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AAEON Celebrates Launch of 3rd Generation Intel® Xeon® SP Processors and Announces ARES-WHI0 Server Board

Posted on 29 April, 2021 by mixos

AAEON, an industry leader of AI and IOT solutions, is excited to celebrate the launch of Intel’s latest scalable platform, the 3rd Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors (formerly Ice Lake-SP). As an associate member of the Intel® IoT Solutions Alliance, AAEON is excited to bring this new technology to market with the ARES-WHI0 industrial ATX server board and other future products.

The 3rd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors deliver the next generation of high-end computing performance and support for vital data integrity and security technologies. This new generation of Xeon SP brings higher processing speeds and Intel’s Deep Learning Boost technology, allowing for greater acceleration and more efficient processing for AI server applications.

With the launch of the 3rd Generation Intel Xeon SP, AAEON announces their latest platform, the ARES-WHI0 industrial ATX server board. The ARES-WHI0 takes advantage of the Whitley platform to deliver performance and support for a wide range of deployments from server board, AI computing, and industrial control applications.

The ARES-WHI0 comes equipped with three PCIe Gen 4 [x16] slots and one PCIe 3.0 [x8] with [x16] form factor, allowing the board to power up to four GPUs. This support enables the ARES-WHI0 to power performance demanding applications from AI Edge server to AI-based visual inspection. Additionally, the ARES-WHI0 offers three PCIe 3.0 [x4] slots ([x8] form factor), perfect for frame grabbers, AI accelerators or adding on various functions to meet the needs of individual applications.

AAEON has leveraged their expertise in industrial computing to deliver a board that can integrate easily into various deployments with I/O features including DIO, COM, Audio Jack, and VGA ports. Additionally, AAEON brings leading service and support to ensure the ARES-WHI0 delivers consistent, reliable and long-lasting performance, all at a price point to meet any budget.

The ARES-WHI0 delivers support for greater storage capability, with eight SATA III (6.0 Gbps) ports, with RAID support, as well as NVMe. The board also features support for the latest Intel® Optane™ Persistent Memory 200 Series Modules, allowing greater flexibility and storage speeds in data server applications.

AAEON has worked closely with Intel to deliver an innovative server board solution which leverages the latest in Intel technologies with the 3rd Generation Intel Xeon SP. For more information on how the ARES-WHI0 can bring next generation technologies to your server, AI, and industrial applications, visit www.aaeon.com.

This MintyCharger Is Designed For All 9V PP3 Batteries In The Market

Posted on 28 April, 20211 May, 2021 by Abhishek Jadhav

With the increase in the demand for 9V PP3 batteries, there is a significant need for an efficient charger. One might be able to find several PP3 batteries that are manufactured majority being NiMH, however, there is an alternative of Li-Ion batteries. This has made it difficult to get a suitable charger for your rechargeable PP3 batteries. Some battery chargers provide 7.2V up to 9.6V but are limited to certain battery chemistry. This new product, MintyCharger, is an invention to solve this confusion and chaos. For those looking for a single battery charger that can work on every single PP3 battery out there in the market, this will work seamlessly through its compact form fact.

There are several things that you can look for while buying a battery charger for your 9V PP3 batteries, one of which is avoidance of overcharging of batteries. To resolve this, MintyCharger comes with a refresh function that allows the hardware to perform a full discharge/charge cycle. This helps to improve battery life when several chargers in the market abuse them by over-discharge. Looking at the internals of this battery charger, we noticed that it works on the Microchip PIC16F18325-I/SL as the main controller. With this 8-bit microcontroller getting 14KB flash memory is capable of supplying 7.2V, 8.4V, 9.6V outputs for NiMH batteries while 7.4V for Li-Ion batteries.

