Capturing your heart rate from your wearable watch or patch was slick. But fitness enthusiasts are raising the bar and expecting manufacturers to step up to the bar with them. As wearables continue to move into consumer health applications, end users are expecting additional metrics such as heart rate variability, recovery rate — basically as […]
Applications
Amazon FreeRTOS integrated into MCU platform
Enabling developers to quickly and securely connect Internet of Things (IoT) endpoints to the cloud, Texas Instruments announced the integration of the new Amazon FreeRTOS into the SimpleLink microcontroller (MCU) platform. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has worked with TI in the development of an integrated hardware and software solution that enables developers to quickly establish a […]
Universal FLASH storage devices use 64-layer BiCS FLASH 3D memory
Toshiba Memory America, Inc. (TMA) has begun sampling Universal Flash Storage (UFS) devices[ utilizing its cutting-edge 64-layer BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory. The new UFS devices meet performance demands for applications that require high-speed read/write performance and low power consumption, including mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets and augmented /virtual reality systems. The new lineup will be […]
Rad-tolerant telemetry controller IC gets space-use qualification
Microsemi Corporation announced its LX7730 radiation-tolerant telemetry controller integrated circuit (IC) has been successfully qualified and certified by the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) as Qualified Manufacturers List (QML) Class V and Q. The qualifications, key requirements for the LX7730 to operate in space environments, are mandatory for design-ins for space programs and for manufacturers to be listed on the […]
Lidar sensor targets autonomous vehicle apps with super-high resolution
The new VLS-128 LiDAR sensor is designed for the rapidly expanding autonomous vehicle market. Featuring an industry-leading 128 laser channels, the VLS-128 features high resolution, long range, and the widest surround field-of-view of any LiDAR system available today. Velodyne’s VLS-128 succeeds the HDL-64. Velodyne’s new flagship model has a whopping 10 times higher resolving power […]
The improved inter-integrated circuit (I3C)
A new successor to the Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C or I2C) bus communication interface is under development, hosted by the Sensor Working Group at the MIPI Alliance. The Improved Inter-Integrated Circuit, I3C, (pronounced “Eye-three-See”) is backward compatible with I2C but will be better suited for handling an abundance of sensors. The I3C specification was released in […]
Ethernet MCUs simplify industrial gateway to the cloud with one platform
As more nodes connect to the Internet, developers are looking are looking to differentiate their products, adding more unique features. But the problem remains — how do you add more nodes and scale without further straining the network? With more nodes, you need more interfaces to the gateway to talk to these nodes. A typical MCU provides […]
Teardown: Inside Sphero’s R2-D2 toy
Our teardown of R2-D2 shows what’s inside this little droid with a big personality. One of the hot new toys released in advance of the new Star Wars movie is R2-D2 by Sphero, the same toymaker that developed the BB8 for the 2015 Star Wars sequel called The Force Awakens. As with the BB8, R2 […]
Stepper motor driver IC provides 256-microstep resolution
Sophisticated, space-saving advanced laboratory-automation systems are helping medical centers cut clinical costs and accelerate turnaround times – to provide high-quality care for more patients – while industrial robotics including 3D printing have greatly enhanced accuracy and throughput in recent years. 3D printers can produce parts with complex shapes, quickly and accurately, and are becoming more […]
Single-chip application processor integrates safety functions for IEC 61508 compliance
Xilinx, Inc. announced a single-chip Zynq-7000 All Programmable SoC functional safety solution to help customers shorten time to IEC 61508 compliance and certification across many industrial applications like IIoT Edge Controllers, Motor Drives, Intelligent IOs, Smart Sensors, Gateways, Industrial Transport, and Electrical Grids. The solution includes a hardware design based on a single-chip SIL 3 […]