Feed aggregator

Analog topologies abound for converting current to voltage, voltage to current, voltage to frequency, and frequency to voltage, among other conversions.

Figure 1 joins the flock while singing a somewhat different tune. This current, voltage, and power (IVW) DC power converter multiplies current by voltage to sense wattage. Here’s how it gets off the ground.

Figure 1 The “I*V = W” converter comprises voltage-to-frequency conversion (U1ab & A1a) with frequency (F) of 2000 * Vload, followed by frequency-to-voltage conversion (U1c & A1b) with Vw = Iload * F / 20000 = (Iload * Vload) / 10 = Watts / 10 where Vload < 33 V and Iload < 1.5 A.

Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide

The basic topology of the IVW converter comprises a voltage-to-frequency converter  (VFC) cascaded with a frequency-to-voltage converter (FVC). U1ab and A1a, combined with the surrounding discretes (Q1, Q2, Q3, etc.), make a VFC similar to the one described in this previous Design Idea, “Voltage inverter design idea transmogrifies into a 1MHz VFC”

The U1ab, A1a, C2, etc., VFC forms an inverting charge pump feedback loop that actively balances the 1 µA/V current through R2. Each cycle of the VFC deposits a charge of 5v * C2, or 500 picocoulombs (pC), onto integrator capacitor C3 to produce an F of 2 kHz * Vload (= 1 µA / 500 pC) for the control signal input of the FVC switch U1c. 

The other input to the U1c FVC is the -100 mV/A current-sense signal from R1. This combo forces U1c to pump F * -0.1 V/amp * 500 pF = -2 kHz * Vload * 50 pC * Iload into the input of the A1b inverting integrator.

 The melodious result is:

Vw = R1 * Iload * 2000 * Vload * R6 * C6

or, 

Vw = Iload * Vload * 0.1 * 2000 * 1 MΩ * 500 pF = 100 mV/W.

The R6C5 = 100-ms integrator time constant provides >60-dB of ripple attenuation for Vload > 1-V and a low noise 0- to 5-V output suitable for consumption by a typical 8- to 10-bit resolution ADC input. Diode D1 provides fire insurance for U1 in case Vload gets shorted to ground.

Stephen Woodward’s relationship with EDN’s DI column goes back quite a long way. Over 100 submissions have been accepted since his first contribution back in 1974.

Related Content

• Voltage inverter design idea transmogrifies into a 1MHz VFC
• A simulated 100-MHz VFC
• A simple, accurate, and efficient charge pump voltage inverter for $1 (in singles)
• 100-MHz VFC with TBH current pump

The post Amps x Volts = Watts appeared first on EDN.

Join us for the third All About Circuits Summit Day of 2025 or catch up on everything you missed with this helpful guide to the keynotes, live sessions, microsites, and prizes.

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Texas Instruments (TI) debuted new design resources and power-management chips to help companies meet growing artificial intelligence (AI) computing demands and scale power-management architectures from 12V to 48V to 800 VDC. The new solutions will be on display at Open Compute Summit (OCP) Oct. 13-16 in San Jose, and include:

• “Power delivery trade-offs when preparing for the next wave of AI computing growth”: TI is collaborating with NVIDIA to develop power-management devices to support 800 VDC power architecture, as IT rack power is expected to eclipse 1MW in the next two to three years. This white paper reexamines the power delivery architecture within the IT rack, and addresses design challenges and opportunities for high efficiency and high power-density energy conversion at a system level.
• Reference design: 30kW AI server power-supply unit: To support stringent AI workloads, TI’s dual-stage power-supply reference design features a three-phase, three-level flying capacitor power factor correction converter paired with dual delta-delta three-phase inductor-inductor-capacitor converters. The power supply is configurable as a single 800V output or separate output supplies.
• Dual-phase smart power stage:The highest peak power density power stage on the market, TI’s CSD965203B offers 100A of peak current per phase and combines two power phases in a single 5mm-by-5mm quad flat no-lead package. The device enables designers to increase phase count and power delivery across a small printed circuit board area, improving efficiency and performance.
• Dual-phase smart power module for lateral power delivery: The CSDM65295 module delivers up to 180A of peak output current in a compact 9mm-by-10mm-by-5mm package, helping engineers increase data center power density without compromising thermal management. The module integrates two power stages and two inductors with trans-inductor voltage regulation (TLVR) options, while maintaining high efficiency and reliable operation.
• Gallium-nitride intermediate bus converter: Capable of delivering up to 1.6kW of output power in a quarter-brick (58.4-mm-by-36.8mm) form factor, TI’s LMM104RM0 converter module offers over 97.5% input-to-output power-conversion efficiency and high light-load efficiency to enable active current sharing between multiple modules.

