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Ultra-compact 200W desktop power supply from FiDUS features Gallium Nitride switching

Posted on 13 December, 2019 by mixos

FiDUS Power, the technical power supply distributor specializing in innovative solutions and new products that benefit system designers as they seek to differentiate their end products, sets a new bar for the size of external power supplies with the launch of the new model GDA200. The use of Gallium Nitride (GaN) rather than silicon semi-conductor switches provides increased efficiency, reduced heat losses and operation a higher-frequencies, allowing the size of magnetics and other components to be reduced. The result is an amazingly-compact 200W external desktop power supply with market leading 12.5W/In³ power density.

The FiDUS GDA200 will be welcomed by system designers looking for a sleek power supply to accompany and enhance innovative new products that deliver an image of quality and leading edge technology. It will be advantageous to designers of portable equipment and instrumentation in markets including; high end audio, test and measurement, bench top and audio broadcast equipment.

The ultra-compact size is also advantageous to customers incorporating external power supplies into their designs to speed up the approvals process. The very small size, just 150 x 54 x 33mm (5.9 x 2.12 x 1.3”) may also reduce total system package size resulting in higher shipping and storage densities, especially when the closest competitive product is some 2 ½ times larger.

Mark Gibbons, Engineering Manager at FiDUS Power, comments:

“The ultra-high power density and exceptionally small size of our new GDA200 external power supply gives designers of portable products a great deal more value for money and design flexibility. This is the first of a new family of ultra-compact external desk top products to be announced by FiDUS Power with the 300, 160 or 150 and finally GDA 120W series to follow early next year.”

more information: fidus-power.worldsecuresystems.com

Low cost, platinum RTD surface, temperature sensor capsule from RdF Corporation

Posted on 12 December, 201912 December, 2019 by mixos

The 29309 series from RdF offers a small strong design which allows this package to conform on curved surfaces for accurate response in milliseconds. These surface temperature sensors offer a long term stability, better than ±0.05°C per 5 years. The moisture resistance for condensing environments or shallow immersion is provided by Kapton®/Teflon® lamination that completely encapsulates the assembly and lead entrance. The leads are welded within the sealed platinum RTD sensor which helps to provide this sensor’s durability.

Features:

Operating temperature range -50°C to +232°C (up to 260°C in dry applications)
Self heating is typically less than 25mW/°C
Response time of 0.3s in water flowing at 3ft per second
Sensing elements of 100Ω or 1000Ω at 0°C
Platinum per IEC 751 (α = 0.00385 Ω/Ω/°C, Class A and Class B)
Long term stability better than 0.05°C per 5 years
Lead wires of 28 AWG nickel plated copper, PFA Teflon® insulation
4 wire configuration
Encapsulated in Kapton®

The 100Ω and 1000Ω sensing element choices are available with a IEC 751 Class B accuracy offering a tolerance of ±0.12Ω and ±1.2Ω respectively at 0°C. 100Ω and 1000Ω platinum elements are also available with the tighter IEC 751 Class A accuracy offering tolerances of ±0.06Ω and ±0.6Ω respectively at 0°C.

For further information on the RDF 29309 series, please click here

NanoPi M4B – Another ARM Board Powered By Rockchip RK3399

Posted on 12 December, 201913 December, 2019 by Rik

FriendlyELEC is releasing another revision of NanoPi M4 with NanoPi M4B combining some of the features of M4 and M4V2 boards such as DDR3 memory and power & recovery buttons. The new NanoPi M4B is an RK3399 SoC (6 core ARM Cortex-A72/A53) based ARM board as its successors. It has the same form of factor as the Raspberry Pi B3+ and has ports and interfaces which are compatible with RPi B3+.

The biggest change comes in the form of removal of the USB 3.0 hub from the new board. Now the company is going with the two USB 2.0 interfaces and two USB 3.0 interfaces. This step should lower the manufacturing cost, and in some cases enhance performance. Also, there is only 2 GB DDR3 RAM.

NanoPi M4B Spec List:

SoC – Rockchip RK3399 Hexa-core processor with 2x Arm Cortex-A72 @ up to 2.0GHz, 4x Cortex-A53 @ up to 1.5GHz,
GPU – a Mali-T864 with OpenGL ES1.1/2.0/3.0/3.1, OpenVG1.1, OpenCL, DX11, and AFBC, and a VPU with 4K VP9 and 4K 10-bit H265/H264 decoding support
System Memory – Dual-channel 2GB DDR3
Storage – eMMC module socket, MicroSD card slot
Video Output – HDMI 2.0a up to 4K @ 60 Hz with HDCP 1.4/2.2 support
Audio – 3.5mm headphone jack with stereo audio, HDMI digital audio output
Camera – One or two 4-lane MIPI-CSI connector(s) (one multiplexed with MIPI-DSI), dual ISP up to 13MP
Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac WiFi 5 1T1R, Bluetooth 5.0 via AP6256 module, 1x IPX antenna connector
USB – 2x USB 3.0 ports, 2x USB 2.0 ports, 1x USB 2.0 Type-C port for power input
Expansion
- 40-pin GPIO header with 3x 3V/1.8V I2C, up to 1x 3V UART, 1x 3V SPI, 1x SPDIF_TX, up to 8x 3V GPIOs, 1x 1.8V 8-channel I2S
- 24-pin extension port, PCIe x2, 1x PWM, Power key, IR Rx
Debugging – 4-pin UART header (3V 1.5Mbps)
Misc – Power key, recovery button, power LED, 1x user LED, 2-pin header for RTC battery, ADB switch
Power Supply – 5V/3A via USB-C port or GPIO header; RK808-D PMIC
Dimensions – 85 mm x 56 mm (8-layer PCB)
Temperature Range – -20°C to 70°C