In the current/voltage sensing part of the circuitry, the hardware is designed with two operational amplifiers LM258ADR. Both the operational amplifiers are in negative feedback with one being through a feedback resistor. There are also two 8-bit serial-in parallel-out shift registers for the configuration indicators that are connected to 11 LEDs onboard. This detailed internal circuitry helps us to understand the efficient and compact design to charge all the 9V PP3 batteries.

“The charger can be powered from any regular USB port using a Micro-B cable.”

The MintyCharger is priced at $18.90 for the assembled board and $24.90 for the assembled board with Altoids tin. If you are interested in buying the product, head to the Tindie product page. However, if you buy the charger, the manufacturer has provided a detailed guide for the setup.

LT3950 – 60V, 1.5A LED Driver with Internal Exponential Scale Dimming

Posted on 28 April, 202128 April, 2021 by mixos

High contrast applications (day to night) require high dimming ratios, and ADI’s LT3950 provides up to 20,000:1 dimming ratio, providing high dynamic range dimming for day/night vision. The flexibility to combine with analog input dimming provides accurate LED brightness control and eliminates the need for a microcontroller.

The LT3950 is a multi-topology DC/DC converter designed specifically to drive high current LEDs. It contains a 1.5 A, 60 V DMOS switch and supports an external PWM dimming PMOS. The LT3950 has an internal PWM generator for dimming that maps an analog control signal to an exponential scale used to define PWM dimming duty ratio. Using an exponential scale to define duty ratio preserves dimming resolution across a wide range of LED current. In addition to operating as a constant current source, the LT3950 also provides output voltage regulation. This can be used to prevent damage to the part in case of open LED events. A programmable switching frequency offers flexibility in design for higher efficiency or reduced component size. Enabling spread spectrum frequency modulation reduces EMI. The switching frequency can also easily be synchronized by driving the SYNC/SPRD pin with an external clock. LED current is programmed with a single external sense resistor and can be adjusted from zero to full-scale by an analog signal at the CTRL pin.

DC2788A is a boost LED driver featuring the LT3950. This demonstration circuit powers a string of LEDs at 330 mA. The step-up topology can be used to drive a string of up to 28 V of LEDs as assembled. The maximum output voltage capability of the LT3950 is 60 V. DC2788A runs from an input voltage range of 6 V to 24 V as built. It also runs at 2 MHz and has the capability to turn on spread spectrum frequency modulation (SSFM) for a frequency range of 2.0 MHz to 2.5 MHz. Dimming control can be achieved with analog dimming or PWM dimming either from an external or an internally generated clock source. DC2788A features undervoltage lockout (UVLO) set at 6.6 V with a 1.0 V hysteresis for turn-on.

The UVLO voltage, LED current, output voltage range, switching frequency, brightness control, SSFM, and the topology can all be adjusted with simple modifications to the demonstration circuit.

Features

20,000:1 external PWM (pulse-width modulation) dimming allows high dynamic range dimming of the LED load
Accurate PWM control and short-circuit protection so it can maintain constant brightness of LEDs in side-by-side strings and protect LEDs from damage
SSFM ensures low EMI performance; passes CISPR25 Class 5; synchronized to PWM frequency to eliminate visible LED flicker

more information: https://www.analog.com/en/products/lt3950.html

NJM17431 Shunt Regulator in SOT package

Posted on 27 April, 202127 April, 2021 by mixos

New Japan Radio’s improved reference voltage accuracy shunt regulator is suited for industrial or home applications

NJR’s NJM17431 is an adjustable precision shunt regulator where the output voltage may be set to any value between V_REF (about 2.5 V) and 36 V by two resistors. The NJM17431 features improved reference voltage accuracy and safety operating boundary area connected large capacitance. Therefore, the NJM17431 is suitable for various applications such as industrial equipment and home appliances.