AI data centers require architectures designed with multiple foundational semiconductors for efficient power management, sensing and data conversion. With new design resources and a broad power-management portfolio, TI is working alongside data center designers to implement a comprehensive approach that drives efficient, safe power management – from power generation at the grid to the fundamental logic gates of graphics processing units.

“With the growth of AI, data centers are evolving from simple server rooms to highly sophisticated power infrastructure hubs,” said Chris Suchoski, sector general manager, Data Centers at TI. “Scalable power infrastructure and increased power efficiency are essential to meet these demands and drive future innovation. With devices from TI, designers can build innovative, next-generation solutions that are enabling the transition to 800 VDC.”

The post TI’s new power-management solutions enable scalable AI infrastructures appeared first on ELE Times.

КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського на відкритті Huawei Student Tech Challenge 2025 kpi вт, 10/14/2025 - 12:13

The event brought together institutional and industrial partners, ESA Member State representatives, and leading figures in satellite navigation. The celebration revisited pivotal milestones in Europe’s satellite navigation history and looked ahead to future innovations. A highlight of the evening was the award ceremony led by European Space Agency (ESA) Director of Navigation Javier Benedicto, who, alongside past directors, presented accolades to organizations and partners instrumental in this success story.

Rohde & Schwarz’s recognition underscores their role in advancing European satellite navigation technology. Their contributions have been vital in the development and operational success of Galileo and EGNOS, systems that have revolutionized positioning, navigation, and timing services across Europe and beyond.

The event not only celebrated past achievements but also set the stage for the future of European satellite navigation, with discussions around upcoming initiatives and advancements. For Rohde & Schwarz and other honourees, the evening served as both a celebration of past achievements and a call to continue building a connected, resilient, and sustainable future in space.

Rob Short, Director Business Development at Rohde & Schwarz comments: “Thirty years of satellite navigation is a testament to shared vision, determination to push technology boundaries, and intense, long-term collaboration. We are honoured to have contributed to this remarkable achievement. Congratulations to everyone who made this milestone possible.”

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STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, announced that Rias Al-Kadi, General Manager of the Company’s Range and Connectivity Division, joined the board of directors of the FiRa Consortium, the industry body dedicated to advancing secured fine ranging and positioning ultra-wideband (UWB) technology.

ST is actively driving the development of the IEEE 802.15.4ab amendment, building upon previous UWB enhancements to further improve system performance and expand UWB’s application scope. The ongoing evolution of UWB standards promises significant improvements, including centimetre-level accuracy, enhanced security, and reduced power consumption. These improvements are critical for enabling a wide range of applications, from automotive access and digital keys to smart home automation and IoT innovations. Integrating IEEE 802.15.4ab into the CCC Digital Key ecosystem would represent a major step forward in addressing implementation challenges and accelerate broader adoption of UWB technology in both consumer and automotive markets.

“STMicroelectronics has long been a valued member of the FiRa Consortium, and we are thrilled to welcome them at the Sponsor level. This upgrade is a reflection of ST’s deepening commitment to the future of Ultra-Wideband technology and to FiRa’s mission. We are especially pleased to have Rias Al-Kadi, General Manager of ST’s Ranging and Connectivity Division, join our Board of Directors. His experience and leadership will be instrumental as we continue to expand UWB’s global impact and shape the future of secure, interoperable solutions,” states SK Yong, FiRa Consortium Board Chairman.

“Joining the FiRa board underlines our commitment to advancing the CCC Digital Key and other UWB-based applications,” said Rias Al-Kadi, General Manager, Ranging and Connectivity Division, STMicroelectronics. “By deeply engaging in standardization and certification across all major UWB groups, we are helping to shape the future of UWB technology to deliver maximum value for consumers and industries alike.”

Rias Al-Kadi’s appointment further strengthens ST’s active participation in key UWB standards bodies and consortia, including the IEEE, Connected Car Consortium (CCC), Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), and UWB Alliance. Through strategic participation in these groups, ST supports the continuous evolution of UWB technology aimed at enhancing user experiences and lowering system costs, particularly in consumer and automotive access applications. This aligns with ST’s vision to foster a robust UWB ecosystem that enables seamless, secure, and cost-effective solutions for the growing UWB market.

