ARM Launches IoT Education Kit in China at Opening of Peking University’s New Smart Device Lab

ARM is continuing its support for China’s expanding Internet of Things (IoT) industry by providing a new cloud-enabled education kit for universities. The ARM^® IoT Education Kit will teach students how to use the ARM mbed^™ IoT Device Platform, create smartphone apps and control connected devices such as a robot or a mini weather station to gather temperature, humidity and air pressure data.

The Kit was unveiled today at the opening of Peking University’s new PKU-ARM-ST-Nordic Smart Device Innovation Lab. The IoT Education Kit and the new innovation lab facility are both supported by ARM and semiconductor partners STMicroelectronics and Nordic.

"ARM-based technologies are providing the foundation for IoT deployments worldwide and it is important that we give young engineers everywhere the knowledge of the same foundational technologies as their professional peers,” said Mike Muller, chief technology officer, ARM. "The education kit will provide an IoT-centered approach to learning, giving students knowledge and tools that are interoperable with real-world applications. This will create engineers who are industry-ready straight from university.”

"The ARM IoT Education Kit is an excellent platform for students taking Electronic System Design-related courses at the PKU-ARM-ST-Nordic Smart Device Innovation Lab,” said Prof. Duan Xiaohui, vice director, center of experimental electronics and information, Peking University. "Students can learn about the cutting-edge technology that surrounds the IoT and use the resources provided by the ARM ecosystem to implement fast prototypes to bring their innovative ideas to life. This kind of training is crucial for our students as they are the future of Chinese innovation.”

The ARM IoT Education Kit

The kit contains ARM mbed Enabled^™ boards from STMicroelectronics and Nordic Semiconductor, ARM Keil^® MDK software licenses, and a complete set of teaching materials. It is designed to help lecturers deliver practical lessons around key IoT technologies. This includes teaching students how to work with ARM mbed, the most widely-used developer platform for ARM Cortex^®-M processor based IoT devices. The course also provides a deep dive on technologies such as Bluetooth^® Smart and an understanding of current industry standards.

"Nordic is delighted and proud to be a partner with ARM in the Smart Device Innovation Lab at Peking University,” said John Leonard, product marketing manager, Nordic Semiconductor. "University students are the creators and innovators of tomorrow and it is not only an honor, but also very exciting to assist in their learning of the very latest technologies such as Bluetooth Smart. The Cortex-M0 based nRF51series SoC plays a significant role in this program and gives students the opportunity to learn on the very latest technology available, technology that is the starting point for exciting new industries such as wearables, beacons and IoT.”

"The STM32F4 MCU series has played a highly important role in the deployment of innovative sensor and wireless communications based on utilizing ST’s product portfolio,” said Michel Buffa, general manager, microcontrollers division, STMicroelectronics. "We are delighted to extend our University program engagement with ARM and Peking University. Beijing is a highly symbolic region for ST as on June 11 2007 it was the first city in China where the STM32 was used.”

PKU-ARM-ST-Nordic Smart Device Innovation Lab

Peking University’s new innovation lab will be used by more than 200 students from the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science with supporting courses including mobile computing, digital system design, embedded systems and digital signal processing. It is backed by ARM, STMicroelectronics and Nordic, who are offering ARM-based products. The ARM University Program, in particular, is supporting the lab with academic expertise and courseware for a variety of academic topics, including those focused around IoT technologies.

"China is set to become a leader in IoT deployments worldwide, so supporting the development of the Chinese engineering community is vitally important,” said Khaled Benkrid, worldwide university program manager, ARM. "Partnering with STMicroelectronics and Nordic enables us to deliver sustained access to diverse, low-cost, and high quality educational kits to universities in the region. It is excellent to see Nordic Semiconductor getting involved so quickly as they are a new member of our expanding Global University Partners Alliance.”

Further IoT Collaborations in China

STMicroelectronics, ARM and The Association of Fundamental Computing and Education in Chinese Universities announced an earlier collaboration in May 2015 aimed at establishing 200 mbed innovation labs to support smart device programs in graduate schools, universities and professional institutions.

ARM is also working with Thundersoft, a world leader in smart device platforms, on the newly-launched ARM IoT Ecosystem Accelerator. The venture was set up in September 2015 as a one-stop shop for startups and established OEMs, providing integrated hardware and software expertise as well as resources from the ARM ecosystem. The first facility, in Beijing, is one of four planned to support China’s expanding IoT industry. Students from Peking University are expected to be first student teams to visit the Accelerator, carrying out projects and learning to create startup enterprises.

Ends

About ARM

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