CMU UNO R4 Minima R7FA4M1AB3CFM Development Board USB-C

The CMU UNO R4 Minima is a powerful 32-bit microcontroller development board based on the Renesas R7FA4M1AB3CFM / RA4M1 microcontroller and designed to be compatible with the Arduino UNO R4 Minima platform.

It provides a significant upgrade in processing capability and memory while retaining the familiar UNO form factor, pinout and 5V operating voltage. This makes the board suitable for both new projects and existing UNO-based designs where compatibility with standard shields and accessories is important.

Powered by a 48MHz Arm Cortex-M4 microcontroller, the UNO R4 Minima provides increased processing performance for more demanding calculations, control systems, sensor applications and embedded projects. The board also provides expanded onboard peripherals including a 12-bit DAC, CAN Bus and operational amplifier, giving developers more options without requiring additional external components.

The UNO R4 Minima features a USB-C programming port, 14 digital I/O pins, 6 analogue inputs, 6 PWM-capable pins and common communication interfaces including UART, I2C and SPI.

With its combination of the familiar UNO platform and modern 32-bit Renesas processing architecture, the CMU UNO R4 Minima is suitable for makers, students, hobbyists, engineers and developers working on electronics, automation, robotics, control and embedded applications.

Features

• Renesas RA4M1 Microcontroller: Based on a 32-bit Arm Cortex-M4 architecture.
• R7FA4M1AB3CFM: Uses the Renesas R7FA4M1AB3CFM microcontroller.
• 48MHz Clock Speed: Provides increased processing performance for more demanding applications.
• UNO-Compatible Form Factor: Maintains the familiar UNO board dimensions and pin arrangement.
• 5V Operating Voltage: Retains the standard UNO 5V operating environment.
• USB-C Programming Port: Provides a modern connector for programming and computer communication.
• 256KB Flash Memory: Provides additional program storage for larger applications.
• 32KB RAM: Provides increased working memory for complex projects.
• 14 Digital I/O Pins: Allows connection of digital sensors, switches, LEDs, actuators and other peripherals.
• 6 Analogue Inputs: Supports analogue sensors and variable signal sources.
• 6 PWM Pins: Suitable for LED dimming, motor control, servo control and other PWM applications.
• 12-Bit DAC: Provides analogue output capability for compatible applications.
• CAN Bus: Provides support for CAN-based communication systems.
• UART Communication: Supports serial communication with compatible modules and devices.
• I2C Interface: Allows connection to compatible sensors, displays and peripheral modules.
• SPI Interface: Provides high-speed serial communication with compatible peripherals.
• HID Support: Can be used with USB Human Interface Device applications such as keyboard and mouse emulation.
• Wide VIN Input: Supports an input voltage range of 6-24V.
• UNO Shield Compatibility: Designed to maintain compatibility with the UNO ecosystem.
• Compact Development Platform: Suitable for prototyping, education, automation and embedded development.

Specifications

• Product Type: Microcontroller Development Board
• Model: UNO R4 Minima
• Microcontroller: Renesas R7FA4M1AB3CFM / RA4M1
• CPU Architecture: Arm Cortex-M4
• Main Clock Speed: 48MHz
• Flash Memory: 256KB
• RAM: 32KB
• USB Connector: USB-C
• USB Function: Programming / Communication
• Digital I/O Pins: 14
• Analogue Input Pins: 6
• PWM Pins: 6
• DAC: 1 × 12-bit
• UART: 1
• I2C: 1
• SPI: 1
• CAN Bus: 1
• Operating Voltage: 5V
• VIN Input Voltage: 6-24V
• DC Current per I/O Pin: 8mA
• Board Width: 68.85mm
• Board Length: 53.34mm
• Board Compatibility: Arduino UNO R4 Minima

Processing and Memory

The UNO R4 Minima uses a 32-bit Renesas RA4M1 Arm Cortex-M4 microcontroller operating at up to 48MHz. Compared with older 8-bit UNO platforms, its modern architecture provides additional processing resources for applications involving calculations, sensor processing, control logic and more complex embedded software.

The board includes:

• 256KB Flash memory for program storage.
• 32KB RAM for application data and runtime operations.
• 48MHz CPU clock speed for faster processing.

These resources provide additional flexibility when developing larger or more sophisticated applications.

Communication Interfaces

The UNO R4 Minima includes several standard communication interfaces for connecting external components and development modules.

UART

The integrated UART interface allows serial communication with compatible devices, modules and computers.

I2C

The I2C interface allows multiple compatible sensors, displays and peripheral devices to be connected using a shared communication bus.

SPI

The SPI interface provides high-speed communication with compatible displays, memory devices, sensors and other peripherals.

CAN Bus

The integrated CAN Bus capability provides a communication interface for compatible CAN-based systems. This can be useful in selected robotics, industrial control, automotive and embedded applications.

Analogue and PWM Capabilities

The board provides 6 analogue input pins for reading variable signals from compatible sensors and devices.

It also provides 6 PWM-capable pins, which can be used for applications such as:

• LED brightness control
• Motor speed control
• Servo control
• Actuator control
• Generating variable-duty-cycle signals

The integrated 12-bit DAC additionally provides analogue output capability for compatible applications.

UNO Form Factor Compatibility

One of the key advantages of the UNO R4 Minima is its compatibility with the established UNO ecosystem.

The board retains the familiar UNO form factor and pin arrangement, allowing it to be incorporated into many existing UNO-based projects and used with compatible shields and accessories.

This makes it suitable for users who want to move to a more powerful 32-bit microcontroller platform without completely redesigning an existing project.

USB-C Connectivity

The UNO R4 Minima uses a USB-C connector for programming and communication. The modern connector provides a convenient interface for connecting the development board to a compatible computer.

USB connectivity can be used for:

• Uploading firmware
• Programming the board
• Serial communication
• Development and debugging
• Computer-connected projects

Applications

The CMU UNO R4 Minima can be used for a wide range of electronics and embedded development applications, including:

• Arduino-compatible projects
• Electronics prototyping
• Robotics
• Home automation
• Industrial automation prototypes
• Sensor monitoring
• Data acquisition
• Motor control
• Servo control
• LED control
• Embedded control systems
• CAN Bus projects
• Educational electronics
• STEM learning
• DIY electronics
• Maker projects
• IoT project development when paired with suitable external connectivity hardware
• Interactive electronics
• Custom controllers
• Instrumentation
• Rapid prototyping

Suitable For

The UNO R4 Minima is suitable for:

• Electronics students
• Makers and hobbyists
• Arduino developers
• Robotics enthusiasts
• Engineers
• Embedded-system developers
• Educational institutions
• Prototype development
• Existing UNO project upgrades

Its familiar form factor makes it particularly useful for developers who already work with UNO-compatible shields and accessories.

What's in the box
1 x CMU UNO R4 Minima Development Board