Seeed Studio XIAO nRF52840 is a highly versatile and feature-rich development board from Seeed Studio, based on the Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 SoC (System on Chip). Here’s an overview:
- Microcontroller:
- The nRF52840 is a powerful ARM Cortex-M4 processor with:
- 1MB Flash memory
- 256KB RAM
- Floating Point Unit (FPU)
- Operating at up to 64 MHz
- The nRF52840 is a powerful ARM Cortex-M4 processor with:
- Form Factor:
- Like other XIAO boards, this one is also very small, making it suitable for embedding into projects where space is a premium.
- Connectivity:
- Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE): Supports Bluetooth 5, offering long range, high throughput, and mesh networking capabilities.
- NFC-A Tag: For Near Field Communication.
- USB: A USB-C port for programming, power, and debugging.
- GPIO Pins: Offers 11 GPIO pins, including:
- Digital I/O
- Analog inputs (6 channels)
- PWM outputs
- SPI, I2C, UART, and other communication protocols
- Programming:
- Compatible with Arduino IDE, providing an easy entry point for developers.
- Supports CircuitPython and can be programmed with the nRF5 SDK for more advanced applications.
- Also supports Zephyr RTOS and other embedded development environments.
- Power:
- Can be powered via USB or an external power source through the 5V pin.
- Features low power consumption modes, making it suitable for battery-operated devices.
- Development Features:
- On-board LED: An RGB LED for debugging or as an output.
- User Button: For various functions or programming.
- BOOT/RESET Button: For entering bootloader mode or resetting the board.
- Antenna: An on-board antenna for BLE communication.
- Applications: Ideal for:
- IoT projects requiring Bluetooth connectivity.
- Wearable technology, due to its size, power efficiency, and BLE capabilities.
- Prototyping wireless devices or sensors.
- Projects involving NFC for payment systems, access control, or data exchange.
- Community and Ecosystem:
- Benefits from Seeed Studio’s ecosystem, Nordic Semiconductor’s SDK, and the broader Arduino and embedded development communities.
The XIAO nRF52840 is particularly notable for its wireless capabilities, making it an excellent choice for IoT projects that require Bluetooth Low Energy and NFC communication. Its compact size, along with its performance and power efficiency, makes it an attractive option for developers looking to integrate wireless features into their projects with minimal footprint.
Feature
- Versatile Microcontroller: Incorporate the Nordic nRF52840 chip with FPU, operating up to 64 MHz, mounted multiple development ports, supported by Arduino / CircuitPython / Micropython
- Wireless Capabilities: Implement Bluetooth 5.0, BLE functions with onboard antenna, also provide NFC connectivity
- Elaborate Power Design: Provide ultra-low power consumption as 5 μA in deep sleep mode while supporting lithium battery charge management
- Thumb-sized Design: 21 x 17.8mm, Seeed Studio XIAO series classic form-factor, suitable for wearable devices
- Perfect for Production: Breadboard-friendly & SMD design, no components on the back
Note
XIAO SoM User Manual open-sources all hardware and software materials of XIAO, providing professional product design guidelines to help you accelerate ideas off the ground, streamline product design, providing a seamless experience from module selection to mass production. You can check here to see more info.
Starter Kit with free Course for all Electronics Neophytes and Enthusiasts
Seeed Studio has provided the Grove Starter Kit along with free and detailed courses for you quickly get started with microcontrollers and electronics, regarding all the Seeed Studio XIAO boards, promising you a great learning experience.
Not only programming but also electronics knowledge is not required, you will be taken step by step, from understanding the basic concepts to exercising the simple projects individually, finally being able to build complex, interesting, wearable projects on your own, owing a practical electronic product prototype from the course.
You can have access to the Seeed Studio Grove ecosystem by connecting it to the compatible Seeed Studio XIAO expansion board. We have developed more than 400 Grove modules, covering a wide range of applications that can fulfill various needs. For example, you can make a BLE AI-driven Smartwatch Detecting Potential Sun Damage by connecting the Seeed Studio XIAO nRF52840 with an expansion board, and a Grove – UV Sensor. Get started and explore the infinite possibilities of the Seeed Studio XIAO series!
If you are interested in programming embedded machine learning, we have Codecraft visual programming that can help you quickly start your own TinyML project. And we have set up a #tinyml channel on our Discord server, please click to join for 24/7 making, sharing, discussing, and helping each other out.
We already have 8 XIAO products based on different solutions in the XIAO family, to help you better understand the differences and choose the most suitable part for your projects, please refer to the Seeed Studio XIAO Series Page.
Specification
To better support IoT and TinyML AI projects, there is an advanced version “Seeed Studio XIAO nRF52840 Sense” that carries an extra 6-axis IMU and a PDM microphone.
| Item | Seeed Studio XIAO nRF52840 | Seeed Studio XIAO nRF52840 Sense |
| Processor | Nordic nRF52840 | |
| ARM® Cortex®-M4 with FPU runs up to 64 MHz | ||
| Wireless | Bluetooth 5.0/NFC | |
| On-chip Memory | 1 MB flash and 256 kB RAM | |
| Onboard Memory | 2 MB QSPI flash | |
| Interface | 1xUART, 1xIIC, 1xSPI, 1xNFC, 1xSWD, | |
| 11xGPIO(PWM), 6xADC | ||
| Sensors | / | Onboard PDM digital microphone |
| Onboard 6-axis IMU | ||
| Dimensions | 21 x 17.8mm | |
| Power | Circuit operating voltage: 3.3V@200mA | |
| Charging current: 50mA/100mA | ||
| Input voltage (VIN): 5V | ||
| Standby power consumption: <5μA | ||
Hardware Overview
Attention:
All the I/O pins are 3.3V, please do not input more than 3.3V, otherwise, the CPU may be damaged.
- Onboard
- PinOut
- Back
Application
- Wearable devices
- Wireless connect
- Embedded machine learning projects
- Perfect for mini Arduino projects
- Tiny Machine Learning application