STMicroelectronics Discovery MCU Development Kit with STM32L476VGT6 - STM32L476G-DISCO

Discovery Kit for STM32L476VG Microcontroller

From STMicroelectronics, the STM32L476G-DISCO is a discovery kit that features an STM32 ARM Cortex-M4 STM32L476VGT6 microcontroller. This discovery kit is an ideal tool for evaluating the capabilities of the STM32L476VGT6 microcontroller.

With a built-in LCD screen and USB on-the-go connector that can easily be configured, this discovery kit is able to support a range of devices and peripherals. One side of the kit features 2 rows of headers. These can be used to interface the microcontroller with your own project by providing you with a connection to the spare I/O lines.

The STM32L476VGT6 has been developed for ultra-low power applications. It can even be powered by a CR2032 coin cell battery. It features an embedded ammeter to measure MCU consumption in low power modes. The STM32L476G-DISCO development kit is supplied with preloaded software (part of STM32Cube package) on its Flash memory.

What's on board?

• 80MHz STM32L476VGT6 Cortex-M4F Microcontroller
• 1 MB Flash memory, 128KB RAM (32KB parity checked)
• Adaptive real-time accelerator (ART Accelerator™) allowing 0-wait state execution from Flash memory
• Real-time clock
• External memory interface for static memories
• 4 x Digital Filters for Sigma-Delta modulator
• 8 x serial communication interfaces: USB OTG, USART, I²C, SPI, SAI, CAN, SWPMI
• LCD Driver for 8 x 40 or 4 x 44 segments
• 21 x capacitive sensing channels
• 14-channel DMA controller
• True random number generator
• CRC calculation unit
• 96-bit unique ID
• On-board 128Mbit quad-SPI Flash memory
• On-board ST-LINK/V2-1 supporting a USB port
• USB supported: virtual COM port, mass storage, debug port
• On-board 6-Digit and 4-Bar LCD alphanumeric display panel
• 7 LEDs - 5 for status, 2 for users.
• Reset pushbutton
• 4 directional thumb joystick
• USB OTG FS with micro-AB connector
• On-board CS43L22 stereo audio DAC
• 3.5mm stereo audio output jack socket
• On-board MP34DT01 MEMS Microphone
• On-board LG3D20 MEMS 3-axis Gyroscope
• On-board LSM303C 3-axis magnetometer and 3-axis MEMS accelerometer
• IDD current measurement unit
• Power supply options: ST-LINK/V2-1, USB FS, external 5 V power supply, CR2032 coin button battery (not provided)
• CR2032 coin cell battery holder
• Connector for external board or RF-EEPROM
• Extension connectors
• ARM mbed-Enabled (mbed.org)
• Comprehensive free software including a variety of examples, part of STM32Cube package

Applications:

Although it can be used for a wide range of applications, this discovery kit is particularly suited to applications where low power consumption is important. Example applications include smart meters to help monitor gas, electricity or water use.

With its low power capabilities and the ability to run off a small coin cell battery, this discovery kit can be used to develop wearable devices such as fitness trackers. It features a 3 axis gyroscope and a 6 axis compass, which can help to provide data on movement. This kit has a batch acquisition mode which gives you the opportunity to easily retrieve data recorded by the integrated sensors while the MCU remains in a low power mode. Data and filtering conversion are completed within the hardware, which also helps to enhance the power efficiency of the whole system.

This evaluation kit can also be used to develop industrial sensors for environments that are subject to power consumption constraints. The microcontroller and kit have a wide operating temperate range between -40°C to +125°C allowing you to develop sensors for harsh environments. The integrated segment LDC display controller, serial interfaces and I/Os make it perfect for developing industrial sensors. With an FSMC (flexible static memory controller) you have options to expand the memory of the kit by connecting it to SRAM, PSRAM, NOR or NAND.