ST reveals Page EEPROM two-in-one memory to boost smart-edge performance and efficiency

ST’ Page EEPROM combines the power efficiency and durability of an EEPROM with the capacity and speed of a Flash memory, creating a hybrid memory for applications that face extreme size and power constraints.

The new memories address growing demand for storage in embedded applications, needed to support increasingly sophisticated features and run data-hungry edge-AI algorithms. One example is behind-the-ear hearing aids, where Page EEPROM can reduce the bill of materials and help create products that are slimmer and more comfortable to wear.

In addition to wearables, Page EEPROM is ideal for applications such as healthcare devices, asset trackers, e-bikes, as well as other industrial and consumer products. “The intelligent edge has evolved quickly and is profoundly changing demands on embedded memory storage density, performance, and power consumption,” said Philippe Ganivet, STMicroelectronics EEPROM product line manager. “Our new Page EEPROM is the perfect ultra-low-power memory to complement a microcontroller for remote IoT modules that operate on battery power.”

“ST’s Page EEPROM is the perfect non-volatile memory, a true best-of-both worlds solution that enabled us to achieve the ambitious targets we set when creating the latest generation of our flagship product family of GPS trackers, IoT devices, and all other designs where high performance, high reliability, small size, and low power are required,” said Patrick Kusbel, owner of BitFlip Engineering, one of the first customers to use the new memory ICs. “The M95P is up to 50 times faster yet consumes as little as one-tenth the power and delivers five times the reliability — at 500k writes compared to 100k writes — typical of other parts we used before. It’s a game changer.”

ST’s Page EEPROM family offers densities of 8Mbit, 16Mbit, and 32Mbit, greatly increasing storage over standard EEPROM devices. Embedded smart page-management allows byte-level write operations for processes like data logging, while also supporting page/sector/block erase and page-program up to 512 bytes for efficiently handling firmware over the air (OTA) updates. The devices also allow buffer loading, which can program several pages simultaneously to cut the time for loading software in production. The data-read speed of 320 Mbit/s is about 16 times faster than standard EEPROM, while write-cycle endurance of 500,000 cycles is several times higher than conventional serial Flash.

Also featuring a novel peak-current control, Page EEPROM minimizes power supply noise and prolongs the runtime of battery-operated equipment. The write current is below that of many conventional EEPROMs and there is also a deep power-down mode with fast wakeup that reduces the current to below 1µA.

Longevity is assured, with 100-year data retention. The devices are included in ST’s 10-years product longevity program that guarantees long-term product availability.

The X-NUCLEO-PGEEZ1 expansion board and X-CUBE-EEPRMA1 software package are available now, for users to learn how to interact with Page EEPROM and adopt the new devices in application designs. The software includes a demonstration application that shows how to test the memory’s hybrid architecture and quickly build a proof of concept.

The M95P08, M95P16, and M95P32 Page EEPROMs are in production now and available from $0.50 for the 8Mbit M95P08. The X-NUCLEO-PGEEZ1 is ready to order from the eSTore at the budgetary price of $40.00.

https://www.st.com/page-eeprom

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Advantech launches Edge Service Packages to scale up digitalisation on IoT-enabled applications

Advantech, has announced Edge Service Packages, including Azure IoT Edge and AWS IoT Greengrass. The growing demand for real-time insights and localised actions in industrial settings is fuelling the adoption of edge computing solutions. Edge-as-a-Service encompasses the integration of hardware, edge software, and corresponding cloud services for efficient edge orchestration. The synergy between Edge and Cloud is pivotal for successful digital transformation. Advantech’s Edge Service Packages are designed to cater to Advantech hardware platforms and third-party software applications, offering enhanced flexibility and user experience. These solutions deliver device control, edge monitoring, and software management services, facilitating the seamless scaling of digitalisation through accelerated deployment and integration.

To align with edge computing trends, Advantech presents the Edge Service Packages, Azure IoT Edge and AWS IoT Greengrass, to enhance the deployment of IoT Edge on edge platforms by adding value and simplifying the process. Leveraging cloud intelligence, they seamlessly integrate edge computing, outlining a roadmap for scalable workloads in hybrid cloud and edge computing. In addition, Advantech offers a wide selection of hardware that is Azure IoT Edge or AWS IoT Greengrass certified. Users can develop custom solutions by selecting preferred hardware and edge service packages according to their targeted cloud service or specifications, helping customers develop IoT-enabled applications in an optimised way.

Azure IoT Edge – Simplifying Connectivity and Development at the Edge
This package helps deploy Azure IoT Edge on premises to break up data silos and consolidate operational data at scale in the Azure Cloud. It encompasses essential Azure IoT Edge services, such as the IoT Hub Device Provisioning Service, connecting physical devices with their corresponding identities in the Microsoft Azure IoT Hub. Another example for the Azure IoT Edge module is OPC UA Publisher. When applied with Advantech’s Edge Manager, this web application can configure and manage the OPC UA server to ensure seamless communication with the OPC UA Publisher Edge module. This tool streamlines the selection of data nodes and facilitates their transmission to the cloud without the need for coding.

