Introduction

Last updated on: April 18, 2022

Icarus SoM (nRF9160)

Icarus SoM (nRF9160)
Icarus SoM (nRF9160)

The Icarus SoM (System on Module) is a ready solution that provides cutting edge low-power cellular IoT connectivity in module form. It is meant to be integrated into other electronics designs and can be powered using a 3.3 V regulator or directly through a LiPo battery. The module includes global LTE-M & NB-IoT connectivity, GPS, low-power 3-axis accelerometer, and a SIM switching circuit that allows the user to choose between the onboard eSIM or an externally connected SIM. All of this in a 18.5 x 28.0 mm package with castellated pins.

What's in the box

Your Icarus SoM board comes pre-programmed with the following:

  1. The latest (at the time of production) modem firmware from Nordic. The modem inside the nRF9160 contains a host processor that takes care of the cellular communication (if you want to update your modem firmware, check out this guide).
  2. The MCUboot bootloader: A secure bootloader for 32-bit microcontrollers which provides you with the option to upload firmware to the Icarus using the USB-port and the Actinius Programmer application. MCUBoot is used in combination with the Zephyr RTOS on the nRF9160. It also Over-The-Air (OTA) updates.
  3. The Serial LTE Modem Application Firmware from Nordic Semiconductor. See the nRF9160 Serial LTE modem github page and its application description for more information.
  4. Certificates that make it possible to register your board on our online IoT Platform actinius.io.
NOTE:
If you erase any of the above firmware components from your board, you can revert to the original firmware using the Actinius Programmer application. A J-Link programmer is required to program the Icarus SoM with its factory firmware (MCUBoot + SPM + Application).

Getting started

  • Register for an account at actinius.io. Here you can register and manage your Icarus Bee and eSIM, as well as receive data from firmware such as the Actinius Asset Tracker.
  • Use the Actinius Programmer application to upload ready-to-use, pre-built firmware applications and samples.
  • Follow the Getting started guide for setting up the toolchain(s) and development environment on your computer.
  • Check-out the Icarus samples and tweak some code, such as the GPS Sample
  • See the Board files page to download the latest board files for your board and nRF Connect SDK version.