Build Your First Internet of Things (IoT) Application on Arm from edX

Arm technology powered the smartphone revolution, and now it’s helping power the Internet of Things (IoT). This online course will provide beginners with an accelerated path to gain the knowledge necessary to thrive in a world transformed by innovations in IoT.

You can purchase the bill of materials required for the course directly from our technology partner, STMicroelectronics: https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/campaigns/educationalplatforms/iot-arm-edx-edu.html

Instructor Update: We've identified an issue with the Google IoT Cloud service used in Modules 5 and 6 of the course. We are working to implement a solution to fix this issue and will update learners on our progress.

You’ll start your learning journey in this course by understanding the fundamentals of IoT, but quickly move to practical projects that will teach you the essentials of building Arm-based IoT applications.

Given that mobile computing platforms are where IoT often happens, we’ll also give you a basic understanding of Android application design, so you can integrate your mobile device into your IoT applications.

IoT applications have the potential to change the lives of billions around the world. This is why we’ll also provide you with the social context behind the technology. The course includes videos that illustrate the global impact of IoT applications – especially in emerging economies such as Africa. From ‘smart farming’, to solar panels and ‘blood drones’ - each case study contextualises IoT in real ‘first mile’ and ‘last mile’ applications, to help you understand the transformative impact of this technology in the real world.

Over the 6 modules, you will gain a key overview of:

• Internet of Things (IoT) fundamentals

• IoT and embedded system architectures

• Embedded application programming

• Connectivity and networking technologies such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), LoRaWAN, ZigBee, and the IEEE 802.1 protocols

• Cloud computing

While not a requirement for this course, we recommend that learners who would like to improve their embedded systems skills (one of the essential technologies behind IoT implementations), also take our Embedded Systems Essentials on Arm edX program.

The Internet of Things is one of the fundamental building blocks of the next wave of computing. Forge your own career path in this connected world by enrolling in our course today!

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to implement a program to control peripherals on a microcontroller
How to develop a program to read values from on-board sensors
How to implement a program that sends on-board sensor values via ble to a ble scanner mobile app

How to implement a program to send sensor values from a device to a cloud database using wifi – displaying the data in a webpage
How to implement a simple android app for displaying cloud data
How to use a simple heuristic model in the cloud to predict different classes of activities using the sensors on-board in real time – sending the data to a mobile app.

How to implement a program to control peripherals on a microcontroller
How to develop a program to read values from on-board sensors
How to implement a program that sends on-board sensor values via ble to a ble scanner mobile app
How to implement a program to send sensor values from a device to a cloud database using wifi – displaying the data in a webpage
How to implement a simple android app for displaying cloud data
How to use a simple heuristic model in the cloud to predict different classes of activities using the sensors on-board in real time – sending the data to a mobile app.

Syllabus

The course consists of six modules:

Module 1: What is the Internet of Things

You will be able to outline the foundational principles of the Internet of Things (IoT) and key challenges involved in building an IoT based application.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides a practical introduction to IoT application development using Arm technology

Introduces the fundamentals of IoT hardware and software

Covers IoT connectivity protocols such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), LoRaWAN, and Wi-Fi

Includes hands-on projects to develop and implement IoT applications

Provides insights into the social impact of IoT, especially in emerging economies

Taught by instructors with expertise in embedded systems and IoT

Reviews summary

Practical arm iot with cloud challenges

According to learners, "Build Your First Internet of Things (IoT) Application on Arm" offers a practical and accelerated path into IoT for beginners, focusing on hands-on Arm-based projects. Students appreciate the coverage of IoT fundamentals, embedded application programming, and various connectivity technologies like BLE. The course aims to provide a basic understanding of Android app design for IoT integration and includes compelling real-world case studies on IoT's global impact. However, a significant warning: the Google IoT Cloud service used in Modules 5 and 6 has identified issues, potentially hindering completion of crucial practical exercises related to cloud computing and data display. This could affect the overall learning experience and the ability to implement a full IoT solution.

Requires specific hardware, potentially adding cost and setup complexity.

"Obtaining and setting up the required STMicroelectronics hardware was an initial hurdle for me."

"I had to purchase the bill of materials separately, which added to the overall cost and effort."

"While the hardware is essential for hands-on learning, it requires careful setup that beginners might find challenging."

Introduces basic mobile app integration with IoT systems.

"I found the section on developing a simple Android app for displaying cloud data to be a useful bonus."

"It's great to see a course include mobile integration, even if it's just a basic overview."

"Learning how to connect my mobile device to IoT applications added practical value to the course."

Provides a comprehensive overview of IoT concepts and architectures.

"This course provided me with a strong foundational understanding of IoT principles and system architectures."

"I gained a valuable overview of various wireless technologies like BLE and LoRaWAN relevant to IoT applications."

"The content effectively outlines the foundational principles and key challenges involved in building IoT applications."

Strong emphasis on building real-world Arm-based IoT applications.

"I found the practical projects on controlling peripherals and reading sensor values to be highly beneficial and engaging."

"The course quickly moved from theoretical concepts to hands-on implementation, which solidified my understanding."

"Learning to send sensor values via BLE and WiFi was exactly the practical skill I was looking for."

An accelerated path that may benefit from prior embedded systems knowledge.

"As a beginner, I found the pace quite accelerated at times, especially without prior embedded systems experience."

"I realized I would benefit from taking the 'Embedded Systems Essentials' course alongside or prior to this one for deeper understanding."

"While advertised for beginners, some sections assume a foundational understanding of programming or hardware concepts."

Key practical modules are affected by unresolved cloud service problems.

"I encountered significant issues with the Google IoT Cloud service in Modules 5 and 6, which prevented me from completing essential practical components."

"The latter parts of the course felt incomplete because I couldn't properly connect to the cloud as instructed."

"I was unable to follow along with the instructions for cloud data display and prediction due to service errors."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Build Your First Internet of Things (IoT) Application on Arm with these activities:

Practice creating BLE programs

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Practice exercises will help you reinforce your understanding of BLE programs and help prepare you for more complex programming exercises.

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Create a new BLE program in your preferred programming environment.
Write code to initialize the BLE hardware.
Write code to scan for BLE devices.
Write code to connect to a BLE device.
Write code to read data from a BLE device.

Develop a simple Android app

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Creating an Android app will allow you to apply the concepts you learn in the course and deepen your understanding of Android development.

Browse courses on Android

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Create a new Android project in your preferred development environment.
Design the layout of your app.
Write code to handle user input.
Write code to display data from the cloud.
Publish your app to the Google Play Store.

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Career center

Learners who complete Build Your First Internet of Things (IoT) Application on Arm will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

IoT Solutions Architect

An IoT Solutions Architect designs and develops IoT solutions that meet the needs of businesses and organizations. This course provides a comprehensive overview of the IoT landscape, including the different technologies and architectures used in IoT applications. It also covers cloud computing and data analytics, which are essential for developing scalable and reliable IoT solutions.

See salaries and explore the career path for IoT Solutions Architect

IoT Developer

An IoT Developer designs, develops, and deploys applications that run on IoT devices. This course provides a solid foundation in the fundamentals of IoT, including hardware architecture, software development, and connectivity technologies. It also covers cloud computing, which is essential for many IoT applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for IoT Developer

Cloud Architect

A Cloud Architect designs and develops cloud-based solutions for businesses and organizations. This course provides an overview of cloud computing, including the different cloud service models and architectures. It also covers data analytics and machine learning, which are becoming increasingly important in the cloud computing space.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Machine Learning Engineer

A Machine Learning Engineer designs, develops, and deploys machine learning models for businesses and organizations. This course provides an overview of machine learning, including the different types of machine learning algorithms and how to train and evaluate machine learning models. It also covers cloud computing, which is essential for training and deploying machine learning models at scale.

See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Engineer

Data Analyst

A Data Analyst collects, analyzes, and interprets data to help businesses and organizations make informed decisions. This course provides an overview of data analysis techniques, including data mining, machine learning, and visualization. It also covers cloud computing, which is essential for managing and processing large amounts of data.

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Systems Engineer

A Systems Engineer designs, develops, and integrates complex systems, including hardware, software, and networks. This course provides an overview of systems engineering, including the different phases of the systems engineering lifecycle and the different tools and techniques used in systems engineering. It also covers cloud computing, which is becoming increasingly important for developing and deploying complex systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Engineer

Software Engineer

A Software Engineer designs, develops, and tests software applications. This course provides an overview of the software development lifecycle, including requirements gathering, design, implementation, testing, and deployment. It also covers cloud computing, which is becoming increasingly important for developing and deploying software applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Mobile Application Developer

A Mobile Application Developer designs, develops, and deploys mobile applications for smartphones and tablets. This course provides an overview of the basics of Android application development, which can be useful for developing mobile applications that interact with IoT devices.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile Application Developer

Product Manager

A Product Manager is responsible for the development and launch of new products. This course may be useful for this role because it provides an overview of the product development process and the different factors that need to be considered when developing new products.

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Embedded Systems Engineer

An Embedded Systems Engineer designs, develops, and tests embedded systems, which are computer systems designed to be part of a larger system. This course may be useful for this role because it provides an overview of the fundamentals of embedded systems, including hardware architecture, software development, and connectivity technologies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Embedded Systems Engineer

Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates and maintains technical documentation, such as user manuals, white papers, and training materials. This course may be useful for this role because it provides an overview of the different types of technical documentation and how to write clear and concise technical documentation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst analyzes business processes and systems to identify areas for improvement. This course may be useful for this role because it provides an overview of business analysis techniques and the different tools and techniques used in business analysis.

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Project Manager

A Project Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. This course may be useful for this role because it provides an overview of the project management lifecycle and the different tools and techniques used in project management.

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Sales Engineer

A Sales Engineer helps customers to understand and purchase technical products and services. This course may be useful for this role because it provides an overview of the sales process and the different types of technical products and services that are available.

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Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager is responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. This course may be useful for this role because it provides an overview of marketing principles and the different types of marketing campaigns that can be used to reach target audiences.

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