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PCIe boards carry accelerator ICs to speed AI inference for edge systems

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Flex Logix Technologies, Inc. announced the availability and roadmap of PCIe boards powered by the Flex Logix InferX X1 accelerator – the industry’s fastest and most efficient AI inference chip for edge systems.

The InferX X1P1 uses a single InferX X1 chip and a single LPDDR4x DRAM on a half-height, half-length PCIe board. Samples are available now to lead customers; general sampling will occur in Q1 and product availability in Q2 2021. The InferX X1P4 will have four InferX X1 chips on the same size board: half-height, half-length and will sample mid-2021 with production by end of 2021. Finally, an InferX M.2 board will be available in the same time frame as X1P4.

The InferX X1P4 will have throughput on YOLOv3, for object detection and recognition, similar to the Nvidia Tesla T4 at volume pricing from $649-$999. Other real customer models run faster on X1P4 than T4. The InferX X1P1 is about 1/3 the performance of Tesla T4 for YOLOv3 but sells for $399-$499. For some customer models, the X1P1 outperforms the T4. InferX M.2 pricing will be similar to the X1P1 and has the same performance.

The new InferX PCIe boards deliver higher throughput/$ for lower price point servers. Boards announced include the following: InferX X1P1 PCIe board – x4 PCIe GEN3/4 board featuring 19W TDP; InferX X1P4 PCIe board – This <75W TDP board is x8 PCIe GEN3/4; InferX X1M M.2 board – This 19W TDP board at M.2 22x80mm is an x4 PCIe GEN3/4

Flex Logix is also unveiling a suite of software tools to accompany the boards. This includes Compiler Flow from TensorFlowLite/ONNX models and a nnMAX Runtime Application. Also included in the software tools is an InferX X1 driver with external APIs designed for applications to easily configure & deploy models, as well as internal APIs for handling low-level functions designed to control & monitor the X1 board.

933MHz will be available in the second half of 2021.

Embedded FPGA IP works on 28-nm FD–SOI-based ICs

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QuickLogic Corporation announced the availability of its ArcticPro 3 embedded FPGA (eFPGA) IP, which is now available on Samsung’s 28nm FD–SOI process, enabling OEMs and semiconductor companies to seamlessly integrate the capability of discrete FD-SOI FPGAs into their own ASICs/SoCs, greatly optimizing system performance, power consumption and cost for Edge AI use cases in consumer, IoT, and automotive applications.

QuickLogic’s ArcticPro 3 eFPGA IP has been designed from the ground up on the Samsung 28FDS process, resulting in a significant boost in performance and delivering ultra-low standby current leakage. The 28FDS process supports body biasing, enabling OEMs and semiconductor companies the ability to “dial-in” the ideal performance/power consumption parameters to meet their system requirements.

The ArcticPro 3 IP is developed with a homogenous, reprogrammable fabric architecture based on SLCs (Super Logic Cells), which consist of eight LUT4 + Register blocks, and it uses a hierarchical routing scheme that strikes the optimum performance and power consumption balance needed for computation heavy, battery-powered or other power-sensitive products. In addition to the logic fabric, the eFPGA IP includes the option to integrate fixed function blocks such as embedded RAM and fracturable Multiply-Accumulate (MAC) blocks to efficiently implement hardware accelerators for neural networks and other computationally intensive circuits foundational in AI/ML applications. ArcticPro 3 is supported by QuickLogic’s proprietary tools as well as the ground-breaking QuickLogic Open Reconfigurable Computing (QORC) vendor-supported open source FPGA development tools, giving designers full control over their system software development environment.

Over the past three decades, QuickLogic’s eFPGA IP has been implemented in numerous SoCs, MCUs, and discrete FPGAs, and shipped in millions of units into multiple end markets such as consumer, IoT, military, and industrial.

QuickLogic’s ArcticPro 3 eFPGA technology on Samsung’s 28nm FD–SOI process is available now.

