Page 440 – Electronics-Lab.com

Rohde & Schwarz enables sub-THz ultra wideband signal analysis

Posted on 17 March, 202018 March, 2020 by mixos

Rohde & Schwarz is paving the way for research in the terahertz frequency range by demonstrating multi gigabit data transmission in the D-Band at 140 GHz. The setup features the R&S FSW high-end signal and spectrum analyzer equipped with an R&S FSW-B8001 option, supporting an unparalleled 8.3 GHz internal analysis bandwidth. This new hardware option will be available soon from Rohde & Schwarz.

Developments in mobile technology are moving constantly towards increasing bandwidths, enabling increasingly high data throughput. The Rohde & Schwarz setup represents some of the first research exploring data transmission at sub-THz frequencies featuring ultra-wide bandwidths.

In the setup, a wideband-baseband signal is upconverted to the selected 140 GHz frequency via a R&S TC RSE converter box. The world’s leading analog signal generator, the R&S SMA100B, provides the local oscillator frequency to the upconverter. The transmission is carried out over-the-air, with the converter connected to a horn antenna. The transmitted signal is received via another horn antenna and downconverted. The R&S FSW featuring the new, unique 8.3 GHz bandwidth option R&S FSW-B8001 analyzes the signal, carrying out signal quality measurements such as error vector magnitude (EVM) to assess the performance of the transmission. Various common modulation formats are demonstrated. The new four-channel power supply R&S NGP800 by Rohde & Schwarz plays a vital role powering various parts and components in this setup.

Rohde & Schwarz supports starting research at THz frequencies

As wireless communications and sensing technologies are advancing, the need for higher bandwidths is becoming apparent. These developments push the frequency boundaries into the sub-THz and THz frequency range and, continuing the process started with 5G, make testing over-the-air (OTA) mandatory. At these frequencies, RF frontends become even more integrated, and their characterization in terms of signal quality (EVM) and out-of-band emission (ACLR, SEM, spurious) requires a flexible OTA test setup, covering a wide frequency range, from microwave and mmWave to sub-THz.

The proposed setup can easily be installed into the R&S ATS1000 antenna test system. This enables design engineers to characterize RF frontend prototypes and reference designs intended to be used in future devices that support cellular and non-cellular technologies and are using much wider bandwidths. For example, IEEE’s 802.11ay standard allows channel bonding that creates a signal with more than 8 GHz of bandwidth already today. The R&S FSW is currently the only signal and spectrum analyzer in the world supporting the needed bandwidth internally for such applications, significantly facilitating complex setups in R&D.

Andreas Roessler, Technology Manager at Rohde & Schwarz says, “While Rohde & Schwarz is meeting the test needs for 5G technology that is still being defined and rolled out today, we are already investigating ways in which the technology is developing tomorrow. This groundbreaking D-band test represents a notable step towards research beyond 5G, leading to the next generation of mobile technology.”

A demonstration in the chosen frequency range was supposed to be carried out at 6G Wireless Summit, hosted by the University of Oulu and held at Levi, Finland. Since the summit will be held virtually, the setup will be shown in an upcoming video, available soon on our social media channels.

more information: www.rohde-schwarz.com

Gumstix Supports Raspberry Pi Makers

Posted on 17 March, 2020 by mixos

In a bold move to support Makers around the world who want to build commercial-grade electronics, Gumstix®, Inc., announced it will waive manufacturing fees on custom designs incorporating Raspberry Pi processor boards. This program, starting Pi Day, March 14th, and running through April 30th, will save customers $1,999 per design.

“Gumstix created this program in recognition of the Raspberry Pi Foundation mission to put the power of computing and digital making into the hands of people all over the world,” said W. Gordon Kruberg, M.D., head of Modular Hardware, Altium, LLC. “By reducing the manufacturing cost, we hope to open a door for makers and help turn their innovations into reality.”

Visit gumstix.com for more information.

About Gumstix, Inc.

Gumstix manufactures bespoke computing hardware for the intelligence in embedded devices and systems. Designed to meet the demands of the next generation IoT and Edge computing machine-learning applications, Gumstix modular hardware connects multiple networking capabilities, sensors, and components that are required for machine learning and deep-learning devices. For engineers developing devices from the iphone to Mars satellites, Gumstix devices have been used by thousands of hardware engineers, software designers, and educators since 2004 in over 45 countries. Gumstix is a wholly owned subsidiary of Altium.

