Microchip Technology has announced a machine-to-machine (M2M) daughter board that comes with the hardware, wireless communications protocols and application code examples needed to help designers jump start their fleet-management or location-based service application.
Developed with U-Blox, the Pictail board includes the U-Blox Neo-6Q GPS and Leon GSM/GPRS modules, and interfaces with Microchip’s multimedia expansion board and Pic 32 starter kit. The board enables the creation of designs using communications, as well as a complete graphics interface, with audio, accelerometer and networking capabilities.
In addition to integrated GPS for tracking via satellites, the board comes with GSM and GPRS technology to enable phone, text, email and web communications, including images and location information. Microchip also offers free-for-download M2M software libraries to give developers a start on their coding efforts and reduce time to market.
“The M2M Pictail daughter board provides developers with an easy-to-use, economical platform for the development of fleet management, asset tracking and telematics applications, among others,” said Sumit Mitra, vice president of Microchip’s high-performance microcontroller division.
Thomas Nigg, vice president of product marketing at U-Blox, added: “As a leading provider of embedded GPS and wireless communications technologies in the market for telematics applications, we are pleased that Microchip has chosen to partner with us to develop the M2M Pictail.
“With this platform, our customers can drastically cut their development time and bring their products to market more quickly.”
