Payment bracelets interpret gestures and use biometric data

Collaboration between Italian start-up, DEED and Infineon Technologies, is showcased at MWC21. The get bracelets interpret human gestures and use biometic data to pick up a call or make payments.

At the core of get is a system consisting of components from Infineon that enable the wearable with connectivity, computing, sensing and security capabilities. Infineon’s Secora Connect supports the payment functionality based on lowest power consumption to achieve longest battery life for the consumer. Infineon’s Xensiv MEMS technology provides high-fidelity voice recording during phone call. The PSoC 6 microcontroller family which uses a high performance dual-core M4/M0 architecture is paired with Infineon’s Airoc Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for secure, low power  connectivity.

According to Edoardo Parini, CEO and founder of DEED, the bracelet’s pioneering features include new and higher security standards, an ID acquisition method for contactless payment and there is no screen. “It is the perfect bridge between ‘you‘ and ‘your’ digital-self!” said Parini.

Patented techniques have been used to create a seamless, light and water resistant wearable wristband, made up of several layers, based around a rigid-flex PCB. The intuitive human machine interface (HMI) allows for natural operation because the wearer does not have to swipe on screens or touch any display. Motion sensors with artificial intelligence (AI), for gesture recognition allow it to interpret human gestures, for example, to pick up a call, to check the time or to make payments. Consumers can use it to listen to audio or answer calls by holding their finger to their ear by ‘wrist bone conduction’, sending the sound through the body to the inner ear. Contactless payments can be released after individual electrocardiogram-based biometric identification. The bracelet also allows fitness and health monitoring.

http://www.infineon.com

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Miniature TVS diodes save space for bi-directional over-voltage protection

TVS diodes released by TDK extend the company’s portfolio of components for bidirectional overvoltage protection of I/O interfaces.

The CSP01005 and CSP0201 offer ESD protection but save space due the chip scale package (CSP) measuring just 400 x 200 micron2 (CSP01005) or 600 x 300 micron2 (CSP0201). The package height is just 100 micron.

The TVS diodes are designed for an operating voltage of 5.0V and a response voltage of 6.8V. The clamping voltages of the two new components are 7.2V at a peak pulse current of 8.0A or 8.0V at a peak pulse current of 16A.

The TVS diodes differ in their parasitic capacitances. There is the SD0201SL-GP101 (ordering code B74121G0050M060) which has a capacitance of 12 pF, and the SD01005SL-GP101 type (B74111G0050M060) which has a capacitance value of just 5.0 pF. Other features include a short response time and low leakage current of just 2.0nA at 3.3V.

The protective components are designed in accordance with IEC 61000-4-2 for an ESD contact discharge of up to 24kV. This figure exceeds standard requirements. Despite their size, the diodes can withstand a high surge current load of up to 8.0A according to IEC 61000-4-5 (8/20 µs).

The SD0201SL-GP101 and SD01005SL-GP101 TVS diodes can be used in a variety of applications in industry, smart homes and the IoT.

The small dimensions mean they are also suitable to protect wearables, smartphones, notebooks, tablets, smart watches or hearing aids.

TDK was established in 1935 to commercialise ferrite, a key material in electronic and magnetic products. Today, TDK’s comprehensive portfolio features passive components such as ceramic, aluminium electrolytic and film capacitors, as well as magnetics, high-frequency, and piezo and protection devices. The company also supplies sensors and sensor systems such as temperature and pressure, magnetic, and MEMS sensors. It also provides power supplies and energy devices and magnetic heads. Products are marketed under the product brands TDK, Epcos, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics and TDK-Lambda.

TDK focuses on demanding markets in automotive, industrial and consumer electronics, and information and communication technology. The company has a network of design and manufacturing locations and sales offices in Asia, Europe, and in North and South America.

https://www.tdk-electronics.tdk.com/

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MEMS barometric pressure sensors have lowest noise pressure, says TDK

Claimed to achieve the industry’s lowest pressure noise of 0.4 Pa RMS and attain the industry’s lowest power consumption of 1.3 microA, the InvenSense ICP-10125 is the latest addition to the SmartPressure family of TDK’s MEMS barometric pressure sensors.

The ICP-10125 also ensures temperature stability with a temperature coefficient of ±0.5 Pa per degrees C.

