The TSC2010, TSC2011, and TSC2012 are precision bidirectional current sense amplifiers.
The TSC2010, TSC2011, and TSC2012 are precision bidirectional current sense amplifiers. They can sense the current thanks to a shunt resistor over a wide range of common-mode voltages, from -20 to +70 V, whatever the supply voltage is. They are available with an amplifier gain of 20 V/V for TSC2010, 60 V/V for TSC2011, and 100 V/V for TSC2012.
They are able to sense very low drop voltages as low as 10 mV full scale minimizing the measurement error.
The TSC2010, TSC2011, and TSC2012 can also be used in other functions such as: precision current measurement, overcurrent protection, current monitoring, and feedback loops.
Key features
Wide common-mode voltage: -20 to 70 V
Offset voltage: ±200 µV max
2.7 to 5.5 V supply voltage
Different gain options available – TSC2010: 20 V/V – TSC2011: 60 V/V – TSC2012: 100 V/V
This is a new project, a single supply instrumentation amplifier with onboard bridge configuration, and a 2.5V precision reference voltage chip. The project can be configured for applications such as thermocouple amplifier, bridge amplifier, ECG amplifier, pressure sensors, medical instrumentation, portable instrumentation, RTD sensor amplifier. The project is based on INA333 micropower, zero drift, rail to rail out instrumentation amplifier chip. REF5025AID chip provides a precise 2.5V reference voltage. The board can be configured as an instrumentation amplifier or as a strain gauge amplifier with few easy changes.
We have tested this board as Strain Gauge Amplifier, circuit, Bom, Connection diagram, and information presented below.
Strain Gauge Amplifier
The circuit shown here is a simple example of a Strain Gauge Amplifier in a bridge configuration, this strain gauge circuit accurately measures the resistance of a strain gauge sensor placed in a bridge configuration. The resistance of the strain gauge sensor varies with applied force, change in resistance is directly proportional to how much strain the sensor is experiencing due to the force applied. Changes in the strain gauge resistance create a differential voltage that is amplified by an instrumentation amplifier INA333. The amplifiers have very high input impedance and therefore introduce negligible error with respect to the bridge resistance. The output voltage of the instrumentation amplifier will be depending on the sensor’s value and variation in resistance value. The bridge excitation voltage and instrumentation amplifier reference voltage 2.5V are supplied using the REF5025. A reference voltage at mid-supply (5V DC) biases the output voltage of the instrumentation amplifier to allow differential measurements in the positive and negative direction. The common mode resistors, R1, R11 and R12, have two main functions; limit the current through the bridge and set the common mode of the instrumentation amplifier. I have used 120 Ohms Strain Gauge sensor and thus I have chosen bridge resistors R4, R5, and R9 also 120 Ohms to match the sensors impedance. Matching the bridge resistors with the strain gauge resistance produces a 0 V differential bridge voltage when the strain gauge resistance is at its nominal value. It is advisable to use very low tolerance resistors to minimize the offset and gain error due to the bridge resistors. Operating power supply 5V DC, D1 power LED, J1 PCB jumper closed. CN2 sensor connection, CN1 supply input, and sensor output, R3 100 Ohms resistor set the gain of Amplifier to approx. 1001.
Note: I have used 120 Ohms strain gauge sensor, but different resistance sensor can be used, few available sensors are 350 Ω, 1000 Ω, and 3000 Ω. If a different nominal resistance is used, the bridge resistors must be chosen to match the nominal resistance of the strain gauge. The output voltage of the circuit will depend on the Gauge Factor of the Sensor.
Features
Power Supply 5V DC
Output 230mV to 4.7V DC
Strain Gauge Nominal Resistance 120 Ohms
Stain Gauge Resistance Variation 115 Ohms to 125 Ohms
Sensor Gauge Factor 5%
Bridge Excitation Voltage and Reference Voltage 2.5V DC
PCB Dimensions 26.99 x 19.21 mm
Strain Gauge Sensor
Digi-Key Part Number: MMF002504-ND
Manufacturer: Micro-Measurements (Division of Vishay Precision Group)
Manufacturer Part Number: MMF002504
Description: EA-06-250BG-120/LE STRAIN GAGES
Detailed Description: Linear Strain Gauge ±5% 0.250″ (6.35mm) 0.125″ (3.18mm)
Pattern Type: Linear
Strain Range: ±5%
Resistance: 120 Ohms
Resistance Tolerance: ±0.15%
What is a Strain Gauge Sensor?
