Новини світу мікро- та наноелектроніки

• The new tyre pressure monitoring system improves safety and user experiences
• ST’s software ecosystem tool, STM32Cube.AI, accelerates the development of the edge AI function operating on the STM32 microcontroller

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has announced that Panasonic Cycle Technology, Co. Ltd. (Panasonic) has adopted the STM32F3 microcontroller (MCU) and edge AI development tool, STM32Cube.AI, for their TiMO A e-assisted bike. ST’s edge AI solutions provide a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that leverages an advanced AI function to improve rider safety and convenience.

Panasonic is a leading producer of e-assisted bikes in Japan and offers a wide variety of products for various uses to the Japanese market. Their electric-assist bicycle for school commuting, TiMO A, runs an AI application on the STM32F3 MCU to infer the tyre air pressures without using pressure sensors. Based on information from the motor and the bicycle speed sensor, the system generates a warning to inflate the tyres if necessary. ST’s edge AI development tool, STM32Cube.AI, enabled Panasonic to implement this edge AI function while fitting into STM32F3 embedded memory space. This new function simplifies tyre air-pressure maintenance, which enhances rider safety and prolongs the life of tyres and other cycle components. It also helps to reduce the cost and design work, as there is no need for additional hardware such as an air pressure sensor.

“We develop and manufacture e-assisted bikes with the mission of delivering environmentally friendly, safe, and comfortable transportation, accessible to all,” said Mr. Hiroyuki KAMO, Manager, Software Development Section, Development Department of Panasonic Cycle Technology. “ST’s STM32F3 MCU provides cost competitiveness and optimal functions and performance for e-assisted bikes. By combining the STM32F3 MCU with STM32Cube.AI, we were able to implement the innovative AI function without the need to change hardware. We will continue to increase the range of models with AI functions and strive to fulfil our mission by leveraging ST’s edge AI solutions.”

“ST has been actively working on the global proliferation of edge AI in both hardware and software, providing edge AI solutions to a wide range of products including industrial and consumer equipment,” said Marc Dupaquier, Managing Director of Artificial Intelligence Solutions, STMicroelectronics. “This collaboration marks a key step in our efforts, and we are delighted to have contributed to the first implementation of this AI function in Panasonic’s e-assisted bike. We will continue to propose AI use cases and solutions for diverse markets, anywhere we can help to augment our life.”

ST will showcase edge AI solutions, including the STM32 MCU and a variety of AI development tools, at the AI Expo at Tokyo Big Sight (May 22-24, 2024). The e-assisted bike and the motor unit (cutaway sample) from Panasonic Cycle Technology, which features the STM32F3 MCU and STM32Cube.AI, are also scheduled to be displayed at this expo.

How it works
The STM32F3 MCU adopted for the TIMO A is based on the Arm Cortex-M4 (with a maximum operating frequency of 72 MHz) and features a 128KB Flash, along with various high-performance analog and digital peripherals optimal for motor control. In addition to the new inflation warning function, the MCU determines the electric assistance level and controls the motor.

It leverages STM32Cube.AI to reduce the size of the neural network (NN) model and optimize memory allocation throughout the development of this AI function. STM32Cube.AI is ST’s free edge AI development tool that converts NN models learned by general AI frameworks into code for the STM32 MCU and optimizes these models. The tool optimized the NN model developed by Panasonic Cycle Technology for the STM32F3 MCU quickly and easily and implemented it in the flash memory, which has limited capacity.

ST offers a comprehensive edge AI ecosystem for spreading edge AI to devices used in a wide range of scenarios. The ecosystem includes STM32Cube.AI and also the NanoEdge AI Studio autoML tool. Both tools are part of the soon-to-be-available ST Edge AI Suite. All of them are available free of charge.

The post STMicroelectronics helps Panasonic Cycle Technology bring AI to e-assisted bikes for affordable safety boost appeared first on ELE Times.

NUBURU Inc of Centennial, CO, USA — which was founded in 2015 and develops and manufactures high-power industrial blue lasers — has announced a $3m investment in its common stock by strategic investors focused on strengthening and growing the company. The firm has also announced initial purchase orders from new customers in new markets...

A new family of microcontrollers optimized for machine learning (ML) applications at the edge claims to enable real-time command and response, eliminating the need for cloud connections while substituting high-performance microprocessors.

Infineon Technologies has unveiled the next generation of PSOC microcontrollers that are AI-enabled for real-time responsiveness in connected home devices, wearables, and industrial applications. The new PSOC Edge E8 series of MCUs—E81, E83, and E84—facilitates compute responsive AI while balancing performance and power requirements and providing embedded security for Internet of Thing (IoT), consumer, and industrial applications.

Figure 1 The new edge MCUs enable developers to quickly move from concept to product and facilitate ML-enabled IoT, consumer, and industrial applications. Source: Infineon

The PSOC Edge E81 utilizes the Arm Helium DSP technology and Infineon’s NNLite Neural Network (NN) accelerator. It uses a combination of Cortex-M55 plus DSP for the high-performance domain and Cortex-M33 and DSP for the low-power domain. E81 microcontrollers are primarily targeted at cost-effective design solutions.

The PSOC Edge E83 and E84 microcontrollers, while offering the same combination for high-performance and low-power domains, also use the Arm Ethos-U55 micro-NPU processor and provide a 480x improvement in ML performance compared to existing Cortex-M systems. At the same time, E83 and E84 use the NNlite accelerator for ML applications in the low-power compute domain.

The microcontroller trio

Steve Tateosian, senior VP of industrial MCUs for IoT, wireless and compute business at Infineon, spoke to EDN before the release of PSOC Edge E8 series MCUs. He said that the ML-enabled edge MCU classification aims to facilitate the right product for the right application at the right price point. He quoted a thermostat as an example to explain how these MCU tiers work.

With an E81 microcontroller, a basic thermostat may have an LCD doing cloud-based natural language recognition. On the other hand, a mid-range thermostat may want to recognize voice locally by implementing natural language on device itself, thus removing cloud from the equation altogether. That’s an E83 microcontroller.

Finally, for Nest-like high-end devices, designers can add features like gesture and motion control as well as low-power graphics display—up to 1028×768—for a rich graphical user interface (GUI). “All three devices support voice/audio sensing for activation and control, while the E83 and E84 MCUs deliver increased capabilities for advanced HMI implementations, including ML-based wake-up, vision-based position detection, and face/object recognition,” said Tateosian.

Figure 2 Three ML-enabled PSOC edge MCUs aim to facilitate the right product for the right application at the right price point. Source: Infineon

“Designers can create a cost-effective solution with E81, but if they want to add a stronger ML acceleration hardware, they move to E83,” he added. “They can use E84 if they want to add graphics support.”

Design support services

All three edge MCUs support extensive peripheral sets, on-chip memory, robust hardware security features and a variety of connectivity options including USB HS/FS with PHY CAN, Ethernet, WiFi 6, BTBLE, and Matter. “The PSOC Edge E8 series MCUs feature a rich peripheral mix with many options in terms of in-memory as well as external memory support,” Tateosian said.

When designing ML applications on edge devices, engineers must be conscious of the amount of code in general,” he added “So, the amount of memory as well as the type of memory located on the MCU are critical.” These MCUs offer an elegant solution in terms of on-chip RAM encompassing SRAM and RRAM content.

Hardware design support includes an evaluation base board with Arduino expansion header, sensor suite, BLE connectivity for provisioning and Wi-Fi for smartphone, and cloud connectivity. On the software side, the new PSOC Edge E8 series MCUs are compatible with the earlier versions of PSOC for edge MCUs to ensure that design engineers can reuse their software investments.

Moreover, Infineon’s ModusToolbox software platform provides a collection of development tools, libraries, and embedded runtime assets to complement the development experience. It also integrates Imagimob Studio, which Infineon acquired through its purchase of the Swedish firm last year. It delivers end-to-end ML development capability spanning from data to model deployment.

