Broadcom’s New WICED Development Kit Lets Mobile Developers Dive Into IoT App and Hardware Creations

Broadcom Corporation has introduced a new development kit into its Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED) family of offerings to enable developers to rapidly prototype ideas and concepts for IoT devices and applications.

The Broadcom WICED Sense development kit is an all-in-one IoT prototyping kit that includes Broadcom's newest Bluetooth Smart chip, five micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and has a software stack that is Bluetooth 4.1 compatible. 

Broadcom's WICED Sense kit provides a platform that minimizes set-up time and enables rapid demos of IoT concepts. Developers can start playing with the technology quickly by unboxing the WICED Sense kit, downloading the WICED Sense application to their smartphone and then pair the two devices using Bluetooth Smart in order to start experimenting with sensor technology like direction, humidity, speed and atmospheric pressure.

Use cases range from a single sensor technology to sophisticated programs gathering and analyzing data from multiple sensors. Potential example uses include:

- Set up text alert to be notified if a designated area of the home, like a child's bedroom, rises above a certain temperature by placing WICED Sense kit inside bedroom

- Find car keys by attaching them to the WICED Sense kit and using a smartphone to trigger an alarm on the tag

- Create security device for pets by attaching WICED Sense kit to collar and setting alarm on smartphone if pet wanders outside predetermined boundaries

- Correct player form by using accelerometer and E-compass sensors on WICED Sense kit that are affixed to tennis racket

- Maintain proper levels of humidity in the home by using WICED Sense kit to monitor moisture levels and send an alert if levels are too high or too low

- Broadcom BCM20737 Bluetooth Smart system in package (SiP) module

- Five low-power MEMS sensors:

- Gyroscope to enable motion control, gaming and GPS

- Accelerometer to enable impact recognition and vibration monitoring

- E-compass to enable map rotation, position detection and motion activated applications

- Barometer for altimeter, weather station equipment and smart watches

- Humidity and temperature for home automation products, air conditioning, heating and ventilation

- Certified by Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Conformité Européenne (CE) and TELEC

- Micro USB connector to speed up and simplify application updates

- Secure Over-the-air (OTA) download capability to enable firmware updates from central device including smartphone, tablet and personal computer (PC)

- Encryption, decryption, certificate signing, verification and various algorithms for increased privacy

- Support for iOS and Android OS

- Support for iBeacon technology

- Integrated software to enable direct connect to NFC tag

- Support for up to eight simultaneous master/slave connections

The Broadcom WICED Sense Kit is currently available through Broadcom's network of distribution partners for $19.99. The WICED Sense application is currently available on the App Store here.