A strain gauge is a sensor whose resistance varies with applied force. The change in resistance is directly proportional to how much strain the sensor is experiencing due to the force applied. Strain Gauge sensors are available in different types, configuration and different dimensions and resistance.
Resistance of Sensor
The electric resistance between the two metal leads, solder tabs or cable ends for connecting the measuring cable is called the resistance of a strain gauge. Strain gauges are available with 120-ohm, 350-ohm, 700-ohm 1,000 ohm or 3000-ohm resistance.
Gauge Factor of Sensor
The gauge factor k of a strain gauge is the proportionality factor between the relative change in resistance DR/R0 and the strain to be measured e: DR/R0 = k · e the gauge factor, a dimensionless number, is sometimes also called the k factor. This gauge factor is determined for each production batch by measuring and is specified on each strain gauge package as a nominal value complete with tolerance. The gauge factors vary between production batches by just a few thousandths.
The project also can be configured as a differential instrumentation amplifier for various applications. All-important pins of INA333 are easily accessible using header connectors to other devices or sensors. Omit R1, R4, R5, R9, R11, R12, Choose R3 or R2, and PR1 to adjust the gain of the amplifier, Choose R6, R7, 0ohms resistors, and differential pins +I and -I are available as input. Open the J1 jumper if the reference voltage is not required.
A little while ago, we covered a positioning receiver IC that enhanced positioning accuracy to centimeters due mostly to its cutting-edge capability of concurrent reception of multiple constellation data (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, and QZSSl, to be precise). Its name is the Teseo-LIV3F, from ST Microelectronics, and you can check the article link below, which I recommend if you are on the market for an above-average positioning module. Today, we will take a look at the new ZED-09P precision GNSS module, from U-Blox, that has some similarities, including, most notably, pinpoint accuracy.
So, let us take a step back. The ZED-09P from U-Blox is a precision GNSS module, featuring the F9 receiver platform from the same manufacturer, that provides multi-band RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) technology for industrial applications with centimeter-level accuracy, in a small form factor. The module allows for precise navigation and automation of moving machinery and also consumer-grade products. Another very important feature is moving base support, which allows for the base and rover to move while calculating their positioning accurately, making this a great candidate for UAV applications where the UAV has to follow a target or go to a moving platform and in cases where the relative position between both of them is relevant.
Just like the Teseo-LIV3F, it can receive and track multiple GNSS constellations, including the four major (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou), plus SBAS and QZSS satellites. All of them can be processed to provide an RTK navigation solution when used with correction data. Lastly, you can configure just a small subset of them, if power consumption is a concern in your project. Of course, before jumping right in you should take a look at the very well-documented integration manual, where the major concerns you should have in the design stage are set.
Block diagram of the U-Blox ZED-09P precision GNSS module
By diving deeper into it, you can see that a project with it takes a lot into consideration, and the features you get to come at the cost of a longer design stage, but on the other hand, the accuracy is insane. When you compare it with the Teseo-LIV3F, this module clearly brings more to the table, and it’s well expressed on its pricing, $199. You can also get an evaluation kit for $249. It clearly is tailored for professional-grade projects and can perform more expert tasks than the former. But is it worth the price tag, when you have a module built upon the same principle for a fraction of the price? I will leave that for your thoughts.
Precursor is a compact device with a physical keyboard, a built-in display, and an internal battery. It is an open hardware development platform for secure, mobile computation and communication, this device offers a system that users can have nearly complete control over, also with an added advantage of being smaller and lighter than an average smartphone. It has an FPGA that enables users to configure the chip so that it emulates several different processor types, giving users much more hardware power than a standard mobile device, The Precursor’s hardware is designed to be entirely inspectable and understandable by a single knowledgeable user, it is well suited as a hardware development framework for security-critical applications such as crypto wallets, secure messaging platforms, password managers and authenticators.