Infineon will demonstrate the capabilities of this MCU series for AI and ML applications at Embedded World in Nuremberg from 9 to 11 April 2024.

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The post The ML-enabled edge MCUs available in three design tiers appeared first on EDN.

Introduction

Solar day lamps (SDL) are simple and cost-effective. A few examples of SDLs have been described in [1], [2] and [3]. An SDL without any energy storage element suffers from frequent changes in the light intensity. Also, a backup is required after sunset. The design of a hybrid lamp is given here. It uses solar PV panels and mains power sources and provides constant light output. This design can utilize solar energy even when the panel output is down to 10%. Proportionately, that much load is reduced on the mains supply.

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

Block diagram

The block diagram of proposed hybrid lamp is shown in Figure 1. It consists of an array of LEDs lamps: A1 to A9. Each of these lamps consists of five, 1 W white LEDs connected in series. These LEDs are controlled using the LED driver circuits.

Figure 1 Block diagram of the hybrid lamp design with 9 LEDs lamps where each lamp consists of five, 1 W white LEDs connected in series and all LEDs are controlled using LED driver circuits.

LEDs are powered using a 30 watt-peak (Wp) PV panel as well as from an adapter (AC-DC converter) as shown in Figure 1. The LED drivers are controlled through 9 digital output (DO) pins of the MCU. Solar panel voltage Vpvs is sensed using a potential divider circuit and is connected to the ADC input pin of MCU. Similarly, current flowing through the first LED array A1 is sensed and is connected to another ADC pin. The adapter output voltage VMF is sensed using potential divider circuit and is connected to a digital input (DI) pin of the MCU. This is a digital signal which is used to sense whether adapter power is available or not. One more DO pin is connected to the “adapter standby mode” pin to reduce power consumed by the adapter when all arrays are powered from solar panel and adapter is on no load.

Circuit Diagram

Figure 2 shows the circuit diagram. The adapter output VM is connected to the top (red) rail of the circuit. After passing through diode D19 (1N5822), voltage VMD is applied to the circuit. Similarly, the middle rail (yellow) is connected to the solar panel output Vpv. After passing through diode D20, voltage Vpvd is applied to the circuit. A big filter capacitor C2 (10000 µF 35V) is connected across panel terminals. This capacitor will eliminate sudden changes in panel voltage so that the firmware runs smoothly.

Figure 2 Circuit diagram of the proposed hybrid lamp where the adapter output VM is connected to the top (red) rail of the circuit and to the solar panel output Vpv is connected to the middle rail (yellow).

LED driver circuit for array A1 is shown in full detail. Array A1 consists of 5 white LEDs connected in series. It is connected to the ground terminal through R1; a 10 Ω, 2 W resistor. The voltage drop across R1 (Ipv1) is connected to ADC1 (pin 24) of the MCU IC3 ATMEGA 8 as shown in Figure 3. A1 is driven by two PNP transistors T3 and T4 (2N4033). Transistor T3 is controlled by the digital output PD0 of the MCU through NPN transistor T1 (BC546). The PD0 signal is inverted using the NOT gate of IC1 (74HCT04). This signal drives transistor T2 which drives T4.

When PD0 is LOW → T3 OFF, T4 ON (A1 on solar and green indicator LED2 ON)
When PD0 is HIGH → T3 ON, T4 OFF (A1 on mains and red indicator LED1 ON)

In the same way, remaining arrays A2 to A9 are controlled through their respective digital output signals. Note that resistors R2 to R9 are connected to the anodes of the LED array. This is done to reduce the wiring, as single ground wire connects to all the cathodes of the last LEDs of A2 to A9.

Figure 3 The MCU connection diagram.

The MCU and LED driver circuits are powered using regulator IC4 (LM7805). It’s input is connected to both VMD and Vpvd power rails through D21, D22, R77 and R78. Hence, 5 volts is available on either solar or mains power sources.

Figure 4 shows the circuit diagram of all digital outputs. It includes two 74HCT04 ICs, IC1 and IC2, for inverting a total of 9 digital output signals. The 18 output lines are connected to the LED driver circuits through 18 diodes D1 to D18 (1N4148). Figure 5 shows the assembled PCB with LED driver circuits and the MCU interface.

Figure 4 Interconnection diagram of all digital outputs, 18 output lines are connected to the LED driver circuits through 18 diodes (D1 to D18).

Figure 5 Assembled PCB showing LED driver circuits and MCU interface.

 Adapter (AC-DC converter) selection

Figure 6 shows the adapter used in the prototype having output voltage of 18 V. However, ideally to match the voltage at max power (Vmp) of the solar panel we need 17.5 V. One diode in series can drop the voltage by about 0.7 V. There are adapters available which have provisions for adjusting the output voltage within ±10% tolerance. Using this type of adapter, it is possible to set the output voltage to 17.5V.

Figure 6 Photographs of the 30 Wp, 2’ x 2’ solar panel (top) and 18V, 3 A adapter (bottom). A diode is used to drop the voltage closer to the ideal 17.5 V to match the Vmp of the solar panel.

 Specifications and calculations

The solar panel specifications are as follows:

1. Power Rating (P) = 30 Wp
2. Voltage at MAX Power (Vmp) = 17.5 V
3. Current at MAX Power (Imp) = 1.714 A

The calculations for the LED lamp are as follows:

1. Forward voltage of white LED = 3.12 V
2. Current through array A1 = [17.5 – (5 x 3.12)] / 10Ω = 0.19 A
3. Power consumed by array A1 = 17.5 * 0.19 = 3.325 W
4. Power consumed by 9 LED arrays = 9 x 3.325 = 29.9 W

Algorithm

As discussed earlier, the hybrid lamp draws power from both solar PV panels and the adapter. If both supplies are present, then it runs a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm to maximize solar power. Table 1 shows the operating modes.

Table 1 Operating modes of the hybrid lamp. If both supplies are present, the design runs an MPPT algorithm to maximize solar power.

 Variables

The following are the variables used for the algorithm:

• n: Number of arrays which are PV Powered (n = 9 is initially set to handle full solar power)
• PV_POWER: power drawn from PV panel
• PRESENT_MODE: present mode of operation
• NEW_MODE: new mode of operation

The permissible numerical values of PRESENT_MODE and NEW_MODE are as follows where valid value(s) of n are indicated in the brackets for each mode:

• 0: Solar Day Lamp mode (n = 9)
• 1: Mains Powered mode (n = 0)
• 2: MPPT (n varies from 1 to 9)

 Constants

The following are the constants used for the algorithm:

• POWER_MIN: The minimum value of power. If PV power is < POWER_MIN, then declare solar not present. (POWER_MIN = 1 W or 1600 counts)
• P_DELTA: This value is used for generating hysteresis. (P_DELTA = 1 W OR 1600 Counts)
• VPV_MIN: This value is used for checking whether PV power is available or not. PV Power is not available if Vpv < VPV_MIN. (16 V OR 800 Counts of ADC0)

Data

The following is the data used for the algorithm:

• Array P(n): This data is used by the algorithm to control LED lamps A1 to A9. Table 2 shows the array of constants defined over 10 power levels.

Table 2 An array of constants defined for 10 power levels.

