ADI introduces expanded CodeFusion Studio Solution to accelerate product development

Analog Devices has unveiled an expanded version of its developer-centric offerings with new solutions to drive more efficiency and security for developers and provide increased customer value. The CodeFusion Studio System Planner helps customers deliver innovations for the Intelligent Edge with enhanced capabilities and reduced time-to-market. The new Data Provenance Software Development solution establishes a trust framework for data created at the Intelligent Edge, ensuring the data remains trustworthy and preserves its fidelity from creation to consumption or storage.

“The work required of embedded developers is more complicated than ever, from increasingly complex processors to new challenges presented by multiple development teams and a more challenging security environment,” said Rob Oshana, Senior Vice President of the Software and Digital Platforms group at ADI. “We have heard from customers time and again they want to be able to more quickly and easily manage their system design, allocate resources, quickly show proof-of-concept, and do it with data integrity at the edge, all of which inspired this expanded CodeFusion Studio™ System Planner and Data Provenance Software Development solution offerings.”

In recent years, embedded devices have exponentially increased processing speed, core count, functionality, and complexity – delivering reduced cost and space, but increasing the complexity of software development pipelines. Legacy developer tools often lack the flexibility and customisation required to integrate into these pipelines and the established code bases central to effective modern system design. ADI’s CodeFusion Studio System Planner solves many of these project creation and resource partitioning challenges on complex, heterogeneous devices.

Using a permissibly licensed, open-source architecture, ADI’s CodeFusion Studio System Planner enables flexible project creation across multiple cores and graphical resource allocation of memory and peripherals. The offering also includes config tools that are aware of the real-time operating system or firmware platform being used on a given core, exposing context-aware config settings for a peripheral or memory block assigned to a core. With added insight into system performance and accessible, open-source tools to improve resource allocation, developers will have greater ability to efficiently optimise their designs.

Additionally, System Planner enables developers to generate the code they need via a plugin-based project creation system. This system gives developers as much flexibility as possible while benefiting from a common set of configuration tools. A set of plugins for common firmware platforms – Zephyr RTOS, ADI’s SDK, etc. – will be provided out of the box, but customers are free to duplicate and modify those project creation and config plugins for their requirements. The plugin system makes use of a templating engine beneath the surface. Static files are modified by replacing strings in specific locations, and the code generation logic can be augmented with JavaScript or TypeScript functions.

Finally, System Planner provides a graphical utility to partition memory resources, assigning partitions to one or more cores. This utility aims to help customers generate linker scripts or Device Tree memory overlay files. Peripheral blocks can also be graphically assigned to a core, with RTOS-aware config settings.

In addition to the CodeFusion Studio System Planner, ADI is also announcing an upgraded ADI Assure Trusted Edge Security Architecture with the early access release of the company’s first Data Provenance Software Development solution ensuring data trust and traceability for customers across its life cycle.

Now available in early access, ADI’s new Data Provenance solution establishes a trust framework for signal chain data, ensuring that data created at the Intelligent Edge retains its integrity, authenticity, and preserves its fidelity as it moves through the system. The Data provenance solution allows appending secure metadata, enhancing the trust and fidelity of the generated data; fidelity comes from the addition of information about the history of the data across its journey. Trust is established by a strong cryptographic proof, allowing users to assess the authenticity and integrity of their data across complex networks more easily, whether it’s being used for simple dashboard displays or sophisticated machine learning models.

By establishing end-to-end trust and enhancing data fidelity, Data Provenance leads to more accurate and safe model outputs and greater decision-making precision. The immediate applications include building more reliable algorithms or AI models that operate on authentic, high-quality data, extracting verified sensor insights to improve understanding of signal chain outputs and operational reliability, simply reducing data waste, and rendering the proof of integrity and authenticity easier.

Early access kits and software downloads for the solution will be available through https://developer.analog.com/ on 25th April

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Taoglas expands TFM series of multi-band GNSS front-end modules

Taoglas has announced the expansion of its TFM series of multi-band GNSS front-end modules. Building upon the existing product range, the expanded series offers design engineers more options for simplifying and accelerating product development for high-precision GNSS applications.

TFM modules comprise a two-stage cascaded filter and low noise amplifier (LNA) topology encapsulated within a shielded, robust, compact, low-profile surface mount package. This design ensures streamlined integration with any multi-band antenna or GNSS receiver, acting as a bridge between the antenna and RF module to facilitate the addition of active electronics to GNSS designs.

The TFM series simplifies integration by combining impedance matching, filters, and low noise amplifiers (LNAs) into a single package. The integrated pre-filters attenuate out-of-band signals, while the LNAs ensure an optimal noise figure across the entire signal chain. Furthermore, high-gain architecture, featuring cascaded LNAs with pre-filters and optimised impedance matching, provides at least 25 dB gain to the GNSS receiver. The 1 dB compression points of the modules are -31 dBm or better, depending on the model and frequency. All TFM modules operate from a DC input voltage of 1.8 to 5.5 VDC, providing maximum design flexibility. The compact footprint and low-profile design, housed in a shielded, surface mount package measuring from 15 mm x 15 mm x 2.7 mm, conserves space without the need for external components.

“Using TFM modules typically saves designers at least six months of development time compared to designing active circuitry on the PCB themselves,” said Taoglas CEO, Dermot O’Shea. “It not only speeds things up and enables them to focus on the rest of their design, but because of our many years of experience designing such circuits for our own antennas, you know you are getting best in class and can be confident in the reliability and accuracy of your GNSS data.”

