New Product Post

Every week we announce new products in our New Product Post, but did you know that you can find those and much more in our New Arrivals section in Seeed Bazaar?  Check out the page every Thursday for the latest and greatest releases.

Last week we looked at Konashi, a microcontroller that connects to iOS phones and tablets via its embedded BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) module.  This week we have two new items with BLE.  Xadow – BLE, the newest member of the Xadow product family, and BLE Bee – Based on HM-11 Module.  They are both based on the CC2540 microprocessor and no bigger than a US quarter.  In addition to their XBee compatible shape, they work with Bluetooth 4.0 compatible devices and microcontrollers, include a serial port, and have the same specifications for working frequency, modulation method, power supply, and working temperature.   Their communication range is approximately 30 meters in an open environment, and they communicate via TTL level UART.

But enough about the similarities, Xadow-BLE is part of the larger Xadow family.  It is light weight and can be connected in a series with other sensors to add new capabilities.  It uses standard flat flexible cable (FFC) connections which are supple and bendable.  Series communication sets it apart from other boards that rely on stacking because the board can be used in environments that are tight on space or rely on resilience and movement, like wearable projects.  In some cases, Xadow-BLE can be used in place of the Xadow – Main Board.

The BLE Bee – Based on HM-11 Module is a low energy alternative to the standard XBee module.  Since it conforms to the XBee form factor, it can be used on any board that has a Bee series socket, like the Seeeduino Stalker v2 or the Grove XBee-Carrier.  It supports AT commands for serial communication and allows you to configure various settings like baud rate, equipment name, and passwords.

We have a new Grove module, the Grove – IMU 9DOF, modeled after the MPU-9150™.  It is a low power 9-axis motion tracking module that contains a gyroscope, accelerometer, and compass.  If you are unfamiliar with 9-axis technology, it is used for motion interface in games, tablets, smartphones, etc.  For an affordable price, this module delivers highly accurate results that are similar to those found in consumer electronics devices.  Moreover, it is configurable, so ranges can be set for the gyroscope and accelerometer.

Until next time, keep on making.

Written by Erin Linke

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