Normal view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.
Before yesterdayMain stream

Receive an alert when your device goes offline in Arduino Cloud

15 November 2024 at 20:36

You’re managing a network of IoT sensors that monitor air quality across multiple locations. Suddenly, one of the sensors goes offline, but you don’t notice until hours later. The result? A gap in your data and a missed opportunity to take corrective action. This is a common challenge when working with IoT devices: staying informed about the real-time status of each device is crucial to ensure smooth operation and timely troubleshooting.

This is where Device Status Notifications, the latest feature in the Arduino Cloud, comes in. Whether you’re an individual maker or an enterprise, this feature empowers you to stay on top of your devices by sending real-time alerts when a device goes online or offline.

What is “Device Status Notifications?”

Device Status Notifications allow you to receive instant alerts whenever one of your devices changes its connectivity status, whether it’s going offline or coming back online. You can customize these alerts for individual devices or all devices under your account, with the flexibility to exclude specific devices from triggering notifications.

We announced it a while ago, Arduino Cloud already supports Triggers and Notifications, allowing you to create alerts based on specific conditions like sensor readings or thresholds. With the addition of Device Status Notifications, you can now monitor device connectivity itself. This means you can now receive an alert the moment a device loses connection, providing a proactive way to manage your IoT ecosystem. For more details on the original feature, check out our Triggers and Notifications blog post.

Key benefits for users

  • Real-time monitoring: Get notified instantly when a device disconnects or reconnects, helping you take corrective actions promptly.
  • Customization: Configure your alerts to focus on specific devices or apply rules to all your devices, with the flexibility to add exceptions. You can also decide when the notification should be sent — either immediately upon a status change or after a set period of downtime.
  • Convenience: Choose to receive notifications via email or directly on your mobile device through the Arduino IoT Remote app, making it easy to stay informed wherever you are.

How to set up Device Status Notifications

Video link

1. Set up a Trigger

Go to the Triggers section and select “+ TRIGGER

2. Choose “Device Status” as your condition

Decide whether to monitor the status of:

  • A specific device (select “Single device”), or
  • Any device (select “Any device (existing and upcoming)”).

If you select “Single device,” you can choose the device that you want to be monitored.

If your selection is “Any device,” you can add exceptions for devices you don’t want to trigger the alert.

3. Configure what you are going to monitor

Choose whether to monitor when the device goes online, offline, or both. Then decide if the notification should be sent immediately or after a set period (options range from 10 minutes to 48 hours).

4. Customize the notification settings

Notifications are configured in the same way as any other Trigger. You can add the action of sending an email or a push notification to your phone via a push notification on the Arduino IoT Remote app.

Ready to test Device Notifications?

Want to make sure your IoT devices stay connected and functioning? Start using the Device Status Notifications feature today. Simply log in to your Arduino IoT Cloud account, and configure your notifications to stay informed whenever your devices go online or offline. 

Make sure you’re on a Maker, Enterprise, or School plan to access this feature.

And don’t forget to download the Arduino IoT Remote app from the App Store or Google Play  to receive real-time alerts on the go and stay connected, wherever you are.

The post Receive an alert when your device goes offline in Arduino Cloud appeared first on Arduino Blog.

How to customize your Arduino Cloud IoT dashboards on the go

24 October 2024 at 20:26

The Arduino Cloud has long been a trusted platform for makers, engineers, and developers to manage their IoT projects with ease. From tracking sensor data to automating smart devices, the cloud enables seamless connectivity. Complementing this, the Arduino IoT Remote mobile app gives users the power to monitor and interact with their dashboards from anywhere. Now, we’re excited to announce a new feature that enhances your experience even further: the ability to change dashboard layouts directly through the mobile app!

Let’s dive into this exciting new update, along with some other minor features recently added to improve your experience.

Change your dashboard layouts from the IoT Remote App

Previously, modifying or rearranging the layout of your IoT dashboards was only possible through the browser on a PC. While this worked well for desktop users, it wasn’t convenient for those who needed to make changes on the go. With the latest update, you can now modify the “mobile view” of your dashboard directly through the Arduino IoT Remote app.

It’s important to note that Arduino Cloud dashboards have two distinct views: mobile and desktop. This new feature allows you to customize the layout specifically for your mobile devices, without affecting the desktop version. So whether you’re monitoring your projects on your phone or tablet, you can now optimize the layout for a mobile-friendly experience.

