Page 578 – Electronics-Lab.com

Software upgradeable digital gas sensor platform targets smart refrigerators

Posted on 6 March, 20196 March, 2019 by mixos

ZMOD4450 – Refrigeration Air Quality Sensor Platform

The ZMOD4450 gas sensor module is a software configurable platform designed for detecting gases associated with food ripening or rotting and is targeted for use in refrigeration air quality (RAQ) applications. The sensor is a 12-pin LGA assembly (3.0 x 3.0 x 0.7 mm) that consists of a gas sense element and a CMOS signal conditioning IC. The module’s sense element consists of a micro-heater and sensing material integrated on a silicon-based MEMS structure. It measures the metal oxide (MOx) conductivity, which is a function of the gas concentration.

The measurement results can be read via an I²C interface with the user’s microprocessor, which processes the data to determine the levels of gases present and to indicate the likelihood of food spoilage. The sensor can be used to activate and manage air quality purification and remediation systems. With the ZMOD4450’s low operating current consumption, the sensor is an excellent choice for applications, such as refrigerator control systems, measurement of fruit and vegetable quality and monitors for fruit and vegetable storage conditions.

Features

Measurement of gases associated with food ripening and storageat trace (ppb) concentrations, including ethylene, amines, volatile sulfur compounds and others
Software configurable methods of operation based on application and use case
Algorithm to set a control signal to trigger an external action based on RAQ
Firmware upgradable platform for application optimizations, such as ultra-low-power battery applications
Every sensor is calibrated with ethylene providing consistency from lot-to-lot
Complete qualification with harsh cases such as siloxanes

Block Diagram

more information: www.idt.com

RS adds Renesas Synergy S5D3 MCU and development board

Posted on 6 March, 20196 March, 2019 by mixos

Renesas Synergy™ TB-S5D3 Target Board Kit helps designers evaluate the operation and performance of the S5D3 Microcontrollers. The S5D3 Target Board Kit offers initial firmware development and evaluation of the Synergy Software Package (SSP) on the Synergy™ S5D3 Microcontrollers. The Kit connects via a USB connector for the main MCU, or two PMOD connectors, and a selection of Pin headers. The kit includes 1 TB-S5D3 board and 1 USB Type-A to USB Micro-B cable.

Features

Renesas Synergy™ S5D3 Microcontroller Group
- R7FS5D37A3A01CFP
- 100-pin LQFP package
- 120MHz Arm^® Cortex^®-M4 core with Floating Point Unit (FPU)
- 256KB SRAM
- 512KB code flash memory
- 8KB data flash memory
Connectivity
- A Device USB connector for the Main MCU
- S124 MCU-based SEGGER J-Link® On-board (OB) interface for debugging and programming of the S5D3 MCU. A 10-pin JTAG/SWD interface is also provided for connecting optional external debuggers and programmers.
- Two PMOD connectors, allowing use of appropriate PMOD compliant peripheral plug-in modules for rapid prototyping
- Pin headers for access to power and signals for the Main MCU
MCU reset push-button switch
MCU boot configuration jumper

Multiple clock sources
- Main MCU oscillator crystals, providing precision 12.000 MHz and 32,768 Hz reference clocks
- Additional low-precision clocks are available internal to the Main MCU
General purpose I/O ports
- One jumper to allow measuring of Main MCU current
- Copper jumpers on PCB bottom side for configuration and access to selected MCU signals
Operating voltage
- External 5V input through the Debug USB connector supplies the on-board power regulator to power the Target Board logic and interfaces. External 5V or 3.3V may be also supplied through alternate locations on the Target Board.
A two-color board status LED indicating availability of regulated power and connection status of the J-Link interface
A red User LED, controlled by the Main MCU firmware
A User Push-Button switch, User Capacitive Touch Button sensor, and an optional User Potentiometer, all of which are controlled by the Main MCU firmware

Ally Winning @ eenewsembedded.com writes:

The MCU and target board address cost-sensitive applications that require a high-performance MCU, but don’t need on-chip graphics acceleration or Ethernet connectivity. The R7FS5D37A3A01CFP and TB-S5D3 integrate a 120MHz Arm Cortex-M4F processor core and advanced security, along with 512-KB Flash and 256-KB SRAM. The S5D3 MCU Group is based on a highly efficient 40nm process technology and is fully supported by the Synergy Software Package (SSP).

