Novocomms launches ‘game-changing’ L Band antenna.

Novocomms has unveiled NovoSat, a new lightweight dual port product with high performance GNSS capability and offering the full L Band frequency band for other devices.

Developed specifically for use within high density environments, urban canyons and extremely rugged terrains, the new antenna also performs well in poor weather conditions, thanks to its high gain, giving unrivalled performance quality and positional accuracy whilst supporting dual port operation. Designed at Novocomms’ global headquarters in Birmingham, the NovoSat antenna is mechanically rugged, jam resistant and custom manufactured in the UK to maintain product integrity and security.

Ideal for use in satellite phones or global satellite positioning systems, Novocomm’s new antenna weighs just 5g, much lighter than comparable products on the market, due to the innovative use of plastics within the manufacturing process. Traditionally, ceramics have been used in the manufacture of L Band antennas, making them heavier and more expensive than Novocomm’s latest model.

Commenting on the performance of the prototype, Sampson Hu, CEO and founder of Novocomms, said: “Our new NovoSat product really does represent the next generation of L Band antenna, out-performing the competition when it comes to frequency, gain, form factor, efficiency and even price. We’re very excited about the doors that this new product can open for electronic manufacturers working the fields of automotive, mobile devices, AUVs, wearables and also those innovating in the IoT. space.”

The company’s cutting-edge antenna technology is used in a wide range of wireless devices, including laptops, tablets and smartwatches. By offering smaller, more efficient antennas with better performance and lower power consumption, Novocomms is revolutionising the wireless communication industry.

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Microchip unveils new standard of enhanced code security with the PIC18-Q24 family of MCUs

More and more everyday items are connected to the cloud—from cellphones and vehicles to smart thermostats and home appliances. With this rise in connectivity, the need for advanced security measures at the chip level, protecting both firmware and data, is critical. To defend against current and ever-expanding security threats, Microchip has launched the PIC18-Q24 family of MCUs.

To counter the threat of maliciously reprogramming a device in an embedded system, PIC18-Q24 MCUs introduce the programming and debugging interface disable (PDID) feature. When enabled, this enhanced code protection feature is designed to lock out access to the programming/debugging interface and block unauthorised attempts to read, modify or erase firmware.

“System security is only as strong as its weakest link. Any programmable component can be vulnerable, and it is essential to implement enhanced protection features to prevent potential hacks,” said Greg Robinson, corporate vice president of Microchip’s 8-bit MCU business unit. “The PIC18-Q24 family of MCUs from Microchip are designed with advanced security in the forefront, to help customers combat threats at the system’s foundation.”

Because many secure systems often connect and communicate with a wide variety of sensors, memory chips and processors, the PIC18-Q24 MCUs feature Multi-Voltage I/O (MVIO). This feature eliminates the need for external level shifters and allows the MCUs to interface with digital inputs or outputs at different operating voltages. In addition to reducing board complexity and Bill of Material (BOM) cost, MVIO makes PIC18-Q24 MCUs especially well-suited as system management processors, performing monitoring and telemetry for a larger processor. These seemingly routine tasks are typically most vulnerable to potential hackers as they try to gain access to embedded systems.

The PIC18-Q24 family is also enabled with the option to have an immutable bootloader for applications that want a secure way to upgrade firmware.

https://www.microchip.com

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Snapdragon 7-Series mobile platform provides performance and power efficiency with First-in-Tier features

Qualcomm Technologies have announced the Snapdragon® 7 Gen 3 Mobile Platform to amplify immersive experiences and bring premium performance to consumers’ everyday life. The upgraded platform delivers across-the-board advancements to ignite on-device AI, fan-favorite mobile gaming, a creativity-charged camera and powerful 5G connectivity. The new platform is fully equipped to enable exciting new use-cases including up to 2.63GHz peak CPU speeds, over 50% faster GPU performance, and 60% improved AI performance per watt while still delivering incredible power efficiency.

“Intelligently designed to balance performance and power efficiency, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 Mobile Platform delivers a selection of premium experiences that are brand new to the Snapdragon 7-series,” said Christopher Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile handsets, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “By working closely with our OEM partners, we’re able to help make the next generation of in-demand features, such as enhanced AI and extraordinary camera capabilities, more widely accessible to consumers.”

Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 will first be adopted by key OEMs including HONOR and vivo with the first device expected to be announced this month. For more information about Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 visit website and specification sheet.