Features

Operating voltage V_REF to 36 V
Precision voltage reference: 2.495 V ±0.8% and 2.5 V ±0.8%
Adjustable output voltage
Wide safety operating boundary area
Bipolar technology
Package SOT-23-5 , SOT-89-3 (UD)

more information: https://www.njr.com/electronic_device/products/NJM17431.html

ASCB-UTC2-0A30B Tricolor PLCC-6 LED

Posted on 27 April, 2021 by mixos

Broadcom’s ASCB-UTC2-0A30B tricolor PLCC-6 LEDs feature a full black body appearance that enhances the contrast of the display

The Broadcom ASCB-UTC2 is a tricolor PLCC-6 LED with individually addressable pins for each color. The package is 2.8 mm × 2.8 mm and is targeted for a small pitch display. The full black body appearance enhances the contrast of the display. To facilitate easy pick-and-place assembly, the LEDs are packed in tape and reel form. Every reel is shipped in single intensity and color bin to ensure uniformity.

Features

PLCC-6 package full black body
Short leads for better potting process
Diffused encapsulation
Compatible with the reflow soldering process
MSL 5a

more information: https://www.broadcom.com/products/leds-and-displays/surface-mount-plcc/plcc-6-leds/ascb-utc2-0a30b

FLIR Lepton 3.0 & 3.5 Micro Thermal Camera Modules

Posted on 27 April, 202127 April, 2021 by mixos

FLIR Lepton 3.0 and 3.5 Micro Thermal Camera Modules offer 160 x 120 active pixels and <50mK thermal sensitivity in a small 11.8mm x 12.7mm x 7.2mm package. The 3.0 module is non-radiometric, while the 3.5 module has a radiometric thermal imaging system. Both modules feature a CCI (I²C-like) control port and video over SPI video data interface. While the 3.5 offers the same size, it also provides calibrated radiometric output across the entire 19,200 pixel array. FLIR Lepton 3.0 and 3.5 Micro Thermal Camera Modules feature low power consumption, unmatched image quality, and simple integration.

Features

Enhanced IR Sensor
- 160 x 120 active pixels
- Low operating power
- Low power standby mode
Micro Thermal Imager
- 56° lens
- Integrated digital thermal image processing
- Integrated shutter
- Fast time to image (<0.5 seconds)
- Increased scene dynamic range of +400°C (Lepton 3.5 module only)
Ease of Integration
- SPI video interfaces
- Uses standard cell phone-compatible power supplies
- Two-wire serial control interface
- 32-pin socket interface to connector

Specifications

12µm pixel size
8.7Hz effective frame rate
<50mK thermal sensitivity
Longwave infrared, 8µm to 14µm spectral range
25MHz nominal input clock range
10.5mm x 12.7mm x 7.14mm package dimensions
0.9 grams of weight
Optimum Operating Temperature Range
- -10°C to +65°C (3.0 module)
- -10°C to +80°C (3.5 module)

FLIR Lepton Camera Breakout Board v2.0

FLIR Lepton Camera Breakout Board v2.0 quickly connects all versions of the FLIR Lepton camera module to common platforms like Raspberry Pi or custom hardware. This easy-to-interface evaluation board provides onboard power supplies, generated from 3V to 5.5V, and a master clock. By using a jumper, the master clock, local power supplies, and power-up sequence components can be bypassed. FLIR Lepton Camera Breakout Board is designed for applications where SWaP, cost, and quality are critical.

Features

Space-saving
Works with all FLIR Lepton modules
Access to SPI and I²C camera module interfaces
Dual low-noise LDO
Designed for quick prototyping and development, not for production use

more information: https://www.flir.eu/products/lepton/

SparkFun LoRa Gateway Module Boosts The Capabilities With ESP32 MCU

Posted on 27 April, 202127 April, 2021 by Abhishek Jadhav

We have covered several LoRaWAN Gateway modules, with one of the latest being the Seeed Studio’s WM1302. However, for those who don’t know much about wireless communication protocols, then LoRaWAN and LoRa are two different things and are not interchangeable. To understand in short, LoRa is a non-cellular modulation technology for LoRaWAN. One of the recently manufactured LoRa Gateway modules was developed by SparkFun based on the ESP32-WROOM-32 MCU.

