The two Cloud Kits – the CK-RA6M5 and CK-RX65N – make it possible for users to connect and manage wireless IoT devices via the cloud and developers can now take advantage of a set of unique features and services available through Azure, an open and flexible cloud computing platform used worldwide.
Both cloud development kits incorporate Renesas’ LTE CAT-M1 module, which wirelessly connects MCUs to cloud services without a gateway. The kits are equipped with Microsoft’s new Embedded Wireless Framework, providing a simplified link to the Azure cloud platform.
The Embedded Wireless Framework lets any network adapter securely connect to the cloud, providing greater flexibility and better lifecycle management of cloud-based products. Asset tracking, building automation, medical data management, voice command and industrial control are some of the embedded applications will benefit from these kits.
Both the CK-RA6M5 and CK-RX65N kits have been certified by Microsoft Azure which means that the devices are validated to connect with the Azure IoT Hub and can be securely provisioned through the Device Provisioning Service. Additionally, both devices are IoT Plug and Play-certified, enabling developers to integrate the devices into their solutions using pre-defined device models. This eliminates the need to manually configure hardware.
The Renesas Cloud Kits include a high-performance MCU, the RYZ014A Cat-M1 Pmod, six on-board sensors, and extensive peripherals, including a USB FS connector, USB-to-UART serial converter, two Pmod connectors, and a battery connector.
For additional layers of security, Renesas collaborated with its partner, Crypto Quantique to implement a software-based IoT cryptography platform that securely connects IoT devices to server-hosted applications on-premises or in the cloud. Hardware-based security such as the Renesas Secure Crypto Engine 9 (SCE9) and Trusted Secure IP (TSIP) driver has been incorporated on the RA6M5 and RX65N MCUs respectively.
"The opportunities that the Azure cloud platform brings to IoT developers are limitless,” said Roger Wendelken, Senior Vice President and Head of MCU Business, IoT and Infrastructure Business Unit at Renesas. “Our Azure-enabled Cloud Kits provide engineers with a powerful development environment to create, evaluate and deploy cloud-based IoT solutions with confidence. With real-time data analytics and easy integration with other Azure services, developers can focus on building best-in-class IoT applications."
"Bringing the Renesas Cloud Kits into the Azure cloud ecosystem is a natural step forward,” said Stefan Wick, Product Lead IoT Edge and RTOS at Microsoft Azure. “By customising the Embedded Wireless Framework for Renesas’ MCUs, engineers can reuse application code across different IoT products and leverage a flexible abstraction interface for seamlessly connecting IoT systems to the Azure cloud services. Using the pre-configured development platform, system developers can leverage the power of Azure IoT and create reliable and scalable IoT solutions, while saving time and cost for development.”
Renesas’ Cloud Kits can collect data from onboard sensors, upload them to the cloud for AI/Machine Learning processing and tools, and download the model back to the end point.
Simplified development software is available out-of-the-box, including Reality AI Tools and Edge Impulse Studio. Reality AI Tools provide endpoint AI for a range of applications, including anomaly detection and voice recognition. The Edge Impulse Studio integrated cloud environment enables end-to-end AI/ML development using the kits’ accelerometer for asset and package tracking use cases.
