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The Perfect Pair: Creative and xMEMS Labs Partner to Deliver Superior High-Fidelity TWS Earbuds

Posted on 5 October, 2023 by mixos

Creative Technology is excited to announce a strategic partnership with xMEMS Labs, the pioneers in solid-state fidelity, bringing in a new era of audio excellence for users worldwide by incorporating xMEMS’ cutting-edge micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) solid-state speaker technology into Creative’s True Wireless Stereo (TWS) products.

xMEMS technology is a breakthrough in the audio industry, bringing unparalleled sound quality and efficiency to audio devices. Currently, traditional audio devices use conventional drivers to produce sound, which can sometimes result in distortion or loss of audio fidelity. Whereas, with xMEMS’ tiny yet powerful hardware, Creative’s TWS earbuds are set to deliver crystal-clear sound that reproduces every nuance of music and audio content with astounding accuracy. Users will get to enjoy a truly immersive and lifelike audio experience, whether they are listening to their favorite songs, watching movies, or engaging in conference calls.

The solid-state, all-silicon MEMS-based drivers also boast exceptional phase consistency (7x better than conventional drivers), offering superior spatial audio experiences with improved detail and separation. Furthermore, with the integration of xMEMS’s compact hardware, users can expect lighter, sleeker, and more ergonomic Creative TWS earbuds that provide better wearability for users on the move.

“We are excited to partner with Creative to revolutionize the true wireless audio experience,” said Joseph Jiang, CEO and Co-Founder at xMEMS Labs. “By integrating our advanced solid-state MEMS speakers into Creative’s TWS products, we are confident that users will enjoy an unprecedented level of audio quality and efficiency. Together, we aim to redefine the way people listen to music, communicate, and immerse themselves in audio content.”

“As an audio company committed to delivering superior sound experiences, Creative is excited to partner with xMEMS Labs to integrate their innovative MEMS technology into our TWS products,” said Song Siow Hui, CEO of Creative. “By doing so, we are confident that our TWS products will stand out in the market, delivering exceptional sound quality, comfort, and style to our users.”

The partnership between Creative and xMEMS Labs marks a significant milestone in the audio industry, raising the bar for True Wireless Stereo audio devices. The first series of Creative TWS products powered by xMEMS technology are expected to hit the market later this year, promising a game-changing experience for audio enthusiasts and casual users alike.

CUI Devices Launches New Thermal Design Services

Posted on 4 October, 20234 October, 2023 by mixos

CUI Devices’ Thermal Management Group today announced the official launch of its new thermal design services. With a team of thermal management experts, CUI Devices’ industry-leading thermal design services employ advanced simulation tools and decades of expertise to identify potential hotspots, optimize airflow, and design effective cooling systems tailored to a customer’s specific needs. The available services offered by CUI Devices are further broken down as follows:

Thermal simulation: CUI Devices leverages the latest computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques to accurately predict and optimize the airflow, temperature distribution, and heat transfer in various systems.
Manufacturing capabilities: In addition to standard thermal management products, CUI Devices has the manufacturing capabilities to design custom thermal management solutions, including product customizations and integrations.
Thermal management consulting: From conducting PCB modeling and optimization to providing expertise in system, housing, and chassis design, CUI Devices can help designers maximize their thermal management strategy.
Thermal testing and validation: CUI Devices’ thermal testing services ensure the accuracy and reliability of a thermal design through real-world testing to help identify and address any potential discrepancies.

“Thermal challenges are an inescapable fact in today’s electronic devices,” stated Steve Mathis, CUI Devices’ VP of Sales. “Our new thermal design services are a natural progression of our existing portfolio of thermal management products. We also have many years of experience collaborating with customers to tailor custom thermal solutions to their specific application needs and we believe these additional services will further simplify their design journey.”

For helpful resources and tools on thermal management, check out CUI Devices’ Resource Library which houses a range of blog posts, videos, and more.

