Page 141 – Electronics-Lab.com

Innodisk Announces Launch of Edge AI SSDs

Posted on 30 July, 2022 by mixos

Innodisk, a global leader in industrial-grade storage and embedded peripherals, is pushing the development of edge AI technology

In doing so has officially launched a new edge computing solid-state drive (SSD) product line, consisting of the 2.5” SATA 3TS6-P, 3TS9-P and M.2 (P80) 4TS2-P drives. Innodisk’s new edge AI SSDs feature low latency, high DWPD (drive writes per day), and large capacities. In addition, the included iCell and AES technologies protect data from losses and breaches. Aiming at smart retail, smart city, smart fleet management, and NAS network storage applications, Innodisk is providing high speeds, reliability, and industrial-grade high quality to respond to the rising market needs.

Research suggests that the edge data center market is expected to reach a compound annual growth rate of 24.58% between 2020 and 2028. With the rapid development of AI, IoT, and 5G, data utilization has shifted from cloud to edge applications, driving the demand for edge servers and edge data centers. Innodisk is ready to roll out edge server market solutions and open up new business opportunities.

Edge AI SSDs inside edge servers are required to process data at high speeds at the source, instead of sending all data back to a central data center, thus improving latency and reducing cost. As an example, smart street lights and traffic monitoring units rely on the SSD to provide high-speed read/write, a large capacity, and low-latency to process data in real-time, and the same can be said for edge data centers. With the series reaching 6.4TB, these new SSDs are sure to disrupt the edge storage market and improve experiences for end users.

CC Wu, GM of Innodisk’s Flash Division, pointed out that Innodisk has already actively started focusing on applications for the fast-growing 5G and AI fields. This new product line integrates Innodisk’s R&D capabilities in software, hardware, and firmware. With the introduction of specialized SSDs that combine the advantages of industrial SSDs with the characteristics of data center SSDs, Innodisk hopes to seize edge computing business opportunities and meet the needs of the ever-growing sector.

Munich-based high-tech startup Toposens is releasing its 3D Ultrasonic Echolocation Sensor ECHO ONE

Posted on 29 July, 2022 by mixos

The Munich based high-tech startup Toposens is announcing the market launch of its first commercial Toposens 3D COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM for mobile robots based on the proprietary Toposens 3D ultrasonic echolocation technology. This represents a key milestone for the company following more than seven years of R&D and product commercialization.

Addressing the unmet need for higher safety of mobile robots in industrial settings, the Toposens 3D Ultrasonic Echolocation Sensor ECHO ONE^®and Toposens PROCESSING UNIT with sophisticated filters for 3D collision avoidance is now available, having been run through rigorous commercial testing in real-life industrial scenarios with reputable mobile robotic companies. This kind of “co-developing” of a high-tech product together with leading tech firms ensures highest levels of performance for the commencing serial deployment.

Detecting the Undetectable

With the autonomous vehicle industry booming and mobile robots, such as automated forklifts, AMRs and AGVs, experiencing exponential growth levels, the safety of humans and machines is kept at the forefront of manufacturing efforts. The market has come to realize that 3D collision avoidance is a necessity, since the obligatory 2D safety LiDARs can only deliver two-dimensional data output not matching highest safety needs.

Due to their physical properties, other 3D Sensor systems, such as LiDAR or camera have limitations in their perception capabilities when for example the optical conditions in their environment are unfavorable or objects like forklift forks are close to the floor. As a result, they struggle to detect objects well enough, making them an unreliable and insufficient collision avoidance solution. In fact, the leading cause of industrial accidents in 2022 has been identified as blocked vision, and the associated costs are forecast to amount to over 2,5 Bn $ by 2025 in over 50.000 factories being equipped with mobile robots. Also, the traditional one-dimensional ultrasonic sensor does not deliver the needed data for reliable 3D collision avoidance, as it can only measure simple distance data (= time-of-flight), compared to the 3D point cloud the Toposens 3D COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM is able to generate.