By customizing the mobile view, you gain more control over how your data is displayed and interacted with on your phone—perfect for users who need a quick overview and control of their IoT systems while away from their desktops.

How to use the new layout feature

Using this new feature is simple. Here’s how you can rearrange your dashboard layout in the IoT Remote mobile app:

  • Open the Arduino IoT Remote app and log into your account.
  • Navigate to the dashboard you want to modify.
  • On the Settings menu of the dashboard, tap the  Rearrange button.
  • Select a widget by clicking on it, and move it around the dashboard to the new location or change its size.
  • Click on CANCEL to discard your changes or on SAVE to save your changes, and your updated layout will be visible across all your mobile devices.

What else is new on the IoT Remote app? 

In addition to the layout customization feature, during the past months we’ve introduced several minor updates to make your app experience even smoother:

  • Sync dashboard cover image: Now, you can set a cover image for your dashboard, and it will automatically sync across all your devices. Whether for branding, personalization, or easy recognition, this feature ensures visual consistency on every device you use.
  • Disable trigger from Notification Detail: You can now enable or disable a trigger directly from the Notification Detail screen. This feature provides quick control over automated actions, helping you fine-tune your project with minimal hassle.
  • Clear notifications via the Activity Manage Panel: Keep your notifications organized by clearing them all from the new Activity Manage Panel. This helps you stay focused by removing unnecessary clutter from your feed.

Install the Arduino IoT Remote on your mobile phone

These new features make it easier than ever to stay on top of your IoT projects from anywhere with your mobile phone. Whether you’re monitoring, controlling, or tweaking your dashboard, the Arduino IoT Remote app is the perfect tool for the job, and it’s free!

Ready to experience these new updates? Download the Arduino IoT Remote app today from the App Store or Google Play and take full control of your IoT projects from the convenience of your mobile device.

The post How to customize your Arduino Cloud IoT dashboards on the go appeared first on Arduino Blog.

7 powerful ways to integrate Collaborative Coding into education with the Arduino Cloud

16 October 2024 at 19:25

Collaborative coding in education can be a game-changer for students, providing them with real-world skills in communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

With the new collaborating coding feature of the Arduino Cloud, students can collaborate in real time on coding projects, making it easier to test, integrate, and refine their work in the classroom or remotely.

If you are on a paid Cloud School or Business plan and you have created a Shared Space, Collaborative Coding will already be enabled for you. Just open a sketch file from your organization space and start editing.

You can purchase an Arduino Cloud School or Business plan on this page.

How does Collaborative Coding work?

Before, to edit a shared sketch, the user needed to make a copy to edit it, only the owner could edit the original sketch. Users could end up with many copies of the same sketch. Now, if you’re editing a shared sketch and another user tries to access it, they’ll get an instant notification in the lower corner of the Arduino Cloud Editor. Once you’re done or have uploaded the sketch, the other user can edit it.

Below are seven ways that showcase how collaborative coding can enhance learning experiences in educational settings.

1. Remote team projects

In today’s increasingly connected world, remote collaboration has become a critical skill. By assigning students to a remote team project, such as building a smart greenhouse, educators can simulate real-world tasks. In this scenario, each student tackles a different component of the project: one works on coding for temperature sensors, another handles humidity control, while another focuses on pressure regulation.

Through real-time collaboration tools, students can test and integrate their code seamlessly, making it easier to identify and resolve issues as they arise. This approach doesn’t just encourage communication and teamwork; it also gives students valuable exposure to the challenges of coordinating efforts across distances – a skill essential in modern engineering and tech careers.

2. Peer learning and mentorship

As the students code, mentors can provide immediate feedback, guide them through debugging, and teach best practices. This instant interaction accelerates learning by allowing students to correct mistakes as they occur and learn more efficiently. Mentors can also demonstrate advanced coding techniques, improving the overall skill set of junior students while fostering a supportive learning environment.

3. Interdisciplinary projects

A great way to incorporate collaborative coding is through interdisciplinary projects, which  bring together students from diverse fields like computer science, physics, and environmental science. Take a weather station project, for example. Each student can code different elements, and with the Collaborative Coding feature, they can seamlessly integrate their work into a unified system in real time. This setup not only helps students share their domain-specific knowledge but also prepares them for real-world scenarios where interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial.

