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PYBJ10 Series 10 W Isolated DC-DC Converters

Posted on 26 March, 202026 March, 2020 by mixos

CUI’s DC-DC converters are housed in low-profile DIP or SMT packages

Outputting up to 10 W of continuous power, CUI’s range of open-frame and encapsulated PYBJ10 isolated DC-DC converters deliver a 4:1 input voltage range and up to 88% efficiency. Ideal for convection-cooled equipment and a range of other applications, CUI’s PYBJ10 series features a -40°C to +85°C operating temperature range with over voltage, over current, and short-circuit protections.

Features

-40°C to +85°C operating temperature range
Over current, over voltage, and short-circuit protections
Up to 10 W continuous power
DIP and SMT mounting styles
Max output current: 667 mA to 2000 mA
4:1 input voltage range
Efficiency up to 88%
UL/EN/IEC 62368 certified
Low profile
Input voltage range: 9 V_DC ~ 36 V_DC

Learn More ►

Small, affordable gyroscope for navigating without GPS

Posted on 26 March, 2020 by mixos

Researchers at the University of Michigan say they have developed a small, inexpensive, and highly accurate gyroscope that could help drones and autonomous cars stay on track without a GPS signal.

The ultra-high-precision MEMS gyroscope – called the birdbath resonator gyroscope – is almost perfectly symmetrical, and made of nearly-pure glass. This, say the researchers, enables it to vibrate for long periods, similar to the ringing of a wine glass.

“Our gyroscope is 10,000 times more accurate but only 10 times more expensive than gyroscopes used in your typical cell phones,” says Khalil Najafi, the Schlumberger Professor of Engineering at U-M and a professor of electrical engineering and computer science. “This gyroscope is 1,000 times less expensive than much larger gyroscopes with similar performance.”

Most smartphones contain gyroscopes to detect the orientation of the screen and help figure out which way they are facing, but their accuracy is poor and often incorrectly indicate which direction a user is facing during navigation. Autonomous vehicles on the other hand currently use high-performance gyroscopes inside their backup navigation systems in the event of the loss of a GPS signal. But these devices are larger and much more expensive.

A device that enables navigation without a consistent orienting signal – called an inertial measurement unit (IMU) – is made up of three accelerometers and three gyroscopes, one for each axis in space. However, say the researchers, getting a good read on which way you’re going with existing IMUs is so pricey that it has been out of range, even for equipment as expensive as autonomous vehicles. To address this problem, say the researchers, a low-cost IMU with much higher accuracy is strongly desired.

Axiomtek’s Industrial ATX Motherboard with 9th/8th Generation Intel® Core™ for High-Density Computing Solutions – IMB520R & IMB521R

Posted on 26 March, 2020 by mixos

Axiomtek – a world-renowned leader relentlessly devoted in the research, development and manufacture of series of innovative and reliable industrial computer products of high efficiency – is introducing the IMB520R and IMB521R, its new industrial ATX motherboards powered by the LGA1151 socket 9th and 8th generation Intel® Core™ i7/i5/i3 (code name: Coffee Lake Refresh), Intel® Pentium® or Intel® Celeron® processor with the Intel® Q370 chipset (IMB520R) or Intel® C246 chipset (IMB521R). These industrial motherboards are designed with rich functionality and offer high processing powers, multiple expansion interfaces, security feature, and stunning graphical performance to deliver true customer value and quick deployment in a broad range of high-performance applications such as industrial automation, gaming, AI-related server, self-service kiosks, medical, and digital signage.

“The IMB520R and IMB521R not only meet the requirements for computing and graphics performance but also take into account customization and flexibility to help facilitate quick deployment,” said Brandon Wang, a product manager of IPC Division at Axiomtek. “They feature one PCIe x16 slot, four PCIe x4 slots, one PCIe x1 slot and one PCI slot for future expansions such as motion control cards, frame grabber cards or data acquisition cards, making them an ideal solution for machine vision and industrial automation applications. They also have two USB 3.1 Gen2 and four USB 3.1 Gen1 ports for faster data transfer. In addition, these two industrial-grade ATX motherboards are integrated with the Intel® HD Graphics to deliver stunning 4K resolution, as well as fast 3D and video playback for graphics-intensive applications. They support three independent displays with DisplayPort++, DVI-D, HDMI, and VGA.”