Toposens 3D Collision Avoidance System illustrated: Detection of forklift forks in warning zone and stopping zone

Re-defining robotic safety

Trying to find a way to compensate these shortcomings and provide the market with a best-in-class 3D collision avoidance, Toposens has over the past few years been working towards a commercial version of its
3D Ultrasonic Echolocation Sensor to serve the need for a reliable mobile robot 3D collision avoidance.

Based on the principle of echolocation as seen in bats, Toposens ECHO ONE^® compensates the drawbacks of optical sensors through sound-based triangulation in combination with sophisticated noise-filtering software. This in turn delivers robust 3D data output in real-time for each obstacle detected within the fully adjustable warning- and stopping zones. What’s more, the zones can both be set to dynamically follow a mobile robot taking a left- or right turn and adjust to the speed of the vehicle.

The sensor sends the obtained data (echo reflections perceived by three microphones) in a 3D point cloud format to the Toposens PROCESSING UNIT which is equipped with an easy-to-configure advanced 3D collision avoidance software. From there, depending on which 3D zone violations are detected, the Toposens PROCESSING UNIT triggers either a “slow down” or “stop” command to the mobile robot’s CPU. When no zone violations are detected, the mobile robot drives on.

Bat vision versus bad vision

“Being able to detect multiple difficult-to-detect obstacles reliably and in real-time, regardless of environmental conditions, enables us to provide next-level robotic safety for our customers. Our technology addresses the shortcomings of optical sensors, such as LiDARs, which can fail to detect floor-based objects like forklift forks on the floor, in unfavorable lighting conditions or transparent or mirrored object surfaces. Receiving data output in 3D, meaning in x, y, and z coordinates, guarantees the most reliable level of 3D collision avoidance”, says Tobias Bahnemann→, CEO and Co-Founder of Toposens and continues:

“Ahead of production, we have been co-developing and testing our Toposens ECHO ONE^® in pilot projects and actual real-life set-ups with renowned companies for almost two years. This has put us in a position, from which we can now offer our customers a state-of-the-art, next-level robotic safety system. With 3D collision avoidance capabilities missing in existing sensor solutions, the economic setback of damaged goods, or even expensive production stops as a consequence of undetected obstacles, can considerably limit the ROI of any mobile robot system. This highlights the necessity for mobile robots to “see” their environment using a different kind of vision technology – we call it “BAT VISION” and are delighted to now be moving on to serial production.”

Toposens is now taking orders for its first commercial version of its 3D ultrasonic collision avoidance technology with the all-new Toposens ECHO ONE^®.

ams OSRAM OSLON Black Flat X KW4 HPL631.TK LEDs (4 Chip)

Posted on 29 July, 2022 by mixos

ams OSRAM OSLON® Black Flat X KW4 HPL631.TK LEDs are high-performance 4-chip light-emitting diodes optimized for forward lighting applications. These high-efficiency LEDs offer up to 2115lm at 1000mA, making them ideal replacements for halogen lamps. The pad geometry of the OSLON Black platform offers excellent thermal performance, enabling developers to reduce heatsink size or remove it from the application design entirely.

The OSLON Black Flat X KW4 HPL631.TK LEDs from ams OSRAM has an extremely high contrast 1:200 design due to the black case material and TiO₂ casting. These devices feature a compact 7.59mm x 3.75mm x 0.50mm package ideal for high-density applications.

Features

AEC-Q102 qualified
SMD epoxy package
UX:3 chip technology
Luminous flux @ 1000mA
- KW4 HPL631.TK-BCBH-4L05M0-AGAE: 1640lm to 2040lm
- KW4 HPL631.TK-BCBJ-4L07M0-AGAE: 1640lm to 2115lm
- KW4 HPL631.TK-BDBJ-6L07M0-AGAE: 1700lm to 2115lm
120° (Lambertian emitter) typical radiation
4L07M0 color binning
White color
- Cx = 0.321
- Cy = 0.339 according to CIE 1931
Corrosion Robustness Class: 3B
Color over angle: Better than passus 3.7.2.1 of supplement proposal 7 to ECE reg. 128
ESD: 8kV acc. to ANSI/ESDA/JEDEC JS-001 (HBM, Class 3B)
-40°C to +135°C operating temperature range
7.59mm x 3.75mm x 0.50mm package

more information: https://www.osram.com/ecat/KW%20HHL532.TK/com/en/class_pim_web_catalog_103489/prd_pim_device_13481280/

