Click Snap, engineered to enhance efficiency and creativity, allows you to transform standard-sized Click boards™ into compact, space-saving versions without compromising functionality.
By optimizing space without sacrificing performance, Click Snap empowers you to tackle complex projects with newfound agility and precision.
We are excited to present you our latest YouTube episode on FAST prototyping in the embedded industry, featuring the innovative Click Snap! Join Branko as he takes you through the steps of creating space-efficient prototypes using this truly handy technology.
If You Snap It, Will It Still Work?
We are introducing the concept of Click Snap, a redesigned Click board that can be snapped into smaller parts without losing functionality. The new thing in the "block" is the dual-section design of the Click Snap board, which consists of a flexible snapping part and a regular fixed Click boards™ form factor. This innovative design allows for efficient use of board space, making it perfect for applications where space is limited. Demonstratation of the process of weakening and snapping the board is being shown in the YouTube video from the beginning of this blog post and examples of how the smaller board can be used in various embedded systems are being provided as well.
Make Unbreakable Bond!
We have addressed a common question: Can the snapped parts be reconnected? Yes! We provided "know-how" on how to reassemble the snapped parts using hardware accessories such as a 1x8 male connector header and an 8-wire female-to-female cable. This setup allows for housing the main embedded application inside a protective enclosure while positioning the snapped part externally, which is particularly useful for sensors that need to be exposed to specific environmental conditions.
Advantages?
Benefits of using Click Snap? We emphasized its transformative impact on embedded system design.
Here are three main advantages:
- Small Size: The compact design ensures minimal space usage, ideal for space-constrained applications.
- Low-Power: Click Snap operates with minimal power consumption, extending the operational life of battery-powered devices.
- Mobile: Its lightweight and portable nature makes it perfect for mobile applications, ensuring ease of integration and transport.
How to Put Click Snap Into Use?
We provided a brief guide on how to get started with Click Snap.
- Visit the MIKROE Shop: Go to `mikroe.com/shop` and navigate to the Click boards section. Here, you can browse through a wide selection of Click boards, including those enabled with Click Snap functionality. Filter out the Click Snap-enabled boards to find the one that suits your project needs.
- Acquire Click Snap-Enabled Boards: Select and acquire the Click board of your interest. Each board comes with detailed specifications and application examples, helping you choose the right components for your project.
- Download the NECTO IDE: Head to the `Products -> NECTO` section on the MIKROE website. Download and install the NECTO IDE, a powerful integrated development environment designed specifically for embedded systems. Log into your account to access a range of development tools and resources.
- Access Pre-Made Code Examples: Within the NECTO IDE, download already made code examples for the Click board you acquired. These examples provide a solid starting point for your project, allowing you to quickly understand how to interface with the board and utilize its features.
- Develop Your Prototype: Begin developing your prototype using the entire Click board. Integrate it with your existing systems, write custom code, and test its functionality to ensure everything works as expected. Take advantage of the comprehensive documentation and community support available through MIKROE.
- Create the Final Embedded Product: Once you have a working prototype, it's time to finalize your embedded product. Snap the main sensor silicon out of the Click board, transforming it into a more compact form factor. This smaller version can then be integrated into your real product, providing the same functionality in a more space-efficient design.
ABOUT CLICK BOARDS™
Click boards™ follow a modular prototyping add-on board standard invented by MIKROE, which revolutionizes the way users add new functionalities to development boards. Click boards™ enable design engineers to change peripherals easily, cutting months off development time. To enable hundreds of Click boards to be connected to the microcontroller or microprocessor, we have invented socket standard - mikroBUS™. This uniform connection interface allows you to connect any Click boards to a main board instantly. The company releases a new Click boards nearly every day at 10am, and many leading microcontroller companies including Microchip, NXP, Infineon, Dialog, STM, Analog Devices, Renesas and Toshiba now include the mikroBUS™ socket on their development boards.
ABOUT MIKROE
MIKROE is committed to changing the embedded electronics industry through the use of time-saving industry-standard hardware and software solutions. With unique concepts like Remote Access, One New Product/Day, Multi-Architectural IDE and most recently, the EmbeddedWiki™ platform with more then million ready-for-use projects, MIKROE combines its dev boards, compilers, smart displays, programmers/debuggers and 1600+ Click peripheral boards to dramatically cut development time. mikroBUS™; mikroSDK™; SiBRAIN™ and DISCON™ are open standards and mikroBUS only has been adopted by over 100 leading microcontroller companies and integrated on their development boards.
Your MIKROE