BOXER-6638U: Embedded Computing on the Frontlines of Pandemic Response and Prevention

Posted on 17 March, 2020 by mixos

AAEON, an industry leader in IoT and AI edge computing solutions, is helping to power the pandemic response with the BOXER-6638U rugged embedded box PC. Featuring Intel® Core™ i3 processors, the BOXER-6638U brings the power of industrial computing to mobile X-ray machines, used to perform chest X-ray scans of suspected COVID-19 patients. This vital equipment helps increase the speed and accuracy of diagnosis, and prevent the spread of the pandemic.

The spread of Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19, previously known as “2019 novel coronavirus”) has had serious worldwide impact, becoming the largest and most widespread epidemic in the past century. The impact to human lives and global economies is severe. The workload and stress endured by the medical professionals on the frontline of containment and prevention is immeasurable. Alongside these medical professionals is the mobile X-ray machine developed by AAEON’s customers to help accelerate the diagnosis of diseases, saving time and effort.

At the heart of these mobile X-ray machines is the BOXER-6638U from AAEON. To integrate into this vital medical equipment, AAEON’s customers have strict requirements for specifications and testing. The BOXER-6638U meets these requirements and offers the additional benefits of being lightweight and easy to integrate into the device. With a fanless design and rugged construction, the BOXER-6638U has proven reliability with a failure rate below 0.2%. The BOXER-6638U meets the customer’s requirements for provide redundant communication methods to provide accurate data in real time on site. Meeting customers’ needs for flexibility and customization is what drives AAEON’s business philosophy of developing and manufacturing industrial computers, and has for nearly 30 years.

The BOXER-6638U is equipped with the Intel® Core™ i3 5010U processor, providing low power consumption and high performance. With rugged, fanless construction, it can operate in temperatures from -20°C to 60°C and operate without errors in places with drastic temperature changes. Compact and lightweight, the BOXER-6638U can easily integrate with new systems or upgrade existing infrastructure. The BOXER-6638U offers I/O features including DisplayPort, two Ethernet ports and antenna hookups for wired and wireless transmission, two Mini-Card expansion slots, and storage with mSATA, HDD/SSD slots.

“Our customers in China who specialize in manufacturing medical equipment purchased nearly a thousand BOXER-6638U box PCs, which were installed in mobile X-ray machines deployed to key hospitals,” said Alex Hsueh, Director of AAEON’s System Platform Division. “In this fight to prevent the spread of the pandemic, AAEON products have been working effectively on the forefront with several platforms and solutions employed in various applications. AAEON is proud to be a part of this ongoing effort and every member of the AAEON Team looks forward to our continued contributions,” Alex added.

more information: AAEON.com

Qorvo QPF7219 Wi-Fi Integrated Front End with edgeBoost for Broader Wi-Fi 6 Coverage

Posted on 17 March, 2020 by mixos

Mouser Electronics, Inc., the industry’s leading New Product Introduction (NPI) distributor with the widest selection of semiconductors and electronic components, is now stocking the QPF7219 integrated front end module (iFEM) from Qorvo^®. Providing reliable, whole-home coverage when designed into Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) systems, the QPF7219 iFEM combines Qorvo’s advanced bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filter technology with its unique edgeBoost™ capability to almost double Wi-Fi range and triple capacity to handle more devices.

The Qorvo QPF7219 Wi-Fi 6 iFEM, available from Mouser Electronics, integrates a 2.4 GHz power amplifier (PA) optimized for a 5 V supply voltage, which saves power while maintaining high linear output power. The BAW filter’s edgeBoost capability maximizes output power at channels close to the band edge, achieve excellent throughput across all Wi-Fi channels 1-11 without needing to reduce transmit power to meet FCC regulatory limits.

Features

2402MHz to 2472MHz frequency range
P_OUT=25dBm FCC restricted bandedge compliance
P_OUT=20dBm MCS11 HE40 -43dB dynamic EVM
P_OUT=22.5dBm MCS9 VHT40 -35dB dynamic EVM
P_OUT=23.5dBm MCS7 HT20/40 -30dB dynamic EVM
P_OUT=25dBm MCS0 spectral mask compliance
Optimized for 5V operation
31dB Tx gain
2dB noise figure
15.5dB Rx gain and 6.5dB bypass loss

The module also includes a bypassable low noise amplifier, regulator, and transmit-receive switch. The device offers 5 GHz rejection for dual-band dual-concurrent (DBDC) operation, as well as integrated die-level filtering for second and third harmonics.

