Новини світу мікро- та наноелектроніки

VueReal Inc of Waterloo, ON, Canada, a pioneer of MicroSolid Printing technology, and emissive display manufacturer RiTdisplay Corp (a subsidiary of RITEK group of Hsin Chu Industrial Park, Taiwan) have announced a strategic partnership to enable OEMs and vendors to access micro-LED displays that are said to combine unique features, high performance, low power consumption, and high transparency...

Author: Dr Abhilasha Gaur, CEO, Electronics Sector Skills Council of India

Dr Abhilasha Gaur, CEO, the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India

In today’s rapidly evolving digital space, the Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a transformative force, revolutionizing industries and reshaping the way we interact with technology. At the heart of this technological revolution lies the role of IoT analysts, who play a pivotal role in harnessing the power of connected devices to drive innovation and business growth. In this comprehensive guide, we explore exciting career prospects for aspiring and experienced professionals in the field of IoT analysis, focusing on two specialized tracks: Embedded Full Stack and IoT Hardware Analyst. Moreover, we’ll highlight the essential role of the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI) in shaping and supporting the careers of aspiring IoT professionals.

Illuminating Industry Landscapes: Embedded Full Stack & IoT Hardware Analysts’ Market Share

The roles of Embedded Full Stack & IoT Hardware Analysts are experiencing a significant upsurge, both globally and within India’s burgeoning tech landscape. As the global IoT analytics market hurtles towards an estimated worth of US$ 33,601.9 million by 2024, the need for adept professionals capable of navigating and deciphering the intricacies of IoT data becomes increasingly paramount. Concurrently, the Embedded Full Stack market, which exceeded a valuation of USD 15 billion in 2022, is primed for a remarkable 9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2023 to 2032. This surge is largely attributed to the relentless pace of advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies, which continue to reshape the landscape of embedded systems and IoT hardware.

On the domestic front, India’s Industrial IoT sector is experiencing an unprecedented boom, with anticipated revenues poised to reach a staggering ₹US$8.09 billion by 2024. Projections indicate a compelling compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.22% from 2024 to 2028, propelling the market volume to an impressive ₹US$14.76 billion by 2028. Furthermore, India’s embedded engineering industry is on track to achieve a market size of $160 billion by 2031. This exponential growth trajectory is spurred by the escalating sophistication of automobiles, which necessitates the cultivation of specialized skill sets among professionals in the field. As a result, a plethora of new job opportunities are emerging, catering to the burgeoning demand for skilled Embedded Full Stack & IoT Hardware Analysts across various industries and domains.

Understanding the Role of an IoT Hardware Analyst: Navigating the Data Landscape

Before exploring specialized tracks, it’s essential to understand the overarching role of an IoT analyst. Essentially, IoT Hardware analysts are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data generated by connected devices to derive actionable insights, optimizing processes, efficiency, and decision-making across various domains. From smart homes and wearable devices to industrial automation and smart cities, IoT Hardware analysts play a pivotal role in leveraging data to drive innovation. On the other hand, IoT Hardware Analysts specialize in designing, testing, and optimizing the hardware components of IoT devices. They select appropriate sensors, microcontrollers, communication modules, and other hardware components tailored to specific application requirements. Collaborating closely with software engineers and system architects, they ensure seamless integration between hardware and software components. IoT Hardware Analysts possess a deep understanding of electronics, circuit design, and signal processing techniques. They leverage this expertise to overcome challenges related to power consumption, data transmission, and environmental factors, ensuring reliability and performance in real-world scenarios. Moreover, staying abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends is crucial for IoT Hardware Analysts to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge in the market.

Responsibilities of an IoT Hardware Analyst

1. To research, build, test, and document state-of-the-art IoT solutions with integrated electronics and firmware development.
2. To test IoT device software that includes monitoring, execution, and self-healing processes.
3. To design innovative IoT services that communicates with server-side technologies.
4. To learn the functioning of and implement new state-of-the-art tools/techniques to showcase experience in quick prototyping methods and structured implementation.
5. To design and develop platform solutions for cloud-to-edge IoT applications with customizable configuration abilities for deployment to different clients with different needs.
6. To work with dynamic IoT, Computer Vision, and MEAN technology stack to find solutions to complex real-world problems.
7. To plan and build efficient tools to optimize support QA, deployment, and support services.

Embedded Full Stack and IoT Hardware Analyst: Bridging the Gap Between Hardware and Software

Embedded Full Stack and IoT Hardware Analysts are adept at navigating the intricate intersection of hardware and software in IoT systems. They possess a deep understanding of embedded systems, microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators, coupled with proficiency in software development languages and frameworks. Their role involves designing and developing IoT solutions from the ground up, encompassing both hardware and software components. From prototyping and testing to deployment and maintenance, Embedded Full Stack IoT Hardware analysts are involved in every stage of the IoT development lifecycle.

To excel in this role, individuals require a strong foundation in computer science, electrical engineering, or a related field, along with expertise in programming languages such as C, C++, Python, and Java. Additionally, familiarity with IoT platforms, cloud computing, and data analytics tools is essential. Embedded Full Stack IoT Hardware analysts possess a unique blend of technical skills and problem-solving abilities, enabling them to develop innovative solutions that bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds.

Industry Demand: Embedded Full Stack Engineer & IoT Hardware Analysts

Embedded Full Stack & IoT Hardware Analysts are in demand across various industries, including telecommunications, automotive, healthcare, and consumer electronics. Companies like Intel and Qualcomm actively seek individuals with these qualifications to drive innovation in their respective fields. In telecommunications, analysts play a crucial role in developing next-generation communication systems and optimizing network performance. In automotive, they contribute to the design and implementation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle technologies. Moreover, in healthcare, analysts are instrumental in developing wearable health monitoring devices and remote patient monitoring systems. Additionally, in consumer electronics, analysts are involved in the development of smart home devices, wearables, and IoT-enabled gadgets. With their expertise in hardware design, software development, and IoT integration, Embedded Full Stack & IoT Hardware Analysts are poised to make significant contributions across diverse industries, shaping the future of technology and innovation.

ESSCI’s Role in Shaping IoT & Embedded Full-Stack Careers

The Electronics Sector Skill Council of India (ESSCI) plays a pivotal role in nurturing talent and fostering skills development in the electronics and IT hardware sectors, including IoT. Through various training programs, certifications, and industry partnerships, ESSCI equips aspiring IoT professionals with the knowledge and skills required to excel in this dynamic field. Moreover, ESSCI collaborates with leading industry players to ensure that training programs are aligned with industry requirements and emerging trends, thus bridging the gap between academia and industry.

According to recent statistics, the global IoT market is projected to reach USD 1.5 trillion by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.9%. This exponential growth trajectory underscores the immense opportunities available in the IoT space, making it an attractive career option for aspiring tech enthusiasts. Moreover, with the increasing adoption of IoT across industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture, the demand for skilled IoT professionals is expected to soar in the coming years.

IoT Hardware Analyst prepares a complete blueprint of the hardware including schematics and layout. The individual also prepares quality and verification requirements and performs PCB testing in compliance with regulatory standards and records them in a design document. The individual will also be responsible for working and efficient functioning of the system.

