Radar multi-target simulator expands Keysight’s automotive portfolio

Automotive engineers can access a radar target simulator and automotive Ethernet channel test software which have been added by Keysight Technologies.

The radar target simulator (RTS) saves engineers time and cost savings during development with a real world test environment in the lab, says Keysight. It performs multi-target, multi-angle testing for radar modules to deliver fast, accurate and reliable results, says the company. Design and verification engineers can quickly validate the performance of radar products, and it can be used by manufacturing and design validation engineers to simulate multiple objects at variable distances.

Automotive industry engineers, designers and manufacturers can develop high-performance products that improve safety and enable advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), both of which rely on sensitive and accurate automotive radar technology. The RTS can help automotive electronics manufacturers simulate radar targets in realistic scenarios, says Keysight.

Next-generation ADAS systems require camera and radar systems with high resolution, which require increased speed and bandwidth. Automotive Ethernet enables faster data communication to meet the demands of today’s vehicles and the connected vehicles of the future. However, the channel or link in a system can create a point of failure and the new software addresses this challenge. Keysight says its automotive Ethernet channel test software can verify that information is carried, without loss or cross talk, to its intended destination.

The automotive Ethernet channel test software includes a test plan that includes all required tests as per the specification and automatic set up of the network analyser for each measurement and it applies defined test limits. There is also detailed reporting for each test that has been run.

Keysight’s automotive Ethernet suite provides the hardware, software, cables and accessories needed to enable compliance testing. There is a new receiver testing software and an updated transmit compliance application which offers four data rates, including the preliminary version of Multi-Gig IEEE 802.3ch, in one application.

http://www.keysight.com

> Read More

Lattice extends MachXO3 FPGA security for automotive use

New versions of Lattice Semiconductor’s MachXO3LF and MachXO3D FPGAs have been announced. The MachXO3LF FPGAs are for automotive control applications and the MachXO3D FPGAs are for system security that support extended temperature operating ranges for automotive and other ruggedised applications.

The MachXO3D FPGAs augment the popular system control capabilities of the Lattice MachXO FPGA architecture, says Lattice Semiconductor. They include hardware Root of Trust (RoT), platform firmware resilience (PFR), and secure dual-boot support. The MachXO3D and MachXO3LF FPGAs target control, bridging, and I/O expansion applications for reliable operation in rugged environments, including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), infotainment, motor control, 5G communications infrastructure, industrial robots and automation systems, and defence systems, Lattice advises. They also support for an extended operating range -40 to +125 degrees C (junction temperature). They require a single 3.3V or 1.2V supply.

As more sensors and electric motors are integrated into vehicles, automotive systems will become exposed to the risk of malicious attacks and hacks. To immediately detect vulnerabilities and combat cyber attacks OEMs will demand electronic systems capable of reliable and secure operation in rugged environments, in different weather conditions, vibration and connectivity parameters.

The MachXO3D FPGAs’ security features include on-chip flash memory which secures bitstream and user data against malicious attacks via OTP mode and password protection. There is also an immutable embedded security block to enable security compliant with NIST SP-800-193 Platform Firmware Resilience (PFR) guidelines to protect, detect and recover firmware from unauthorised access. The on-chip flash enables single-chip, instant-on, and dual-boot images for fail-safe programming and in-field updates with flexible system with secure reprogramming to support reliable in-system updates.

“By collaborating with Lattice, the leading provider of low power FPGAs, we are able to provide developers in the automotive market with ready-to-use IPs that simplify their design efforts by accelerating implementation of networking controllers for CAN and LIN,” said Nikos Zervas, CEO of CAST. “With the extended temperature range for automotive and other ruggedised applications, the new MachXO3D automotive family of FPGAs will allow developers to achieve their performance and power consumption goals and get their products to market faster, while enhancing the security of their control systems,” he added.

MachXO3LF and MachXO3D FPGAs are supported by Lattice’s integrated design software suite, Lattice Diamond, a graphic user interface (GUI) -based FPGA design and verification environment with design and implementation tools optimised for low-power Lattice FPGAs. The latest version of Lattice Diamond, version 3.11.3, is now available.

http://www.latticesemi.com

> Read More

AN810-XNX edge AI computer leverages Jetson Xavier NX

For high speed networking, Aetina has introduced the AN810-XNX edge AI computer leveraging the capabilities of the Nvidia Jetson Xavier NX. This edge AI computer provides I/O options and expands Aetina’s range of edge AI systems for robotics, drone, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), industrial inspection, medical imaging, and deep learning.

