ESP32 Simulator is Open Source Testing Tool for ESP32 Applications

ESP32 board

ESP32 simulator is open-source software, which simulates many of the features of the ESP32 microcontroller. It is a great tool for testing your code before getting started with the hardware aspects. The software also provides various templates, with provision for customization. It also has all the benefits of open-source software. Don’t find something, create a pull request. What’s more, you can also vote for whichever features you would like to prioritize development.

The features of the ESP32 microcontroller are quite significant before focusing on the ESP32 simulation. So, below is a consolidated glimpse of ESP32 and its features.

Features of ESP32

ESP32 is a series of low-cost, low-power system-on-chip microcontrollers with integrated Wi-Fi and dual-mode Bluetooth. It shares many functionalities with the Arduino and can be programmed with the Arduino IDE. ESP32 is basically an easy upgrade path to wireless communications for seasoned Arduino users.

The ESP32 supports many peripherals such as capacitive touch, ADC, DAC, I2C, SPI, UART, I2S, PWM. It is appropriate for IoT Projects and enables Bluetooth communications for Smartphone applications.

ESP32

The ESP32 peripherals include 10 Capacitive sensing GPIOs. They can detect variations in any medium carrying an electric charge. Hence, these capture the variation induced when touching the GPIOs with a finger. You can remove the need for mechanical buttons by integrating these pins into capacitive pads to provide touchscreen functionality.

You can generate variable PWM signals by configuring the 16 channels provided by the ESP32 LED PWM controller. To set a PWM signal, signal frequency, duty cycle, PWM channel, and PWM output GPIOs must be configured in the code. Also, ESP32 has 18 Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) channels, 3 SPI interfaces, 3 UART interfaces, 2 I2C interfaces, 2 Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC), and 2 I2S interfaces.

The ESP32 also features a built-in hall effect sensor that detects changes in the magnetic field in its surroundings.

ESP32 Simulator

ESP32 is open-source software that can simulate the behavior of an ESP32 microcontroller. You can test your code in this software to avoid any unexpected behavior during real-time execution on the actual ESP32 chip.

The ESP32 Simulator software is currently in beta. There are two ESP32 boards as of now:

You can use the ESP32 simulator in 3 ways: Build projects using the ESP32 Arduino Core, Run MicroPython projects, or Simulate bin application files you built on your machine (e.g. using ESP-IDF). Some of the features of ESP32 implemented in the ESP32 simulator software are Processor Core – both cores are simulated, GPIO with interrupts supported, PSRAM4MB external SRAM, UART, I2C, WiFi, ADC, Random Number Generator, and AES/SHA/RSA accelerator.

  • Features like IOMUX, RMT, Timers, and RTC are partially implemented.
  • Features like I2S, SPI, PWM, DMA, Bluetooth, Watchdog and Hall-Effect Sensor have not been simulated yet.

Since the software is open-source, you can also contribute to any feature you might by creating a pull request.

Also for many of the above non-simulated features, there is provision to vote. Based on the results of the vote, the existing community would prioritize the development of the simulation of the most voted-for features.

Getting Started

You can use the ESP32 simulator to run different kinds of applications:

  1. ESP32 Arduino Core projects (including ESP-IDF projects)
  2. MicroPython and CircuitPython projects (examples at https://wokwi.com/micropython)
  3. Rust projects (see https://wokwi.com/rust)
  4. Custom application firmware files (e.g. applications built using the ESP-IDF)
  5. Start from the Arduino-ESP32 Project Template, or from the ESP32 Blink Example.

For more details, please visit ESP32 Simulation | Wokwi Docs

Analog Devices Inc. LTC4451 40V 7A Ideal Diode

Analog Devices Inc. LTC4451 40V 7A Ideal Diode is a high-performance Schottky diode replacement using an integrated N-Channel power MOSFET. It easily ORs power supplies together to increase system reliability and prevent reverse conduction.

The LTC4451 regulates the forward voltage at 15mV to minimize power loss compared to Schottky diodes. Regulation ensures smooth current transfer without oscillation in diode-OR applications. When the power MOSFET is fully enhanced, the RDS(ON) of the transistor is 21mΩ. The power MOSFET is rated for forward conduction up to 7A while dissipating 1.34W. A fast transient response, a high-performance gate driver minimizes forward power dissipation and reverse current. The VCC input allows VIN to work down to ground for low voltage applications. The Analog Devices Inc. LTC4451 is available in a small 16-Lead 2mm × 3mm LQFN Package.