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🎬 Показ та обговорення фільму «Після ери мовчання» kpi вт, 10/14/2025 - 10:26

The STARLight project is bringing together a consortium of leading industrial and academic partners to position Europe as a technology leader in 300mm silicon photonics (SiPho) technology by establishing a high-volume manufacturing line, developing leading-edge optical modules, and fostering a complete value chain.  From now until 2028, STARLight aims to develop application-driven solutions focusing on key industry sectors such as datacentres, AI clusters, telecommunications, and automotive markets.

Led by STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, the STARLight consortium has been selected by the European Commission under the EU CHIPS Joint Undertaking initiative.

“Silicon Photonics technology is critical to put Europe at the crossroads to the AI factory of the future and the STARLight project represents a significant step for the entire value chain in Europe, driving innovation and collaboration among leading technology companies. By focusing on application-based results, the project aims to deliver cutting-edge solutions for datacentres, AI clusters, telecommunications, and automotive markets. With well-recognized pan-European partners, the STARLight consortium is set to lead the next generation of silicon photonics technologies and applications,” said Remi El-Ouazzane, President, Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products Group at STMicroelectronics.

Silicon photonics is a preferred technology to support datacentres and AI clusters optical interconnects for scale-out and scale-up growth, as well as for other technologies such as LIDAR, space applications, and AI photonic processors that require better energy-efficiency and power efficient data transfer. It combines the high-yield manufacturing capabilities of CMOS silicon, commonly used in electronic circuits, with the benefits of photonics, which transmits data using light.

Addressing key challenges
The development of advanced Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) will tackle several challenges:

• High-speed modulation: creating highly efficient modulators capable of operating at speeds exceeding 200 Gbps per lane is a key focus
• Laser integration: developing efficient and reliable on-chip lasers is critical for integrated systems
• New materials: various advanced materials will be explored with actors like SOITEC, CEA-LETI, imec, UNIVERSITE PARIS-SACLAY, III-V LAB, LUMIPHASE, and integrated on a single innovative silicon photonics platform, such as Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI), Lithium Niobate (LNOI), and Barium Titanate (BTO)
• Packaging and integration: optimizing the packaging and integration of PICs with electronic circuits is essential to optimize signal integrity and minimize power consumption.

Applications-based innovations
Datacentres / Datacom
The STARLight project has an initial focus to build datacom demonstrators for datacentres, based on PIC100 technology, capable of handling up to 200Gb/s with key actors including ST, SICOYA and THALES. It will also develop prototypes for free-space optical transmission systems, designed for both space and terrestrial communication.

Additionally, the project will leverage the multidisciplinary experience of major contributors to shape the research effort towards a 400Gbps per lane optical demonstrator using new materials, targeting the next generation of pluggable optics.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The STARLight project aims to develop a cutting-edge photonic processor optimized for tensor operations, such as matrix vector multiplication and multiply-accumulate, with superior characteristics in terms of size, data processing speed, and energy consumption compared to existing technologies. Since neural networks – the core algorithms behind AI – rely heavily on tensor operations, enhancing their efficiency is critical for AI processing performance.

Telecommunication
The STARLight project plans to develop and showcase innovative silicon photonic devices specifically designed for the telecommunications industry. Ericsson will focus on two concepts to improve mobile network efficiency. The first involves the development of an integrated switch to enable optical offload within Radio Access Networks, allowing for more efficient handling of data traffic. The second concept explores Radio over Fiber technology to relocate power-intensive processing ASICs away from antenna units, thus providing enhanced capacity and savings in embodied CO2. Additionally, MBRYONICS will develop a free space to fiber interface at the reception of Free Space Optical (FSO) communication, which is a key element in the design of an optical communication system.

Automotive/ Sensing
The STARLight project will also demonstrate how it performs in sensing applications, and the close relationships of STEERLIGHT, a LiDAR sensors maker, with leading car manufacturers will help make this an industrial reality.

“STEERLIGHT is developing a new generation of 3D vision sensors—non-mechanical FMCW LiDARs—powered by groundbreaking silicon photonics technology that enables the entire system to be integrated onto a microchip. In the coming years, the light-vehicle components market will undergo a significant transformation driven by the rise of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), which require compact, cost-effective, and high-performance LiDAR solutions. Securing sovereign sources of microelectronic components is a strategic priority for STEERLIGHT to enable large-scale production of this next generation of LiDAR systems. This is essential for European players to maintain a leading position in the global value chain and to ensure technological sovereignty in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving sector. The STARLight project will support this goal with ST’s proprietary advanced silicon photonics platform, bringing the capability to industrial maturity.” – François Simoens, CEO and co-founder of SteerLight.

