The new Texas Instruments (TI) SimpleLink microcontroller (MCU) platform is transforming the pace of product development by uniting a robust set of hardware, software and tools under a single environment. Built on a shared foundation of drivers, frameworks and libraries, the SimpleLink MCU platform's new software development kits (SDKs) enable scalability with 100 percent code reuse, reducing design time and allowing developers to invest once and leverage across multiple products. With the ability to choose any device from the industry's broadest portfolio of 32-bit wired and wireless ARM-based MCUs, any projects can easily adapt to changing design or application requirements.
Expanding the device offering of the SimpleLink MCU portfolio, Texas Instruments announced a new generation of Wi-Fi chips and modules – the new SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3220 wireless MCU and CC3120 wireless network processor. The CC3220 products are built on a novel architecture, with two physically separate execution environments in a single chip. The CC3220 devices include rich embedded security features such as secure storage, cloning protection, secure boot and networking security.
Through these new features, developers now have powerful tools to help them protect IoT devices from intellectual property (IP) and data theft or other risks without using an external secure MCU or element. In addition, like other SimpleLink products, these new devices enable Apple HomeKit technology. Continuing to deliver the lowest power, easy-to-integrate Wi-Fi Certified solutions, the CC3x20 family of devices empowers designers to create products that can be sent to production in six months and can run on two AA batteries for years.The SimpleLink platform delivers security features, along with broad connectivity protocol support and advanced analog integration, combined with the industry's lowest power wireless MCUs. The new portfolio offers a diverse range of wired and wireless connectivity standards, including Bluetooth low energy, Wi-Fi, Sub-1 GHz and RS485, with zigbee, Thread and Ethernet coming soon. Bringing together all of TI's low-power, connected ARM MCUs, including MSP432 devices, the platform supports Bluetooth low energy applications using the CC2640R2F and CC2640R2F-Q1 wireless MCUs, dual-band (Sub-1 GHz and Bluetooth low energy) applications with the CC1350 wireless MCU, sub-1 GHz applications with the CC1310 wireless MCU; and Wi-Fi applications with the CC3220 wireless MCU and CC3120 wireless network processor.
These products, along with future generations, are now supported by unified design support, including TI Drivers and industry-standard POSIX application programming interfaces (APIs). The SimpleLink SDK lowers the barrier of entry with the introduction of TI Drivers, an intuitive set of standardized functional APIs. Additionally, Portable Operating System Interface for Unix (POSIX) –compliant APIs are supported to offer 100 percent application code portability with numerous OS/kernels.
Other tools, training and resources, including modular TI LaunchPad development kits; free cloud tools; and on-demand access to code examples, documentation and training are available through TI Resource Explorer and SimpleLink Academy at every point in the design cycle.
CCS Cloud, a browser-based version of the Code Composer Studio integrated development environment, is available as an online resource to start development for free, even before purchasing a development kit. For those with LaunchPad development kits, SimpleLink MCU SDKs are available for immediate download.
The new SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3x20 MCU-based development kits are available now through the TI store and authorized distributors. The CC3220 wireless MCU LaunchPad development kit (CC3220SF-LAUNCHXL) is available for US$49.99 and the CC3120 wireless network processor BoosterPack plug-in module [CC3120BOOST] is available for $29.99. All devices are now available for mass production and sampling.
www.ti.com/simplelink