Development kit focuses on Arduino-based, LTE-powered IoT apps

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Telit announced the launch of Charlie, a turnkey innovation kit for fast, inexpensive development of Arduino-based, LTE-powered IoT applications. The new kit is the latest example of Telit’s commitment to providing makers and other innovators with low-cost development solutions as they explore the burgeoning IoT market opportunity.

Telit designed Charlie to provide all of the key features and capabilities necessary to leverage Arduino and LTE: The Telit ME310 module, based on the Qualcomm 9205 LTE modem, provides full coverage of NB-IoT and Cat M1 LTE bands, as well as a fallback to 2G in those areas where the new technologies are not fully deployed yet; The microprocessor is compatible with the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and easily programmable through Arduino libraries; The board’s Arduino MKR form factor lets developers use a wide variety of Arduino shields; The ultra-low-power Bosch Sensortec BMA400 acceleration sensor and Qualcomm Technologies’ ultra-low-power Qualcomm 9205 LTE modem, are both ideal for applications such as asset tracking; The ceramic GNSS antenna with a low-noise amplifier (LNA) enables location-based applications; A battery charger, USB access, and cellular antenna connector provide additional design flexibility, capabilities, and efficiency.

SoM sports hardened 64-bit, multicore RISC-V MPU subsystem

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Sundance has launched PolarBerry, the first production and deployment-ready SoM with a hardened 64 bit, multicore real-time, Linux-capable RISC-V MPU subsystem to deliver an unparalleled combination of defense-grade security, low power consumption, and thermal efficiency for embedded systems development.

With Microchip Technology Inc.’s PolarFire SoC field-programmable gate array (FPGA) at its heart, providing a deterministic, coherent 64-bit RISC-V CPU cluster and a deterministic L2 memory subsystem enabling the implementation of secure Linux and real-time applications, PolarBerry is ideally suited to the development of embedded computing and real-time applications based on RISC-V processors as an alternative to ARM. Typical applications will be found in the defense/mil-aero, AI/ML, communications, automotive, industrial automation, and imaging markets as well as the Internet of Things.

PolarBerry’s compute engine delivers up to 50% lower power than alternative FPGAs, 250k logic elements (LEs), and features four high-speed, low-power transceivers from 250Mbps to 12.7Gbps. The PolarFire SoC FPGA’s power consumption is 12W maximum and power provided directly from the PolarBerry SoM to enable embedded solutions.

The PolarBerry SoM offers all the important attributes for strong SoC/FPGA design security including anti-cloning protection, device-level anti-tamper features, bitstream protection, key management, FPGA hardware access control, secure boot and physical memory protection (PMP) as well as supply chain assurance. It also features a 40 pin Raspberry Pi (RPI) interface to allow standalone operation and rapid application development by providing up to 26 GPIOs, 20 of which can be assigned to SPI, UART, CAN, or other interfaces. All RPI signals are 3.3V logic. Associated onboard PolarBerry SoM peripherals include 4GB of 32-bit wide DDR4 memory, 128MB SPI Serial NOR FLASH for storing the boot image, and programmable clocks to provide flexible clocking to the FPGA and high-speed transceivers. There is also an RJ45 Ethernet socket with a 100/1000Base-T interface, two CAN 2.0 physical layers, a JTAG interface for programming, and 4GB of eMMC non-volatile storage. Samtec connectors provide high-speed communication to a carrier board for powerful peripheral customization. The power consumption of the module is 16W with the power it can be applied via a PRI interface or carrier board.

The PolarBerry SoM measures just 55mm by 85mm and has an operational temperature range of 0°C and +70°C. It can also be installed on Sundance’s PCIe SoM carrier to provide access to an FMC and additional interfaces.

PolarBerry is part of Microchip Technology’s “Get Launched!” campaign and has been released now for early adaptors at a price of US$995 for delivery in January 2021. For more information about Microchip Technology’s “Get Launched!” campaign, visit https://www.crowdsupply.com/microchip/get-launched.

