ICs & Semiconductors Archives - Page 107 of 230

MEMS sensors add machine learning in the edge and electrostatic sensing

Tue, Mar 01, 2022

A third generation of MEMS sensors are intended for consumer mobiles and smart industries, healthcare, and retail.

MEMS technology drives the intuitive context-aware features of today’s smartphones and wearables. STMicroelectronics claims that its latest generation of MEMS sensors take performance beyond established technical limitations on output accuracy and power consumption. The new sensors can deliver the highest accuracy for product features such as activity detection, indoor navigation, and precision industrial sensing. At the same time, they keep battery demand low for longer runtimes.

Selected variants include extra features such as ST’s machine learning core (MLC) and electrostatic sensing. The MLC brings adaptive, machine learning capabilities to edge applications that operate at extremely low power. The charge variation (QVAR) sensing channel monitors changes in electrostatic charge, either through contact with the body in a smartwatch or fitness band or by non-contact sensing (radar). The MEMS sensors with QVAR can enhance user interface controls for seamless interactions or to simplify detection of moisture and condensation. Radar mode applications include human presence detection, activity monitoring and people counting.

The LPS22DF and waterproof LPS28DFW barometric pressure sensors operate from 1.7 microA and have absolute pressure accuracy of 0.5hPa. The LPS28DFW has dual full scale capability, enabling accurate vertical position both underwater and out of water. The full scale range is selectable up to 1260 or 4060hPa, equivalent to water pressure at a depth of about 98 feet (30m). The sensors enhance altimeter and barometer performance in portable devices and wearables including sport watches. Typical industrial applications include equipment for weather monitoring and accurate water-depth sensing.

The LIS2DU12 three-axis accelerometer has been designed to build a low power architecture with active anti-aliasing. The anti-aliasing filter operates with a current consumption among the lowest in the market, claims STMicroelectronics. The LIS2DU12 consumes only 3.5 microA at 100Hz output data rate (ODR) and is also the first accelerometer with I3C interface, according to the company.

The accelerometer is a small footprint of 2.0 x 2.0 x 0.74mm. The accelerometer is designed for wearable devices, hearing aids, true wireless stereo (TWS) and wireless sensor nodes.

The LSM6DSV16X six-axis iNEMO inertial module contains QVAR electrostatic sensing as well as the MLC and a finite state machine (FSM). The operating current can be as little as 12 microA. The FSM enables adaptive self-configuration (ASC). With ASC, the device understands the context and reconfigures itself without waking up the system, gaining a significant extra power saving.

The MEMS sensor will enter production and has been demonstrated in an electrostatic radar application for early user detection to accelerate waking-up a laptop PC.

The LPS22DF pressure sensor is supplied in a 2.0 x 2.0 x 0.73mm 10-lead LGA package and the LPS28DFW is supplied in a 2.8 x 2.8 x 1.95mm seven-lead LGA are in production now. Free samples are available. The LIS2DU12 and LSM6DSV16X are scheduled for production later in 2022.

http://www.st.com

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SoC uses computing-in-memory for speech processing at the edge

Tue, Mar 01, 2022

Computing-in-memory technology is poised to eliminate the massive data communications bottlenecks associated with AI speech processing at the network’s edge, said Witinmen. The company has worked with Microchip Technology’s subsidiary Silicon Storage Technology (SST) to develop an embedded memory that simultaneously performs neural network computation and stores weights. Microchip Technology announced that its SuperFlash memBrain neuromorphic memory has been combined with the Witinmem neural processing SoC. The SoC is claimed to be the first in volume production that enables sub-mA systems to reduce speech noise and recognise hundreds of command words, in real time and immediately after power-up.

Microchip has worked with Witinmem to incorporate Microchip’s memBrain analogue in-memory computing, based on SuperFlash technology, into Witinmem’s low-power SoC. The SoC features computing-in-memory technology for neural networks processing including speech recognition, voice-print recognition, deep speech noise reduction, scene detection, and health status monitoring. Witinmem is working with multiple customers to bring products to market during 2022 based on this SoC.

“Witinmem is breaking new ground with Microchip’s memBrain solution for addressing the compute-intensive requirements of real time AI speech at the network edge based on advanced neural network models,” said Shaodi Wang, CEO of Witinmem. “We were the first to develop a computing-in-memory chip for audio in 2019, and now we have achieved another milestone with volume production of this technology in our ultra-low-power neural processing SoC that streamlines and improves speech processing performance in intelligent voice and health products.”

