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IR dynamic gesture sensor keeps driver’s eyes on the road

Tue, Jun 29, 2021

Hand gestures can be recognised by the MAX25405 next-generation optical sensor to ensure that a driver’s eyes remain on the road. The optical sensor recognises a variety of gestures in a quarter of the size and at 10x lower cost than camera-based time of flight systems in automotive, industrial and consumer applications, says Maxim Integrated.

The MAX25405 detects a wider proximity of movement and doubles the sensing range to 40cm compared to earlier generations, in a form factor that is a quarter the size of camera-based systems in automotive, industrial and consumer applications. According to Maxim, these enhancements offer an alternative to voice communications, enabling drivers to focus on the road.

The MAX25405 has integrated optics, a 6 x 10 infra red sensor array and a glass lens which increases sensitivity and improves the signal to noise ratio. The improved performance doubles the proximity and distance of sensing applications so that passengers in the front and rear seats can be also operate entertainment displays, for example, with gestures. There is a high level of integration compared to competitive ToF solutions that require three chips and a complicated microprocessor.

The MAX25405’s small 20-pin, 4.0 x 4.0 x 1.35mm quad flat no-lead (QFN) package together with four discrete LEDs measures up to 75 per cent smaller than ToF camera-based solutions.

The MAX25405 recognizes nine gestures, including swipe, rotation, air-click, linger to click and 3 x 2 proximity zones with minimal lag time. It is affordable for use in multi-range automotive, consumer and industrial applications, including touch-free smart home hubs and thermostats.

The MAX25405 gesture sensor and associated MAX25405EVKIT# evaluation kit are available now.

Maxim Integrated has a broad portfolio of semiconductors, tools and support, to delivers analogue solutions including efficient power, precision measurement, reliable connectivity and robust protection along with intelligent processing for automotive, communications, consumer, data centre, healthcare, industrial and IoT applications.

http://www.maximintegrated.com

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Reference design enhances 3D computer vision for edge AI

Tue, Jun 29, 2021

Combining the AI computing of Blaize and the image processing of eYs3D Microelectronics, the Blaize Pathfinder P1600 system on module reference design is available for indoor and outdoor AI-based autonomous robotics, security, touchless control, autonomous vehicles and smart retails.

There is an integrated eYs3D depth camera which has stereo vision capabilities that deliver millimeter-level accuracy of depth at optimal range, says Blaize. The Blaize Pathfinder P1600 system on module (SoM) capabilities can eliminate the use of costly lidar implementations for robotics and other autonomous services, Blaize advises.

The SoM uses Blaize’s programmable Graph Streaming Processor (GSP) architecture and software productivity suite to process both RGB camera data and depth data for accurate 3D sensor fusion applications at the edge. According to Rajesh Anantharaman, senior director products at Blaize, the GPS architecture and eYs3D integration enables faster time-to-market for systems incorporating visual simultaneous location and mapping (VSLAM), facial feature depth recognition, and gesture-based commands.

The combined design improves depth and distance sensing via the camera’s 3D sensor application that includes a sensor fusion function enabling a combination of two sets of data – RGB camera data and depth data. The Blaize P1600 can convert the depth camera’s USB output to high-speed Ethernet connectivity, for enhanced video processing. Software development kits for the reference design will accommodate a wide range of operating systems, programming languages and development tools.

“We are excited to partner with Blaize to bring advanced computer vision capability to market, such as filtering, depth-sensing fusion, real-time 3D point cloud compression and streaming, that further enhance edge AI capability,” said James Wang, eYs3D’s chief strategy officer.

“Depth-sensing technology has been widely adopted commercially in consumer and industrial applications in the last few years. eYs3D is a leader in 3D-stereo vision and its technology has already been used in popular VR headsets, robot arm visual systems and facial recognition kiosks. We are now seeing growing applications in robotics, 3D scene learning, drones, smart retail and other markets,” he added.

The Blaize AI software suite comprises Blaize Picasso and AI Studio.

http://www.blaize.com

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Humidity sensors can extend industrial and automotive system lifetimes, says TI

Tue, Jun 29, 2021

The first devices in a family of humidity sensors from Texas Instruments are claimed to provide the industry’s highest reliability and accuracy and the lowest power consumption. The HDC3020 and HDC3020-Q1 have built-in protection for sensing elements to create more reliable industrial and automotive systems that withstand potential damage caused by moisture, reacting as needed to changing water vapour conditions over time.

From extending the life of produce during transport and storage, to keeping automotive cameras clear of fog, to controlling air quality and flow in buildings, the need for improved reliability and safer, more comfortable environments has increased the adoption of relative humidity (RH) sensors.