4. Classroom code review sessions

Arduino Cloud simplifies live code review sessions. Teachers can use the platform to host collaborative peer reviews, where students suggest improvements and optimizations on each other’s code. The Collaborative Coding feature allows these suggestions to be implemented and tested instantly, creating an interactive learning experience. This real-time feedback helps students improve their coding skills by learning to write cleaner, more efficient code. It also exposes them to different problem-solving approaches.

5. Hackathons and coding competitions

Hackathons are a great way to encourage teamwork and creative problem-solving, with students having to work closely together under time constraints. The Collaborative Coding feature enables real-time teamwork, allowing students to brainstorm, write, and debug code simultaneously. This setup encourages effective communication and quick decision-making, which are crucial skills in high-pressure environments like coding competitions. Students also learn how to divide tasks, manage time, and integrate different components swiftly.

6. Cross-school collaborative projects

Collaborative coding doesn’t have to be limited to one classroom. By connecting students from different schools, you can promote collaboration on larger, more ambitious projects. For example, students from various schools could work on a shared environmental monitoring system, with each school responsible for different parts such as data collection, interface design, and system integration.

Using the Collaborative Coding feature, they can integrate their code into a unified system in real time, learning from each other’s approaches and gaining exposure to different coding styles and experiences.

7. Pair programming exercises

In pair programming exercises, two students work together on a single coding task – whether that’s in the classroom or remotely. One student writes the code while the other reviews it in real time, and they switch roles regularly so both get hands-on experience with every part of the project.

This technique encourages close collaboration and helps  students develop their communication skills and systematic debugging techniques. It also gives them the opportunity to learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses, improving their overall coding abilities.

Conclusion

Integrating collaborative coding into the classroom can dramatically enhance the learning experience for students, giving them the skills they need to thrive in the modern workforce. From remote team projects and interdisciplinary work to peer mentoring and hackathons, these use cases demonstrate how coding can be both a collaborative and creative activity. By fostering teamwork, communication, and technical expertise, educators can prepare students for success in coding and beyond.

The post 7 powerful ways to integrate Collaborative Coding into education with the Arduino Cloud appeared first on Arduino Blog.

How to customize your Arduino Cloud IoT dashboards on the go

11 October 2024 at 20:08

The Arduino Cloud has long been a trusted platform for makers, engineers, and developers to manage their IoT projects with ease. From tracking sensor data to automating smart devices, the cloud enables seamless connectivity. Complementing this, the Arduino IoT Remote mobile app gives users the power to monitor and interact with their dashboards from anywhere. Now, we’re excited to announce a new feature that enhances your experience even further: the ability to change dashboard layouts directly through the mobile app!

Let’s dive into this exciting new update, along with some other minor features recently added to improve your experience.

Change your dashboard layouts from the IoT Remote app

Previously, modifying or rearranging the layout of your IoT dashboards was only possible through the browser on a PC. While this worked well for desktop users, it wasn’t convenient for those who needed to make changes on the go. With the latest update, you can now modify the “mobile view” of your dashboard directly through the Arduino IoT Remote app.

It’s important to note that Arduino Cloud dashboards have two distinct views: mobile and desktop. This new feature allows you to customize the layout specifically for your mobile devices, without affecting the desktop version. So whether you’re monitoring your projects on your phone or tablet, you can now optimize the layout for a mobile-friendly experience.

By customizing the mobile view, you gain more control over how your data is displayed and interacted with on your phone—perfect for users who need a quick overview and control of their IoT systems while away from their desktops.

How to use the new layout feature

Using this new feature is simple. Here’s how you can rearrange your dashboard layout in the IoT Remote mobile app:

1. Open the Arduino IoT Remote app and log into your account.
2. Navigate to the dashboard you want to modify.
3. On the Settings menu of the dashboard, tap the Rearrange button.
4. Select a widget by clicking on it, and move it around the dashboard to the new location or change its size.
5. Click on CANCEL to discard your changes or on SAVE to save your changes, and your updated layout will be visible across all your mobile devices.

What else is new on the IoT Remote app? 