Learn more about CUI Devices’ thermal design services

Introducing SnapMagic Copilot: Revolutionizing Electronics Design

Posted on 4 October, 20234 October, 2023 by mixos

Introducing SnapMagic Copilot: Revolutionizing Electronics Design

Today, SnapEDA is launching SnapMagic Copilot, the AI design partner that will change how every engineer designs electronics.

As part of this launch, SnapEDA is rebranding to SnapMagic and has raised a new round of funding from world-leading AI and developer tool investors.

“AI is advancing incredibly quickly. We’ve seen copilot technologies provide enormous leverage to software engineers, and it’s time to bring that to hardware engineering.” said SnapMagic CEO and electrical engineer Natasha Baker, “That’s what we’re doing with SnapMagic Copilot.”

SnapMagic Copilot pairs state-of-the-art artificial intelligence with its massive proprietary dataset to automate some of the most time-consuming aspects of electronics design. That includes:

Auto-completion of common circuits: For example, engineers can add a microcontroller to a circuit and SnapMagic will also place the recommended decoupling capacitors.
Creation of common designs: Using natural language, engineers can instruct their PCB tool. For example, they can ask for a ‘non-inverting amplifier with a gain of 2’, and SnapMagic creates those circuits with orderable parts based on fundamental circuit theory principles.
Reference design auto-placement: SnapMagic Copilot will suggest a manufacturer-recommend reference design upon placement of a relevant integrated circuit.
Optimization for cost and power: SnapMagic Copilot can optimize a bill of materials based on chosen parameters like cost or power consumption.
Component replacements: If a part is detected to be in low inventory, SnapMagic Copilot recommends alternate parts using its proprietary component recommendation engine.

SnapMagic is unique in the market. Its vast proprietary dataset is critical for automating electronics design and has been honed through years of collaboration with top OEMs and component suppliers. Further, SnapMagic integrates — rather than replaces — existing PCB design tools. As a result, every engineer can benefit from its productivity-boosting features, instantly.

In recent years, designers have been under pressure due to component shortages and a trend towards more, but smaller, design teams. SnapMagic sees AI as a game-changer, amplifying these engineers’ capabilities. Early SnapMagic Copilot users report quicker design times and superior quality.

With over 1.5 million engineers relying on its product, and a CAGR of 61%, SnapMagic has successfully united the world’s electronics designers, distributors, and component suppliers in one place. Popular distributors on its platform include Digi-Key and Mouser, and popular suppliers include Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, Samtec, and TE Connectivity.

The launch of SnapMagic Copilot is the next step in SnapMagic’s mission to help engineers design electronics faster. Join the waiting list at www.snapmagic.com.

Vishay Increases Power Density for POL Converters With the Industry’s Smallest 6 A, 20 A, and 25 A Buck Regulator Modules

Posted on 4 October, 20234 October, 2023 by mixos

Offered in 10.6mm by 6.5mm by 3mm Package, microBRICK® Devices Are Up to 69% Smaller Than Competing Solutions and Feature Wide Input Voltage Ranges From 4.5V to 60V

New Yorker Electronics has announced its release of Vishay’s new 6A, 20A, and 25A microBRICK synchronous buck regulator modules designed to deliver increased power density and efficiency for point of load (POL) converters. Offered in a 10.6mm x 6.5mm x 3mm package, the Vishay Siliconix SiC931, SiC951 and SiC967 are the smallest such devices on the market — with the lowest height — and feature wide input voltage ranges from 4.5V to 60V.

Up to 69-percent smaller than other solutions, the regulator modules released today each offer two high-performance MOSFETs, an inductor, and a controller, with only minimal external components needed for configuration and loop compensation. The devices’ compact size dramatically increases power density, while their high level of integration reduces design complexity and time to market. The regulators’ controllers consume minimum quiescent current, enabling peak efficiencies of up to 97-percent. In data centers, the telecom infrastructure, and industrial applications, microBRICK regulators help reduce energy consumption by more efficiently delivering power to FPGAs, ASICs, and SoC core power supplies.