The individual in this role is responsible for designing complete hardware blueprints, including schematics, quality verification, and PCB testing, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and documenting all designs. They must ensure the system functions efficiently. The ideal candidate should demonstrate attention to detail, logical thinking, and adaptability to client requirements. Proficiency in collaboration, a strong grasp of technology, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage deadlines and budgets are also essential.

Unlocking Career Potential: Up-skilling Opportunities for Embedded Full Stack & IoT Hardware Analysts

Professionals working as Embedded Full Stack & IoT Hardware Analysts have a unique opportunity to elevate their skill sets and seize better career prospects, with organizations like ESSCI providing a dedicated platform for upskilling initiatives. As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, staying ahead of industry trends is crucial. ESSCI offers a wide array of courses and certifications tailored to the needs of individuals in the field, covering emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Internet of Things (IoT). By enrolling in these programs, professionals can gain hands-on experience, deepen their expertise, and stay abreast of the latest developments in the industry. Additionally, ESSCI provides a collaborative learning environment, where participants can network with industry experts, share insights, and explore innovative projects. Leveraging these opportunities, professionals can not only enhance their employability but also contribute to driving innovation and advancing the industry as a whole.

National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) approved courses by ESSCI – IoT Hardware and Embedded Full Stack: Empowering Future Tech Innovators

ESSCI offers various skill enhancement programs in the field of IoT hardware and Embedded Full Stack for candidates who meet specific educational and experience requirements. There are four courses offered by ESSCI – Embedded Software Engineer, Embedded Product Design Engineer-Technical Lead, Embedded Full Stack IoT Analyst and IoT Hardware Analyst. The individual in this job roles prepare a complete blueprint of the hardware including schematics layout, quality verification requirements and perform PCB testing in compliance with regulatory standards to records them in a design document. The individual will also be responsible for working and efficient functioning of the system.

To assess the overall knowledge a number of important elements make up our assessment criteria for candidates, including the overall number of NOS (National Occupational Standards) scores as well as Theory, Practical, Project, and Viva marks.

IoT Hardware analysts also have the chance to advance into leadership positions where they oversee more ambitious IoT projects and direct strategic decision-making, such as IoT architects or project managers. Furthermore, in this ever-evolving area where options for certifications, training programmes, and professional development efforts abound, it’s imperative to continuously study and upskill in order to remain relevant.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a career as an IoT hardware analyst and Embedded Full Stack offers a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of technological innovation and drive meaningful change across industries. Whether specializing in Embedded Full Stack development or focusing on IoT hardware optimization, individuals in this role have the chance to leverage their skills and expertise to shape the future of connected devices and smart ecosystems. With the demand for IoT solutions on the rise, now is the perfect time to embark on a career journey in this exciting and rapidly growing field, supported by organizations like ESSCI that are dedicated to nurturing talent and fostering skills development in the electronics sector.

The post Boost Your Career: Discover Roles as an Embedded Full Stack & IoT Hardware Analyst appeared first on ELE Times.

Meaning of an eAxle

The world ‘eAxle’ stands for electric axle. It is a unit that integrates into the axle structure of a vehicle.

Difference between an eAxle and a mechanical axle

What differentiates an electric axle from a mechanical axle is the source of energy used to propel a vehicle.

A mechanical axle drives a vehicle by transferring energy generated by an engine, using petroleum as a fuel, to the wheels of the vehicle.

On the other hand, an eAxle drives a vehicle by transferring electrical energy to the wheels of the vehicle. The source of this electrical energy is the electrical energy generated by an electric motor, which is one of the three components of an electric axle.

Position of an axle in a vehicle

An axle is situated between the wheels of a vehicle. Usually, an axle is situated between the two wheels of a vehicle. Hence, a four-wheeler vehicle has two axles. They are as follows:

One, at the front of the vehicle. It is situated between the front two wheels.

And, second, at the rear of the vehicle. It is situated between the rear two wheels.

However, the vehicles that have more than four-wheels have correspondingly more axles.

Functions performed by an axle in a vehicle

An axle performs three functions in a vehicle. They are as follows:

First, it puts up, that is, balances, the weight of the vehicle.

Second, converting the power generated by either engine or electric battery into torque. In the case of a mechanical axle, power is generated by a mechanical engine that uses petroleum fuel. On the other hand, in the case of an eAxle, it is generated by an electric battery. It is then converted into torque by the electric motor.

Third, torque transmission. In the case of both mechanical axle and eAxle, the generated torque, that is, rotational force, is transmitted or delivered to the wheels. This aids in their motion and rotation in the desired direction.

How an eAxle performs its functions?

An eAxle performs its functions by means of its three components. They are as follows:

First, an inverter. It controls the flow of electricity into the electric motor depending upon the operational requirement of the motor.

Second, an electric motor. It converts the energy generated through an electric battery or a fuel cell into torque.

And, third, a gearbox. It amplifies the torque that the electric motor produces.

Working principle of an eAxle

An eAxle works in three stages. They are as follows:

First, conversion of the electrical energy derived from the battery into mechanical energy by the electric motor. This mechanical energy is then converted into torque. The power supply to the electric motor is changed by the inverter based on the changes over the accelerator.

Second, transmission of the generated torque.

Third, distribution of the torque to the wheels of the vehicle. This aids in the movement and rotation of the vehicle.

Benefits of using an eAxle

There are numerous benefits of using an eAxle. Few of them are as follows:

First, an eAxle propels a vehicle using electric energy. Hence, it completely eliminates carbon emission. Resultantly, it aids in reducing emission of green house gases. When used over a longer duration, it will help achieve carbon emission reduction commitments under the legally binding United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), also called the Paris Conference.

Second, it integrates three components into one structure. Thus, it makes an axle lighter, smaller and compact. This leads to space-saving and easier integration in a vehicle’s powertrain. Besides, it leads to lower energy consumption in propelling a vehicle. Therefore, it will increase the efficiency of energy consumption.

Third, as an eAxle is undergoing miniaturing due to integration of many components into one, its large-scale cost of production of low. Hence, it is cost-effective.

Application of eAxle in different types of automobiles

An eAxle is mainly used in the following types of automobiles:

First, battery electric vehicles.

Second, fuel cell electric vehicles.

Third, hybrid electric vehicles.

And, fourth, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

An axle is one of the components of a vehicle’s powertrain

An eAxle is one of the five components of a vehicle’s powertrain.

Components of a vehicle’s powertrain

A vehicle’s powertrain consists of five components. They are as follows:

First, engine.

Second, transmission.

Third, driveshaft.

Fourth, axle.

And, fifth, differential.

Functions of a vehicle’s powertrain

A vehicle’s powertrain propels a vehicle. Propelling a vehicle has two ingredients. They are as follows:

One, thrusting a vehicle into motion- both forward and backward.

And, two, aiding in the movement of the vehicle in the right direction.

First company in the world to integrate eAxle in its automobile

Toyota was the first manufacturer in the world to introduce eAxle. It did so in its Crown Majesta EV model in 1993. It an eAxle which is now categorised as the first generation eAxle.