In addition to the layout customization feature, during the past months we’ve introduced several minor updates to make your app experience even smoother:

  • Sync dashboard cover image: Now, you can set a cover image for your dashboard, and it will automatically sync across all your devices. Whether for branding, personalization, or easy recognition, this feature ensures visual consistency on every device you use.
  • Disable trigger from Notification Detail: You can now enable or disable a trigger directly from the Notification Detail screen. This feature provides quick control over automated actions, helping you fine-tune your project with minimal hassle.
  • Clear notifications via the Activity Manage Panel: Keep your notifications organized by clearing them all from the new Activity Manage Panel. This helps you stay focused by removing unnecessary clutter from your feed.

Install the Arduino IoT Remote on your mobile phone

These new features make it easier than ever to stay on top of your IoT projects from anywhere with your mobile phone. Whether you’re monitoring, controlling, or tweaking your dashboard, the Arduino IoT Remote app is the perfect tool for the job, and it’s free!Ready to experience these new updates? Download the Arduino IoT Remote app today from the App Store or Google Play and take full control of your IoT projects from the convenience of your mobile device.

The post How to customize your Arduino Cloud IoT dashboards on the go appeared first on Arduino Blog.

Top Arduino Cloud IoT dashboard ideas with the new Image widget 

8 October 2024 at 19:48

Recently, we announced the exciting new Image widget for Arduino Cloud. This powerful feature opens up a world of possibilities for enhancing your IoT dashboards. But the true potential of the Image widget lies in the applications that you create.

Today, we’re excited to dive deeper and show you what kind of IoT dashboards your can create with the Image widget. Whether you’re using it for smart homes, enterprise solutions, or educational tools, the possibilities are endless—and we’re here to help you discover its full potential!

As a maker, the Image widget can be a game-changer for your smart home projects. Here are a few examples: 

1. Home security dashboard: Detect intrusion with camera photos

Here’s our first IoT dashboard idea: Display live snapshots from a home-made security camera, updating the image at regular intervals or triggering updates based on motion or sound detection. This allows you to keep a close eye on your property, even when you’re away. You can control the whole system from an Arduino Cloud dashboard.

In this project, you’ll learn how to build a security system using the Arduino Nicla Vision‘s camera. The system captures snapshots when it detects sound levels above a set threshold, and everything is managed through an Arduino Cloud dashboard. From enabling or disabling the system, viewing event history, to receiving alerts, Arduino Cloud makes it easy to control and monitor your security setup. Check out the full project for all the details and step-by-step instructions!

IoT dashboard idea on Arduino Cloud. Use the image widget to detect intrusion with camera photos

Image 1: Arduino Cloud intrusion detection dashboard with snapshot of a living room

2. Plant visual growth diary dashboard

In this second IoT dashboard idea, you can bring your indoor or outdoor garden into the digital realm. Use the Image widget to create a visual growth diary, displaying daily or weekly photos of your plants. Combine this with soil moisture sensors to get a comprehensive view of your plants’ health and progress over time.

IoT dashboard idea on Arduino Cloud: Visual growth diary of your plant

Image 2: Arduino Cloud irrigation dashboard with snapshot of a plant

NOTE: This dashboard above is based on this original project and has been modified to include the Image widget. These adjustments were made to demonstrate the potential of this new feature in enhancing your Arduino Cloud dashboards. 

3. DIY Weather station dashboard with outside daily photos

In this 3rd example, you can turn your Arduino-powered weather station into a visually engaging dashboard. That’s right, display real-time weather icons and images of the current sky conditions. You can even integrate sensor data to provide a complete picture of your local microclimate, making your DIY weather station a must-have for any maker’s smart home.

IoT dashboard idea: Weather station on Arduino Cloud with image widget

Image 3: Local weather station Arduino Cloud dashboard with daily photo

NOTE: This IoT dashboard idea above is based on this original project and has been modified to include the Image widget. These adjustments were made to demonstrate the potential of this new feature in enhancing your Arduino Cloud dashboards.

By adding a camera, following the instructions of the intrusion detection project described in the first IoT dashboard idea above, you can take your weather dashboard to the next level.

4. More ideas to use the Image Widget in your Arduino Cloud IoT dashboards

The new Cloud image widget offers powerful ways to integrate real-time imagery into your data-driven workflows. Below are five additional examples of how the Image widget can enhance your Arduino Cloud

5. Industrial equipment monitoring: Embed real-time visuals of critical machinery, like thermal imaging data, in your dashboard to quickly identify and address potential issues.

