Embedded

Harwin launches floating connectors to support high-speed automated manufacture and reliability

Wed, Mar 20, 2024

Harwin has launched a range of board-to-board connectors that address the data and power transfer demands of high-performance applications while accommodating small movements in multiple axes to support high-speed automated assembly and enhance resistance to shock and vibration during operational life.

Offering up to 160 contacts in a symmetrical double row layout, the new Flecto floating connector family is available with three choices of miniature pitches: 0.5mm (.0197”), 0.635mm (.025”) and 0.8mm (0.0315”). By accommodating movement of up to ±0.5 mm in both the X and Y axes, Flecto allows for accurate placement of multiple connectors between the same two PCBs where the sum of misalignments might, otherwise, present challenges for high-speed, high-precision mating.

The positional tolerance flexibility of Flecto connectors also enhances system reliability by maintaining connection integrity during shock and vibration events and reducing the possibility of degradation or failure from ‘fretting’ – a situation that occurs when long-term vibration causes plating to wear from rigid mating pins, exposing the underlying alloy to potential oxidation.

Flecto connectors support board-to-board mating heights as low as 7.2mm and data rates as high as 12Gbit/s. Additional power pins available with the 0.5mm pitch options are rated for currents up to 3A. Vertical and horizontal female connectors allow boards to be connected in parallel or at right angles to each other, while Flecto signal-only connectors feature either location pegs or posts to eliminate movement during solder reflow. On the mixed signal and power connectors, through-board solderable posts are provided for location accuracy and enhanced mechanical strength. A number of the connectors feature shrouded contacts to prevent accidental damage when no mating connector is present, while others offer polarisation within the shroud to ensure uni-directional mating.

Target applications for the new range include factory automation, electric vehicles, LED displays, security cameras, IoT devices, data communications and a wide variety of embedded systems.

https://www.harwin.com/flecto

Written by Annie Shinn

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u-blox launches new GNSS platform for enhanced positioning accuracy in urban environments

Wed, Mar 20, 2024

u-blox, has announced F10, the company’s first dual-band GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) platform combining L1 and L5 bands to offer enhanced multipath resistance and meter-level positioning accuracy. The platform caters to urban mobility applications, such as aftermarket telematics and micromobility.

Applications that use GNSS receivers for accurate positioning are on the rise. Yet, current receivers do not fully perform in urban areas. Accurate and reliable positioning in dense urban environments, where buildings or tree foliage can reflect satellite signals, requires GNSS receivers to mitigate multipath effects. The L5 band’s resilience to these effects significantly improves positioning accuracy. Combined with the well-established L1 band, an L1/L5 dual-band GNSS receiver can deliver < 2 m positioning accuracy (CEP50), against about 4 m with the L1 band only. The u-blox team has conducted driving tests in several urban areas, confirming a significant improvement over GNSS L1 receivers.

The F10’s firmware algorithm prioritises L5 band signals in weak signal environments, ensuring reliable positioning accuracy even when paired with small antennas. The platform is also equipped with protection-level technology that provides a real-time trustworthy positioning accuracy estimate.

When a cellular modem is extremely close to a GNSS receiver, it can interfere with the receiver’s reception. Some F10 module models (NEO-F10N, MAX-F10S, and MIA-F10Q) are equipped with a robust RF circuit that allows the GNSS and the cellular modem to operate without interference.

The u-blox F10 platform is pin-to-pin compatible with the previous u-blox M10 generation for easy migration. It also supports u-blox AssistNow, which offers real-time online A-GNSS service with global availability to reduce GNSS time-to-first-fix and power consumption.

https://www.u-blox.com

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New adapter board from Rutronik enables centimetre-precise positioning in real-time

Thu, Mar 14, 2024

Precise positioning has become increasingly important in many areas and applications. Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) offers significantly greater accuracy than conventional multi-GNSS systems and continues to grow in cost-effectiveness. Together with the Rutronik Wireless Competence Centre Rutronik System Solutions have developed the Adapter Board RAB4, which facilitates testing the performance of RTK without designing any hardware. By accelerating the pre-development phase and reducing costs, the RAB4 helps to bring applications to market faster.
Autonomous vehicles, drones, and also agricultural machines rely on accurate positioning in real-time. RTK increases the precision of satellite system positions using a base station that sends correction data to a moving receiver. That allows an accuracy of one to two centimetres, even with fast-moving objects. “RTK is not a new technology and has been used in some areas for a long time. However, the costs were very high until now. Nowadays, cheaper but nevertheless powerful modules are available. That makes the technology and its advantages interesting for other areas of application.

The high-precision UM980 RTK positioning module from Unicore Communications uses the latest generation of the NebulasIV GNSS SoC, offers a high positioning rate, and supports all available GNSS frequencies. It is ideal for navigation and positioning applications.

For absolute positioning, a 4G LTE module with an integrated standard multi-GNSS receiver from Telit Cinterion’s LE910 series is integrated on the Adapter Board. Another advantage is that the integration of a GNSS and RTK receiver makes it possible to compare the outputs directly with each other without having to use several development kits from different suppliers. The RAB4 also includes a 100 MB prepaid SIM card. Thanks to this combination, NTRIP correction data can be downloaded from the Internet. It is not necessary to operate an own reference station.

Thanks to the Arduino interface, the RAB4 is easy to combine with other boards like the RDK3 from Rutronik System Solutions, a Base Board that allows wireless connections to be realized using Bluetooth Low Energy. The application example from Rutronik System Solutions demonstrates how the connection works. Using this example, a rover was developed in-house that can be controlled with centimetre precision via an app. It will celebrate its premiere at the Rutronik booth at embedded world 2024 in Nuremberg.

https://www.rutronik.com

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Arrow simplifies AI development with maker-friendly FPGA board and demo

Wed, Mar 13, 2024

Arrow Electronics is easing AI development for professionals and makers with the CYC5000 FPGA board in a compact 25.0mm x 70.7mm form factor. The plug-and-play board, with Arduino-compatible header, simplifies building IoT edge devices leveraging the programmable logic, RISC-V with Altera’s Nios V, DSP accelerators, and hard IP blocks.
Easy to use, and containing an Arrow USB Programmer2 on-board, the CYC5000 is ready to use for an AI camera application with a neural network running on the device. The board is optimised for low power consumption, and can be used for learning, proof of concept, or full production in customised versions.

The Altera Cyclone V FPGA, as the main feature of the CYC5000, has 25,000 logic elements, 25 DSP blocks, 50 18×18 multipliers, and FPGA memory blocks on-chip. The board also contains 64MBit SDRAM and 64MBit Flash, a USB interface, and runs from a single 5V supply.

In addition to the Arduino header, a CRUVI connector eases adding high-speed signal adapters for extra interfaces and applications. The AI camera demo uses an image sensor connected via the CRUVI adapter and runs a convolutional neural network, image filtering, MIPI in, and HDMI out, on the Cyclone V. Implemented in less of half of the FPGA’s available logic elements, the algorithm can analyse 10k samples per second, at only a few hundred milliwatts, highlighting opportunities for edge AI with a green footprint.

https://www.arrow.com

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