u-blox expands its NORA-B2 Bluetooth LE modules series to address all mass market segments

u-blox has expanded its portfolio by introducing six new variants of the NORA-B2 Bluetooth Low Energy modules. Now integrating the entire range of Nordic Semiconductor’s next-level nRF54L Series of ultra-low power wireless Systems-on-Chip (SoCs), NORA-B2 offers a versatile solution for mass market segments thanks to its choices of antennas, architectures and chipsets.

The wireless modules combine ultra-lower power consumption and high processing efficiency, consuming up to 50% less current than previous-generation devices while doubling process capacity. They also security features, which makes them ideal for a wide range of IoT applications, such as smart home devices, industrial automation, or healthcare.

The entire NORA-B2 series comprises four variants that differ in memory sizes, design architectures and price levels to match almost any device manufacturer’s requirements.

• NORA-B20 features an ultra-low power nRF54L15 SoC with a 128 MHz Arm Cortex-M33, RISC-V co-processor, and 2.4 GHz multiprotocol radio. It includes 1.5 MB NVM and 256 KB RAM.
• NORA-B21, built on the nRF54L10 SoC, supports multiple wireless protocols (Bluetooth LE, Mesh, Thread, Matter, Zigbee, Amazon Sidewalk) with 1.0 MB NVM and 192 KB RAM.
• NORA-B22 is a cost-effective option with up to 31 GPIOs, 0.5 MB NVM, and 96 KB RAM.
• NORA-B26 is pre-flashed with u-blox u-connectXpress, enabling easy Bluetooth integration without prior expertise.

All NORA-B2 modules are designed for PSA Certified Level 3 security. They incorporate features such as secure boot and updates, tamper detection, and secure firmware over-the-air (FOTA) updates. These security measures ensure that IoT devices remain protected against any potential threats, safeguarding both data and functionality. NORA-B2 modules are also qualified against Bluetooth Core 6.0 that includes Channel Sounding, enabling endless cost-effective possibilities in tracking and locating use cases.

NORA-B2 variants either come with an antenna pin for connecting an external antenna of choice or are designed with a patented PCB antenna providing best-in-class RF performance. All module versions come with global certification allowing device manufacturers to launch their products worldwide with minimal effort.
Samples of NORA-B20 are now available. Early samples of NORA-B21 and NORA-B22 are available for evaluation in limited quantities. The pre-release version of u-connectXpress software for NORA-B26 is also available for early adopters.

https://www.u-blox.com

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Molex has released compact power over coax solution

Molex, has announced the availability of its new compact MMCX Power over Coax (PoC) solution, which features a patent-pending mating technique to ensure secure and stable connections while maintaining electrical ground continuity. This product innovation is ideally suited for space-constrained applications where reliable RF connections and continuous power delivery are paramount, such as automotive liquid-crystal display (LCD) mirrors, driver monitoring systems or industrial sensors.

The MMCX Power over Coax (PoC) product not only alleviates persistent reliability problems, it also is backward compatible with IEC 61169-52 MMCX jack receptacles to facilitate seamless product upgrades. This alleviates the need to redesign existing PCB receptacles, which can save significant time while reducing costs associated with product integration. Compliance with current and future standards offers customers a future-proof solution to meet evolving RF connection and power delivery requirements.

The compact product is 30% smaller than traditional MMC connectors, making it ideal for customers seeking to replace larger, heavier MCX connectors as well as more robust and reliable performance. MMCX Power over Coax is especially advantageous in applications where separate power and data connectors is either impractical or undesirable. To date, MMCX Power over Coax is being tested and deployed in a variety of agriculture, automotive and industrial automation applications.

Additionally, this future-proof solution improves performance for a vast range of miniaturised, rugged and reliable products, encompassing remote and mobile devices, unmanned aerial vehicles, portable electronics, smart-home automation systems, as well as IoT sensors and infrastructure. MMCX Power over Coax also accommodates the stringent reliability requirements for GPS antennas, intelligent transport management systems, wireless meter readers and more.

https://www.molex.com

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AI-powered 8K video wall digital signage solution from Advantech

Advantech has announced the release of the new DS-086, an ultra-slim digital signage player powered by the Intel Core Ultra (Meteor Lake) 125H SoC. Equipped with the latest Intel Arc graphics and is engineered to deliver multimedia playback on 4K and 8K screens. Featuring USB 3.0 AV input, RS232 connections for external devices, and a 2.5Gb LAN port, the DS-086 ensures integration with various Content Management Systems (CMS).

The DS-086 is equipped with USB AV input I/O and RS232 interfaces and designed to meet the needs of AI, analytics, and edge computing software. These interfaces ensure positive feedback from ad campaigns and the management of massive amounts of customer behaviour data.

With support for various codecs and formats and a slim 22mm profile, the DS-086 is ideal for space-constrained environments such as retail stores, exhibition halls, and corporate control rooms.

Tailored for Smart Cities and Industry 4.0
The DS-086 also supports the Intel OpenVINO Toolkit, enabling system integrators to develop interactive or recognition software. This opens up new AI-driven possibilities for smart cities and intelligent factories.

https://www.advantech.com

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Microchip launches the next generation of its low-noise chip-scale atomic clock

Microchip has announced its second generation Low-Noise Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (LN-CSAC), model SA65-LN, in a lower profile height and designed to operate in a wider temperature range, enabling low phase noise and atomic clock stability in demanding conditions.

Microchip has developed its own Evacuated Miniature Crystal Oscillator (EMXO) technology and integrated it into a CSAC, enabling the model SA65-LN to offer a reduced profile height of less than ½ inch, while maintaining a power consumption of <295 mW. The new design is optimal for aerospace and defense mission-critical applications such as mobile radar, dismounted radios, dismounted IED jamming systems, autonomous sensor networks and unmanned vehicles due to its compact size, low power consumption and high precision. Operating within a wider temperature range of -40°C to +80°C, the new LN-CSAC is designed to maintain its frequency and phase stability in extreme conditions for enhanced reliability.

The LN-CSAC combines the benefits of a crystal oscillator and an atomic clock in a single compact device. The EMXO offers low-phase noise at 10 Hz < -120 dBc/Hz and Allan Deviation (ADEV) stability <1E-11 at a 1-second averaging time. The atomic clock provides initial accuracy of ±0.5 ppb, low frequency drift performance of <0.9 ppb/mo, and maximum temperature-induced errors of < ±0.3ppb. Together, the LN-CSAC can save board space, design time and overall power consumption compared to designs that feature two oscillators.

The crystal signal purity and low-phase noise of LN-CSAC are designed to ensure high-quality signal integrity, which is essential for frequency mixing. The atomic-level accuracy allows for longer intervals between calibrations, which can help extend mission durations and potentially reduce maintenance requirements.

https://www.microchip.com

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