<aside> ℹ️ Resulting from a collaboration between the Aix-Marseille academy and the company STMicroelectronics (Rousset), the STM32Education board allows programming and algorithmic concepts to be meaningful by proposing a complete board through which students can design and program connected objects easily. This board is intended for many disciplines due to the richness of its built-in sensors. The STM32Educ board is designed in France and its adoption is supported by funding for education. Beyond the Micro:Bit board, it offers more features and a set of sensors allowing for richer integration into scientific and interdisciplinary projects.

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Discover the STM32 IoT Node board and its set of sensors

<aside> ℹ️ The STM32 family is a series of 32-bit microcontrollers integrated circuits made by the Franco-Italian company STMicroelectronics. Each microcontroller consists of a computing core, static random-access memory (RAM), flash memory (for storage), a debugging interface, and various peripherals. The "STM32 Iot Node" board is a programmable board, which means it is capable of running user-created programs. To run this program, the board has a "microcontroller", which is kind of like its brain.

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GPIO

As we can see, there are many "pins" or "ports" on the board, called "General Purpose Input/Output" (or GPIO for short). It is possible to use them to interact with external elements. Even though there are many GPIO pins, it is not possible to use them all. The usable GPIO pins are located at the top and bottom of the board. The black perforated blocks are called "pinout blocks". By looking closely, we can notice the names of the GPIO pins inscribed around them (for example, at the bottom right: "D0, D1, D2, D3, ..., A0, A1, A2, ...").

There is another pinout block, which is special, it is a "power pinout block". We can use these pins to power sensors or actuators (such as a motor, a light, etc.).

The inscription on top of the pinout block informs us how to use it. The "5V" corresponds to the "+" (positive pole) of a battery and the "GND" (short for "Ground") to the "-" (negative pole).

Peripherals

The difference between the number of available GPIOs via the pin block and the number of pins on the microcontroller is due to the presence of multiple peripherals already connected to the microcontroller, available on the "STM32 IoT Node" board itself. The presence of all these peripherals makes this board particularly accessible, as it allows for a wide range of activities, from the simplest to the most complex, and from the most basic to the most fun. It is a real asset for carrying out engaging activities in the classroom.

Buttons: On the left side of the board, you will find two buttons. The black button is the RESET button, allowing the program to restart if necessary. The other (blue) can be used in a program to detect when the user presses this button (short press, long press, release, etc.). It can be useful for creating simple interactions with the user, such as a buzzer in the context of organizing contests using this board.

Distance sensor: In the bottom left corner of the board, just to the right of the nylon screw, you can find a sensor for measuring distance. It is officially called "time of flight" because it measures the time it takes for a laser beam to travel back and forth (fly) between the sensor and an object.

Temperature and humidity sensor: On the right side of the "time of flight" sensor, you can find a sensor that is both a thermometer and a hygrometer ("2 in 1"). This can be useful for implementing activities related to heat monitoring or for addressing meteorology concepts.

Accelerometer and Gyroscope Sensor: Just above the "power pinout block" is a sensor that is both an accelerometer and a gyroscope ("2 in 1"). The accelerometer is used to measure acceleration. You can use it to detect the movements of the board (for example, if the board is shaken). The gyroscope provides information about the tilt of the board. This sensor operates on three axes (X, Y, and Z), which means that it is possible to detect movements in 3D space.

Atmospheric pressure sensor: Next to the accelerometer and gyroscope sensor, you will find a small sensor called a barometer. This sensor gives us the value of atmospheric pressure.

Magnetometer Sensor: Next to the atmospheric pressure sensor, you can see the magnetometer. It is used to retrieve the value of a magnetic field. It can also measure values on three axes (X, Y, and Z).

Microphone: In the bottom right corner, you can see the microphone, useful for capturing sounds.

Modules

Bluetooth Module: At the top right of the board, you can find the Bluetooth module. It can be used to communicate and exchange data with other devices (such as another STM32 IoT Node board or your phone).

Connecteurs Micro-USB : En haut de la carte, vous pouvez voir deux connecteurs micro-USB. Le port USB de droite est celui que vous utiliserez le plus souvent, car il permet de connecter la carte à votre ordinateur et de transférer le programme que vous aurez fait sur MakeCode au microcontrôleur. Le port de gauche, appelé "port USB OTG", permet de programmer la carte pour qu'elle agisse et soit reconnue comme un autre dispositif tel qu'un clavier, une souris ou une manette de jeu.