ADC details

The following are the ADC specifications. A count of 1024 corresponds to a 5 V input to the ADC pin:

• ADC resolution: 10 bits (1024 counts)
• ADC reference voltage = 5 V

Vpv calculations

Solar panel output Vpv calculations are as follows:

• VPV_MIN = 16 V (when MPPT is running, Vpv is maintained above VPV_MIN)
• ADC input voltage for VPV_MIN = 16 * 0.2444 = 3.91 V
• ADC count for 3.91 V = (1024/5) * 3.91 = 801

VPV_MIN calculations

VPV_MIN calculations are as follows:

• VPV_MIN = 16 V (when MPPT is running, Vpv is maintained above VPV_MIN)
• ADC input voltage for VPV_MIN = 16 * 0.2444 = 3.91 V
• ADC count for 3.91 V = (1024/5) * 3.91 = 801

 Ipv calculations

Solar panel output current Ipv calculations are as follows:

• Panel power at maximum power point = 30 W
• Current at maximum power point = 30/17.5 = 1.714 A
• When all arrays A1 to A9 are ON, Current through each array = 1.714/9 = 0.19 A
• Drop across 10 Ω resistor R1 = 10 * 0.19 = 1.9 V
• ADC Count for 0.19 Amp = (1024/5) * 1.9 = 390 count

Power calculations

Finally, the power calculations can be seen below:

• Read ADC0 → Count for VPVS
• Read ADC1 → Count for IPV1
• PV_POWER_32 = ADC0 * ADC1 * n
• PV_POWER = PV_POWER_32 / 64 (Shift right by 6 bits)
• PV power generated when one array is ON = 876 * 390 = 341640 counts
• PV power generated when 9 arrays are ON (30W) = 341640 * 9 = 3074760 counts

To limit the resolution to 16 bits, the counts are divided by 64:

• Count for 30 W -> 3074760 / 64 = 48043.125
• Count for 1 W -> 48043/ 30 = 1601.4375 Count or 1600 approx

Flow charts

The flow charts required for development of embedded firmware are given in Figure 7, Figure 8, Figure 9, and Figure 10. At power ON, the algorithm initializes timer, ports, modes and enables timer interrupt. The algorithm is executed inside the timer interrupt service routine.

Figure 7 Initialization flow chart where at power ON, algorithm initializes timer, ports, modes and enables timer interrupt.

Figure 8 A portion of the interrupt service routine where the algorithm is executed.

Figure 9 The rest of the interrupt service routine where the algorithm is executed.

Figure 10 The MPPT flow chart that is run if both supplies are present.

 Fabrication and testing

The LED lamp metal core PCBs (MCPCBs) were mounted on three aluminum channels. The aluminum channels absorb the heat generated by these PCBs and provide structural support. The controller PCB is mounted on the back side of the LED array. The working of hybrid lamp is captured in the photographs shown in Figure 11 and Figure 12 where the lamps are working on 100% solar power and 100% mains power respectively. The lamp is placed in front of a mirror to check the light output from LED array. Simultaneously, we can see the PCB and the indicator LEDs. From these two Figures, it is clearly seen that we get same light output whether the array is solar powered or mains powered.

Figure 11 Lamp working on 100% solar energy (all green indicator LEDs are ON).

Figure 12 Lamp working on 100% mains power (all red indicator LEDs are ON).

In order to capture the dynamic workings of the lamp, when the solar energy is varying and the MPPT algorithm is running, see the video below.

In this video, we are able to see LED array light output in the mirror and also observe the indicator LEDs changing from green to red and vice versa sequentially. In this case, the solar panel is rotated in the sunlight to vary the PV power generated. This video confirms that the MPPT algorithm is working properly as the LED array gives a constant light output when there is wide variation in solar power. One green LED is ON, meaning 11% of the energy is coming from solar. So, depending upon the number of green LEDs that are ON, we can calculate the percentage reduction in the load on the mains power supply.

When the whole array is running on solar power, we can make the digital output line going to the standby input of the adapter high (refer to Figure 1). Thus, reducing the power consumed by the adapter under no-load condition. Please note that this feature has not been implemented in the present code.

 Power ASIC design

The hardware complexity can be reduced by designing a dedicated power ASIC. The main features of the proposed ASIC are as follows:

1. Number of LED driver circuits: 16
2. MAX Voltage rating of drivers : 50 V
3. MAX current rating of each driver: 0.5 A
4. Regulated control power supply: 5 V, 1A
5. Sensing circuits for: Vpvs, Ipv1, VM

 Design of a 500 W fixture

Based on the hybrid lamp design given here, a larger lighting fixture can be designed. Here, an example of such a system, which uses a single 500 Wp solar panel is given. The high-level details of proposed design are as follows:           

1. PV panel specifications: 500 Wp, Vmp = 35 V, Imp = 14.2 A
2. LED lamp power rating:11 Watts (11 white LEDs connected in series)
3. Number of lamps: 64 (8 x 8 array)
4. Number of ASICs required: 4

This lighting fixture can be installed in large shopping centers, hospitals, offices etc., where it will provide constant light while maximizing the utilization of available solar energy. Even on a cloudy day it can reduce the load on the mains supply by 10 to 20%. Such a system will have an ROI of 3 to 4 years. Furthermore, it offers many other benefits such as decentralized design, very short wiring, lower transmission losses and provides light in the daytime if the mains power fails.  

Vijay Deshpande recently retired after a 30-year career focused on power electronics and DSP projects, and now works mainly on solar PV systems.

Related Content and references:

1. Solar day lamp designs use passive and active current limiting circuits
2. Solar day lamp designs provide low-cost lighting solutions, Part 1
3. Solar day lamp designs provide low-cost lighting solutions, Part 2

The post Solar-mains hybrid lamp appeared first on EDN.

Penn State University has launched the Silicon Carbide Innovation Alliance (SCIA), a coalition of industry leaders, academic institutions and government support with a focus on becoming the USA’s central hub for research, development and workforce training in silicon carbide (SiC) crystal technology...

Infineon Technologies AG today released details of its new PSOC Edge family of microcontrollers (MCUs) optimized for machine learning (ML) applications. The three new PSOC Edge MCU series, E81, E83 and E84 offer a scalable and compatible range of performance, features, and memory options. They are all supported with comprehensive system design tools and software that enable developers to quickly move from concept to product and bring new ML-enabled Internet of Thing (IoT), consumer and industrial applications to market.

“Next-generation IoT edge devices continue to require more performance without compromising power,” said Steve Tateosian, SVP of Industrial MCUs, IoT, Wireless and Compute Business, Infineon. “Infineon’s innovative new PSOC Edge E8 series of devices use ML capabilities to compute responsive AI while balancing performance and power requirements and providing embedded security for connected home devices, wearables, and industrial applications. As a leading provider of MCUs, we are committed to delivering solutions that extend the capabilities of future IoT systems.”

Infineon’s new PSOC Edge E81, E83 and E84 microcontrollers are based on the high-performance Arm Cortex-M55, including Helium DSP support paired with Arm Ethos-U55, and Cortex-M33 paired with Infineon’s ultra-low power NNLite — a proprietary hardware accelerator intended to accelerate neural networks. In addition, all three series support extensive peripheral sets, on chip memory, robust hardware security features and a variety of connectivity options including USB HS/FS with PHY CAN, Ethernet, WiFi 6, BTBLE and Matter. The PSOC Edge E81 utilizes the ARM Helium DSP technology along with Infineon NNLite Neural Network (NN) accelerator. The PSOC Edge E83 and E84 include the Arm Ethos-U55 micro-NPU processor, which provides a 480x improvement in ML performance compared to existing Cortex-M systems, and they support the Infineon NNlite neural network accelerator for ML applications in the low-power compute domain.

Target applications for the PSOC Edge E8x series include Human Machine Interface (HMI) in appliances and industrial devices, smart home and security systems, robotics, and wearables. All three series support voice/audio sensing for activation and control, while the E83 and E84 MCUs deliver increased capabilities for advanced HMI implementations,

including ML-based wake-up, and vision-based position detection and face/object recognition. The PSOC Edge E84 series adds low-power graphics display (up to 1028×768) to the extensive feature set.

System Design Enablement

PSOC Edge E8 MCUs offer designers a full family of system and full software compatible devices. Hardware design support includes an evaluation base board with Arduino expansion header, sensor suite, BLE connectivity for provisioning and Wi-Fi for smart phone and cloud connectivity.

As with all Infineon MCUs, the series is supported by Infineon’s ModusToolbox software platform, which provides a collection of development tools, libraries, and embedded runtime assets for a flexible and comprehensive development experience. ModusToolbox supports a wide range of use cases including consumer IoT, industrial, smart home, and wearables.