Within the project, THALES will develop sensors that accurately generate, distribute, detect, and process signals with intricate waveforms to demonstrate key functionalities. More broadly, the outcomes of this project are also intended to benefit the wider ecosystem of indoor and outdoor autonomous robot manufacturers.

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KYOCERA AVX released the new KGP Series commercial-grade stacked capacitors for high-frequency applications in the industrial and downhole oil and gas industries.

The new commercial-grade KGP Series stacked multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) deliver higher capacitance values in the same mounting area as traditional capacitors to support the enduring miniaturization megatrend and are manufactured without lead or cadmium to support the thriving sustainability megatrend and ease standards compliance. They also exhibit low equivalent series resistance (ESR) and inductance (ESL) to minimize noise and optimize performance and feature metal lead frames that reliably suppress both thermal and mechanical stress to ensure stability and durability.

KGP Series stacked MLCCs are currently available in five EIA case sizes (1210, 1812, 1825, 2220, and 2225) with two stack sizes, maximum thicknesses spanning 3.40mm to 6.95mm, and “J” or “L” leads. They are also available in three dielectrics (C0G, X7R, and X7T). The series is rated for operating voltages spanning 50V to 1,500V, capacitance values ranging from 10nF to 47µF ±10% or 20% capacitance tolerance, and operating temperatures extending from -55°C to +125°C.

Ideal applications for the series extend throughout the industrial, alternative energy, and downhole oil and gas industries and include power supplies, DC/DC converters, control circuits, high voltage coupling, and DC blocking.

“The new KGP Series stacked MLCCs further expand our proven portfolio of capacitor solutions optimized for growing markets with challenging performance requirements, including the power supply and downhole drilling markets,” said Zack Kozawa, Director of MLCC Product Marketing at KYOCERA AVX. “They also support the miniaturization and sustainability megatrends affecting these and other market segments.”

KGP Series stacked MLCCs with C0G and X7R dielectrics are available in all five EIA case sizes with the full range of rated voltage values and capacitance values up to 220nF and 47µF, respectively. Those with X7T dielectrics are available in three EIA case sizes (1210, 1812, and 2220) with three rated voltages (250V, 450V, and 630V) and capacitance values up to 4.7μF.

All parts are thoroughly tested for visual characteristics, capacitance values, dissipation factor, temperature coefficient, insulation resistance, dielectric strength, temperature cycling, steady state and load humidity, high temperature load, termination strength, bending, vibration resistance, and soldering heat resistance to ensure peak performance in a wide range of challenging high-frequency applications. They are also RoHS compliant and packaged on tape and reel in quantities of 500–1,500 for automated placement.

The post KYOCERA AVX RELEASES NEW KGP SERIES STACKED CAPACITORS appeared first on ELE Times.

Switchtec Gen 6 PCIe Fanout Switches deliver extra bandwidth, low latency and advanced security for high-performance compute, cloud computing and hyperscale data centers

As artificial intelligence (AI) workloads and high-performance computing (HPC) applications continue to drive unprecedented demand for faster data movement and lower latency, Microchip Technology has introduced its next generation of Switchtec Gen 6 PCle Switches. The industry’s first PCIe Gen 6 switches manufactured using a 3 nm process, the Switchtec Gen 6 family is designed to deliver lower power consumption and support up to 160 lanes for high-density AI system connectivity. Advanced security features include a hardware root of trust and secure boot, utilizing post-quantum safe cryptography compliant with the Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite (CNSA) 2.0.

Previous PCIe generations created bandwidth bottlenecks as data transferred between CPUs, GPUs, memory and storage, leading to underutilization and wasted compute cycles. PCIe 6.0 doubles the bandwidth of PCIe 5.0 to 64 GT/s (giga transfers per second) per lane, providing the necessary data pipeline to keep the most powerful AI accelerators consistently supplied. Switchtec Gen 6 PCIe switches enable high-speed connectivity between CPUs, GPUs, SoCs, AI accelerators and storage devices, and are designed to help data center architects scale to the potential of next generation AI and cloud infrastructure.