The ICP-10125 combines a barometric pressure and a temperature sensor in a small 3.55 x 3.55 x 1.45mm chimney package with waterproofing gel, providing IPX8 waterproofing to 10 ATM. The uniform machined lid and chimney with groove enable easier handling at production and assembly of customer products, says TDK. The ICP-10125 can be used in fitness, smart watch, and portable devices for fitness activity monitoring, location tracking for E911 calls, and indoor/outdoor navigation (dead-reckoning, floor/elevator/step detection).

The capacitive MEMS architecture delivers lower power consumption and lower noise than competing pressure sensors technologies, says TDK. It also has low noise and low power consumption, making the ICP-10125 suitable for wearable fitness monitoring and battery powered IoT. It can measure height change as small as 85mm, less than the height of a single stair step.

Operating temperature range is -40 to +85 degrees C.

“ICP-10125 delivers high accuracy, low power, temperature stability, and waterproofing in a small package footprint targeting the wearable market,” said Uday Mudoi, director of product marketing at InvenSense, a TDK company. “It enables determination of accurate location of E911 calls, tracks changes in elevation for activity monitoring, and extends battery life of always-on motion sensing applications.”

InvenSense ICP-10125 is available now for worldwide distribution. TDK also offers a development kit (DK-10125) and evaluation platform, as well as software to support customer development. The ICP-10125 joins the ICP-10101 and ICP-10111 pressure sensor products in the SmartPressure family.

InvenSense is a TDK Group company, providing MEMS sensors for consumer electronics and industrial areas with integrated motion and sound devices. Its portfolio combines MEMS sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, compasses, and microphones with proprietary algorithms and firmware that intelligently process, synthesise, and calibrate the output of sensors, maximising performance and accuracy.

InvenSense’s motion tracking, audio and location platforms, and services can be found in mobile, wearables, smart home, industrial, automotive, and IoT products.

InvenSense is headquartered in San Jose, California and has offices worldwide.

https://invensense.tdk.com 

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Bluetooth 5.0 for RE microcontroller uses SOTB for energy harvesting

The latest member of Renesas Electronics’ RE family of microcontroller is the RE01B, which has Bluetooth 5.0 support. The 32-bit low power microcontroller was developed using Renesas’ SOTB (Silicon on Thin Buried Oxide) process technology.

The Bluetooth-capable RE01B is suitable for energy harvesting systems and intelligent IoT devices that operate constantly at extremely low power levels without having to replace or recharge batteries. The RE01B microcontroller makes it easier to implement regular data management and firmware updates over Bluetooth while maintaining low power consumption, which extends the battery life.

The on-chip energy harvesting control circuit (rapid start up capacitor charging and secondary battery charge protection functionality) allows users to achieve battery-less Bluetooth communication. Energy harvesting and power storage can be directly connected to the RE01B.

The microcontroller is suitable for compact healthcare devices such as pulse oximeters and biomedical sensor patches, remote controls with voice recognition capabilities and smart meter modules. RE01B can also be used for IoT devices that require constant operation, period data collection and updates, such as devices for monitoring the elderly, children or assets in transit.

The RE01B is built around the Arm Cortex-M0+ core and Renesas’ proprietary SOTB process technology. It operates at a maximum operating frequency of 64MHz and achieves current consumption as low as 35 microA/MHz during operation and 600nA during standby; this is among the lowest in the industry for a Bluetooth-capable microcontroller, says Renesas. It can also be combined with Renesas’ ISL9123 ultra-low Iq DC/DC converter, configured as an external step-down regulator, to reduce current consumption during operation down to 15 microA/MHz to improve power efficiency.

It has 1.5Mbyte flash memory and 256Kbyte SRAM with Bluetooth functionality, suitable for over the air (OTA) firmware updating.

The RE01B is in a 64-pin QFN package measuring 8.0 x 8.0mm.

Security function include Trusted Secure IP and Renesas offers application programming interfaces (APIs) conforming to standard protocols, such as heart rate profile (HRP), environment sensing profile (ESP), and automation I/O profile (AIOP), in addition to Bluetooth 5.0 protocol stack.

Development tools for the RE family, include a QE for Bluetooth Low Energy, which generates programs for custom Bluetooth profiles that can then be integrated into the user’s own application programs, and a Bluetooth test tool suite, which provides a graphical user interface that allows users to perform initial wireless characteristics evaluations and Bluetooth functionality verification.

The RE01B is available now. The EB-RE01B evaluation kit from Tessera Technology is also available now.

http://www.renesas.com

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