The IMB520R and IMB521R come with multiple I/O ports including four RS-232, two RS-232/422/485, two Gigabit LAN with Intel® Ethernet controller i211-AT and Intel® Ethernet connection i219-LM, two USB 3.1 Gen2, four USB 3.1 Gen1, seven 180D type A USB 2.0, eight-channel digital I/O, one HD Codec audio, one SMBus, and one PS/2 keyboard and mouse. Both of the ATX motherboards are equipped with four 288-pin DDR4-2666/2400 DIMM sockets with a memory capacity of up to 128GB to meet the needs of high-density computing applications. Furthermore, they feature four SATA-600 sockets with RAID 0/1/5/10 function to enhance data recovery capability. To ensure reliable operation across platforms, the well-designed industrial motherboards are capable of withstanding a wide operating temperature range of 0°C to 60°C. They also support watchdog timer, hardware monitoring functions and optional Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM 2.0).

Advanced Features:

LGA1151 socket 9th/8th gen Intel® Core™ i7/i5/i3, Pentium® & Celeron® processors (Coffee Lake Refresh)
IMB520R: Intel® Q370 chipset
MB521R: Intel® C246 chipset
Four 288-pin DDR4-2666/2400 DIMM for up to 128GB of memory
VGA, DisplayPort++, DVI-D and HDMI with triple-view supported
4 SATA-600 with RAID 0/1/5/10
Two USB 3.1 Gen2 and four USB 3.1 Gen1
TPM 2.0 supported (optional)

Axiomtek’s IMB520R and IMB521R are now available for purchase. For more product information or customization services, please visit our global website at www.axiomtek.com or contact one of our sales representatives at info@axiomtek.com.tw.

Chai release Open Source Environmental Testing Kit For COVID-19

Posted on 25 March, 202027 February, 2023 by Ayo Ayibiowu

The CHAI team announced at the Open Hardware Summit that the group would be launching an environmental test kit that will be able to work on the Open qPCR machine, which was released in 2016. The kit will be a DIY test kit for COVID-19, which has caused a global pandemic for the detection of the virus on surfaces, objects, and non-liveable things. One cannot overstate the importance of containing the spread to help. Detecting how the virus is transmitted will help researchers figure out a way to slow it and hopefully stop it.

The Open qPCR, which is built around the BeagleBone Black Single Board Computer (SBC), is an open-source device created for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing. PCR is a technique for studying DNA and RNA sequences. The Open qPCR has the single-channel version, which costs $4,499 and the double channel version, which costs $6,499. This is affordable and portable for a piece of lab equipment.

COVID-19 gPRC Testing Equipment — Chai release Open Source Environmental Test Kit For COVID-19

The kit that will be released will not be used for testing in humans but on various surfaces. It will use the primers and probe information released by the CDC for performing PCR tests for COVID-19.

The test kit can check swabs used on doorknobs, phones, chairs, laptops, and other hard surfaces. Results will be provided in less than one hour with information on the amount of virus. Inside the extraction chamber, the virus is prepped, and a sample is used for the RT -qPCR test. Then the sample’s RNA is converted to DNA and then amplified for faster detection.

Labs are being encouraged to take the test kits out and test surfaces in the community. Chai is aiming at an end-user cost of $15 per test. The test kits are aimed primarily at public spaces like schools, libraries, senior systems, and other public institutions, but can also be used in offices and any other environment. Also, the kit has been made for research purposes only.

The Chai Coronavirus, Environmental Test kit, has April 17 as its estimated shipping date with a Start-Up Bundle costs $ 7,500. It contains the Open qPCR dual-channel version and 96 tests, while the Test Kit, which includes 96 tests, only costs $1,400, can be purchased separately if you already own any of the Open qPCR devices. A dual-channel version of the Open qPCR or similar equipment can be used with it. Further information may be found on Chai’s Coronavirus Environmental Testing page

Kontron 3.5 inch Single Board Computer 3.5”-SBC-WLU with latest Intel® processor technology for demanding IoT applications

Posted on 25 March, 2020 by mixos

Higher WLAN speed thanks to Intel® Integrated Connectivity (CNVi) – available with 8th Gen. Intel® Core™ U-series or Celeron® processors

Kontron, a leading global provider of IoT/Embedded Computing Technology (ECT), introduces its 3.5″ SBC with the latest processor technology from Intel^®. Due to the Triple Display Support and the support of numerous new interfaces, the updated embedded board is ideally suited for applications that place high demands on graphics and require fast WLAN. In addition, the low power consumption enables fanless designs. This opens up new options for IoT applications such as retail, banking, hospitality, education, industrial control and automation.

The new version provides up to 12 times higher WLAN speed than conventional devices, depending on the model, thanks to the Intel^® Wireless Access Point, which is integrated in the M.2 Key E slot via the new Intel^® CNVi interface. Further M.2 slots can be used to extend SSD memory via Key B and Key M, or to extend WWAN (via Key B, i.e. 3G, 4G or future 5G). Furthermore, the upgraded 3.5-inch board offers interfaces of the latest generation for fast data transfer between storage and mass storage as well as peripheral devices, which include NVMe SSD, DDR4, USB 3.1 and SATA III.

In addition to increased graphics performance, the board supports numerous interfaces, including two fast DDR4 SO-DIMM memory sockets for up to 64 GBytes, a high-speed SATA 3.0 socket and M.2 expansion slots. It offers advanced connectivity through two Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, four USB 3.1 (front panel), four USB 2.0 (via headers), two RS232/422/485 for USB and Serial Device Connection, as well as 8-bit DIO for device and signal control. The Realtek ALC662 audio codec offers audio via 2 speaker out as well as one line-in, line-out and mic-in via headers.

Graphics features include support for 4K Ultra Definition Video, 1x LVDS and 2x DP++ for Triple Display support through Intel® UHD Graphics 620 / 610 GPU, including HDMI and DVI support without active adapter.

Kontron customers can choose between four different processors: Intel^® Core^™ i7-8665UE (Quad Core, 8M Cache, up to 4.4 GHz, FCBGA1528, 15 W TDP), Intel^® Core^™ i5-8365UE (Quad Core, 6M Cache, up to 4.1 GHz, FCBGA1528, 15 W TDP), Intel^® Core^™ i3-8145UE (Dual Core, 4M Cache, up to 3.9 GHz, FCBGA1528, 15 W TDP) or Intel^® Celeron^® 4305UE (Dual Core, 2M Cache, 2.00 GHz, FCBGA1528, 15 W TDP).

An integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Version 2.0 increases the security of end devices. The SBC will be available from end of March 2020.

For more information, please visit: https://www.kontron.com/products/boards-and-standard-form-factors/single-board-computer/3.5–sbc-wlu.html

High Voltage Regulator – 48V DC Output from 125V DC Input

Posted on 24 March, 2020 by mixos

The project published here is a high-voltage adjustable regulator with an output 48 V DC from an input supply of 125V DC. The circuit is capable to drive load current up to 500mA. This regulator circuit designed for use in high-voltage applications where standard bipolar regulators cannot be used. Excellent performance specifications, superior to those of most bipolar regulators, are achieved through circuit design and advanced layout techniques. As a state-of-the-art regulator, the TL783 device combines standard bipolar circuitry with high-voltage double diffused MOS transistors on one chip, to yield a device capable of withstanding voltages far higher than standard bipolar integrated circuits. Because of its lack of secondary-breakdown and thermal-runaway characteristics usually associated with bipolar outputs, the TL783 maintains full overload protection while operating at up to 125 V from input to output. Other features of the device include current limiting, safe-operating-area (SOA) protection, and thermal shutdown.

High Voltage Regulator – 48V DC Output from 125V DC Input – [Link]

Phantom Powered Micro-Phone Pre-Amplifier using SSM2019

Posted on 24 March, 2020 by mixos

The project published here is based on SSM2019 IC which is a latest-generation Pro audio preamplifier. A female XLR connector is provided to connect differential Micro-phone. Circuit also provides Phantom power input, combining SSM preamplifier design expertise with advanced processing. The result is excellent audio performance, the attached trimmer potentiometer helps to adjust the output gain. The SSM2019 is further enhanced by its unity-gain stability. Key specifications include ultra-low noise (1.5 dB noise figure) and THD (<0.01% at G = 100), complemented by wide bandwidth and high slew rate. Applications for this low-cost device include microphone preamplifiers and bus summing amplifiers in professional and consumer audio equipment, sonar, and other applications requiring a low noise instrumentation amplifier with high gain capability.

