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IoT Studio design tool to provide simple solutions

Fri, Nov 16, 2018

From Digi-Key Electronics comes the DK IoT Studio which is an integrated development environment that aims to provide a simple way for developers and providers to create Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. The DK IoT Studio allows an idea to progress to prototype in minutes without code.

The new tool, developed in partnership with Atmosphere IoT, has an intuitive user interface along with drag-and-drop functionality. Dragging sensors, processors and other library elements and dropping them onto the design panel allows a user to make connections and start collecting data and sending it to a mobile device or the cloud.

The DK IoT Studio also generates the embedded code (firmware) as well as the web and mobile application code.

“We are thrilled with this partnership and what it means for the Digi-Key community,” said Jeff Liebl, CEO of Atmosphere IoT Corp. “Together we are reducing the complexity involved in translating a smart, connected product concept into an actual working system.”

The initial release of the DK IoT Studio will feature Espressif’s ESP32 and NXP’s Rapid IoT Kit, with additional supplier platforms being added quarterly.

The tool also has the ability to create and import/export designs for shareable/customisable projects, uses Amazon Web Services and can integrate data into a third-party application, data warehouse or cloud platform.

“The goal of providing a design tool like the DK IoT Studio is to offer a seamless path from the creation of an IoT solution to field deployment,” said Robbie Paul, strategic programme development director, IoT. “We are ready to help bring your IoT designs to realisation faster and easier than ever before, as the tool is paired with access to Digi-Key’s inventory of the world’s largest selection of electronic components to help you take your designs to the next level.”

http://www.digikey.com

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MEMS accelerometer can change operating mode on-the-fly

Thu, Nov 08, 2018

For industrial applications, STMicroelectronics has combined high measurement resolution and low power in the IIS2DLPC3, three-axis MEMS accelerometer for industrial applications.

The accelerometer can change operating mode on-the-fly, from low power to high resolution, enabling high-accuracy measurements within a limited energy budget. The sensor can provide continuous contextual awareness to wake the host system when action is required and take highly accurate measurements before returning to low power operation.

Users can build longer-lasting battery-powered industrial sensor nodes or medical devices, tamper-proof smart meters, and smart power-saving or motion-activated functions. Low power consumption enables smart accessories for industrial machinery or robotics to be created as convenient battery-powered add-on modules that require minimal integration effort, says STMicroelectronics.

There is a choice of four reduced-power modes which lets users optimise power consumption in different application scenarios. Very low noise, down to 90μg/√Hz in high-resolution mode, permits what the company describes as “outstanding measurement accuracy”. Additional features of the IIS2DLPC give users extra control over power consumption, including easy-to-use one-shot data conversion and a 32-level FIFO for storing batched data to reduce CPU intervention. An integrated temperature sensor and built-in self-test capability are also provided.

For industrial applications, the IIS2DLPC is specified over an extended temperature range from -40 to +85 degrees C and covered by ST’s 10-year product-longevity scheme ensuring long-term availability.

The IIS2DLPC is in production now, packaged as a 2.0 x 2.0 x 0.7mm plastic land grid array (LGA) device.

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http://www.st.com

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Bosch claims to offer the first position tracking smart sensor

Thu, Nov 08, 2018

Believed to be the first position tracking smart sensor, the BHI160BP is designed for wearables and uses integrated inertial sensors to improve GPS location tracking.

When used with a GPS or GNSS module, the BHI160BP enables users to take full advantage of pedestrian position tracking with up to 80 per cent saving in system power consumption compared with a typical GNSS-only solution, without compromising on accuracy, says Bosch.

Users benefit from an extended battery life and longer charging intervals for wearable applications such as smartwatches and fitness trackers and other mobile devices such as smartphones. Bosch believes that position tracking is set to enable a new class of compact devices with even smaller batteries.