Microchip’s memBrain neuromorphic memory is optimised to perform vector matrix multiplication (VMM) for neural networks. It enables processors used in battery-powered and deeply-embedded edge devices to deliver the highest possible AI inference performance per Watt. This is accomplished by both storing the neural model weights as values in the memory array and using the memory array as the neural compute element. The result is 10 to 20 times lower power consumption than alternative approaches, claims Microchip, and a lower overall processor bill of materials (BoM) costs because external DRAM and NOR are not required.

Permanently storing neural models inside the memBrain’s processing element also supports instant-on functionality for real time neural network processing. Witinmem has leveraged SuperFlash technology’s floating gate cells’ non-volatility to power down its computing-in-memory macros during the idle state to further reduce leakage power in demanding IoT use cases.

http://www.sst.com

http://www.microchip.com

http://www.witintech.com

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NXP integrates AES with EAL3+ for secure contactless MiFare

Thu, Feb 24, 2022

Claimed to be the most secure member of the MiFare Ultralight family, NXP Semiconductors has integrated Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with Common Criteria EAL3+ security certification to enhance privacy and security in limited-use contactless tickets, RFID basic guest cards and other limited-use contactless applications.

MiFare Ultralight AES is for limited-use contactless tickets and cards, such as RFID basic guest cards, event tickets, access passes, loyalty cards or transit tickets. IT uses cryptography with sufficient key length recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for secure authentication and protected data access and there is the option to limit negative authentication attempts.

The ICs offer protected data access based on AES authentication with 128-bit key length and optional Command Counter to limit negative authentication attempts. They also have a configurable secure messaging communication mode with CMAC for integrity protection and a 7-byte UID with optional Random ID support for enhanced privacy. An ECC-based originality signature allows product validation based on public key (pre-programmed). The ICs include a 144-byte EEPROM and are ISO / IEC 14443 A -2 / -3 compliant.

The secure implementation is suitable for guest protection and secure room access or as a secure transport ticket in smart cities.

Andre Perchthaler, segment manager, MiFare Smart Cities, at NXP, said: “By taking advantage of a single, standard-based encryption method, such as AES, service providers have the benefit of greater fraud prevention, while also being able to streamline integration and key management. With MiFare Ultralight AES, the full MiFare product portfolio now serves AES authentication from single-use up through multi-applications, simplifying access infrastructure, and reducing complexity and maintenance costs.”

NXP Semiconductors claims to be the world leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, NXP is pushing boundaries in the automotive, industrial and IoT, mobile, and communication infrastructure markets.

http://www.nxp.com

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Stella E MCUs power software-defined EVs

Thu, Feb 24, 2022

Automotive microcontrollers (MCUs) optimised for electric vehicles (EVs) and centralised (domain and zonal) electronic architectures have been released by STMicroelectronics. According to ST, they enable EVs to become more affordable, drive further and charge faster.

In current EVs, high-efficiency silicon carbide (SiC) -based power modules enable the greatest driving range and faster charging. Until now, they have required dedicated high-speed signal processors to control the advanced SiC power semiconductors. The Stellar E MCUs launched by ST are designed for the next generation of software-defined EVs, integrate high-speed control-loop processing on-chip. A single MCU can control the entire module, says ST, simplifying module design, saving costs and easing compliance with automotive safety and security standards.

The MCUs extend ST’s Arm-based Stellar family. They are a centralised domain and zone controller which simplify automotive electrical architectures for increased power, flexibility and safety, explained ST.

The MCU family includes the Stellar P series for integration and vehicle control and the Stellar G series for body applications. The Stellar family architecture integrates multiple Arm Cortex cores that deliver high performance with the opportunity for lock-step redundancy and support real-time hardware virtualisation. All Stellar devices are designed for software upgradeability through secure over-the-air (OTA) updates.

The first product in the Stellar E series, the Stellar SR5E1 is optimised for EV on-board chargers (OBC) and general DC/DC converters, is now sampling to lead customers. Full production will begin in 2023.

The Stellar E (Stellar Electrification MCUs) series are automotive-qualified MCUs that perform the high speed, control loop processing alongside general control in the same chip.

The MCUs can control multiple power converters, leveraging features including a high speed ADC, a pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller and fast-acting protection circuitry.

The Stellar E series supports the leading automotive standards for functional safety (ISO 26262 ASIL-D), security (HSM -), and industry standard software interoperability (via Autosar 4.3.x), as well as secure OTA update. The Stellar family is supported with an extensive software-development toolchain with a common ecosystem for control and actuation.

http://www.st.com

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MEMS sensors add machine learning in the edge and electrostatic sensing

SoC uses computing-in-memory for speech processing at the edge

NXP integrates AES with EAL3+ for secure contactless MiFare

Stella E MCUs power software-defined EVs

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