Renesas Electronics’ PLC enables voice communication over power lines
To help engineers and design teams streamline prototyping and development of connected smart objects, STMicroelectronics has created the SPBTLE-1S. It is a ready-to-use Bluetooth low energy module that integrates all the components needed to complete the radio subsystem, says STMicroelectronics. The SPBTLE-1S module integrates ST’s BlueNRG-1 application processor system on chip (SoC) and balun, high-frequency oscillators, and a chip antenna.
Developers can use this module to bypass hardware design and RF-circuit layout challenges, claims ST. The SPBTLE-1S is BQE-approved. Bluetooth Qualification Expert is a member of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) qualified to verify product compliance and provide compliance-related services. It is also FCC, IC, and CE-RED (Radio Equipment Directive) -certified to simplify end-product approval for North America and EU markets.
ST’s Bluetooth 4.2 certified Bluetooth low energy protocol stack is included, and the supporting software development kit (SDK) contains a range of Bluetooth profiles and sample application code.
The module has a space-efficient 11.5 x 13.5mm outline. The supply voltage range is 1.7 to 3.6V, making the SPBTLE-1S module suitable for small, battery-operated objects powered by a primary button cell or rechargeable Li-ion battery, for example. High RF output power of +5dBm and good receiver sensitivity help to maximise communication range and reliability, adds ST.
The BlueNRG-1 SoC at the heart of the SPBTLE-1S implements the complete Bluetooth low energy physical layer (PHY), link layer, and network/application processing engine comprising a low power ARM Cortex-M0 core with 160kbyte flash, 24kbyte RAM with data retention, and a security co-processor.
The SoC also implements smart power management, with a DC/DC converter capable of powering the SPBTLE-1S module to ensure optimum energy efficiency. Users can leverage an extensive set of interfaces, including a UART, two I²C ports, SPI port, single-wire debug, and 14 GPIOs, as well as peripherals including two multifunction timers, a 10-bit ADC, watchdog timer and real-time clock, a DMA controller, and a PDM stream processor interface, which can be used for developing voice-controlled applications.
The SPBTLE-1S module is in production and available now.
Evaluation kits containing the SPBTLE-1S are also available. The STEVAL-IDB007V1M combines the module with MEMS pressure and temperature sensors, LEDs, push-buttons, and programming interface to run the provided demonstration software out-of-the-box. An Arduino-compatible connector is also featured on-board, which allows development of more complex applications by adding extra expansion boards. This evaluation board is firmware-, software- and hardware-compatible with the existing STEVAL-IDB007V1 platform based on the BlueNRG-1 SoC.
The STEVAL-BLUEMIC-1 small form factor evaluation board features a MEMS microphone and an inertial module containing a MEMS 3D accelerometer and gyroscope.
Most U.S. States Are Embracing Digital Transformation to Shape Smart Cities
Los Angeles, New York, Chicago are the smartest cities in the United States based on a new ABI Research report on Smart Cities in North America. Cities were evaluated across various metrics such as deployment of LED streetlights, smart meters, renewable energy, electric mobility, smart parking, mobility-as-a-service (MaaS), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies, smart waste, and first responder communications.
“New York is the leading city with the highest deployment of LED streetlights in the U.S., followed closely by Los Angeles,” says Raquel Artes, Industry Analyst at ABI Research. Chicago will have the highest upgrade of current legacy streetlights as the local government is targeting to replace 270,000 legacy streetlights with energy-efficient LED lights by 2021. SilverSpring Networks, Telensa, Philips, and GE are the key stakeholders in this space.
Additionally, Florida, New York, Miami, and Michigan are the leading cities that would likely have the highest deployment of V2X technologies due to government initiatives to boost road safety and accelerate the development of autonomous vehicles. Meanwhile, New York leads in the replacement of existing legacy pay phones with state-of-the-art kiosks called Links. Chicago and Kansas City have recently trial-launched smart Wi-fi kiosks. And, smart sanitation bins are gaining traction in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Tampa City, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco and Texas.
While larger cities are focusing on large-scale deployment of smart city projects and experimental technologies, their smaller counterparts tend to prioritize projects based on more immediate tangible benefits such as cost savings, reduction of carbon footprint, and the overall improvement of quality of life.
Top smart city projects that aim to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution are:
These findings are from ABI Research’s Smart Cities in North America report. This report is part of the company’s Smart Cities & Smart Spacesresearch service, which includes research, data, and analyst insights
The latest M203 microSD card available from Toshiba Electronics Europe offers premium features for mainstream users, including a 256Gbyte memory.
The microSD UHS-I card has a read speed of up to R100Mbyte per second, claimed to be the highest speed rate reached in this entry level category in the Toshiba memory card portfolio. The microSD M203 card is shockproof, water resistant and x-ray proof, based on Toshiba Memory Corporation’s test results. The IPX7 standard involves the product being submerged in static tap water at room temperature to a depth of one metre, left for 30minutes and still being able to function when taken out of the water. Toshiba also reports that the card can function after carrying out the gravity fall from a height of five meters.
Available in memory capacities from 16 to 256Gbyte, it is targeted at the mainstream customer with a cost-effective entry-level design in the UHS-I category, explains Toshiba. The microSD M203 offers mobile users faster transfer speed and the ability to add 256Gbyte of memory to smartphones, allowing users to download more apps and carry large amount of contents on their devices without concern about storage limitations. The ability to combine greater capacity is due to Toshiba 3D Flash Memory (BiCS FLASH) architecture, says the company.
The ultra-high-speed (UHS) microSD M203 can be obtained in three different blister-pack versions with an adapter for mobile phone, camera or PC use as well as a version without an adapter for phone use only. The shock- and waterproof card will also be offered as a mobile bundle, including the card and a mobile phone either with or without an adapter.
The microSD M203 will make its European debut at the IFA exhibition in Berlin running from 1-6 September 2017.Visit Toshiba in Hall 17, Stand 104.
Card shipments to distributors and retailers will commence in January 2018.
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