“Rapid innovation in the AI era is prompting data center architectures to move away from traditional designs and shift to a model where components are organized as a pool of shared resources,” said Brian McCarson, corporate vice president of Microchip’s data center solutions business unit. “By expanding our proven Switchtec product line to PCIe 6.0, we’re enabling this transformation with technology that facilitates direct communication between critical compute resources and delivers the most powerful and energy efficient switch we’ve ever produced.”

By acting as a high-performance interconnect, the switches allow for simpler, more direct interfaces between GPUs in a server rack, which is crucial for reducing signal loss and maintaining the low latency required by AI fabrics. The PCIe 6.0 standard also introduces Flow Control Unit (FLIT) mode, a lightweight Forward Error Correction (FEC) system and dynamic resource allocation. These changes make data transfer more efficient and reliable, especially for small packets which are common in AI workloads. These updates lead to higher overall throughput and lower effective latency.

Switchtec Gen 6 PCIe switches feature 20 ports and 10 stacks with each port featuring hot- and surprise-plug controllers. Switchtec also supports NTB (Non-Transparent Bridging) to connect and isolate multiple host domains and multicast for one-to-many data distribution within a single domain. The switches are designed with advanced error containment and comprehensive diagnostics and debug capabilities, a wide breadth of I/O interfaces and an integrated MIPS processor with bifurcation options at x8 and x16. Input and output reference clocks are based on PCIe stacks with four input clocks per stack.

The post Microchip Unveils First 3 nm PCIe Gen 6 Switch to Power Modern AI Infrastructure appeared first on ELE Times.

im k submitted by /u/just_gum [link] [comments]

IBM's Spyre AI accelerator is graduating from prototype to commercially-ready chip, bringing AI inference into IBM mainframes and enterprise systems.

👀 Вакансії в антикорупційній сфері kpi вт, 10/14/2025 - 01:06

From brain probes to wireless implants and breath sensors, new biomedical prototypes aim to make treatments less invasive and more precise.

Walmart onn. coverage

Walmart’s onn. (or is it now just “onn”?) line of streaming media boxes and sticks are regularly represented here at Brian’s Brain, for several good reasons. They’re robustly featured, notably more economical than Google’s own Android TV-now-Google TV offerings, and frequently price-undershoot competitive devices from companies like Apple and Roku, too. Most recently, from a “box” standpoint, I took apart the company’s high-end onn. 4K Pro for publication at EDN in July, following up on the entry-level onn. 4K, which had appeared in April. And, within a subsequent August-published teardown of Google’s new TV Streamer 4K, I also alluded to an upcoming analysis of Walmart’s mid-tier onn. 4K Plus.

An intro to the onn.

That time is now. And “mid-tier” is subjective. Hold that thought until later in the write-up. For now, I’ll start with some stock shots:

Here’s how Walmart slots the “Plus” within its current portfolio of devices:

Note that, versus the Pro variant, at least in its final configuration, the remote control is not backlit this time. I was about to say that I guess we now know where the non-backlit remotes for the initial production run(s) of the Pro came from, although this one’s got the Free TV button, so it’s presumably a different variant from the other two, too (see what I did there?). Stand by.

And hey, how about a promo video too, while we’re at it?

Now for some real-life photos. Box shots first:

Is it wrong…

that I miss the prior packaging, even though there’s no longer a relevant loop on top of the box?

I digress. Onward:

Time to dive inside:

Inside is a two-level tray, with our patient (and its companion wall wart) on top, along with a sliver of literature:

Flip the top half over:

and the rest of the kit comes into view: a pair of AA batteries, an HDMI cable, and the aforementioned remote control:

Since I just “teased” the remote control, let’s focus on that first, as usual, accompanied by a 0.75″ (19.1 mm) diameter U.S. penny for size comparison purposes:

All looks the same as before so far, eh? Well then, last but not least, let’s look at the back:

Specifically, what does the product-code sticker say this time?

Yep, v2.32, different than the predecessors. Here’s the one in the baseline onn. 4K (v2.15, if you can’t read the tiny print):

And the two generations that ship(ped) with the 4K Pro, Initial (v2.26):

And subsequently, whose fuller feature set matched the from-the-beginning advertising (v2.30):

Skipping past the HDMI cable and AA battery set (you’re welcome), here’s the wall wart:

Complete with a “specs” close-up,”

whose connector, believe it or not, marks the third iteration within the same product generation: micro-USB for the baseline 4K model:

“Barrel” for the 4K Pro variant:

And this time, USB-C:

I would not want to be the person in charge of managing onn. product contents inventory…

Finally, our patient, first still adorned with its protective translucent, instructions-augmented plastic attire:

And now, stark nekkid. Top:

Front:

Bare left side:

Back: left-to-right are the reset switch, HDMI output, and USB-C input. Conceptually, you could seemingly tether the latter to an OTG (on-the-go) splitter, thereby enabling you to (for example) feed the device with both power and data coming from an external storage device, but in practice, it’s apparently hit-and-miss at best:

And equally bare right side:

There’s one usual externally visible adornment that we haven’t yet seen. Can you guess what it is before reading the following sentence?