AWS IoT Greengrass – Building Intelligent IoT Devices Faster
AWS IoT Greengrass serves as an open-source edge runtime and cloud service, designed for constructing, deploying, and managing device software. It provides pre-built components so end users can easily extend edge device functionality without writing code. The components of AWS IoT Greengrass offer the addition of features and swift connectivity to AWS services or third-party applications at the edge. This package helps end users deploy and configure assets such as Lambda functions, Docker images, or machine learning models for local inference. Furthermore, it enables users to promptly initiate the Greengrass service on edge devices, manage it seamlessly through AWS IoT Greengrass, and efficiently transmit telemetry data to the AWS Cloud.
Advantech EdgeSync 360 – Transforming Industrial Device Management
Nevertheless, Advantech has developed an open cloud-based industrial IoT platform, EdgeSync 360, to revolutionise device and data management across various industrial applications. This suite of software products includes Edgelink for edge connectivity management, DeviceOn for IPC management, and WebAccess for SCADA and HMI visualisation. For cloud service, EdgeHub is a centralised platform that streamlines edge connectivity, device management, and data analysis, distributing intelligence across edge devices. It offers a seamless method to mass deploy and update not only software applications but also Docker containers, firmware, operating systems, and Linux applications in batches from cloud to edge.

https://www.advantech.com.

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u-blox unveils X20, its new all-band high-precision GNSS platform

u-blox has announced its new X20 all-band high-precision GNSS platform that raises the bar for accuracy, performance, and security. Building on the success of the company’s popular F9 high-precision GNSS platform, this new generation addresses the current high-precision GNSS needs around the world, and its future-proof design is equipped to also handle new and emerging technologies and standards. The new platform is designed for industrial automation, automotive, and other applications that require centimetre-level position accuracy in challenging environments, as well as time synchronisation applications for critical infrastructure systems.

X20 is an all-band (L1/L2/L5/L6) platform with an integrated L-band receiver. As it includes all available GNSS satellite signals, it offers the highest precision positioning even in difficult signal environments. It supports the basic L1 and L2 frequencies, along with the subsequently added L5 band. The L5 band operates at lower frequencies than the L1 and L2 bands and benefits from improved signal properties, making L5 signals inherently more robust. The u-blox X20 also adds support for the L6 band. This band is used not only for navigation services, but also correction services that help make positioning estimations more precise.

The new u-blox X20 platform provides maximum flexibility, with built-in support for all types of correction services. It not only supports local base stations and correction types such as RTK (real-time kinematic), Network RTK, and PPP-RTK, but also introduces the option to utilise PPP (precise point positioning) corrections. The platform’s versatility and scalability allow its users to select the optimal solution for their application, balancing cost and precision. Potential applications are multifold, from port logistics operations to machine control in construction as well as emerging industrial applications, for instance UAVs, and ground robotics such as lawnmowers.

The u-blox X20 platform is software upgradeable. This serves to future-proof the system, as users will be able to adapt their system should there be any evolutions in the relevant technologies and standards.

X20 was designed to provide the utmost integrity and security. The platform comes with end-to-end security functions, including system authentication via secure boot and secure firmware update, message authentication, and encryption with built-in secure root of trust (RoT). The platform also supports Galileo OSNMA authentication combined with advanced jamming and spoofing detection and mitigation.

https://www.u-blox.com

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Microchip makes it easier to build sophisticated graphical user interfaces

Designers are incorporating Graphical User Interfaces, or GUIs, into more electronic devices to enhance the user experience by providing intuitive and visually appealing interactions with today’s modern applications. To support embedded developers with their designs, Microchip has announced the Microchip Graphics Suite (MGS), an easy-to-learn, comprehensive solution that simplifies the process of incorporating GUIs, animations and images into a touchscreen display.
Developing a GUI can be a complex and lengthy process, requiring significant time and resources to debug and integrate code from various tools. MGS is designed to easily integrate with Microchip’s 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) and microprocessors (MPUs) and supports multiple development platforms, including MPLAB Harmony v3 and Linux environments. This comprehensive solution to build a GUI interface aims to help designers improve reusability across projects and simplify design complexities.
MGS offers compositional tools, including a simulator for hardware-free prototyping. By leveraging the MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC), the simulator builds the MCC-generated C code in either web or native mode. In web mode, the tool creates an HTML file that can run on most web browsers with simulated touch interactivity. In native mode, the simulator enables debugging of the GUI on Windows desktop computers. These features enable accurate display and functionality demonstrations that are independent of hardware availability.
MGS provides an intuitive WYSIWYG interface with a modern design, enabling users to directly see and manipulate the final output, reducing errors and increasing efficiency. To make GUIs more accessible, MGS is versatile and can support a wide range of devices of varying performance. They can range from resource-constrained devices with significantly lower memory and system performance requirements to high-performance devices supporting tablet-sized touchscreens with high-fidelity video playback.
This solution is optimal for developers who want superior graphical performance without costly hardware upgrades. Additionally, MGS supports a wide range of displays, from monochrome OLEDs to 1080p 16.7M colour TFTs, including MIPI DSI, LVDS, RGB, SPI, and HDMI interfaces, along with touchscreens with 2D/3D gestures.
This comprehensive solution simplifies the integration of a GUI from design phase to implementation across a wide range of applications. MGS is highly compatible with the company’s broad portfolio of PIC32 MCUs, SAM MPUs and maXTouch touchscreen controllers. Additionally, Microchip can provide other key components including memory, power management and connectivity solutions.

Microchip Graphics Suite is supported by various development tools including MPLAB Harmony v3, MPLAB Code Configurator and Microchip’s mainlined Linux Distribution for 32-bit MCUs and MPUs.

Microchip Graphics Suite is complimentary and available now to download.

https://developerhelp.microchip.com

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