IoT

Harman’s development tool enhances vehicles’ in-cabin experience

Thu, Mar 26, 2020

To support innovation in vehicles’ in-cabin experiences, Harman’s AudioworX is an open-framework unified audio platform that enables rapid design using either Harman’s software or proprietary tools. Using the platform, vehicle manufacturers can differentiate brands yet also quickly adapt to the latest consumer preferences.

It is built on Harman’s acoustic, signal processing to provide personalised in-vehicle audio and entertainment in entry level to luxury vehicles, with Individual Sound Zones (ISZ), virtual venues, Clari-Fi and quantum logic immersion (QLI).

AudioworX has combined with networking, software comms and cloud computing technology company, NTT and collaborated to customise its beam forming, echo cancellation and other communications technologies to create personalised in-cabin communication and noise management solutions.

“NTT brings a level of telecommunications expertise and experience that, when combined with the power and flexibility of the AudioworX platform, helps to unlock an elevated environment for in-car communication,” said Chris Ludwig, vice president, EPIC experience team, Harman Lifestyle Automotive.

Harman AudioworX is available now to OEMs and software developers.

Harman designs and engineers connected products for automotive makers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions and services supporting the IoT.

More than 50 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with Harman audio and connected car systems. Its software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. Harman’s workforce extends across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

http://www.harman.com

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Aitech’s Nvidia-based system brings AI to high-rel applications

Thu, Mar 26, 2020

Aitech has joined the Nvidia Partner Network as a Preferred Solutions Integration partner. This means the company can continue developing artificial intelligence (AI) at the edge solutions across multiple industries, said Dan Mor, GPGPU and HPEC product line manager at Aitech. “With our expertise in mission-critical, rugged electronics, Aitech is bringing this powerful processing capability to a wide range of military, defence and space applications,” he added.

The Nvidia Xavier-based A178 Thunder AI system has 512 CUDA cores (twice as many as Jetson TX2-based systems) and 64 Nvidia Tensor Cores, which amplify the matrix processing of large data sets by enabling higher levels of computation with lower power consumption, explains Aitech. The AI system can handle up to 32 trillion operations per second (TOPS) to provide local processing of high volumes of data closest to system sensors. This represents a 10x increase over initial testing of prior generations of GPGPU-based systems.

The A178 Thunder weighs less than 5.5lbs, or 2.5kg and measures 8.5 x 3.2 x 6.8 inches (approximately 216 x 81 x 173mm). It is SWaP-optimised and is suitable for a number of military and defence applications, such as distributed computing and signal processing in next-generation autonomous vehicles as well as surveillance, targeting and electronic warfare (EW) systems.

The A178 is supported by the EV178, Aitech’s evaluation board that allows embedded engineers to develop and port AI applications to the high performance, rugged Xavier-based AI system.

http://www.aitechsystems.com

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Image sensors for computer vision use ST’s die-stacking technology

Thu, Mar 26, 2020

Two high-speed image sensors released by STMicroelectronics use global shutter to capture images. Global shutter mode captures distortion-free images when the scene is moving or when near-infrared illumination is needed. This makes the sensors suitable for use in the next generation of smart computer vision applications, says ST.

Global-shutter sensors save all pixel data in each frame simultaneously, contrasting with rolling-shutter operation that captures pixel data sequentially, which makes moving images vulnerable to distortion or in need of additional corrective processing.

The company’s image sensor process technologies are claimed to enable class-leading pixel size while offering both high sensitivity and low crosstalk. The silicon process innovation and advanced pixel architecture allows a smaller sensor pixel array on the top die, while keeping more silicon area on the bottom die to increase digital-processing capabilities and features.

ST’s advanced pixel technology, including full deep trench isolation (DTI), enables extremely small 2.61 x 2.61 micron pixels that combine low parasitic light sensitivity (PLS), high quantum efficiency (QE), and low crosstalk in a single die layer.

The VD55GO sensor has 640 x 600 pixels and the VD56G3 sensor has 1.5Mpixels (1124 x 1364). The VD55GO measures 2.6 x 2.5mm and the VD56G3 measures 3.6mm x 4.3mm, making them the smallest image sensors available today, in relation to resolution, says ST.

They also have low pixel-to-pixel crosstalk at all wavelengths, specifically near-infrared, which ensures high contrast for image clarity. Embedded optical-flow processing in the VD56G3 calculates movement vectors, without the need for host computer processing.

The sensors are intended for a wide range of applications including augmented reality / virtual reality (AR/VR), simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM), and 3D scanning.

According to Eric Aussedat, imaging sub-group general manager and executive vice president of the Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group, STMicroelectronics: “They are enabling another step forward in computer-vision applications, empowering designers to create tomorrow’s smart, autonomous industrial and consumer devices.”

Samples are shipping now to lead customers.

http://www.st.com

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ETSI announces step towards AR interoperability

Wed, Mar 25, 2020

The ETSI Industry Specification Group on the Augmented Reality Framework (ISG ARF) has announced ETSI GS ARF 003, describing it as a key specification towards the interoperability of augmented reality (AR) components. Rather than a single provider to deploy AR applications and services, the ETSI framework makes provision for components from different providers to interoperate via the defined interfaces, allowing broader and quicker adoption of AR technology.

The ETSI GS ARF 003 introduces the characteristics of an AR system and describes the functional building blocks of a generic AR reference architecture and their relationships. The global architecture gives an overview of an AR system which is based on a set of hardware and software components and data describes the real world and virtual content. The functional architecture applies to both fully embedded AR systems and implementations spread over IP networks in a scalable manner with sub functions. These sub functions can either be deployed on the AR device or be provided via cloud technology.

Muriel Deschanel, chair of the ETSI ISG ARF, said: “AR can be a real asset for many use cases in industry 4.0 or in the medical sector. With the significant improvement to network performance brought by 5G, in particular in terms of bandwidth and latency, cloud services will become essential to a larger number of AR use cases,” she said.

An example of AR for industry 4.0 will be if extra staff are employed to cope with peak activity, they may not have the expertise for the job or there may not be time to train then, so AR will enable an experienced operator in another area to train, guide and give precise instructions to the new operator.

http://www.etsi.org

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