Generations of eAxles developed so far

At present, new technological advancements are leading to the development of what is referred to as the third generation eAxle. Hence, till date, three generations of eAxles have been developed.

The post eAxle- Meaning, Parts, Functions, Working principle and the Latest trends appeared first on ELE Times.

Thermistor production in India is limited and not sufficient to meet the domestic demand. As a result, it is imported from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, China, etc. Hence, there is a huge scope for increase in the domestic production of thermistors.

It is so because of two reasons. They are as follows:

First, there already exists a large domestic market.

Second, the aggregate demand of the domestic market is poised to increase in near-future due to increase in demand across all verticals. For instance, consumer electronics, healthcare, automobile, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), medical instruments, aerospace, defense. The largest share of demand is expected to be from the automobile sector.

The 10 major thermistor manufacturers in India are as follows:

• JR Sensing & Electronics Technologies

JR Sensing & Electronics Technologies is based out of Hosur, Tamil Nadu. It was established in 2014.

It produces thermistors that have very high precision and durability. Besides, they are produced based on the minimum eligible requirements of the international IEC/UL standards.

Its unique feature is that it produces thermistors that are customised to the requirements of each customer. Each thermistor is produced with the quick connect mating system that enables its installation in myriad appliances faster and simpler. Hence, they are highly user friendly.

It produces both negative thermal coefficient (NTC) and positive thermal coefficient (PTC) thermistors. It produces thermistors for a for a wide range of appliances. For instance, health care, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), home appliances such as freezer and refrigerator, automobiles, power electronics, information technology equipments, mosquito heater, motor coil protection, marine instruments, aerospace and aviation sensors, railway sensors, etc.

• Sowparnika Thermistors and Hybrids Private Limited

Sowparnika Thermistors and Hybrids Pvt. Ltd. is based out of Thrissur, Kerala. It was established in 2007.

It specializes in the production of NTC Thermistor that are used in a wide range of industrial appliances. It produces electronic NTC thermistor, inrush current limiters, surge current protector, AC sensors, automobile sensors, surface temperature sensor, temperature compensators, and bimetal thermostat.

It has ISO 9001:2015 certification for the production of NTC thermistors.

Its thermistors confirm to the ISO-TS 16949:2009 standardisation, an international standard for components of automobile appliances.

Its customer base comprises of 350 companies, including Mahindra & Mahindra, Minda Industries, Vguard Industries, Pricol Ltd, etc.

It has a subsidiary company Nila Tech Private Limited that is based out of Ernakulam, Kerala. Besides, it has a sister oragnisation STH Sensors LLP that is based out of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

• Honeywell Automation India Limited (HAIL)

Honeywell Automation India Limited is a Fortune India 500 company. It is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. It was incorporated in 1984. Its head office is at Hadapsar, Pune, Maharashtra.

Besides Pune, it has branch offices in Bangalore, Jamshedpur, Hyderabad, Vadodara, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Chennai, Kolkata, etc.

It produces 15 different series of thermistors. They are known for their quality, accuracy and durability. They are used over a wide range of industrial applications.

• M/s Raviraj Process Controls Limited

It is based out of Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. It has two dedicated in-house manufacturing units there. It was established in 1996.

It is an ISO 9001: 2015 certified organization. Besides, it has certifications from ATEX, IEC Ex and PESO. The equipments in its manufacturing units are calibrated with NABL approved laboratories. They are capable to quality test the manufactured thermistors as per the IEC, IS, and other global standards.

Its special feature is that it manufacturers thermistors customized to every customer’s specification and requirements.

It manufacturers both positive coefficient thermistors and negative coefficient thermistors.

Its client-base includes both leading MNCs and Indian companies in the electric motor and generator industry.

• Molex India Limited

It is the Indian subsidiary company of Molex, LLC which is based out of Lisle, Illinois, United States of America.

Its head-office is in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It also has its manufacturing plant in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

It specializes in manufacturing a wide range of NTC thermistors.

• Panasonic Life Solutions India Private Limited

It was established on 14 July, 2006, as Panasonic India Private Limited. With effect from 1 August, 2022, it changed its nomenclature to Panasonic Life Solutions India Private Limited. It was done to bring all businesses of the Panasonic Group in India under one roof.

It is the Indian subsidiary company of the Panasonic Group which is based out of Kadoma, Osaka, Japan.

Its head-office is in Gurugram, Haryana. It has manufacturing plants in Jhajjar, Haridwar, Kutch, Dhamdachi, Daman, and Chennai.

It specialises in the manufacturing of NTC thermistors.

• Siemens Limited

Siemens founded its first branch in India in 1922 at the then Bombay, now Mumbai. However, it was incorporated as an Indian company in 1957 as Siemens Engineering and Manufacturing Company of India Pvt Ltd. In 1967, its nomenclature was changed to Siemens Limited.

It is based out of Worli, Mumbai, Maharashtra.

It is the Indian subsidiary company of Siemens AG, Munich, Germany.

It manufactures extremely high-quality, durable and accurate thermistors. It produces both NTC and PTC thermistors.

• STMicroelectronics Private Limited

It was established in 1990. It is the Indian subsidiary company of STMicroelectronics which is based out of Geneva, Switzerland.

Its manufacturing and design plant is located in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It manufacturers a range of NTC and PTC thermistors. It specialises in the production of inrush current limiters.

• ABB India Limited

It was incorporated in Mumbai in 1949. It is a subsidiary of the Swedish-Swiss firm ABB Ltd. Its parent firm has 476 offices spanning across 85 countries of the world.

It has its head office at Peenya, Bengaluru, Karnataka. It has branch offices in many major cities of India. It has five manufacturing plants. One, at Nashik, Maharashtra. Two, at Kasaba Hobli, Bengaluru, Karnataka. Three, at Faridabad, Haryana. Four, Vadodara, Gujarat. And, five, Nashik, Maharashtra.

It specialises in the production of thermistor motor relays.

• Thermosen Technologies Private Limited

It is based out of Bengaluru, Karnataka. It is an ISO:9001 certified company.

It manufactures a wide range of thermistors. It produces both negative thermal coefficient thermistors and positive thermal coefficient thermistors. The former is produced in a wide range of epoxy bead thermistors and glass encapsulated thermistors, whereas the latter is produced in different disc shapes and motor coil winding shapes.

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AI has provided cybercriminals with an unprecedented arsenal of tools to infiltrate your systems. Fortunately, it’s not too late to prepare your engineering team to confront these new challenges head-on.

Recently, cybersecurity experts have been sounding the alarm about the increasing use of AI to orchestrate sophisticated cyberattacks. AI has lowered the entry barrier for hackers by enhancing social engineering, phishing, and network penetration strategies.

Unfortunately, while malicious actors have quickly embraced AI, the cybersecurity sector has lagged. Despite the influx of new graduates, a staggering 84 per cent of professionals lack substantial AI and ML knowledge. Consequently, the industry is facing a wave of AI-driven attacks it isn’t fully equipped to handle. Even the FBI has warned about the rise of AI-powered cyberattacks.

