POLYN Technology announces first silicon-implemented NASP chip

POLYN Technology has announced the successful manufacturing and testing of the world’s first silicon-proven implementation of its unique NASP (Neuromorphic Analog Signal Processing) technology.

The NASP platform employs trained neural networks in the analog domain to perform AI inference with much lower power consumption than conventional digital neural processors.

NASP chips with AI cores process sensor signals in their native analog form in microseconds, using microwatt-level power and eliminating all overhead associated with digital operations. This is ideal for always-on edge devices. Application-specific NASP chips can be designed for a diverse range of edge AI applications, including audio, vibration, wearable, robotics, industrial, and automotive sensing.

NASP technology and POLYN’ design tools automatically convert trained digital neural network models into ultra-low-power analog neuromorphic cores ready for manufacturing in standard CMOS processes. The testing confirmed the chip’s parameters strictly match its model.

This first chip contains a VAD core for real-time voice activity detection. It marks the first step toward a new level of voice processing offered by POLYN. It will be followed by other cores POLYN is developing for speaker recognition and voice extraction, enhancing home appliances, critical communications headsets, and other voice-controlled devices.

Customers developing products with ultra-low power voice control can apply online for the NASP VAD chip evaluation kit.

POLYN’s NASP technology and design tools give semiconductor and AI developers a new way to quickly implement neural networks directly in analog silicon. It offers process-agnostic design across 40–90 nm CMOS nodes and automatic conversion from digital ML models.

POLYN is preparing evaluation kits for early adopters and extending the implementation of its NASP product families for automotive, critical communication, and wearable applications.

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Compact IBR300 2.5″ SBC Powered by NXP i.MX 93 from IBASE

IBASE Technology has announced the release of the IBR300, a 2.5-inch RISC-based single board computer (SBC) powered by the NXP i.MX 93 processor with dual-core ARM Cortex-A55 (up to 1.7 GHz) and a Cortex-M33 MCU. Designed for embedded and industrial edge deployments, the IBR300 delivers powerful processing and real-time control in a compact, low-power form factor optimised for space-constrained systems.

Featuring 2 GB LPDDR4 memory, 32 GB eMMC storage, and an SD socket for easy expansion, the IBR300 provides a complete embedded solution for space-constrained applications. A comprehensive set of industrial-grade I/O interfaces, including an M.2 E-Key (2230) slot for WiFi/Bluetooth modules, ensures flexible connectivity for factory automation, smart retail, machine control, and IoT gateway deployments. Most notably, the IBR300 supports a wide operating temperature range from -40 °C to +85 °C, delivering stable and reliable performance in harsh or fanless environments while minimising maintenance and integration complexity.

www.ibase.com.tw

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Microchip’s TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster clock enables terrestrial alternative to GNSS

Microchip has announced the release of the TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster clock (TP4500) designed to deliver sub-nanosecond accuracy for time distribution across 800 km long-haul optical transmission.

Most current deployments require GNSS at grandmaster sites, but the TP4500 enables highly resilient synchronisation without relying on GNSS. The TP4500 supports time reference provided by UTC(k) UTC time provided by national labs, and is the first grandmaster to offer a premium capability that delivers High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) as defined by ITU-T G.8271.1/Y.1366.1 (01/2024) to meet 5 nanoseconds (ns) time delay over 800 km (equating to 500 picoseconds (ps) average per node, assuming 10 nodes).

The TP4500 system can be configured with multiple operation modes to form an end-to-end architecture known as virtual PRTC (vPRTC), capable of delivering PRTC accuracy over a long-distance optical network. vPRTC is a carrier-grade architecture for terrestrial distribution of HA-TT, which has been widely deployed in operator networks throughout the world. HA-TT is a proven and cost-effective approach, as opposed to other alternative PNT solutions that have no wide adoption into critical infrastructure networks to date, have low Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) and are still dependent on GNSS as the ultimate source of time.

TimeProvider 4500 v3 is a steppingstone towards support of the ITU-T G.8272.2 standard, which defines a coherent network reference time clock (cnPRTC) in amendment 2 (2024). An cnPRTC architecture ensures highly accurate, resilient, and robust timekeeping throughout a telecom network. This allows stable, network-wide ePRTC time accuracy, even during periods of regional or network-wide GNSS unavailability or other failures and interruptions.

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Rohm launches diode combining low VF and IR for advanced image sensor protection

Rohm has developed an innovative Schottky barrier diode that overcomes the traditional VF/IR trade-off. This way, it delivers high reliability protection for a wide range of high-resolution image sensor applications, including ADAS cameras.

Modern ADAS cameras and similar systems require higher pixel counts to meet the demand for greater precision. This has created a growing concern – the risk of damage caused by photovoltaic voltage generated under light exposure during power OFF. While low-VF SBDs are effective countermeasures, low IR is also essential during operation to prevent thermal runaway. However, simultaneously achieving both low VF and IR has been a longstanding technical challenge. Rohm has developing an SBD that combines low VF with low IR which is ideal for protection applications.

By adopting a proprietary architecture, Rohm has achieved low IR that is typically difficult to realize with low VF designs. As a result the device meets market requirements by delivering VF of less than 300mV (at IF=7.5mA even at Ta=-40°C), and an IR of less than 20mA (at VR=3V even at Ta=125°C). These characteristics not only prevent circuit damage caused by high photovoltaic voltage generated when powered OFF, but also reduce the risk of thermal runaway and malfunction during operation.

The diode is housed in a compact flat-lead SOD-323HE package (2.5mm × 1.4mm) that offers both space efficiency and mountability. This enables support for space-constrained applications such as automotive cameras, industrial equipment, and security systems. The RBE01VYM6AFH is also AEC-Q101 qualified, ensuring suitability as a protection device for next-generation automotive electronics requiring high reliability and long-term stability.

www.rohm.com

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