Block Diagram

Front View

Back View

Novasom launches the SBC-U1 IoT SBC based on ESP32

Posted on 5 March, 20195 March, 2019 by Ayo Ayibiowu

Novasom – the SBC manufacturing company, is famous for its two set of product lines, the U-Line for low power IoT devices and M-Line for multimedia processing based applications. Their products are Intel and ARM processors based for different applications and operating systems. Their latest board in the market is the SBC-U1 which is based on the popular ESP32.

The SBC-U1 comes in two main variants. One with the name of Novasom SBC-U1, while the other with Novasom SBC-U1A. They both share almost 100% of the features, processor is a dual-core Tensilica LX6 with speed of 240 MHz and RAM of 384 KBs. It comes along with 4GB flash data storage memory and SD card support of up to 32GB. In terms of connectivity, 802.11 b/n/g WiFi (WiFi 4) and Bluetooth 4.1 LE are available which are aligned with modern versions installed in such products.

Novasom SBC-U1 – A Single Board Computer based on ESP32

With a broad spectrum of temperature stability, it has a good design to be kept in the long run. Temperature range is between -40 to 85C, with such, there is nothing to be worryabout.

Just like other ESP32 based boards, these boards are designed for IoT and Smart devices applications. Power and battery supply are also well optimized according to standards. 5V input, with 0.9 W active consumption is not that much to be worried about. Still, on standby, its consumption lowers down to 0.75mW.

SBC-U1/SBC-U1A board specifications:

SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32 dual core Tensilica LX6 processor @ 240 MHz, 384KB RAM
Storage – 4MB flash, micro SD card slot up to 32GB
Connectivity – 802.11 b/n/g WiFi 4, Bluetooth 4.1 LE
I/Os – 24-pin 2.54mm pitch header with up to 15 GPIO @ 3.3V, I2C, SPI, 2-ch 12-bit ADC, 2-ch 10-bit DAC, 2x protected inputs up to 30V
Misc – User LED, RTC
Power Supply
- 5V inversion polarity protected
- Battery support with a charger circuit
- Consumption – 0.9W operating, 0.75mW in standby
Dimensions – 37.5 x 31 mm
Temperature Range – -40 to 85°C

The company claims that its processor is the smallest in size. Adding to it, the functionality it holds compete many big sized boards. In a system of slim design and the general trend for portability, these devices can easily be applied in several domains. The board runs FreeRTOS real-time operating system.

Both Novasom SBC-U1 and Novasom SBC-U1A seemed to have the same set of features, but the Novasom claims to have customization difference in both. Officially, Novasom SBC-U1A is an easy one to configure according to customized needs, header pins and extensions can be re-configured which is the reason behind is its compatibility and the A. While the Novasom SBC-U1 come with baseline specs that a user order for. For someone with plan to have addons, then Novasom SBC-U1A would be the most suitable option. Otherwise, there is no performance or other difference in these both versions.

More information about both devices is available in the products catalog.

STMicroelectronics Launches STM32MP1 IoT Microprocessor Series

Posted on 5 March, 2019 by mixos

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, is applying its Arm® Cortex® expertise to expand the capabilities of its industry-leading STM32 MCU portfolio to applications requiring even more performance, resources and large open-source software. The introduction of the STM32MP1 multicore microprocessor series with compute and graphics support combined with power-efficient real-time control and high feature integration will facilitate development of high-performance solutions for Industrial, Consumer, Smart Home, Health and Wellness applications.