Just as other similar modules, even this has a minimalistic hardware design and has the same form factor as the previous versions. If you have used the predecessor WRL-15006 ROHS that is LoRa Gateway – 1 -Channel (ESP32) module. In that case, you won’t find any specific difference between the modules, except the updated module has MCU with 16 MB flash memory than 4 MB. However, if you aren’t looking for more flash memory for your application, there is no need to upgrade as the cost of this new product is the same as the old one. This might be a good deal for a designer who has not used the SparkFun LoRa Gateway module and is looking for one to aid in their application.

Looking at the specifications, you will notice that as expected from any LoRa Gateway module, this one also supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless communication protocol. Thanks to the integrated MCU that has provided the module with wide capabilities that you can explore. Apart from these wireless communication protocols, the module primarily has an RFM95W LoRa modem that operates in the range of 868/915 MHz frequency and is designed for ultra-long range spread spectrum communication based applications.

“The LoRa Gateway 1-Channel is a monster 3-network capable device thanks to an ESP32 module and an RFM95W LoRa modem. The RFM95W handles the 915 MHz band while the ESP32 takes care of bluetooth and WiFi. One of the ideal uses is to convert LoRa (Long Range) radio messages into data packets that you can access via the web, but of course, the flexibility it offers can be put to many more uses!”

If you plan to buy the SparkFun LoRa Gateway module, head to the product page where it is priced at $34.95.

Beacon EmbeddedWork’s Zoom i.MX 8M Mini Development Kit For Industrial Applications

Posted on 27 April, 2021 by Abhishek Jadhav

Recently, Minnesota-based embedded electronic device manufacturer Beacon EmbeddedWorks has released a new development kit that lets you add their in-house SOMs that are widely used to reduce time to market. The all-new Zoom i.MX 8M Mini Development Kit gets support for Beacon EmbeddedWorks i.MX 8M System on Module (SOM) increasing its performance and versatility. With the integration of i.MX 8M Mini SOM, you can design several interesting applications due to its vast support for wireless communication. The comprehensive kit comes with an LCD touch screen panel, an HDMI port, some stereo input/output jacks, and ethernet connectors. The manufacturer has also provided the kit with USB ports and PC card expansions that let you add several functionalities like video graphics cards that are used to enhance video quality.

Before getting into much detail about the development kit, let us first look at the support for i.MX 8M Mini SOM that is produced with an NXP i.MX 8M Mini processor with up to four ARM Cortex-A53 cores, clocked up to 1.8 GHz, along with an ARM Cortex-M4 core running up to 400 MHz. Including this, the system on the module provides 8GB of 32-bit wide LPDDR4 memory, which is more than enough for most of the applications. Through wireless connectivity support for Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.2 allows you to take advantage of wireless processing capabilities. This was primarily designed to provide “high-performance multimedia processing including 3D graphics and high-definition video.”

The included SOM is based on NXP’s i.MX 8M Mini processor with a fully configurable architecture up to quad-core. Packing connectivity features including Bluetooth, Wireless, and Ethernet with a built-in secure element, the SOM is equipped to perform in highly connected environments. It further offers multimedia capabilities including camera, audio, and display. The compact SOM packs all these features into a small form factor at only 28mm x 38mm, enabling its use as a comprehensive embedded system for cutting-edge wearables and handheld devices. Whether implemented as an off-the-shelf SOM or a custom-tailored solution, rest assured knowing that Beacon EmbeddedWorks provides in-house support for the full product lifecycle.

Beacon EmbeddedWorks has not only released the development kit, but also provided comprehensive software & BSPs to accelerate the development time. According to the manufacturer, power usage monitoring can be done using the Wattson power measurement application that is available to download on the official website. Specially designed for industrial and medical applications, the hardware gives you the option to connect an external camera through the MIPI CSI-2 (Up to 4 lanes) provided by the SOM.

