo to your computer with a microUSB cable.

Load the blink example

Load the LED blink example sketch: File > Examples > 1.Basics > Blink.

Select your board

You'll need to select the Intel® Galileo Gen 2 in the Tools > Board menu as shown below:

Select your serial port

Select the serial device of the board from the Tools > Serial Port menu. The easiest way to find what
port the board is using is by disconnecting your board, restarting the IDE, and re-opening the menu;
the entry that disappears should be the Intel® Galielo Gen 2 board. Reconnect the board, restart the
IDE, and select that serial port.

On Windows

The port is likely to be COM3 or higher and is called "Intel Galileo Gen 2 Virtual Com Port" in the
Device Manager. It is NOT "USB Serial Port". COM1 and COM2 are usually reserved for hardware
serial ports:

On Linux

The port is likely to be /dev/ttyACM1:

On Mac OS X

The port is likely to be /dev/cu.usbmodemxxxx. If you have multiple such devices, select any one of
them as they should all give the same results:

Upload and Run your first Sketch

Click the Upload button in the upper left to load and run the sketch on your board:

You should see a Transfer complete message when it has uploaded. Now your built-in led should
blink.

WEARABLE DEVELOPMENT BOARDS:-

Wearable development boards, designed for use in IoT, are compact hardware platforms that
allow for the creation and prototyping of wearable devices. They are typically powered by
microcontrollers and offer connectivity options like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, enabling them to
collect, transmit, and process data from wearable sensors. Popular choices include the
Arduino Nano 33 IoT, ESP32, and Intel Edison.

Key Features and Considerations for Wearable IoT Development Boards:

 Low Power Consumption: Essential for wearable devices to maintain long battery life.
 Small Form Factor: Necessary for integration into wearable products.
 Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular (LTE), and other options for communication with the
internet or other devices.
 Sensor Integration: Ability to connect to various sensors for collecting data like heart rate, activity,
location, etc.
 Processing Power: Sufficient to handle data processing, algorithms, and potential machine learning
tasks on the device.
 Software Development: Support for popular programming languages and IDEs (Integrated
Development Environments).
 Cost-Effectiveness: Balancing performance and affordability for wearable applications.

Examples of Wearable IoT Development Boards:

 Arduino Nano 33 IoT:

A popular choice for its ease of use and small form factor, especially for applications like fitness
trackers and smartwatches.
 ESP32:
A versatile microcontroller with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, suitable for a wide range
of wearable applications.
 Intel Edison:
A powerful system-on-a-chip (SoC) with a dual-core CPU and a microcontroller, offering high
performance for advanced IoT projects.
 HexiWear IoT Development Board from MikroE:
Offers a comprehensive platform for creating wearable IoT devices with sensors for monitoring
health, fitness, and environmental data, according to Evelta.
 Tactigon wearable boards kit:
Designed for precise 3D gesture control, motion capture, GPS tracking, and vibration
measurements.
Wearables development in an IoT world

MCU innovations are quietly packing more intelligence in smaller form

factors. These advancements are enabling OSs to be utilized in small
form factor sensor devices such as wearables.
Microcontroller (MCU) innovations are quietly packing more intelligence in smaller
form factors. These advancements are enabling operating systems (OSs) to be
utilized in small form factor sensor devices, such as wearables.
Wearables, IoT sensor trends

Intelligence is increasing in smaller form factor wearables and sensor devices.

Today’s MCUs are now small and cost-effective enough to be used in a wide variety
of sensor applications where price and size requirements previously excluded
them. As MCUs proliferate in these applications, so too have the OSs that run on
them.
Adding an OS to a wearable opens new doors in terms of features, functions, and
time to market benefits. The question becomes whether it is enough to just use
any OS that targets the MCU, or if the OS must be tuned for these devices?
RoweBots recently announced availability of a “WearableOS” at the Wearables
Technology Conference that is specifically tuned for wearable and Internet of
Things-enabled (IoT-enabled) devices.
Emergence of the “WearableOS”

RoweBots’ history includes the Unison RTOS used in military systems where
security and reliability are critical. This history includes traditional embedded
system practices involving porting and running the OS on a specific processor
architecture, adding drivers for board support packages (BSPs), and providing APIs
for embedded application development.
Over the last 10 years RoweBots has been working in the IoT space as well. “Our
OS products target MCUs and small microprocessors with a goal of creating an
efficient design," says Kim Rowe, CEO of RoweBots. "Real-time requirements have
diminished over time. Flash and RAM sizes have become a critical cost factor for
embedded and IoT designs.”
Rowe mentions two key areas of focus for their WearableOS:
1. Being able to do more in a small package. Support for lean product
development (LPD) is a cornerstone of RoweBots' IoT OSs (Figure 1).
2. Open APIs based on embedded Linux allow RoweBots OS products to
integrate libraries that match the functions needed and available resources
on the platform.
Figure 1. Lean product development (LPD) is a development methodology for reducing product

engineering cycles and cost that is central to RoweBots' WearableOS.