Despite the assurance from the likes of Google and Apple that our data is not vulnerable, we know deep down there are some uncertainties that we can’t control but precursors bridge that gap, Based on Scientific evidence that is measurable without access to a million-dollar microscope, users should be able to trust precursor. Among open hardware gadgets, the predecessor is also unique in that it was designed for portability from the ground up while most open FPGA hardware development boards share the evidence-based, compile your own CPU confidence properties of precursor, none of them are packaged in a compact, 7.2 mm, machined-aluminum shell, complete with a charger, a battery, a monitor and a keyboard, precursor draws less power than most FPGA because of the -1l variant Xilinx Spartan 7-series at its core, L for “low leakage” combined with a super-low-power Lattice iCE40 UP5K FPGA for deep-sleep system management and a Silicon Labs WF200 with integrated network co-processor for Wi-Fi connectivity — allows Precursor to achieve a standby time measured in days and an active screen time of about five to six hours.
Precursor consists of the following major elements:
The Mainboard will be manufactured by AQS, an EMS provider, at their South Korea facility. The bare PCB will be produced by King Credie in Guangdong, China. All of the parts on the BOM were selected explicitly for ready availability in distribution channels such as Mouser and Digi-Key. We do anticipate a 12-week lead time on the Xilinx FPGAs, and acquiring them in a timely fashion represents a risk given the current pandemic and the status of the global supply chain.
The rear case and radome will be manufactured by Jiada, a contract mechanical engineering supplier located in Guangdong, China. Production rear cases will be manufactured on-demand using a CNC milling process and finished with anodization. The radome will be produced using an injection molding tool that will be opened upon the successful conclusion of the funding campaign.
The battery is sourced from a supplier in Guangdong, China. Because of its short shelf life and high MOQ, this does represent a high risk item. We will finalize the battery supplier and UN38.3 certifications that allow for air shipping after the conclusion of the campaign.
The front bezel is a step-milled, edge-beveled PCB made using a special FR-4 composition impregnated with black dye by King Credie in Guangdong, China. The front bezel also incorporates the Wi-Fi antenna.
The LCD is sourced from Sharp Microelectronics. Due to its highly critical nature and long lead time, we have gone ahead with a risk buy to ensure its availability for the campaign. If the campaign greatly exceeds volume expectations, we may have to take a staged approach to delivery as LCD shipments become available.
The backlight assembly was pre-manufactured to match the LCD.
The keyboard overlay is a full-custom, UV-cured, polycarbonate assembly with silkscreen printing, all done via AQS in Dongguan, China.
The keyboard PCB is a semi-custom “transparent” substrate, manufactured by King Credie in Dongguan, China.
The button array is sourced from AQS in Dongguan, China.
The final assembly will be done at AQS in South Korea.
The Precursor tier includes the following items in the box:
One fully assembled and tested Precursor device in an aluminum case, complete with display, bezel, QWERTY keyboard, and battery, and pre-loaded with low-level factory test firmware.
One “debug board,” which is a Raspberry Pi 3B+ or 4 HAT. This used for low-level debugging and reflashing of the Precursor in case you brick it. Raspberry Pi not included.
Three alternate keyboard overlays: QWERTZ, AZERTY, and Dvorak.
Press-fit metal shield for the trusted domain of the Precursor PCB (to be installed after verification).
Four grams of EPO-TEK 301 in a bi-pak, for sealing the metal shield Note: the seal is permanent and we can’t do any warranty returns/exchanges on sealed devices. Do not apply glue to active connectors.
The Limited Edition Precursor tier includes all of the above, with a special limited edition case. You will also receive the regular production aluminum case body as well, as a bonus spare part.
This is a tiny module that allows users to charge small Li-ion batteries, CR2032 or equivalent, from a low power source such as a small photovoltaic cell. The project consists of the LTC3105 step-up DC-DC converter chip which features Maximum Power Point Control (MPPC) and 250mV start-up voltage which enables operational directly from low power, high impedance alternative power sources such as photovoltaic cells. A user-programmable MPPC set point maximizes the energy that can be extracted from any power source. Burst Mode operation, with a proprietary self-adjusting peak current, optimizes converter efficiency and output voltage ripple overall operating conditions. The circuit works with single-cell or dual-cell in parallel. The operating supply of this project is as low as 225mV and a maximum of 5V. Input supply should not exceed 5V DC. The module is programmed to output 4.1V which is important to charge the Li-On battery. Jumper J1 should be open for normal operation, close to disable the output.
