Components & Connectors

PDM microphone claims to have industry’s widest dynamic range

Tue, Jan 21, 2020

A pulse density modulation (PDM) microphone by Invensense is claimed to have the widest dynamic range in the industry at the lowest power.

The T5818 is a 66dB signal to noise (SNR) / 135dB acoustic overload point (AOP) digital microphone. It has a dynamic range of 107dB at 590microA which allows for “excellent” acoustic performance in environments that shift from very quiet to very loud, such as far field voice pickup barge-in for smart speaker applications, explains TDK.

The T5818 microphone operates at 590 microA in high quality mode (HQM) and decreases power consumption to 215 microA in low power mode (LPM). The microphone captures high-quality audio inputs, used in artificial intelligence (AI) engines and cloud-based applications that require a PDM microphone interface. Current analogue output wide dynamic range microphones require expensive ADCs to take advantage of full acoustic capabilities but the T5818 provides this ADC conversion while maintaining excellent dynamic range with the benefits of a PDM low latency bitstream, claims TDK. This makes the T5818 suitable for a range of applications, from mobile phones to active noise control (ANC) headsets. It can be used in microphone arrays, smartphones, tablets, cameras, Bluetooth headsets, notebook PCs and security and surveillance equipment.

The T5818 is supplied in a surface mount package that measures 5.0 x 2.65 x 0.98mm.

T5818 is currently in mass production.

InvenSense is a TDK Group company, providing micro electrical mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors for consumer electronics and industrial areas with integrated motion, sound and ultrasonic products. InvenSense’s solutions combine MEMS sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, compasses, microphones, and ultrasonic 3D-sensing with proprietary algorithms and firmware that intelligently process, synthesise and calibrate the output of sensors for maximum performance and accuracy. InvenSense’s motion tracking, ultrasonic, audio, fingerprint, location platforms and services can be found in mobile, wearables, smart home, industrial, automotive and IoT products. InvenSense became part of the MEMS Sensors Business Group within the newly formed Sensor Systems Business Company of TDK Corporation in 2017. In February of 2018, Chirp Microsystems joined the InvenSense family through its acquisition by TDK. InvenSense is headquartered in San Jose, California, USA and has offices worldwide.

http://www.invensense.com

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Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy module has a long-range reach

Thu, Jan 16, 2020

The long range Bluetooth 5.0 module, the PAN1780, is for IIoT and smart home applications, says Panasonic Industry Europe. The module is based on the Nordic nRF52840 SoC controller. It has an output power of up to +8dBm and the high sensitivity of the nRF52840 which is combined with the low energy-coded PHY.

It also enables a higher symbol rate of 2Mbits per second, using the high-speed Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) 2M PHY. The new LE advertising extensions allow for much larger amounts of data to be broadcasted in connectionless scenarios, says Panasonic Industry Europe.

The module’s qualified Bluetooth mesh profile stack supports Bluetooth LE 5.0 with 802.15.4 and NFC-A. The Cortex M4F processor, 256kB RAM and the built-in 1Mbyte flash memory enable it to be used in standalone mode, eliminating the need for an external processor.  This saves complexity, space and cost, says Panasonic Industry. A variant with an AT command set, the PAN1780AT, is available.

The compact module measures just 15.6 x 8.7 x 2.0mm and features an Arm TrustZone Cryptocell 310 security core that supports a secure boot process. A temperature sensor is integrated in the PAN1780 module. The operating temperature range is -40 to +85 degrees C and the supply voltage ranges from 1.7V to 5.5V.

The PAN1780 module is suitable for industrial IoT applications, such as devices for smart city infrastructure, industrial mesh networks or robotics within Industry 4.0 environments. It is also suitable for smart health and secure medical peripherals or building automation applications like smart locks or intelligent lighting. The Cryptocell also makes it suitable for edge computing.

Panasonic Corporation develops electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. The company celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018 and operates 582 subsidiaries and 87 associated companies worldwide.

Panasonic Industry Europe is part of the global Panasonic Group and provides automotive and industrial products and services in Europe.

http://industry.panasonic.eu

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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

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Flexible tags communicate with standard touchscreens

Fri, Dec 20, 2019

Research hub, imec, with TNO, and Cartamundi have developed a flexible capacitive identification tag that communicates with standard touchscreens. The C-touch tags can be integrated in a range of paper and plastic based objects such as tickets, certified documents and payment cards. Connection to the internet is established simply by placing the tagged object on the touchscreen or vice-versa.

C-touch tags are thin and flexible chips that have a unique identifier which can communicate via any touchscreen. Smart cards or other objects with embedded C-touch tags can securely interact with mobile phones used worldwide, as well as with the large number of touchscreens integrated in cars, booths, walls, coffee machines and everyday objects, says imec.

No additional hardware and major reconfigurations or additional costs for the users are incurred, confirms imec. The tags offer security thanks to the very short communication range and have the potential to be produced at low cost thanks to the monolithically integrated antenna. Compared to existing RFID technologies such as NFC, the C-touch tag does not require an external antenna. The tiny antenna is part of the chip, making the tag much smaller than current NFC tags. The small size enables C-touch tags to be integrated in all use cases where interaction via touchscreens is feasible, but RFID/NFC tags are either too large or too expensive or where contactless reading is a disadvantage; this can range from board games to providing higher security in payment cards, or to replace difficult to service and manage hardware readers and access control points with easy to service and update apps on standard mobile devices.

The C-touch tag is based on thin-film transistor technology and is powered by a thin-film battery or a thin-film photovoltaic cell that converts light from the touchscreen. The 12-bit thin-film capacitive identification tag achieves up to 36bits per second data transfer rates at 0.6V supply voltage, which is compatible with commercially available touchscreen devices without requiring modifications. The flexible thin-film integrated circuit has a 0.8cm2 on-chip monolithic antenna and dissipates only 38nW of power at 600mV supply voltage.

http://www.imec.be

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