STM32MP1 series microprocessor (MPU) products leverage the strong, proven STM32*-family ecosystem from ST and its partners, including tools and technical support. Moreover, with the release of OpenSTLinux as a mainlined, open-source Linux distribution, it extends the STM32 family to address important customer requirements for real-time, power-constrained applications. With this combination of MPU and software, ST has assembled all the pieces to match the product supply requirements of many industrial and professional applications. Of course, the STM32MP1 is included in ST’s rolling 10-years longevity commitment.

The STM32MP1 brings the strength of the STM32 experience to applications that need MPU compute and graphics support, combined with power efficient real-time control and high feature integration,

said Ricardo De Sa Earp, General Manager of STMicroelectronics’ Microcontroller Division.

Our commitment to consolidating open-source Linux software and microcontroller development support, combined with the longevity that consumer-oriented alternatives cannot equal, establish solid confidence in STM32MP1 for embedded MPU projects.

With ST’s new STM32MP1 microprocessor series (MPU), customers can now develop a new range of applications using the new STM32 heterogeneous architecture that combines Arm® Cortex®-A and Cortex®-M cores. This flexible architecture performs fast processing and real-time tasks on a single chip, always achieving the greatest power efficiency. For example, by stopping Cortex-A7 execution and running only from the more efficient Cortex-M4, power can typically be reduced to 25%. From this mode, going to Standby further cuts power by 2.5k times – while still supporting the resumption of Linux execution in 1 to 3 seconds, depending on the application.

The STM32MP1 embeds a 3D Graphics Processor Unit (GPU) to support Human Machine Interface (HMI) displays. It also supports a wide range of external DDR SDRAM and Flash Memories. Moreover, the STM32MP1 embeds a large set of peripherals that can be seamlessly allocated either to Cortex-A / Linux or Cortex-M / Real-time activities. The STM32MP1 series are available in a range of BGA packages to support the lowest PCB cost structure and use the smallest board space.

Two Evaluation boards (STM32MP157A-EV1 and STM32MP157C-EV1) and two Discovery kits (STM32MP157A-DK1 and STM32MP157C-DK2) will be available through Distributors channels in April.

… for further technical information, please visit the press release page: www.st.com

New LAMBDA LoRa module series achieve 22km+ range

Posted on 5 March, 20195 March, 2019 by mixos

The new LAMBDA series of RF modules have been introduced as part of the LoRa collection at RF Solutions; LAMBDA62 and LAMBDA80.

The LAMBDA modules incorporate the impressive Semtech SX1262 and SX1280 LoRa, providing ultra-long range. Spread spectrum communication and high interference immunity within minimal current consumption, provides an extremely high performance and cost-effective transceiver module.

Available as 868MHz, the LAMBDA62 has an integrated LoRa modem that features a huge 22km+ range of operation (line of sight). This sensitive, powerful module draws a low current and includes crystal, RF changeover switch, impedance matching network and track layout; providing a simple digital interface and direct antenna connection. This enables an easy plug in RF solution with maximum efficiency.

The LAMBDA80, Semtech SX1280 operates at the only worldwide acceptable 2.4GHz band, enabling the user to achieve a higher board rate allowing the model to be up to 6 times as fast.

Two versions of these transceiver modules are currently available, open or with screen can fitted. Programming of the module is via SPI Interface. The modules are RED CE certified, with FFC certification currently in process of being completed.

These new modules can be used for a variety of applications; RF alarms, sensor networks, meter readings, building control and automation and agricultural applications.

RF Solutions Ltd is UK Manufacturer and now is the largest supplier of RF Remote Controls and RF Telemetry systems, in the UK, continually working on the next generation and striving to be the leader in RF technology.

For more information on the LAMBDA transceiver modules, visit www.rfsolutions.co.uk and view the detailed datasheets available.