Reference design covers IO-Link transceivers

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Modern smart factories need to quickly and remotely adjust a sensor’s electrical characteristics to minimize downtime and maximize throughput. The MAXREFDES177# IO-Link reference design from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. demonstrates the flexibility of the MAX22515 IO-Link transceiver, seamlessly configuring all modes of the MAX22000 software-configurable analog IO. This chipset provides flexibility with faster reconfiguration to reduce factory downtime.

Maxim Integrated’s chipset solution of MAX22000 and MAX22515 builds upon the benefits of IO-Link’s two-way universal interface. The IO-Link interface allows every IO-Link sensor, actuator, or IO expansion module to be interchangeable to a standard hardware interface. It also provides software-defined performance parameters and selectable analog input or output performance modes. These software-selectable capabilities are combined and demonstrated in the MAXREFDES177# IO-Link reference design.

MAX22000: The software-configurable analog IO provides up to more than half the power savings and approximately half the size compared to the closest competitive solutions on the market. Key functions integrated include a 24-bit ADC analog input mode and an 18-bit DAC analog output mode, as well as operations over either a single 2-wire interface or a 4-wire resistance temperature detector (RTD)/thermocouple (TC) temperature measurement.

MAX22515: The MAX22515 is the industry’s smallest ±1.2kV/500Ω surge-protected, single-channel IO-Link transceiver. It features high integration with protection diodes, auxiliary digital input, I2C or pin control, integrated oscillator, and selectable 3.3V or 5V LDO which help to provide high configurability and reduce SKU. It enables half the power dissipation due to low 2.2Ω or 2.65Ω (type) C/Q driver on-resistance compared to the closest competitor, in the smallest 2.5mm x 2.0mm WLP package. It cuts the solution size up to 67 percent compared to the closest competitor and fits into small, space-constrained IO-Link sensors or actuators.

Key Advantages include Software-configurable IOs and the ability to adjust device parameters on-the-fly provide new ways to dynamically optimize machine performance and reduce factory downtime; MAX22000 and MAX22515 are optimized for best-in-class power savings, using up to more than half the power savings for MAX22000 and half the power dissipation for MAX22515; The MAX22515 provides the smallest IO-Link single-channel footprint at 5mm² while the MAX22000 footprint is 86mm²

The MAX22000 is available at Maxim Integrated’s website, as well as authorized distributors; Pricing available upon request

The MAX22515AWP+ and MAX22515AWP+T are available at Maxim Integrated’s website for $1.45 (1000-up, FOB USA); also available from authorized distributors

The MAXREFDES177# reference design is available at Maxim Integrated’s website for $65

The MAX22000EVKIT# evaluation kit is available at Maxim Integrated’s website for $135

Health sensor kit cuts development time for wearables

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Save at least six months of development time using the Health Sensor Platform 3.0 (HSP 3.0) from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. Also known as MAXREFDES104#, this ready-to-wear wrist form factor reference design monitors blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate (HR), body temperature, and motion. Included algorithms provide HR, heart-rate variability (HRV), respiration rate (RR), SpO2, body temperature, sleep quality, and stress level information at clinical-grade levels. It allows wearable designers to start collecting data immediately, saving at least six months over building these devices from scratch. Designed for wrist-based form factors, HSP 3.0 can be adapted for other dry electrode form factors such as chest patches and smart rings.

Compared to its industry-leading predecessor, Health Sensor Platform 2.0 (HSP 2.0), the HSP 3.0 adds optical SpO2 measurement and dry-electrode capability to the ECG. As a result, it can enable end solutions to monitor cardiac heart and respiratory issues for the management of ailments like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), infectious diseases (e.g. COVID-19), sleep apnea, and atrial fibrillation (AFib). Compared to its predecessor, the narrower form factor and enhanced optical architecture of HSP 3.0 improves signal acquisition quality and uses upgraded microcontroller, power, security, and sensing ICs. The reference design includes complete optical and electrode designs, along with algorithms to meet clinical requirements.