The expanded TFM series now includes:

TFM.100A – Multi-Band GNSS Front End Module covering L1+B1+G1/L2
TFM.100B – Multi-Band GNSS Front End Module covering L1+B1+G1/L5
TFM.110A – Multi-Band GNSS Front End Module covering L1/L2/L5
TFM.120A – Multi-Band GNSS Front End Module covering L1+B1+G1/L2/L5+L-band
TFM.112A – Multi-Band GNSS Front End Module covering L1+B1+G1/L2/L5+L-band
TFM.115A – Multi-Band GNSS Front End Module for Bands L1, B1, G1, L Band and L5

TFM modules are designed for high-precision, multi-band GNSS applications, including navigation, transportation, robotics, precision agriculture, and autonomous vehicles.

Evaluation boards for the TFM series are now available, allowing engineers to quickly integrate and test these high-performing GNSS modules in their product designs. https://www.taoglas.com/

 

 

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New industrial-grade Two-in-One interactive display solution from IBase

IBASE Technology has unveiled the IXPC-W215 industrial modular panel PC, an innovative two-in-one interactive display solution that seamlessly integrates a 21.5” fully waterproof touch screen (IPPL-W215) with a high-power PD 60W rugged embedded system (ACS200-210) via a USB Type-C single cable connection. It offers two different combination modes, rear mounted or within 2 meters range through an industrial-grade waterproof Type-C cable.

The IPPL-W215 features a Full HD (1920×1080) LCD panel with a wide viewing angle and a projected capacitive touchscreen, delivering 800-nit brightness for excellent visibility. Its IP65-rated front panel and IP54-rated body ensure waterproof protection, making it ideal for harsh environments. Its VESA 100x100mm mounting and 6mm T&V-slot linear rail groove design allows for flexible installation. Paired with the ACS200-210, a high-performance embedded system powered by Intel Atom x7000E Series, N-series or Core 3 Processor N355, it ensures seamless edge computing performance with expandable M.2 slots for WiFi, 4G/5G, Nano SIM slot and dual storage RAID 1 support.

With a single USB Type-C cable supporting data, video, and power delivery up to 60W, the IXPC-W215 simplifies cabling, reduces clutter, and enhances reliability. Whether used in POS, production lines, or industrial control systems, this adaptable and modular panel PC redefines efficiency and performance in the industrial computing landscape.

https://www.ibase.com.tw

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Renesas extends mid-class AI processor line-up for smart factories and intelligent cities of tomorrow

Renesas has expanded its RZ/V Series of microprocessors (MPUs) with a new device that targets the high-volume vision AI market. Similar to its high-end device, the RZ/V2H, the new RZ/V2N MPU comes with Renesas’ proprietary AI accelerator, DRP (Dynamically Reconfigurable Processor)-AI3, boasting 10 TOPS/W (Tera Operations Per Second Per Watt) power efficiency and an AI inference performance of up to 15 TOPS through its advanced pruning (Note 1) technology. With the latest addition of the RZ/V2N, the RZ/V series has now expanded to cover a full range of markets, from the low-end RZ/V2L (0.5TOPS) to the high-end RZ/V2H (up to 80 TOPS).

The new MPU is significantly smaller than the RZ/V2H, with its package area measuring only 15 mm square, reducing the area required for mounting by 38%. Inheriting the advanced features of the RZ/V series, the RZ/V2N combines high AI performance with low power consumption. These optimised features suppress heat generation, eliminating the need for additional cooling fans and reducing the size and cost of embedded systems. Developers can easily implement vision AI in a wide range of applications, from AI cameras for traffic and congestion analysis in commercial facilities, industrial cameras for visual inspection on production lines, to driver monitoring systems for behaviour analysis.

Double-angle image processing with two cameras
Similar to the RZ/V2H, the new RZ/V2N is equipped with four best-in-class Arm Cortex-A55 CPU cores and a single Cortex-M33 core, coupled with a high-quality image signal processor (ISP), Arm Mali-C55. The RZ/V2N also has two channels of MIPI camera interfaces, which allow two cameras to be connected to capture double-angle images. The two-camera system significantly improves spatial recognition performance compared to a single camera system and enables more precise human motion line analysis and fall detection. Furthermore, the dual-camera system captures images from different locations, allowing a single chip to count cars in a parking lot and recognise license plates efficiently.

“Since launching the RZ/V2H last year to target next-generation robotics requiring vision AI and real-time control, we have received tremendous interest in using the Renesas DRP-AI accelerator,” said Daryl Khoo, VP of Embedded Processing at Renesas. “With the addition of the RZ/V2N, sharing the same lineage as the RZ/V2H, we are extending our reach to address mid-range applications, particularly endpoint vision AI that does not need to be realised with power hungry designs. I am excited that our customers will be able to select the best AI MPU from Renesas that meets their system and budget requirements.”

“Vision AI applications across markets including smart city, enterprise and industrial are broad and varied, but all demand sustained performance and efficient processing,” said Paul Williamson, senior vice president and general manager, IoT Line of Business at Arm. “Renesas’ new RZ/V2N MPU leverages the leading-edge capabilities of the Arm compute platform to deliver against the performance and efficiency needs of next generation vision AI use cases.”

The RZ/V2N will be available with the Renesas evaluation board kit and a software development environment, along with various AI applications covering more than 50 use cases that are provided in the AI Applications and AI SDK (GitHub). The SDK assists users without in-depth AI knowledge to quickly evaluate and develop AI applications, shortening time to market. Additionally, partner companies will provide a SOM (system-on-module) board, SBC (single board computers), camera modules, and other products that incorporate the Renesas RZ/V2N. This reduces hardware design work, allowing developers to focus on AI application development and bring their products to market rapidly.

Renesas has developed the AI Camera Solution, which targets a variety of applications, including factories, public facilities, and commercial facilities. This solution consists of the RZ/V2N, power management IC, and real-time clock IC, and can be used as a reference for AI camera systems.

https://www.renesas.com/rzv2n

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