Imagimob Studio is an Edge AI development platform, integrated into ModusToolbox, that delivers end-to-end ML development capability, from data in to model deployed. Starter projects and Imagimob’s Ready Models make it simple to get started. When used with PSOC Edge, Imagimob makes it possible to rapidly build and deploy state of the art machine learning models for the edge.

Availability

The PSOC Edge family is available for early access customers now. For more information or to request participation in the early access program, visit www.infineon.com/PSOCedge. Infineon will be showcasing a demo of the new PSOC Edge MCUs at Embedded World in Nuremberg at the Infineon booth (hall 4A, booth #138) and the Arm booth (hall 4, booth #504).

Infineon at Embedded World

Embedded World will take place in Nuremberg, Germany, from 9 to 11 April 2024. Infineon will present its products and solutions for decarbonization and digitalization in hall 4A, booth #138 and virtually. Company representatives will also hold several TechTalks as well as presentations at the accompanying Embedded World Conference, followed by discussions with the speakers. If you are interested in interviewing an expert at the show, please email media.relations@infineon.com. Industry analysts interested in a briefing can email MarketResearch.Relations@infineon.com. Information about the Embedded World show highlights is available at www.infineon.com/embedded-world.

The post Infineon announces next-generation PSOC Edge portfolio featuring powerful AI capabilities for IoT, consumer and industrial applications appeared first on ELE Times.

Ion implantation system maker Axcelis Technologies Inc of Beverly, MA, USA has shipped a Purion EXE SiC high-energy implanter as well as a successful Purion H200 SiC medium-energy implanter evaluation closure at power device chipmakers in Japan. The systems will be used for 150mm and 200mm production of silicon carbide power devices supporting automotive, industrial, energy and other power-intensive applications...

For its fiscal second-quarter 2024 (to end-February), LED chip and component maker SemiLEDs Corp of Hsinchu, Taiwan has reported revenue of $886,000 (almost halving from $1.65m last quarter). However, this included the period 3–18 February, when SemiLEDs shut down its manufacturing production due to the Chinese New Year holiday...

EPC Space LLC of Haverhill, MA, USA has launched the EPC7009L16SH, a radiation-hardened gallium nitride gate driver integrated circuit (IC) built on EPC’s proprietary eGaN IC technology...

Courtesy: Arrow Electronics

The term “metaverse” was coined 30 years ago. Until recently, it has been part science fiction and part speculation. American science fiction writer Neal Town Stephenson coined the term “metaverse” in his 1992 novel, “Snow Crash.”

At the time, Stephenson was already talking about some of the technologies that could make the metaverse a reality today: augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). What he couldn’t imagine was the explosion of big data, ultra-fast networks, and artificial intelligence (AI) that we are experiencing, where everything is being connected, stored, and analyzed.

Developing the metaverse and mixed realities

Thirty years after the first mention of the metaverse, the concept of a virtual world available to everyone could become a reality by combining several technologies, such as AI, blockchain, VR, and AR.

Many companies are now trying to develop metaverse technology or different versions of mixed reality environments. Microsoft, Bentley, Imagine 4D, Lockheed Martin, Ricardo, Willow, and over a hundred more are now members of the Digital Twin Consortium, an industry group working on developing AR and XR technologies for industrial applications.

Today, billions of sensors are installed in almost everything: appliances, cars, trains, factories, machines, traffic lights, etc. The data collected from those sensors can help to provide preventive and predictive maintenance for many assets, assist in simulations for better designs and deployment, and help technicians to identify potential problems. Simulations such as a digital twin make it possible to visualize the data in a more direct and comprehensive way, making it easier to arrive at better decisions and results.

Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 is probably the best example of an augmented reality device for professional applications. These ergonomic, untethered self-contained holographic smart glasses are now used in manufacturing, healthcare, engineering, and education. Apple and Google are also working on the next generation of smart glasses, which will feature an augmented reality and could be used both as an extension of the smartphone and a standalone product for many applications.

In October 2021, Facebook decided to change its corporate name to “Meta.” A few days later, in a conversation with entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, Mark Zuckerberg talked about it, saying, “The metaverse to me today feels like the next frontier in social connection in much the same way that social networking did when I was getting started back in 2004. That’s a big reason why we wanted to change the brand of the company.”

What is the purpose of the metaverse?

The metaverse could be considered the realization of Web 3.0, wherein technologies such as blockchain and NFTs finally create a truly decentralized digital world.

Depending on who you ask, the metaverse could be just a digital representation (twin) of physical assets that can be used for monitoring and simulating different scenarios. Other versions now focus on virtual reality applications for various industries such as retail, real estate, product testing, or manufacturing.

“From attending virtual classrooms to buying digital land and constructing virtual homes, these activities are currently conducted in separate environments. Eventually, they will take place in a single environment the metaverse,” says Gartner, defining it as “a collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical and digital reality.” It will be powered by “a virtual economy enabled by digital currencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).”

Is Web 3.0 the internet enabling the metaverse?

Some critics believe that the Metaverse and Web 3.0 are little more than a rebranding for crypto and convincing people that blockchains are the natural next phase of computing. Social media platforms such as MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, created Web 2.0. Before, the World Wide Web was just a place for people to browse static pages and communicate by email. Web 2.0 opened the way for real-time interaction and participation.

Indeed, the next generation of the World Wide Web, Web 3.0, will mark a leap in the internet experience to a new level, where the physical world and the virtual world will interact as mirrors of the same reality. The term has been around for several years but only started to get attention in the past year. Packy McCormick, an investor who helped popularize Web 3.0, has defined it as “the internet owned by the builders and users, orchestrated with tokens.”

Matt Levine, a Bloomberg columnist, put it this way: “A basic premise of Web3 is that every product is simultaneously an investment opportunity.”

Web 3.0 won’t arrive at once. It will require many different services and stakeholders to cooperate and establish new standards. Meanwhile, many internet companies are experimenting with the building blocks of the new frontier, such as blockchain, AI, and extended reality (XR).

One of the first exciting examples of the possibilities of these technologies is the Digital Twin.

Digital twins in the metaverse

Digital twins represent physical assets that utilize IoT data, enabling use cases such as predictive maintenance when combined with AI.

A digital twin could become part of a larger metaverse and be used for specific applications. Industrial digital twins have been around for many years, especially in the automotive, rail, and aerospace industries. Running simulations on expensive rockets and airplanes is very costly and dangerous. That’s why the aerospace industry has been building digital copies of those for decades.

The advances in miniaturization, sensors, and connectivity allow for installing thousands of sensors in each asset, such as a vehicle, a factory, or a solar farm. Those sensors, continuously transmitting data to a cloud system, enable real-time visualization of the conditions of every asset, its performance, and the potential problems associated with components and the environment.

Furthermore, using advanced analytics and machine learning makes it possible to use the data to simulate different scenarios without changing the physical asset.

“As edge computing and AI give visibility into entire environments, and as more and more of these assets and products are being connected, companies are connecting entire environments — be those smart factories, be those smart cities, be those energy generation and distribution networks,” said Sam George, corporate vice president of Azure IoT at Microsoft. “You need a system that can create, monitor, and maintain digital replicas of that entire environment. That’s what we developed Azure digital twins to enable.”

Spain has the second-largest high-speed rail network globally, with over 4,900km (3050 miles) of high-speed railway lines. And Renfe, the rail operator, promises on-time arrival on all its AVE (Alta Velocidad) trains across the country. Using thousands of sensors, edge computing, and digital twins, Siemens, which builds and maintains most trains, can predict potential breakdowns and determine the best time for maintenance or component replacement. Because of this razor-edge technology, delays caused by technical failures of more than 10 minutes occur on average only every 1.5 million kilometers. The trains are available for operation 99.94% of the time, the highest average worldwide.

According to a study from Juniper Research, the global market for digital twin technology has not been severely affected by the pandemic. The research predicted that manufacturing would be the single most significant sector for digital-twin deployment, accounting for 34% of total spending in 2021, followed by energy and utilities at 18%.

