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Vicor has partnered with Spacechips, developer of space-electronics solutions for satellites and spacecraft, to design the most power-dense, reliable transponder for in-orbit AI processing.

Spacechips’ AI1 transponder is radiation-tolerant, rugged and compact featuring Vicor’s high density power modules, setting a new standard for power processing, and enabling the next-generation of computing and application design for New Space.

The demand for smaller satellites with sophisticated computational capabilities and reliable and robust onboard processor systems to support the five to 10 year duration of a mission, is pushing the limits of the latest ultra deep submicron FPGAs and ASICs and their power delivery networks. These high-performance processors have demanding, low-voltage, high-current power requirements and their system design is further compounded by the complexities of managing thermal and radiation conditions in space.

In response, Spacechips has introduced its AI1 transponder, a small, on-board processor card containing an ACAP (Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform) AI accelerator. The smart, re-configurable receiver and transmitter delivers up to 133 tera operations per second (TOPS) of performance that enables new Earth-observation, in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM), signals intelligence (SIGINT), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and telecommunication applications to support real-time, autonomous computing while ensuring the reliability and longevity to complete longer missions.

Today’s low-Earth-orbit observation spacecraft can establish direct line of sight over a specific region only about once every 10 minutes. If satellites were trained to fill those blind spots using AI algorithms, emergency management teams could make faster, better-informed decisions when direct line-of-sight communication with Earth is not possible. Spacechips is harnessing these powerful artificial intelligence compute engines to enable in-orbit AI to address a variety of Earth-bound and space-related problems:
• Tracking space debris to avoid costly collisions
• Monitoring mission critical spacecraft system health
• Identifying severe weather patterns
• Reporting critical crop production rainfall data

FPA is a power delivery system design that separates the functions of DC-DC conversion into independent modules. In Vicor’s radiation tolerant modules, the bus converter module (BCM) provides the isolation and step down to 28V, while the pre-regulator module (PRM) provides regulation to a voltage transformation module (VTM) or current multiplier that performs the 28V DC transformation to 0.8V.

The value of the Vicor solution, according to Bedi, is that it is very small and power dense. This allows for better efficiency and flexibility by reducing size and weight and yields higher power density, especially in high-performance computing applications.

By adopting Vicor’s FPA power delivery system, Bedi is helping telecommunications and SIGINT operators perform real-time, on-board processing by autonomously changing RF frequency plans, channelisation, modulation and communication standards based on live traffic needs. Vicor power converter modules also feature a dual powertrain, which for fault-intolerant space applications provides built-in redundancy that allows loads to be driven at 100 percent on each side of the powertrain.

www.vicorpower.com

Infineon will supply customised silicon carbide (SiC) power modules to Electreon for its dynamic in-road charging technology. This wireless electric road system (wERS) lets EVs charge wirelessly using inductive charging. Copper coils embedded beneath the road surface transfer power to buses, trucks and other EVs as they travel. The system connects to the power grid, activating vehicles when they’re above the coils. Infineon’s customised SiC modules are at the heart of the application and efficiently convert the energy that comes from the power grid for seamless wireless battery charging. Electreon’s system leverages these modules to maximize performance, reliability and energy efficiency. This technology is especially beneficial on highways, toll roads and in other high-traffic areas like ports and critical mobility hubs such as airports.

The system’s power transfer is boosted to an average of 200 kW, with peaks exceeding 300 kW, using EasyPACK 3B CoolSiC 2000 V modules from Infineon that were specifically developed to meet Electreon’s requirements. This performance was confirmed in a milestone achieved recently on France’s A10 highway, the world’s first highway to wirelessly charge heavy and medium-duty trucks, buses, vans and passenger cars in motion. Continuous on-route charging keeps the battery topped up, allowing vehicles to travel farther and use much smaller battery packs. This cuts upfront vehicle costs and reduces vehicle weight, freeing up more capacity for cargo. Electreon has already incorporated Infineon’s customised EasyPACK 3B CoolSiC 2000 V modules in test tracks in the U.S., Germany, France, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Israel and Japan. There are current plans to integrate the technology into upcoming longer-distance projects.

“Electreon’s wireless charging system is a real game changer on the road to reducing carbon emissions in transportation,” said Dominik Bilo, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer Industrial & Infrastructure at Infineon Technologies. “We’re proud to contribute to this groundbreaking innovation with our customised SiC power modules, which efficiently convert electrical energy to charge vehicles on the go, tailored to meet Electreon’s specific needs. The solution fits perfectly with our goal to contribute to a climate-neutral future, further driving decarbonisation and digitalisation.”

“Wireless EV charging is already happening today, and Electreon is at the forefront of this transformation. We’re using Infineon’s advanced silicon carbide technology to make in-road charging even more powerful and efficient, allowing electric buses and trucks to operate continuously without relying on traditional charging stations. This breakthrough reduces operational costs, lowers emissions and expedites EV adoption on a global scale. The world is embracing wireless charging, and we are proud to lead the way,” said Electreon CEO Oren Ezer.

SiC-based semiconductors have revolutionised high-power applications like EV charging by switching electricity at higher frequencies with lower energy loss, enabling more compact designs. These semiconductors also demonstrate high reliability and robustness in extreme conditions and dissipate heat more effectively than silicon does.

www.infineon.com

Mouser has announced a new eBook in collaboration with onsemi, exploring the transformative impact of robotics in scale, capability, context and more. What began as fixed industrial machines programmed for repetitive tasks are now evolving into mobile, intelligent systems capable of navigating the physical world with real-time awareness.

In Engineering the Future: The Sensors and Systems Powering Modern Mobile Robots, engineers from onsemi and experts from across the industry discuss the impact of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), the transformative potential of physical AI, and how engineers can develop solutions that are efficient, high-performing, and scalable. The eBook also highlights relevant products from onsemi that can help facilitate this robotic evolution.

The AR0235 digital image sensor, part of onsemi’s Hyperlux SG product family, is a 1/2.8−inch 2.3 MP CMOS digital image sensor with an active−pixel array of 1920 × 1200. It incorporates a new innovative global shutter pixel design optimised for accurate and fast capture of moving scenes at 120 frames per second, full resolution. Its ability to capture both continuous video and single frames makes it the perfect choice for a wide range of applications, including machine vision for AMRs, 3D scanning, AR/VR, and industrial quality control.

The NCV75215 ultrasonic sensor is an application-specific standard product (ASSP) designed to provide time-of-flight measurement for obstacle avoidance and parking assistance. Utilising a piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer, the NCV75215 operates with high sensitivity and low noise, allowing the detection of obstacles from 0.25m to 4.5m. Additionally, the NCV75215 includes EEPROM memory for configuration settings and user data, ensuring reliable and customisable operation.

Both the automation and automotive industries have traditionally used the Controller Area Network (CAN) Protocol to connect their subsystems. However, as these systems evolve, they require higher data throughput, simpler wiring, and denser sensor integration. The NCN26000 Ethernet 10BASE-T1S transceiver, available to order, offers all physical layer features necessary to transmit and receive data over a single unshielded twisted pair. In addition, it provides noise immunity to values well above the IEEE T1S standard.

The NCS32100 Inductive Position Sensor is an absolute rotary encoder offering a full-featured controller and sensor interface for high-resolution, high-accuracy angular sensing up to 50 arcsec. The NCS32100 has flexible configuration capabilities, allowing connection to a variety of inductive PCB sensor patterns and offers a variety of digital output formats. Inductive sensing techniques have unique advantages over traditional position sensor solutions, including but not limited to temperature insensitivity, mechanical simplification, and insensitivity to contaminants like dust, water, oil or metal particles.

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