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Integrating ADCs that provide accurate results without requiring a precision integrator capacitor has been around for a long time. A venerable example is that multimeter favorite, the dual-slope ADC. That classic topology uses just one integrator to alternately accumulate both incoming signal and complementary voltage references with the same RC time constant. It thus automatically ratios out time constant tolerance. Slick. 

This Design Idea (DI) will describe a (possibly) new integrating converter that reaches a similar goal of accurate conversions without needing an accurate capacitor. But it gets there via a significantly different route. Along the route, it picks up some advantageous wrinkles.

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

As Figure 1 shows, the design starts off with an old friend, the 555-analog timer.

Figure 1 Op-amp A1 continuously integrates the incoming Vin signal, thus minimizing noise. Conversion occurs in alternating phases, T- and T+. The T-/T+ phase duration ratio is independent of the RC time constant, is therefore insensitive to C1 tolerance, and contains both Vin magnitude and polarity information.

Incoming signal Vin is summed with the voltage at node X and accumulated by differential integrator A1. A conversion cycle begins when A1’s output (node Y) reaches 4.096 V and lifts timer U1’s threshold pin (Thr) through the R2/R3 divider to the 2.048-V reference supplied by voltage reference Z1. This switches on U1’s Dch pin, grounding A1’s noninverting input through the R4/R5 divider, outputs a zero to the GPIO bit (node Z), and begins the T- phase as A1’s output ramps down. The duration of this T- phase is given by:

T- = R1C1/(1 + Vin/Vfullscale)

Vfullscale = ±2.048v(R1/R6) = ±0.683v

The T- phase ends when A1’s output reaches U1’s trigger (Trg) voltage set to 1.024 V by Z1 and U1’s internal 2:1 divider. See the LMC555 datasheet for the gritty details.

This starts the T+ conversion phase with an output of one on the GPIO bit, and the release of Dch by U1, which drives A1’s noninverting input to 1.024 V, set by Z1 and the R4/R5 divider. The T+ positive-going ramp continues until A1’s output reaches the 4.096 VThr threshold described above and initiates the next conversion cycle. 

T+ phase duration is:

T+ = R1C1/(1 – Vin/Vfullscale)

 This frenetic frenzy of activity is summarized in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Various conversion signals found at circuit nodes X, Y, and Z.

Meanwhile, the GPIO pin is assumed to be connected to a suitable microcontroller counter/time peripheral that is accumulating T- and T+ durations for a chosen resolution and conversion rate. Something between 1 µs and 100 ns should work for the subsequent Vin calculation. This brings up that claim of immunity to integrator capacitor tolerance you might be wondering about.

The durations of the T+ and T- ramps are proportional to C1, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3 Black = Vin, Red = T+ duration in ms, Blue = T- duration, C1 = 0.001 µF.

However, software arithmetic saves the day (and maybe even my reputation!) because recovery of Vin from the raw phase duration timeouts involves a bit of divide-and-conquer.

Vin = Vfullscale ((1 – (T-/T+))/(1 + (T-/T+)))

And, of course, when T- is divided by T+, the R1C1 terms conveniently disappear, taking sensitivity to C1 tolerance away with them!

A final word about Vfullscale. The ±0.683 V figure derived above is a minimum value, but any larger span can be easily accommodated by adding one resistor (R8) and changing another (R1). Here’s the scale-changing arithmetic:

R1 = 1M * Vfullscale/0.683

R8 = 1/(1/1M – 1/R1)

 For example, ±10 V is illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4 A ±10-V Vin span is easily accommodated – if you can find a 15 MΩ precision resistor.

Note that R1 would probably need to be a series string to get to 15 MΩ using OTS resistors.

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.

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The post Another weird 555 ADC appeared first on EDN.

Analog designers often need matched resistors for their circuits [1]. The best solution is to buy integrated resistor networks [2], but what can you do if the parts vendors do not offer the desired values or matching grade?

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

The circuit in Figure 1 can help. It is made of two voltage dividers (a Wheatstone bridge) followed by an instrumentation amplifier, IA, with a gain of 160. R3 is the reference resistor, and R4 is its match. The circuit subtracts the voltages coming out of the two dividers and amplifies the difference.

Figure 1 The intuitive solution is a circuit made of a Wheatstone bridge and an instrumentation amplifier.

Calculations show that the circuit provides a perfectly linear response between output voltage and resistor mismatch (see Figure 2). The slope of the line is 1 V per 1% of resistor mismatch; for example, a Vout of -1 V means -1% deviation between R3 and R4.

Figure 2 Circuit response is perfectly linear with a 1:1 ratio between output voltage and resistor mismatch.

