Smart Cities

Real time clock modules cut current consumption by 30 per cent

Mon, Jan 03, 2022

Compact real time clock (RTC) modules from Seiko Epson have current consumption that is reduced by 30 per cent compared to earlier modules from the company. They also have an increased number of events – 32 – that can be recorded by the time stamp function.

The RX8901CE and RX4901CE RTC modules for industrial applications feature a built-in digital temperature compensated crystal oscillator (DTCXO). Package dimensions are 3.2 x 2.5 x 1.0mm (max) which makes them the smallest RTC modules from the company.

The RX8901CE supports an I2C-bus interface and the RX4901CE supports an SPI-bus interface. They are designed for timekeeping in electronic systems which need a small form factor and low current consumption, for example, IoT devices, click-charge systems, security equipment, industrial systems.

Accurate tracking of time and date information is also needed in equipment that is installed in vehicles, outdoors, and other environments where systems are exposed to ambient temperature extremes. In addition, there is greater need for security to prevent information leaks caused by unauthorised product modification and tampering. Intrusions must be detected at all times despite the device’s low current consumption, advises Seiko Epson, which has increased demand for devices that consume less current and remain frequency-stable over a wider operating temperature range.

The RX8901CE and RX4901CE consume 0.24 microA (typical), which is 30 per cent less than the 0.35 microA (typical) consumed by the RX8804CE (an earlier equivalent Epson RTC module). 

The number of time stamp records that can be kept has expanded from one to a maximum of 32. Epson also added an SPI-Bus interface, offered alongside the original I2C-Bus interface.

Epson individually adjusts and guarantees the timekeeping accuracy of modules at the factory. This renders adjustment of timekeeping accuracy unnecessary and helps to increase design efficiency and quality.

The RX8901CE and RX4901CE RTC modules are sampling now and are intended for use in smart meters and security equipment, as well as in factory automation equipment and other small electronic products.

https://www5.epsondevice.com/en 

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Intel updates oneAPI tookits for cross-architecture capabilities

Thu, Dec 23, 2021

Enhanced oneAPI 2022 toolkits expand cross-architecture features to provide developers greater architectural choice to accelerate computing, says Intel.

New capabilities include what is claimed to be the world’s first unified compiler implementing C++, SYCL and Fortran, data parallel Python for CPUs and GPUs, advanced accelerator performance modelling and tuning, and performance acceleration for AI and ray tracing visualisation workloads. 

The 2022 Intel oneAPI toolkits benefit from over 900 new and enhanced features, added over the course of this year. Included in the foundational and domain-specific toolkits are compilers, libraries, pre-optimised frameworks, analysers and debuggers. 

One highlight is cross-architecture programming. Intel’s unified compiler implements C++, SYCL and Fortran for CPUs and GPUs utilising a common LLVM back end. 

Another new feature is accelerated compute on CPUs and GPUs for the most popular programming language today, Python.

The Intel DPC++ compatibility tool has been improved to automatically migrate 90 to 95 per cent of CUDA code to SYCL/DPC++.

Intel oneAPI Toolkits are optimised to enable advanced features of the latest and upcoming new hardware, including 12th Gen Intel Core processors with AVX-VNNI, Next Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, codenamed Sapphire Rapids with Intel Advanced Matrix Extension (Intel AMX), and upcoming Xe client and data centre GPUs.

For AI, the deep learning framework performance has been accelerated up to 10 times over earlier versions with the latest Intel Optimization for TensorFlow and Intel Optimization for PyTorch.3

This edition also introduces the Intel Extension for Scikit-learn which speeds up machine learning algorithms more than 100 times on Intel CPUs over the stock open source version.

Another new feature is the Intel Neural Compressor which is designed to achieve increased inference performance through post-training optimisation techniques across multiple deep learning frameworks.

Advanced tools for development productivity include performance analysis for CPUs and accelerators. This includes Intel VTune Profiler’s flame graph display which helps improve the ability to visualise performance hot spots. Another tools is Intel Advisor’s accelerator performance modelling which allows developers to estimate performance benefits of offloading to a GPU before making code changes.

Advanced ray tracing has new features including cone telemetry, auxiliary feature denoising and FP16 support and there is also support future Intel Xe GPUs and real-time denoising to improve final frame, production-quality rendering.

Expanded development environment support includes deeper Microsoft Visual Studio Code integration, support for Microsoft Visual Studio 2022, and Microsoft WSL2 for Linux development on Windows.

Foundational and domain-specific toolkits are now available to download or use in the Intel DevCloud, free of charge.

The oneAPI cross-architecture programming model provides developers with tools to improve the productivity and velocity of code development when building cross-architecture applications.

An Evans Data survey reported that 40 per cent of developers target heterogeneous systems that use more than one type of processor, processor core or coprocessor.  Developers can use oneAPI to choose the best hardware for a given solution without having to implement proprietary programming models, says Intel.

http://www.intel.com

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Radar scene emulator brings automakers closer to vehicle autonomy

Wed, Dec 22, 2021

Automotive OEMs are provided with full-scene emulation via the Radar Scene Emulator introduced by Keysight Technologies. It enables them to lab test complex, real-world scenarios, accelerating the overall speed of test and full vehicle autonomy. 

