ChApTEr 2 ■ hArdwArE for IoT SoluTIonS
The board requires external power supply and thus cannot be powered by USB but has support for
power over Ethernet. While it has many interesting features, it is a relatively new addition to the market and
does not seem to be catching on in popularity as much as some other boards. That said, there are several IOT
expansion or experiment kits available such as the kit from SeeedStudio (http://seeedstudio.com/depot/
Grove-starter-kit-plus-Intel-IoT-Edition-for-Intel-Galileo-Gen-2-and-Edison-p-1978.html).
Given the operating system is not as powerful as a full Linux implementation, you are most likely going
to want to create a boot image and run a newer version of the operating system from the SD drive. You can
find complete documentation on this endeavor on Intel’s IOT site (https://software.intel.com/en-us/
programming-blank-sd-card-with-yocto-linux-image-linux).
To date, I’ve used my Intel Galileo Gen 2 as a gateway for some of my Arduino shield–based circuits.
This is because the board allows me to program it much like I would a normal Arduino with a special version
of the Arduino IDE from Intel (http://intel.com/support/galileo/sb/CS-035101.htm). In addition, I’ve
used the Galileo in place of an Arduino where I need more computing power or wanted easy access to the
Arduino hardware from a remote computer (one I can remotely log into).
For more information about the Intel Galileo Gen 2, see https://software.intel.com/en-us/iot/
hardware/galileo.
Computer Boards
The second category of low-cost computing boards are those that are intended to be embedded computing
systems and do not include Arduino hardware compatibility (no shield headers or Arduino-compatible
microcontroller on board).^11 However, all the boards I’ve used in this category support a variety of hardware
pins you can use to connect sensors and other components and circuits. Thus, they are still good IOT
development platforms. They just aren’t Arduino hybrids.
That doesn’t mean they aren’t less powerful than Arduino hybrid boards (with the possible exception of
the pcDuino3B); rather, they are generally more powerful and more versatile than Arduino hybrid boards. By
virtue of their computer-like feel when using them, you may be surprised by their prowess.
The physical size of these boards is another characteristic that may take some getting used to. While
most are very small, their size requires using both sides of the PCB for mounting components. Thus, most
boards have connectors and components on both the top and the bottom. This isn’t a big deal but may
require some careful arranging if you are planning to mount these boards in an enclosure or may require
some careful handling if you use them naked (just the bare board^12 ). Fortunately, you can find custom-fit
cases for most of these boards including several 3D-printable ones from http://thingiverse.com.
But they aren’t just computers. Most provide GPIO pins for connecting sensors, LCDs, circuits, and
more. In this respect, they are like the Arduino and can be used in many of the same situations. What makes
them different is the greater processing power and connectivity that the computer aspects provide. That
is, you can use a Raspberry Pi in place of an Arduino and gain the ability to remotely access that node and
interact with it, which is difficult to do on the Arduino.
Boards in this category are typically computers that have dedicated hardware support for expansion,
have more powerful operating system support (again, except for the pcDuino), and have networking
capabilities built in. The most popular board in this category is the Raspberry Pi, which is featured
predominantly later in this book. However, as you will see, there are other alternatives that are equally
powerful. Let’s start with a great alternative to the Raspberry Pi—the BeagleBone Black.
(^11) The Intel Edison is a minor exception when used with the Arduino breakout host board.
(^12) Cover that thing up, there may be children nearby!