A possible drawback is the price: instrumentation amplifiers with a power supply of ±5 V and more start at about 6.20 USD. Figure 3 shows another circuit using a dual op-amp, which is 2.6 times cheaper than the cheapest instrumentation amplifier.

Figure 3 This circuit also provides a perfect 1:1 response, but at a lower cost.

The transfer function is:

Assuming,

converts the transfer function into the form,

If the term within the brackets equals unity and R5 equals R6, the transfer function becomesIn other words, the output voltage equals the percentage deviation of R4 with respect to R3. This voltage can be positive, negative, or, in the case of a perfect match between R3 and R4, zero.

The circuit is tested for R3 = 10.001 kΩ and R4 = 10 kΩ ±1%. As Figure 4 shows, the transfer function is perfectly linear (the R2 factor equals unity) and provides a one-to-one relation between output voltage and resistor mismatch. The slope of the line is adjusted to unity using potentiometer R2 and the two end values of R4. A minor offset is present due to the imperfect match between R5 and R6 and the offset voltage VIO of the op-amps.  

Figure 4 The transfer function provides a convenient one-to-one reading.

A funny detail is that the circuit can be used to find a pair of matched resistors, R5 and R6, for itself. As mentioned before, it is better to buy a network of matched resistors. It may look expensive, but it is worth the money.

Equation 3 shows that circuit sensitivity can be increased by increasing R7 and/or VREF. For example, if R7 goes up to 402 kΩ, the slope of the response line will increase to 10 V per 1% of resistor mismatch. A mismatch of 0.01% will generate an output voltage of 100 mV, which can be measured with high confidence.

Watch the current capacity of VREF and op-amps when you deal with small resistors. A reference resistor of 100 Ω, for example, will draw 25 mA from VREF into the output of the first op-amp. Another 2.5 mA will flow through R5.

Jordan Dimitrov is an electrical engineer & PhD with 30 years of experience. Currently, he teaches electrical and electronics courses at a Toronto community college.

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• RMS stands for: Remember, RMS measurements are slippery

References

1. Bill Schweber. The why and how of matched resistors (a two part series). https://www.powerelectronictips.com/the-why-and-how-of-matched-resistors-part-1/.
2. Art Kay. Should you use discrete resistors or a resistor network? https://www.planetanalog.com/should-you-use-discrete-resistors-or-a-resistor-network/ .

The post Circuits to help verify matched resistors appeared first on EDN.

Power Integrations Inc of San Jose, CA, USA (which provides high-voltage integrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion) says that Jennifer A. Lloyd PhD will be its next chief executive officer, succeeding Balu Balakrishnan, who has been CEO since 2002. A former member of Power Integrations’ board of directors, Lloyd has been reappointed to the board. Both appointments are effective from 21 July...

EPC Space LLC of Andover, MA, USA (which provides high-reliability radiation-hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride-on-silicon transistors and ICs for power management in space and other harsh environments) has announced the EPC7C021 (available now through EPC Space and authorized distributors), a high-performance, three-phase motor demonstration board featuring the radiation-hardened EPC7011L7C eGaN IC. Designed for ease of evaluation and system integration, the EPC7C021 delivers a user-friendly, flexible platform for developing motor drive applications such as reaction and momentum wheels, ion thrusters, robotics and other automation in demanding radiation environments...

Robotic controls started with simplistic direct-current motors. Engineers had limited mobility because they had few feedback mechanisms. Now, neuromorphic chips are entering the field, mimicking the way the human brain functions. Their relevance in future robotic endeavors is unprecedented, especially as electronic design engineers persist through and surpass Industry 4.0.

Here is how to explore real-time controllers and create better robots.

Robotics is a resource-intensive field, especially when depending on antiquated hardware. As corporations aim for greater sustainability, neuromorphic technologies promise better energy efficiency. Studies are proving the value of adjusting mapping algorithms to lower electrical needs.

Implementing these chips at scale could yield substantial power cuts, saving operations countless dollars in waste heat and energy. Some are so successful because of their lightweight materials that they lower usage by 99% with only 180 kilobytes of memory.

The real-time capabilities are also vital. The chips react to event-specific triggers; that’s crucial because facilities managing high demand with complex processes require responsive motor controls. Every interaction is a chance for the chip to learn and adapt to the next situation. This includes recognizing patterns, experiencing sensory stimuli, and altering range of motion.

How neuromorphic chips enable real-time motor control

Neuromorphic models change operations by encouraging greater trust on human operators. Because of their event-driven processing, they move from task to task with lower latency than conventional microcontrollers. Engineers could also potentially communicate with technology using brain-computer interfaces to monitor activity or refine algorithms.

Parallelism is also an inherent aspect of these neural networks that allows robots to understand several informational streams simultaneously. In production or testing settings, understanding spatial or sensory cues makes neuromorphic chips superior because they make decision-making more likely to produce outcomes like a human.

Case studies of the SpiNNaker neural hardware demonstrated how a multicore neuromorphic platform can delegate tasks to different units such as synaptic processing. It validated how well these models achieve load balancing to optimize computational power and output.

Chips with robust parallelism are less likely to produce faulty results because the computations are delegated to separate parts, collating into a more reasonable action. Compared to traditional robotics, this also lowers the risk of system failure because the spiking neurons will not overload the equipment.

Design considerations for engineers

Neuromorphic chips are advantageous, but interoperability concerns may arise with existing motor drivers and sensors. Engineers can also encounter problems as they program the models and toolchains. They may not conventionally operate with spiking neural networks, commonly found in machinery replicating neuron activity. The chips could render some software or coding obsolete or fail to communicate signals effectively.

Experts will need to tinker with signal timing to ensure information processes promptly in response to specific events. They will also need to use tools and data to predict trends to stay ahead of the competition. Companies will be exploring the scalability of neuromorphic equipment and new applications rapidly, so determining various industries’ needs can inform an organization about the features to prioritize.

Some early applications that could expand include:

• Swarm robotics
• Autonomous vehicles
• Cobots
• Brain-computer interfaces

Engineers must feel inspired and encouraged to continue developing real-time motor controls with neuromorphic solutions. Doing so will craft self-driven, capable machinery that will change everything from construction sites to production lines. The applications will be as endless as their versatility, which becomes nearly infinite, considering how robots function with a humanlike brain.

Ellie Gabel is a freelance writer as well as an associate editor at Revolutionized.

 

 

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• Field-oriented-control algorithm enhances motor control in EV designs

The post Real-time motor control for robotics with neuromorphic chips appeared first on EDN.

Правила внутрішнього розпорядку гуртожитку студентського містечка kpi вт, 07/15/2025 - 00:00

Semiconductor characterization and modeling company Incize of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium and semiconductor materials and IP licensing company Atomera Inc of Los Gatos, CA, USA have announced a strategic collaboration to enhance gallium nitride on silicon (GaN-on-Si) technologies...

In an invited presentation on GaN distributed feedback (DFB) lasers and amplifiers for next-generation high-power devices at the International Congress on Nitride Semiconductors (ICNS-15) in Malmö, Sweden (11–17 July), BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia has unveiled performance enhancements to its gallium nitride (GaN) lasers, demonstrating what it claims is leading-edge precision...

As the latest entry in my “electronics devices that died in the latest summer-2024 lightning storm” series, I present to you v3.22 (the company’s currently up to v8) of TP-Link’s TL-SG1005D five-port GbE switch, the diminutive alternative to the two eight-port switches I tore down last month. Here’s a box shot to start, taken from a cool hacking project on it that I came across (and will shortly further discuss) during my online research:

WikiDevi says that the TL-GS1005D v3.22 dates from 2009 (here’s the list of all TP-Link TL-SG series variants there), which sounds about right; my email archive indicates that I bought it from Newegg on December 14, 2010, on sale for $16.99 (along with two $19.99 Xbox Live 1600 point cards, then minus a $10 promo code, a discount which you can allocate among the three items as you wish). Nearly 15 years later, I feel comfortable in saying I got my money’s worth out of it!

Here’s what mine looks like, from various perspectives and as-usual accompanied by a 0.75″ (19.1 mm) diameter U.S. penny for size comparison purposes (the switch has approximate dimensions, per my tape measure, of 6.5”x4.25”x1.125”):

I didn’t need to bother taping over which specific port had gone bad this time, because the switch was completely dead!

along with a close-up of the underside label:

Speaking of the “Power Supply” notated on the label, here it is:

In contrast, before continuing, here’s what the latest-gen TP-Link TL-SG1005D v8 looks like:

Usually, from my experience, redesigns like this are prompted by IC-supplier phaseouts that compel PCB redesigns. Clearly, in this case, TP-Link has tinkered with the case cosmetics, too!

Before diving in, I confirmed that a dead wall wart wasn’t the root cause of the device’s demise (it’s happened before). Nope, still seems to be functional:

Granted, while its measured output voltage is as expected, its output current may be degraded (that’s also happened before). But I’m sticking with my theory that the switch itself is expired.

Time to get inside. Unlike other devices like this that I’ve dissected in the past, the screws aren’t under the four rubber “feet” shown in the earlier underside photo. Instead, you’ll find them within the holes that are in proximity to the upper two “feet”:

We have liftoff (snapping a couple of plastic retaining clips in the process, but this device is destined only for the landfill, so no huge loss):

Mission (so far, at least) accomplished:

And at this point, the PCB simply lifts away from the top-half remainder of the plastic shell:

No light guides in this design; the LEDs shine directly on the enclosure’s front panel:

Here’s a PCB backside closeup of the cluster of passives, presumably location-associated with a processor on the other side of the circuit board:

And turning the PCB around:

I’m guessing I’m right, and it’s hiding underneath that honkin’ big passive heatsink.

Let’s start with close-ups of the two labels stuck to this side of the PCB:

And here’s what I assume (due to plug proximity, if nothing else) is the power subsystem:

So, what caused this switch to irrevocably glitch? The brown blobs on the corners of both choke coils were the first thing that caught my eye:

but upon further reflection, I think they’re just adhesive, intended to hold the coils in place.

Next up for demise-source candidacy was the scorch mark atop the 25 MHz crystal oscillator:

Again, though, I bet this happened during initial assembly, not in reaction to the lightning EMP.

Nothing else obvious caught my eye. Last, but not least, then, was to pry off that heatsink:

It was glued stubbornly in place, but the combination of a hair dryer, a slotted screwdriver and some elbow grease (accompanied by colorful commentary) ultimately popped it off:

revealing the IC underneath, with plenty of marking-obscuring glue still stuck to the top of it:

You’re going to have to take my word (not to mention my belated realization that the info was also on WikiDevi, which concurred with my magnifying glass-augmented squinting) that it’s a Realtek RTL8366SB (here’s a datasheet). Note the long scorch mark on the right edge, toward the bottom. While it might result from extended exposure to my hair dryer’s heat, I’m instead betting that it’s smoking-gun (or is that smoking-glue?) evidence of the switch’s point of failure.

I’ll conclude the teardown analysis with a few PCB side views:

leaving me only a few related bits of editorial cleanup to tackle before I wrap up. First off, what’s with the “sibling-comparing” bit in this writeup’s title? While doing preparatory research, I came across a Reddit discussion thread that compared the TL-SG1005D to a notably less expensive TP-Link five-port GbE switch alternative, the TL-LS1005G. More generally, TP-Link’s five-port switch series for “home networking” currently encompasses five products, all supporting Gigabit Ethernet speeds. What’s the difference between them?

Two variations are obvious; four of the five ports in the TL-SG105MPE also support power-over-Ethernet (PoE), and both it and the TL-SG605 have metal cases, versus the plastic enclosures of the other three devices (reminiscent of last month’s metal-vs-plastic product differentiation).

But what about those other three? TP-Link’s website comparison facility fortunately came through…sorta. The low-end “LS” variant is, surprisingly, the only one that publicly documents its performance specs:

• Switching Capacity: 10 Gbps
• Packet Forwarding Rate: 7.4 Mpps
• MAC Address Table: 2K
• Packet Buffer Memory: 1.5 Mb
• Jumbo Frame: 16KB

This data is missing for the others, although I trust that they also support jumbo frame sizes of some sort, for example (the v3.22 TL-SG1005D jumbo frame size is apparently 4KB, by the way). That said, the LS1005G has nearly twice the power consumption of the TL-SF1005D; 3.7 V vs 1.9 W. And what about the latest v8 version of the TL-SG1005D? Its power draw—2.4 W—is in-between the other two. But it’s the only one of the three that supports (in a documented fashion, at least) 802.1p and DSCP QoS.

The ”support” is a bit deceptive, though. Like its siblings, it’s an unmanaged switch, versus a higher-end “smart” switch, so you can’t actually configure any of its port-and-protocol prioritization settings. But it will honor and pass along any QoS packet parameters that are already in place. And now, returning to my other bit of cleanup, per the aforementioned hacking project, it can actually transform into a “smart” switch in its own right:

On a hunch, I decided to crack open the switch and look at the internals. Hmm, seemed there was a RTL8366SB GBit switch IC in there. I managed to download the datasheet of the RTL8366, and whaddayaknow, it actually contains all the logic a managed switch has too! Vlan, port mirroring, you name it, and chances are the little critter can do it. It didn’t have a user-interface though; you have to send the config to it over I2C, as cryptic hexadecimal register settings…but that’s nothing an AVR can’t fix.

How friggin’ cool is that?

There’s one more bit of cleanup left, actually. If you’ve already read either last month’s teardown or my initial post in this particular series, you might have noticed that I mentioned the demise of two five-port GbE switches. Where’s the other one? Well, when I re-plugged it (a TRENDnet TEG-S50g v4.0R, whose $17.99 acquisition dated back to August 2014) in the other day prior to taking it apart, it fired right up. I reconnected it to the LAN and it’s working fine.

I guess not all glitches are irrevocable, eh? That’s all I’ve got for today. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

—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.

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The post Dissecting (and sibling-comparing) a scorched five-port Gigabit Ethernet switch appeared first on EDN.

First soldering project as a beginner (messed up the light placement as I got too excited soldering). Thank you for letting poke around and learn from you all. I hope to start building stuff from scratch after a few more project kits. submitted by /u/TooPaleToFunction23 [link] [comments]

A typical photodetector integrates a photodiode with a transimpedance amplifier (TIA). The photodiode converts light into an electrical current, which the transimpedance amplifier then converts into a voltage. So, while a photodiode alone produces a current output, a photodetector delivers a voltage output using sensing devices like LEDs.

Read the full post at EDN’s sister publication, Planet Analog.

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The post The design anatomy of a photodetector appeared first on EDN.

Just a simple jammer submitted by /u/Nearby_Incident_6214 [link] [comments]

Співпраця кафедри фізичної хімії ХТФ з польськими колегами Інформація КП пн, 07/14/2025 - 13:02

Although III-V semiconductor lasers can be monolithically integrated with photonic chips by directly growing a crystalline layer of laser material (such as indium arsenide) on silicon substrate, photonic chips with such integrated laser source are challenging to manufacture due to mismatch between structures or properties of III-V semiconductor material and silicon...

ANRITSU CORPORATION announced the successful verification and support of 3GPP RAN5 Rel-17 NR NTN test cases on its 5G NR Mobile Device Test Platform ME7834NR.

Non-terrestrial Networks (NTNs) are wireless communication systems that operate above the Earth’s surface, utilizing platforms in the air and in Earth’s orbit. These platforms include satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geostationary Orbit (GEO).

3GPP Release 17 introduces “NR NTN” – the inclusion of Non-Terrestrial Networks into the 5G New Radio (NR) standards. This advancement enables 5G devices to connect to satellites using the same protocols as terrestrial base stations, paving the way for global 5G coverage beyond traditional infrastructure.

“Anritsu support for NR NTN test cases will enable ubiquitous connectivity for uninterrupted mobile data, voice and messaging—anywhere on Earth empowering individual users, businesses and industries that need to be connected with always-on access,” said Yokoo Daizaburo, General Manager of Mobile Solutions Division at Anritsu Corporation.

The conformance tests are defined by 3GPP in TS 38.523-1 and aligned with the core requirements in TS 38.331. These tests have been submitted by Anritsu to 3GPP’s Radio Access Network Working Group 5 (RAN WG5).

The post Anritsu Validates 3GPP Rel-17 NR NTN Test Case appeared first on ELE Times.

TIL the diode arrow points opposite electron flow because it follows conventional current notation introduced by Ben Franklin. If you’ve ever wondered why symbols look the way they do, there’s a great illustrated guide that walks through the physics behind each shape. I can DM the link to anyone who wants it—don’t want to break the self-promo rule. submitted by /u/JacketDue7596 [link] [comments]

Power electronics lie at the center of the revolution taking place in the mobility sector. With the world mobility trend moving towards electrification, power electronics have found their place as a foundation technology with efficient energy conversion and management in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs). To enhance efficiency, reliability and sustainability, power electronics are integral to hybrid transportation systems and electric vehicles.

Advancements in Automotive Power Electronics

The automotive industry faces a transformation with the advent of high-profile power electronics, improving EVs for efficiency, safety and energy management. Perhaps WBG semiconductor adoption is unique, especially that of silicon carbide and gallium nitride. These materials present switched speeds triple that of silicon, with low losses and fairly high thermal endurances that allow physically much smaller and rugged designs. SiC finds use mainly in high-voltage traction inverters and onboard chargers to the extent that 800V+ architectures are employed for ultra-fast charging and enormous range, while GaN cashes in with DC-DC converters and onboard chargers for an efficiency higher that 96%.

IPMs can be considered another game-changing technology as they package and integrate high-voltage switches, gate drivers and protection circuits into a compact, thermally optimized package waterproofing the simplifying set of design parameters for the EV powertrain.

Bidirectional power conversion is what is required for vehicle to grid (V2G) and vehicle to home (V2H) working using DAB and CLLC resonant converters. These achieve efficient transfer of energy while safeguarding the EV platform in a forward-looking perspective. Solid-State Transformers introduce megawatt charging for electric vehicles, interfacing compatibility and with dynamic power facilitation.

Contention is with the battery technical part: Next-gen Battery Management Systems incorporate AI, auto-diagnostics and edge computing for real-time health monitoring, predictive maintenance and adaptive balancing, Furthermore, 48 V power electronics provide an edge to mild hybrids and ADAS by relieving loads from 12 V architecture while powering electric turbochargers and active chassis systems. This kind of innovation is placing energy ecosystems at the smart and connected core of EVs for greater performance, reliability and efficiency in the future of mobility.

The Future of mobility is being rewritten by the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) and power electronics are at its core. At the core of the metamorphosis, another transformation is upon the world: Infineon Technologies AG, a leading power semiconductor company. Infineon inculcates a new benchmark of performance, reliability, energy efficiency with its 800V traction systems, up to bidirectional charging and battery management. Speaking with two senior executives ELE Times sought exclusive insights into the changing function of power electronics in e-mobility:

Together they offered thorough observations on recent developments in wide-bandgap semiconductors, smart gate drivers, battery management systems and EV charging technologies influencing the future of sustainable transportation.

ELE Times: What are the latest developments in SiC (Silicon Carbide) and GaN (Gallium Nitride) power devices for EV applications?

Martin Spiteri & Dr Kok Wai Ma: GaN-based on-board chargers and DC-DC converters in electric vehicles will contribute to a higher charging efficiency, power density, and material sustainability, with a shift towards 20 kW+ systems. Infineon is now introducing a trench-based superjunction (TSJ) SiC technology concept. The combination of trench and charge-compensating superjunction technology enables higher efficiency and more compact designs – an important step for applications requiring the highest levels of performance and reliability. The first products based on the new technology will be 1200V in Infineon ID-PAK package for automotive traction inverters. This scalable package platform supports power levels of up to 800 kW. Key benefits of the technology include increased power density, achieved through an up to 40 percent improvement in RDS(on)*A. The 1200 V SiC trench-superjunction concept in ID-PAK package enables up to 25 percent higher current capability in main inverters without compromising short-circuit capability. Together with high-end SiC solutions, GaN will also enable more efficient traction inverters for both 400 V and 800 V EV systems, contributing to an increased driving range.  The use of GaN-based power semiconductor in EV traction is a topic of intense research and development.

ELE Times: What technologies in gate drivers and power management ICs are advancing high-voltage systems?

Martin Spiteri & Dr Kok Wai Ma: Infineon gate driver ICs covering the usage of MOSFET, IGBT, and SiC in automotive 12 V to 1200 V applications with built-in protection and diagnosis. We have gate drivers which are with ISO 26262-compliant for safety critical applications in addition to isolated gate driver ICs for HV EV applicationsproviding galvanic isolation for automotive applications above 5 kW such as the traction inverter, DC-DC converter and onboard charger and support IGBT and SiC technologies up to 1200 V. Recently introduced gate drivers to replace relays and standard fuses and provide additional protection and diagnostic functions. They increase the reliability of the power net thanks to fast fault isolation in less than 100 µs, additional diagnostics, and improved protection functions like integrated wire protection.

• Infineon’s OPTIREG PMIC products are power management integrated circuits consisting of integrated, multi-rail supply solutions for demanding automotive systems in segments such as body, power distribution, chassis, ADAS, infotainment, powertrain electric drivetrain featuring ISO 26262-compliance, Boost capability, Pre/post-regulator architecture and Multiple voltage rail supplies.

ELE Times: What new technologies in bidirectional power converters are boosting EV charging and regenerative braking capabilities?

Martin Spiteri & Dr Kok Wai Ma: Regenerative braking capabilities for EV traction using bidirectional power converter is a mature technology, and in many cases can be provided without significant cost premium. On the other hand, bidirectional power conversion for on-board EV charging is an application trend driven by the increasing vehicle-to-everything (V2X) functionality requirement. To achieve such requirement, the popular choice of AC-DC PFC stage will change from Vienna rectifier to Active Front End (AFE), and DC-DC converter topologies will change from LLC to CLLC or dual active bridge (DAB).

ELE Times: How are new battery management systems (BMS) maximizing power handling and lifespan for high-voltage applications?

Martin Spiteri & Dr Kok Wai Ma: Infineon’s cell monitoring and balancing (CMB) device, also known as the BMS IC or Analog Front End (AFE), measures cell voltages and temperatures for state of charge (SoC), ensuring safe operation within the safe operating area (SOA). It performs low-power diagnostics and housekeeping and communicates with the main controller for cell balancing and pack thermal management triggering disconnection and alerts when needed.

Over time, the small differences between cells in multicell battery stacks are magnified during each charge and discharge cycle. Weaker cells with lower capacity reaching maximum voltage sooner than others force the charging process of the entire pack to stop; in this case, the full capacity of the battery cannot be used. Using Infineon’s automotive BMS cell monitoring and balancing (CMB) device to compensate the weaker cells by equalizing the charge across the entire stack will enable extending an electric vehicle’s driving range and battery lifetime. Additionally, to achieve extremely low-power dedicated housekeeping functions, such as periodically scheduled cell measurements and state analysis required for functional safety, the Cell Monitoring and Balancing IC can operate independently of the BMS’s master controller. Safety features such as signalling over- or under-voltage, thermal stress, and emergency alarms are triggered autonomously.