“Digital Twins are really the hot potato, I think, in the industry at the moment, and it’s fascinating. I believe Digital Twins will be one of the factors that will bring the entire industry together, because the built industry is known to be very fragmented due to different decision-makers along the life cycle of the static building.” says Elisa Rönkä, Business Development Manager, Europe at Siemens. “I really think Digital Twins are one of the pivotal aspects of changing the entire industry.”

Juniper Research co-author Nick Maynard said, “Digital twins are only as valuable as the quality of data that enters the platform. As such, the most successful vendors in the market will be those that use partnerships to pair existing platform ecosystems with innovative digital-twin solutions”.

Could existing cloud data centers handle the metaverse?

Realizing the metaverse, digital twins, and XR are already fueling heavy investment in cloud data centers.

The massive amount of data that the metaverse will require will put a lot of pressure on the networks that internet service providers run and the ability of data centers to process and transmit the information.

Last year, just after Facebook (Meta) announced a plan to raise its capex by about 66% in 2022, in large part to invest in the metaverse, the shares of both NVIDIA and AMD surged 30% and 20%, respectively, in four weeks.

NVIDIA could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the surge of data center investment. NVIDIA has just announced its new ARM-based Grace CPU aimed at high-performance servers. This new superchip design can hold up to 144 ARM v9 CPU cores and move 900-GB/s coherent interfaces, 7× faster than PCIe Gen 5.

Apart from designing the new processors for data centers, NVIDIA is also turning increasingly to software to push its technology into broader use. The NVIDIA Omniverse platform facilitates real time creation and collaboration with 3D assets. These 3D assets could include the creation of the digital worlds of the “metaverse,” digital replicas such as digital twins, and simulation of autonomous driving. The platform, which NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang calls the “operating system of AI,” could open a new software market for the company worth $300 billion.

All the cloud infrastructure needed for the metaverse won’t be there overnight. New data centers will require significant investments in computing, storage, communications, and sustainable power.

Is 5G ready for the metaverse?

Most cellular service providers have been deploying the fifth generation of cellular connectivity (5G) in the past three years.

5G promises fast connectivity, reliability, and ultra-fast latency. It will provide a new level of functionality and programmability, enable features such as Network Slicing, critical IoT, mmWave spectrum, and gigabit broadband speeds. The full functionality of 5G will take time to be available everywhere.

However, 5G won’t be enough for a full mobile metaverse. Even with the upcoming 5G Advanced, which could appear in 2024, the network won’t be able to offer the latency required for virtual worlds connecting without significant lag.

Many organizations are already doing advanced research on the next generation of cellular networks. 6G is expected to provide the structure necessary for things that right now seem like science fiction, such as totally immersive, 3D virtual reality on phone calls and meetings over wireless.

The “true” metaverse will require almost zero-latency, massive bandwidth and processing power. Today’s mobile devices, including the 5G enabled ones, can’t exchange and process the information fast enough. Furthermore, we’ll need new processors and materials to reduce power consumption or today’s batteries will last minutes instead of hours.

Metaverse technology and protecting users

As the metaverse technology leads to an almost-always–connected world, protecting users’ privacy and securing the applications will be an enormous challenge for developers, device manufacturers, and governments.

Organizations and governments are taking steps to regulate the platforms, give more control to the users, and stop corporations from taking advantage of data collection and algorithms to influence people’s decisions and beliefs.

The metaverse needs solid gatekeepers and regulation. Surveillance in the virtual worlds could escalate exponentially.

Over the years, Europe has been the spearhead of new regulations curbing the power of internet companies and protecting users. Legislations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in effect since 2018 and the upcoming Digital Services Act provide frameworks for service providers and greater user protection. Today, the GDPR has become the blueprint for many other legislations in different markets, including the U.S.

Some vendors are stepping in. Apple’s decision of giving control of the app’s data collection to the users, something that Google is mimicking this year, is already making a dent in the profits of social networks and online advertising firms.

“If the metaverse really is what comes next after mobile—and just before we all get brain implants and fuse with our technology completely—then whoever controls the metaverse will either be an even richer version of one of the world’s trillion-dollar tech companies, or a new giant that disrupts them.” wrote Christopher Mims, a technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal. “As for the rest of us, the lowly users of this metaverse, we’ll all be living by their rules.”

Investing in the future of the metaverse

All the big internet companies are investing in the potential future of the metaverse in one form or another. Microsoft’s recent announcement of the acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion is a clear example of the current investments in gaming and virtual reality.

Investment firm Grayscale, for example, estimates that global revenue from virtual gaming alone could surpass $400 billion by 2025 from $180 billion today, an increase of 122%. “The metaverse is still taking shape, but Web 3.0 open-virtual–world crypto networks are offering a glimpse of what the future of the internet may hold,” says David Grider, head of research at Grayscale. “The market opportunity for bringing the metaverse to life may be worth over $1 trillion in annual revenue and may compete with Web 2.0 companies worth ~$15 trillion in market value today.”

NVIDIA is working with designers, game developers, engineers, and different industries to enable real use cases of the “omniverse”. Their Omniverse Avatar, for example, targets different markets, including automotive. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang imagines 3-D virtual agents becoming commonplace in cars in the future, and many more opportunities in retail stores and warehouses.

“The work around Omniverse went into light speed in the last couple of years because we needed it. Instead of being able to come into our labs to work on our robots, or go to the streets and test our cars, we had to test in virtual worlds, in digital twins.” said Jensen Huang during a press event last month, “We found that we could iterate our software just as well in digital twins, if not better. We could have millions of digital twin cars, not just a fleet of 100.”

Every company is trying to shape the metaverse according to its strengths and strategies, each using the same word to articulate different visions. Big internet companies such as Meta, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and others are working on developing the metaverse. All those corporations are pouring billions of dollars into development and capital expenditure, and it is not surprising that they want to get a significant return on their investment.

However, without clear standards, infrastructure, and attractive services for consumers and businesses, the metaverse might not reach its full potential as a global community.

“We’ve gone from desktop to web to phones, from text to photos to video, but this isn’t the end of the line,” Mr. Zuckerberg said in unveiling his vision for Meta. “The next platform and medium will be even more immersive and embodied internet where you’re in the experience, not just looking at it.Over the next decade, these new platforms are going to start to unlock the kinds of experiences that I’ve wanted to build since before I even started Facebook.”

The post What is the Metaverse and why is it important right now? appeared first on ELE Times.

Navigating the world of modern design is complex. It’s filled with new challenges and fast-paced changes in technology. You need a robust requirements management process to manage these challenges successfully to ensure your design intent communication stays clear and organized. Read on to explore the crucial connection between well-managed requirements and today’s design.

What Are Requirements?

Requirements are the must-have features and functions your product needs to be successful. They guide you step by step, ensuring that what you build will meet the expectations and needs of the people who will use it.

Think of requirements as answers to specific questions:

• What does it need to do?This could be anything from making calls and sending messages on the phone to the speed and mileage of a car.
• Why is this important?This helps understand the value of each feature, ensuring that it has a clear purpose and benefit.
• How will I know it works as it should?This part helps in testing and verifying that each feature functions correctly.

Requirements come from different places and people, like customers, partners, sales, support, management, engineering—anyone with a stake in the project. Everyone brings their own needs and expectations, and it’s crucial to listen, understand, and include these in the planning and design process. Requirements are the building blocks that help ensure the final product does exactly what it’s supposed to do, satisfying users’ needs and expectations, and ultimately becoming a success.

