The Internet of Things (IoT) is currently at a emergent stage. With its fast expansion it is considered to be the next big growth driver in the semiconductor industry. Leading semiconductor solutions provider Broadcom, is releasing a new development kit this week for experimenting with and further advancing the IoT. The kit is included in its Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED) family. Wiced Sense is a low-cost Bluetooth LE smart device, powered with five Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems Sensors (MEMS), similar to those found in IoT devices. It is accompanied by a smartphone app that Broadcom claims will connect and begin running development programs in minutes.

The onboard sensors include a gyroscope for motion control, gaming and GPS; an accelerometer for impact and vibration recognition; an E-compass to enable position detection, motion activation and map rotation; a barometer for smartwatches and weather stations; and a humidity and temperature sensor for heating, ventilation and smart home devices.

The development kit allows software and hardware developers to experiment with new IoT applications in a cost-effective manner, all while speeding up the process from concept to market. Makers can create brand new ideas without the need of expensive prototypes. Examples of use cases include a pet tracker that would alarm you if your pet strays too far away, or a baby monitor, similar to the Sproutling, that detects temperature and movement.

Compatible with both iOS and Android, Wiced Sense supports iBeacon and NFC tag reading, and is fully encrypted. At just $19.99, the device represents Broadcom's commitment to a cause called the Open Internet Consortium, an IoT group including Samsung, Intel, Dell, Atmel, and Wind River. However, by entering the market at this stage, Broadcom hopes to gain a significant footprint against competitive companies such as Qualcomm, Intel, and Texas Instruments.