Cincon CFM20S 20W Open-Frame AC-DC Modules

Posted on 29 July, 2022 by mixos

Cincon CFM20S 20W Open-Frame AC-DC Modules offer up to 87% high efficiency and ±2% voltage accuracy. These modules feature a 90V_AC to 264V_AC universal input voltage range, 5000m operating altitude, over-voltage protection, and continuous short circuit protection. The CFM20S 20W modules are available in 1.3″ x 2.38″ dimensions and meet IEC/EN 60335-1, EN 55032 Class B, and CISPR/FCC Class B approval safety standards.

Features

Over-voltage protection
Continuous short circuit protection
Class II
IEC/EN 60335-1 approval
EN 55032 Class B and CISPR/FCC Class B approval

Specifications

90V_AC TO 264V_AC universal input voltage range
Up to 87% high efficiency
5V to 48V output voltage
4A to 0.42A output current
±2% voltage accuracy
5000m operating altitude
<0.1W no-load power

more information: https://www.cincon.com/productdetail/CFM20.html

Arducam 108MP USB3.0 Camera Evaluation Kit with Ultra High-Resolution Sensors

Posted on 29 July, 2022 by Abhishek Jadhav

Camera embedded hardware specialist Arducam has launched a new 108-megapixel camera evaluation kit with high-resolution sensors that can be interfaced through a USB 3.0 port. With a simplistic design, the company uses a single-camera solution that can have equivalent coverage with multiple low-resolution cameras to reduce the footprint. Arducam aims to reduce the overall cost of the design architecture by using the 108-megapixel camera evaluation kit as a unified solution for camera development and streaming multiple inputs.

Arducam 108-megapixel camera evaluation kit is an expensive investment for your applications as it brings high-end sensors used in smartphones into hackable solutions for everyone’s use. The integration of technological advancements enables the Arducam 108MP camera evaluation kit to serve demanding applications for visual computing and industrial security surveillance.

Specifications of Arducam 108MP Camera Evaluation Kit:

Type: Arducam 108-Megapixel USB3.0 Camera Evaluation Kit
Optical size: 1/1.5″
Number of effective pixels: 12000×9000
Frame rate: 4000×3000 at 11 frames per second and 12000×9000 at 1.3 frames per second
Interface: MIPI 2-lane
Focus: 8cm INF
Focal length: 5.89
View angle: 82 diagonal
Shutting type: Rolling
Color filter: RGB
Output format: RAW10
Dimensions: 38×38 mm

Video

Arducam has demonstrated an image taken at a 1-meter distance that compares the image quality of camera modules – Raspberry Pi Camera HQ, Raspberry Pi V2, Arducam 16MP, Arducam 64MP, and Arducam 108MP. As expected, the latest and most advanced Arducam 108MP camera kit produces the best image quality among all other camera modules tested.

Marketed as a camera evaluation kit, the camera module takes any image sensor and turns it into a working camera with a complete SDK and a convenient USB interface for quick tests. The evaluation system has three solutions as listed by Arducam– tested and proven evaluation kits, mix-and-match with different sensors, lenses, and customize with anything you want.

The Arducam 108-megapixel camera evaluation kit is currently listed for purchase on the official product page for $399.00 USD.

AAEON Pico ITX Mini PC with Intel core i7 starts at $1324.00

Posted on 29 July, 2022 by Abhishek Jadhav

A few months ago, AAEON released a Pico-ITX form factor mini personal computer, PICO-TGU4-SEMI, powered by an Intel processor system on chip for powerful and complex artificial intelligence applications. The Pico-ITX embedded rugged computer comes with a high-performance CPU and low power consumption design to provide a flexible architecture with a rich set of interface expansions. The hardware comes with various system-on-chip variants starting with an 11th Gen Intel Core Celeron processor and can provide up to Intel Core i7 processor to run advanced edge AI applications.

