Crocus Technology CT41x XtremeSense® TMR Current Sensors

Crocus Technology CT41x XtremeSense® TMR Current Sensors are high bandwidth and ultra-low-noise integrated contact current sensors utilizing the patented XtremeSense® TMR technology. The technology enables high accuracy current measurements for many consumer, enterprise, and industrial applications. These components support eight current ranges where the integrated current-carrying conductor (CCC) will handle up to 65A of current and generates a current measurement as a linear analog output voltage. The 8-lead SOIC packaged CT41x sensors achieve a total output error of about ±1.0% full-scale (FS), a 300ns output response time, and a 6.0mA current consumption. A filter function reduces the noise on the output pin.

Features

  • Integrated contact sensing for low-to-medium current ranges
    • 0 to +20A
    • -20A to +20A
    • 0 to +30A
    • -30A to +30A
    • 0 to +50A
    • -50A to +50A
    • 0 to +65A
    • -65A to +65A
  • Integrated current-carrying conductor (CCC)
  • Linear analog output voltage
  • ±1.0% FS total error output
  • 1MHz bandwidth
  • 300ns response time
  • -40°C to +125°C operating temperature range
  • UL/IEC 62387 certification
    • >2.5kVRMS rated isolation voltage
    • >701VRMS working voltage for basic isolation
    • >344VRMS working voltage for reinforced isolation
  • IEC 61000-4-5 certification
  • Low 9.0mARMS to 19.0mARMS noise at fBW = 100kHz
  • Supply voltages
    • 4.75V to 5.50V for the CT415 and CT418
    • 3.0V to 3.6V for the CT416 and CT417
  • Filter function to reduce noise on the output pin
  • -40dB immunity to common-mode fields
  • AEC-Q100 Grade 1 (under qualification)
  • 8-lead SOIC package
  • RoHS compliant

more information: https://crocus-technology.com

Miniware MHP30 Mini Hot Plate Preheater

DFRobot Miniware MHP30 Mini Hot Plate Preheater is an ultra-mini smart constant temperature heating station. The station eliminates redundancy, retains sufficient effective heating area, and greatly saves energy and heating time. MHP30 condenses the large desktop heating station into pocket size, and with popular PD power input, making it possible for the heating station to become a portable tool.

MINIWARE MHP30 Mini Hot Plate Preheater is an ultra-mini smart constant temperature hot plate (heating station). It eliminates redundancy, retains sufficient effective heating area, and greatly saves energy and heating time. MHP30 condenses the large desktop heating station into pocket size, and with popular PD power input, it makes it possible for the heating station to become a portable tool.

MHP30 has a small and exquisite appearance, with a square tower shape and a total height of only 5.2cm (2 inches). MHP30 controller and hot plate can be flexibly separated and replaced. The controller is equipped with an OLED display and two physical buttons (on the back). A pair of support feet at the bottom can be spread out to better support the whole station. The hot plate’s heating body is made of brass with nano-ceramic coating, smooth on surface and evenly heated. A futuristic stainless steel hollow bracket connects the heating part with the circuit board that can be directly inserted into the controller.

Inheriting the high-efficiency performance of MINIWARE heating tools, MHP30 has excellent thermal performance. When using 65W PD power supply, it only takes 150 seconds to heat from 26°C room temperature to 300°C. The controller has a built-in true color LED that changes color with the rises and falls of the temperature, letting you know the warm and cold at a glance. In addition to the upgradeable firmware function, MHP30 also has smart modes such as preset temperature, tilt protection, power wake-up and automatic sleep. Users can set to turn on or off these functions according to their needs.

Product Features:

  • Ultra mini size, exquisite and compact;
  • Separablecontroller and hot plate, flexible to replace;
  • High-quality aluminum alloy shell and stainless steel heat dissipation slices;
  • Built-in OLED display and true color LED, light color changes with heating temperature;
  • Two supporting legs at the bottom can be spread out to provide stable support;
  • Nano-ceramic coating on a brass hot plate, smooth, durable, and evenly heated;
  • The hot plate features a futuristic stainless steel heat dissipation bracket,artistic and practical;
  • PD power supply input, power up to 60W;
  • Takes only 150 seconds to heat from room temperature to 300°C (65W PD power supply);
  • Energy-saving and environmentally friendly;
  • Multi smart modes: preset temperature, tilt heating, power wake-up, automatic sleep, firmware upgrade
  • Applications: Portable for outfields; preheating, desoldering circuit boards, components, LED beads, etc.

