Latest News Archives - Page 433 of 584 - SmartCitiesElectronics.com

Harting snaps into Rinspeed concept car for power, data and signals

Fri, Jan 10, 2020

Swiss automotive manufacturer, Rinspeed is presenting its metroSnap concept vehicle at CES this week, and Harting has designed an interface that supplies the vehicle with power, data and signals.

The module helps the driver use the vehicle for a wide range of tasks. It is divided into the Skateboard, which serves as an optimised electric vehicle (EV), and the Pod, which can be switched to accommodate different tasks. Communication, signal transmission and the power supply must all work smoothly between these two elements. Connectivity is automatically established as soon as the Pod and the Skateboard are securely connected.

The two companies have partnered before, with a fast charger from Harting Automotive, Harting’s subsidiary which reported a sharp increase in demand for e-mobility solutions. The company leverages its decades of experience in the field of connection and transmission technology to develop and produce charging equipment for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs).

In 2016, Harting’s Mica was integrated into Rinspeed’s Etos vehicle for autonomous emission and condition monitoring. In 2017, Harting its miniMICA to support Rinspeed’s Oasis car. The following year, Harting provided the fast-charging technology for the Snap and in 2019, the microSnap was charged using the fast-charging push.

http://www.harting.com

> Read More

NIR sensor saves power for mobile 3D optical sensing systems

Thu, Jan 09, 2020

3D optical sensing applications such as face recognition, payment authentication can operate at much lower power than alternative implementations, using the CGSS130, CMOS global shutter sensor (CGSS) near infra red (NIR) image sensor by ams.

The CGSS130 enables battery-powered devices to run for longer between charges while supporting sophisticated sensor functions.

According to ams, the CGSS130 sensor is four times more sensitive to NIR wavelengths than other image sensors on the market today, and detects reflections from very low power IR emitters in 3D sensing systems. It is the IR emitter that consumes most of the power in face recognition and other 3D sensing applications, says ams, which means using the CGSS130 sensor will enable manufacturers to extend battery runtime in mobile devices.

The 1.3Mpixel sensor also creates the opportunity to implement face recognition in wearable devices and in other products which are powered by a very small battery, or to enable a new range of applications beyond face recognition as the increased sensitivity extends the measurement range for the same power budget.

Following ams’ partnership with CMOS image sensor supplier, SmartSens Technology, the first 3D active stereo vision (ASV) reference design based on the CGSS130 was produced. The 1.3Mpixel stacked BSI sensor offers the highest quantum efficiency at 940nm, claims ams and, by supplying all main parts of the 3D system (illumination, receiver, software) it enables superior system performance with lower costs and a faster time to market.

The stacked BSI process used to fabricate the CGSS global shutter image sensors, results in a small footprint of 3.8 x 4.2mm. The sensor produces monochrome images with an effective pixel array of 1080 x 1280 at a maximum frame rate of 120 frames per second. The high frame rate and global shutter operation produce clean images free of blur or other motion artefacts, says ams.

The sensor also offers a high dynamic range (HDR) mode in which it achieves dynamic range of more than 100dB. It also implements advanced functions such as external triggering, windowing, and horizontal or vertical mirroring.

The CGSS130 is available for sampling.

ams is demonstrating the CGSS130 at CES, in the Venetian Tower, Suite 236 / 30th floor.

https://ams.com

> Read More

Sensor does not need soldering or programming says TDK

Thu, Jan 09, 2020

For intelligent multi-sensor monitoring and remote data collection, SmartSense from TDK can be used in a diverse range of IoT applications outputs via Bluetooth Low Energy and wi-fi.

The sensor module can be used ‘out-of-the-box’ and with no need for soldering, programming or mechanical modifications, to deliver sensor data (both raw and intelligent) wirelessly in smart homes and appliances and wellness monitoring, says TDK.

SmartSense can be used in smart doors, robotic vacuums, asset monitoring, patient activity monitoring, HVAC filtering and air mouse monitoring. SmartSense integrates TDK’s IMU, magnetometer, pressure, temperature, and ultrasonic sensors with high-precision algorithms. The module also provides autonomous SD Card data logging for applications deriving value from large data volumes.

