Infineon introduces the XENSIV PAS CO2 5V sensor for higher energy efficiency

In order to further drive decarbonisation, improving the energy efficiency of buildings is crucial, as they contribute significantly to global energy consumption and carbon emissions. Innovative solutions are needed to optimise energy consumption while ensuring a healthy indoor environment. Infineon is addressing this need with the introduction of the new XENSIV PAS CO2 5V sensor. It is based on the Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (PAS) technology and improves energy efficiency by adapting ventilation to actual occupancy, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of buildings. This makes the device suitable for applications such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems as well as room controller and thermostat units in commercial and residential buildings. It can also be used for IoT and consumer devices such as smart lighting, air purifiers, conferencing systems, and smart speakers, as well as emerging applications such as smart horticulture and smart refrigerators.

“Environmental sensing is an important pillar of Infineon’s sensor portfolio,” said Andreas Kopetz, VP Ambient Sensing at Infineon. “CO2 sensors play an increasingly important role in smart homes and buildings by continuously monitoring indoor air quality and adjusting ventilation systems accordingly. Our XENSIV PAS CO2 5V is a sensor solution that ensures a healthier living environment for occupants and enables significant energy savings for greater sustainability.”

The XENSIV PAS CO2 5V provides accurate air quality data in real time. Its miniaturised form factor of 14×13.8×7.5 mm³ is identical to the size of the XENSIV PAS CO2 12V sensor and allows seamless integration into a wide range of applications. This makes it easy to adopt dual designs or maintain the same design strategy for both product variants. Compared to the 12V sensor, the 5V version comes with a 5V power supply which further simplifies installation. Moreover, it offers a significantly faster response time of 55 seconds, down from 90 seconds (12 V). This improvement enhances efficiency across various applications, allowing for quicker data acquisition and more responsive performance in dynamic environments. The sensor’s design is dust-proof in accordance with ISO 20653:2013-02, which extends the lifetime of the device in dusty environments and minimises maintenance requirements. In addition, the UART, I²C and PWM interfaces enable seamless integration with microcontrollers and other digital systems, simplifying the design and development process. Ultimately, with its robust performance, the sensor meets the performance criteria of the internationally recognised WELL Green Building Standard, enhancing both environmental sustainability and property value.

All major components of the XENSIV PAS CO2 5V sensor are developed in-house according to Infineon’s high-quality standards. Among others, this includes a dedicated microcontroller that runs advanced compensation algorithms to provide direct and reliable ppm readouts of real CO2 levels. The available configuration options make the sensor one of the most versatile plug-and-play CO2 sensors on the market. They include a dedicated ABOC (Automatic Baseline Offset Calibration), pressure compensation, signal alarm, sample rate and early measurement notification, which are especially useful for power consumption management. The SMD package, delivered in tape and reel, allows for easy assembly, even in high-speed, high-volume manufacturing.

https://www.infineon.com/co2

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Rutronik now offers the nRF9151 from Nordic Semiconductor

The nRF9151 from Nordic Semiconductor is a new addition to the Rutronik Wireless portfolio: an energy-efficient system-in-package (SiP) with integrated LTE-M, NB-IoT, GNSS, and DECT NR+ radio modem. Currently the smallest and most power-efficient device of its kind, the nRF9151 sets a new standard for highly integrated and compact SiP solutions. Also available is the nRF9151 DK, a specially developed, cost-effective and pre-certified single-board development kit for initial evaluation and development purposes. As a fully integrated, pre-certified SiP with an application MCU, the nRF9151 is suitable for the development of extensive applications or for use as a stand-alone cellular modem. This simplifies the development and deployment of scalable products in numerous IoT markets, including industrial automation, asset tracking, smart city, smart metering and smart agriculture.
The nRF9151 represents a significant advance in cellular IoT technology and offers a cost-effective and globally accessible solution. The comprehensive and compact solution includes hardware with a programmable application processor, software, cloud services, development tools and world-class support.

