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A new systems design toolset aims to create a unified user experience for board designers while adding cloud connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, which will enable engineers to adapt to rapidly changing design and manufacturing environments.

To create this highly integrated and multidisciplinary tool, Siemens EDA has combined its Xpedition system design software with Hyperlynx verification software and PADS Professional software for integrated PCB design. The solution also includes Siemens’ Teamcenter software for product lifecycle management and NX software for product engineering.

Figure 1 The new systems design toolset enhances integration by combining multiple design tools. Source: Siemens EDA

Evolution of systems design

Systems design—spanning from IC design and manufacturing to IC packaging and board design to embedded software—has been constantly evolving over the past decades, and so have toolsets that serve these vital tenets of electronics.

Take IC design, for instance, which is now carried out by multiple outfits. Then, there are PCBs that unified early on with large vendors offering front-to-back solutions. PCBs then entered an era of multidiscipline design, needing more design automation. Finally, we entered the modern era that encompasses cloud computing and AI.

Siemens EDA’s next-generation electronic systems design software takes an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to cater to this changing landscape. David Wiens, project manager for Xpedition at Siemens EDA, told EDN that this solution took five years to develop through extensive beta cycles with designers to validate generational shifts in technologies. It’s built on five pillars: Intuition, AI, cloud, integration, and security.

Figure 2 The next-generation electronic system design aims to deliver an intuitive, AI-enhanced, cloud-connected, integrated, and secure solution to empower engineers and organizations in today’s dynamic environment. Source: Siemens EDA

But before explaining these fundamental tenets of electronic systems design, he told EDN what drove this initiative in the first place.

1. Workforce in transition

A lot of engineers are retiring, and their expertise is going with them, creating a large gap for young engineers. Then there is this notion that companies haven’t been hiring for a decade or so and that there is a shortage of new engineers. “The highly intuitive tools in this systems design solution aim to overcome talent shortages and enable engineers to quickly adapt with minimal learning curves,” Wiens said.

2. Mass electrification

Mass electrification leads to a higher number of design starts, faster design cycles, and increased product complexity. “This new toolset adds predictive engineering and new support assistance using AI to streamline and optimize the design workflows,” said Wiens.

3. Geopolitical and supply chain volatility

Wiens said that the COVID era introduced some supply chain challenges while some challenges existed before that due to geopolitical tensions. “COVID just magnified them.”

The new electronic systems design solution aims to address these challenges head-on by providing a seamless flow of data and information throughout the product lifecycle using digital threads. It facilitates a unified user experience that combines cloud connectivity and AI capabilities to drive innovation in electronic systems design.

Below is a closer look at the key building blocks of this unified solution and how it can help engineers to tackle challenges head-on.

1. Intuitive

The new toolset boosts productivity with a modern user experience; design engineers can start with a simple user interface and switch to a complex user interface later. “We have taken technologies from multiple acquisitions and heritages,” said Wiens. “Each of those had a unique user experience, which made it difficult for engineers to move from one environment to the next.” So, Siemens unified that under a common platform, which allows engineers to seamlessly move from tool to another.

Figure 3 The new toolset allows engineers to seamlessly move from one tool to another without rework. Source: Siemens EDA

2. AI infusion

AI infusion accelerates design optimization and automation. For instance, with predictive AI, design engineers can leverage simulation engines from a broader Siemens portfolio. “The goal is to expand engineering resources without necessarily expanding the human capital and compute power,” Wiens said.

Figure 4 The infusion of AI improves design process efficiency and leverages the knowledge of experienced engineers in the systems design environment. Source: Siemens EDA

Here, features like chat assistance systems allow engineers to ask natural language questions. “We have a natural language datasheet query, which returns the results in natural language, making it much simpler to research components,” he added.

3. Cloud connected

While cloud-connected tools enable engineers to collaborate seamlessly across the ecosystem, PCB tools are practically desktop-based. In small- to mid-sized enterprises, some engineers are shifting to cloud-based tools, but large enterprises don’t want to move to cloud due to perceived lack of security and performance.

Figure 5 Cloud connectivity facilitates collaboration across the value chain and provides access to specialized services and resources. Source: Siemens EDA

“Our desktop tools are primary offerings in a simulation environment, but we can perform managed cloud deployment for design engineers,” said Wiens. “When designers are collaborating with outside engineering teams, they often struggle collaborating with partners. We offer a common viewing environment residing in the cloud.”