Yes, clever-among-you, that’s right: it’s the status LED. Flip the device over and…there it be:

Now for closeups of the underside marking and (in the second) the aforementioned LED, which is still visible from the front of the device when illuminated because it’s on a beveled edge:

Enough of the teasing. Let’s get inside. For its similar-form-factor mainstream 4K precursor, I’d gone straight to the exposed circumference gap between the two halves. But I couldn’t resist a preparatory peek underneath the rubber feet that taunted me this time:

Nope. No screw heads here:

Opening it up

Back to Plan B:

There we go, with only a bit of collateral clip-snipped damage:

The inside of the bottom half of the case is bland, unless you’re into translucent LED windows:

The other half of the previous photo is much more interesting (at least to me):

Three more screws to go…

And the PCB then lifts right out of the enclosure’s remaining top half:

Allowing us to first-time see the PCB topside:

Here are those two PCB sides again, now standalone. Bottom:

and top:

Much as (and because) I know you want me to get to ripping the tops off those Faraday cages, I’ll show you some side shots first. Right:

Front; check out those Bluetooth and Wi-Fi antennae, reminiscent of the ones in the original 4K:

Left:

And back:

Let’s pop the top off the PCB bottom-side cage first:

Pretty easy; I managed that with just my fingernail and a few deft yanks:

At the bottom is the aforementioned LED:

And within the cage boundaries,

are two ICs of particular note; an 8 Gbit (1 GByte) Micron DDR4 SDRAM labeled as follows:

41R77
D8BPK

And, below these ICs are the nonvolatile memory counterpart, a FORESEE FEMDNN016G 16 GByte eMMC.

Now for the other (top) side. As you likely already noticed from the side shots, the total cage height here is notably thicker than that of its bottom-side counterpart. That’s because, unsurprisingly, there’s a heat sink stuck on top of it. Heat rises, after all; I already suspected, even before not finding the application processor inside the bottom-side cage, that we’d find it here instead.

My initial attempts at popping off the cage-plus-heatsink sandwich using traditional methods—first my fingernail, followed by a Jimmy—were for naught, threatening only to break my nail and bend the blade, as well as to damage the PCB alongside the cage base. I then peeked under the sticker attached to the top of the heatsink to see if it was screwed down in place. Nope:

Eventually, by jamming the Jimmy in between the heatsink and cage top, I overcame the recalcitrant adhesive that to that point had succeeded in keeping them together:

Now, the cage came off much more easily. In retrospect, it was the combined weight of the two pieces (predominantly the heatsink, a hefty chunk of metal) that had seemingly made my prior efforts be for naught:

At the bottom, straddling the two aforementioned antennae, is the same Fn-Link Technology 6252B-SRB wireless communications module that we’d found in the earlier 4K Pro teardown:

And inside the cage? Glad you asked:

To the left is the other 8 Gbit (1 GByte) Micron DDR4 SDRAM. And how did I know they’re both DDR4 in technology, by the way? That’s because it’s the interface generation that mates up with the IC on the right, the application processor, which is perhaps the most interesting twist in this design. It’s the Amlogic S905X5M, an upgrade to the S905X4 found in the 4K Pro. It features a faster Arm Cortex A-55 CPU quad-core cluster (2.5 GHz vs 2 GHz), which justifies the beefy heatsink, and an enhanced GPU core (Arm Mali-G310 v2 vs Arm Mali-G21 MP2).

The processing enhancements bear fruit when you look at the benchmark comparisons. Geekbench improvements for the onn. 4k Plus scales linearly with the CPU clock speed boost:

While GFXBench comparative results also factor in the graphics subsystem enhancements:

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also point out the pricing disparity between the two systems: the 4K Plus sells for $29.88 while the 4K Pro is normally priced $20 more than that ($49.88), although as I type these words, it’s promotion-priced at 10% off, $44.73. Folks primarily interested in gaming on Google TV platforms, whether out-of-the-box or post-jailbreaking, are understandably gravitating toward the cheaper, more computationally capable 4K Plus option.