6. Smart agriculture: Integrate drone or satellite imagery to monitor crop growth, soil conditions, and irrigation systems, helping make data-driven decisions for your farm.

7. Supply chain visualization: Create interactive maps displaying the real-time location and status of products and materials, while tracking inventory levels and shipment progress.

8. Quality control: Compare images of acceptable and defective products to enhance visual inspections and streamline quality control processes.

9. Education: Use real-time or time-lapse visuals to bring live science experiments into digital learning, enriching students’ engagement with STEM subjects.

Community Spotlight

We’re excited to see what you, our innovative Arduino community, will create with the Image widget. Share your projects and ideas on the Arduino Project Hub or in the Arduino Cloud forum, and inspire others with your creative applications. Who knows, you might just end up being featured in our next Community Spotlight!

Conclusion

The Image widget is more than just a pretty face — it’s a powerful tool that can transform the way you approach IoT projects, whether you’re a maker, an enterprise, or an educator. By unleashing your creativity and leveraging this feature, you can breathe new life into your dashboard or create new breeds of projects.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for Arduino Cloud for free today, start exploring the Image widget and let your imagination run wild. The possibilities are endless, and we can’t wait to see what you create. For more information and tutorials, check out the Arduino Cloud documentation.

The post Top Arduino Cloud IoT dashboard ideas with the new Image widget  appeared first on Arduino Blog.

Arduino Cloud is now available in AWS Marketplace!

25 September 2024 at 21:15

We’re excited to announce that Arduino Cloud is now available in AWS Marketplace, making it easier than ever for developers and businesses worldwide to integrate our powerful IoT platform into their AWS infrastructure. This development is particularly relevant for those in industrial manufacturing, energy management, supply chain, and logistics sectors who are looking to streamline the deployment and management of IoT solutions.

Develop your cloud solutions faster and easier than ever

With Arduino Cloud now available in AWS Marketplace, users can benefit from a low-code platform that accelerates time-to-value, enables easy device management, and supports OTA (Over-The-Air) updates, digital twin creation, and real-time data visualization. For AWS customers, this availability simplifies the process of purchasing, deploying, and scaling IoT applications using Arduino’s robust cloud infrastructure.

As our CEO Fabio Violante explains: “Our mission at Arduino is to remove barriers to innovation, reducing friction and enabling people to focus on their business outcomes. By making Arduino Cloud available in AWS Marketplace, we are improving accessibility for organizations to deploy and manage their IoT devices at scale, dramatically accelerating the journey from ideation to production. With Arduino Cloud, we also aim to enable IoT and edge AI projects that previously never materialized due to complexity and costs.”

Many of our customers have already seen the impact of this integration. Atlas Machine, for example, successfully implemented a “split cloud” architecture using both Arduino Cloud and AWS IoT Core, allowing them to manage sensor data efficiently. Danny Kent, their Product Development Engineer, noted that Arduino Cloud was “indispensable for OTA and device management at scale,” significantly boosting their operational efficiency.

How can Arduino Cloud benefit your business?

Arduino Cloud offers key benefits such as faster go-to-market times, seamless integration with enterprise architecture, comprehensive support for edge and hardware solutions, and cost-effective scalability. Whether you are prototyping or managing large-scale IoT deployments, the service is designed to meet your needs.

Ready to explore more? Discover Arduino Cloud – now available in AWS Marketplace – and see how it can accelerate your IoT projects! For more information, check out the full press release.

The post Arduino Cloud is now available in AWS Marketplace! appeared first on Arduino Blog.

Reduce power consumption in IoT and wearable devices with Arduino’s new power management library!

24 September 2024 at 19:45

Developing energy-efficient IoT and wearable devices is complex and time-consuming, yet it is essential for creating high-quality products that stand out in today’s market. A key part in this process is optimizing power consumption without sacrificing performance or functionality. Fortunately, Arduino Pro modules help address this challenge by offering powerful chips and efficient regulators, enabling developers to fine-tune power settings and maximize efficiency for their specific needs.

