Arduino Announces Two New Uno Boards: UNO R4s
Arduino has announced its two newest boards, the Arduino Uno R4 WiFi and the Arduino Uno R4 Minima. UNO R4 WiFi has built-in Wi-Fi thanks to an ESP32-S3 coprocessor. UNO Minima model has Arm Cortex M4 processor but no ESP32-S3 module.
Let's remember the Arduino UNO R3 model features again:
Microcontroller: Atmel AVR series microcontroller ATmega328P (8-bit, 16 MHz)
Memory: 32 kB Flash, 2 kB SRAM, 1 kB EEPROM
GPIO: 14 x Digital I/O
Analog Input: 6 x (10-bit resolution)
PWM: 6 pcs
Communication: 1 x UART, 1 x I2C, 1 x SPI
Connection: USB (USB-B) and DC power input
Dimensions: 68.6 x 53.4 mm
Arduino UNO R4 WiFi Model Features:
Microcontroller: Renesas RA4M1 (ARM Cortex-M4 @ 48 MHz)
ESP32-S3 (240MHz)
Memory: RA4M1: 256 kB Flash, 32 kB RAM; ESP32-S3: 384 kB ROM, 512 kB SRAM
GPIO: 14 x Digital I/O
Analog Input: 6 pcs
PWM: 6 pcs
Communication: 4 x UART, 1 x I2C, 1 x SPI, 1 x CAN(Controller Area Network )
Connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 4) and Bluetooth 5
Power: 6-24V Input Voltage, USB C, 5V Logic Level
12 x 8 LED matrix
Dimensions: 68.85 x 53.34 mm
The first striking feature of the UNO R4 WiFi model is the use of ARM Cortex-M4 instead of Atmel processor.
The other most distinctive feature is the use of the ESP32-S3 Wifi-Bluetooth module.
One of the communication protocols is remarkable: CAN (Controller Area Network) communication protocol. The CAN communication protocol is a widely used standard, especially in the automotive industry, but is also a preferred communication protocol in industrial automation, energy management and other applications.
Another remarkable feature is the 12 x 8 LED matrix.
The Arduino Uno R4 Minima model has a few missing features compared to the UNO R4 Wifi model. For example: There is no ESP32-S3 module and no led matrix.
If we look at the advanced features in the new R4 models; these models seem to be aimed at making industrial applications more economical. The high data processing capacity ARM-CORTEX-M4 processor needed in professional industrial systems can be provided. In addition, the addition of the CAN-bus communication standard indicates that the UNO R4s can be used in a wide variety of industrial applications.