4. Integration

Integration helps break down silos between different teams and tools in systems design. Otherwise, design engineers must spend a lot of time in rework to create the full model when moving from one design tool to another. The same thing happens between design and manufacturing cycles; engineers must rebuild the model in the manufacturing phase.

The new systems design toolset leverages digital threads across multiple domains. “We have enhanced integration with this release to optimize the flow between tools so engineers can control the ins and outs of data,” Wiens said.

5. Security

Siemens, which maintains partnerships with leading cloud providers to ensure robust security measures, manages access control based on user role, permission, and location in this systems design toolset. The next-generation systems design offers rigid data access restrictions that can be configured and geo-located.

“It provides engineers with visibility on how data is managed at any stage in design,” said Wiens. “It also ensures the protection of critical design IP.” More importantly, security aspects like monitoring and reporting behavior and anomalies lower the entry barriers for tools being placed in cloud environments.

Need for highly integrated toolsets

The electronics design landscape is constantly changing, and complexity is on the rise. This calls for more integrated solutions that make collaboration between engineering teams easier and safer. These new toolsets must also take advantage of new technologies like AI and cloud computing.

With the evolution of the electronics design landscape, that’s how toolsets can adapt to changing realities such as organization flexibility and time to productivity.

Related Content

• It’s Time for AI in PCB Design
• Board Systems Design and Verification
• Optimizing Electronics Design With AI Co-Pilots
• ‘Cloud Computing Is Changing Everything About Electronic Design’
• How highly skilled engineers manage complexity of embedded systems design

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Akash Systems of Oakland, CA, USA has signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms with the US Department of Commerce under the CHIPS and Science Act to receive over $68m in direct funding. This includes $18.2m in proposed direct funding and $50m in combined federal and California state tax credits. This proposed funding would provide Akash, a pioneer of diamond cooling semiconductor technologies, significant support for its operational ramp-up in AI, data centers, space and defense markets...

Fabless firm Cambridge GaN Devices Ltd (CGD) — which was spun out of the University of Cambridge in 2016 to design, develop and commercialize power transistors and ICs that use GaN-on-silicon substrates — and IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) — a French public research and training organization in the fields of energy, transport and the environment — have developed a demo that confirms the suitability of CGD’s ICeGaN650V GaN ICs in a multi-level, 800VDC inverter...

BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia — which develops and manufactures gallium nitride (GaN) blue laser diodes based on its proprietary low-temperature, low-hydrogen remote-plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) technology — has entered into a US$1.925m (AUS$2.9m) contract with North Carolina State University (NCSU) for visible laser development activity as part of the Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors (CLAWS) Hub...

Gallium nitride (GaN) power IC and silicon carbide (SiC) technology firm Navitas Semiconductor Corp of Torrance, CA, USA and Richardson Electronics Ltd of LaFox, IL, USA have announced an expanded distribution partnership for silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)...

Anritsu Corporation has joined the OpenROADM Multi-Source Agreement (MSA), which defines specifications that facilitate multi-vendor interoperability for optical transmission networks. Anritsu’s participation in these efforts aims to enhance efficiency and flexibility of the optical transmission network. As Test & Measurement instrument vendor, Anritsu’s OpenROADM activities contribute to the openness and efficiency of optical transmission networks by promoting interconnect specifications and interoperability verification.

“Anritsu is thrilled to become the inaugural Test & Measurement instrument vendor in the OpenROADM MSA, comprising service providers and vendors. The OpenROADM MSA Group is committed to the open evolution of network management and vendor interoperability. We eagerly anticipate collaborating on network orchestration, which will enable us to control and monitor the quality of the entire network. Additionally, we are excited about the prospect of introducing test & measurement innovations facilitating network fault detection and causal analysis.” says Tadanori Nishikobara, Marketing Director of the Service Infrastructure Solutions Division at Anritsu Corporation.

Anritsu contributes to OpenROADM activities through test & measurement proposals and support for interoperability verification.

