Alpha Micro launches stand-alone, dual-band Wi-Fi and dual-mode Bluetooth module for IoT applications

New from Alpha Micro is the u-blox ODIN-W262, a powerful, compact stand-alone multiradio module designed to provide concurrent Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for a wide range of Internet-of-Things applications. Examples include retail devices where Bluetooth low energy is deployed to detect the closest printer and Wi-Fi or Bluetooth Classic is used to send data to that printer.

Medical applications include patient monitoring devices which are supervised via Wi-Fi in a hospital and communicate with nurses via Bluetooth. For such medical applications the module complies with the IEC 60601-1-2 standard.

Quick and easy to install, this professional-grade (-40 °C to +85 °C) module, which measures just 14.8 mm x 22.3 mm x 4.5 mm, is also radio type-approved in countries across the world. A robust, built-in antenna provides flexibility with respect to the module’s installed position and orientation. Applications include cable replacement running in Wireless Multidrop and Extended Data Mode for advanced multipoint operation with several radios operating simultaneously.

Ready-to-use, the ODIN-W262 requires no external host and comes complete with an embedded driver, stack and application for wireless data transfer. It supports multiple concurrent Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), Classic Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy (v4.0) links and is easy to configure using AT-commands.

Future firmware upgrades will add micro access point, high-speed interfaces (like RMII) and support for custom embedded applications. For example, the module will be able to act as a Wi-Fi access point or as a gateway between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy sensors.

Commenting on the new module, Tim Bonnett, director and chief sales officer, Alpha Micro, said; “These numerous configuration options minimise inventory requirements and reduce design effort and costs because one module can be software-configured for use in a variety of products. They are perfect for manufacturers who want to offer products in either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth versions.”

Also available is the EVK-W262U evaluation kit for the ODIN W-262 which uses a single USB connection for data and power and comes complete with the u-blox configuration tool for Windows.

For applications where an external antenna is required, Alpha Micro offers the ODIN-W260 module with U.FL antenna connectors.

RECENT ARTICLES

Get a US$50 Amazon voucher for sharing your IoT brand knowledge

Posted on: March 28, 2024

We want to know what you know about the IoT space. Just 3 minutes could earn you a US$50 Amazon digital gift card!

Read more

Enhance EV charging performance with cellular connectivity

Posted on: March 28, 2024

Electric vehicles (EVs) are steadily growing their market share at the expense of internal combustion engine vehicles. The growth is fuelled by several factors. Perhaps most importantly, prices for EVs have started to drop as competition in the industry is intensifying. New players and models are emerging, prompting several established EV makers to lower their

Read more
FEATURED IoT STORIES

What is IoT? A Beginner’s Guide

Posted on: April 5, 2023

What is IoT? IoT, or the Internet of Things, refers to the connection of everyday objects, or “things,” to the internet, allowing them to collect, transmit, and share data. This interconnected network of devices transforms previously “dumb” objects, such as toasters or security cameras, into smart devices that can interact with each other and their

Read more

The IoT Adoption Boom – Everything You Need to Know

Posted on: September 28, 2022

In an age when we seem to go through technology boom after technology boom, it’s hard to imagine one sticking out. However, IoT adoption, or the Internet of Things adoption, is leading the charge to dominate the next decade’s discussion around business IT. Below, we’ll discuss the current boom, what’s driving it, where it’s going,

Read more

9 IoT applications that will change everything

Posted on: September 1, 2021

Whether you are a future-minded CEO, tech-driven CEO or IT leader, you’ve come across the term IoT before. It’s often used alongside superlatives regarding how it will revolutionize the way you work, play, and live. But is it just another buzzword, or is it the as-promised technological holy grail? The truth is that Internet of

Read more

Which IoT Platform 2021? IoT Now Enterprise Buyers’ Guide

Posted on: August 30, 2021

There are several different parts in a complete IoT solution, all of which must work together to get the result needed, write IoT Now Enterprise Buyers’ Guide – Which IoT Platform 2021? authors Robin Duke-Woolley, the CEO and Bill Ingle, a senior analyst, at Beecham Research. Figure 1 shows these parts and, although not all

Read more

CAT-M1 vs NB-IoT – examining the real differences

Posted on: June 21, 2021

As industry players look to provide the next generation of IoT connectivity, two different standards have emerged under release 13 of 3GPP – CAT-M1 and NB-IoT.

Read more

IoT and home automation: What does the future hold?

Posted on: June 10, 2020

Once a dream, home automation using iot is slowly but steadily becoming a part of daily lives around the world. In fact, it is believed that the global market for smart home automation will reach $40 billion by 2020.

Read more

5 challenges still facing the Internet of Things

Posted on: June 3, 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly become a huge part of how people live, communicate and do business. All around the world, web-enabled devices are turning our world into a more switched-on place to live.

Read more