Weartech-ICs & Semiconductors Archives - Page 31 of 41

Mouser Electronics signs global distribution deal with QuickLogic

Tue, Apr 20, 2021

Embedded FPGA IP, low power, multi-core, voice-enabled SoCs and endpoint artificial intelligence (AI) from Quicklogic is now available from Mouser Electronics, following a global distribution agreement between the developers and the distributor.

The agreement means that Mouser now stocks QuickLogic’s EOS S3 microcontroller- and FPGA-based platform and its QuickFeather development kit.

The EOS S3 sensor processing platform is a multi-core SoC that enables an array of concurrent sensor applications, from basic to computationally demanding algorithms for smartphone, wearable, and IoT devices. EOS S3 integrates a low-power Arm Cortex-M4F microcontroller sub system and embedded FPGA (eFPGA) fabric, with optional sensory low power sound detect (LPSD) for on-chip voice recognition. The heterogeneous architecture enables designers to partition their software and use cases across the variety of cores to optimise a system for lowest power consumption.

The QuickFeather development kit is a small form factor system which enables the next generation of low power machine learning (ML) -capable IoT devices, explains Mouser. It is powered by the EOS S3 and is based on open source hardware. It is compatible with the Adafruit Feather form factor. The board is built around an open source software ecosystem, including SymbiFlow FPGA tools, Zephyr and FreeRTOS operating systems and Renode. Third-party software is available for sensor processing, voice, and AI/ML use cases, including SensiML and Google’s TensorFlow Lite for microcontrollers.

Mouser is a global authorised distributor, offering a wide selection of the newest semiconductors and electronic components which are in stock and ready to ship. To help speed customers’ designs, Mouser’s website hosts an extensive library of technical resources, including a Technical Resource Centre, along with product data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, engineering tools and other helpful information.

Mouser Electronics’ website is available in multiple languages and currencies and features more than five million products from over 1,100 manufacturer brands. Mouser offers 27 support locations worldwide and ships to 223 countries/territories from its distribution facilities in the Dallas, Texas, metro area in the US.

http://eu.mouser.com

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Bluetooth 5.0 for RE microcontroller uses SOTB for energy harvesting

Fri, Mar 26, 2021

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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ST extends STM32WB series with extra power-saving modes

Thu, Mar 11, 2021

Devices that combine entry-level features with extra power savings have been added to the STM32WB Bluetooth Low Energy microcontroller series.

The dual-core STM32WB15 and STM32WB10 Value Line pair an Arm Cortex-M4 processor, which runs the main application with a Cortex-M0+ for Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. ST explains that this ensure real-time performance from each. The radio stage has a 102dBm link budget to ensure reliable connections over long distances and integrates balun circuitry to save board space and reduce the bill of materials.

The STM32WB15 and STM32WB10 have a power saving mode that allows the radio to remain operational. They also have tailored peripherals and memory to suit cost-sensitive, power-conscious embedded applications including wearables, beacons, smart circuit breakers, trackers, IoT endpoints, and equipment for industrial automation.

There is a software development kit (SDK) for each microcontroller. This includes standardised radio protocol stacks and openness to proprietary protocols with a set of security mechanisms that ensure safe software updates for device integrity. There is also Proprietary Code Read-Out Protection (PCROP) to guard intellectual property.

The STM32WB series scales across package variants, offering options such as extended general purpose I/Os and pin-to-pin compatibility between similar packages of the portfolio. Customers can migrate designs between devices to take advantage of different features and memory densities.

The development ecosystem includes STM32Cube-certified radio stacks, software expansion packs and sample code, the STM32CubeMX configurator and initialisation code generator, the STM32CubeIDE development environment, a powerful STM32CubeMonitor-RF evaluation tool, and associated Nucleo hardware tools.

The STM32WB15 and STM32WB10 microcontrollers are in production now, offering various pin-compatible configurations in a QFN48 package.

http://www.st.com

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Measurement ICs double battery life and have highest accuracy, claims Maxim

Tue, Feb 23, 2021

Three ICs from Maxim Integrated allow designers to achieve double the battery life, while offering protection and what is claimed to be the highest accuracy for IoT, industrial and healthcare applications.

The trio are the MAX41400 instrumentation amplifier, the MAX40108 precision operational amplifier and the MAX31343 real time clock (RTC) with integrated MEMS oscillator.

IoT and battery-operated sensors require the development of systems that provide longer battery life while accurately measuring real world voltages, forces and pressures. Battery life is extended from the previous limit of 7.4 hours to 11.5 hours. Power budgets demand these sensors achieve precision on the first measurement, with little to no calibration. An added challenge is that for industrial and IoT applications, these sensors must withstand extreme physical conditions of temperature, humidity and mechanical abuse.

The MAX41400 instrumentation amplifier enhances sensor system accuracy by a factor of four, and extends battery life by 55 per cent compared to the closest competitive offering, claims Maxim. It provides low offset of 25 microV, low noise and programmable gain with only 65 microA current consumption.

The MAX40108 is claimed to be the lowest voltage precision operational amplifier in its class, operating with supplies as low as 0.9V. This low operational supply voltage is combined with a lower power consumption and 25.5 microA quiescent current which allows engineers to double sensor battery life, Maxim explains.

The MAX31343 I²C RTC with integrated MEMS oscillator provides timekeeping accuracy of ±5ppm; a figure “substantially better than the closest competitor”, according to Maxim. An integrated MEMS resonator also offers robust protection, i.e. shock resistance of above 2900G and vibration resistance of above 50G to eliminate crystal mechanical failures.

All these products offer multiple and small form factor package choices.

The MAX41400 is available now, and an evaluation kit, the MAX41400EVKIT#, is also available.

The MAX40108 is available from the company and its authorised distributors, together with the MAX40108EVKIT# evaluation kit.

The MAX31343 and MAX31343SHLD# evaluation kit are also available.

http://www.maximintegrated.com

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Mouser Electronics signs global distribution deal with QuickLogic

Bluetooth 5.0 for RE microcontroller uses SOTB for energy harvesting

ST extends STM32WB series with extra power-saving modes

Measurement ICs double battery life and have highest accuracy, claims Maxim

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