Phantom Powered Micro-Phone Pre-Amplifier using SSM2019 – [Link]

750mA Constant Current LED Driver Arduino Nano Shield

Posted on 24 March, 2020 by mixos

This small constant current LED driver Nano shield has been designed using CAT4104 IC from ON semiconductor. Its 4 channel LED driver. The board has provision to mount 20 SMD 1206 LEDs. The LED can be RED, GREEN, BLUE and WHITE. Reduce the number of LED to 12 if White LEDs are used, as white LEDs are 3-5V and total series voltage should not exceed 12V. CAT4104 provides four matched low dropout current sinks to drive high−brightness LED strings up to 175 mA per channel. The LED channel current is set by an external trimmer potentiometer connected to the RSET pin. The LED pins are compatible with high voltage up to 12V. The EN/PWM logic input supports the device enable and high-frequency external Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) dimming control.

750mA Constant Current LED Driver Arduino Nano Shield – [Link]

TIG Announces Bluetera II Open Source IoT Motion-Based Development Board

Posted on 24 March, 202024 March, 2020 by Tope Oluyemi

Tensor Iotera Group (TIG) has announced its new Bluetera II open source full-stack development board, which according to the company uses Google’s Protocol Buffer technology for motion-based IoT applications. TIG says that the Bluetera II is the second generation module. Bluetera II is built to fill the gap for an open source platform that meets the following requirements :

A system-level API that properly encodes and delivers data from the end-node to the client application, often running on a mobile phone
A way to simplify 3D motion data that would otherwise require users to master non-trivial and sometimes counter-intuitive concepts and mathematics
Physical characteristics appropriate for an Internet of Things (IoT) platform: robust, low-power, extensible, and as small as possible

The company says

“Developers of IoT platforms often struggle with motion math: quaternions, calibration, angles, transformation, logging, etc. The Bluetera SDK’s motion library provides common open-source algorithms and calculations to help reduce this sort of complexity. Using the Madgwick sensor fusion algorithm, for example, Bluetera II is capable of streaming 200 Hz of quaternion data (OS-dependent)… Protocol Buffers is a battle-tested, schema-based serialization library developed by Google. An SDK built on Protocol Buffers allows our API to pass information between the various layers of an IoT system in a way that is efficient, extensible, and even beautiful. That API, which integrates with Nordic’s nRF SDK, will save you from having to do a great deal of boring, time-consuming, error-prone work that requires expertise in many different frameworks.”

The Bluetera II is equipped with the latest Nordic nRF52840 SoC, which can function as a BLE Central and a BLE peripheral. The hub is capable of being connected to a Linux or a Windows-based USB port as a BLE dongle. Then, it can become an integral part of the Bluetera LAN interacting with multiple Bluetera hub modules. The Bluetera II which features Nordic’s nRF52840, enables an Arm Cortex-M4 FPU, with 1MB of Flash, and 256KB of RAM. A BLE 5.0 controller is also incorporated with the MCU for wireless communications, but TIG offers BLE add-on modules for short, long, and ultra-long applications. The Bluetera II also features a pair of 13-pin headers, each of the headers are equipped with PWM, SWD, and GPIOs that can be configured as UART, I²C, ADC, etc.

Available also is an InvenSense ICM-45605 6-axis sensor, plus an IMU ST LIS3MDL 3-axis magnetometer, which enables accurate motion sensing using the Madgwick Algorithm which was mentioned earlier. The board’s specs also includes a micro USB port, JST power connector, RGB user LED, red charger LED, Li-IoN battery charger, 32.48 kHz xtal for RTC. TIG says that their SDK helps link all system elements, making it easy for hardware and software developers to utilize for their IoT projects. It is also compatible with most major desktop and mobile operating systems like Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.

The Bluetera II is currently crowdfunding on Crowd Supply, starting at $50 for the development board with options for add-ons, like the BLE modules stated earlier, and optional antenna configurations. They also list a developer edition for $70. The $70 edition includes a debug expansion board, complete with headers and connectors.