Maxim Integrated is at the forefront of the wearable healthcare and remote patient monitoring revolution, enabling personalized healthcare as well as better predictive and preventive healthcare solutions. Medical professionals and end-users are using the wealth of health insights from these wearables. They can more proactively manage chronic conditions, diagnose acute conditions like COVID-19, and also improve preventive care and overall well-being. As more sensing modalities are included in wearables, device developers can take advantage of multiple measurements to improve the accuracy of the actionable insights that are being provided to users.

HSP 3.0 or MAXREFDES104# includes the following sensor, power management, microcontroller, and algorithm products:

  • MAX86176: Lowest-noise optical photoplethysmography (PPG) and electrical ECG analog front end (AFE), which offers 110dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to add SpO2 saturation capability and over 110dB common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) for dry electrode ECG applications. The device enables synchronous acquisition of PPG and ECG measurements, even with independent sample rates, providing pulse transit time for cardiac health use cases.
  • MAX20360: Highly integrated power and battery management power management IC (PMIC) optimized for advanced body-worn health sensing devices. It includes Maxim Integrated’s high-accuracy ModelGauge m5 EZ fuel gauge, a sophisticated haptic driver, and a unique low-noise buck-boost converter that maximizes SNR and minimizes power used for optical bio-sensing.
  • MAX32666: Bluetooth (BLE)-enabled, ultra-low-power microcontroller with two Arm Cortex-M4F cores and an additional SmartDMA which permits running the BLE stack independently, leaving the two main cores available for major tasks. Moreover, the microcontroller integrates an entire security suite and error-correcting code (ECC) on the memories to significantly increase the system’s robustness.
  • MAX32670: Ultra-low-power microcontroller dedicated to Maxim Integrated’s world-class PPG algorithms of pulse rate, SpO2, HRV, RR, sleep quality monitoring, and stress monitoring. It can be configured either as a sensor hub to support firmware and algorithms or as an algorithm hub to support multiple algorithms. The MAX32670 seamlessly enables customer-desired sensor functionality, including managing the MAX86176 PPG and ECG sensor AFE as well as delivering either raw or calculated data to the outside world.
  • MAX30208: The low-power, high-accuracy digital temperature sensor comes in a small package size of 2mm x 2mm. It has a 33 percent lower operating current compared to the closest competitive solution. It reads the temperature on the top of the package and can be mounted on a flex cable or PCB, making it easier to design into wearables. With an accuracy of 0.1-degrees Celsius, the MAX30208 meets clinical temperature requirements.

Key Advantages include: Saves at least six months in development time; Accuracy meets regulatory requirements for SpO2 and ambulatory ECG (IEC 60601-2-47); Addresses the needs of advanced health wearables with SpO2, ECG, HR, HRV, RR, body temperature and motion; Empowers designers to innovate with complete access to source code and design files

HSP 3.0, also known as MAXREFDES104#, is available with hardware, firmware, and algorithms for $400 at Maxim Integrated’s website

Multiprotocol wireless modules boast full-stack support for IoT apps

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Silicon Labs announced a portfolio expansion of pre-certified wireless modules specifically designed to address the modern needs of IoT application development. The portfolio consists of the only modules in the industry with full-stack support for multiprotocol solutions to enable commercial and consumer IoT applications, with flexible package options and highly integrated device security.

Silicon Labs highly integrated modules are available in multiple package options including system-in-package (SiP) and traditional printed circuit board (PCB). SiP modules contain miniaturized components that remove the need for complicated RF design and certification by opening space-constrained IoT designs to module-based solutions. PCB modules enable flexible pin access and additional options to extend RF performance.

xGM210PB features Secure Vault, the ARM PSA Level 2 certified state-of-the-art IoT device security, as well as dynamic multiprotocol support for Bluetooth, Zigbee, and OpenThread with robust and supports Wi-Fi coexistence. Optimized for IoT applications, including connected lighting, gateways, voice assistants, and smart meter in-home displays, xGM210PB modules offer up to +20dBM output power and better than -104dBm sensitivity.

BGM220 is one of the world’s smallest Bluetooth modules and the first to support Bluetooth Direction Finding. The integrated, pre-certified Bluetooth 5.2 module delivers up to ten-year operation on a coin cell battery, ideal for a broad range of Bluetooth LE applications including appliances, asset tags, beacons, portable medical, fitness, and Bluetooth mesh low-power nodes.

