SODAQ Launches an NB-IoT Shield for Arduino

If you’d like to build an IoT device, there are several hurdles to jump through. What dev board will you use? What kind of sensors will be integrated? And perhaps most importantly, how will it communicate with the rest of the world?

The NarrowBand-IoT (NB-IoT) shield from SODAQ, now live on Kickstarter, aims to answer all three of these questions. It can communicate with existing mobile networks, and is designed to use a minimum amount of power.

It acts as an Arduino shield, making the development choice easy, and includes onboard sensors such as an accelerometer, a thermometer, as well as an advanced GPS unit.

Just plug the shield onto any Arduino. It is compatible with hundreds of different boards out there, varying from an original Arduino Uno to, for instance, the latest ST Nucleo board. The shield connects through the brand new u-blox Sara N2 NB-IoT module.

The AllThingsTalk Maker platform allows you to conveniently connect your NB-IoT device to the cloud and access your data in minutes. With the app, you can manage and visualize your readings, as well as add automation through an integrated rules engine.

Since it’s using cell towers, you’ll need to pay a fee to use most data networks. If, however, you happen to live in the Netherlands, backers can get a free T-Mobile SIM card to access that network for 12 months.

Interested? Head over to SODAQ’s crowdfunding campaign page.