Types of Requirements

You can discern many different types of requirements depending on a specific need they must fulfill, for example:

• Functional requirementsare the fundamental aspects that a product or system must possess to meet its intended purpose. They define what the product must do, outlining the necessary functions and features to meet user needs and expectations. For a washing machine, these could be that it should wash various fabrics, rinse, and spin the clothes to remove excess water.
• Performance requirementsdictate how well a product or system performs its functions. They encompass aspects such as efficiency, responsiveness, and speed, ensuring that the product operates optimally under defined conditions. Performance requirements for a washing machine might specify that it shouldn’t consume more than 400 kWh of electricity and 40 gallons of water per cycle.
• Constraint requirementsare the restrictions within which a product must operate. These could relate to size, cost, or technical capabilities, setting boundaries that guide the design and development process. For the washing machine in question, they could involve weighing less than 150 pounds and being at most 27 inches wide, 39 inches tall, and 34 inches deep.
• Environmental requirementsfocus on a product’s interaction with its environment, ensuring it operates effectively under various conditions and adheres to sustainability and ecological standards. Environmental specifications for our washing machine could dictate energy efficiency and water-saving qualities.
• Interface requirementsare centered around user experience, making sure the product is user-friendly, accessible, and easy to use. They promote a positive interaction between the user and the product or system. In our case, it could mean that the washing machine’s control panel should be user-friendly and intuitive, having buttons and dials clearly labeled with easily understandable icons and text to indicate their function.

What Is Requirements Management?

Requirements management is a set of techniques for recording, examining, ranking, and consolidating requirements, ensuring that engineering teams consistently work with up-to-date and approved specifications. Its aim is to guarantee the achievement of product development objectives. By meticulously monitoring alterations in requirements and promoting ongoing communication with stakeholders, requirements management minimizes errors, maintaining alignment and clarity from the project’s start through the entirety of the engineering lifecycle.

An essential aspect of requirements management is its ability to de-risk projects from unexpected and late-stage requirement changes. For instance, consider the complex process of car design. If a stakeholder requests an increase in the vehicle’s range, it would necessitate various adjustments, such as increasing the number of battery modules. A tool for managing compliance statuses, like the Altium 365 Requirements Manager, automatically recalculates all relevant properties, like battery mass and capacity, and adjacent properties, such as charging mass, car mass, and braking distance, ensuring full traceability of the change and its system-wide impact.

In a traditional setting, accommodating a new requirement would involve a tedious chain of meetings, emails, and manual updates, often extending over weeks. With a proficient requirements management tool, you can drastically reduce this time because every team member is aligned, informed, and working on the latest, most accurate information within seconds. All aspects of the design are consistently synchronized, and no detail is overlooked or forgotten in the fast-paced development lifecycle. You can finish your car design updates within a minute instead of weeks of disjointed, back-and-forth communication.

The Challenges of Modern Design

While the concept of requirements is easy to grasp, the speed and complexity of modern design development complicate the overall picture. We’re witnessing an unprecedented pace of technological advancement and a surge in the intricacy of electronic designs. This evolution, while exciting, brings forth a multitude of challenges that necessitate a structured approach to requirements management.

#1 Complexity of Electronic Designs

The proliferation of smart devices has exponentially increased the complexity of electronic designs. For instance, chip usage in products has skyrocketed, with modern vehicles incorporating over 2,000 chips, a staggering increase compared to a few decades ago. Such complexity necessitates precise and well-organized requirements to navigate the intricate web of design elements, ensuring that each component integrates smoothly to function as a cohesive whole.

The more complex the product, the more critical becomes the significance of requirements management. This is because more time and budget are invested in its development. The cost of getting it wrong—be it money, time, or reputation—is too great to risk.

#2 Growing Software Interconnection

Software has become an integral part of products, with the lines of code embedded in them soaring fifteenfold over the last decade. Software acts as the communication bridge, enabling various hardware systems to exchange critical information. This intricate web of interconnectivity demands well-established communication protocols to secure the uninterrupted flow of essential data. An unexpected alteration in the requirements of one system can disrupt this harmonious interaction, leading to unforeseen complications and extensive rework. Thus, the role of requirements management becomes crucial in safeguarding the stability and reliability of these interconnected systems to maintain the integrity of the overall communication network.

#3 Reduced Production Timelines

The urgency to expedite product delivery has led to a significant reduction in production timelines. Traditional five-year cycles have been compressed to two, calling for agile methodologies that emphasize swift iterations and continuous improvement. In such a fast-paced environment, having clear and well-defined requirements is crucial to guide the design process efficiently and facilitate quick decision-making.

#4 Communication Gaps and Siloed Processes

Design processes have been plagued by communication gaps, with electronic data often existing in isolated silos. The exchange of information between these silos is a manual and inefficient process, leading to the unnecessary expenditure of valuable time and resources and compromising the overall quality of the product. A robust requirements management system acts as a unifying thread, enhancing communication and ensuring all design aspects are aligned and integrated.

#5 Lack of Traceability

It’s quite common for as many as 80% of designs to experience last-minute changes in components due to constraints related to cost or availability. The absence of traceability in such modifications can lead to confusion and errors, often derailing the entire design process. Requirements management fosters traceability and ensures that each modification is documented and aligned with the overall design objectives, thus minimizing mistakes and enhancing the design’s integrity.

7 Reasons Requirements Management Is Essential

As you see from the above analysis, requirements management is not optional. It’s essential to secure the project’s success, especially in light of the fact that poor requirements trigger 70% of project failures. Inaccurately defined requirements can lead to expanding project scopes, delayed timelines, escalated costs, and a final product that falls short of meeting customer expectations and safety standards. Adopting a structured attitude toward their management can prevent your project from becoming another failure in the quoted statistics.

#1 Clarifying Objectives and Expectations

Requirement management clarifies the project’s objectives, aligning stakeholders like product managers, designers, developers, and clients towards a unified goal. It provides a clear roadmap, outlining the project’s scope, budget, and schedule, ensuring that every step is well-planned and executed according to the established objectives and expectations.

#2 Faster Delivery

Managing compliance status promotes timeliness, helping projects stay on schedule for quicker delivery while upholding quality standards.

#3 Reusability

Requirements management allows for the reuse of specific project components in subsequent projects, enhancing sustainability and efficiency throughout development.

#4 Improving Quality and Reducing Errors

A clear set of requirements minimizes errors, misunderstandings, and omissions in the design process, ensuring that the final product meets expected quality standards and fulfills its intended purpose. Requirements management enhances the alignment of the end product with customer needs and expectations, thereby improving its overall quality.

#5 Lower Cost of Development Across the Lifecycle

Lifecycle Insights reports that companies, on average, encounter 2.8 board respins, each costing approximately $46,000. Errors in requirements often necessitate extensive rework by the development team. The cost of correcting a software error escalates if the mistake is detected later in the process. The necessity to reduce these costs is beyond question, and strategies that minimize requirement discrepancies are most welcome.

Effective requirements management enhances project efficiency and accuracy. It minimizes unnecessary expenses throughout the project, leading to a more economical development process. It also aids in reducing the frequency of costly and time-consuming modifications, saving both money and months of extra work.

#6 Risk Management

Requirements management helps identify potential risks early in the project, allowing for implementing strategies to mitigate them.

#7 Facilitating Communication and Collaboration

Working with a transparent and well-managed set of requirements fosters effective communication and collaboration among team members and stakeholders. It acts as a common language, improving understanding and cooperation across various domains of expertise.

Design Faster with Fewer Errors

The complexities and rapid advancements in modern design call for a strong foundation in requirements management. A well-organized set of specifications supports the process by providing clarity, enhancing communication, and ensuring that the design evolves cohesively in the desired direction. Check it on your own using Requirements Manager. Design faster with fewer errors!

The post The Challenges of Modern Design: Why Requirements Management Is Essential appeared first on ELE Times.