Nordic Semiconductor nRF52811 SoC

Posted on 5 March, 2019 by mixos

nRF52811 – Bluetooth 5.1 direction finding system-on-Chip

The nRF52811 is a multiprotocol Bluetooth^® 5.1 SoC capable of Bluetooth Direction Finding and Bluetooth Long Range, 802.15.4, Thread and Zigbee. It is part of the nRF52^® Series SoC family, offering a platform where migrating between devices is easy. It is the perfect choice for simple applications or beacons requiring Bluetooth Direction Finding or Long Range capabilities, or as a flexible connectivity SoC paired with a companion MCU in more advanced applications that can be designed to make use of a broad selection of connectivity standards.

The nRF52811 is built around the powerful 64 MHz Arm^® Cortex-M4™ CPU with 192 KB Flash and 24 KB RAM. It offers all the digital interfaces that you need, in addition to comparators and an ADC. It comes in three package options, all drop-in compatible with the nRF52810 SoC. Operating supply voltage is 1.7-3.6 V.

The nRF52811 is supported by nRF5 SDK, providing everything needed to get started with Bluetooth development, while Thread connectivity is available in the nRF5 SDK for Thread and Zigbee. The nRF52840 DK can be used as a development kit by emulating the nRF52811.

Please note: The nRF52840 Development Kit does not support Bluetooth’s Direction Finding features.

Features

64 MHz Arm® Cortex M4
192 KB Flash + 24 KB RAM
Bluetooth 5.1 radio with Direction Finding and Long Range support
IEEE 802.15.4 radio support
Full range of digital interfaces with EasyDMA
12-bit 200 ksps ADC
1.7-3.6 V supply voltage range

for more information please visit: www.nordicsemi.com

Broadcom 3535 Surface Mount 3W LEDs ASM3-SxDx-xxxxH family

Posted on 5 March, 20195 March, 2019 by mixos

Energy efficient LEDs for horticultural applications that can be driven at high driving current, LEDs can dissipate heat efficiently resulting in better performance and high reliability

Key features

Available in Deep Red, Far Red, Royal Blue and Cool White
High reliability package with enhanced silicone resin materials in ceramic platform
Wide viewing angle at 130°
Compatible with reflow soldering process and JEDEC MSL 3

Additional features

The Broadcom® 3535 Surface Mount LEDs for horticulture applications are energy efficient LEDs that can be driven at high driving current and able to dissipate heat efficiently resulting in a better performance in reliability. Its low profile package design addresses a wide variety of applications where superior robustness and high efficiency are required. In addition to being compatible to reflow soldering process, the silicone encapsulation ensures product superiority and longevity.

To facilitate easy pick and place assembly, the LEDs are packed in tape and reel. Every reel is shipped in single flux and color bin, to provide close uniformity.

Applications

Horticulture lighting
General lighting
Commercial lighting
Architecture lighting

for more information visit: www.broadcom.com

The Semi-Rugged RTC-1010M: Do More with the Tablet Built for Work

Posted on 5 March, 20195 March, 2019 by mixos

10.1″ Semi-rugged Tablet Features With Intel® N3350 / N4200 Processor With Windows® / Android

AAEON, a major developer in Industrial Rugged Tablet Solutions, announces the RTC-1010M Semi-Rugged Tablet. The RTC-1010M builds on AAEON’s experience in rugged tablet design. Featuring a 10.1” sunlight readable screen, IP54 certification and a wide range of options and features, the RTC-1010M Semi-Rugged Tablet is built for work.

Powered by an Intel® Celeron™ N3350 or Pentium™ N4200, formerly Apollo Lake, the RTC-1010M is built to easily integrate into the workspace. The RTC-1010M is the only tablet of its kind to offer a choice of Windows 10 IoT or Android 9 (available Q2). It also features USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB Type C, Micro HDMI as well as support for Micro SD and SIM cards.

Flexibility is a feature for the RTC-1010M. In addition to its standard compliment of I/O support, customers can also order options such as a smart card reader, magnetic stripe reader (MSR) and 2D barcode scanner. There is also a range of accessories from docking mounts to shoulder belts to help make the RTC-1010M even easier and more flexible to use.

