ROHM Unveils Wireless Roki Sensor Node for IoT Applications

ROHM and their sister hub Kionix have introduced their Roki Sensor Node for what they term is a key component in the new Roki IoT Platform, which enables innovators to rapidly create IoT projects. The tiny device is packed with Nordic’s nRF52840 Bluetooth 5/LE SoC and sports a host of sensors for a myriad of applications.

The SoC features Arm Cortex-M4F processor with 1Mb of Flash storage, 256Kb of RAM and a 2.4GHz multi-protocol radio. The addition of the Bluetooth 5 and LE hardware gives it further communication range over the previous 4.2 version by 4X the range and up to 2X the data transfer over the latter.

As far as sensors are concerned, the Node is equipped with a 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis accelerometer/3-axis magnetometer combo, a 3-axis accelerometer/3-axis gyroscope combo, a 3-axis magnetometer, and a barometer. This is where things get exciting as the Node sports expansion connectors that allow for even more sensors, including heart rate, ambient light, RGB, and magnetic Hall Effect sensors — making it an excellent platform for developing wearables, such as health monitors or incorporated into a smart home system.

Another great feature is its power capabilities, as there are several ways to provide current to the unit, which supports Li-Po and coin-cell batteries or via a single micro USB port. Since the platform supports automated power consumption through the SoC and the configurable power management system for the sensors, the Sensor Node can run for 8-hours of continuous usage and has an estimated standby time of 200-hours.

The Roki Sensor Node will come as a kit with everything you need to get your project off and running, including the SoC, 42 X 67 X 22mm enclosure, programmable RGY LED, extended I/O connectors and 64Mb of Flash memory. It also comes with a mounting accessory so the unit can be connected to a watch band or connected to any surface platform using screws.

In terms of software, the Node takes advantage of Windows GUI (visualization/data logging capabilities), a Python-based CLI, and data-logger app. You can also use the Arm Mbed design tool and Nordic’s nRF5 SDK for additional programming if need be. There’s no word yet on pricing or availability, but ROHM plans to showcase the Roki at the Sensors Expo June 26–28th at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose.