Arduino UNO Ek R4 WiFi and Minima launch as first India-made Arduino boards

Arduino has recently launched India-made Arduino boards UNO Ek R4 WiFi and Minima. These are both the latest variants of the popular UNO R4 series of development boards, manufactured in India as part of the “Make in India” initiative to support local innovation and technology education.

These boards were unveiled at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, and are identical in hardware to the global UNO R4 models, ensuring full compatibility with existing programs and add-ons, but feature unique labeling. They offer benefits such as competitive pricing, faster delivery, and local support for Indian users. Designed for makers, educators, and developers, the boards are ideal for prototyping, IoT applications, robotics, and embedded systems development. While exclusively available in India through authorized distributors, the UNO Ek R4 series aims to boost domestic electronics manufacturing and foster innovation in the country’s growing tech ecosystem.

Arduino UNO Ek R4 WiFi and Minima Specifications

• Processor: Renesas RA4M1 (Arm Cortex-M4) @ 48 MHz
• Wireless (WiFi version only): ESP32-S3 dual-core processor @ up to 240 MHz
• Memory:
  • RA4M1: 256 KB Flash, 32 KB RAM
  • ESP32-S3: 384 KB ROM, 512 KB SRAM (WiFi version only)
• Storage: None onboard
• I/O and Connectivity:
  • 14x digital I/O pins
  • 6x analog input pins
  • 1x DAC (12-bit)
  • 6x PWM pins
  • 1x UART
  • 1x I2C
  • 1x SPI
  • 1x CAN Bus
  • 1x Qwiic connector (WiFi version only)
• Power:
  • 5V circuit operating voltage
  • 6-24V input voltage (VIN)
  • 8mA DC current per I/O pin
• Additional Features:
  • HID support for emulating a keyboard or mouse over USB
  • LED Matrix (12×8 red LED, Charlieplexed) (WiFi version only)
  • Battery-powered Real-Time Clock (RTC) support (WiFi version only)
  • OFF pin for low-power operation (WiFi version only)
  • Error diagnostics for runtime crashes (WiFi version only)
• USB: USB-C for programming and power
• Dimensions: 68.85 x 53.34 mm
• Certifications: UKCA, FCC, REACH, CE, RCM, MIC, ISED/IC, KC

The India-made Arduino boards include the Arduino UNO R4 series and the UNO R4 WiFi adds an ESP32-S3 for wireless connectivity, while the UNO R4 Minima is a budget-friendly alternative without WiFi. Both support the Arduino IDE and Arduino Core-renesas, though some AVR-based code may need changes. With more memory, higher clock speeds, and enhanced peripherals, the UNO R4 boosts performance while staying compatible with the Arduino ecosystem.

The Arduino UNO R4 WiFi costs around ₹1,339 or $15.38, and the Arduino UNO R4 Minima costs around ₹836 or $9.60. Both can be purchased from their respected Arduino store.

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