SPIDER Automation Adafruit Feather nRF52840 Sense | BLE & Multi-Sensor Development Board
Description
SPIDER Automation Adafruit Feather nRF52840 Sense takes the popular Feather nRF52840 Express platform and supercharges it with a smorgasbord of environmental and motion sensors, creating the ultimate compact wireless sensor node. Powered by the Nordic nRF52840 ARM Cortex-M4F processor running at 64 MHz, this board combines native USB support, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0 compatibility, and built-in battery charging into a tiny form factor.
Surrounding the main module is a robust chorus of sensors—including a 9-DoF inertial measurement unit (LSM6DS33 + LIS3MDL), an APDS9960 proximity, light, color, and gesture sensor, a PDM digital microphone, an SHT humidity sensor, and a BMP280 barometric pressure/altitude sensor. Whether programmed via the Arduino IDE for maximum performance or using CircuitPython for rapid prototyping, the Feather nRF52840 Sense provides an unparalleled, turnkey solution for IoT data logging and smart edge devices.
Key Features
- ARM Cortex-M4F Processor: 32-bit RISC core operating at 64 MHz with hardware floating-point acceleration and 1MB Flash / 256KB SRAM.
- Integrated Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE): 2.4 GHz radio supporting up to +8dBm output power with FCC, IC, and TELEC certifications.
- 9-DoF Motion Sensing: ST Micro LSM6DS33 6-axis accelerometer/gyroscope combined with a LIS3MDL 3-axis magnetometer.
- Environmental & Light Sensors: APDS9960 gesture/color/light sensor, SHT humidity sensor, and BMP280 barometric pressure/temperature sensor.
- Audio Input: Onboard PDM microphone sound sensor for acoustic monitoring and voice triggers.
- Native USB & UF2 Bootloader: Open-source USB stack pre-programmed with a UF2 bootloader for instant drag-and-drop firmware updates.
- User Interface & Power: Red status LED, blue connection status LED, addressable NeoPixel for color feedback, reset button, and built-in LiPo battery charger.
Benefits
- All-In-One Wireless Platform: Eliminate external wiring by deploying motion, environmental, and acoustic sensing alongside BLE on a single compact board.
- Dual Ecosystem Support: Fully compatible with both the traditional Arduino IDE (C/C++) and CircuitPython for flexible development styles.
- Low-Power Efficiency: Optimized for battery-powered operation with deep sleep capabilities and integrated charging circuitry.
- Extensive I/O Pinout: Exposes 21 GPIO pins, 6 x 12-bit ADC channels, and up to 12 PWM outputs for custom peripheral attachment.
Applications
- IoT Wireless Sensor Nodes: Remote environmental tracking, temperature/humidity logging, and atmospheric monitoring stations.
- Wearable Fitness & Motion Trackers: Gesture-controlled devices and 9-DoF spatial orientation monitors powered by internal batteries.
- Smart Home Automation: Ambient light-responsive controllers, acoustic triggers, and localized Bluetooth beacons.
- Edge AI & Prototyping: Rapid proof-of-concept development for smart appliances and portable instrumentation.
- Embedded Python Education: University laboratories teaching Python-based microcontroller programming and wireless networking.
Package Includes
- 1 x Adafruit Feather nRF52840 Sense Development Board
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Brand / Series | SPIDER Automation / Adafruit Feather Express Series |
| Item Type | Wireless Microcontroller & Multi-Sensor Evaluation Board |
| Microcontroller (SoC) | Nordic nRF52840 (ARM Cortex-M4F with HW Floating-Point Acceleration) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 64 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 1 MB |
| System SRAM | 256 KB |
| Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 2.4 GHz Radio (+8dBm Max Output Power) |
| Onboard Sensor Suite | LSM6DS33 (6-DoF Accel/Gyro), LIS3MDL (Magnetometer), APDS9960 (Gesture/Color/Light), PDM Microphone, SHT Humidity, BMP280 (Pressure/Temp) |
| Digital & Analog I/O | 21 × GPIO Pins, 6 × 12-Bit ADC Pins, Up to 12 × PWM Outputs |
| USB & Bootloader | Native USB with Pre-Programmed Open-Source UF2 Bootloader |
| Power & Charging | USB Powered / Built-In LiPo Battery Charger Circuitry with Enable Pin |
| Physical Dimensions | Length: 51 mm × Width: 23 mm × Height: 7.2 mm |
| Module Weight | 5.5 g |
| Package Shipping Weight | 0.01 kg (10 g) |
| Package Shipping Dimensions | 5 cm × 3 cm × 1 cm |
