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ST reveals new single-zone direct-ToF sensor with extended operating temperature

Tue, Jul 16, 2024

ST has introduced the VL53L4ED single-zone Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor, which has an extended operating temperature range from -40°C to 105°C. Ready for harsh environments, the VL53L4ED enhances proximity detection and ranging under high ambient light conditions in applications such as industrial tools, smart-factory equipment, robot guidance systems, outdoor lighting controls, and security systems.

The VL53L4ED integrates a laser emitter and a single-photon avalanche-diode (SPAD) detector array in a convenient all-in-one module which ensures reliable measurement even in extreme temperature conditions. The next-generation laser provides enhanced performance in high ambient light environments and excellent short-distance ranging accuracy. In addition, the sensors embed a processor that allows power-saving autonomous operation and lowers demand for host-system resources.

ST’s new ToF sensor provides high-accuracy distance measurement to objects up to 1150mm away, throughout the entire field of view and over the full extended temperature range. Special settings allow accurate distance measurement up to 800mm under strong ambient light conditions. The VL53L4ED sensor maintains distance-measurement linearity down to 1mm and supports ranging frequency up to 100Hz.

Developers can take advantage of the X-CUBE-TOF1 expansion software package for the STM32Cube ecosystem to accelerate projects using the VL53L4 sensor family. Ready-to-use software includes as well the STSW-IMG034 driver that lets an interrupt command turn the VL53L4ED or VL53L4CD into an ultra-low-power proximity detector for user detection, system activation, and touchless control. In addition, the STSW-IMG039 software pack contains code examples for liquid-level monitoring. Hardware includes the X-NUCLEO-53L4A3 expansion board for the NUCLEO-F401RE microcontroller board, which eases running code examples and building applications, as well as the SATEL-VL53L4ED breakout board for prototyping.

https://www.st.com

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PAN-MaX from Panasonic simplifies Matter enablement for smart home devices

Tue, Jul 16, 2024

Panasonic is now offering PAN-MaX, a multi-tier Matter Certificate Service designed for device manufacturers selling in the smart home market, to simplify Matter enablement for smart home devices.
The Matter standard from the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) is a major industry-led effort to address the highly fragmented market of connected smart homes. It aims to solve the challenge of interoperability, which is considered the biggest impediment for device manufacturers selling to a multi-vendor smart home customer. Matter establishes interoperability on top of familiar standard wireless communication technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy, and Thread, allowing devices from different vendors to interact and understand each other using a common language. Additionally, the notion of IoT device security comes pre-baked into the standard itself, fundamentally addressing the problem of unauthentic fake product copies that currently plagues the industry. This is why big and small players alike in the smart home industry see the Matter technology as the bedrock for the consolidation of the smart home market.
In the above context, Panasonic Industry offers Matter enablement through its portfolio of wireless modules to provide the necessary wireless interfaces (BLE, Thread, and Wi-Fi) mandated by the Matter standard on PCB, as well as PAN-MaX, a digital trust solution for Matter products aimed at simplifying the production-related challenges faced by smart home device manufacturers.
PAN-MaX closes the loop for device manufacturers by providing all the necessary capabilities required for making a Matter product. Device manufacturers can achieve hassle-free Matter deployment with manufacturer-specific versions of Panasonic wireless modules. In doing so, Panasonic takes charge of implementing the digital trust solution, injecting Device Attestation Certificates (DACs) issued from a Panasonic managed PKI infrastructure into compatible Panasonic wireless modules, which are signed against a root certificate issued to a CSA-approved Product Attestation Authority. Device manufacturers can further leverage Panasonic’s European production facilities by pre-programming business logic and other customer/product-specific information during wireless module production in Panasonic’s factory.
Acknowledging that one size doesn’t fit all, the PAN-MaX service can be tailored to suit individual customer and project requirements. Available with different service level tiers: Silver, Gold, or Diamond, device manufacturers can choose from multiple price points, underlining Panasonic’s effort to promote Matter and make it accessible to customers of all project types and volumes. Panasonic simplifies an otherwise complicated multi-vendor setup, such that device manufacturers or their EMS partners don’t have to plan for additional production-related investments for a Matter project, and avoid all risks of escalating hidden costs.

https://industry.panasonic.eu/pan-max

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Mouser now stocking ST biosensor for smart devices and wearables

Fri, Jul 12, 2024

The ST1VAFE6AX provides design engineers with next generation biopotential signal detection and motion tracking for a variety of applications, including heart rate, pulse monitoring, electrocardiogram (ECG) and activity tracking for wearables and portable medical devices.