MGM220 is a low-power, low-cost ideal for eco-friendly, ultra-low-power IoT products including include lighting controls, building, and industrial automation sensors. The modules are ideal for Zigbee Green Power and energy harvesting applications.

BGX220 Xpress includes an onboard Bluetooth stack, Xpress command interface, and pre-programmed cable replacement firmware to deliver a serial to Bluetooth LE solution needing no firmware development. The modules are ideal for industrial applications including human-machine interface (HMI) devices, addressing size, safety, and environmental challenges.

The modules are supported in the free Silicon Labs Simplicity Studio 5, a fully integrated development environment, featuring comprehensive software stacks, application demos, and mobile apps, along with premium features, such as a network analyzer and patented energy profiler. Customers are also able to further accelerate wireless development by taking advantage of simple APIs from Silicon Labs Xpress modules.

Samples, production quantities, and development kits for xGM210PB, BGM220, MGM220, and BGX220 Xpress are available now.

Tiny MEMs resonators integrate load capacitors

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SiTime Corporation announced that it has entered the $2 billion precision resonator market with the ApexMEMS family of MHz resonators. These new devices are the third-generation of SiTime silicon MEMS technology and are available in a variety of MHz frequencies for high-volume electronics. Mobile and IoT applications such as Bluetooth wearables and wearables, high-speed connectivity interfaces, asset-tracking, as well as microcontrollers, can take advantage of the 85% space savings, integration, consistent performance, resilience, and reliability that are offered by ApexMEMS resonators.
 
According to estimates by Dedalus Consulting and SiTime, the resonator market is $3 billion in size and consists of three product categories – approximately $2 billion of precision resonators, $400 million of ceramic resonators, and $600M of SAW resonators. By 2024, industry analysts and SiTime estimate that 25 to 30 billion precision resonators will be sold, driven by the growth of connectivity in mobile-IoT, industrial-IoT, automotive, and industrial electronics. It is expected that up to 30% of these resonators will need to be very small, offer higher performance, and be easily integrated into system-in-packages and modules. This high-value market is one use case for ApexMEMS resonators. 
 
For integration into standard IC packages and modules, ApexMEMS resonators are available as a silicon die. Co-packaging these resonators with high-performance semiconductors such as Bluetooth chips and microcontrollers gives customers a significant system and development advantage. 
 
When using a quartz resonator, engineers face numerous challenges. Significant effort goes into matching the oscillator circuit with the resonator in the presence of unknown board parasitics. Without proper matching, performance may be suboptimal, and device startup at cold temperatures may be impacted. This situation gets even more complicated due to performance variations that are inherent in quartz resonators. An integrated ApexMEMS solution solves these challenges, reduces development time, simplifies manufacturing, and boosts system performance, reliability, and resilience. 
 
ApexMEMS resonators offer similar advantages in standalone applications. Integrated load capacitors help reduce the system size through the elimination of discrete passive components. Board layout and routing is simplified considerably, especially in space-constrained mobile-IoT applications. With the closer placement of the resonator to the semiconductor device, system performance is greatly improved.  
 
ApexMEMS-based timing solutions deliver up to seven times better phase noise performance at half the power than our previous generation. At a tiny 0.42 mm x 0.42 mm size, the ApexMEMS resonators are 85% smaller than a typical quartz resonator, and also integrate the load capacitors. These new resonators provide stability as good as ±20 ppm while delivering superior reliability and best-in-class environmental resilience, like other SiTime devices. ApexMEMS resonators operate reliably at temperatures as high as 125oC, a useful feature when integrated inside plastic packages.  
 
ApexMEMS resonators are sampling now to select high-volume customers. For more information, visit www.sitime.com/products/resonators.

LoRaWAN TS1-1.0.4 Spec simplifies development, deployment, Interoperability

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The LoRa Alliance announced that it published the LoRaWAN TS1-1.0.4 Link Layer (L2) Specification. This latest definition of the LoRaWAN standard includes all required implementation elements to facilitate LoRaWAN deployments globally.