The hardware is designed to provide enhanced computing performance to suit AI edge deployment in drone, robotic and industrial automation while providing more system memory for simultaneous applications. The CPU options include 11th Gen Intel Core Celeron/i3/i5/i7 processor core on a compact Pico-ITX form factor. The AAEON PICO-TGU4-SEMI rugged computer comes with dual LAN ports, an Intel i225 2.5Gbps port for high-speed LAN connectivity, and an Intel i219M port to support Intel vPro for remote system monitoring.

Specifications of AAEON Pico ITX Mini PC:

SoC: 11th Gen Intel Core Celeron/i3/i5/i7 processor
Form Factor: Pico-ITX
Memory: Onboard LPDDR4 up to 32GB
USB ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2
Display:
- Chipset: Intel Iris Xe (i5 and i7 support) and Intel UHD graphics (i3 and Celeron support)
- Video output: 1x HDMI 2.0b with 4kx2k at 60Hz
Audio: High-definition audio interface
Expansion: 1x M.2 M Key 2280, 4x PCIe Gen 4 (by default) and SATA, 1x full size mSATA/mPCIe or USB2.0, 1x eSPI and SMBUS/I2C, TPM2.0
Serial ports: 2x RS-232/422/485
Bios: UEFI
Power supply: DC Jack at 12V ATX
Power consumption: 2.89A at +12V, i7-1185G7E, LPDDR4x on board 32GB
Operating system: Windows 10 (64bit), Linux Ubuntu 20.04.2/Kernel 5.8
Dimensions: 122×80.8×50.4 mm
Weight: 0.38 kg
Operating temperature: 0°C to 50°C

Video

For display support, different chipsets are used for different processor variants, as seen in the specifications. The Intel i5 and i7 processor core use Intel Iris Xe chipset, while i3 and Celeron will support Intel UHD graphics. In comparison, the Celeron processor version will come with only 4B LPDDR4 memory, which will be upgraded to 8GB for other processor options, i3/i5/i7 cores. All other expansions will remain the same irrespective of the processor variants.

For software support, the AAEON PICO-TGU4-SEMI will operate on Windows 10 (64-bit) version and Linux Ubuntu 20.04.2. The hardware comes with Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, modern software to replace legacy BIOS for improved security, faster boot times, large capacity hard drive support, and many more.

For more information, head to the product page for detailed specifications and feature listings.

Ynvisible introduces a low-power printed e-paper display for high-reliability applications

Posted on 29 July, 2022 by Abhishek Jadhav

Vancouver-based display manufacturer has announced a new low-power printed e-paper display that consumes 50% less energy per switch than its predecessor and can last 10 times longer when switched on and off. The low-energy consumption display features an improved performance of faster processing speeds at especially low temperatures and provides a high-quality print display.

The company claims it to be one of the thinnest displays on the market that can even be stored inside a cardholder. Due to its highly customizable features, the e-paper print display has positioned itself well in the printed display space. The e-paper display kit contains various display designs, a manual display driver, and an I2C interface.

“We continuously collect market feedback from prioritizing our development efforts and technology roadmap. With this new generation display release, we know that we are responding to our customers’ needs whilst expanding the use of our printed display technology in a wider range of e-paper devices.”

Specifications of Ynvisible e-paper display

Product type: Segment e-paper print display
Contrast ratio: 1:3
Angle dependency: No, Lambertian
Thickness: 300 μm
Dimensions: 1mm to 100mm
Response time: 100 to 1000ms
White reflectance: 40%
Supply voltage: 1.5V
Energy consumption: 1mJ/cm2
Operating temperatures: -20°C to +60°C
Pulse energy: 0.25mJ/cm2

Ynvisible e-paper print display uses electrochemical reflective technology with very low angle dependency. The low-power display features semi-bistability, which means that the display consumes power during display switches but requires a short refresh pulse approximately every two minutes.

“This latest upgrade will significantly benefit specific industries such as digital signage, smart monitoring labels, authenticity & security and retail.”

The hardware requires very few additional components to add the Ynvisible e-paper display to a circuit. There are four circuit suggestions– voltage regulator circuit, DAC output on common electrode, a 2-level variable counter electrode, and digital outputs. For more information on the Ynvisible e-paper display, head to the product page, where the datasheet provides enough information on the hardware specifications.

