Taiwan, Hsinchu, Feb. 5,2014: Fabless semi-conductor company MediaTek Inc., has taken the Internet of Things (IoT) to mobile computing devices. The company has announced the MediaTek LinkIt Connect 7681 development platform as part of its global MediaTek Labs initiative. The new platform shall provide developers and makers with the tools they need to create simple Wi Fi enabled IoT devices that can be controlled from smartphones or the Web.
“The world is rapidly moving towards connecting every imaginable device in the home, yet developers often have to spend too much effort on making their products Wi-Fi enabled,” said Marc Naddell, Vice President, MediaTek Labs, in a written statement. “The MediaTek LinkIt Connect 7681 platform simplifies and accelerates this process so that developers can focus on making innovative home IoT products, whatever their skill level.”
To enable developers to take advantage of the features of the MT7681 SoC, the new platform provides a Software Development Kit (SDK) for Microsoft Windows and Ubuntu Linux and a Hardware Development Kit (HDK) co-designed with Seeed Studio. The SDK enables developers to compile and upload the firmware needed to control an IoT device in response to instructions received wirelessly, while the HDK delivers the LinkIt Connect 7681 development board.
Connectivity on the MT7681 is achieved using Wi Fi, in either Wi Fi station or access point (AP) mode. In the Wi Fi station mode, the platform connects to a wireless AP and can then communicate with Web services or Cloud servers, for uses such as controlling the heating in a home from a home automation website. In AP mode, the chip lets other wireless devices connect directly to it, allowing, for example, a smartphone app to control a smart plug or light bulb in the home.
MediaTek Labs was launched in September 2014 and provides developers, makers and service providers with SDKs, HDKs and documentation, as well as technical and business support. The company said the MediaTek LinkIt Connect 7681 was the second development platform for IoT and wearables.
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Image Credit:MediaTek
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