OS support for this board includes Armbian built Debian or Ubuntu, Ubuntu Desktop 18.04 64-bit, Lubuntu 16.04 32-bit, Ubuntu Core 18.04 64-bit, and Android 8. More technical details about this board can be found on this Wiki.

Arduino Wristwatch

Posted on 12 December, 2019 by mixos

This simple digital watch is inspired by the Eiriks Binary Wrist Watch from Sverd Industries! Check it out if you didn’t already. by Marijo Blažević

Watch uses the same microcontroller as one on Arduino UNO – super hackable and easy to use! In this tutorial, I’ll be showing how you can make your own programmable wristwatch – from the design process to sourcing parts, soldering and programming.

Measuring thickness at only 10 mm this wristwatch can last for a couple of years on one CR2032 battery and keep extremely precise time and even compensate for temperature using DS3231 Real Time Clock (RTC) chip with built-in crystal!

To show the time we will use 12 LED’s positioned in a circle like a simple analog watch face. for that, I picked size 0603 RED led’s coupled with fairly high value (680 Ohm) resistors keeping the current low and still visible in direct sunlight.

Arduino Wristwatch – [Link]

Homemade Injection Transformer for PSU Loop Analysis

Posted on 12 December, 2019 by mixos

Adil Malik build his own injection transformer to test switchmode power supplies in his lab. He writes:

Recently, I have been designing some SMPS and required some hardware to measure the actual loop response of the complete converters. People familiar with this area will probably know this can be done breaking the feedback loop of the converter and injecting a small AC signal and measuring the loop response at the output of the converter. However, such a measurement requires a mechanism to inject this signal differential across a small resistor inline with the normal feedback network. Unfortunately, as most signal generators are ground referenced we need special hardware to convert this output to a floating output.

Homemade Injection Transformer for PSU Loop Analysis – [Link]

Axiomtek’s i.MX 8M-based Fanless Embedded System with E-Mark Certification – Agent336

Posted on 12 December, 201912 December, 2019 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 proud to launch the Agent336, its new RISC-based fanless embedded box PC certified with E-Mark for a variety of in-vehicle applications. The Agent336 measures only 164 x 118 x 44 mm and weight about 1.0kg. The cost-efficient embedded computer can withstand harsh operating environments with a wide operating temperature range of -40°C to +70°C and power input of 9 to 36V DC. This low power yet high-quality In-vehicle box computer is powered by the NXP i.MX 8M processor with the ARM® Cortex™-A53 microarchitecture and has a 3GB onboard LPDDR4 memory.

Axiomtek leverages its global expertise to provide complete product solutions for transportation applications. Our first-class transportation embedded box computers are easy to install and offer superior performance and reliability to thrive in harsh environments. Concerning the reliability and durability, the Agent336 comes with intelligent power management for ACC on/off delay, shutdown delay and over/under voltage protection. It runs on Linux (Yocto) and Android 8.1 operating systems. This IP40-rated RISC-based embedded gateway with strict certification is definitely the top choice for in-vehicle solutions, such as devices controller, fleet management, surveillance, and gateway.

“The Agent336 is an all-in-one, extremely small embedded box PC targeted at in-vehicle fields. It featuring tracking, monitoring and displaying functions in one system is well-suited for cold chain logistics and infotainment system, offering instant status reports, vehicle predictive maintenance and real-time vehicle dispatching and routing,” said Gordon Cho, a product manager of Embedded PM Division at Axiomtek. “This low power embedded platform features rich I/O interfaces with isolation protection to provide reliable system operation. For fleet management applications, the Agent336 offers flexible communication modules for 3G/4G, GPS and Wi-Fi connections. Moreover, when connecting to an LCD panel via HDMI, drivers can get visual information in time.”

The newest RISC-based Agent336 supports two RS-232/422/485 ports, one isolated DIO, one HDMI port, two USB 3.0 A-type ports, one console port, one Gigabit LAN port, one RTC battery, one reset button, and five antenna openings. One onboard 8GB eMMC and one Micro SD card socket are available for extensive storage needs. Additionally, the rugged embedded computer has high integration ability with two full-size PCI Express Mini Card slots and one SIM card, which makes it a professional embedded system for transportation applications.

