Smart Cities

u-blox launches Bluetooth Angle-of-Arrival solution to enable indoor asset tracking

Tue, Jun 04, 2024

u-blox has announced u-locate, a complete indoor positioning solution, offering the optimal combination of accuracy, cost and power consumption. Based on Bluetooth LE AoA (Angle-of-Arrival), u-locate delivers positioning accuracy levels down to 10 centimetres while ensuring extended tag battery lifetimes at an affordable price point.

The flexible and modular u-locate solution targets RTLS (real-time location system) solution providers and systems integrators, with end-user indoor tracking applications in warehousing, manufacturing, healthcare and many more. The easy-to-configure mobile application includes an extensive management support tool and anchors with self-aware orientation, removing the pain of complex solution installations and ensuring reduced times to market.

u-locate’s AoA positioning algorithms deliver accuracy while reducing the cost of tracking assets, enabling a wider range of use cases. The combination of Bluetooth 5.1 technology with the optimised antenna configuration of u-locate delivers positioning accuracy, without compromising power consumption. The u-locate solution scales easily as the end-user installation grows, and futureproofing is underpinned with OTA (over-the-air) software updates ensuring continuous access to new features and updates.

The flexible solution can be tailored according to the needs of the application, and consists of a positioning middleware (u-locateHub), a positioning engine (u-locateEngine), anchor points (u-locateAnchor) and tags (u-locateTag). It can be complemented with GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) products from u-blox, to guarantee seamless indoor and outdoor localisation.

u-locateHub complies with the omlox global interoperability standard and its well-documented API platform contains various APIs, supporting integration with multiple vendor solutions. By joining omlox, u-blox recognises the importance of contributing to a growing ecosystem, and promoting global interoperability of positioning solutions.

https://www.u-blox.com

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Omnivision’s integrated camera solution, with mono-IR + AON in a single, low-power camera

Tue, Jun 04, 2024

Omnivision has announced the new OV01D1R intelligent CMOS image sensor, the first sensor for the computing industry to address human presence detection (HPD), infrared (IR) facial authentication and always-on (AON) technology with a single sensing camera – while retaining low power consumption and operating independently from the laptop’s RGB camera.

Biometric authentication and HPD are becoming increasingly common in laptops due to the need for privacy and the convenience of immediate and touch-free login. HPD has traditionally been powered by AON streaming from the RGB sensor. However, the HPD is disabled when the RGB sensor is blocked by the physical privacy shutter.

“Omnivision has solved this problem by implementing a completely new sensor design involving the first-ever integrated camera solution: mono-IR + AON. Even when the RGB sensor is blocked by the physical privacy shutter, the HPD and facial recognition features can still be achieved by the separate OV01D sensor. The device maintains ultra-low-power streaming for AON while the 2-micron (µm) pixel has a high performance in terms of sensitivity and MTF (modulation transfer function), allowing it to maintain the HPD and facial authentication functions,” said Jason Chiang, staff marketing manager computing, Omnivision. “In addition, cost and module design complexity are reduced due to our ability to combine the capabilities of three to four sensors into a single device. We are excited to see the OV01D1R sensor implemented into 2025 model laptops and beyond.”

The OV01D1R features an innovative mono-IR colour filter array that supports both HPD and facial recognition in a single sensing camera. Based on PureCel pixel technology, the OV01D1R is a raw 1-megapixel (MP), low-power (4.7mW@3fps) image sensor in a 1/6.13-inch optical format. It delivers 1280 x 720 resolution at 30 frames per second (fps). Applications for the new sensor include cameras embedded into notebooks, tablets, monitors and webcams, as well as doorbell and home security cameras.

https://www.ovt.com

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Global tracking and telematics click board from Mikroe has extensive network compatibility

Mon, Jun 03, 2024

Mikroe has launched 4G LTE&GNSS Click , a compact add-on board designed for advanced global tracking and telematics applications, enabling developers to build highly efficient and smaller solutions.

The board features the LENA-R8, a compact, multi-mode LTE Cat 1bis module from u-blox that supports 14 LTE bands, four GSM/GPRS bands for universal connectivity, and integrated u-blox GNSS for precise global tracking. The board facilitates communication via UART and includes a USB interface for device management and firmware updates. Key features include dual LED indicators for operational status, flexible power options, and a nano SIM card holder supporting various SIM voltages.

Ideally suited for IoT applications requiring broad global coverage and high-performance location services, the 4G LTE&GNSS Click board is a powerful tool for developers in the tracking and telematics markets. 4G LTE&GNSS Click is fully compatible with the mikroBUS socket and can be used on any host system supporting the mikroBUS standard. It comes with the mikroSDK open-source libraries, offering flexibility for evaluation and customisation.

http://www.mikroe.com

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Microchip adds 12 Products to its wireless portfolio that reduce barriers to Bluetooth integration

Fri, May 31, 2024

System designers face many barriers when adding Bluetooth functionality to their products, from skill and resource limitations to budget constraints to time-to-market pressures to challenging performance and integration requirements. Microchip has expanded its Bluetooth Low Energy portfolio with 12 new products, aimed at providing designers with an extensive array of choices to tackle their unique challenges, effectively lowering barriers across designs spanning from the simplest to the most advanced. These additions include the RF-ready WBZ350 module and the PIC32CX-BZ3 SoC that offers the lowest entry point available for integrating a Bluetooth Low Energy microcontroller (MCU) into product designs. For a list of all 12 products see Microchip’s Bluetooth Low Energy webpage.

In addition to its Bluetooth MCUs, Microchip introduced the RNBD350 plug-and-play module that reduces the cost and complexity barriers to adding Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity to product designs. These modules minimise the time, money and engineering resources required for RF design optimisation, regulatory certification and software development.

Sample applications for Microchip’s Bluetooth Low Energy parts include IoT smart home and building systems, Industrial IoT (IIoT) solutions and automotive designs.

Designers using the newly expanded Bluetooth Low Energy portfolio for entry-level applications benefit from an easy development process, including in-house support services and development tools, without compromising Bluetooth functionality.

Developers can also tap into Microchip’s expanding wireless portfolio for end-to-end solutions. The portfolio offers a range of products in popular wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Thread and sub-GHz that are designed to work seamlessly with the Bluetooth portfolio.

https://www.microchip.com.

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