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Compact Fingerprint Biometric Module

Posted on 13 March, 2020 by mixos

Fingerprint Cards AB’s low-power, all-in-one module features market-leading biometric performance

Fingerprints’ FPC BM-LITE is a standalone, compact biometric fingerprint solution with a robust FPC fingerprint sensor, biometric process, and on-board template storage. It comes preloaded with software and ready to use at delivery. Integrating the FPC BM-LITE into a product as a biometric sub-system can greatly reduce time-to-market with an easy-to-integrate serial command interface and optional host CPU.

A complete biometric fingerprint solution, FPC BM-LITE is ready to use out of the box at delivery. Simple serial commands are used to enroll and verify. The FPC BM-Lite brings together superior biometric performance and a high standard of quality components to offer an all-round embedded solution for increased security and enhanced user convenience.

The FPC BM-Lite sensor has a protective coating that protects against ESD well above ±15 kV as well as against scratches and impacts from daily wear and tear. The FPC BM-Lite sensor is available as an IP class (waterproof) configuration making it suitable for demanding industrial conditions and all-weather applications.

Verification mode: one-to-one / one-to-many
False rejection rate (FRR*) 1.4% at false acceptance rate (FAR**) 1/500,000
Number of users (template storage): 50
Verification time: 0.4 seconds
Interface: SPI/UART
Dimensions (full module): 15 mm x 15 mm x 2.8 mm
Power consumption active mode (capture): 12 mA
Power consumption idle mode (sleep): 13 μA
IPx7 classed
Unique end-user features for excellent everyday use

more information: www.fingerprints.com

Espressif Next Gen ESP32-S2 SoC and family goes into Mass Production

Posted on 13 March, 2020 by Ayo Ayibiowu

Back in 2019, Espressif announces the launch of ESP32-S2 SoC, which was an upgrade of the regular of ESP32 but targetted for security-focused applications. Unlike the typical ESP32, this new SoC comes with an array of new features. Fasttrack to February 2020, Espressif has announced that the ESP32-S2 SoCs have now been cleared for mass production and will be expecting devices based on the new SoCs coming to market soon.

Unlike the original ESP32, the ESP32-S2 SoC is equipped with a faster 240 MHz Xtensa® 32-bit LX7 single-core processor but comes with 320 KB of SRAM and 128 KB of ROM which is lower than the 520KB of RAM and 448 KB of ROM of the ESP32. Nevertheless, this lower memory might not be an issue, and the S2 SoC supports for its shortcomings by proving support for bigger external memories. Also, the S2 comes with a ULP coprocessor based on the RISC-V architecture. With a single-core processor, the ESP32-S2 has lower power consumption, while maintaining excellent processing capabilities.

The S2 SoC is capable of dynamically turning off its Wi-Fi transceiver when not in use, which will allow it to save an enormous power. Some of its more features are an off the USB support, and it adds a camera interface to the SoCs, also adds the TOF (Time of flight) ranging function of Wi-Fi data packets to improve the accuracy and stability of the wireless range and many more.

The ESP32-S2 was designed to address some of the security challenges with IoT devices. It comes with:

Secure boot based on the RSA algorithm, which ensures that only trusted software is executed on the chip.
Flash encryption based on the AES-XTS algorithm, which ensures that user-sensitive configuration data and application code on the external Flash and PSRAM of ESP32-S2 are always encrypted.
The TLS stack can take advantage of the cryptographic accelerator hardware to improve the cloud connectivity performance.
The security of ESP32-S2 is specially reinforced, as it resists fault injection attacks from hardware and software, while it also prevents key leakage in voltage failure.

Aside from the ESP32-S2 SoC, Espressif has also confirmed mass production for its related modules: the ESP32-S2-WROVER and the ESP32-S2-WROOM modules. To facilitate quick prototyping of the ESP32-S2, a pair of development boards called the ESP32-S2-Saola-1, and the ESP32-S2-Kaluga-1 are also being mass-produced as well. The ESP32-S2-Kaluga-1 is designed for human-machine interface (HMI) application development. It includes an LCD touch screen display, 14 capacitive touch panel control, 8- / 16-bit DVP camera image interface, audio playback, and arrays of GPIOs.

More information about the announcement is available on the blog post.

WIN Enterprises Announces ATX Form Factor with 9th/8th Gen Intel Core Processor

Posted on 13 March, 2020 by mixos

WIN Enterprises, Inc., a leading designer and manufacturer of embedded x86 motherboards and appliances for electronic OEMs, announces the MB-50030 a ATX embedded board that features 9^th/8^th Gen Intel Core processor This embedded board supports intense applications, such as measuring integers, floating-point calculations, virtualization, and large/complex databases, all with HPC-level performance.