SmartSense integrates TDK’s inertia measurement unit (IMU), magnetometer, pressure, temperature, and ultrasonic sensors with high-precision algorithms. The list of algorithms will be expanded in the coming months, based on emerging market requirements, confirms TDK.

The module serves as a prototyping platform by enabling OEMs to gain application insights, signatures and environment variations. For example, a company manufacturing patient activity monitors needs both high-resolution and low-noise IMU data, as well as meaningful algorithmic information about patients’ gait, body posture and balance. SmartSense provides all this information, enabling OEMs to quickly prototype their products while working closely with TDK to get secure access to medical algorithms and IMUs.

TDK will demonstrate SmartSense at CES booth 11448 at CES, Central Hall (LVCC), Las Vegas Convention Center, 7 to 10 January 2020.

http://www.invensense.tdk.com/smartsense/

> Read More

Bluetooth LE Audio codec is first for power-sensitive audio says Synopsys

Wed, Jan 08, 2020

Optimised for Synopsys’ ARC processor IP, a low complexity communication codec (LC3) has been developed by Synopsys with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS).

The new codec is designed to comply with the forthcoming Bluetooth LC3 audio codec specification and is optimised to deliver high-quality audio and voice playback in battery-powered devices incorporating ARC EM and HS DSP processors, says Synopsys.

It has been added to Synopsys’ portfolio of DesignWare ARC audio codecs and post-processing software supporting popular audio standards. It also extends Synopsys’ DesignWare Bluetooth Low Energy IP offering.

The 32-bit DesignWare ARC EM and HS DSP processors are based on the scalable ARCv2DSP Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) and integrate RISC and DSP capabilities for a flexible processing architecture. The ARC EM DSP processors offer low power and what is claimed to be industry-leading performance efficiency while the multi-core-capable ARC HS DSP processors combine high-performance control and high-efficiency digital signal processing. All ARC processors are supported by the ARC MetaWare Development Toolkit, which includes a library of DSP functions to allow software engineers to rapidly implement algorithms from standard DSP building blocks. ARC processors and the LC3 codec can be combined with Synopsys’ Bluetooth 5.1-compliant DesignWare Bluetooth Low Energy IP to deliver power-efficient, high-quality wireless audio capability for smart IoT and other Bluetooth-enabled devices.

The LC3 codec is an important feature of the Bluetooth LE Audio specification to be released by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) that enables system on chip (SoC) designers to efficiently implement high-quality voice and audio streaming in a wide range of applications, including mobile, wearables, and home automation.

The LC3 codec for ARC processors is based on an implementation by Fraunhofer IIS that is designed to meet Bluetooth SIG requirements. The LC3 codec, running on ARC EM and HS DSP processors, allows designers to rapidly integrate a complete, pre-verified hardware and software solution for voice and speech processing into Bluetooth-enabled devices requiring minimal energy consumption, explains Synopsys.

“The rapid growth of wearable devices requiring high-quality Bluetooth audio streaming is driving the need for power-efficient processor IP with DSP capabilities that can meet intensive computation requirements of voice and audio applications. Those applications require an optimised codec providing state-of-the art voice and audio quality at minimum computational complexity,” said Manfred Lutzky, head of Audio for Communications at Fraunhofer IIS. “By porting the LC3 codec to the DSP-enhanced ARC processors, Synopsys is enabling customers to quickly implement LC3 codec functionality in their low-power SoCs. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Synopsys so that the LC3 codec for ARC processors continues to incorporate the latest updates,” he added.

“The fact that the LC3 codec can provide very high-quality audio even at low bit rates makes it a key feature of the upcoming LE Audio standard,” said Mark Powell, chief executive officer of the Bluetooth SIG. “

John Koeter, senior vice president of marketing for IP at Synopsys, said: “Designed to process high-quality audio streams and deliver superior sound, the LC3 codec for ARC processors provides designers with a certified codec that reduces the integration time and testing required to deliver superior quality audio for Bluetooth streaming applications.”

The Bluetooth LC3 codec is available now from Synopsys with DSP-enhanced ARC EMxD and HS4xD processors.

http://www.synopsys.com

> Read More

Harting snaps into Rinspeed concept car for power, data and signals

NIR sensor saves power for mobile 3D optical sensing systems

Sensor does not need soldering or programming says TDK

Bluetooth LE Audio codec is first for power-sensitive audio says Synopsys

About Smart Cities