About Qualcomm
Qualcomm is enabling a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected. Our one technology roadmap allows us to efficiently scale the technologies that launched the mobile revolution – including advanced connectivity, high-performance, low-power compute, on-device intelligence and more – to the next generation of connected smart devices across industries. Innovations from Qualcomm and our family of Snapdragon platforms will help enable cloud-edge convergence, transform industries, accelerate the digital economy, and revolutionise how we experience the world, for the greater good.
Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including our QCT semiconductor business. Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm patented technologies are licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated.

https://Qualcomm.com

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Mini airport booth displays Terion and Secora Pay demos for high performance government IDs and payment

At Trustech, the tradeshow for innovative payment and identification solutions, Infineon will present the latest member of the Tegrion family, which accelerates future-proof ID applications. Infineon’s mini airport booth will also feature the world’s first PQC-enabled ePassport demonstrator. In addition, visitors can experience the convenience of seamless payment with Secora Pay X, which will be demonstrated in a pop-up manicure salon for fingernails suitable for contactless payment.

The Tegrion SLC26G is a security controller for demanding identity and government ID applications such as ePassports, national eID and eHealth Care systems. The security controller enables customers to quickly and easily implement their operating system and the corresponding applications. Even more, the controller offers highest levels of security, speed, performance and power efficiency that are essential for government ID applications. These require permanent security throughout the life of the documents, as well as fast transaction times, for example at border control when travel documents need to be checked electronically at an eGate. For this ultra-fast contactless communication, the Tegrion SLC26G integrates Very High Bit Rates (VHBR).

In addition, the security controller is equipped with the integrated Integrity Guard 32 security architecture, which provides highest levels of security without compromising on transaction performance. The Integrity Guard 32 digital security technology, combined with the Arm® v8-M instruction set and powerful crypto accelerators, offers highest levels of protection, high communication speed and extremely low power consumption. Based on Infineon’s 28 nm technology, the Tegrion family meets even most demanding security standards and requirements.

Infineon, Bundesdruckerei GmbH and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security (AISEC) present the world’s first demonstrator for an electronic passport that meets security requirements of the quantum computing era (Post Quantum Cryptography, PQC). The demonstrator shows a solution for contactless data transmission between the ePassport and the border control terminal. The solution is based on a quantum-resistant version of the Extended Access Control (EAC) protocol and secures biometric data during authentication. The security procedures are compatible with established structures and can also implement quantum-resistant encryption.

Biometric payment cards offer a more convenient and hygienic payment experience, as cardholders can verify their identity by simply placing a finger on the card sensor and tapping the card on the terminal. This allows to make the biometric payment process faster than standard PIN-based transactions. To further improve the performance and production efficiency of biometric payment cards, Infineon is working with Fingerprints™ to develop the complete Secora Pay Bio solution. This turnkey solution comes with a pre-certified Java Card operating system including Mastercard and Visa Bio applets for cost-effective, scalable production based on state-of-the-art card manufacturing equipment. A Secora Pay Bio demo will be shown at the Infineon booth, highlighting the key requirements for a successful biometric payment card solution, including the various enrolment options.

This year, Infineon’s partner Smart Chip Switzerland will present an innovative pop-up fingernail salon at the Infineon booth, giving the public the opportunity to test the next level of payment: Brave visitors can have a specially designed inlay with Infineon’s Secora Pay X solution placed directly on their fingernail for on-the-go payment. In addition, numerous other new wearable payment devices, including rings, bracelets, key fobs and watches, will be presented in the service area of the booth. All these devices are equipped with products from the Secora Pay or Secora Connect solution families for connected IoT devices for secured payment. Based on an enhanced NFC Secure Element design, Secora Connect enables smart wearables with payment, ticketing and other applications for both battery-less operation and battery-powered devices with the lowest possible power consumption to maximize battery life for the consumer.

As cities grow, public transport operators are faced with ever-increasing passenger numbers, especially during major events such as football matches and the Olympic Games. Combined with the need for sustainability and convenience, this is creating a rapidly growing market for digital ticketing and smart mobility. However, this requires open standards for designing secured, convenient and interoperable ticketing solutions with the necessary transparency and trust.

Infineon addresses this development with Calypso move, the first secured memory for simple contactless ticketing based on the Calypso® base specification. It enables manufacturers to meet the specific requirements of any transport company or authority and to avoid the use of magnetic strips, barcodes or proprietary tickets. A Calypso move sample card will be on display at the Infineon booth at Trustech.

https://wwww.infineon.com/trustech.

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