Advanced Features:

RISC-based module (i.MX 8M) processor
3GB LPDDR4 memory onboard
8GB eMMC onboard
9 to 36 VDC wide range power input with terminal block
Ready-to-run embedded Linux/Android operating system
Wide operating temperature range from -40°C to +70°C
E-Mark certified
Intelligent solution of vehicle power management (ACC ignition)

Axiomtek’s fanless transportation gateway, the Agent336, will be available in January of 2020. For more product information or pricing, please visit our global website at www.axiomtek.com or contact one of our sales representatives at info@axiomtek.com.tw.

Stereo volume and balance control with Rotary Encoder using MAX5440

Posted on 11 December, 201911 December, 2019 by mixos

The project described here is a compact stereo volume and balance control with rotary encoder. It provides 32 log potentiometer steps with buffered wiper output. The project can easily replace mechanical potentiometer. 5 LEDs indicate the volume level or balance settings , depending on the status of the mode indicator D1 LED. The MAX5440 includes debounced pushbutton inputs for mute and mode. The mute input allows a single pushbutton to change between volume control and the -90dB (typ) mute setting. The mode input toggles between volume and balance control. A click-and-pop suppression feature minimizes the audible noise generated by wiper transitions.

Stereo volume and balance control with Rotary Encoder using MAX5440 – [Link]

USB Charging Port Controller using TPS2514

Posted on 11 December, 2019 by mixos

Texas Instrument’s USB Dedicated Charging Port Controller TPS2514 is specifically designed to implement the charging schemas mentioned below. An auto-detect feature monitors USB data line voltage and automatically provides the correct electrical signatures on D+ and D– data lines. Note that the chip datasheet never mentioned Samsung or Apple in particular apparently due to the copyright issues. Instead, it mentioned 1.2V mode and different Apple charging modes as Divider 1, Divider 2 and Divider 3. There are two modifications of the chip. TPS2514 has Dividers 1 and 2 for configuration #2 and #3 when TPS2514A only Apple Divider 3 for configuration #4. Both chips support DCP and Samsung charging. Note that Divider 1 or Divider 2 is configured by flipping connection to USB data lines. In other words, it is pre-wired and there is no way do it on the fly.

USB Charging Port Controller using TPS2514 – [Link]

AMS AG AS621x Ultra-Low power digital temperature sensor family

Posted on 11 December, 201911 December, 2019 by mixos

The AS621x is the second generation of the digital temperature sensor family

The AS621x is the second generation of the digital temperature sensor family, designed for high accuracy applications with ultra-low power consumption. The new digital sensor design offers eight I²C addresses and a supply voltage from 1.71 V to 3.6 V. The AS621x family is a fully calibrated and linearized sensor system that is easy to integrate into any digital system. It provides a 16-bit resolution over the full temperature range from -40 °C to +125 °C. For power-sensitive applications, the device can enter a low-power wait mode with 0.1 μA current consumption.

Key features

Ultra-low Power Consumption: 6 μA @ 4 samples/sec (Typ.)
Small WLCSP Package (1.5 x 1.0 mm)
High Temperature Accuracy of ±0.2 °C (-10 °C to 65 °C)
Full-digital System with up to Eight I2C Addresses

Additional features:

Supply voltage: 1.71 V to 3.6 V
Operating temperature: -40 °C to 125 °C
Programmable alert output pin
Factory calibrated

Additional Benefits:

Long battery life and low self heating
3 different versions (AS6212, AS6214 & AS6218) with different temperature accuracies in order to perfectly match customer requirements.
“Easy to Use” solution, i.e. no calibration or linearization needed
Minimal board space and fast reaction time
3 different versions (AS6212, AS6214 & AS6218) to optimally meet the accuracy requirements

more information: ams.com/as621x

Renesas RL78/G14 fast prototyping board

Posted on 11 December, 2019 by mixos

The Renesas RL78/G14 Fast Prototyping Board enables users to quickly build their own applications.

The Renesas RL78/G14 Fast Prototyping Board enables users to quickly build their own applications. Thanks to its onboard debugging circuit no additional equipment other than a USB cable is needed to get started with prototype development. An Arduino Uno header and Pmod connectors mounted on the board ensure fast and easy expansion of users’ applications. In addition, users can expand their application with the RL78/G1D BLE Module Expansion Board.

Key features

All Pins of RL78/G14 are Accessible
Arduino and Pmod Connectors for Easy Expansion
High Performance and Low Power
On-board E2 Lite Emulator Circuit

Additional features

RL78G14 MCU at 32 MHz
- 51.2 DMIPS @ 32 MHz
- 512 KB Flash/48 KB RAM
- DTC/ELC
- Advanced Timer/Comparator/DAC
Power: USB Bus Power or Coin-cell Battery
Reset and User Switch
Compatible with Arduino UNO R3
PMOD Header x 2
LED x 3 (User x 2, Act x 1)
32 KHz Crystal Oscillator
On-board Debugging Circuit

more information: www.renesas.com