That said, the 4K Pro also has 50% more DRAM and twice the storage, along with an integrated wired Ethernet connectivity option and other enhancements, leaving it the (potentially, at least) better platform for general-purpose streaming box applications, if price isn’t a predominant factor.

That wraps up what I’ve got for you today. I’ll keep the system disassembled for now in case readers have any additional parts-list or other internal details questions once the write-up is published. And then, keeping in mind the cosmetic-or-worse damage I did getting the heatsink and topside cage off, I’ll put it back together to determine whether its functionality was preserved. One way or another, I’ll report back the results in the comments. And speaking of which, I look forward to reading your thoughts there, as well.

—Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Vision Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the company’s online newsletter.

Related Content

• Perusing Walmart’s onn. 4K Pro Streaming Device with Google TV: Storage aplenty
• Walmart’s onn. full HD streaming device: Still not thick, just don’t call it a stick
• Walmart’s onn. UHD streaming device: Android TV at a compelling price
• Walmart’s onn. FHD streaming stick: Still Android TV, but less thick
• Walmart’s onn. 4K streaming box: A Google TV upgrade doesn’t clobber its cost

The post Inside Walmart’s onn. 4K Plus: A streaming device with a hidden bonus appeared first on EDN.

Олегу Івановичу Клесову – 70! Інформація КП пн, 10/13/2025 - 18:03

You are likely at least slightly aware of the work that famed engineer, scientist, and researcher Nikola Tesla did in the early 1900s in his futile attempt to wirelessly transmit usable power via a 200-foot tower. The project is described extensively on many credible web sites, such as “What became of Nikola Tesla’s wireless dream?” and “Tesla’s Tower at Wardenclyffe” as well as many substantive books.

Since Tesla, there have been numerous other efforts to transmit power without wires using RF (microwave and millimeter waves) and optical wavelengths. Of course, both “bands” are wireless and governed by Maxwell’s equations, but there are very different practical implications.

Proponents of wireless transmitted power see it as a power-delivery source for both stationary and moving targets including drones and larger aircraft—very ambitious objectives, for sure. We are not talking about near-field charging for devices such as smartphones, nor the “trick” of wireless lighting of a fluorescent bulb that is positioned a few feet away from a desktop Tesla coil. We are talking about substantial distances and power.

Most early efforts to beam power were confined to microwave frequencies due to available technologies. However, they require relatively larger antennas to focus the transmitted beam, so millimeter waves or optical links are likely to work better.

The latest efforts and progress have been in the optical spectrum. These systems use a fiber-optic-based laser for a tightly confined beam. The “receivers” for optical power transmission are specialized photovoltaic cells optimized to convert a very narrow wavelength of light into electric power with very high efficiency. The reported efficiencies can exceed 70%, more than double that of a typical broader-spectrum solar cell.

In one design from Powerlight Technologies, the beam is contained within a virtual enclosure that senses an object impinging on it—such as a person, bird, or even airborne debris—and triggers the equipment to cut power to the main beam before any damage is done (Figure 1). The system monitors the volume the beam occupies, along with its immediate surroundings, allowing the power link to automatically reestablish itself when the path is once again clear.

Figure 1 This free-space optical-power path link includes a safety “curtain” which cuts off the beam within a millisecond if there is a path interruption. Source: Powerlight Technologies

Although this is nominally listed as a “power” project, as with any power-related technology, there’s a significant amount of analog-focused circuitry and components involved. These provide raw DC power to the laser driver and to the optical-conversion circuits, lasers, overall system management at both ends, and more.

Recent progress raises effectiveness

In May 2025, DARPA’s Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program achieved several new records for transmitting power over distance in a series of tests in New Mexico. The team’s POWER Receiver Array Demo (PRAD) recorded more than 800 watts of power delivered during a 30-second transmission from a laser 8.6 kilometers (5.3 miles) away. Over the course of the test campaign, more than a megajoule of energy was transferred.

In the never-ending power-versus-distance challenge, the previous greatest reported distance records for an appreciable amount of optical power (>1 microwatt) were 230 watts of average power at 1.7 kilometers for 25 seconds and a lesser (but undisclosed) amount of power at 3.7 kilometers (Figure 2).