The HDC3020 and HDC3020-Q1 offer improved relative humidity measurement accuracy with reduced long-term error, when compared to existing RH sensors, says TI. They preserve data integrity under stress conditions and are claimed to be the industry’s first to provide integrated correction to adapt to drift caused by natural aging, environmental stress or interactions with contaminants.

The humidity sensors achieve lower drift in extreme conditions than competing devices, with less than 0.21 per cent RH accuracy drift per year and less than five per cent RH drift from temperature and humidity stress (tested up to 85 per cent RH and 85 degrees C). This sustained accuracy enables longer system lifetimes, eliminating the need to frequently replace or recalibrate the sensor.

When exposed to stress or contaminants, the sensors also provide a second line of defence, where even a small accuracy drift from the sensor’s time-zero specification can be removed using integrated drift correction technology.

The HDC3020 and HDC3020-Q1 are verified with a procedure traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the full supply voltage of 1.62 to 5.5V and the widest temperature and humidity range at ±1.5 per cent RH. This level of accuracy enables more precise control of a system, increasing efficiency by ensuring that the system only runs when necessary.

The sensors are available in several pin-to-pin compatible package cover options, such as removable polyimide tape and permanent IP67-rated filter covers. The covers provide ingress protection against dust and moisture for the devices during assembly and system lifetimes, and help maintain accuracy when the sensor is exposed to contaminants.

Low power consumption (nA) across the supply range from 1.62 to 5.5V enables low power operation while a system is actively running and when in sleep mode. An automatic measurement mode enables humidity sensing at regular intervals to capture data while the rest of the system sleeps to preserve system battery life in applications such as cold chain data loggers, wirelessly connected environmental sensors such as air-quality monitors, smart home or wireless sensor nodes in buildings or IP network cameras.

Preproduction versions of the HDC3020 and HDC3020-Q1 in eight-pin leadless plastic small outline packages are available exclusively from the TI website. Additional devices with analogue output and packages with protective covers are expected to be available by the end of the year.

http://www.ti.com

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Weebit Nano integrates switch selector with ReRAM cell for standalone market

Mon, Jun 28, 2021

Demonstrating what is believed to be the industry’s first commercial integration of an ovonic threshold switching (OTS) selector with an oxide-based ReRAM cell, Weebit Nano says it is a significant step in the implementation of 3D memory stacking and crossbar architectures in future developments.

Weebit Nano and development partner CEA-Leti, announced the commercial integration of an oxide-based ReRAM (OxRAM) cell with an ovonic threshold switching (OTS) selector three months ahead of schedule.

A selector in a memory chip enables optimised cell access within a memory array. It assists in isolating memory cells so only the specific cells that should be accessed are, and all the other cells are not impacted. In the embedded space, a transistor is typically used as the selector device, but a transistor does not support the densities required for discrete chips. OTS is a preferred selector technology for discrete ReRAM chips as it enables the smallest ReRAM bit cell, as small as 4F2, together with endurance, low energy consumption, and high switching speeds.

“New markets like IoT, 5G and AI are driving needs for emerging NVM on advanced process nodes,” said Jim Handy, Memory Analyst, Objective Analysis. “Weebit’s combination of ReRAM with an OTS selector promises to scale to the advanced processes and high memory densities that new memory chips will need.”

According to Gabriel Molas, Senior Scientist at CEA-Leti, “Creation of an OTS selector is quite a complex endeavour given the concurrent requirements to achieve high endurance, reduce variability, and maintain characteristics at high temperature operation.”

Coby Hanoch, CEO of Weebit, said: “We see a broad range of opportunities for discrete ReRAM, from NOR flash to storage class memory, in a range of segments.”

Weebit Nano develops next-generation semiconductor memory technology. The company’s ground-breaking Resistive RAM (ReRAM) addresses the growing need for significantly higher performance and lower power memory solutions in a range of new electronic products such as IoT devices, smartphones, robotics, autonomous vehicles, 5G communications and artificial intelligence (AI). Weebit’s ReRAM allows semiconductor memory elements to be significantly faster, less expensive, more reliable and more energy efficient than those using existing flash memory solutions. It is based on fab-friendly materials which means the technology can be quickly and easily integrated with existing flows and processes, without the need for special equipment or large investments.

http://www.weebit-nano.com

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IR dynamic gesture sensor keeps driver’s eyes on the road

Reference design enhances 3D computer vision for edge AI

Humidity sensors can extend industrial and automotive system lifetimes, says TI

Weebit Nano integrates switch selector with ReRAM cell for standalone market

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