The nRF9151 achieves its unrivalled performance and versatility through the use of low-power LTE technology, advanced processing capabilities, and robust security features. 3GPP Release 14 LTE-M/NB-IoT and DECT NR+ are supported.

Benefits at a glance:
• Fully integrated SiP with 64 MHz Arm Cortex-M33 and multimode LTE-M/NB-IoT modem with DECT NR+ support and GNSS 700-2200 MHz LTE band support
• Power Class 5 20 dBm
• Power Class 3 23 dBm
• 1.9GHz NR+ band support
• Certified for global operation
• Dedicated programmable application processor and memory
• 1 MB flash + 256 KB RAM
• Arm TrustZone + Arm CryptoCell 310

Application examples:
• Asset Tracking
• Smart Metering
• Smart City
• Smart Agriculture
• Predictive maintenance
• Portable Medical Devices
• Industry 4.0

https://www.rutronik24.com

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Omron expands compact power relay range with improved high inrush variant

Omron has launched the G5Q-HR, the latest addition to the G5Q family of 10A PCB power relays. The new relays can achieve reduced power consumption and heat, and are 45 percent smaller than equivalent 16A relays. For applications which require high inrush current such as lighting controllers, smart plugs, home appliances and power supplies, this can contribute to downsized equipment design, while opening up new printed circuit board configurations.

First launched in 2001, the G5Q series has sold more than 500 million units worldwide. Considered one of the industry’s leading compact power relay products, the G5Q portfolio now boasts a wide range of variants covering many diverse applications, from home appliances to industrial motor loads. In response to customer demand for compact design and improved energy performance for 10A applications, Omron has now expanded its high inrush offering with the addition of the G5Q-HR, which is available in both single stable and latching variants.

As the only device in the G5Q portfolio that meets the TV-8 standard at 10A class, the G5Q-HR compliments the existing high inrush offering, while offering new possibilities for more powerful and compact end product applications. At 20.3 mm (L) x 10.3 mm (W) x 15.8 mm (H), it is Omron’s smallest TV-8 product.

The G5Q-HR is compatible with a wide range of capacitive loads as well as ramp loads of up to AC 120V, Inrush 117A. In accordance with its TV-8 certification, the G5Q-HR has been rigorously tested to last a minimum of 25,000 cycles, ensuring maximum longevity and reliability. The device also meets the UL Electronic Ballast Rating at 3A 277VAC and 5A 277VAC over 6,000 cycles, and meets IEC60669-1 at 3A 250VAC over 5,000 cycles. The G5Q-HR achieves a high inrush current resistance and supports multiple inrush loads. It is compliant with high input load standards exceeding 100A, such as lighting and power supplies.

The latching type (G5Q—U/K-HR) variant achieves extremely low power consumption by maintaining the contact “on” state with only one pulse of current. This reduces coil power consumption by approximately 99.9 percent compared to standard single-side stable relays. As well as reducing the power consumption of the relay itself, this can also help to reduce the amount of heat generated, contributing to greater efficiency and longevity of related components and systems.

https://www.omron.com

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u-blox introduces new all-band GNSS antenna for high-precision applications

u-blox has announced the external GNSS antenna ANN-MB2 for wide coverage, multi-constellation high-precision applications. Optimised for the u-blox high-precision GNSS technology, ANN-MB2 is well-suited for industrial automation, surveying, autonomous vehicles, mobile robotics and other applications requiring centimetre-level position accuracy in challenging environments.

The u-blox ANN-MB2 is a compact, high-precision real-time kinematic (RTK) antenna that supports L1, L2, E6/B3, L5, L-band, and all major GNSS systems. This all-band antenna features a robust architectural design, superior multipath mitigation, and versatile mounting options. With its excellent price-to-performance ratio, ANN-MB2 is suitable for easy evaluation and fast design-in of wide-band high-precision positioning applications, paving the way for mass-market adoption.

ANN-MB2 engineering samples are available now, and production is planned for Q4 2024.

https://www.u-blox.com

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