Highly configurable, the regulators combine their wide input voltage ranges with adjustable output voltages down to 0.3 V. In addition, the SiC931 features four programmable switching frequencies at 600kHz, 1MHz, 1.5MHz and 2MHz, while the SiC967 and SiC951 offer adjustable switching ranges from 100kHz to 2MHz and 300kHz to 1.5MHz, respectively. All three devices offer an adjustable current limit, while the SiC931 features an adjustable soft start and the PMBus 1.3 compliant SiC951 supports sequential, tracking and simultaneous operation.

The regulator modules provide versatile solutions for a wide range of applications, including POL converters in servers, cloud computing, high performance computing, and desktop computers; industrial automation, motor drives, and tools; surveillance systems; consumer electronics; and 5G telecom equipment. For these applications, the SiC951 and SiC967 offer three operating modes: forced continuous conduction, ultrasonic, and power save. The SiC931 provides forced continuous conduction and power save modes. In power-saving mode, when the inductor current crosses zero, the control scheme turns off the low-side MOSFET to deploy a diode emulation mode. The switching frequency decreases in proportion to load conditions. There is no minimum switching frequency limitation, allowing for the best possible efficiency at light loads.

The devices’ constant on-time (COT) architecture delivers ultrafast transient response with minimum output capacitance and tight ripple regulation at very light loads. It also enables loop stability regardless of the type of output capacitor used, including low ESR ceramic capacitors. The regulators feature a robust protection feature set for reliable operation, output overvoltage (OVP) and under-voltage protection (UVP), cycle by cycle overcurrent protection (OCP), short circuit protection (SCP) with auto retry, over temperature protection (OTP), and a power good flag.

Samples and production quantities of the new sensors are available now rom New Yorker Electronics, with lead times of 20 weeks. As a franchised distributor, New Yorker Electronics supplies Vishay Siliconix low-voltage power MOSFETs (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors), Power ICs and analog switches and multiplexers.

AAEON Unveils UP Squared i12 Edge: A Compact Powerhouse for Industrial Automation

Posted on 3 October, 2023 by mixos

AAEON delivers powerful Mini PC with huge market potential.

AAEON’s UP brand, renowned for its extensive selection of developer boards and compact Mini PCs, is thrilled to announce the launch of the UP Squared i12 Edge. This Mini PC, the smallest in AAEON’s lineup to host 12th Generation Intel® Core™ Processors, measures just 130mm x 94mm x 68mm. It has been designed as a compact and easily deployable system specifically tailored for industrial automation applications, such as AGV and IoT Gateway.

The UP Squared i12 Edge offers a wide range of peripheral device interfaces tailored to its target industries. These include two USB Type-A ports and one USB Type-C port, supporting USB 3.2 Gen 2. Additionally, it features dual-stacked RJ-45 ports for Realtek RTL8111H-CG gigabit ethernet connectivity.

Highlight features:

Tiny 130mm x 94mm x 68mm chassis
M.2 2230 E-Key/M.2 2280 M-Key/SATA III
HDMI 1.4b x 1, DP 1.2 x 1, DP 1.4a via USB Type-C x 1
USB 3.2 x 3 (Type A x 2, Type C x 1)
Realtek RTL8111H-CG x 2

One of the standout features of the UP Squared i12 Edge is its support for CNVi via its M.2 2230 E-Key interface, making it an ideal choice for wireless data exchange with retrofitted factory equipment in the manufacturing sector. Furthermore, it offers support for AI modules through an M.2 2280 M-Key slot, enhancing the capabilities of its robust CPU lineup, which includes up to i7 SKUs from the 12th Generation Intel® Core™ platform. Consequently, the UP Squared i12 Edge is an excellent candidate for AGV applications. Additionally, there is an option to add an M.2 2230 E-Key for Wi-Fi connectivity, which, when paired with the system’s onboard TPM 2.0, caters to users interested in using the product as an IoT Gateway.