Specifications:

  • Heating area: 30mm*30mm
  • Temperature range: 100-350°C
  • Temperature stability: 3%
  • Ground resistance: <2Ω
  • Power: 60W (Max)
  • Power input: PD
  • Size: Controller: L43mm*W35mm*H31mm
  • Hot plate: L31mm*W31mm*H28mm
  • Weight (Controller + Hot plate): 82g

Video

more information: http://www.miniware.com.cn/product/mhp30-mini-hot-plate-preheater/

VINATech VPC Hybrid Capacitors replace Batteries in new, eco-friendly Samsung TV Remote

VINATech Co. has announced that its VPC (Vina Pulse Capacitor) hybrid capacitors are being used in the new 2022 eco-friendly solar cell TV remote control for Samsung Electronics’ recently-launched Neo QLED TV. This is the first time in the world that a hybrid capacitor has completely replaced the battery as the main power source in a TV remote control.

Samsung’s new Eco Remote uses the VINATech VPC hybrid capacitor and energy-harvesting technology. This enables charging to take place even in the dark. VPC is a high power density, eco-friendly hybrid capacitor has been developed by VINATech’s R&D team using innovative technology and expertise built up over 20 years. A VPC hybrid capacitor combines the advantages of supercapacitors and batteries by using different materials for both electrodes.

A supercapacitor is an energy storage device suitable for instantaneous high power output. Advantages are high-speed charging and discharging, long lifespan, and wide operating temperature range. But supercapacitors have less energy density than batteries. In contrast, VPCs have an energy density that is about 10 times higher than that of a supercapacitor of the same size. VPCs also retain the advantages of supercapacitors, such as a faster charging and discharging speed than batteries, and the ability to operate in a wide temperature range from -25 to 85ºC. In addition, unlike batteries, there is no risk of fire or explosion with a VPC.

VPCs are made of eco-friendly materials which help to minimize carbon dioxide emissions in the entire lifecycle from production to disposal. VPCs are also optimized for eco-friendliness because they have a charging/discharging lifespan of more than 50,000 cycles – 100 times longer than for batteries. At CES 2022, Samsung Electronics explained that considering the sales volume and period of use, more than 200 million batteries will be saved. If these saved batteries were arranged in a line, it would extend from Las Vegas (USA) to South Korea.

VINATech’s CEO Do Kyong Sung said:

“VINATech’s products are being recognized by the leading companies around the world for their high performance and quality. We will do our best to create an eco-friendly future through our continuous R&D efforts.”

more information: https://www.vinatech.com/eng/product/lithium-capacitor.php

Lithium batteries oust Zinc and Alkaline

A range of high-quality ULTRA Lithium batteries from VARTA features high quality and performance for energy-intensive applications.

VARTA have launched a range of high-quality ULTRA Lithium batteries featuring high quality and performance for energy-intensive applications, available in popular sizes these primary non-rechargeable batteries are designed for OEM’s and are suitable for powering a wide range of energy demanding products.

Based on Lithium / Iron Disulfide (Li/FeS2) chemistry for AAA and AA sizes and Lithium-Manganese Dioxide chemistry for PP3 9V, the ULTRA Lithium batteries have up to 38 % reduced weight in comparison to Alkaline chemistry batteries. VARTA ULTRA Lithium batteries are perfect for consumer, industrial and outdoor use and work exceptionally well under extreme conditions. The batteries also feature excellent shelf-life storage capability with 15* years power in storage guaranteed (*10 years for PP3).

VARTA ULTRA Lithium batteries are available in 3 popular sizes AAA, AA and PP3 9V making them suitable for a wide range of devices and applications.

VARTA ULTRA Lithium batteries can be used as a direct replacement for traditional Zinc or Alkaline chemistry batteries with no changes to the equipment required. Upgrading to ULTRA Lithium gives an immediate increase in system run time compared with Zinc and Alkaline batteries.