However, it’s not too late to address this skills gap. Business leaders and CTOs can take proactive steps to upskill their teams and fortify their defenses against AI threats. Let’s explore how cybersecurity leaders can prepare their engineers to handle AI threats and leverage the technology to bolster their operations.

Empowering Engineers with Advanced AI Skills for Enhanced Cybersecurity

It’s not surprising that today’s engineers aren’t yet adept at dealing with AI threats. While AI isn’t new, its rapid evolution over the past two years has outpaced traditional training programs. Engineers who completed their training before this period likely did not encounter AI in their curriculum. Conversely, hackers have quickly adapted, often through DIY methods and collaborative learning.

A recent study indicates that promoting a culture of continuous learning among engineers and software developers can help bridge the AI skills gap. CTOs and business leaders should facilitate opportunities for staff to learn AI skills, ensuring they stay ahead of the curve. This can enhance internal cybersecurity or improve services for clients if the company provides cybersecurity solutions.

While AI tools like chatbots can assist with coding and answering questions, mastering AI’s higher-level capabilities—such as enhancing productivity, safeguarding systems against AI attacks, and integrating AI into existing processes—requires more comprehensive training. Investing in specialized AI training programs is crucial for modern cybersecurity businesses.

Companies can hire AI experts to conduct task-specific courses or enroll their engineers in online classes that certify them in the latest AI skills. These programs range from introductory courses on platforms like Udemy to advanced lessons offered by institutions like Harvard. The choice depends on the company’s goals and resources.

If you have connections with industry experts, start by inviting them to share their knowledge on AI cybersecurity basics with your team. If not, begin with a bottom-up approach: identify online courses covering core concepts, considering your budget and workload. Progress to more rigorous courses as your security team adapts and your priorities evolve. The learning opportunities in this ever-changing field are vast.

Harmonizing AI and Human Oversight: Ensuring Robust Security and Effective System Management

Achieving an effective equilibrium between AI utilization and human oversight is crucial for securing physical security products. While AI excels at identifying and responding to cybersecurity threats, maintaining human control and oversight through well-defined policies and procedures is essential. An overarching AI governance policy, potentially included in the board risk register, should encompass guidelines for safeguarding all critical systems, including security, and establish a clear accountability chain to the highest levels of the organization. At the operational level, personnel responsible for managing and maintaining these systems should receive comprehensive and quantifiable training to evaluate AI decisions and ensure systems operate correctly within the established scope of use.

AI-Driven Red Teaming: Revolutionizing Threat Detection and Defense

Training your workforce is just the beginning. AI is constantly evolving, and hackers continuously refine their techniques. Therefore, ongoing learning is essential.

One effective method is running simulated red teaming attack scenarios with an AI twist. Many organizations have already adopted red teaming to strengthen their cybersecurity. However, as new threats emerge, red teaming must also evolve.

Traditional red teaming involves engineers attacking their systems to identify vulnerabilities and patch them. Now, AI should play the attacker’s role, helping employees understand AI’s tactics and build resilient defenses. The race between defenders and attackers has intensified, with attackers often outpacing engineers by quickly exploiting new technologies, especially AI.

Cybersecurity experts use AI to recreate red teaming activities, simulating how hackers would utilize AI to breach systems. This helps teams anticipate potential threats and discover new defense strategies that traditional methods might miss.

As AI becomes integral to cybersecurity offerings, securing its implementation against breaches is vital. Security teams should adopt offensive tactics like vulnerability discovery to ensure their AI tools have no exposed attack surfaces. This proactive approach prepares companies to protect their AI systems from increasingly sophisticated attacks.

Comprehensive AI Security Assessments for Robust Protection

Whether your team is developing AI features or using third-party tools, it’s crucial to vet the safety of these new technologies. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) highlights various AI-related cyber risks, including data poisoning, which hackers use to compromise AI systems.

To address these risks, engineers must enhance internal security. Embedding security assessments into the development process of AI features ensures proactive protection and fosters a security-first mindset. Many services offer such assessments, guiding engineers in conducting security tests tailored to their organization’s needs. For instance, OWASP provides a free AI security and privacy guide, a valuable resource for teams to learn innovative security practices.

Fortifying Cyber Defenses: Empowering Engineers to Outsmart Advanced AI-Driven Threats

The cybersecurity workforce faces the daunting task of protecting an increasingly vulnerable digital world. As AI evolves, malicious actors rapidly adopt new technologies to launch innovative attacks. Engineers must move even faster to keep pace with these threats. Industry leaders must ensure their teams are ready to tackle this challenge by upskilling, conducting AI red teaming simulations, and implementing security assessments.

By adopting these strategies, companies can prepare their engineers to manage and mitigate AI threats, securing their operations in an ever-evolving landscape.

The post Equipping Engineers to Counter AI-Powered Cyber Threats: Strategies for Success appeared first on ELE Times.

u-blox, a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies and services, has announced the first support for Galileo OSNMA (Open Service Navigation Message Authentication) in the firmware update of its ZED-F9P high-precision GNSS module.

This enhancement advances the spoofing detection and jamming detection capabilities of the well-established multi-band GNSS module. It ensures robust and reliable performance for various applications such as robotic lawnmowers, unmanned aerial vehicles and surveying and mapping.

The ZED-F9P-05B is the first u-blox product to adopt OSNMA, a cryptographically strong solution to spoofing, setting a new standard in the industry for GNSS security and reliability.

The update helps ensure the exceptional performance of the ZED-F9P-05B. Features include enhanced spoofing and jamming detection to guarantee end-product robustness against tampering and malicious attacks, as well as improved Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) convergence to reduce the risk of incorrect readings important to surveying-related applications.

The addition of the SPARTN Beidou satellite constellation support also enhances the capabilities of the GNSS receivers and boosts the performance of the u-blox PointPerfect GNSS correction service in some regions. As the receivers feature an advanced ionospheric model, they deliver a more robust performance during periods of elevated ionospheric activities.

u-blox provides semiconductor chips, modules, and IoT services that reliably locate and connect every thing. Our cutting-edge solutions drive innovation for the car of the future and the Internet of Things. Headquartered in Thalwil (Zurich), Switzerland, we have a global presence of 1,400 experts who enable our customers to build solutions for a precise, smart, and sustainable future.

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Both molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) reactors operate in cleanroom environments and use the same set of metrology tools for wafer characterization. Solid-source MBE uses high-purity, elemental precursors heated in effusion cells to create a molecular beam to enable deposition (with liquid nitrogen used for cooling). In contrast, MOCVD is a chemical vapor process, using ultra-pure, gaseous sources to enable deposition, and requires toxic gas handing and abatement. Both techniques can produce identical epitaxy in some material systems, such as arsenides. The choice of one technique over the other for particular materials, processes, and markets is discussed...

Gallium nitride (GaN) power IC and silicon carbide (SiC) technology firm Navitas Semiconductor of Torrance, CA, USA has released its 4.5kW AI data-center power supply reference design, with optimized GaNSafe and Gen-3 ‘Fast’ (G3F) SiC power components. The optimized design enables what is claimed to be the world’s highest power density with 137W/in3 and over 97% efficiency...