Full-scene emulation in the lab is critical to developing the robust radar sensors and algorithms needed for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)/autonomous driving (AD) capabilities. Keysight’s full-scene emulator combines hundreds of miniature radio frequency (RF) front ends into a scalable emulation screen representing up to 512 objects and distances as close as 1.5 meters.

Using full scene rendering that emulates near and far targets across a wide continuous field of view (FOV), Keysight’s Radar Scene Emulator enables customers to rapidly test automotive radar sensors integrated in autonomous driving systems with highly complex multi-target scenes. 

Its patented technology shifts emulation away from target simulation for object detection to traffic scene emulation. This approach allows automotive OEMs to see more with a wider, continuous field of view (FOV) and supports both near and far targets. In this way, gaps in a radar’s vision are eliminated, while enabling improved training of algorithms to detect and differentiate multiple objects in dense, complex scenes. As a result, autonomous vehicle decisions can be made based on the complete picture, not just what the test equipment sees, explained Keysight.

Radar sensors can be tested against a limited number of targets, providing an incomplete view of driving scenarios and masking the complexity of the real-world. Keysight’s radar scene emulator allows OEMs to emulate real-world driving scenes in the lab with variations of traffic density, speed, distance and total number of targets. Testing can be completed early for common to corner case scenes, while minimising risk, added the company.

It also provides a deterministic real-world environment for lab testing complex scenes that can presently only be tested on the road. OEMs can “significantly accelerate ADAS/AD algorithm learning by testing scenarios earlier with complex repeatable high-density scenes, with objects stationary or in motion, varying environmental characteristics, while eliminating inefficiencies from manual or robotic automation,” said the company.

There are point clouds (multiple reflections per object), which improve resolution for each object. For example, distinguishing between obstacles on the road which is required for Level 4 and 5 vehicle autonomy as designated by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

Keysight will demonstrate the Radar Scene Emulator at CES 2022 (5 to 8 January) at Booth 4169, Las Vegas Convention Center, West Hall.

Keysight’s radar scene emulator is part of the company’s Autonomous Drive Emulation (ADE) platform, created through a multi-year collaboration between Keysight, IPG Automotive and Nordsys. The ADE platform exercises ADAS and AD software through the rendering of pre-defined use cases that apply time-synchronised inputs to the actual sensors and sub-systems in a car, such as the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), vehicle to everything (V2X), camera and radar. The open platform, ADE enables automotive OEMs, and their partners, to focus on the development and testing of ADAS/AD systems and algorithms, including sensor fusion and decision-making algorithms. Automotive OEMs can integrate the platform with commercial 3D modelling, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems and existing test and simulation environments.

http://www.keysight.com

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Rohde & Schwarz and NOFFZ collaborate to develop automotive radar test 

Wed, Dec 22, 2021

Test system supplier, Rohde & Schwarz has collaborated with customised test system supplier NOFFZ Technologies to integrate the R&S Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR) reflector technology and radar echo generator, the AREG800A, into NOFFZ’s end of line radar sensor test system, the UTP 5069 CATR. The collaboration results in a fast, accurate and efficient radar sensor test system optimised for production, said Rohde & Schwarz.

Vehicles have to meet Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Level 3 ) relying on radar sensors for autonomous driving. Imaging radar sensors have been developed with significantly finer spatial resolution to this end, but this requires much larger antenna apertures. Measuring these radar sensors in the direct far-field (DFF) would be impractical for production environments because they would require too much space. The CATR technology in the R&S ATS1500C chamber, however, creates a large quiet zone with far-field conditions in a very compact physical footprint.

The UTP 5069 CATR is designed for high-volume production test and calibration with a low-reflection anechoic chamber. It is available with a compact footprint of less than 3.5 sqm (40 sqft). The relative motion of the device under test during calibration, loading and unloading can be realised either by an integrated robot or a goniometer. Both motion options can be selected depending on the requirements for movement flexibility, position accuracy, and cycle time.

The test system was validated during its development by leading edge radar module developer Uhnder.

The Rohde & Schwarz technology group offers test and measurement, technology systems, and networks and cybersecurity. Founded more than 85 years ago, the group partners with industry and government customers around the globe. 

The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany.

Rohde & Schwarz employs its technical expertise to develop innovative solutions for the entire automotive lifecycle from pre-development to production. OEMs, Tier 1s, chip suppliers and engineering service providers around the world rely on the company’s proven test solutions for automotive radar, connectivity, infotainment, high-performance computing and EMC compliance. 

Rohde & Schwarz supports its customers as a partner for the launch of next-generation ADAS and AD systems. The company’s experience and expertise in wireless communications ensure robust connectivity conforming to all standards from 5G and C-V2X to UWB, Wi-Fi and GNSS. The company’s instruments enable the development and debugging of in-vehicle networks.

The company also offers test and measurement equipment and custom turnkey test systems for EMI and EMS measurements on vehicles and vehicle components in line with all major CISPR, ISO and manufacturer-specific EMC standards. These systems and equipment support full vehicle antenna testing and wireless co-existence testing with the user’s own systems and instruments. The company also offers outstanding solutions at the component and board level tests during ECU production. 

http://www.press.rohde-schwarz.com

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