While the UP Squared i12 Edge comes with up to 128GB of onboard storage via an SSD, it also includes support for SATA at 6Gb/s. The aforementioned M.2 2280 M-Key slot can accommodate a four-lane PCIe Gen 4.0 module and NVMe, providing system integrators with increased flexibility.

For display connectivity, the UP Squared i12 Edge boasts a solid interface that includes an HDMI 1.4b/DP 1.2 stack connector and DP 1.4a via the system’s USB Type-C port. This makes it an ideal choice for deployments requiring edge functionality, such as smart parking management solutions that necessitate Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR). Deployment options are further facilitated by the system’s choice of VESA or Wall Mounting configurations.

To learn more about the UP Squared i12 Edge, please visit our product page.

Useful Sensors release AI in a Box– Run LLM locally with no internet connection

Posted on 2 October, 20232 October, 2023 by Abhishek Jadhav

The founders of TensorFlow, a free and open-source software library for machine learning and artificial intelligence, launched a company– Useful Sensors. The company has released a crowdfunding project called AI in a Box, designed to provide users with their own private and offline AI system for various applications, such as conversation, live captions, translation, and many more.

AI in a Box contains a locally run Large Language Model (LLM), similar to GPT-3 or a similar AI, that you can interact with. Interestingly, all interactions happen locally on the device, meaning there’s no need for an internet connection, and your conversations remain entirely private and secure.

Unlike many AI services that require you to create accounts or pay subscription fees, AI in a Box does not necessitate any of these. You simply plug in the device, and it’s ready for use. It uses AI technology to transcribe spoken words into text and displays these captions on its built-in screen. Additionally, it can output captions to external screens via an HDMI connection.

AI in a Box can translate spoken or typed text between multiple major languages in real-time. You can select the source and destination language, and it will display split-screen captions, showing the original input and the translated output.

One of its most significant features is its privacy and security. Since the device operates entirely offline, no information is shared with external servers or the Internet. There’s no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, reducing the risk of remote attacks. To access the device, you need to physically plug in a keyboard or an Ethernet cable, making it highly secure for sensitive data.

AI in a Box can be connected to other devices using a USB Type-A cable. When connected to a device that accepts keyboard input, it can convert spoken conversations into keystrokes. This feature enables the device to integrate with other systems, such as a Raspberry Pi controlling a robot based on the content of the conversation.

The device is powered by a RockChip RK3588S System-on-Chip (SoC) with an NPU (Neural Processing Unit). It has 8 GB of DRAM, which is used for temporary storage and quick access to data. The device is equipped with a built-in display, speakers, and a microphone, making it a self-contained unit for AI interactions and displaying information.

The manufacturers are asking for $299.00 plus a shipping fee for the AI in a Box, pre-assembled product. If you are interested, head to the CrowdSupply product page.

Qualcomm introduces 10G Fiber Gateway platform to support high-performance Wi-Fi 7

Posted on 2 October, 20232 October, 2023 by Abhishek Jadhav

Qualcomm has developed a new product called the 10G Fiber Gateway platform that is designed to improve the performance of home broadband services. The solution combines high-performance Wi-Fi 7 and service-defined Wi-Fi technology to offer customizable services to subscribers.

Unlike traditional broadband gateways, which have fixed configurations, Qualcomm’s platform features a software-defined gateway. This means that the gateway’s functionality and features can be customized continuously through software updates. This flexibility allows for adaptation to changing network needs and evolving technologies.

“We are also confident that Qualcomm’s Service-Defined Wi-Fi Technology will help underpin the home networking revolution through the enablement of guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS) for consumers,” says Andrew Spivey, Senior Analyst at ABI Research.

The 10G Fiber Gateway platform supports Wi-Fi 7, the latest generation of Wi-Fi technology, to offer improved performance, faster speeds, and better connectivity for digital devices in the home. Qualcomm brings a new feature called service-defined Wi-Fi, a smart system that can orchestrate, classify, prioritize, and schedule network traffic within a home network. This technology enhances the user experience by optimizing network resources and ensuring critical applications get the necessary bandwidth.