NUBURU Inc of Centennial, CO, USA — which was founded in 2015 and develops and manufactures high-power industrial blue lasers — has announced a marketing agreement with NexGenAI Solutions Group Inc, a provider of AI-driven marketing solutions (offering analytics and automation tools). The agreement aims to enhance NUBURU’s marketing efforts, leveraging advanced artificial intelligence and various proprietary marketing tools to drive commercial growth and market penetration...

• Q2 net revenues $3.23 billion; gross margin 40.1%; operating margin 11.6%; net income $353 million
• H1 net revenues $6.70 billion; gross margin 40.9 %; operating margin 13.8%; net income $865 million
• Business outlook at mid-point: Q3 net revenues of $3.25 billion and gross margin of 38%

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, reported U.S. GAAP financial results for the second quarter ended June 29, 2024. This press release also contains non-U.S. GAAP measures (see Appendix for additional information).

ST reported second quarter net revenues of $3.23 billion, gross margin of 40.1%, operating margin of 11.6%, and net income of $353 million or $0.38 diluted earnings per share.

Jean-Marc Chery, ST President & CEO, commented:

• “Q2 net revenues were above the midpoint of our business outlook range driven by higher revenues in Personal Electronics, partially offset by lower than expected revenues in Automotive. Gross margin was in line with expectations.”
• “First half net revenues decreased 21.9% year-over-year, mainly driven by a decrease in Microcontrollers and Power and Discrete segments. Operating margin was 13.8% and net income was $865 million.”
• “During the quarter, contrary to our prior expectations, customer orders for Industrial did not improve and Automotive demand declined.”
• “Our third quarter business outlook, at the mid-point, is for net revenues of $3.25 billion, decreasing year-over-year by 26.7% and increasing sequentially by 0.6%; gross margin is expected to be about 38%, impacted by about 350 basis points of unused capacity charges.”
• “We will now drive the Company based on a plan for FY24 revenues in the range of $13.2 billion to $13.7 billion. Within this plan, we expect a gross margin of about 40%.”

Quarterly Financial Summary (U.S. GAAP)

(US$ m, except per share data)	Q2 2024	Q1 2024	Q2 2023	Q/Q	Y/Y
Net Revenues	$3,232	$3,465	$4,326	-6.7%	-25.3%
Gross Profit	$1,296	$1,444	$2,119	-10.2%	-38.9%
Gross Margin	40.1%	41.7%	49.0%	-160 bps	-890 bps
Operating Income	$375	$551	$1,146	-32.0%	-67.3%
Operating Margin	11.6%	15.9%	26.5%	-430 bps	-1,490 bps
Net Income	$353	$513	$1,001	-31.2%	-64.8%
Diluted Earnings Per Share	$0.38	$0.54	$1.06	-29.6%	-64.2%

Second Quarter 2024 Summary Review

Reminder: On January 10, 2024, ST announced a new organization which implied a change in segment reporting starting Q1 2024. Comparative periods have been adjusted accordingly. See Appendix for more detail.

Net Revenues by Reportable Segment (US$ m)	Q2 2024	Q1 2024	Q2 2023	Q/Q	Y/Y
Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment	1,165	1,217	1,293	-4.3%	-10.0%
Power and discrete products (P&D) segment	747	820	989	-8.8%	-24.4%
Subtotal: Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group	1,912	2,037	2,282	-6.1%	-16.2%
Microcontrollers (MCU) segment	800	950	1,482	-15.7%	-46.0%
Digital ICs and RF Products (D&RF) segment	516	475	558	8.6%	-7.6%
Subtotal: Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group	1,316	1,425	2,040	-7.6%	-35.5%
Others	4	3	4	–	–
Total Net Revenues	3,232	3,465	4,326	-6.7%	-25.3%

Net revenues totaled $3.23 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 25.3%. Year-over-year net sales to OEMs and Distribution decreased 14.9% and 43.7%, respectively. On a sequential basis, net revenues decreased 6.7%, 90 basis points better than the mid-point of ST’s guidance.

Gross profit totaled $1.30 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 38.9%. Gross margin of 40.1%, in line with the mid-point of ST’s guidance, decreased 890 basis points year-over-year, mainly due to the combination of product mix and sales price and higher unused capacity charges.

Operating income decreased 67.3% to $375 million, compared to $1.15 billion in the year-ago quarter. ST’s operating margin decreased 1,490 basis points on a year-over-year basis to 11.6% of net revenues, compared to 26.5% in the second quarter of 2023.

By reportable segment[1], compared with the year-ago quarter:

In Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group:

Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment:

• Revenue decreased 10.0% mainly due to a decrease in Imaging.
• Operating profit decreased by 44.5% to $144 million. Operating margin was 12.4% compared to 20.0%.

Power and Discrete products (P&D) segment:

• Revenue decreased 24.4%.
• Operating profit decreased by 57.9% to $110 million. Operating margin was 14.7% compared to 26.4%.

In Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group:

Microcontrollers (MCU) segment:

• Revenue decreased 46.0% mainly due to a decrease in GP MCU.
• Operating profit decreased by 87.1% to $72 million. Operating margin was 8.9% compared to 37.2%.

Digital ICs and RF products (D&RF) segment:

• Revenue decreased 7.6% due to a decrease in ADAS which more than offset the increase in RF Communications.
• Operating profit decreased by 23.8% to $150 million. Operating margin was 29.1% compared to 35.2%.

Net income and diluted Earnings Per Share decreased to $353 million and $0.38 respectively compared to $1.00 billion and $1.06 respectively in the year-ago quarter.

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Highlights

				Trailing 12 Months
(US$ m)	Q2 2024	Q1 2024	Q2 2023	Q2 2024	Q2 2023	TTM Change
Net cash from operating activities	702	859	1,311	4,922	5,832	-15.6%
Free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP)[2]	159	(134)	209	1,384	1,694	-18.3%

Net cash from operating activities was $702 million in the second quarter compared to $1.31 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP)1 was $528 million in the second quarter compared to $1.07 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP)1 was $159 million in the second quarter, compared to $209 million in the year-ago quarter.

Inventory at the end of the second quarter was $2.81 billion, compared to $2.69 billion in the previous quarter and $3.05 billion in the year-ago quarter. Days sales of inventory at quarter-end was 130 days compared to 122 days in the previous quarter and 126 days in the year-ago quarter.

In the second quarter, ST paid cash dividends to its stockholders totaling $73 million and executed a $88 million share buy-back, completing its $1,040 million share repurchase program launched on July 1, 2021. On June 21, 2024, ST announced the launch of a new share buy-back plan comprising two programs totalling up to $1,100 million to be executed within 3 years.

ST’s net financial position (non-U.S. GAAP)1 was $3.20 billion as of June 29, 2024, compared to $3.13 billion as of March 30, 2024 and reflected total liquidity of $6.29 billion and total financial debt of $3.09 billion. Adjusted net financial position (non-U.S. GAAP)1, taking into consideration the effect on total liquidity of advances from capital grants for which capital expenditures have not been incurred yet, stood at $2.80 billion as of June 29, 2024.