ELE Times: What are the trends in high-power fast-charging architectures and how are they affecting grid integration?

Martin Spiteri & Dr Kok Wai Ma: Truck electrification is driving up EV charging voltage and capacity beyond 1000V and megawatts level. Standardization activities around the world is ongoing to enable high-voltage high-power DC fast chargers be developed and be interoperable, e.g. CCS, CHAdeMO, GB/T for High Power Charging (HPC), and SAE J3400, Ultra-ChaoJi, X-MCS and NACS for Megawatt Charging System (MCS).

To construct high-power fast DC charging park,

• DC microgrid is seen as a promising approach for interconnection of the AC grid with different renewable energy sources like solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage,
• Solid-state transformer (SST) is the key enabling technology for such architecture,

Matrix switch network will facilitate flexible power distribution amongst energy sources and charging loads.

Conclusion:

Driving Toward the Electrified Tomorrow

Power electronics will change across industries, primarily in electric vehicles and sustainable-energy systems. UWBG semiconductors such as diamond and gallium oxide will creep in as the second-generation materials that can promise better efficiency, power density and thermal performance. AI-based power electronics will predictively maintain and monitor system health in real-time to ensure it is performing at its optimum and has its life further extended. Now, the rising 800V+ architecture for EVs and the emerging trend of 48V will allow for better thermal management, efficiency and fast charging. SSTs will enable the integration of DC microgrid, allowing the power to be distributed flexibly and interfacing into renewable energy sources. Megawatt charging system (MCS) is expected to provide high-power EV charging, especially for heavy-duty vehicles and global standardization schemes are underway. Fast charging, better charging and safer battery technologies are being developed one semiconductor at a time. With the emergence of SiC, GaN advanced gate drivers and megawatt chargers, a new electrified era stands before mobility.

The post Power Electronics in the Mobility Sector: Insights on Trends, Technology, and Transformation appeared first on ELE Times.

STMicroelectronics (ST), a leading global semiconductor company that serves clients in a variety of electronics applications, recently announced ST Presence Gen 5, its fifth-generation Human Presence Detection (HPD) technology, at a virtual media briefing. The most recent version of ST’s turnkey solution marks a major advancement in protecting user privacy while improving security, power efficiency, and user engagement in personal computing devices, including laptops, monitors, tablets, webcams, and accessories.

Personal Electronics, Industrial & Mass Market Business-Line Director at Imaging Sub-Group, STMicroelectronics

The briefing included in-depth discussions from David Maucotel, Business-Line Director at the Imaging Sub-Group, assisted by Herve GROTARD (Subject Matter Expert on ST Presence) and Olivier LEMARCHAND (SME on AI-powered Human Presence Detection). The event provided a holistic view of the technology’s evolution, market relevance, and functional impact, concluding with live feature demonstrations and a technical walkthrough.

The outlook for the imaging market and ST’s strategic priorities

David Maucotel gave a thorough market analysis at the beginning of the session, referencing statistics from analysts at Yole Group who projected a compound annual growth rate of 4–5% for the image sensor market until 2029. Mobile, computer vision, and industrial applications are important growth areas. By 2030, 3D sensing is predicted to triple in revenue due to robots, indoor/outdoor navigation, and people monitoring.

In this trajectory, ST’s Imaging Sub-Group is essential. The company has naturally developed a diverse product range that targets laptops, PCs, industrial robotics, and car in-cabin monitoring, building on its prior capabilities in front-facing smartphone sensors and rear camera assistance. ST is currently a world leader in 3D depth sensing and camera modules thanks to its proprietary technologies, which include the well-known FlightSenseTM time-of-flight (ToF) sensors.

Engineering Excellence in ST’s Imaging Portfolio

The Imaging Sub-Group’s technical foundation is rooted in over 25 years of R&D, dating back to its acquisition of Vision Group in Scotland. From early success with Nokia to winning the CES Innovation Award in 2019, ST has continuously pushed the envelope in camera and ToF technologies. Its current portfolio includes:

• 3D Depth Sensing: Mastery of both indirect and direct time-of-flight sensors capable of generating from 2,000 to 500,000 points in a 3D environment. 
• Direct ToF Modules: Compact modules with 64 to 256 zones, enabling accurate distance measurement up to 10 meters in multi-zone configurations. 
• Optical Light Sensors (ALS): Ultra-small form-factor ambient light sensors for screen dimming and colour tone adjustments. 
• 2D Global Shutter Cameras: Over one billion units shipped, with applications ranging from smartphones to face authentication and VR.
  