Photovoltaic Cell Battery Charger / Solar Cell Li-Ion Battery Trickle Charger with MPPC – [Link]
If you need to interface many devices and sensors to Arduino Nano, then, this project is for you. This is a Nano expansion I/O shield (breakout board) for the Arduino Nano. The board facilitates the easy connection between Arduino Nano and other devices. Each Arduino (I/O) Pin including the 5V DC and GND pins are available for easy connection to the sensors and other devices. The board enables the easy interface of many devices and sensors which includes various power voltage options. It provides several different options for power outputs and wide range of operating power supply input.
Expansion Shield – Breakout Board for Arduino Nano – [Link]
IBASE Technology Inc., a world leader in the manufacture of industrial motherboards and embedded systems, has launched its next-generation computing solutions powered by “Zen 2”-based AMD Ryzen™ Embedded V2000 Series processors with outstanding power efficiency targeting various edge applications.
“Based on a new class of performance with 7nm technology, the latest AMD Ryzen Embedded V2000 SoC offers fantastic uplift in performance-per-watt while up to doubling core counts over the previous generation. It is very suitable for our latest embedded solutions, providing outstanding computing and graphics performance,” said Wilson Lin, Director of IBASE Product Planning Dept. “Our customers are always looking forward to new and better technologies, such as AMD Ryzen Embedded V2000, in our products to have leverage in the marketplace.”
Integrated with AMD Ryzen Embedded V2000 Series processors, the new MI989 Mini-ITX motherboard supports up to 64GB DDR4 SO-DIMM with ECC support. It comes with 4x DisplayPort 1.4 for 4x 4K60 displays. Expansion and storage sockets include one PCIe(x16) and three M.2 slots (B-Key, E-Key and M-Key). The MI989 is also equipped with 2x GbE ports, 3x USB 3.1, 2x USB 2.0, 4x COM and 1x SATA III interface.
Supporting four HDMI 2.0 ports with independent audio outputs, the upcoming SI-334 digital signage player is powered by the V2000 SoC with up to 8 “Zen 2” cores and a TDP range between 10W to 54W. It is built with a segregated flow ventilation design and offers advanced functionalities such as CEC and hardware EDID emulation, iCONTROL energy-saving and Observer remote monitoring technologies for use in public space requiring commercial displays running 4x UHD 4K60 resolution content.
“AMD and IBASE have a successful collaboration enabled by combining the latest AMD Embedded SoC solutions with IBASE’s leading designs and advanced manufacturing facilities,” said Amey Deosthali, director of product marketing, Embedded Solutions, AMD. “We have worked closely with IBASE to deliver powerful computing solutions for various applications such as smart retail, transportation and factory automation. We are looking forward to additional collaboration with IBASE utilizing the high-performance AMD Ryzen Embedded products”.
This is a tiny module that allows users to charge small Li-ion batteries, CR2032 or equivalent, from a low power source such as a small photovoltaic cell. The project consists of the LTC3105 step-up DC-DC converter chip which features Maximum Power Point Control (MPPC) and 250mV start-up voltage which enables operational directly from low power, high impedance alternative power sources such as photovoltaic cells. A user-programmable MPPC set point maximizes the energy that can be extracted from any power source. Burst Mode operation, with a proprietary self-adjusting peak current, optimizes converter efficiency and output voltage ripple overall operating conditions. The circuit works with single-cell or dual-cell in parallel. The operating supply of this project is as low as 225mV and a maximum of 5V. Input supply should not exceed 5V DC. The module is programmed to output 4.1V which is important to charge the Li-On battery. Jumper J1 should be open for normal operation, close to disable the output.
The output voltage is adjustable and can be programmed using feedback resistors R1, R2, R4, and R5. It is important to have 1% tolerance for all feedback resistors.
MPPC The maximum power point control circuit allows the user to set the optimal input voltage operating point for a given power source. The MPPC circuit dynamically regulates the average inductor current to prevent the input voltage from dropping below the MPPC threshold. When VIN is greater than the MPPC voltage, the inductor current is increased until VIN is pulled down to the MPPC set point. If VIN is less than the MPPC voltage, the inductor current is reduced until VIN rises to the MPPC set point.