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• Collaboration enables FieldFox handheld analyzers to support up to 170 GHz, offering a rugged and lightweight portable solution for millimeter-wave signal analysis
• Provides in field-testing capabilities for aerospace and defense applications reducing development time

Keysight Technologies, Inc. has expanded the frequency range of its FieldFox handheld signal analyzers, offering up to 170 GHz support for millimeter-wave (mmWave) signal analysis. Through a collaboration with Virginia Diodes Inc. (VDI), Keysight’s A- and B-Series FieldFox handheld analyzers with 18 GHz or higher, can be paired with VDI PSAX frequency extenders to cover sub-THz frequency range.

Field based engineers need precise mmWave measurements to advance modern wireless communications and radar systems. This is critical when it comes to 5G, 6G, aerospace and defense and automotive radar transmission/receiving tests. However, mmWave signals are highly sensitive to obstacles, weather conditions, and interference. Understanding their propagation characteristics through precise measurements helps engineers design more efficient networks and radar systems, improving coverage, and enhancing reliability.

To gain this insight, traditional tools typically include large desktop signal analyzers and generators, which are often very expensive and cumbersome for field measurement use cases. The Keysight FieldFox addresses this issue, enabling mmWave measurements in a lightweight portable solution, when paired with VDI’s PSAX frequency extender modules. In addition, engineers can opt for the FieldFox equipped with the downloadable Option 357 pulse generator, which can be paired with a PSGX module from VDI, to also offer a mmWave signal generation solution up to 170 GHz. This enables users to obtain accurate mmWave measurements in a simple, easy to use and rugged solution.

Key benefits of Keysight’s FieldFox combined with VDI frequency extender modules include:

• Expanded frequency coverage: Expanding the FieldFox’s frequency coverage from as low as 18 GHz, depending on models, up to 170 GHz for either signal analysis or generation.
• Optimized performance at the mmWave range: Supporting in-band signal analysis with selection of spectrum analyzer mode, IQ analyzer mode, or real-time spectrum analyzer (RTSA) mode with extraordinary sensitivity of -155 dBm/Hz typical value.
• Cost efficiency: Compared to traditional mmWave signal analysis and generation solutions, the combination of Keysight FieldFox and VDI frequency extenders reduces costs by half or more.
• Portable and convenient testing: Weighing approximately less than 4 kg in total, the combination of Keysight FieldFox and VDI frequency extenders makes the mmWave field testing much more feasible and convenient for both field and lab environment.

Dr. Thomas W. Crowe, CEO of VDI, said: “VDI manufactures state-of-the-art test and measurement equipment for mmWave and THz applications, including vector network analyzer, spectrum analyzer, and signal generator extension modules. These products enhance the capabilities of high-performance microwave measurement tools by extending them to higher frequencies. Through our collaboration with Keysight, VDI is excited to provide frequency extenders for the FieldFox handheld analyzers, offering customers lightweight solutions for both signal analysis and generation in the mmWave range, with exceptional signal quality and measurement integrity.”

Vince Nguyen, Vice President and General Manager, Aerospace, Defense, and Government Solution Group at Keysight, said: “The aerospace, defense, and commercial sectors lack a portable solution which can provide accurate mmWave measurements. As customers explore innovations they need access to higher frequencies in the radio spectrum, including mmWave. Working with VDI, we’ve developed a solution that is easy to test signal analysis and generation in the field as well as in the laboratory.”

Keysight’s FieldFox combined with VDI extenders will be showcased for the first time at the Keysight booth (Hall A3, Stand 506) at electronica 2024, the world’s leading trade fair and conference for electronics, from November 12 to 15, 2024.

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Back in September, within the introduction to my teardown of a pulse oximeter, I wrote:

One upside, for lack of a better word, to my health setback [editor note: a recent, and to the best of my knowledge first-time, COVID infection over the July 4th holidays] is that it finally prompted me to put into motion a longstanding plan to do a few pandemic-themed teardowns.

That pulse oximeter piece was the kickoff to the series; this one, a dissection of an infrared thermometer, is the second (and the wrap-up, unless I subsequently think of something else!). These devices gained pervasive use during the peak period of the COVID-19 pandemic, courtesy of their non-contact subject measurement capabilities. As Wikipedia puts it:

At times of epidemics of diseases causing fever…infrared thermometers have been used to check arriving travelers for fever without causing harmful transmissions among the tested. In 2020 when [the] COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, infrared thermometers were used to measure people’s temperature and deny them entry to potential transmission sites if they showed signs of fever. Public health authorities such as the FDA in United States published rules to assure accuracy and consistency among the infrared thermometers.