Discover how VARTA, a leader in battery technology and innovation, empowers independence

VARTA ULTRA Lithium batteries can be relied on in a wide range of applications such radios, digital cameras, smart home devices, IoT devices, sports and outdoor equipment, GPS systems and they also work perfectly with safety orientated devices including smoke detectors.

Anglia is offering customers FREE samples of the high quality and performance ULTRA Lithium batteries from VARTA.

4G antenna works on tiny PCBs

Antenova is aiming a pet trackers, wearables and OBD-II designs with a surface-mount 4G antenna that can work on PCBs as small as 40 x 50mm.

Called Pharaoh (part number SR4L073), it covers all 4G frequencies: 698-824MHz, 824-960MHz, 1,710-2,170MHz, 2.3-2.4GHz and 2.5-2.69GHz. Efficiency in the bands is ~20%, 35%, 70%, 60% and 60% respectively.

“The performance of an antenna is directly related to the length of its ground plane,” said company marketing manager Michael Castle. “At the lowest 4G frequency, 698MHz, the wavelength for electromagnetic radiation is 42.95cm. Most antennas require a ground plane of a quarter wavelength, which means they need a space of 107mm to operate effectively. Our Pharaoh antenna uses about half of this area.”

It measures 37 x 13 x 3.3mm, and has been tested with 50 x 40 and 60 x 40mm evaluation boards.

“Critically, the performance on small PCBs is above the level required to pass PTCRB tests for cellular networks”,

according to Antenova.

Features:

  • Frequency: 698 – 824 MHz / 824 – 960 MHz / 1710 – 2170 MHz / 2300 – 2400 MHz / 2500 – 2690 MHz
  • Efficiency: 25% / 35% / 80% / 65% / 60%
  • Dimension: 37.0 x 13.0 x 3.3 mm

A reference design and matching networks are available to help integrate the antenna into a device.

more information: https://www.antenova.com/product/pharaoh/

BIVROST Lite5 mini-STX platform provides up to 96GB RAM for edge computing and machine vision applications

BIVROST Lite5 mini-STX platform

The BIVROST Lite5 STX platform is a 5-inch mini-STX motherboard specifically designed to accommodate the increasing demands of AI/ML, edge computing, and industry 4.0 applications. Lite5 has been built to increase I/O capacity, utilize the capabilities of the unified memory architecture, and enable the ability to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Lite5 hardware platform was designed with the goal of processing media quickly. With a low power capability and smaller carbon footprint, the Intel UHD 630 graphics can greatly enhance video decoding and encoding with multiple streams up to 4K resolution at 60fps. Unifying memory reduces bandwidth needs by increasing usable video memory up to half-installed system memory (8GB in basic configuration) for data-intensive applications. GPGPU computing technologies like OpenCL, DirectCompute, and Vulkan API support are also available on some GPUs.

The hardware is powered by the Intel Core i7-8850H integrated with the above-mentioned UHD Graphics 630 GPU with 6 processor cores and 12 threads clocked at a frequency of 2.6GHz, capable of going up to 4.3GHz on a single core. However, there are other options to choose from in terms of CPU variants Intel Core i5-8400H, Intel Xeon E-2276ME, Intel Core i7-9850HL, and Intel Core i3-9100HL.

When it comes to the operating systems, BIVROST Lite5 mini-STX platform runs Ubuntu Linux 18.04 and its newer versions, as well as supports Windows 10 and 11. The board includes two Gigabit Ethernet connections, 12x USB interfaces, 2x HDMI 2.0 video output, and 5x M.2 extension connectors. It also features the Advantech SOM-5899 COM Express Basic Type 6 module that supports up to 96GB DDR4 ECC memory.

BIVROST’s Lite5 is also shipped with 2x GbE, 2x HDMI 2.0, 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 (USB 3.0), and a massive 8x USB 3.1 Gen2 port. Four of the ports provide dedicated 8Gbps connections, while the fourth port supports 10Gbps connections as well as shared bandwidth choices of up to 32Gbps.

Analysis

BIVROST Lite5 mini-STX platform usecase

One interesting case study is presented by the manufacturer on the product page – multi-cam live video processing. All of this is capable because of the onboard graphics card that supports H.264 and H.265 video encoding techniques that can be accessed through the dual HDMI 2.0 ports. Due to rich input/output ports, real-time 4K video capture, mixing, color grading, and streaming is possible with sub 10 frame latency which is impressive. This is likely not possible on a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B.

The Lite5 can be bought as an OEM, with a development bench table or a CNC milled aluminum chassis as a reference. Further alterations to the chassis design can be ordered depending on the expansion cards chosen or other requirements. Priced at 2,200 Euros in the Core-i5, 16GB RAM, and 250GB SSD configuration, the BIVROST Lite5 mini-STX platform is now available on its product page.

Challenging the Status Quo of Supercapacitors and Batteries by Finding the Unique Middle Ground

Where are Supercapacitors Used?

Supercapacitors are widely used to increase the efficiency of smart meters, UPS, passenger vehicles, wind turbines, AGVs, smart devices, etc. Supercapacitors play a major role in many devices we use or see every day, such as emergency lights, dashcams, elevators (emergency power back-up, regenerative braking), Internet of Things (IoT), and many others. To put it simply, supercapacitors play an important role in products and solutions that make our life not only more convenient but also much safer.

Contrary to conventional batteries, supercapacitors go through several rapid charge-discharge cycles while having higher power density and longer service life. In other words, supercapacitors are of absolute necessity when delivering instantaneous charges is required.

Can Supercapacitors Replace Batteries?

The answer would be “Yes” and “No”. Supercapacitor is known as a next-generation ecofriendly energy storage component. Depending on industries and applications, the supercapacitor’s “territory” is getting wider and wider as an alternative for the battery. Supercapacitor and battery both have different strong points, and those strong points can complement each other. Even though there are a few cases where supercapacitors have already replaced batteries for some industries, generally it’s known that they cannot 100% substitute each other due to the difference in characteristics.

Supercapacitors charge and discharge faster than batteries and have long life cycles. Supercapacitors have limited energy density when compared to batteries. In short, the supercapacitor exhibited unprecedented power density, while the batteries are characterized by superior energy density.

Many battery and energy solution manufacturers have been trying to conquer this gap between batteries and supercapacitors. During the past 20 years, VINATech’s R&D team has been working on a hybrid solution that would take the best from batteries and supercapacitors. This project includes some battery components in combination with the supercapacitor structure. The result is the new VPC (VINA Pulse Capacitor, which is also known as Lithium-Ion Capacitor). This new hybrid solution has many specific features due to which it became a remarkable product on the world’s market of supercapacitors.

In comparison to batteries, VPC (VINA Pulse Capacitor) has a higher rated voltage and wide operating temperature and can go through more than 20,000 charge-discharge cycles. VPC has very low leakage current characteristics and the ESR is very low when compared to Lithium-Ion Batteries. VPC combines the best features of supercapacitors and batteries since it is characterized by a relatively high energy density (advantage of batteries) and high power density (supercapacitors advantage).

As one of the global leading supercapacitor manufacturers, VINATech has been a supplier for the top leading companies in various industries for a long time. This experience combined with the R&D team’s continuous efforts helped VINATech to collect the necessary data and insights about the most urgent needs of today’s supercapacitors market.  VINATech’s R&D team has been working on new technological solutions which are aimed at revolutionizing the world and creating a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.

more information: www.vinatech.com

e-con Systems launches a ready to deploy AI vision kit with e-con’s Sony IMX415 based 4K camera module

Complete AI vision solution | 4K resolution | Qualcomm® QCS610 | Sony STARVIS IMX415| MIPI CSI 2

e-con Systems™, a leading embedded camera company, launches qSmartAI80_CUQ610, a Qualcomm AI vision kit based on Sony STARVIS IMX415. This ready-to-deploy AI camera kit is suitable for running image-based machine learning and deep learning models at the edge.

qSmartAI80_CUQ610 is an AI vision kit comprising of e-con’s 4K MIPI low light camera module,VVDN’s  SoM based on Qualcomm QCS610 SoC, and a carrier board. The 4K camera module is based on the Sony STARVIS™ IMX415 ultra low light sensor which helps in delivering exceptionally clear images even at low light conditions. Also, this kit is engineered to enable powerful computing for on-device image processing with exceptional power and thermal efficiency. In addition to offering the complete vision kit, e-con Systems also extends its customization support for the camera, carrier board, software, and even adding an enclosure. This enables customers to focus on their end application while e-con takes full control of the vision kit and solution.