The interface of Amazon Web Services (AWS) with Arduino is a disruptive opportunity for creators, innovators and developers in the Internet of Things (IoT) realm. This hybrid of technologies enables in the development of robust, scalable, and secure IoT applications that cater to diverse applications in several industries. AWS – a global leader in cloud capabilities, and Arduino – a producer of user-friendly microcontrollers and sensors combined, make a powerful toolkit for anyone who wants to start their IoT journey. With help from professional cloud solution providers like the experts at DoiT, developers can quicken their IoT projects from idea to deployment, ensuring that their implementations are both efficient and effective

Unleashing Potential with AWS and Arduino

What Arduino has on AWS to create IoT applications is the ability to unite those two forces. AWS has a spectrum of services that could emulate the physical device performance of Arduino. AWS IoT Core is an example of this functionality. It securely facilitates devices’ communication with cloud services and each other. IoT devices can either be machine-to-machine or machine-to-service. However, AWS Lambda can run code in response to triggers from AWS IoT or other AWS services and be scalable where IoT devices demand less than one-hundredth of their CPU power.

This combination is especially for developers searching for IoT solutions that encompass potent data processing capabilities and can take good care of and make precise inferences from the large data amounts sent by devices in the current field. Through AWS cloud infrastructure with software developers, communication becomes easier; developers can take advantage of the cloud by transferring the heavy loading moss to the computer, enabling more complex algorithms and processing to be done in the cloud. Moreover, this increases the performance and the ability to scale the solutions of IoT, but it also makes the physical devices more efficient and autonomous of the batteries.

Navigating Challenges in IoT Development

Even though the combination of AWS and Arduino can be considered one of the breakthroughs for Smart IoT solutions, continuous solutions with further research and development will constantly meet new obstacles. Since interoperability is a crucial issue here, we must ensure continuous hardware-software synergy.

Creating an efficient IoT solution may require a developer with technical knowledge of the Arduino device features and the characteristics of AWS services. Safety issues related to the Internet of Things are standard among all network spheres. However challenging, protecting data privacy and communicating between devices and the cloud must be tackled effectively as devices could be deployed to various and/or remote places.

To help surmount these barriers, developers can take advantage of the resources meant to smooth the progress of creating secure and expandable IoT applications. Instead of going the old-fashioned way of having manual checks, AWS IoT Device Defender can be used to do this, e.g., by constantly auditing and looking for configurations that aren’t in line with the security best practices. On the other hand, AWS IoT Greengrass deploys AWS to the edge, where the equipment can work on the spot, like where they generate data and then go back to the cloud for management, analytics, and long-term storage.

Real-World Applications and Future Prospects

Practical applications of blending AWS and Arduino are as varied as bamboo leaves produced by the rain, and with the combination, we could have all the rainbows of IoT at our fingertips. Smarter agriculture isn’t a distant dream when soil sensors and automated irrigation systems are deployed, and the same can be said about urban development projects such as air quality monitoring and traffic management. In healthcare, IoT devices play a crucial role in monitoring patients by collecting real-time information and drawing inferences that help to evaluate patients’ health state, in some cases even predicting deterioration of the patient’s condition before they need serious care.

Given that IoT keeps changing, both AWS and Arduino’s presence in the industry of IoT will assume an even larger role in providing intense IoT developments. Cloud technologies and microcontrollers seem to be the core technology in further advancing IoT devices, and that will make them more innovative, more efficient, and more integrated into our lives.

Conclusion

The juxtaposition of AWS and Arduino facilitates the initiation of more advanced and noteworthy solutions that utilize the Internet of Things (IoT) concept. The integrated features of AWS, such as cloud services and Arduino’s talents like versatility and accessibility, allow developers to build connection depth and number of IoT applications. As good as it might be, the exploit only takes us halfway; what we need to achieve more would be a multidimensional technique that considers various issues like security, scalability, and efficiency of IoT solutions.

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In the era of rapid technological advancement, smart homes have transitioned from being a luxury to a necessity for many. The integration of technology into our living spaces not only enhances convenience but also improves security, energy efficiency, and overall quality of life. This comprehensive guide delves into the essentials of smart home integration, offering valuable insights for homeowners looking to embrace this modern living standard.

Understanding Smart Home Technology

At its core, smart home technology involves the automation and remote control of household appliances, systems, and devices. From smart thermostats and lighting to security cameras and voice assistants, these devices are interconnected through the internet, allowing for seamless control via smartphones, tablets, or voice commands.

Why Integrate Smart Home Technology?

The benefits of smart home integration are manifold. Energy efficiency is significantly improved through devices like smart thermostats, which adapt to your schedule and preferences, reducing unnecessary heating and cooling. Security is enhanced with smart locks and surveillance cameras, offering peace of mind through real-time alerts and remote monitoring. Moreover, the convenience of controlling your home environment with a few clicks or voice commands cannot be overstated.

Planning Your Smart Home Integration

• Assess Your Needs: Before diving into smart home technology, identify your primary needs. Are you looking to save on energy bills, enhance home security, or simply add convenience to your daily routine? Understanding your goals will guide your choice of devices.

• Choose an Ecosystem: Smart home devices often work within specific ecosystems (e.g., Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit). Selecting an ecosystem that aligns with your current devices and preferences ensures compatibility and simplifies integration.

• Start with Basics: Begin your integration with basic devices such as smart lights, thermostats, and locks. These foundational elements offer immediate benefits and ease the transition into a fully integrated smart home.

Implementing Smart Home Devices

Once you have a plan, the next step is implementation. Installation processes vary, with some devices requiring professional installation while others are DIY-friendly. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions or seek professional help if unsure. After installation, configure your devices through the corresponding app, setting up schedules, automation, and preferences to suit your lifestyle.

Advanced Integration and Automation

As you become more comfortable with your smart home setup, explore advanced integration and automation. This could involve setting up routines where multiple devices interact with each other, such as lights turning off automatically when you lock your smart door at night. The possibilities for customization and automation are virtually limitless, offering a truly personalized smart home experience.

For those interested in taking their smart home to the next level, developing a custom app can offer unparalleled control and integration. To learn how to build a app controlled smart home, thorough research and planning are essential. This process involves understanding user needs, selecting the right technology stack, and ensuring seamless device integration.

Security Considerations

With the convenience of smart homes comes the need for robust security measures. Ensure all devices are updated with the latest firmware to protect against vulnerabilities. Use strong, unique passwords for your devices and Wi-Fi network, and consider a VPN for additional security. Regularly reviewing device access and permissions can also prevent unauthorized use.

Future of Smart Home Integration

The future of smart homes is bright, with advancements in AI, machine learning, and IoT technologies paving the way for even more sophisticated and intuitive systems. From predictive maintenance to energy optimization and beyond, the possibilities are expanding rapidly.

A recent report by Forbes highlights the growing trend of AI in smart homes, emphasizing the potential for devices that not only respond to commands but anticipate needs based on user habits and preferences . Similarly, a study discussed by The New York Times explores the impact of smart home technology on energy efficiency, illustrating how these systems can significantly reduce household energy consumption .

Conclusion

Smart home integration offers a gateway to a more secure, efficient, and convenient lifestyle. By understanding the basics, carefully planning your integration, and staying informed about the latest technologies and security practices, you can create a living space that not only meets your needs today but is also prepared for the advancements of tomorrow. Embracing smart home technology is not just about keeping up with trends; it’s about enhancing the quality of life for you and your loved ones.

The post The ABCs of Smart Home Integration appeared first on Electronics Lovers ~ Technology We Love.

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BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia — which develops and manufactures gallium nitride (GaN) blue laser diodes based on its proprietary low-temperature, low-hydrogen remote-plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) technology — has closed its share purchase plan (SPP), raising $5.87m before costs...

Some of the commentary in response to Part 1 on this topic suggested that the two 1 pF capacitors, C4 and C5, had to be put in series for lack of availability of 0.5 pF parts.

A simulation of that presented circuit is seen as follows:

Figure 1 The circuit with a floating node and its Bode plot simulation.

Part selections differ somewhat from the original. These op-amps are virtual, the JFET is merely an available part from the simulation software and the diode represents the original photodiode. For all of that, these are all close enough. Please note the Bode plot of this configuration.

To keep using the pair of 1 pF capacitors, the following schematic is the same as above but with the addition of one more resistor, R8, in parallel with C4.