For more details on Zoom i.MX 8M Mini Development Kit, head to the official product page. However, if you are interested in buying the product, please contact the Beacon EmbeddedWorks distributors, or by calling them at (612) 436-9724.

Turn Your Raspberry Pi into a Retro Music Player Using a RetroWave OPL3 Sound Card

Posted on 27 April, 2021 by Abhishek Jadhav

Many of us plan to turn Raspberry Pi or a similar single-board computer into a retro music player. There are several projects that we discussed using Raspberry Pi as a controller to build an 80s style music player. However, these projects use bulky hardware, which may not be as portable as this one. Chinese designer SudoMaker has introduced a Raspberry Pi Zero-sized hardware, RetroWave OPL3 sound card that lets you use any SBC with a compatible 40 pin header, like Jetson Nano and OrangePi, to name a few.

Looking at the detailed internal hardware used by the designer, we can see that there is Yamaha YM262, which is an FM sound source that can be controlled through software. This integrated circuit has the capability to support five different rhythm sounds, including the bass drum, snare drum, tom tom, top cymbal, and hit hat cymbal. Also, there is a D/A converter that helps the setup to convert digital data streams into analog audio signals and is widely used in all music players. Along with these essential integrated circuits, there is a 14.3181 MHz standard clock oscillator.

“It can be difficult or expensive to set up a working retro computer that supports old sound cards that are even harder to find. So we come up with this solution – works with modern hardware, without compromising the sound, and remaining at its full potential,”

the designer justifies. With the compact form factor, the hardware uses SPI, a modern high-speed bus that lets you control pins and chip registers.

When it comes to the software part of the setup, the manufacturer has provided support for “free software and cross-platform driver libraries, reference VGM player, and a modded DOSBox-X.” You can also expect VST3 software MIDI port driver for interfacing with DAW software very soon.

The provider has confirmed that there will be more such RetroWave boards that can be stacked together to increase performance. If you are interested in the Raspberry Pi Zero-sized RetroWave OPL3 Sound Card, then head to the product page on Tindie, sold at $30.98 with options for audio capacitors and operational amplifiers.

Gas sensor for multiple applications detects propane leaks

Posted on 27 April, 2021 by mixos

NevadaNano announced its Molecular Property Spectrometer (MPS) R-290 Propane sensor. The new device is the most accurate on the market, making it an ideal solution for residential and commercial R-290 propane applications including air conditioning, vending machines, commercial refrigeration racks, and clothes dryers.

According to Reports and Data, the Global Natural Refrigerants Market, which includes propane, is projected to reach USD 2.88 billion by 2027, and R-290 propane is emerging as a leading alternative. Growing populations and global warming have led to a continuous rise in demand for air conditioning and refrigeration, which results in higher greenhouse gas emissions. The industry is transitioning away from high Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants and moving towards alternatives such as R-290 (propane) with a GWP of three versus R410 with a GWP of over 3900. Many nations and corporations are making this change now, ahead of the current HFC phase-down schedule as stipulated in the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol. Under normal operation, R-290 units are fully sealed and self-contained, however, leaks can occur. If leaks occur and they are exposed to an ignition source they can cause a fire. Even smaller, non-explosive leaks need detection since the reduction in the quantity of refrigerant causes the unit to work harder, consuming excessive electrical power, driving up costs and the subsequent impact on the environment. With unparalleled reliability and accuracy, NevadaNano’s sensors help detect even the smallest leaks and send instant alerts.

The MPS Propane Sensor accurately reports 0-100% LEL and requires no field maintenance over their expected lifetime of 10 to 15 years. The MPS sensors feature integrated, real-time measurements and built-in environmental compensation for temperature, pressure, and humidity. In addition, they are inherently immune to drift, decay, or poison from contaminants.

more information: https://nevadanano.com