Qualcomm’s service-defined Wi-Fi technology provides a unified architecture for managing data flow from the cloud (service provider) to the end-user devices in the home. The solution aims to ensure that subscriber expectations for 10G Fiber broadband are consistently met, regardless of the activities users are engaged in, whether it’s gaming, streaming, video conferencing, or sharing content.

“By adding 10G Fiber to our technology portfolio, along with 5G and Wi-Fi 7, we now offer a compelling mix of solutions to help service providers drive revenue growth, service innovations, and deliver more immersive and engaged subscriber experiences,” says Rahul Patel, senior vice president and general manager, connectivity, broadband, and networking at Qualcomm.

The Qualcomm service-defined Wi-Fi technology offers a specialized feature called application-type orchestration that equips service providers to deliver an improved user experience by optimizing internet connectivity for specific types of applications. In the context of remote work, employers can provide their employees with specialized internet services that are optimized for remote work tools and video conferencing, ensuring productivity and connectivity.

Both the Qualcomm 10G Fiber Gateway Platform and the Service Defined Wi-Fi technology are expected to become commercially available by the summer of 2024.

Amazon improves user experience of controlling smart homes with Alexa

Posted on 2 October, 20232 October, 2023 by Abhishek Jadhav

Amazon highlights the challenges with your current interaction with Alexa. It believes that even though Alexa has improved the way people control their smart homes, there are still challenges. Users often have to remember specific phrases or device names, make multiple requests, or even repeat themselves when interacting with Alexa. Amazon recognizes the need to make their interaction with Alexa more intuitive and conversational, and they have taken steps to address this with their latest large language model (LLM).

The new Alexa LLM can understand the nuances of a specific home setup. You can process ambiguous requests and understand the context. For example, if a user says, “Alexa, I’m cold,” Alexa can now deduce that the user wants to increase the temperature. Similarly, if a user says, “Alexa, it’s too bright in here,” Alexa will interpret this and dim the lights accordingly.

Amazon is also working on improving how Alexa handles the addition of new devices to a user’s home. Instead of having to remember specific device names, users can provide more natural and context-rich commands. For instance, saying, “Alexa, turn on the new light in the living room,” will prompt Alexa to deduce the user’s intention and carry out the requested action.

Amazon is introducing the ability to set up Alexa Routines entirely by voice, without the need for manual programming in the Alexa app. Users can specify routines with natural language commands, such as “Alexa, every morning at 8 a.m., turn off my sound machine, open the blinds, turn on my bedroom lights, and make me some coffee.” These routines will then automatically execute at the specified times, offering users greater convenience and automation in their daily routines.

Amazon says they have added Matter support to many of their Echo and Eero devices. These devices are compatible with the Matter standard, making them capable of communicating and interacting with other Matter-compliant smart devices.

Amazon introduced Dynamic Controller, a tool that allows device makers to inform Alexa about the unique functions and capabilities of their devices. For example, a manufacturer can specify how their device responds to commands like “make it look spooky in here,” so Alexa can intelligently adjust the device’s settings accordingly.

Head to the official press release for more details on the launch and pricing.

STMicroelectronics releases two development kits using STM32H5 microcontrollers

Posted on 2 October, 20232 October, 2023 by Abhishek Jadhav

STMicroelectronics STM32H5 Discovery kit is a development kit designed to help developers create secure, smart, and connected devices using STM32H5 microcontrollers (MCUs). STM32H5 microcontrollers are known for their high-performance processing capabilities and advanced security features, making them suitable for a wide range of applications, including smart sensors, industrial controllers, networking equipment, personal electronics, and medical devices.

One of the key features of this kit is its support for Secure Manager, a turnkey system-on-chip (SoC) solution. Secure Manager integrates core security services that have been certified and are maintained by STMicroelectronics. This means that developers can leverage these built-in security features to enhance the security of their applications without having to develop security protocols from scratch.