The QPF7219 iFEM is ideal for a range of connectivity solutions, including wireless routers, access points, residential gateways, Wi-Fi customer premises equipment, and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. For development, Mouser also stocks the QPF7219EVB-01 evaluation board.

As an authorized distributor, Mouser Electronics is focused on the rapid introduction of new products and technologies, giving customers an edge and helping speed time to market. Over 800 semiconductor and electronic component manufacturers count on Mouser to help them introduce their products into the global marketplace. Mouser’s customers can expect 100% certified, genuine products that are fully traceable from each manufacturer.

With its broad product line and unsurpassed customer service, Mouser strives to empower innovation among design engineers and buyers by delivering advanced technologies. Mouser stocks the world’s widest selection of the latest semiconductors and electronic components for the newest design projects. Mouser Electronics’ website is continually updated and offers advanced search methods to help customers quickly locate inventory. Mouser.com also houses data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, and engineering tools.

To learn more, visit https://www.mouser.com/new/qorvo/qorvo-qpf7219-wifi-integrated-fems/

Compact, Multi-channel CDP-07M UHF Narrow-Band Industrial Transmitter/Receiver Pair

Posted on 17 March, 2020 by mixos

The newly released CDP-TX-07M and CDP-RX-07M inherit the compact, high-functionality, high-quality characteristics of their first-generation models with updated internal circuit design for the long-term stability and life needed for industrial applications.

Saelig Company, Inc. has announced the compact, multi-channel CDP-07M UHF Narrow-Band Transmitter/Receiver Pair: CDP-TX-07M (transmitter) and CDP-RX-07M (receiver). The modules contain almost all of the components necessary for radio transmission in a compact housing. The newly released CDP-TX-07M and CDP-RX-07M inherit the compact, high-functionality, high-quality concept of their first-generation models, and function as 434MHz 10mW ISM band radio modules, with a communication range of 600 yards or more. The “P” versions (CDP-TX-07MP, CDP-RX-07MP) allow frequency setting to be performed externally. The CE-compliant CDP-07M receiver has excellent interference rejection characteristics and fulfils the requirements of the highest EN300220 receiver standard, Category 1. The receiver’s double-superheterodyne design is equipped with a SAW filter, ensuring the high sensitivity and excellent selectivity needed for stable and long range communications.

The CDP-07M model has four preset frequency channels, selectable by solder jumpers on a circuit board. With the CDP-07MP version, channel selection is via two pins on the module which can be externally driven. The preset channels can be pre-programmed to four frequency choices selected from 67 frequencies in the 434MHz ISM band by using a supplied PC program. Circuit Design has kept the same user interface as previous models while at the same time updating the internal circuit design for the long-term stability and life needed for industrial applications.

10mW 434MHz band RF output
Wide operating temperature (-20 to + 65deg C)
4 presettable channels with narrowband FM 25 kHz channel spacing
2.2 to 5.5V (TX) – 20 mA; 3 to 14V (RX) – 23 mA
PLL controlled VCO, data rate 100 to 4800bps FSK
Compact size: TX = 22 x 12 x 4.5mm; RX = 36 x 26 x8mm
Double superheterodyne receiver
Sensitivity: -120 dBm
Receiver category 1
RED compliant (EN 300 220)
RoHS compliance
Simple serial data interface for user-specific protocols

Circuit Design, Inc. is a leading Japanese supplier of low-power radio modules, highly rated for their quality and performance, which are used in numerous industrial applications such as industrial remote control, telemetry, monitoring systems, tracking systems, etc. Circuit Design produced the first generation of these long-life models more than 20 years ago, showing the company’s commitment to longevity.

Seeed Launches ODYSSEY-X86J4105 – An Expandable x86 Mini Computer with Arduino support

Posted on 17 March, 202017 March, 2020 by Ayo Ayibiowu

Seeed Studio has launched the ODYSSEY Single Board Computer with an Arduino Coprocessor onboard, and an Intel Gemini Lake SoC is arguably the most expandable x86 Mini Computer available with an enormous amount of peripherals arsenal.