Forlinx launched Renesas RZ/G2L powered FET-G2LD system-on-module

Posted on 29 July, 2022 by Abhishek Jadhav

Chinese embedded design manufacturer, Forlinx has announced the public availability of the Renesas RZ/G2L powered FET-G2LD-C system-on-module. The onboard Renesas RZ/G2L is a general-purpose microprocessor with a dual-core Arm Cortex-A55, a single-core Arm Cortex-M33, and an integrated 3D graphics and video CODEC engine. Forlinx FET-G2LD system-on-module is designed to handle extensive multimedia workloads and next-gen IoT applications.

The hardware is also equipped with a Mali-G31 graphics processing unit clocked at a frequency of 500MHz and supports a variety of display interfaces. The system-on-module can withstand industrial-grade temperatures with operating temperatures of -40°C to +85°C. The company guarantees that the FET-G2LD system-on-module has a 10-year+ life cycle, and its Linux kernel will also come with long-term support. The hardware platform supports a rich set of peripheral interfaces for industrial applications, including 2x Gigabit Ethernet controllers, 2x CAN-FD, 2x USB2.0, and several others.

Specifications of Forlinx FET-G2LD system-on-module:

SoC: Renesas RZ/G2L featuring an Arm Cortex-A55 processor core clocked at 1.2GHz, and an Arm Cortex-M33 core at 200MHz
GPU: Arm Mali-G31 graphics unit to support OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0/3.1/3.2, Vulkan 1.1, and OpenCL 2.0
VPU: H.264 up to 1920×1080 pixels at 30 frames per second
Memory: 1GB and 2GB LPDDR4 RAM
Storage: 16MB QSPI NOR Flash and 8GB/16GB optional eMMC storage
- The carrier board leads out the SD signal through the TF card holder, which can mount the TF card
Display: 1x 4-lane MIPI display serial interface to support 1.5Gbps of up to 1920×1080 pixels at 60 frames per second
Camera: 2x 4-lane MIPI camera serial interface with up to 4000Mbps
Audio: WM8960 default onboard with support for headphone output and MIC input integrated on a 3.5mm headphone jack
USB ports: USB 2.0
Serial communication protocols: I2C, UART, SPI
Debug: JTAG through 1.27mm pins
Supply voltage: 5V DC
Operating temperature: 40°C to +85°C
Dimensions: 38×60 mm
Operating systems: Linux 4.19

The hardware meets the industry demands of human-machine interface and image acquisition for interfacing display, camera, and audio modules. The onboard VPU helps improve the HMI experience with support for H.264 encoding/decoding for 1920×1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. The target applications for the FET-G2LD-C system-on-module are healthcare, vehicle transportation, security, chemical industry, communication, and military applications.

The OK-G2LD-C single board computer consists of the FET-G2LD-C system-on-module and a carrier board to offer a rich functional interface and make product evaluation easier. There are also several optional modules available on the Forlinx e-commerce page, including a 4G module, OV5645 camera module, and a 7-inch MIPI display.

If you are interested in Forlinx FET-G2LD-C system-on-module, head to the product page, where you can contact the company for a quote.

OpenHW Group introduces RISC-V powered CORE-V microcontroller development kit

Posted on 29 July, 2022 by Abhishek Jadhav

Ottawa-based RISC-V working group, OpenHW Group, has announced a RISC-V powered CORE-V microcontroller development kit for IoT and AI-driven applications. The hardware features the inhouse OpenHW CORE-V microcontroller, a CORE-V software developer kit and an open PCB designed to support Amazon Web Services through AWS IoT ExpressLink. The CORE-V SDK has integrated the Eclipse development environment as well.

The CORE-V microcontroller development kit is based on the open-source CV32E40P embedded-class processor, a 32-bit efficient RISC-V processor core with a four-stage pipeline that implements the RV32IM[F]C instruction extensions. If you are new to the RISC-V instruction set architecture, the RV32I is the base instruction with M and C as the extensions and optional F extensions.

“The enormous potential of IoT applications requires new ways of thinking about design, and the open-source community is delivering hardware, software and development tools to accelerate innovation,” said Rick O’Connor, President and CEO of OpenHW Group. “It’s truly inspiring to see such a cohesive global collaborative engineering effort to develop open-source building blocks enabling embedded MCU designs.”