“We took a more packaged approach to delivering a real-time operating system

(RTOS) when developing the WearableOS," Rowe explains. "We didn’t stop at a
chip support package for a controller. We added packages that deal with specific
vertical markets. Wearables is one of these targets. The three key pillars for this
effort were hardware support for wearable products, optimized software design,
and enabling faster time to market.”
The world of wearables needs a complete package of OS/processor support,
connectivity, storage, and cloud connectivity. In addition, security requirements
are important, and RoweBots’ history with the Unison RTOS in the military industry
gave them a leg up in understanding security considerations. Much of this has also
been incorporated in to the WearableOS.
Rowe mentions the importance of not stopping development at an MCU OS and
driver support for the sensors that a manufacturer provides. “Sensor support
needs to be general," he says. "It’s important to allow the developer to utilize any
number of temperature sensors, accelerometers, or whatever peripherals are
required to allow choice and maintain hardware independence and abstraction.”
Power management

Power management is another critical component. Some MCUs are simply

designed as very low power with little to no power modes. Therefore, power
management of most MCUs is simple when compared to the capabilities of an ARM
processor, for example.
“MCU manufacturers typically try to maximize all-around power efficiency," Rowe
says. "However, in some of the more advanced processors, power management
has taken a leap. There are a lot more options in terms of what you can do to go to
sleep and wake up again.”
Some of the options Rowe alludes to involve integrated power modes in hardware
that can be updated, as well as certain silicon events that are capable of waking
up software.
Wearable connectivity

Wireless connectivity is another important feature of the WearableOS. Kim

mentioned some interesting applications in the sports industry where different
radio types are needed. “Our OS needs to support three different types of radios
depending on the sport," Row says. "One is for individual operation like bike racing.
Wearables are used to provide metrics on speed, vitals, and crash information.
These kinds of things use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Another extension is road
races or marathons where you don’t want to be carrying around a phone. These
applications need Long Range (LoRa) radios. Football or basketball applications are
a third example. These applications use 802.14, which allows group
communication capabilities among teammates”.
Rowe adds that RoweBots has provided LTE and Wi-Fi solutions to the traditional
embedded markets for a while. In the past they have used proprietary connectivity
as well, like satellite phones. An example application is the Caterpillar low cost
tracker.
Wearable security

Two key aspects for wearables are communications/information security and

software update security and authentication. The Unison RTOS has shipped with
complete over-the-air (OTA) update capabilities for the past six years, with security
a focus throughout. These features were adopted in their WearableOS
environment.
“Everyone wants to talk about security, no one wants to pay for it yet," says Rowe.
"We decided about 5 years ago that it was unacceptable to have fielded systems
with our OS that weren’t secure. So we bundled in the important security features
at no cost.
"For example, transport layer security (TLS) communications comes standard,
along with secure SFTP for file transfer and SSH for remote control (login and
command execution)," he adds.
Secure boot is another critical aspect for wearables. This is important to ensure
OTA update security. Depending on the processor features, it can be incorporated
in hardware or emulated in software.
For example, i.MX6 (NXP/Freescale) and RZ (Renesas) secure boot technology and
other similar mechanisms embed keys in hardware and to provides embedded
encryption unique to that silicon, which is used to sign and encrypt software
images. This allows platforms with secure boot technology to authenticate the
source of the image and know that the image itself has not been corrupted, and
also provides a mechanism to roll back to the previous release if the update
doesn’t happen successfully or if there are errors in operation. All this results in a
more reliable, secure system.
Rowe further acknowledges that the company continues to work towards
enhancing the security of its products, including the recent completion of a
Microsoft Azure package that includes secure communications over the HTTP,
MQTT, and AMQP protocols, as well as for the cloud platform itself.
Graphics and user interfaces

Perhaps the most interesting challenges relating to wearables and smart sensors
are the unique graphics and user interfaces (UIs). On larger systems there are lots
of capabilities and screen area for fancy graphics and user interaction. These
systems also tend to be very power hungry.
On the smaller end, for watch and wrist wearables, Rowe notes that the
WearableOS typically uses vendor-recommended packages or a third-party vendor
for ultra-low-power graphics and UI components. Not surprisingly, programming
wearables is a lot like traditional embedded system programming using application
libraries and the C/C++ programming language with an Eclipse variant or
embedded Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
BSD sockets network, file I/O, and embedded Linux and POSIX-compliant APIs
speed development in these builds. Kim mentioned cites an embedded Linux
application example that was been ported, run, and tested on the OS in 2 days
using these tools. Upon porting, benchmarking showed that the same application
running on their OS had a 50 percent increase in frame rate due to the
significantly lower overhead of the WearableOS versus embedded Linux.
1. Another exciting example of miniaturizing wearables with similar capabilities
involves an eSight technologies product. These are glasses that help people
with specific types of peripheral or myopic blindness conditions see
normally. eSight puts a camera on the bridge of your nose to do auto
exposure and compensation for your specific sight deficiency. On your hip
you have zoom and pan controls. The wearable puts the image up on a tiny
screen in front of your eye. This technology allows people with sight
problems to see normally and has literally changed liVES.