Flash sales announcement: you can now purchase a ST-Nucleo F411 for just $1 if you also purchase any version of the JumpStart Embedded Tools for Cortex. Click here for more details, and here to browse the different Cortex tools.
With Smart.IO, you can create an app for your embedded system with no wireless or app coding. It’s perfect for when you are making prototypes and wish to easily add some fancy app-based UI controls to your gadget (because who wants to use hard-to-see LCD displays or twiddly little knobs and buttons?).
The Smart.IO module has a 12-pin header, and you can use an optional shield carrier to attach the module to an Arduino style board such as the ST-Nucleo. However, for quick prototyping, you can forego using the shield and just use a set of jumper wires to connect between the module and a prototyping board.
Here’s an example of the module connected to an ST-Nucleo Morpho connector using female-to-female jumper wires. Conveniently, all the signals on the ST-Nucleo that are used by Smart.IO are located in a line.
Pin 1 of the Smart.IO header is located at the lower right position if you put the header at the top with the top of the module facing up.
12 10 8 6 4 2
pin numbering of the Smart.IO header
11 9 7 5 3 1
If you’d like to do this yourself, the pin diagrams are documented in the Smart.IO user guide here:
https://imagecraft.com/documentation/smart-io-documentation. The relevant information is:
ST Morpho Connector on the right hand side
| Morpho Pin | Smart.IO Pin | NOTES |
| 4 – AVDD | 3 – Vdd | AVDD is not available in all Arduino boards. Use 3V3 in that case. |
| 5 – GND | 12 – GND | |
| 6 – SCK | 9 – SCK | STM32F411 PA5 |
| 7 – MISO | 8 – MISO | STM32F411 PA6 |
| 8 – MOSI | 7 – MOSI | STM32F411 PA7 |
| 9 -nCS | 10 – nCS | STM32F411 PB6 |
| 10 – nReset | 4 – nReset | STM32F411 PC7 |
| 11 – Host IRQ | 11 – Host IRQ | STM32F411 PA9 |
To use the Arduino connector instead of the Morpho connector, shift the pins up by one position, i.e. AVDD<->Vdd is now pin 3 instead of pin 4.
This is a simple way to evaluate and use Smart.IO. As jumper wires are prone to failure if you insert and remove them too many times, we will be releasing a low-cost PCB with connectors to avoid using jumper wires. Stay tuned for more information when it becomes available.
Whoa! Last minute update. Here’s a 3-D rendering of the connector PCB, tentatively named SmartConnect. The PCB and Gerber files will be uploaded to github and we will sell assembled and blank PCBs for low prices.