To further support these efforts, we’re excited to introduce a powerful new power management library designed specifically for Arduino Pro modules. The currently supported models are Arduino Portenta H7, Portenta C33, and Nicla Vision. With this library, you can easily monitor battery usage and health, fine-tune charging parameters, toggle components to reduce power consumption, and even enable sleep and standby modes on supported devices. In fact, when in deep sleep mode, some boards consume under 100 microamperes, enabling months or even years of continuous runtime on a single charge.

Ready to optimize your IoT and wearable devices? Keep reading to learn how our new power management library for Arduino Pro modules can help you extend battery life and boost efficiency. Discover the tools to take control of your device’s power usage and try it for yourself!

Watt’s in store: key features you’ll love

Here are some of the standout features that will help you maximize efficiency and extend battery life:

  • Battery monitoring: Keep track of vital battery metrics, including voltage, current, percentage, and temperature, in real-time.
  • Battery health tracking: Monitor battery health with detailed insights into temperature, and reported capacity.
  • Charging control: Take charge of your device’s battery management by monitoring and adjusting charging parameters.
  • Sleep and Standby modes: Save significant power by putting Portenta C33 or Portenta H7 into low-power Sleep and Standby modes. Support for Nicla Vision will be added in an upcoming update.
  • Power rail control: Fine-tune power usage by toggling and setting voltages on various power rails of the board.

Juice it up: monitor battery health like a pro

Managing your device’s battery health has never been easier. With the dedicated battery management class, you gain real-time insights into your battery’s usage and health, empowering you to optimize energy efficiency and prolong battery life. This powerful tool lets you track essential metrics such as current and average voltage, battery percentage, current draw, temperature, and even provides estimates for time-to-full and time-to-empty, allowing you to predict charging and discharging times with accuracy. By keeping a close eye on these parameters, you can make informed decisions to maximize your device’s performance and longevity.

Monitoring battery health is crucial for ensuring the long-term reliability and efficiency of your devices. Poor battery health can lead to reduced performance, shorter runtimes, and even unexpected shutdowns, which can negatively impact user experience. By proactively tracking battery metrics, you can identify potential issues before they become critical, extend the lifespan of your batteries, and maintain optimal energy usage – whether your device is in constant use or running intermittently over long periods. Staying on top of battery health means fewer disruptions, lower maintenance costs, and more sustainable, high-performing products.

These features are fully supported on the Arduino Portenta H7, Portenta C33, and Nicla Vision. Ready to put them to the test? Dive into our example sketch.

Full charge ahead! Optimize battery lifespan

Charging your LiPo battery effectively is key to maintaining long-term health and maximizing runtime. The power management library gives you control over your battery’s charging process by monitoring each stage and allowing you to adjust crucial parameters to suit your specific needs. With this tool, you can confidently charge your devices, knowing you’re getting the most out of your batteries without risking damage or reduced lifespan.

The three stages of charging

LiPo batteries charge in three stages, each critical for ensuring the battery is properly and safely charged:

Pre-charge: The first phase begins by charging the battery at a low current, gradually increasing until it reaches the appropriate charging level. This gentle start ensures that the battery is brought up to full charge safely.

Constant current: In this stage, the battery charges at a consistent current until it reaches the designated “fully charged” voltage – typically 4.2 V for most LiPo batteries. This is where the bulk of the charging occurs.

Constant voltage: Once the battery hits its target voltage, it transitions to constant voltage mode, where the current is gradually reduced. This final stage ensures that the battery is topped off and ready to go without overcharging.

Understanding these stages helps you manage your battery more effectively and ensures optimal charging every time.

Why monitoring matters

The library allows you to check what stage of charging your battery is in at any time. Knowing whether your battery is pre-charging, fast-charging, or maintaining its full charge can help you monitor its health and ensure it is not being overstressed. The ability to monitor charging status also alerts you to potential issues like overvoltage, overheating, or timer faults, so you can intervene and protect your system before any damage occurs.

By giving you control over parameters such as charge voltage, charge current, and end-of-charge current, the library ensures that your battery is charged in the safest and most efficient manner possible. Whether you’re tweaking the current limit for a more gentle charge or adjusting the voltage for a custom battery, these settings help you get the best performance while extending battery life.

With this level of control, you’ll be able to keep your batteries healthy, your devices powered, and your projects running smoothly.