Business Outlook

ST’s guidance, at the mid-point, for the 2024 third quarter is:

• Net revenues are expected to be $3.25 billion, an increase of 0.6% sequentially, plus or minus 350 basis points.
• Gross margin of 38%, plus or minus 200 basis points.
• This outlook is based on an assumed effective currency exchange rate of approximately $1.07 = €1.00 for the 2024 third quarter and includes the impact of existing hedging contracts.
• The third quarter will close on September 28, 2024.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

ST will conduct a conference call with analysts, investors and reporters to discuss its second quarter 2024 financial results and current business outlook today at 9:30 a.m. Central European Time (CET) / 3:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (ET). A live webcast (listen-only mode) of the conference call will be accessible at ST’s website, https://investors.st.com, and will be available for replay until August 9, 2024.

Use of Supplemental Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Information

This press release contains supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information.

Readers are cautioned that these measures are unaudited and not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for U.S. GAAP financial measures. In addition, such non-U.S. GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled information from other companies. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information should not be read in isolation, but only in conjunction with ST’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

See the Appendix of this press release for a reconciliation of ST’s non-U.S. GAAP financial measures to their corresponding U.S. GAAP financial measures.

Forward-looking Information

Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended) that are based on management’s current views and assumptions, and are conditioned upon and also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated by such statements due to, among other factors:

• changes in global trade policies, including the adoption and expansion of tariffs and trade barriers, that could affect the macro-economic environment and adversely impact the demand for our products;
• uncertain macro-economic and industry trends (such as inflation and fluctuations in supply chains), which may impact production capacity and end-market demand for our products;
• customer demand that differs from projections;
• the ability to design, manufacture and sell innovative products in a rapidly changing technological environment;
• changes in economic, social, public health, labor, political, or infrastructure conditions in the locations where we, our customers, or our suppliers operate, including as a result of macroeconomic or regional events, geopolitical and military conflicts, social unrest, labor actions, or terrorist activities;
• unanticipated events or circumstances, which may impact our ability to execute our plans and/or meet the objectives of our R&D and manufacturing programs, which benefit from public funding;
• financial difficulties with any of our major distributors or significant curtailment of purchases by key customers;
• the loading, product mix, and manufacturing performance of our production facilities and/or our required volume to fulfill capacity reserved with suppliers or third-party manufacturing providers;
• availability and costs of equipment, raw materials, utilities, third-party manufacturing services and technology, or other supplies required by our operations (including increasing costs resulting from inflation);
• the functionalities and performance of our IT systems, which are subject to cybersecurity threats and which support our critical operational activities including manufacturing, finance and sales, and any breaches of our IT systems or those of our customers, suppliers, partners and providers of third-party licensed technology;
• theft, loss, or misuse of personal data about our employees, customers, or other third parties, and breaches of data privacy legislation;
• the impact of intellectual property (“IP”) claims by our competitors or other third parties, and our ability to obtain required licenses on reasonable terms and conditions;
• changes in our overall tax position as a result of changes in tax rules, new or revised legislation, the outcome of tax audits or changes in international tax treaties which may impact our results of operations as well as our ability to accurately estimate tax credits, benefits, deductions and provisions and to realize deferred tax assets;
• variations in the foreign exchange markets and, more particularly, the U.S. dollar exchange rate as compared to the Euro and the other major currencies we use for our operations;
• the outcome of ongoing litigation as well as the impact of any new litigation to which we may become a defendant;
• product liability or warranty claims, claims based on epidemic or delivery failure, or other claims relating to our products, or recalls by our customers for products containing our parts;
• natural events such as severe weather, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions or other acts of nature, the effects of climate change, health risks and epidemics or pandemics in locations where we, our customers or our suppliers operate;
• increased regulation and initiatives in our industry, including those concerning climate change and sustainability matters and our goal to become carbon neutral by 2027 on scope 1 and 2 and partially scope 3;
• epidemics or pandemics, which may negatively impact the global economy in a significant manner for an extended period of time, and could also materially adversely affect our business and operating results;
• industry changes resulting from vertical and horizontal consolidation among our suppliers, competitors, and customers; and
• the ability to successfully ramp up new programs that could be impacted by factors beyond our control, including the availability of critical third-party components and performance of subcontractors in line with our expectations.

Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results and performance of our business to differ materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements. Certain forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “believes”, “expects”, “may”, “are expected to”, “should”, “would be”, “seeks” or “anticipates” or similar expressions or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions.

Some of these risk factors are set forth and are discussed in more detail in “Item 3. Key Information — Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 22, 2024. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as anticipated, believed or expected. We do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Unfavorable changes in the above or other factors listed under “Item 3. Key Information — Risk Factors” from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, could have a material adverse effect on our business and/or financial condition.

The post STMicroelectronics Reports 2024 Second Quarter Financial Results appeared first on ELE Times.

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ST’s motor-drive reference design packs a 3-phase gate driver, an STM32G0 MCU, and a 750-W power stage on a circular PCB that is just 50-mm in diameter. The small form factor of the EVLDRIVE101-HPD board makes it suitable for both home and industrial equipment. It easily fits into handheld vacuums and power tools, as well as drones, robots, and drives for industrial equipment.

Leveraging the company’s STDRIVE101 3-phase gate driver, the reference design offers a variety of driving techniques for brushless motors, including trapezoidal or field-oriented control, with sensored or sensorless rotor-position detection. The IC contains three half bridges with 600-mA source/sink capability and operates from 5.5 V to 75 V.

The power stage of the EVLDRIVE101-HPD is based on 60-V N-channel power MOSFETs with output current up to 15 ARMS. Their low 1.2-mΩ on-resistance allows operation at very high load current, enabling power delivery up to 750 W.

Developers can use the STM32G0 microcontroller’s single-wire-debug (SWD) interface to interact with it, while support for direct firmware updates enables easy application of bug fixes and new features.

The EVLDRIVE101-HPD motor-control reference design costs $92.

EVLDRIVE101-HPD product page

STMicroelectronics

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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The PSoC 6 AI evaluation kit from Infineon offers essential tools for creating embedded AI and ML system designs for consumer and IoT applications. Powered by a PSoC 6 MCU, the evaluation board executes inferencing next to the sensor data source, providing enhanced real-time performance and power efficiency compared to cloud-centric architectures.

Along with the PSoC 6 MCU, the board provides a barometric air pressure sensor, digital MEMS microphone, radar sensor, 6-axis IMU, and 3-axis magnetometer. It also features a 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.4 combo module and antenna.

All of these components are mounted a 35×45-mm board, which is about the size of a cracker. This economical board, with its broad range of sensors and wireless connectivity, enables in-field data collection, easy prototyping, and model evaluation.

The PSoC6 AI evaluation kit is supported by Infineon’s ModusToolbox and Imagimob Studio. Imagimob Studio allows users to build AI models from scratch, optimize existing models, and access off-the-shelf Ready Models.

The PSoC 6 AI evaluation kit, designated the CY8CKIT-062S2-AI, costs $37.50.