The BHI160BP tracks a person’s position by intelligently applying an inertial sensor based algorithm for pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR). To maintain accuracy, it calculates the user’s relative location based on data collected from the inertial sensors and then re-calibrates itself every few minutes to obtain the absolute position provided by the GNSS/GPS module. In this way, the GNSS/GPS module can be kept in sleep mode for most of the time, which both reduces a device’s power consumption and extends its operating time.

The position tracking capability provided by the BHI160BP also means that a device can maintain solid accuracy, says Bosch, even when the GNSS signal is blocked or weak, e.g. near tall buildings or indoors. This ensures accurate pedestrian navigation at all times, even in shielded indoor areas such as subways.

The BHI160BP joins Bosch Sensortec’s BHI160 family and adds application-specific functionality for position tracking. It can be quickly and easily integrated into a system design without requiring an update to a new GNSS module, thereby significantly cutting time to market.

While the current configuration is optimised for use with GNSS receivers (such as GPS), the BHI160BP can also support most of the common global localisation technologies. As well as improving localisation, the BHI160BP can also serve to handle gesture recognition and 3D orientation, with 3D calculations performed by the sensor rather than by an application processor.

The BHI160BP draws only 1.3mA in active operation mode and is the industry’s lowest-power solution that integrates the Fuser Core microcontroller and a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU). Additionally, the position tracking smart sensor offers a variety of customised virtual sensors, such as a calibrated accelerometer, orientation and wake up gesture, within a single device. The BHI160BP can be extended by connecting additional physical sensors, such as a magnetometer, over a secondary interface.

The new BHI160BP comes in a compact 3.0 x 3.0 x 0.95mm3 LGA-package and is pin-to-pin compatible with the BHI160.

The BHI160BP will be available via distribution in December 2018.

https://www.bosch-sensortec.com

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Mouser stocks Wireless Xpress Bluetooth modules to upgrade connectivity

Wed, Nov 07, 2018

Designed to quickly develop Bluetooth technology based IoT applications, Silicon Labs’ Wireless Xpress BGX13x modules are now available from distributor, Mouser.

The modules offer Bluetooth 5 compliance in either a system in package (SiP) or PCB module for smart home devices, sensors, and industrial monitoring.

The Silicon Labs Wireless Xpress BGX13x modules enable a Bluetooth low energy cable replacement without requiring wireless firmware development. Using only the modules’ UART interface, the devices allow embedded systems to connect and communicate across a Bluetooth low energy link to smartphones and other BGX devices. Users can also remotely manage and update Bluetooth-enabled products over the air (OTA) using native device management features. Silicon Labs’ Zentri Device Management Service (DMS) allows end users to easily install and update firmware, view real-time device health metrics, and adjust product settings through mobile apps.

There are two options, the BGX13P PCB module and the BGX13S SiP, both of which include an on-board Bluetooth stack controlled through an Xpress command API, plus cable replacement firmware pre-programmed. The modules require a total PCB area of just 51mm². Both have certifications from Bluetooth, CE, FCC, Japan, and South Korea.

The modules are supported by the Wireless Xpress BGX13P starter kit, which includes a BGX13P expansion board with a pre-mounted BGX13P module. The BGX13P expansion board can operate in standalone mode with a PC via USB port or in a simulated embedded host mode with a Silicon Labs’ EFM8 or EFM32 starter kit.

Mouser stocks semiconductors and electronic components for the newest design projects. Its website is continually updated and offers advanced search methods to quickly locate inventory. Mouser.com also houses datasheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, and engineering tools. The global distributor’s website, Mouser.com, is available in multiple languages and currencies and features more than five million products from over 750 manufacturers.

Mouser Electronics is a Berkshire Hathaway company. Mouser offers 23 support locations around the world to provide best-in-class customer service and ships globally to over 600,000 customers in more than 220 countries/territories from its facility south of Dallas, Texas, USA.

Silicon Labs provides silicon and software focused on performance, energy savings, connectivity and simplicity.

http://www.mouser.com

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