At Embedded World 2022, the RISC-V working group showcased the CORE-V microcontroller development kit to emulate weather station sensors located in the exhibition hall and several global locations. The demonstration includes the CORE-V MCU, CORE-V SDK, IoT sensors interconnection, and an AWS application.

The CORE-V microcontroller board is fabricated by GlobalFoundries’ using 22FDX process technology for efficient integration of digital and analogue signals, delivering high performance for low-power applications. The design and verification of the CV32E40P processor involved key contributions from Imperas, Siemens EDA, SiLabs and several others. The core is based on the PULP Platform RI5CY core, originally developed at ETHZ’s Integrated Systems Laboratory (IIS) and the Energy-efficient Embedded Systems (EEES) group of the University of Bologna.

For computing complex artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads, the CORE-V MCU includes a QuickLogic eFPGA to accelerate the processing from the CV32E40P processor. Imperas has released riscvOVPsimCOREV for free, simulating the CORE-V MCU with Imperas reference models used to verify the CV32E40P.

“This project highlights the open-source collaborative development of industry-grade CORE-V processor IP with supporting hardware and software by a wide spectrum of members within the OpenHW community.”

CORE-V MCU DevKit is currently under pre-launch on GroupGets for early access campaign manufacturing and shipping.

Doogee To Launch 12000mAh S89 Pro With Two Entry-Level Rugged Phones

Posted on 22 July, 202222 July, 2022 by mixos

In addition to the gorgeous V20 tough phone, Doogee has also given us the S98, and its lovely S98 Pro equivalent. They have all gone on to establish records in various categories, according to a report from the company last month.

Doogee is planning to end July with a massive product launch. The list of products includes the X97 series, D11 smartwatch, D09 smartwatch, S89 Pro, and the S61 series. They will be available on AliExpress with the biggest discounts.

The most important model on the list is the S89 Pro rugged phone. The new S89 Pro stands out with an enormous 12000mAh battery and will come bundled with a 65W fast charging brick.

A robot-shaped camera bump with RGB light-emitting eyes is the most remarkable feature. Light patterns, speed, and color may all be preset to fit your personal preferences and needs. Colors may also be assigned to alerts, incoming phone calls, and voice commands. However, synchronizing the effects with music is where this ability really shines. Even in the quiet of your own house, you can enjoy a small disco.

With its IP68 and IP69K certifications, the S89 Pro is ready to be used in any wet environment. It can withstand being sprayed with or being completely submerged in water. It is drop-resistant and capable of operating in a wide range of extreme situations, just as the MIL-STD-810H certification requires.

When it comes to performance, the MediaTek P90 chipset powers the phone’s processor, with an 8GB RAM setup and 256GB of internal storage, which can be expanded to 512GB with a TF card.

Three cameras are housed in a cartoon robot-shaped camera bump: a 64MP Sony primary sensor, a 20MP night vision camera, and an 8MP wide-angle camera. The camera has many photographic options for optimizing and taking the best pictures.

On the front, a 6.3-inch LCD FHD+ display takes up much of the real estate with a hole cut out to house the 16MP selfie camera.

The device comes with the Android 12 operating system preinstalled. NFC, global frequency support, and custom buttons round out the list of available options.

S89 Pro’s launch period stretches from July 25th to July 29th on AliExpress and Doogeemall. The world premiere price will be $269 but a very few lucky early buyers can get a $30 discount coupon to further reduce the price to $239. After July 29th, it will return to its original price of $319.

Doogee S61 Series

Aside from the S89 Pro, Doogee is also planning to launch the S61 series. The S61 series is a group of entry-level rugged phones which includes a vanilla variant and a Pro model.

What makes the S61 series unique is a design that allows its back cover to be removed and replaced. There are four unique back case designs, which include AG frost, carbon fibre, wood grain, and transparent back cases.

Although this is an entry-level device, it comes with some great features, and if you are interested, you can read more about it on the official website.

The S61 will also be launched on AliExpress and Doogeemall from July 25th to July 29th at a starting price of $109 for a limited time.