Components & Connectors

Image sensing libraries used in the OKAO Vision face recognition package by Omron Electronic Components Europe are claimed to provide “highly accurate” deep learning face recognition. Developers can deploy OKAO Vision on their choice of embedded hardware platform.

The deep learning libraries of OKAO Vision Face Recognition V9.0 address applications that require accuracy under various conditions including poor lighting and when the face is at various angles relative to the detector. These include security and access control, time and attendance monitoring, login/wake up systems, and camera auto focus/auto-exposure control.

The platform can be used to monitor attendance at face to face and online meetings, which will facilitate contact tracing and verification of attendance. Another application will be in automotive design, for example in driver recognition to manage features such as seat adjustment.

The face recognition libraries achieve “excellent” evaluation results with various skin tones and face sizes, says Omron. It delivers a low error rate down to image size as small as 40 pixels. Benchmark testing with Intel and Arm processors has demonstrated that OKAO Vision Face Recognition V9.0 maintains exceptionally fast recognition times despite the enhanced accuracy, reports Omron. This ensures that users in access control applications for example will be barely conscious of the need to wait for validation of their identity.

The complete OKAO Vision Face Recognition V9.0 package contains modular libraries that provide sensing capabilities including expression estimation, age and gender estimation, and photographic image beautification including red eye reduction, facial shaping, eye enlargement, and blemish removal. Users can combine various modules’ functionalities to add value to applications.

OKAO Vision is available as a set of software libraries and can integrate with Linux, Windows and iOS operating systems. Users can leverage Omron’s machine vision package in embedded systems running on custom hardware. Off-the-shelf libraries are already available for various platforms, adds Omron.

http://components.omron.eu

Five series of flash storage products from TDK use GBDriver GS2, its proprietary NAND flash memory control IC, which supports serial ATA. They are optimised for industrial, medical, smart grid, transportation and security applications.

As 3D flash memory technology advances, flash storage solutions with capacities over 1 Tbyte are widely used, but data reliability requirements continue to become more sophisticated, explains TDK. With flash storage integrated into edge devices in industrial equipment, and other industrial IoT devices mostly used to store OS or device applications, the demand has increased for highly reliable storage devices that also protect user data.

In addition to auto refresh and data recovery features, the GBDriver GS2 features new error code correction (ECC), the LDPC memory and strong RAID features, and enhances data reliability, says TDK. The five families provide a wide range of storage capacities, from 16Gbyte to 1.6Tbyte.

A standard feature of all five storage products is the internal power back-up protection circuits, with 2D MLC NAND flash memory. There is also write protection with unified write filter (UWF) for Windows 10. Power interruption tolerance is also enhanced with 3D TLC NAND flash memory.

They also offer strengthened security features, including a new firmware anti-tampering feature. TDK’s original anti-spoofing security feature, AES128/256-bit encryption, and ATA security, protects users against falsification and the leakage of data stored in NAND flash memory.

They storage disks can be used in a variety of industrial IoT applications, including in devices such as information terminals and edge computing systems. They are also suitable for industrial computers, factory automation equipment, railway and transportation service equipment. Other uses are in ticket vending machines and banking terminals, medical and data analysis equipment, smart grid equipment and security equipment, for example in security terminals.

TDK Corporation was established in 1935 to commercialise ferrite, a key material in electronic and magnetic products. TDK’s portfolio features passive components such as ceramic, aluminum electrolytic and film capacitors, as well as magnetics, high-frequency, and piezo and protection devices. The product spectrum also includes sensors and sensor systems such as temperature and pressure, magnetic, and MEMS sensors. In addition, TDK provides power supplies and energy devices and magnetic heads.

The products are marketed under the product brands TDK, Epcos, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics and TDK-Lambda.

TDK focuses on demanding markets in automotive, industrial and consumer electronics, and information and communication technology. The company has a network of design and manufacturing locations and sales offices in Asia, Europe, and in North and South America.

http://www.tdk.com