You can explore these advanced features on the Arduino Portenta H7, Portenta C33, and Nicla Vision. Try them out today with our example sketch.

Powering down, saving up: discover power-saving modes for longer life

With modern IoT devices, power efficiency is critical, especially when running on battery for extended periods. That’s where sleep modes come in. The Renesas and ST chips supported by this library feature two essential low-power states – Sleep and Standby – each optimized to help you manage power consumption without sacrificing functionality. 

Whether you’re developing an energy-conscious wearable or a long-lasting sensor network, these modes help you strike the perfect balance between performance and efficiency.

Sleep mode: ready when you are

In Sleep mode, your module significantly reduces its power consumption to about half of its normal usage. The best part? When it wakes up, it resumes execution right where it left off. This makes Sleep mode ideal for applications that need to remain responsive while conserving energy. Wake-up triggers can vary depending on your specific board, allowing you to customize how and when your device springs back to life.

Standby mode: for maximum power saving

Standby mode takes energy conservation to the next level, dropping power consumption to as low as 50 uA to 300 uA when peripherals are turned off. This mode is perfect for long-term, battery-dependent applications where energy use is a major concern. Unlike Sleep mode, Standby resets the board upon waking, triggering the setup() function again. This full reset is well-suited for scenarios where occasional wake-ups are acceptable, such as data logging or remote monitoring.

Fine-tuning your sleep strategy

Both the Portenta H7 and Portenta C33 offer flexible wake-up options. You can use a real-time clock alarm for scheduled wake-ups or external stimuli such as sensor input to trigger activity. On the Portenta C33, multiple pins can be configured as wake-up sources, allowing you to seamlessly integrate peripherals like motion sensors or buttons to bring your board out of sleep.

For even more control, toggle your peripherals on and off as needed, ensuring that features like the ADC, RGB LED, Secure Element, Wi-Fi®, and Bluetooth® are only active when required. This granular level of power management means you can tailor your device’s behavior to its environment, making sure energy isn’t wasted.

In both sleep modes, managing your wake-up sources, peripherals, and configurations can significantly extend your device’s battery life, making it a key factor in creating sustainable, long-lasting IoT solutions.

Mbed and Portenta H7: automated efficiency

On Mbed-enabled STM32-based boards like the Portenta H7 and Nicla Vision, sleep management is automatic. The system enters a sleep-like state during idle periods, but you can enhance this by manually managing sleep locks – peripherals or processes that might prevent the module from sleeping. Unlocking these will ensure your board sleeps whenever possible, maximizing efficiency without compromising essential tasks. Check out this example from the underlying Arduino_LowPowerPortentaH7 library for more information about sleep locks. 

Power consumption comparison

To give you a clear idea of how power consumption varies across different Arduino Portenta modules, here is a breakdown of current usage with and without power optimizations. This table highlights how effectively sleep modes and peripheral management can reduce power draw, helping you extend battery life in your projects.

Arduino Portenta C33 Arduino Portenta H7 LiteArduino Portenta H7
Without power optimizations41.37 mA123.86 mA123.86 mA
Standby consumption with peripherals off58.99 uA75.51 uA379 uA
Standby consumption with peripherals on11.53 mA4.89 mA7.98 mA
Sleep consumption with peripherals off7.02 mAN/AN/A
Sleep consumption with peripherals on18.26 mAN/AN/A


Note: Sleep measurements are not available on the Portenta H7 modules because they go to sleep automatically when idling.

Note: These measurements have been taken using a Nordic Power Profiler Kit II through the JST power connector of the Portenta boards. The numbers might be higher when powering through the VIN or 5V pin because it involves more power regulators that are not as efficient as the PF1550’s integrated regulators.

Conclusion

Efficient power management is key to unlocking the full potential of your Arduino Pro projects! With advanced tools like customizable sleep modes, detailed battery monitoring, and flexible peripheral control, you can significantly extend battery life and optimize energy usage across your devices. Whether you’re working with the Portenta H7, Portenta C33, or Nicla Vision, these features allow you to create smarter, more sustainable IoT and wearable solutions that stand the test of time

Now it’s your turn to put these powerful features to work: elevate your designs, reduce energy consumption, and build products that last longer and perform better. And don’t forget to share your results on Project Hub or the Arduino Forum!