Odyssey comes as a family of SBCs (Single Board Computer) with the primary goal of deploying edge computing applications. The Odysseys are Windows 10 powered mini PC and are powered by an Intel Celeron J4105 Gemini Lake processor with Intel UHD GPU and a Microchip SAM D21 Cortex-M0. The SBC uses a Quad-Core J4105 running at 1.5GHz with a burst mode of up to 2.5GHz. Just like your typical Mini PC, the board includes an 8GB LPDDR4 RAM, an optional 64GB eMMC storage, onboard Wi-Fi/BLE, Dual Gigabyte Ethernet Ports, Audio Input and Output, USB Ports, HDMI, SATA Connectors, and optional 3G/4G cellular connectivity via M.2 card and onboard SIM card socket.

Key Features

Intel® Celeron® J4105, Quad-Core 1.5-2.5GHZ
Dual-Band Frequency 2.5GHz/5GHz Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth 5.0
Intel® UHD Graphics 600
Dual Gigabit Ethernet
Integrated Arduino Coprocessor ATSAMD21 ARM® Cortex®-M0+
Raspberry Pi 40-Pin Compatible
2 x M.2 PCIe (B Key and M Key)
Pre-installed with Windows10 Enterprise
Compatible with Grove Ecosystem

The Odyssey goes a step above typical Mini PCs, and the included Microchip ATSAMD21G18 coprocessor makes it ideal for working as an Arduino prototyping platform and allows you to connect and control sensors, actuators, and any other Arduino compatible hardware. The board is fitted with a 40-pin Raspberry Pi-compatible header and a 28-pin header for extending out the SAMD21G18. Aside from the possibility of the onboard 64GB eMMC, its SATA III data connector and three SATA power headers, mSATA socket, and micro SD slot allows the board to connect to any external memory unit and expanded the storage as much as possible.

The board comes with two primary display ports: HDMI 2.0a (Up to 4096×2160 @ 60Hz 24bpp) and Display Port 1.2 (Up to 4096×2160 @ 60Hz 24bpp), but can also be extended through the USB 3.1 Type-C port where external peripherals can also be attached. The HDMI provides audio as well as through the microphone/headphone combo connector and front panel audio connector.

The Odyssey X86J4105 comes in 3 main versions, all who are identical in terms of board design.

ODYSSEY – X86J4105864: Comes with a 64GB eMMC onboard storage with Windows 10 Enterprise pre-installed but not activated.
ODYSSEY – X86J4105864(Win10 Enterprise Activated): Comes with a 64GB eMMC onboard storage with an activated Win10 Enterprise.
ODYSSEY – X86J4105800: without onboard eMMc storage or pre-installed Windows 10.

The Odyssey is currently not available for instant purchase, but it’s available now for pre-order with an expected availability schedule for Mar 16, 2020. The ODYSSEY – X86J4105800 is available from $188.00, the ODYSSEY – X86J4105864 is available from $218.00, and the ODYSSEY – X86J4105864(Win10 Enterprise Activated) is available from $258.00.

Smart voice control SoC targets home appliances

Posted on 17 March, 2020 by mixos

Xsail Technology, a subsidiary of set-top box chipset provider ALi Corporation, has launched the G1, a low power and cost-effective AI chipset to be designed into all kinds of voice-controlled home appliances. by Julien Happich @ eenewseurope.com

Xsail has developed its own proprietary Edge Voice Process Unit (EVPU) for NN (Neural Network) based voice recognition performed by the G1 chipset, allowing various home appliances to be controlled by online/offline voice and voice print. The optimized voice pre-processing technology also supports noise-reduction, echo cancellation and beam forming in order to keep a good recognition rate under different complex circumstances. The offline voice control module of G1 is to be used in many smart products, supporting multiple languages in offline mode, Chinese, English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and Hindi etc.

G1 also includes a high performance dual core CPU that can support Linux and RTOS. It also supports the playback of various audio formats, security encryption/secure boot, LED display and all kinds of control interfaces.

Ali – www.alitech.com

Laird Releases New Bluetooth 5.1 Module

Posted on 16 March, 2020 by mixos

Laird Connectivity released the new BL653 embedded Bluetooth 5.1 module series which enables industrial OEMs to implement longer range BLE applications in the harshest industrial operating environments. The BL653 is a complete multi-protocol embedded wireless offering with processing capability, Bluetooth 5.1 direction finding with angle of arrival (AoA) and angle of departure (AoD), and extended temperature range ideal for challenging RF environments and wireless industrial IoT applications.