The AN810-XNX combines the Nvidia Jetson Xavier NX and Aetina AN810 carrier board in a Nano-ITX form factor which measures 120 x 120 x 47.3 mm (with fan). It supports full M.2 slot with M-key, E-key, and B-key and the interface with PCIe/SATA/USB 3.2 Gen2/USB 2.0. AN810-XNX features prospective communication capabilities.

The AN810-XNX is integrated with the 4G/5G module for high speed wireless connection and data transfer. It is also equipped with an onboard SIM slot, building seamless global connectivity for edge devices. It also supports the Innodisk InnoAGE out-of-band management solid state device via M.2 to reduce the cost of manually repairing the edge device and primarily minimises the equipment’s downtime, making the remote control of the edge device more convenient.

For AI, the AN810-XNX supports the single 120-pin connector for MIPI CSI-2 interface and can handle intensive AI workloads using high resolution cameras for accurate image analysis. For back up support, Aetina offers board support package (BSP) and device tree blob (DTB) configuration updates for both standard and customised platforms in their service policy.

Nvidia Jetson supports cloud-native technologies across AI and various software development kits (SDKs). The Aetina AN810-XNX is Microsoft Azure-certified for the IoT, to accelerate development and to ensure operation with Microsoft Azure IoT services.

The AN810-XNX is available now.

Aetina was founded in Taiwan in 2012 as a provider of high-performance general purpose graphics processor units (GPGPU) and edge AI computing designs based on the Nvidia Jetson platform for embedded applications. The company provides industrial components, system integration and services focused on the industrial and AIoT market.

http://www.aetina.com

> Read More

Dual camera mezzanine aids fast prototyping in embedded vision systems 

To develop embedded vision applications with camera sensor modules at a low cost of entry, Avnet has introduced the 96Boards ON Semiconductor dual camera mezzanine development and prototyping platform for the AP1302 imaging processor coupled with dual imaging camera modules. The platform will enable design and system engineers to create cost-effective embedded vision applications using industry-standard technologies, says the distributor.

The two Imager Access System (IAS) camera modules on the mezzanine use the AR0144 monochrome digital image sensor from ON Semiconductor. The AR0144 is a 1Mpixel Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) sensor (1280 horizontal by 800 vertical resolution) and will run at 60 frames per second at full resolution. Its ability to capture clear images is critical for applications such as scanning, industrial inspection and drone navigation, explains the company.

By using the 96Boards standard, the card can enable low latency vision system prototyping by leveraging the capabilities of the Xilinx Ultra96-V2 platform.

“This prototyping platform is specially created for design engineers, system engineers and suppliers to focus on IoT vision, AI and computer imaging applications,” said Jim Beneke, vice president of products and emerging technologies, Avnet. “It simplifies the complex process of developing applications with imaging sensors. In addition, Avnet has matched this card with our Ultra96-V2 to provide a very high performance, cost effective AI vision platform.”

The platform uses MIPI and the camera serial interface (CSI2) standards which are specifications of the MIPI Alliance. The MIPI-CSI2 specification defines the interface between the image sensors, ISP and a host processor, and is widely used for high-speed communications output from image sensors in most embedded systems.

The API 1302 image co-processor from ON Semiconductor performs image processing functions within the platform, including turning, configuration and calibration of the sensors. These processing functions also help to reduce design efforts of developing an embedded camera system. The AP1302 interfaces the sensors and the host processor using MIPI-CSI2 lanes.

The Avnet-designed 96Boards ON Semiconductor dual camera mezzanine development and prototyping platform comes with two IAS sensor modules and an AP1302 imaging co-processor.

http://www.avnet.com

> Read More

About Smart Cities

This news story is brought to you by smartcitieselectronics.com, the specialist site dedicated to delivering information about what’s new in the Smart City Electronics industry, with daily news updates, new products and industry news. To stay up-to-date, register to receive our weekly newsletters and keep yourself informed on the latest technology news and new products from around the globe. Simply click this link to register here: Smart Cities Registration