The Semi-Rugged RTC-1010M is built to go where you need it. The 10.1” sunlight readable screen makes working outside easy. The RTC-1010M features a hot-swappable battery, allowing you to switch batteries without having to shut down or stop to recharge. The RTC-1010M is IP54 certified, drop tested to 76cm, and can operate in temperatures from -20°C to 50°C (-4°F~122°F). And with customized firmware, the RTC-1010M can be operated without having to take your gloves off. AAEON also offers its unparalleled service support, ensuring the RTC-1010M is always working when you are.

AAEON Rugged Tablet Product Manager “Peter Yang” stated,

The RTC-1010M Semi-Rugged Tablet is an affordable alternative to fully rugged tablets, providing durability and factory support that is unavailable with consumer tablets. The RTC-1010M is built for work.

Features

10.1″ WXGA (1280 x 800) 300-nit TFT LCD (Default)
Intel® Celeron™ N3350 1.1GHz Dual Core Up to 2.4GHz (N4200 Optional)
Onboard DDR3L Memory, 4GB (Default)
eMMC 64GB (mSATA III Up to 512GB Optional)
Projected Capacitive Multi-Touch Screen
WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, LTE (Optional)
2MP Front and 8MP Rear Camera
RS-232/422/485 COM Port + 10/100/1000 Base-T RJ45 (Optional)
USB 3.0 x 2 (USB Type-C x 1), USB 2.0 x 2
2D Barcode Scanner & Smart Card Reader (Optional)
NFC Reader (Optional)
MSR Reader (Optional)
Up to 3 GNSS, GPS+Galileo(Default), GLONASS, BeiDou (Optional)
One Hot-swappable Battery + Internal Battery, Up to 44W Battery Capacity
IP54 Compliant, Drop 76cm
Programmable Function Key: F0, F1, F2, F3, Volume Up/Down, With LED Illumination
Windows® 10 IOT / Android 8.1 (Optional)

for more information and detailed specifications, please visit: www.aaeon.com

BOURNS launches Ultra-Low 0.15 PSI Pressure Sensor

Posted on 4 March, 20194 March, 2019 by mixos

Bourns, Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of electronic components, today announced the expansion of its line of environmental sensors adding an ultra-low 0.15 to 1.0 PSI pressure sensor. Bourns® Models BPS110/BPS120 pressure sensors are based on state-of-the-art Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, which provides extremely accurate condition readings in a miniature package size. Designed to deliver superior performance in applications where precision is essential, Models BPS110/BPS120 offer fully calibrated and compensated output for more efficient processes as well as long-term stability for reliable repeatability. These features make Bourns’ new pressure sensor an ideal solution for a range of industrial, consumer and medium/low-risk medical* designs including portable oxygen generators, nebulizers, CPAP equipment, diagnostic spirometers and gas chromatography equipment.

What sets Bourns apart is our strict attention to quality and expert technical support all backed by Bourns’ global supply chain,” said Alain Leon, Sensors & Controls Product Line Manager at Bourns, Inc. “Another benefit is we are able to leverage Bourns’ decades of medical market experience in meeting new application needs for highly accurate, miniaturized and sensitive sensor technologies that help designers advance and expand healthcare device and equipment usage.

Bourns Models BPS110/BPS120 feature extreme sensitivity and stability with a Total Error Band (TEB) of 1.5 % FS over a temperature range of 0 °C to +60 °C (Six-Sigma process), and lifetime drift of 0.5 % FS. The new sensor models help to minimize system calibration needs, and help support system uptime. Its compensated plug and play shorten development time, and offers excellent design flexibility for use in either analog (BPS110) or digital systems (BPS120) where an amplified, calibrated pressure signal can be acquired from the digital interface or analog output.

Features

Compensated digital output
Ultra-low pressure sensing
Digital I2C outputn Gauge and differential types
For use in clean, dry air and non-corrosive gas environments
RoHS compliant*

Bourns Models BPS110/BPS120 pressure sensors are available now. Bourns also offers port configuration and calibration customization. For more detailed product information, please go to: www.bourns.com/docs/technical-documents/technical-library/sensors/publications/Bourns_BPS110_and_120_Product_Brief.pdf.