According to industry research firm IoT Analytics, LoRaWAN is the most adopted LPWAN technology to date, representing more than one-third of all deployments globally. This market is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 42% over the coming 5 years.

The new specifications package includes: LoRaWAN TS1-1.0.4 L2 Specification; LoRaWAN TS1-1.0.4 Certification requirements document and Program; LoRaWAN TS1-1.0.4 LoRaWAN Certification Test Tool (LCTT) update for end-device pre-certification and regression tests; LoRaWAN TS1-1.0.4 Reference Code for end-devices, which meets certification; LoRaWAN TS1-1.0.4 LoRaWAN Certification Protocol (TS009)

This new specifications package accelerates development with LoRaWAN by providing a pre-defined reference implementation, which can serve as an example or even a starting point to develop a product. Once the product is ready, the developer can then verify that it meets LoRaWAN certification requirements using the LCTT, before seeking formal certification.

The package was created against Regional Parameters RP2-1.0.1, which is part of the complete LoRaWAN TS1-1.0.4 package. Additionally, the update to the LoRaWAN TS1-1.0.4 L2 Specification includes mainly clarifications that ensure interoperability while further simplifying the development, deployment, and management of LoRaWAN networks. Finally, new security features augment the protocol’s inherent strong security.

Some of the key changes implemented in the new specifications package include: Normative and grammatical clarification; Renaming some of the terms and identifiers to clarify their use; Class A RX window opening requirements are clarified; Full reference made to the Regional Parameters [RP002] companion document; Improvements and clarification to the ADR behaviors, including new Backoff Examples; MAC Command handling and a “persisted” MAC commands overview, including priority of responses; Handling of frames greater than max frame length clarified; Clarify Class B and Class C modes of operation, and priority of Class A downlinks over Class C downlink; Security features/clarifications for counters and persisted parameters

The new LoRaWAN TS1-1.0.4 package is available for download from our website.

Adaptive radio platforms designed to meet evolving 5G NR wireless standards

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Xilinx, Inc. introduced ZynqRFSoC DFE, a breakthrough class of adaptive radio platforms designed to meet the evolving standards of 5G NR wireless applications. Zynq RFSoC DFE combines hardened digital front-end (DFE) blocks and adaptable logic to build high performance, low power, and cost-effective 5G NR radio solutions for a broad array of use cases ranging across 5G low-, mid-, and high- band spectrum. Zynq RFSoC DFE offers the best balance of technologies between the cost economies of an ASIC using hardened blocks and the flexibility, scalability, and time-to-market benefits of a programmable and adaptive SoC.
 
5G radio requires solutions that not only meet bandwidth, power, and cost challenges for widespread deployment, but must also adapt to the three key 5G use cases: enhanced Mobile Broadband, Massive Machine Type Communication, and Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication. In addition, solutions must scale for evolving 5G standards such as OpenRAN (O-RAN) as well as new and disruptive 5G business models. Zynq RFSoC DFE integrates hardened DFE application-specific blocks for 5G NR performance and power savings while also offering the flexibility to integrate programmable adaptive logic to enable a futureproof solution for evolving 5G 3GPP and O-RAN radio architectures.
 
Zynq RFSoC DFE offers 2X performance-per-watt compared to its prior generation and scales from a small cell to massive MIMO macrocells. The solution is the industry’s only direct RF platform that enables carrier aggregation/sharing, multi-mode, multi-band 400MHz instantaneous bandwidth in all FR1 bands, and emerging bands up to 7.125GHz. When used as a millimeter-wave intermediate frequency transceiver, it provides up to 1,600MHz of instantaneous bandwidth. Zynq RFSoC DFE is architected such that customers can bypass or customize the hard IP blocks. For example, customers can leverage Xilinx’s field-proven DPD that supports existing and emerging GaN power amplifiers or insert their own unique DPD IP.
 
Zynq RFSoC DFE design documentation and support are available to early access customers, with shipments expected during the first half of 2021.