Features

  • Reduces power dissipation by replacing a power Schottky diode with no external components
  • Internal 7A, 21mΩ N-Channel MOSFET
  • 15mV regulated forward voltage
  • 20μA operating current, 0.8μA shutdown
  • Wide 0V to 40V input range with VCC > 2.75V
  • Fast turn-on minimizes voltage droop
  • Fast reverse recovery time minimizes reverse transient current
  • Smooth switchover in diode-OR applications
  • 16-Lead 2mm × 3mm LQFN package

Application Diagram

more information: https://www.analog.com/en/products/ltc4451.html

Diodes Incorporated AP3928 Universal AC Step Down Power Switcher

Diodes Incorporated AP3928 Universal AC Step Down Power Switcher is intended for home appliances and IoT applications with a non-isolated buck solution. The AP3928 integrates a 700V high-performance MOSFET and coordinates with a single-winding inductor. This high-level integration results in fewer external components and allows a low bill of materials (BOM) cost solution.

The Diodes AP3928 Universal AC Step Down Power Switcher delivers a high output current, excellent constant voltage regulation, and high conversion efficiency. The peak current and switching frequency continuously reduce as the load decreases, enabling superior performance at light load and improving overall system efficiency.

Multiple protection features on the AP3928 switcher enhance the system’s safety and reliability. These protections include overtemperature protection, under-voltage lock function, output short protection, overload protection, and open-loop protection.

The AP3928 is offered in the SO-8 (standard) package.

Features

  • Universal 85VAC to 300VAC input range
  • Internal MOSFET of 700V
  • 1.1A Typical maximal peak current
  • Maximum 600mA rated output current
  • Up to 10W output power
  • <30mW with External bias no-load power consumption
  • Frequency modulation to suppress EMI
  • OTP (Overtemperature protection), OLP (Overload protection), SCP (Short-circuit protection)
  • Fewer components
  • Low audible noise solution
  • SO-8 (Standard) package
  • Totally lead-free and fully RoHS compliant
  • Halogen and antimony free, “green” device

Application Diagram

more information: https://www.diodes.com/part/view/AP3928/

Picoclick C3T IoT Button Built Around ESP32-C3 RISC-V Processor – Supports WiFi and BLE

Picoclick C3T IoT button

For smart home and automation applications, you might require a user button featuring advanced wireless connectivity like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low-Energy. In most cases, this wireless connectivity helps the operator connect the user button to its hardware system. Also, with the recent innovation and adoption of RISC-V instruction set architecture, manufacturers and makers desire to produce embedded devices that feature at least one RISC-V component. As we saw, Sipeed’s Tang Nano 9K does not include a hardcore RISC-V processor but shows compatibility with RISC-V softcore PicoRV. A German maker, [makermoekoe] designed a compact Wi-Fi and BLE IoT button, named Picoclick C3T IoT button, which can be used as an actuator for IFTTT automation (“an automation tool that lets you script actions together across apps and services, without needing to code”) or as an MQTT device.

The IoT button is built on the ESP32-C3 RISC-V processor which is clocked at 160MHz frequency. This ultra-low-power system-on-chip featuring a single-core CPU supports wireless connectivity IEEE 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 5. For the Wi-Fi subsystem, the die supports Station mode and SoftAP mode. State-of-the-art power and RF performance along with reliable security features ensured by cryptographic hardware accelerator, random number generator, and permission control on accessing internal memory and peripherals.

Specifications of Picoclick C3T IoT button

  • SoC: ESP32-C3 RISC-V processor @160MHz
    • 32-bit RISC-V single-core processor
    • CoreMark score: 1 core at 160MHz: 407.22 CoreMark; 2.55 CoreMark/MHz
    • Memory: 400kB SRAM (16kB for Cache) and 8kB for RTC
    • Interfaces: SPI, Dual SPI, Quad SPI, QPI
    • Peripheral Interfaces: 22x GPIOs, 3x SPI, 2x UART, 1x I2C, 1x I2S, LED PWM Controller, USB Serial/JTAG controller, Remote control peripherals, General DMA controller
    • Analog interfaces: 2x 12-bit SAR ADCs, 1x temperature sensor
  • Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g/n supporting 20MHz and 40MHz bandwidth in 2.4GHz band, Bluetooth LE: Bluetooth 5 and Bluetooth Mesh
  • Power consumption: 3µA in standby mode
  • Powering options: Single-cell LiPo battery and USB Type-C for battery charging
  • LED: WS2812 2020 RGB LED
  • Dimension: 10.5×18 mm

“The Picoclick makes use of the native USB/JTAG-console of the ESP32-C3 and therefore doesn’t need a USB2Serial adapter like a CP2102N or CH340,” the maker explains. “Flashing and working with the serial console/monitor can be done as usual.”

If you are interested in purchasing the hardware, priced at $22.00 on the Tindie store.

E-peas’ EDMS105N General Purpose Microcontroller For Sensing Applications

E-peas EDMS105N MCU

At CES 2022, Belgium fabless semiconductor company, E-peas, known for ultra-low-power and high-performance circuits in reducing energy consumption for IoT applications, announced a general-purpose microcontroller, EDMS105N. As the name suggests, EDMS stands for edge device microcontroller for sensing applications is an ultra-low-power device with an active power management unit. Low power consumption both in active and standby mode has made it a competitive choice for sensing applications. This saves power in standby mode and consumes minimum power for processing capabilities.

At the heart of EDMS105 microcontroller is the 32-bit Arm Cortex-M0 processor running at a clock frequency of 24MHz. Tightly integrated processor core demonstrates 18µA/MHz CoreMark performance with a required power supply of 1.8 to 3.3V. Also comes the built-in power management unit featuring inductive buck converters and LDOs for reduced BOM. There are multiple operating models based on the Arm Active, Sleep, and Deep-sleep modes for different levels of power and clock gating.

Specifications of EDMS105N Microcontroller:

  • Processor: ARM Cortex-M0 32-bit architecture
    • Clock speed: 24MHz
    • DeepSleep current: 340nA
    • Active current: 18µA/MHz
  • Memory: 32kB SRAM
  • Flash: 256kB of non-volatile single-cycle flash memory
  • Communication: 2x UART, 2x SPI, 2x I2C, 2x I2S, 48x GPIOs
  • Security: 1x 128-bit AES module, Random number generator
  • Analog interfaces: 1x 12-bit ADC with 8 channels, 1x rail-to-rail analog comparator

E-peas Microcontroller

According to the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of E-peas, Geoffroy Gosset,

“The release of our EDMS105N MCU is the culmination of many years of in-depth research and development work, and we are excited to see how extensive an impact it will have on the IoT sector in the years ahead.” “This is the first of a series of announcements that are going to take us towards being a one-stop-shop for all the key IC components needed for extremely low power systems,” he continues.

The manufacturer did not provide details on the availability and pricing of the microcontroller, but you can discuss your use case with the team for ease of integration.

Download this free MEMS accelerometers Whitepaper from Analog Devices to learn why they are used in CbM applications

The global condition-based monitoring (CbM) market has experienced significant growth over the past few years, and this looks set to continue. This growth coincides with the rapid advancement of MEMS accelerometers for use in vibration sensing applications, now rivaling the once-dominant piezoelectric or PZT accelerometer. There is an increased demand for CbM on less critical assets as well as a growing adoption rate of wireless CbM systems, and MEMS accelerometers are the key to this. This article will compare MEMS accelerometers to piezoelectric accelerometers to highlight just how far MEMS sensors have come in their short lifetime. Key design considerations for MEMS accelerometers in CbM applications will also be discussed with a comparison of five MEMS sensors from three different vendors.

DOWNLOAD WHITEPAPER

Texas Instruments TPSM8282x/TPSM8282xA Buck Converter Power Modules

5.5-V input, 2-A step-down module with integrated inductor in 2 x 2.5 x 1.1-mm μSIP package

Texas Instruments TPSM8282x/TPSM8282xA 1A/2A/3A Buck Converter Power Modules are converters in a MicroSiP™ power module optimized for small solution size and high efficiency. The TI power modules integrate a synchronous step-down converter and an inductor to simplify design, reduce external components, and save the PCB area. The low profile and compact solution are suitable for automated assembly by standard surface mount equipment. To maximize efficiency, the converter operates in PWM mode with a nominal switching frequency of 4MHz and automatically enters Power Save Mode operation at light load currents.

In Power Save Mode, the device operates with typically 4µA quiescent current. Using the DCS-Control topology, the device achieves excellent load transient performance and accurate output voltage regulation. The EN and PG pins, which support sequencing configurations, bring a flexible system design. An integrated soft startup reduces the inrush current required from the input supply. Over temperature protection and hiccup short circuit protection deliver a robust and reliable solution.

Features

  • Low profile MicroSiP™ power module
  • Up to 95% efficiency
  • 2.4V to 5.5V input voltage range
  • 0.6V to 4V adjustable output voltage
  • 4µA operating quiescent current
  • DCS-control topology
  • Power save mode for light load efficiency
  • 100% duty cycle for the lowest dropout
  • Hiccup short circuit protection
  • Output discharge
  • Power good output
  • Integrated soft startup
  • Overtemperature protection
  • 2.0mmx2.5mmx1.1mm 10-Pin µSiL package
  • 29mm2 total solution size

Block Diagram

more information: https://www.ti.com/product/TPSM82822

N-Channel MOSFETs deliver ultra-low on-resistance

Vishay’s N-Channel MOSFETs combine ultra-low on-resistance with high temperature operation for telecom and industrial applications.

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. has introduced two new N-channel TrenchFET MOSFETs that combine ultra-low on-resistance with high temperature operation to 175°C and high continuous drain current handling. Together, these features offer increased power density, efficiency, and board-level reliability in telecom and industrial applications.

In addition, the 60 V SiJH600E and 80 V SiJH800E N-channel MOSFETs, housed in the space-saving PowerPAK 8x8L package, helps deliver board-level reliability thanks to its bond wireless construction and gullwing leads for mechanical stress relief.

The ultra-low on-resistance of the SiJH600E and SiJH800E0.65 mΩ and 1.22 mΩ typical at 10 V, respectively — is 54% and 52% lower than same-generation devices in the PowerPAK SO-8, said Vishay. This results in energy savings by minimizing power losses due to conduction added the company.

For increased power density, the SiJH600E and SiJH800E deliver continuous drain current of 373 A and 288 A, respectively, in a package that is 60% smaller and 57% thinner than the D²PAK. Each MOSFET can be used in place of two PowerPAK SO-8 devices in parallel to save space, said Vishay.

Target applications include synchronous rectification in power supplies, motor drive control, battery management, and power tool applications. The SiJH600E and SiJH800E devices are lead (Pb)-free, halogen-free, and RoHS-compliant. They also are 100% Rg and UIS tested. Samples are available now.

more information: https://www.vishay.com/ppg?63073

ROHM Semiconductor BU27006MUC-Z Digital Color Sensor ICs

ROHM Semiconductor BU27006MUC-Z Digital Color Sensor ICs sense Red, Green, Blue (RGB), and Infrared and converts them to digital values. The high sensitivity, wide dynamic range, and excellent IR cut characteristics make it possible to obtain the accurate illuminance and color temperature of ambient light. It is also possible to detect flicker light noise of display and room lighting. It is ideal for adjusting LCD backlight of TV, mobile phone, and tablet PC.

Features

  • RGB/IR + flicker detection
  • Built-in IR cut filter
  • Rejecting 50Hz/60Hz light noise for the color sensor
  • I2C Bus interface (f/s mode support)
  • Correspond to 1.8V logic interface
  • LUX resolution 0.015lx/count (Typ) in the color sensor (in the highest gain and the longest measurement time setting)
  • Sampling frequency 1kHz/2kHz is selectable in flicker sensor

more information: https://www.rohm.com/products/sensors-mems/color-sensor-ics/bu27006muc-z-product

DFRobot Non-contact Flexible Liquid Level Sensor

DFRobot Non-contact Flexible Liquid Level Sensor uses a flexible substrate with a light and thin design. With temperature-resistant and waterproof 3M adhesive tape on the back, it can be easily attached on surfaces of any kind of non-conductive container whose thickness is less than 5mm. The sensor outputs digital high/low level (low when liquid detected) and adopts a 3-pin DuPont connector.

Working Principle

The intelligent liquid level sensor uses the sensing capacitance of water to detect the presence of liquid. When there is no liquid approaching the sensor, the sensor has a certain static capacitance due to the distributed capacitance. When the liquid level slowly rises close to the inductor, the parasitic capacitance of the liquid will be coupled to the static capacitor, causing the final capacitance of the inductor to become larger. The changed capacitance signal is then input to the control IC for signal conversion, which will change. The capacitance is converted into the amount of change of an electrical signal, and then a certain algorithm detects and judges the degree of the change. When the amount of change exceeds a certain threshold, the liquid level is considered to reach the sensing point.

Specification

  • Working Voltage: 2.5~5.5VDC
  • Working Current: 5V – 290uA 3V – 235uA
  • Output: low (liquid detected), high level (no liquid detected)
  • Detection Distance: 5mm
  • Hysteresis: ±0.25%FS
  • Protection Level: IP62
  • Working Temperature: -30~85℃
  • Weight: 2g

Features

  • With light and thin design
  • Can be attached on surfaces of the non-conductive container

Applications

  • Water tank detection
  • Beverage machine
  • Water pipe level detection
  • Scientific experiment test tube level detection

more information: https://www.dfrobot.com/product-2463.html

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