The STM32H573I-DK Discovery kit provides developers with a platform to explore and experiment with various features of the STM32H5 microcontrollers. These features include analog peripherals (for data acquisition and processing), timers (for precise timing control), the ST ART (Adaptive Real-Time) Accelerator (which enhances real-time performance), media interfaces (for connecting to various types of media devices), and mathematical accelerators (for mathematical computations).

The kit includes a color touch display, which can be used to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) for your applications. Users can interact with the application through this display. It incorporates a digital microphone, which is useful for applications that involve audio input or processing. An audio codec is included, which is essential for applications that involve audio playback or recording.

To simplify the development process, STMicroelectronics provides an STM32CubeH5 MCU software package. This software package consolidates all the necessary software components required to develop applications for the STM32H5 microcontroller. It includes examples and application code to help developers get started quickly.

The STM32CubeH5 package is fully integrated into the STM32Cube ecosystem, which is a collection of software tools and resources designed to aid in STM32 microcontroller application development. This ecosystem offers additional software and tools that can be used to streamline the development process further.

Additionally, STMicroelectronics provides the STM32CubeMX tool, which is used for configuring and initializing the microcontroller. This tool simplifies the setup and configuration of various hardware and software parameters, making it easier for developers to customize the microcontroller for their specific application requirements.

Both the STM32H573I-DK Discovery kit and the H5 Nucleo Board NUCLEO-H563ZI are available for purchase through ST’s eStore and authorized distributors. The Discovery Kit is priced at $98.75, while the Nucleo Board is priced at $28.75.

STMicroelectronics releases a software package for secure connection of edge devices to AWS IoT Core

Posted on 2 October, 20232 October, 2023 by Abhishek Jadhav

STMicroelectronics has introduced a new software package called X-CUBE-AWS-H5 as part of its STM32Cube development tools. This software is designed to make it easier to connect high-performance Internet of Things (IoT) devices to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud platform.

The STM32H5 series microcontrollers are powerful devices commonly used in IoT applications. These microcontrollers act as “end devices” in IoT systems, meaning they are the devices that collect data or perform specific functions within an IoT network. However, connecting these devices securely to the AWS cloud can be a complex task due to the need for data protection and secure communication.

STMicroelectronics has addressed this challenge by releasing the X-CUBE-AWS-H5 expansion package. This software package includes a collection of libraries and application examples tailored for the STM32H5 microcontrollers. Its primary purpose is to simplify and secure the process of connecting these devices to AWS IoT Core, which is Amazon’s cloud service designed for IoT applications.

“The STM32H5 is ready for the next generation of IoT edge devices, bringing the performance to handle complex applications within a tight energy budget,” says Daniel Colonna, STM32 Marketing Director, STMicroelectronics. “The STM32Cube ecosystem helps developers unleash its powerful capabilities, accelerate development, and, with our latest software, connect securely to the powerful storage and data-analytics services in the AWS cloud.”

Key benefits of the X-CUBE-AWS-H5 expansion package include:

Simplicity: It provides pre-built libraries and examples, making it easier for developers to implement secure connections between STM32H5-based IoT devices and AWS IoT Core.
Security: The software leverages ST’s Secure Manager to enhance the security of the IoT device’s connection to AWS IoT Core, ensuring that data remains protected during transmission.
Efficiency: STM32H5 microcontrollers are known for their high performance, and this software package takes advantage of their capabilities to ensure efficient data exchange between IoT devices and the AWS cloud.

The solution allows for remote provisioning and administration of security credentials. This means that during the production of devices and even after they are deployed in the field, security credentials and configurations can be managed and updated remotely. Third-party service providers can facilitate this process, making it easier for manufacturers and operators to maintain the security and functionality of their IoT devices.

For more information on the X-CUBE-AWS-H5, head to the official product page.

Features & Benefits:

Highlight features:

Key benefits of the X-CUBE-AWS-H5 expansion package include: