NXP Semiconductors, embarked on its ‘Innovate in India’ strategy with the launch of two IoT and wearable platforms – WaRP7 and Hexiwear, targeted at start-ups, entrepreneurs, product design labs and R&D organisations.

The open source design allows developers to take both the platforms as a starting point to innovate without licensing restrictions.

“If the chip is at the heart of an electronics product, think of our new platforms as a ready to use circulatory system, including the heart. We believe that product designing will evolve as the success catalyst for India to become an electronics manufacturing nation” Ashok Chandak, senior director, Global Sales and Marketing, NXP Semiconductors, told BusinessLine .

“With these two platforms, NXP is addressing a global wearables market of 300 million units, of which 15-20 million units will be sold in India. These numbers include only those wearable devices designed and developed by start-ups, entrepreneurs and developers and does not include the big names in the business,” said Chandak.

Aimed at spurring design and innovation out of India, the platforms will assist in cutting down product creation time by 50 per cent, allowing them to focus on ideating, designing, developing and focusing on a go-to-market strategy, rather than starting ground up for every design.

WaRP7, priced at ₹7,777 and co-developed by NXP and Element14, is available for sale on the latter’s website. The platform enables a shorter time-to-market cycle and addresses key IoT and Wearable challenges such as, battery life, connectivity, usability and miniaturization. Through a tiny form factor (the main CPU is approximately 2x4 cm), the WaRP7 offers all the advantages of traditional development tools.

The Hexiwear reference platform, priced at $49 and co-developed by NXP and MikroElektronika is available for sale on Hexiwear.com. The platform is an attractive small form factor board (smaller than 2” x 2”) with open source hardware, 7 NXP components and multiple sensors.

The platform is designed especially for end node applications in the IoT chain with several built in sensors ranging from temperature, pressure, humidity and ambient light to optical heart rate measurement, accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope. Customers can also add up to 200 sensors of their choice, allowing plug and play customisability.

NXP will showcase a range of ‘Secure connections for the Smarter World’ solutions at Electronica 2016, scheduled from September 21-23.

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