Figure 2 The POWER Receiver Array Demo (PRAD) set the records for power and distance for optical power beaming; the graphic shows how it compares to previous notable efforts. Source: DARPA

To achieve the power and distance record, the power receiver array used a new receiver technology designed by Teravec Technologies with a compact aperture for the laser beam to shine. That’s to ensure that very little light escapes once it has entered the receiver. Inside the receiver, the laser strikes a parabolic mirror that reflects the beam onto dozens of photovoltaic cells to convert the energy back to usable power (Figure 3).

Figure 3 In the optical power-beaming receiver designed for PRAD, the laser enters the center aperture, strikes a parabolic mirror, and reflects onto dozens of photovoltaic cells (left) arranged around the inside of the device to convert the energy back to usable power (right). Source: Teravec Technologies

While it may seem logical to use a mirror or lens when it comes to redirecting laser beams, the project team instead found that diffractive optics were a better choice because they are good at efficiently handling monochromatic wavelengths of light. They used additive manufacturing to create optics and included an integrated cooling system.

Further details on this project are hard to come by, but that’s almost beside the point. The key message is that there has been significant progress. As is usually the case, some of it leverages progress in other disciplines, and much of it is “home made.” Nonetheless, there are significant technical costs, efficiency burdens, and limitations due to atmospheric density—especially at lower attitudes and ground level.

Do you think advances in various wireless-transmission components and technologies will reach to where it’s a viable power-delivery approach for broader uses besides highly specialized ones? Can it be made to work for moving targets as well as stationary ones? Or will this be one of those technologies where success is always “just around the corner”? And finally, is there any relationship between this project and the work on directed laser energy systems to “shoot” drones out of the sky, which has parallels to the beam generation/emission part?

Bill Schweber is a degreed senior EE who has written three textbooks, hundreds of technical articles, opinion columns, and product features. Prior to becoming an author and editor, he spent his entire hands-on career on the analog side by working on power supplies, sensors, signal conditioning, and wired and wireless communication links. His work experience includes many years at Analog Devices in applications and marketing.

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The post Tesla’s wireless-power “dream” gets closer to reality—maybe appeared first on EDN.

Breakthrough BMC Innovation Powers Secure, Scalable, and Open Compute Platforms

Nuvoton Technology Corporation announced the launch of the Arbel NPCM8mnx System-in-Package (SiP) — a compact, fully integrated BMC subsystem designed to accelerate deployment and simplify system management in next-generation AI servers and datacenter platforms.

As artificial intelligence reshapes the datacenter landscape, the demand for security, high-density, and easily deployable infrastructure is surging. Nuvoton ‘s new SiP solution addresses this need head-on, offering a plug-and-play BMC platform that dramatically reduces design complexity and time-to-market.

Compact Powerhouse for AI and Cloud Infrastructure

The NPCM8mnx-SiP integrates all essential BMC components into a single 23x23mm² BGA package, reducing the subsystem footprint by approximately 70%. This miniaturized form factor is ideal for:

• AI accelerator cards
• Multi-node compute systems
• Remote access modules
• Edge and hyperscale datacenters

Key integrated components include:

• Full-featured Arbel NPCM8mnx BMC
• Embedded DDR4 memory (1 GB to 4 GB)
• eMMC storage (8 GB to 64 GB)
• NOR Flash (16 MB to 128 MB)
• Reference clock oscillator
• Voltage regulators
• Over 120 passive components

This level of integration eliminates the need for high-speed signal simulations, power sequencing, and complex PCB layouts — enabling faster, more reliable product development.

Built for Security and Open Standards

Security is at the heart of the NPCM8mnx-SiP. Built on the latest Arbel A3 architecture, it supports:

• Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) LMS algorithms for secure boot
• DICE Unique Secrets generation and customer-specific key provisioning
• Compliance with OCP S.A.F.E. and FIPS 140-3 standards

The SiP is fully compatible with existing Arbel software stacks, including:

• OpenBMC
• OP-TEE / U-Boot / Linux
• pRoT secure firmware stack

This ensures seamless integration into open compute environments and supports industry-wide efforts toward secure and transparent infrastructure.

The post Nuvoton Launches Arbel NPCM8mnx System-in-Package (SiP) for AI Servers and Datacenter Infrastructure appeared first on ELE Times.

Silicon photonics-based chip-to-chip optical connectivity firm Ayar Labs of San Jose, CA, USA — which is pioneering co-packaged optics (CPO) for large-scale AI workloads — says that Vivek Gupta has joined as its first chief strategy officer (CSO). This comes as the industry transitions to next-generation AI architectures that demand the bandwidth, latency and efficiency benefits enabled by CPO...