PicoCore MX8MM features i.MX8 Mini and runs Linux

Posted on 4 March, 20194 March, 2019 by Tope Oluyemi

F&S Elektronik Systeme has unveiled its 40 x 35mm “PicoCore MX8MM” module which runs Linux on a quad-A53, 1.8GHz i.MX8 Mini with up to 8GB LPDDR4 and 32GB eMMC plus WiFi/BT, a GbE controller, PCIe, and optional -40 to 85°C support. The PicoCore MX8MM is a i.MX8M variant with lower video resolution, but a faster clock rate.

The PicoCore MX8MM has the same 40 x 35mm footprint as other F&S PicoCore models such as the i.MX7-based PicoCore MX7ULP. There are also i.MX6 and i.MX6 UL based PicoCore modules, which like the PicoCore MX8MM feature a Yocto Project-based Linux BSP. The stack includes Buildroot and UBoot. Windows 10 IoT Core will be available by the end of the year, and the i.MX8 Mini’s real-time, Cortex-M4 core supports FreeRTOS. The PicoCore MX8MM features USB 2.0 host and OTG ports and offers 4x UART, 4x I2C, 4x SPI, and 8x PWM. The power feature is listed as “+3.8V bis 5.5VDC,” and runs at 3 Watts. The module incorporates an RTC and is available in both 0 to 70°C and -40 to 85°C variants. Availability for the module extends to 2029. The module supports 1, 2, and 4-core Cortex-A53 configurations of the Mini.

The module offers up to 8GB LPDDR4 RAM, which is in contrast to the 1GB LPDDR3 present on the PicoCore MX7ULP. The module offers up to 512MB SLC NAND flash and up to 32GB eMMC flash, with a GbE controller on board along with 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.0. The PicoCore MX8MM dual 100-pin connectors consist of a subsection of “Interfaces-FIX” pins that are similar to other PicoCore modules. This provides some backward compatibility. The PicoCore MX8MM enables LVDS or 4-lane MIPI-DSI with analog resistive and PCAP touch available via I2C. The analog and digital audio I/O comes in variety, like I2S and S/PDIF, as well as PCIe expansion and MIPI-CSI camera input. Pricing or availability are not provided for the PicoCore MX8MM, but more information should be further revealed soon.

PicoCore MX8MM specifications:

SoC – NXP i.MX 8M Mini single, dual, quad core Arm Cortex-A53 @ 1.8 GHz processor, Cortex-M4 real-time core @ 400 MHz, 512KB L2-Cache, 2D/3D GPU
System Memory – Up to 8GB LPDDR4
Storage – Up to 512MB SLC NAND flash or up to 32GB eMMC flash
Video Decode – 1080p60 HEVC H.265, VP9, H.264, VP8
Connectivity
- 802.11ac + Bluetooth 5.0 module
- Atheros AR8035 Gigabit Ethernet transceiver
Interfaces via 2x 100-pin board to board connectors
- 1x external SD Card
- 10/100/1000Mb Ethernet
- USB – 1x USB host, 1x USB 2.0 OTG
- Up to 4x UART, up to 4x I2C, up to 2x SPI
- Audio – Line In, Line Out, Mic, Headphone,I2S, SPDIF, ESAI, SAI, SSI ADR/ DATA Bus
- Display
  - LVDS up to Full HD
  - Up to 4-lane MIPI DSI
  - Touch Panel – analog resistive and PCAP touch ext. via I2C
- Camera analog/digital – MIPI CSI
- PCIe
- Up to 8x PWM, Watchdog
Supply Voltage – +3.8V bis 5.5VDC
Power Consumption – 3W typ.
Dimensions – 40 x 35 mm
Weight – 10 grams
Operating Temperature – 0°C – +70°C; opt. -40°C – +85°C

more information could be found at F&S Elektronik Systeme’s PicoCore MX8MM product page.