Figure 2 The circuit without a floating node (an additional resistor R8 added in parallel with C4) and its Bode plot simulation.

At 10 MΩ, resistor R8 provides a DC path for the formerly floating node to keep that node’s voltage from unpredictably shifting. Note that the Bode plot for this modified circuit is indistinguishable from the plot seen before.

Other options for tethering the formerly floating node exist as well. For example, R8 could be tied from the C4 and C5 junction to ground, again, with no visible effect on the Bode plot.

The best choice is best left to the designer.

John Dunn is an electronics consultant, and a graduate of The Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (BSEE) and of New York University (MSEE).

 Related Content

• No floating nodes
• Design precaution: Leave nothing floating
• Floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee
• The ground illusion: Don’t let it come back to get you

The post No floating nodes, Part 2 appeared first on EDN.

Zypp Electric, India’s leading tech-enabled EV-as-a-service platform, has marked a remarkable milestone with a staggering ~3X surge in revenue in FY24. This exponential growth underscores Zypp Electric’s unwavering commitment to transforming last-mile deliveries through sustainable mobility solutions. Having emerged as the number one ranked company in the entire list of Asia-Pacific 2024’s fastest-growing businesses, Zypp Electric has achieved a remarkable 396% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2019 to 2022.

By successfully deploying an additional fleet of electric scooters across India, Zypp Electric has expanded its presence in six major metropolitan cities of Delhi NCR, Bangalore and Mumbai. The increase from 11,000 to more than 20,000 electric vehicles showcases the company’s dedication to sustainable logistics & mobility platform.

By collaborating with quick-commerce, food delivery, bike taxi, e-commerce and other online businesses, the company has been progressively working to ensure 100% electric last-mile deliveries in India, Zypp Electric has done 45 million+ shipment deliveries via electric vehicles from Jan’23 to Feb’24 period which equates to growing 76 Lakh trees on the planet earth. Over the past year, we have empowered more than 53,000 delivery executives to adopt an electric vehicle, with an opportunity to earn more on our platform. There has also been a notable rise in their monthly average earnings per rider, amounting to more than INR 24,000/month and allows them to save 50% more than petrol bike riders. Their environmentally friendly initiatives have led to a significant reduction of 29 million kilograms of carbon emissions since the start of its operations

A few of the key drivers of Zypp Electric’s unprecedented growth have been its core focus on a technology platform encompassing the entire EV ecosystem and its strategic expansion into new markets. From being the leader in the National Capital Region (NCR), Zypp Electric has successfully penetrated additional markets, including Bangalore, Mumbai, and now in Hyderabad too. This expansion not only signifies the company’s agility and adaptability but also its ambitious vision to revolutionise electric last-mile logistics across multiple urban landscapes.

Moreover, Zypp Electric’s foray into the three-wheeler cargo business further solidifies its position as a frontrunner in the EV sector. E3W fleet has grown 6X from Feb’23 to 750+ in Feb’24 and deliveries have increased from 4,320 to 92,000+ in the same period clocking 21X growth. By diversifying its portfolio, with a fleet of soon-to-reach 1000 electric L5 loaders & expanding, Zypp Electric is poised to cater to a wider range of business needs while maximising revenue streams along with branding options on the E3W open for advertising option.

In addition to its expansion endeavours, Zypp Electric has achieved operational profitability, a testament to its robust business model and strategic foresight. With a keen focus on sustainable growth, the company is now on the verge of reaching breakeven over the next 12 to 18 months, setting a solid foundation for long-term success.

Commenting on the company’s stellar performance, Akash Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO, of Zypp Electric, remarked, “The last fiscal year has been momentous for us. We grew our revenues almost 3X vs. the last fiscal year which I am super proud of for our team to achieve this milestone amid the changing EV landscape. While ramping things up in NCR & Bengaluru by adding more hubs, we initiated our operations in Mumbai this year. Looking ahead, we’re excited to commence our services in Hyderabad & target to launch in a new city every quarter. On the fleet front, we intend to grow our current strength of 20,000 to around 100,000 vehicles in the next 12 to 18 months and then grow that to 500,000 over the following 36 to 48 months. Profitability is the next major milestone which we’re eyeing closely at Zypp along with growth.”

Recently, Zypp Electric has also entered into a partnership with Porter Enterprises to provide reliable logistics solutions. With a robust foundation, strategic expansions, a superlative EV Fleet Management technology platform and a relentless pursuit of innovation, Zypp Electric is poised to reshape the landscape of last-mile deliveries and accelerate the transition towards a sustainable future.

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Cloud-based software as a service leverages secure authentication ICs to enable self-service custom PKI, streamlined in-field provisioning and lifecycle management for IoT devices

As the world comes to rely on interconnected IoT systems—for everything from household items like smart thermostats, virtual assistant technology and digital door locks to medical and industrial applications—the need for reliable cybersecurity on embedded systems has never been greater. To increase security on IoT products and facilitate easier setup and management, Microchip Technology has added the ECC608 TrustMANAGER with Kudelski IoT keySTREAM, Software as a Service (SaaS) to its Trust Platform portfolio of devices, services and tools.

With security credentials managed and updated in the field via keySTREAM—instead of being limited to a static certificate chain implemented during manufacturing—the ECC608 TrustMANAGER allows custom cryptographic credentials to be accurately provisioned at the end point without requiring supply chain customization and can be managed by the end user. keySTREAM offers a device-to-cloud solution for securing key assets end-to-end in an IoT ecosystem throughout a product’s lifecycle.

The ECC608 TrustMANAGER relies on a secure authentication IC that is designed to store and protect cryptographic keys and certificates, which are then managed by the keySTREAM SaaS. The combined silicon component and key management SaaS allow the user to set up a self-serve root Certificate Authority (root CA), and the associated public key infrastructure (PKI) secured by Kudelski IoT, to create and manage a dynamic certificate chain and provision devices in the field the first time they are connected. Once claimed in the SaaS account, the devices are automatically activated in the user’s keySTREAM service via in-field provisioning.

“As the volume of connected devices rapidly increases and security standards and regulations tighten, IoT designers are seeking more efficient ways of managing their devices once products are in their customers’ hands,” said Nuri Dagdeviren, corporate vice president of Microchip’s security computing group. “Our partnership with Kudelski and adding keySTREAM to our ECC608 TrustMANAGER enables customers to manage, scale and update IoT ecosystems efficiently via a cloud-based security SaaS for in-field provisioning and certificate management.”

Security standards and upcoming regulations are increasingly requiring upgradability of security infrastructure for IoT devices. This is a difficult task with traditionally static IoT security implementations, which require physical upgrades like changing out the security ICs in each device to stay in compliance. With the ECC608 TrustMANAGER, the process is automated and highly scalable, allowing devices to be managed securely and efficiently throughout their lifecycle. It also enables easy device ownership management without needing to change hardware, as security keys are updated digitally from the cloud into the device. This approach streamlines the supply chain processes for distribution partners as well.

“The ECC608 TrustMANAGER with keySTREAM marks a pivotal moment in our quest to secure the IoT landscape and make provisioning easier. Our collaboration with Microchip is not just about bringing advanced security solutions to the market, it’s about setting a new standard for smart device security across the board,” said Hardy Schmidbauer, senior vice president of Kudelski IoT.  “By leveraging Microchip’s renowned semiconductor technologies alongside Kudelski IoT’s security services, we are poised to deliver protection and a new ease of provisioning for IoT device manufacturers.”

This type of dynamic in-field provisioning and device management meets IoT security standards and will be useful in device certificate updates needed to stay in compliance with evolving security requirements. The keySTREAM SaaS allows for ongoing updates of keys designed to prevent and protect against evolving threats and security requirements. In-field provisioning also removes the need for customization for more efficient manufacturing.

The ECC608 is the first security IC in Microchip’s TrustMANAGER series. To get started, download the Trust Platform Design Suite and test the keySTREAM use case under the ECC608 TrustMANAGER.

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