Trickle Charge: Trickle charging means charging a fully charged battery at a rate equal to its self-discharge rate, thus enabling the battery to remain at its fully charged level.
NIMH Battery Charging: charging NiMH battery is also possible with this module by changing feedback resistors value, R4 = 470K, R5= 0 Ohms. R1 and R2 remain unchanged. This change will provide 3.2V output and it’s sufficient to charge 2x NiMH batteries.
New series of uniTFTs intelligent touch displays from Electronic Assembly, coming in sizes from 2” to 4.3”, offers extremely short development of highly sophisticated HMIs.
SOS electronic claims that the uniTFT series from Electronic Assembly family has so far consisted of really highest-level intelligent displays with extremely wide capabilities, available in sizes from 5.0” to 10.1”. They are suitable for high-level applications usually produced in low quantities. The great savings at development compensates for the higher cost of the display module.
On the other hand, for many common projects, some more affordable but still very capable series of displays would be more suitable. Because of this, Electronic Assembly developed the new uniTFTs series with the display size ranging from 2”, 2.8″, 3.5″ and 4.3″ sizes.
Wide viewing angle IPS displays with 1000 cd/m2 luminance offer great-contrast images even in bright sunlight. Capacitive touch panel enables comfortable usage.
To be able to deploy all graphic power of the modules, Electronic Assembly developed Uni TFT Designer software tool that can be downloaded for free. This powerful software IDE combines a comprehensive environment, many predefined widgets and an intuitive way to develop the graphic interface.
The displays of UniTFTs series are ideal for home automation and for use as control panels. Together with USB interface, they come with RS232, SPI and I2C interfaces. Digital I/O ports (8/expandable up to 136), 4 analogue inputs and a PWM output offer wide possibilities to control connected peripherals.
Are you on the market for a good compromise between high performance and low power, while having some key security features and a rich set of peripherals to empower your IoT applications? If you are, then the Renesas RA6M4 family of microcontrollers might be ideal for you!
The RA6M4 series of microcontrollers have the high-performance ARM Cortex-M33 core and offer an enhanced integrated Security Crypto Engine, providing multiple cryptographic accelerators, key management support, tamper detection, among other things, enabled by the ARM TrustZone technology, making it a viable choice in connected applications, where security is a concern. Their focus with this series is to integrate awesome security features directly into the microcontrollers to obtain better performance, lower power consumption, extra robustness and flexibility, and cost-effectiveness on security solutions for IoT devices. As security threats are always evolving, their intention to make the MCU family future-proof goes as far as offering easy and flexible upgrades for the security features and unlimited space for key storage.
But this MCU is not just about security, as you can tell by some of its key specifications:
ARM Cortex-M33 with TrustZone, clocked at 200 MHz or 120 MHz
Memories: 512 kB – 1 MB Flash and 256 kBRAM
High performance and low power with active low power consumption down to 99 uA / Hz
Interfaces: Ethernet MAC controller with individual DMA, USB 2.0 full speed, CAN 2.0B, SCI (UART, Simple SPI, Simple I2C), Quad and Octa SPI, SPI / I2C multi-master interface, SDHI, MMC
Capacitive touch sensing unit
Range of packages from 64-pin to 144-pin
Block diagram for the Renesas’ RA6M4 family of MCU’s
Besides the aforementioned hardware features, the MCU family is supported by an “open and flexible ecosystem concept”, the FSP (Flexible Software Package) which is built over FreeRTOS, but it is expandable so that you can use it with other middleware and RTOS.
Regarding applications, its security features, large embedded RAM and high Ethernet throughput capability make this family of MCU’s a great candidate for wired Ethernet applications. Besides that, the security it can provide also enables other projects where it is a concern, such as fire and burglar alarms and others, such as HVAC applications, door openers, or metering. Its high-performance capabilities also enable you to perform more demanding tasks, such as robotics, or even as a general-purpose MCU, due to its rich set of peripherals.
Lastly, let us discuss pricing: we are looking at $12.02 for a RA6M4 MCU, which may be a bit salty for general purpose projects, comparing to other manufacturers, you definitely will have cheaper options, but it also depends on the features you must have on your projects. An evaluation kit comes at $175.50.
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