“The qSmartAI80_CUQ610 AI Vision kit marks a significant milestone as our first ever camera for Qualcomm QCS series of processors utilizing the state-of-the-art Image Signal Processor of Qualcomm processors. The qSmartAI80_CUQ610 developed in partnership with VVDN Technologies, a premier electronics engineering and manufacturing company, is an ideal platform for our customers to develop next generation edge-AI-enabled embedded vision applications. The embedded vision applications require consistent image quality from the cameras irrespective of challenging light conditions and customers leverage e-con’s expert IQ tuning and solutioning capability to successfully launch their end products with shortest time-to-market” said Ranjith Kumar, Senior product manager at e-con Systems™.

Arun Kumar PN, Director of Engineering at VVDN Technologies said,

“We are excited to collaborate and work closely with e-con systems by providing them with our powerful SOM Solution based on QCS610 platform.  VVDN has rich and deep expertise on Qualcomm’s  Snapdragon chipsets on the AI/ML side.  Our goal has always been to offer best in class experience to our customers through the innovative technologies   With VVDN’s QCS610 SOM, e-con’s qSmartAI80_CUQ610 will allow customers to innovate, transform and scale through powerful edge intelligence.”

Key features of qSmartAI80_CUQ610

  • Complete vision solution – Faster product integration and deployment thereby reducing time to market.
  • Sony STARVIS™ IMX415 sensor – This ultra low light sensor helps in delivering exceptionally clear images even at low light conditions. Also, its 4K resolution makes it suitable for applications that require a high level of detail in the output image.
  • Finetuned Image Signal Processor (ISP) – The default Qualcomm ISP has been finetuned further to ensure the best possible image output.
  • Low power consumption – Engineered for optimized power consumption reducing the total load on the system.
  • Small form factor – Perfect for compact embedded systems.

Features such as small form factor, low power consumption, high resolution, low light performance, ability to run image-based machine learning and deep learning models at the edge, and complete customization and end to end solution support make qSmartAI80_CUQ610 perfect for the following applications:

  • Service robots
  • Telemedicine robots
  • Telepresence robots
  • Smart checkouts & carts
  • Smart signages & kiosks
  • Dash cameras and body cameras
  • Automated sports broadcasting systems

Video

Availability

Visit qSmartAI80_CUQ610 and contact us for purchase.

Customization and integration support

For qSmartAI80_CUQ610, e-con Systems offers complete customization support not just limited to the camera, but also for the carrier board, software, and enclosure. Please write to us at camerasolutions@econsystems.com if you are looking for any customization or integration support.

ASRock Industrial Unveils the 4X4 BOX-5000 Series with AMD Zen 3 Ryzen™ 5000 APUs for Energized Performance

ASRock Industrial announces the 4X4 BOX-5000 Series Mini PCs 4X4 BOX-5800U, 4X4 BOX-5600U, and 4X4 BOX-5400U, with enhancement powered by AMD Zen 3 Ryzen™ 5000 U-Series APUs- Ryzen™ 7 5800U, Ryzen™ 5 5600U, and Ryzen™ 3 5400U up to 8 cores/16 threads to energize performance, energy efficiency, and lower latency. Featuring a powerful yet compact design, the 4X4 BOX-5000 Series supports quad display outputs up to 4K with AMD Radeon™ Graphics for the enhanced visual experience. The Series also includes dual LAN ports up to 2.5 Gigabit with one DASH function and Wi-Fi 6E support of 6GHz band for real-time connections. Moreover, it can uphold one M.2 Key M, one SATA 3.0 for storage, and five USB ports (three USB 3.2 Gen 2, two USB 2.0) for ultra-connectivity. The energized features make it the world’s most advanced core for a wide range of home and business applications such as gaming, content creation, working from home, KIOSK, digital signage, and many more.

