IoT connectivity firm Digi has expanded its ConnectCore family of products with the introduction of the ConnectCore 8M Nano system on module (SoM) based on NXP’s i.MX 8M Nano.
 
Digi was selected as an early access partner for NXP’s i.MX 8M Nano applications processor featuring scalable Arm Cortex-A53 and Cortex-M7 cores with connectivity and multimedia capabilities used in the Digi ConnectCore 8M Nano SoM.
 
This integrated SoM features pre-certified wireless connectivity, an integrated device security framework, remote management, cloud integration and a complete Linux software platform based on the Yocto Project. ConnectCore is said to simplify embedded product development, enabling product manufacturers to focus on their core competency and get to market 12 to 18 months faster with half the development cost and lower risk than discrete designs.
 
ConnectCore 8M Nano balances performance, power and cost, making it suitable for industrial and medical products and applications including IoT, human-machine interface, equipment monitoring, audio and voice, edge computing and machine learning, such as for anomaly detection.
 
Features include Digi Embedded Yocto, an open-source, production-ready Linux distribution with tested and maintained BSPs and Apix software extensions for security, power management and wireless connectivity
 
Pre-certified wireless connectivity – dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5 and Gigabit Ethernet – is included. Digi TrustFence is an integrated, tested and complete device security framework that simplifies building secure connected products.
 
Digi Microcontroller Assist (MCA) is an on-board subsystem that assists with power management, security, peripheral support and system reliability operations. SMTplus is a compact, low-profile, mounting technology that eliminates board-to-board connector cost and improves performance, reliability and physical security.
 
The company’s DRM remote manager provides cloud-based device management capabilities including policy-based firmware updates, configuration management and device health monitoring. The XBee software integration enables a range of wireless connectivity options with Digi’s family of pre-certified modules including short-range (802.15.4, Zigbee), long-range (868 and 900MHz) and cellular (LTE Cat-1, LTE-M, NB-IoT).
 
“Through our work with NXP, we are expanding our ConnectCore family to deliver on our promise of hardware enabled, software defined connectivity,” said Mark Tekippe, director of product management at Digi. “NXP’s advancements in i.MX applications processor technology and commitment to product longevity enable us to deliver future-proof solutions that meet both technical and business needs of our industrial and medical customers.”
 
Initial Digi ConnectCore 8M Nano development kits and software will be available through global distribution partners in February 2020.
 
“We chose Digi as an early access partner because they have a strong track record bringing i.MX-based SoMs to market that reduce customer risk and accelerate product development cycles,” said Robert Thompson, director  of i.MX ecosystem management. “Digi has taken the best of the NXP i.MX 8M Nano and added critical elements such as its software enhancements, security framework and a wide range of wireless connectivity options. These enhancements are exactly what OEM customers need and expect.”