The post Reduce power consumption in IoT and wearable devices with Arduino’s new power management library! appeared first on Arduino Blog.

You can now work in collaboration in Arduino Cloud

17 September 2024 at 19:40

In today’s busy world, getting students or engineers to work together is key to tackling complex IoT projects. Traditional code sharing and editing methods, like using offline IDEs or swapping files manually, often slow down projects and lead to mistakes. This can be a hassle and take up a lot of time, often getting in the way of students or developers learning together. To address these challenges, Arduino Cloud introduces Collaborative Coding — a new feature available in the Cloud Editor, the online alternative to the traditional Arduino IDE, that enables real-time, collaborative coding. 

So, what is Collaborative Coding?

In Arduino Cloud, Collaborative Coding allows multiple users to work on the same code at the same time. For example, industrial automation professionals can enhance project efficiency, reduce errors, and accelerate development cycles while streamlining the collaborative experience and enhancing the overall efficiency of group projects. But not only enterprises, also teachers can work closer with their students by sharing and reviewing code, or finding ways to teach how the code works. 

Advantages of code collaborations:

  • It streamlines the coding process.
  • It foster innovation through teamwork.
  • It ensures projects are on track and boosts continuity.

Is Collaborative Coding available for users with a Shared Space?

Yes, Collaborative Coding can only be accessed if you have a Shared Space created for your organization or school. 

A Shared Space in Arduino Cloud is a collaborative environment designed for organizations or educational institutions. It allows team members or students to work together on projects while sharing many resources such as dashboards, things, sketches,…. There is no limit to the number of members who can join a Shared Space.

If you are on a paid Arduino Cloud plan and you have created a Shared Space, Collaborative Coding will already be enabled for you. Just open a sketch file from your organization space and start editing.  

If you haven’t created a Shared Space for your organization yet, you can purchase an Arduino Cloud School or Business plan on this page

How does Collaborative Coding work ? 

Let’s say that you’re in the middle of editing a sketch, when another user tries to access it. They will be notified right away that the sketch is being edited by someone else. How? With a message displayed in the lower hand corner of Arduino Cloud Editor (see screenshot below). Once you complete your changes or you have verified and uploaded the sketch, the other user will be able to edit the code. 

4 ways to make the best out of Collaborative Coding 

1. Boost IoT team project development 

Facilitate collaboration among team members located in different parts of the world, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. Conduct code reviews in real time, improving code quality and knowledge sharing.

    2. Engage in pair programming

    Pair programming is the practice of pairing up students to work on programming activities. This is the most common approach used by teachers to foster collaboration in the classroom. 

      Collaborative coding helps students to be more actively involved in projects, making the learning process interactive and engaging. They can leverage each other’s knowledge and skills, resulting in more effective problem-solving and innovation. The development cycle accelerates as well, allowing for quicker iterations and refinements.

      3. Deliver interactive workshops and training

      Use the collaborative editor for training new hires and students who are learning to code allowing them to follow along and participate in real-time. Conduct hands-on workshops where participants can actively engage with the code, enhancing their learning experience.

        4. Enhance client collaborations

        Collaborate with clients on specific projects, enabling them to see progress and provide feedback in real-time. Quickly prototype and demonstrate solutions to clients, incorporating their feedback instantly.

          Collaborative Coding in action

          Explore how our new Collaborative Coding feature can revolutionize your workflow. Access short clips on our documentation site, customized for your specific needs:

          Get a Shared Space and start collaborating 

          This isn’t news: In both educational and professional realms, working with multiple users in real-time is key to success. The new Collaborative Coding feature in Arduino Cloud bridges the gap. It offers learning, helps debugging and improves communication. 

          By integrating this tool into your workflow, whether you’re a student working on group projects or a developer in the industrial automation sector, you will get a better development experience

          Ready to revolutionize the way you collaborate on code? Check out this tutorial on how to Collaborate using the Cloud Editor.

          Don’t have a Shared Space? 

          Visit our plans now and upgrade to a Pro or School plan depending on your profile and needs. If you’re a student or an educator, you can also sign-up for a free trial now and start collaborating within Arduino Cloud Editor. 

          For any information, our team is here to support you. Get in touch! 

          The post You can now work in collaboration in Arduino Cloud appeared first on Arduino Blog.

          ❌
          ❌