CY8CKIT-062S2-AI product page

Infineon Technologies 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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A broadband power amplifier, the GRF5112 from Guerrilla RF, provides enhanced compression performance over large fractional bandwidths of up to 40%. The device’s broad single-tuned responses enable multicarrier base stations to simultaneously transmit across two or more cellular bands using a single RF lineup.

The GRF5112 GaAs pHEMT amplifier can be tuned over select bands within a frequency range of 30 MHz to 2700 MHz. At a frequency of 1.8 GHz, the amplifier provides a gain of 17.1 dB, OP1dB compression of 32.2 dBm, OIP3 linearity of 40 dBm, and a low noise figure of 1.7 dB when measured on the device’s standard evaluation board. De-embedded noise figure values are approximately 0.2 dB lower.

“Building upon the GRF5115 core, this latest iteration streamlines tuning while ensuring consistent performance across process and temperature variations. Our design team has also integrated additional tuning handles within the core to optimize linearity for specific bands and bias conditions,” said Jim Ahne, vice president of marketing at Guerrilla RF.

Like other GRF amplifier cores, the GRF5112 features a flexible biasing architecture that allows customizable tradeoffs between linearity and power consumption. Supply voltages can vary between 1.8 V and 5.25 V.

Prices for the GRF5112 in a 3×3-mm QFN-16 package start at $1.47 in lots of 10,000 units. Samples and evaluation boards are now available.

GRF5112 product page

Guerrilla RF 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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System Designer for PCIe from Keysight enhances design productivity by supporting simulation workflows compatible with industry standards. The design environment, which is part of the Advanced Design System (ADS) suite, allows engineers to model and simulate PCIe Gen5 and Gen6 systems. Additionally, Keysight has added new features to its Chiplet PHY Designer, a simulation tool that complies with UCIe standards.

System Designer for PCIe automates the setup for multilink, multilane, and multilevel (PAM4) PCIe systems. The design environment also includes the PCIe AMI Model Builder, enabling the creation of models for both transmitters and receivers, and supporting NRZ and PAM4 modulations. A streamlined workflow with simulation-driven virtual compliance testing ensures design quality and reduces design iterations.

Chiplet PHY Designer for UCIe estimates chiplet die-to-die link margin, measures voltage transfer function (VTF) for channel compliance, and analyzes forward clocking. New design exploration and report generation features accelerate signal integrity analysis and compliance verification.

For more information, apply for a free trial, or obtain a price quote, follow the product page links below.

System Designer for PCIe

Chiplet PHY Designer 

Keysight Technologies 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

The post EDA tools enable PCIe, UCIe simulation appeared first on EDN.

Faraday’s MIPI D-PHY and V-by-One PHY IP portfolios are now compatible with UMC fabrication processes across nodes from 55 nm to 22 nm. The company’s video interface IP can be used in AIoT, industrial, consumer, and automotive applications, supporting both ASIC and IP business models.

The MIPI D-PHY IP on 22 nm offers a low operating voltage of 0.8 V, achieving a 12% reduction in power consumption and a 10% decrease in chip area compared to its 28-nm predecessor. It provides multiple transmit lanes with data rates ranging from 80 Mbps to 2.5 Gbps per lane. Additionally, the IP accommodates customizable combo I/O for various video receive interfaces and features flexible data and clock lane configurations.

Compatible with the V-by-One HS V1.4 and V1.5 standards for high-speed data transmission, Faraday’s V-by-One HS PHY IP on 22 nm handles data rates from 600 Mbps to 4 Gbps per lane. It cuts power consumption by 20% while operating at 0.8 V and decreases chip area by 30% compared to its 28-nm predecessor. The PHY IP also supports scrambling and clock data recovery.

Faraday’s fabless ASIC design services and silicon IP help customers streamline their R&D efforts and accelerate time-to-market.

Faraday Technology 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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Despite the title, this DI does not describe a gadget to tell you when to don your shades, but instead features a useful add-on to (analog) audio kit. Built into a mixer, for example, it will show when the output of any stage is approaching clipping, perhaps due to excessive bass or treble boost. Built into a project box as a stand-alone unit, it’s handy during circuit development. It may not show you where the problem is but will show that some stage is in danger of becoming overloaded. It’s shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 The diodes combine the signals to be monitored, and the comparators check if any of them is close to your chosen limit, either negative or positive. If so, the LED flashes.

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

The outputs of the circuits to be monitored—as few or many as you choose—are each connected to a pair of the input diodes. The most positive and negative peaks of the inputs, less than a diode drop, then appear across R1. The inputs are not measurably loaded, nor is there any significant interaction between them.

Comparators A1 and A2 check those peak voltages against references determined by R2/3/4, their commoned outputs pulling low when the relevant limits are exceeded. That rapidly discharges C1, turning on Q1 and thus LED1. C1 slowly charges back up through R5 and R6, holding Q1 on while it does so. Q2, an n-channel JFET, is used as a constant-current diode, limiting the LED current to its IDSS or saturation drain current value, which is around 7–8 mA for the 2N5485 shown and largely independent of rail voltages from <9 V to >30 V. Make sure the device can withstand the peak supply voltage, though data sheet values are usually conservative. When built into equipment where the supply is fixed, a suitable resistor can be used instead, but a JFET is best for the stand-alone version, where supplies will vary.

With the values shown, peaks of >~10 µs will be detected, corresponding to a half-cycle at 20 kHz, giving LED flashes of ~20–50 ms duration depending on the supply voltage. If that voltage is great enough to cause breakdown of Q1’s gate-source protection diodes, the flash time will be reduced somewhat as R5 will effectively be partially shorted, but no damage will occur owing to the high resistor values. For a longer flash time, increase R5/R6; increasing C1 will slug the response time. DC levels above or below the relevant limits will turn the LED on continuously.

Only +V and -V power rails are needed, a central ground being unnecessary, so it can freely be used with either single or split supplies up to a total of 30 V or so. Connecting C2 across the supply right by the LED is good practice, though the latter’s current pulses are small. An extra decoupling cap across U1 is not needed.

To allow for different power-supply voltages, input swings, and headroom, it’s only necessary to change R3, which may be found by using the following equation:

R3 = (R2 + R4) / (VSS / (VCLIP × 10^(-h / 20)) - 2 VF) - 1)

where:   

• R2 = R4 = 10k
• VSS is the total rail-to-rail supply voltage
• VCLIP is the pk-pk voltage, at clipping, of the stages being monitored
• h is the chosen headroom in dB
• VF is a p-n diode’s typical forward voltage, say 600 mV

A couple of examples: With ±15 V rails, a ±14 V maximum input swing, a choice of 3 dB headroom, and R2 = R4 = 10k, R3 comes out as 32,736 Ohms; or 33k. A single 12 V rail, a ±4.5 V input swing, and 2 dB headroom gives 19,663 Ohms, or 20k, for R3. (For the stand-alone version, I used a 50k pot plus a 10k resistor to cover all eventualities.)

Note that the voltage across R2 must be greater than 2 V, or the LM393 will misbehave. While it can sense at or below ground, though that does not concern us here, at least one input of a comparator must be more than 2 V below the positive rail.

While not shown on the schematic, the input lines should use screened leads (the screens being earthed, naturally) preferably with a few hundred ohms at their input ends to isolate the stages being monitored from the leads’ capacitance.

Simple as this circuit is, I have found it helps to give warnings of mismatches between the gains of cascaded audio stages. In use, it will normally be just flickering on musical peaks; if not, you are probably not using your full dynamic range or S/N ratio. If it’s flashing much of the time, that may just be down to Mahler, Wagner, or death metal, but if it’s solid, check for a blown op-amp somewhere! Of course, you may have heard the effects anyway.

—Nick Cornford built his first crystal set at 10, and since then has designed professional audio equipment, many datacomm products, and technical security kit. He has at last retired. Mostly. Sort of.

Related Content

• A simple circuit with an optocoupler creates a “tube” sound
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• Speaker system handles high power without distortion
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The post Visual overload alert appeared first on EDN.

By Amit Sethi, Technical Marketing Manager, STMicroelectronics

Amit Sethi, Technical Marketing Manager, STMicroelectronics

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) plays a critical role in the adoption and functionality of electric vehicles (EVs). As EV infrastructure expands, ensuring secure and efficient access to charging stations becomes paramount. Authentication in EVSE systems is essential to control access, manage billing, and protect against unauthorized use or cyber-attacks.

Authentication in EVSE ensures that only authorized users can access the charging infrastructure. Proper authentication ensures that the correct user is billed for the electricity consumed. This is essential for both private and public charging stations, as it prevents unauthorized access and potential misuse of the charging infrastructure. It ensures that data collected from the EVSE is accurate and attributed to the correct user, which allows operators to manage user profiles, monitor usage patterns, and provide tailored services.

EVSE systems can be targets for cyber-attacks. Implementing robust encryption, regular security updates, and monitoring can mitigate these risks. Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a hardware-based security feature that can play a crucial role in enhancing the security of EVSE. The Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a specialized microcontroller designed to secure hardware through integrated cryptographic keys. TPM provides several security functions, including secure generation and storage of cryptographic keys, measures and verifies the integrity of the system’s boot process, remote attestation and protects data by encrypting it with TPM-generated keys.

Integrating the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) into Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) brings a host of benefits, enhancing the security, reliability, and user experience of EV charging systems. Here are the key advantages:

Enhanced Security

TPM securely generates, stores, and manages cryptographic keys within its hardware, making it extremely difficult for attackers to extract these keys. With TPM, user authentication can leverage strong cryptographic methods, ensuring that only authorized users can access the EVSE.

It facilitates the encryption of sensitive data, such as user credentials, transaction details, and usage logs, ensuring that even if data is intercepted, it cannot be read without proper decryption keys.

Integrity and Trust

TPM can ensure that the EVSE boots only with verified and trusted software, protecting the system from malware and unauthorized modifications. Using TPM, EVSE can verify the integrity of firmware and software updates, ensuring that only authorized and untampered updates are applied.

Protection Against Physical and Cyber Attacks

Even if an attacker gains physical access to the EVSE, TPM’s secure storage makes it extremely challenging to extract cryptographic keys and sensitive information.

TPM protects against various cyber threats, including man-in-the-middle attacks, eavesdropping, and tampering with data in transit.

Improved User Management

TPM can manage digital certificates used for mutual authentication between the EVSE and the electric vehicle, enhancing secure communication.

TPM supports robust access control mechanisms, allowing operators to define and enforce detailed user access policies.

Reliable and Secure Data Handling

TPM ensures that data collected from the EVSE is accurate and has not been tampered with, maintaining the integrity of usage logs, billing information, and user data. Sensitive information is stored securely within the TPM, protected from unauthorized access and tampering.

Compliance and Standardization

Implementing TPM can help EVSE operators comply with stringent security regulations and standards, ensuring that the infrastructure meets industry and government requirements.

Standardized TPM implementations can improve interoperability between different EVSE systems and networks, facilitating a more seamless user experience.

Future-Proofing

TPM supports advanced cryptographic methods, including those that are resistant to future threats. TPM’s robust security framework can scale with the growing number of EVSE deployments, ensuring consistent and reliable security across a large infrastructure.

Integrating TPM into EVSE systems significantly enhances the security, reliability, and trustworthiness of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

STMicroelectronics’  STSAFE-TPM system-on-chip solution, based on well-proven ST33 hardware secure element,  is widely deployed in IoT equipment, personal computers and servers, printers, telecom and healthcare devices. All STSAFE-TPM products are certified by Common Criteria, TCG and FIPS and comply with regulatory requirements.​ STSAFE-TPM offering includes products compliant with automotive and industrial environmental constraints.

Visit www.st.com for more details.

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A new generative AI feature brings voice recognition to tiny devices with a text-to-speech (TTS) synthetic dataset generation capability. It enables developers to generate synthetic speech data with greater precision and tailor voice attributes like pitch, cadence, and tone to meet specific application requirements.

SensiML, a subsidiary of QuickLogic, has incorporated this generative AI feature into Data Studio, its dataset management application for Internet of Things (IoT) edge devices. This new feature will allow embedded device developers to utilize TTS and AI voice generation to rapidly create hyper-realistic synthetic speech datasets that are essential for building robust keyword recognition, voice command, and speaker identification models.

The new TTS and AI voice generation feature enables seamless integration into existing Data Studio workflows. Source: SensiML

This genAI capability aims to eliminate the time-consuming and costly process of manually recording phrases from large populations of diverse speakers and thus accelerate the time-to-market for voice-enabled IoT devices. “Developers can now harness synthetic speech technology to create highly accurate and diverse training datasets, accelerating the deployment of intelligent voice-controlled applications directly on microcontrollers,” said Chris Rogers, CEO of SensiML.

To understand how it works, let’s take the example of a home security system that uses voice commands for activation and status updates. This text-to-speech and AI voice generator feature will allow developers to efficiently create extensive voice datasets, enabling the system to recognize a wide range of user commands accurately.

Moreover, it allows developers to custom-build their own ML code for IoT devices needing to handle complex voice and sound recognition tasks directly on-device without the need for constant connectivity or high computational power. That’s crucial for applications operating in environments where connectivity may be inconsistent and where fast, reliable processing is critical.

Related Content

• Today’s TTS Technology
• How AI is Transforming the Audio Industry
• Algorithms and hardware power rise of voice control
• AI Voice Biometrics Accurate Enough for Authentication
• How audio edge processors enable voice integration in IoT devices

The post IoT: GenAI voice helps generate speech recognition models appeared first on EDN.

Teledyne e2v HiRel Electronics of Milpitas, CA, USA (part of the Teledyne Defense Electronics Group that provides solutions, sub-systems and components to the space, transportation, defense and industrial markets) has announced the availability of two enhanced plastic (EP) VHF to S‑band low-noise amplifiers, models TDLNA2050EP and TDLNA0430EP, which are suitable for demanding high reliability applications where low noise figure, minimal power consumption and small package footprint are critical. Developed on a 250nm enhancement/depletion (E/D)-mode pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (pHEMT) process, the LNAs are available in an 8-pin dual-flat no-lead (DFN) 2mm x 2mm x 0.75mm plastic surface-mount package...