AMD Zen 3 Ryzen™ 5000 APUs Energize Performance to a Green New Level

With AMD Ryzen™ 5000U Series Processors- Zen 3 Core Architecture, the 4X4 BOX-5000 Series Mini PCs deliver energized performance and reduced latency with up to 17% single-thread and multi-thread performance compared to Zen 2 along with improved graphics capabilities with AMD Radeon™ Graphics. Spanning from the flagship 4X4 BOX-5800U, 4X4 BOX-5600U, and 4X4 BOX-5400U, the new Series is powered by AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800U, Ryzen™ 5 5600U, Ryzen™ 3 5400U to increase power efficiency with lower power consumption- 6.7W at idle. The 4X4 BOX-5000 Series also supports dual-channel DDR4 3200MHz SO-DIMM memory up to 64GB for uncompromised multitask computing capabilities.

4K Quad Displays, Dual LAN up to 2.5GbE and Wi-Fi 6E Support of 6GHz Band

The 4X4 BOX-5000 Series enhances working, learning, and gaming experiences all in one go. Key features include four displays outputs and integrated AMD® Radeon™ Graphics, the 4X4 BOX-5000 Series Mini PCs support one HDMI 2.0a, three DisplayPort 1.2a with two from USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type C) to hold four monitors up to 4096×2160@60Hz for a refreshing visual experience. Moreover, there is one 2.5 Gigabit LAN, one 1 Gigabit LAN with Dash function, plus M.2 Key E for Wi-Fi 6E support of 6GHz band, and Bluetooth 5.2 to speed up data transmission, lower latency, enabling real-time connections, remote management functions for the energized experience.

Expanded Flexibility with Ultra-Connectivity

The 4X4 BOX-5000 Series Mini PCs provide ultra-connectivity with a diverse set of I/Os for extended versatility and flexibility, including one USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type A), two USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type C) supporting DP1.2a, and one audio jack on the front panel. There is also one HDMI 2.0a, one DP 1.2a, one 2.5 Gigabit LAN, one Gigabit LAN, two USB 2.0, and one DC jack on the rear panel. The Series comes in an ultra-compact size of 110.0 x 117.5 x 47.85mm with fanned barebone, while supporting one M.2 Key M, 2242/2260/2280, and SATA 3.0 for NVMe SSD, or HDD, making it easy to carry out storages upgrades. There is also TPM 2.0 onboard for enhanced hardware-based security in support of the Windows 11 upgrade and VESA mounting to save desk space and easily mount a Mini PC to the back of your monitor.

For more product information please go to our website asrockind.com

IBASE Partners with AI Chipmaker Hailo to Launch Edge AI Computing System with 5G Connectivity

IBASE Technology Inc., a leading provider of robust embedded computing platforms, is proud to announce its partnership with leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) chipmaker Hailo. IBASE and Hailo are launching the 11th Gen Intel® Core™ U-Series-based (formerly Tiger Lake) ASB210-953-AI edge AI computing system, targeted at smart Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) applications in multiple sectors, including smart cities, industry 4.0, and the automotive industry.

Integrated with the Hailo-8™ M.2 AI acceleration module, the ASB210-953-AI provides unparalleled performance, with up to 26 Tera-Operations Per Second (TOPS) and high-power efficiency. Measuring 180x150x72mm (WxDxH), the compact system comes with flexible expansion supporting high-speed 5G connectivity and three M.2 modules – B-Key, E-Key and M-Key (with the Hailo-8 AI module installed) – allowing customers to accelerate time to market.

“Our collaboration with Hailo enables us to offer customers edge AI inference systems with unprecedented performance and responsiveness.” said Albert Lee, Executive Vice President at IBASE. “With a best-in-class AI processor packaged in a module, the Hailo-8 is compatible with NGFF M.2 form factor, as well as with M, B+M and A+E keys that can be perfectly adopted in our ASB210-953-AI platform to execute real-time deep neural network inferencing in a wide range of market applications.”

“We are excited to partner with a market leader like IBASE to bring the performance capabilities of their deep learning solutions to a new level and enable smarter AI products,” said Liran Bar, VP Business Development at Hailo. “We look forward to offering our reimagined AI processors to more embedded computing applications via IBASE solutions.”

IBASE will be presenting a live demo with the AI solution at the coming 2022 SPS Italia, Automate, and Embedded World exhibitions. All visitors are welcome to stop by the IBASE booth when they visit the shows.

TOP PCB Companies