The WIN Enterprises ATX embedded motherboards supports high performance computing capabilities, rich I/O connectivity, high integration, and expansibility. The device enables support for up to 7 expansion slots. The ATX board’s form factor is 305mm x 244mm, making it an ideal solution for industrial automation and machine vision applications that require reliability & add-on-card expansibility.

Features

– 9^th / 8^th Gen Intel® Core™ with Intel® Q370 chipset
– 4 DDR4 DIMM with up to 128GB
– Support for 3 independent displays: VGA + DP++ + DP++
– Multiple expansion: 1 PCIe x16, 3 PCIe x4, 2 PCI, 1 Mini PCIe, 1 M.2 M Key, 1 SMBus, 1 LPC
– Rich I/O: 2 Intel® GbE, 6 COM, 2 USB 3.1 Gen 2, 4 USB 3.1 Gen 1, 7 USB 2.0
– 15-Year CPU Life Cycle Support Until Q1′ 32
– Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0
– Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology
– Intel® Smart Cache

more information: https://www.win-ent.com/News/mb-50030

Texas Instruments Introduced a Simple 4.3-V to 17-V Input, 2-A Synchronous Buck Converter in SOT563

Posted on 12 March, 2020 by mixos

Texas Instruments (TI) introduced a simple, easy-to-use, 2-A synchronous buck converter TPS562207 in a SOT563 package. The device is optimized to operate with minimum external component counts and also optimized to achieve low standby current.

This switch mode power supply (SMPS) device employs D-CAP2 mode control providing a fast transient response and supporting both low equivalent series resistance (ESR) output capacitors such as specialty polymer and ultra-low ESR ceramic capacitors with no external compensation components.

The TPS562207 Simplified Application Schematic.

Features

2-A converter integrated 145-mΩ and 86-mΩ FETs
D-CAP2™ Mode Control with fast transient response
Input voltage range: 4.3 V to 17 V
Output voltage range: 0.8 V to 7 V
Forced continuous conduction mode
590-kHz switching frequency
Low shutdown current less than 3 μA
2% feedback voltage accuracy (25 °C)
Support pre-bias function
Cycle-by-cycle overcurrent limit
Hiccup-mode overcurrent protection
Non-latch UVP and TSD protections
Fixed soft start: 1.0 ms

TPS562207 operates in Forced Continuous Conduction Mode (FCCM), which maintains fixed switching frequency and output voltage ripple is very small. TPS562207 is available in a 6-pin 1.6-mm × 1.6-mm SOT563 (DRL) package, and specified from a –40 °C to 125 °C junction temperature.

Kontron Single Board Computer in 3.5-inch format for AMD Ryzen™ Embedded V1000/R1000 processor

Posted on 12 March, 2020 by mixos

Kontron, a leading global provider of IoT/Embedded Computing Technology (ECT), has introduced a new Single Board Computer (SBC) in a 3.5-inch form factor. The 3.5″-SBC-VR1000 is based on the AMD Ryzen^™ Embedded V1000 and R1000 processor series and is optionally available with the SoC V1605B, V1202B, R1606G or R1505G. With superior 4K playback and a fanless, low-power design it is an energy-efficient, compact solution for highly computationally-intensive edge computing and graphics applications such as digital signage, digital casino gaming, kiosk, retail, banking, education, medical imaging and edge computers in industrial control and automation.

The new SBC from Kontron supports 4K ultra-definition video output, including AMD Radeon^™ Vega GPU. Thanks to one LVDS, one DP and one HDMI 2.0 connector each, up to three monitors can be controlled independently. Latest generation interfaces provide faster data transfer rates between memory, data storage and peripherals. The V1000 models feature four, and the R1000 models two rear-mounted USB 3.1 ports. These are supplemented by four, respectively six USB 2.0 ports. The audio interfaces include two speaker out, one line-in, one line-out and one microphone input..

Highlights

1x LVDS, 1x DP, 1x HDMI 2.0 for triple display support
2x GbE LAN for Ethernet
Up to 4x USB 3.1, up to 6x USB 2.0, 2x RS232/422/485, 2x RS232 for peripherals
8-bit DIO for device / signal control
2x SATA 3.0, 1x mPCIe, 1x M.2 Key M for storage & expansion

The two DDR4 2400 SO-DIMM sockets offer up to 32 GB of RAM. In addition to two RJ-45 LAN ports (Intel^® I210-AT, Intel^® I211-AT), the 3.5″ SBC-VR1000 is equipped with a half-size mini PCIe slot. Further equipment includes two SATA III connectors and an M.2 socket (Key M), on which a NVMe SSD can be installed. The latter features lower latency, a compact form factor and high reliability.

A TPM 2.0 security chip is integrated to protect applications and licenses. Series production is planned for the end of Q2 2020.

For more information, please visit: https://www.kontron.com/products/boards-and-standard-form-factors/single-board-computer/3.5–sbc-vr1000.html

SparkFun’s USB Type-C 5-20V 5A Power Delivery Board Features Qwiic Connector

Posted on 12 March, 202012 March, 2020 by Tope Oluyemi

USB Type-C introduced significant changes to the USB standard. The reversible connector eliminated the issue of trying to plug the connector in the right way every time. Another issue it addressed was allowing the flexibility to have USB power with an adjustable USB voltage from anywhere between 5V and 20V and up to 100W of power. The SparkFun Power Delivery Board takes advantage of the power delivery standard with the use of a standalone controller from STMicroelectronics, the STUSB4500.

SparkFun has now introduced a new method for powering your projects. This is possible through the flexibility of the USB Power Delivery Standard, which is a standalone USB Type-C power board with three configurable power delivery profiles.

Xtopher from SparkFun says

“Traditional power adapters can provide a wide range of current but the voltage stays fixed at 5V.” The company say “With the SparkFun Power Delivery Board’s USB-C connection it has the ability to achieve higher voltages, typically 5-20V and up to 100W of power. The Power Delivery Board uses a standalone controller to negotiate with the power adapters and have them switch to a higher voltage other than just 5V. This uses the same power adapter for different projects rather than relying on multiple power adapters to provide different output voltages.”

SparkFun Power Delivery Board is based on an STMicroelectronics STUSB4500 USB Power Delivery controller, which enables the negotiation of power delivery without an external microcontroller. However, SparkFun states that a microcontroller is still required for configuration, with the settings being stored in a non-volatile storage space on the controller itself. The controller board consists of input and output voltage ranges of 5-20V, with output current clocking up to 5A across three user-configurable power delivery profiles. It has a full USB Type-C Rev. 1.2 and USB Power Delivery Rev. 2.0 certification, and enables integrated VBUS voltage monitoring and PMOS switch gate drivers. Apart from its solderable pin headers, available also is a singular 3.3V Qwiic connector for solder-free connection into SparkFun‘s quick-connect I2C ecosystem. To configure the board, you will need the I2C bus. The Qwiic system makes it easy to connect the Power Delivery board to a microcontroller to set the NVM parameters to power your project via the Qwiic connector. Depending on your application, you can also connect to the I2C bus via the plated through holes for SDA and SCL.

The Power Delivery Board is available now for $24.95 before volume pricing on the SparkFun webshop. Available also is a hook-up guide available on the company’s learning platform. SparkFun has also written a library to control the Power Delivery board for the STUSB4500. You can obtain this library through the Arduino Library Manager. By searching for STUSB4500, you should see one written by SparkFun Electronics and you should be able to install the latest version. If you prefer downloading libraries manually, you can grab them from the GitHub Repository.

Murata and Truphone partner to roll out IoT connectivity

Posted on 12 March, 2020 by mixos

Murata has signed a partnership with global mobile network provider Truphone to deliver state-of-the-art IoT connectivity in a few simple clicks. by Julien Happich @ eenewseurope.com

As its preferred connectivity supplier, Murata will use Truphone’s SIM technology to allow users to connect IoT devices to network providers from the moment they switch it on. No complicated activation process, no wordy manual, just connectivity from the touch of a button.

From today, Murata’s customers will be able to add Truphone connectivity to any hardware purchase through Murata’s website, integrating the two e-commerce portals for a seamless purchase journey. The Truphone network supports 2G, 3G, 4G and CAT-M1/LTE-M worldwide, all with a single SIM card, and gives every customer access to its IoT connectivity management platform, ‘Truphone for Things’. Truphone’s simple prepaid data plans (which provide coverage in multiple countries across a three-year period) simplify the connectivity process, so manufacturers can focus on what they do best – building their connected device. Murata has built a low-power module, Type 1SE, that includes a Truphone eSIM profile and is integrated with the M2M eSIM remote SIM provisioning service. There is no need to source external SIM cards, OEMs can activate Truphone connectivity instantly.

Murata Electronics Europe – www.murata.com

Molex Announces Custom Cable Creator

Posted on 12 March, 2020 by mixos

Online tool makes it possible for customers to build their own cable wiring harnesses.