Powered by the Nordic nRF52833 silicon, the small form factor BL653 modules and development kits provide a BLE and Cortex-M4F CPU for any OEM’s product design. The BL653 provides programming options for the Nordic SDK or Zephyr RTOS, a AT command set, or Laird Connectivity’s own smartBASIC environment.

The BL653 series utilizes the nRF52833 hardware features and capabilities including USB access, up to +8 dBm transmit power, and up to 5.5V supply range. In addition to the Bluetooth 5.1 features, the BL653 also has the potential to be Bluetooth 5.2 capable and has hardware support for NFC and 802.15.4 (Thread and Zigbee).

According to the company, the BL653 enables industrial applications previously challenged in supporting wireless connectivity. With Bluetooth meshing capabilities, OEMs can create wireless mesh networks, which extend the reach of messages by relaying them from node to node in a large group of connected devices. Mesh networks are well suited for smart lighting and factory automation applications, which also benefit from the BL653’s operating temperature range (up to 105°C).

The strengths of Bluetooth 5 long range (Coded PHY support) means that Bluetooth signals can travel further and enable wireless communication for constrained, hard-to-reach equipment within factory floors and manufacturing plants. These capabilities of the BL653 now open up industrial equipment such as pumps, valves, and drives for wireless connectivity. The BL653 also boasts robust security, a small footprint, and modular FCC, IC, CE, RCM, MIC, and Bluetooth SIG approvals, which extend to an OEM’s design with no new testing for the fastest route to production.

For more information, visit: https://www.lairdconnect.com

MEMS pressure sensors feature fast response, high resolution, long-term stability

Posted on 16 March, 202016 March, 2020 by mixos

Bourns, Inc. announced the addition of four new model families to the Bourns Precision Sensor (BPS) line. Based on state-of-the-art Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, the four new BPS310, BPS320, BPS330 and BPS340 series are cost-effective pressure sensor solutions that feature ultra-fast response times, high resolution, and long-term stability. These features, along with the ability to work with pressure ranges from 5 to 500 psi, make Bourns’ latest BPS sensors ideal for a vast array of packaging requirements and applications including industrial systems and low/medium risk medical devices.

The Model BPS310 series is designed to provide high sensitivity/accuracy for ultra-low pressures. For gauge and pressure measurement, the Model BPS320 series offers a robust configuration in a surface mount package. The Model BPS330 series is a through-hole pressure sensor with an aluminum port for low-pressure applications with an operating range up to 125 °C. With an ability to handle certain harsh medias, the Model BPS340 series is offered in a surface-mount package capable of supporting pressure ranges up to 500 psi.

Bourns BPS310, BPS320, BPS330 and BPS340 series sensors are available now and are RoHS compliant.

1mm-Thin Polymer Aluminum Electrolytics Provides High Ripple Current and Capacitance

Posted on 16 March, 2020 by mixos

The new PPC Series of ultra-thin polymer aluminum electrolytic capacitors from Cornell Dubilier represents a totally new capacitor form factor. Designed specifically for applications requiring high ripple current and the thinnest possible profiles, type PPC opens up new product design options. In addition to being just 1 mm thin, the PPC uses versatile packaging technology that makes it possible for capacitors to be formed into custom shapes and sizes to accommodate available space.

Custom values are available within a capacitance range of 8,000 µF to 20,000 µF, with working voltages ranging from 6.3 to 24 WVDC. The company plans to extend the series to higher operating voltages later in the year. Operating life is 2,000 hours @125 °C.

Highlights

+125 °C, Up to 2,000 Hours Load Life
Low Leakage Current
Very Low ESR and High Ripple Current
Just 1 mm thin

The PPC is rated for 10 g peak for vibration and withstands shocks up to 100 g’s (MIL-STD-202, Method 213, Condition I). With flat tin-plated copper terminations, it is possible to mount the device off-board or directly to a PCB. Mounting is by means of 3M double-sided VHB tape™, to ensure that the entire capacitor surface is kept rigid.

Developed by Cornell Dubilier, the PPC is the latest leading-edge capacitor development by the company. These designs have been responsive to market demands for capacitors that provide higher performance while breaking away from traditional cylindrical form factors.