ST’s competitive edge lies in its ability to vertically integrate manufacturing, design, to production across its fabs in France and Singapore, assembly sites in Shenzhen and Calamba, and R&D hubs in Grenoble and Edinburgh.

ST Presence Gen 5: Turnkey, AI-Powered, Privacy-Centric

Herve Grotard introduced ST Presence Gen 5, ST’s flagship turnkey solution that integrates its multi-zone ToF sensor with proprietary AI algorithms to deliver advanced human sensing capabilities—without using a camera.

“At the core is an 8×8 time-of-flight ranging sensor that calculates real-time distance data using invisible infrared light,” said Grotard. “On top of this hardware, we’ve added a stack of AI and analytic algorithms to build privacy-respecting, low-power, real-time features.”

Key advantages include:

• Privacy: No images are captured; the system operates entirely on depth data.
• Power Efficiency: Consumes under 2 milliwatts, reducing CPU wakeups and enabling ultra-low power operation.
• Low Computational Overhead: Software optimized for small microcontrollers and sensor hubs, not requiring GPUs or high-performance CPUs. 

Breakthrough Features in Gen 5

Olivier Lemarchand took the audience through each of the seven major features of ST Presence Gen 5, each enabled by a unique AI network or advanced analytics:

1. Walk-Away Lock
   Detects when a user leaves their PC and triggers automatic lock and sleep mode. Combines distance tracking, motion analytics, and an in-house “Presence AI” network to distinguish human presence from background objects. 
2. Adaptive Dimming
   A new feature that uses head orientation detection to reduce screen brightness when the user isn’t looking—improving power savings without compromising experience. “Achieving this with just 64 pixels of depth data is a technical marvel,” Lemarchand noted. 
3. Wake-on-Attention
   An upgrade from “Wake-on-Approach,” this feature wakes the device and triggers Windows Hello login only when the user is both near and visually engaged. It leverages two parallel AI networks: Body Posture and Head Orientation. 
4. Multi-Person Detection (MPD)
   Enhances on-screen privacy by identifying up to three individuals behind the primary user, issuing alerts when potential onlookers linger—a valuable security feature in public workspaces. 
5. Hand Gesture Recognition
   Introduces two new interaction modes: motion gestures (swipe, tap) and hand postures (like, dislike, love, flat hand), powered by a fourth, publicly available AI network accessible via ST’s Edge AI Suite. Developers can fine-tune or expand gesture sets and deploy them to STM32 microcontrollers. 
6. User Posture Monitoring
   As a proof-of-concept aimed at wellness, this feature detects poor seating postures and encourages users to adjust their position—addressing the growing health concerns of prolonged screen time. 
7. Body Posture Detection
   Supports features like Wake-on-Attention by ensuring the user is seated in a login-compatible posture. Also paves the way for ergonomic analytics in future workplace setups. 

Real-World Impact: ESG, User Experience & AI Efficiency

Highlighting the environmental benefits, Grotard emphasized that ST Presence Gen 5 could reduce energy consumption by over 20% per PC per day. If deployed across ST’s own 50,000 employees, it could save 118 tons of CO₂ daily—equivalent to 120 transatlantic flights. At a global scale, this equates to the carbon footprint of 123,000 fully charged electric vehicles per day.

This combination of high-impact ESG outcomes, enhanced user convenience, and seamless privacy makes ST Presence Gen 5 a compelling choice for OEMs looking to differentiate on sustainability and user experience.

AI at the Edge, Built for Integration

What makes ST Presence particularly scalable is its minimal footprint. Despite running four AI networks, the solution is designed for low-resolution, edge-AI environments. All algorithms run on a sensor hub, with no need to activate the main CPU. This enables integration into any STM32-based microcontroller platform, reducing BOM cost and design complexity.

ST also offers a complete ecosystem—from sensor modules and microcontrollers to reference designs and evaluation kits—streamlining OEM adoption.

Closing Remarks

“This is all about delivering a smart, secure, and power-efficient user experience without compromising privacy,” Grotard concluded. “ST Presence Gen 5 is a testament to what’s possible when innovation in sensing, optics, and AI converge on the edge.”

With ST Presence Gen 5, STMicroelectronics reaffirms its leadership in smart sensing and edge AI—creating meaningful impact across personal computing, sustainability, and user wellness.

The post STMicroelectronics Unveils Fifth Generation of Human Presence Detection Technology: Redefining Privacy, Power Efficiency, and User Experience in PCs appeared first on ELE Times.

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