Molex announces the launch of the Custom Cable Creator, a solution that enables customers to efficiently design custom cable harnesses within one simple online tool. The tool fits almost any application to meet the needs of most major industries, including consumer, home appliance, medical and data computing.

The Cable Creator allows users to choose from many different product connector families, circuit sizes, wire gauges, UL styles, cable lengths and more. To meet the needs of unique applications, the proprietary pinout configurator provides options to select individual connections and wire color.

“The new Custom Cable Creator is a revolutionary tool poised to dramatically help wiring harness designers develop solutions to meet their exact needs,” said Jonathan Thompson, global product manager, Molex. “With the amount of customization now available, customers can easily design their own pinout for the wires and greatly simplify cable routing and management.”

To quickly experience the output of their designs, Molex offers concept drawings, 3-D models and prototype quotes within 48 hours. Mechanical samples would also be available within one week.

For more information about the Custom Cable Creator, please visit www.molex.com/molex/custom-cable-creator/

Raspberry Pi gets 3D TOF capture

Posted on 11 March, 2020 by mixos

Conrad Electronic is now selling Pieye’s Nimbus 3D time-of-flight (ToF) camera module for Raspberry Pi, expanding its range of accessories for development tools.

The ToF module offers a resolution of 352×288 pixels (100k) and operates in the measuring range of between 0.1 to 3m with a measuring accuracy of ±2%.

“Pieye Nimbus 3D brings the industry-proven time-of-flight technology to Raspberry Pi and is aimed at B2B customers in inventory management and warehousing who, for example, need to monitor fill levels,” explains Markus Pröller from Pieye. “Users in research and development, education, and robotics – such as for gesture control – can also benefit from the camera modules’ features, offered through a cooperation with Makerfactory. Typical users of the Nimbus 3D in the B2C market are makers, hobbyists and inventors as well as model-making enthusiasts.”

The time-of-flight technology integrated into Pieye’s Nimbus 3D determines the distance between the lens and the object via the propagation of modulated light pulses. The camera produces a distance value for each pixel and makes this so-called ‘point cloud’ directly available for evaluation.

Since time-of-flight technology enables 3D measurements with a single sensor, the especially compact design is of great advantage for use as top fixture with Raspberry Pi for object recognition, gesture control or robot navigation.

Conrad Electronic – www.conrad.de

pITX-APL – High performance in 2.5-inch format

Posted on 11 March, 202011 March, 2020 by mixos

With the launch of the new embedded motherboard pITX-APL smallest 2.5” form factor, Kontron is extending its long-term available Pico-ITX portfolio to include a single Board Computer with the latest generation Intel® ATOM™ processor (formerly codenamed ‘Apollo Lake’). This ‘pico powerhouse’ has been specifically designed for performance-intensive applications and supports the extended temperature range of -40°C to +85°C (non Operating Mode) and -25°C to +75°C (Operating Mode) . With its outstanding graphics performance, the board operates with separate independent displays. Additionally, the Kontron pITX-APL boasts an excellent performance-per-watt ratio and optimized Thermal Design Power (TDP). The ATX-compatible motherboard offers an extensive ecosystem, so developers can design even the most demanding systems based on standard components.

Features:

High performance CPU, graphics, and media performance supporting up to 3 independent displays
TPM2.0 and optional Kontron Approtect Security Solution
mPCIe half size, uSD/uSIM Card Combo
SO-DIMM Sockets DDR3L-1866 Memory (up to 8GB)
LVDS 24Bits dual channel and Display Port 1.2

The pITX-APL is part of the Security Solution Product Line; the motherboard is prepared for Application Protection, License Creation, Delivery, Management and Tracking, Implementation of license models as well as the assignment of privileges and access levels.

The Kontron pITX-APL excels with a wide selection of interfaces. In addition, customer-specific functions can be integrated via standard Mini PCIe extension slots as well as Kontron’s own embedded Feature Connector. Additional features such as microSD/ microSIM Card combo and lockable external DC supply connector support Industrial Automation applications which further simplifies and accelerates system designs. With its SIM card socket, the motherboard is also suitable for deployment in intelligent, distributed ‘Internet of Things’ for time-to-market applications.

Long-term availability of these boards ensures that OEMs can obtain the same boards for additional or replacement systems, thus, being able to efficiently manage large field deployments.

For more information, please visit: https://www.kontron.com/products/boards-and-standard-form-factors/single-board-computer/pitx-apl-pitx-apl-v2.0.html