Garz & Fricke extends product family of single board computers

Posted on 24 March, 2020 by mixos

Garz & Fricke, supplier of hardware and software solutions for industrial IoT from Hamburg, will present its versatile product portfolio at the embedded world 2020 in Nuremberg. One of the exhibition highlights at booth 240 in hall 2 is the new TANARO Single Board Computer – a consistent further development of the existing product families.

Garz & Fricke has made a name for itself as a manufacturer of customized HMI and panel PC solutions for various industries. Many years of experience and creativity characterize the solutions of the Hanseatic company. Nearly all products are developed and manufactured at the Hamburg site itself.

With the TANARO Single Board Computer (SBC) Garz & Fricke presents the latest member of its product family of Single Board Computers at the Nuremberg trade fair embedded world, which was designed for the area of industrial image processing. The SBC model is equipped with the current processor generation NXP i.MX8M Mini. The Quad Core Cortex-A53 processor system from NXP is manufactured using the latest 14LPC FinFET process. This guarantees optimum performance with low power consumption. At the same time, no wishes remain unfulfilled, even with extremely high requirements regarding operating temperature.

Wide range of applications thanks to a multitude of interfaces

In addition to the classic interfaces such as RS485, CAN, RS232, USB and Ethernet, the TANARO Single Board Computer also offers the option of retrofitting wireless modules. In addition, there is the option of retrofitting a MIPI CSI interface for connecting cameras as well as an extended audio interface, which can also be used to connect a microphone. “This AV interface, together with a corresponding software stack, makes the TANARO SBC fit for the latest applications, that are in demand in the prospering IoT environment,” says Managing Director Matthias Fricke, explaining the possible applications. “In combination with TensorFlow, for example, TANARO is thus also optimized for projects that require machine learning”.

Like almost all solutions from Garz & Fricke, the TANARO SBC is a fully integrated single board computer “Made in Germany”, which is manufactured at the new production site in Hamburg. Due to the Garz & Fricke Family Concept and Lifecycle Policy, TANARO is available as Human Machine Interface (HMI) in different designs. The new SCB is currently offered as Flush Mount, Rear Mount and Panel Mount, starting with the seven inch budget version up to currently 32 inch.

Specifications listed for the Tanaro include:

Processor — NXP i.MX8M Mini Quad (4x Cortex-A53 @ up to 1.8GHz); GCNanoUltra GPU for 3D, GC320 for 2D; Cortex-M4F @ 400MHz
Memory/storage:
- 1GB LPDDR4 RAM
- 4GB MLC eMMC
- MicroSD slot
Networking/wireless:
- 10/100 Ethernet port
- 10/100/1000 (GbE) port
- Optional wireless via mini-PCIe (see farther below)
Media I/O:
- Dual-channel, 24-bit LVDS
- PCAP (I2C) touch interface with 12V backlight interface (PWM)
- MIPI-CSI interface
- Mic input
- Speaker out connector
- Internal speaker connector
Other I/O:
- USB 2.0 host port
- Micro-USB OTG port
- 2x RS-232 interfaces
- Isolated RS-485 interface
- Isolated CAN interface
Expansion — Mini-PCIe half-size slot for optional WiFi-n/BT 4.0 or 3G/4G cards
Other features — RTC with battery
Power — 9-32V DC input (nom. 13-32V); PMIC
Operating temperature — 0 to 60°C; 5 to 95% relative humidity tolerance
Dimensions — 159 x 80 x 18mm
Weight — 102 g
Operating system — Yocto based Linux; Android

Focus on individual customer requirements

If required, customers who decide to use the TANARO SBC have access to the entire range of services offered by the Hamburg company. This includes, in addition to the customer-specific adaptation or further development of the TANARO, individual application development and a cloud solution.

“Our specialists in development, design and sales have many years of experience and know the individual needs of the most diverse industries,” says Stephan Meyer-Loges, Product Manager Embedded Systems, summing up. “Together with our customers we therefore develop and design the perfect system for any application. Customers benefit from one-stop shopping and the ‘Made in Germany’ seal of quality”.

No pricing or availability information was provided for the “coming up” Tanaro. More information may be found in Garz & Fricke’s announcement and product page.