The ST1VAFE6AX features a vertical analogue front end (vAFE) channel to detect biopotential signals and includes a 6-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) for motion tracking. This biosensor embeds advanced dedicated features and data processing for motion processing like the finite state machine (FSM), sensor fusion low power (SFLP), adaptive self-configuration (ASC), and machine learning core (MLC) with exportable artificial intelligence (AI) features and filters. The device fully synchronises biopotential and motion sensing for context-aware analysis. The ST1VAFE6AX biosensor’s compact 2.5 × 3.0 × 0.71 mm footprint makes it ideal for space-constrained applications. Application development with ST1VAFE6AX biosensor is supported by the STEVAL-MKI242A adapter board.

The STEVAL-MKI242A adapter can also be used with the STMicroelectronics STEVAL-MKI109V3 motherboard, the STEVAL-MKBOXPRO programmable wireless box kit, or the X-NUCLEO-IKS4A1 motion MEMS and environmental sensor expansion board.

https://eu.mouser.com

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Rohm introduces industry’s first analog-digital fusion control power supply solution

Thu, Jul 11, 2024

Rohm has announced the LogiCoA, a power supply solution for small to medium power industrial and consumer equipment (30W to 1kW class). It provides the same functionality as fully digital control power supplies at low power consumption and cost equivalent to analog power types.

Analog controlled power supplies are commonly used in industrial robotics and semiconductor manufacturing equipment that operate in the medium power range. However, in recent years these power supplies are also required to provide a high level of reliability and precise control that make it difficult to meet market demands with analog-only configurations. On the other hand, while fully digitally controlled power supplies enable fine control and settings, they are not widely adopted in the small to medium power range due to the high power consumption and cost of the digital controller. To address this issue, Rohm developed the LogiCoA power solution that leverages the strengths of both analog and digital technologies. High performance low power LogiCoA MCUs are utilised to facilitate control of a variety of power supply topologies.

The LogiCoA brand embodies a design philosophy of fusing digital elements to maximize the performance of analog circuits. Rohm’s LogiCoA power solution is the industry’s first* “analog-digital fusion control” power supply that combines a digital control block centred around the LogiCoA MCU with analog circuitry comprised of silicon MOSFETs and other power devices.

In a fully digital control power supply, the functions handled by digital controllers such as high-speed CPUs or DSPs can be processed by low-bit MCUs, making it possible to achieve increased functionality that is difficult to realize with an analog control power supply at low power consumption and cost. This solution allows for the correction of performance variations in peripheral components according to the power supply circuit by storing various settings such as current and voltage values in the LogiCoA MCU. As a result, there is no need to consider design margins unlike with analog control power supplies, contributing to smaller power supplies that provide greater reliability. On top, as operation log data can be recorded in the MCU’s nonvolatile memory, it is ideal for power supplies in industrial equipment that require logging as a backup in case of malfunction.

The evaluation reference design REF66009 allows users to experience the LogiCoA power supply solution in a non-isolated buck converter circuit. Various tools necessary for evaluation are also offered, including circuit diagrams, PCB layouts, parts lists, sample software, and support documents, while actual device evaluation is possible using the optional LogiCoA001-EVK-001 evaluation board.

https://www.rohm.com

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ST reveals new single-zone direct-ToF sensor with extended operating temperature

PAN-MaX from Panasonic simplifies Matter enablement for smart home devices

Mouser now stocking ST biosensor for smart devices and wearables

Rohm introduces industry’s first analog-digital fusion control power supply solution

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