And how do they work? Wikipedia again, with an introductory summary:

An infrared thermometer is a thermometer which infers temperature from a portion of the thermal radiation sometimes called black-body radiation emitted by the object being measured. They are sometimes called laser thermometers as a laser is used to help aim the thermometer, or non-contact thermometers or temperature guns, to describe the device’s ability to measure temperature from a distance. By knowing the amount of infrared energy emitted by the object and its emissivity, the object’s temperature can often be determined within a certain range of its actual temperature. Infrared thermometers are a subset of devices known as “thermal radiation thermometers”.

 Sometimes, especially near ambient temperatures, readings may be subject to error due to the reflection of radiation from a hotter body—even the person holding the instrument—rather than radiated by the object being measured, and to an incorrectly assumed emissivity. The design essentially consists of a lens to focus the infrared thermal radiation on to a detector, which converts the radiant power to an electrical signal that can be displayed in units of temperature after being compensated for ambient temperature. This permits temperature measurement from a distance without contact with the object to be measured. A non-contact infrared thermometer is useful for measuring temperature under circumstances where thermocouples or other probe-type sensors cannot be used or do not produce accurate data for a variety of reasons.

Today’s victim, like my replacement for the precursor pulse oximeter teardown subject, came to me via a May 2024 Meh promotion. A two-pack had set me back only $10, believe it or not (I wonder what they would have cost me in 2020?). One entered our home health care gear stable, while the other will be disassembled here. I’ll start with some stock photos:

Now for some as-usual teardown-opening box shots:

Speaking of opening:

The contents include our patient (of course), a set of AA batteries (which I’ll press into reuse service elsewhere):

and a couple of slivers of literature:

Now for the star of the show, as usual accompanied by a 0.75″ (19.1 mm) diameter U.S. penny for size comparison purposes (the Meh product page claims that the infrared thermometer is “small” and “lightweight” but isn’t any more specific than that). Front:

They really don’t think that sticker’s going to deter me, do they?

Back:

A closeup of the “LCD Backlit display with 32 record memory”, with a translucent usage-caution sticker from-factory stuck on top of it:

Right (as defined from the user’s perspective) side, showcasing the three UI control buttons:

Left:

revealing the product name (Safe-Mate LX-26E, also sold under the Visiomed brand name) and operating range (2-5 cm). The label also taught me something new; the batteries commonly referred to as “AAs” are officially known as “LR6s”:

Top:

Another sticker closeup:

And bottom, showcasing the aforementioned-batteries compartment “door”:

Flipping it open reveals a promising screw-head pathway inside:

although initial subsequent left-and-right half separation attempts were incomplete in results:

That said, they did prompt the battery-compartment door to fall out:

I decided to pause my unhelpful curses and search for other screw heads. Nothing here:

or here:

Here either, although I did gain a fuller look at the switches (complete with intriguing connections-to-insides traces) and their rubberized cover:

A-ha!

That’s more like it (complete with a trigger fly-away):

I was now able to remove the cap surrounding the infrared receiver module:

Followed by the module itself, along with the PCB it was (at the moment) connected to:

Some standalone shots of the module and its now-separated ribbon cable:

And of the other now-disconnected ribbon cable, this one leading to the trifecta of switches on the outside:

Here’s the front of the PCB, both in with-battery-compartment overview:

and closeup perspectives, the latter more clearly revealing its constituent components, such as the trigger switch toward the bottom, an IC from Chipsea Technologies labeled “2012p1a” toward the top, and another labeled:

CHIPSEA
18M88-LQ
2020C1A

at the top (reader insights into the identities of either/both of these ICs is greatly appreciated):

And here’s the piezo buzzer-dominant, comparatively bland (at least at first glance) backside:

which became much more interesting after I lifted away the “LCD Backlit display with 32 record memory”, revealing a more complex-PCB underside than I’d originally expected:

That’s all I’ve got for today. What did you find surprising, interesting and/or potentially underwhelming about the design? Let me (and your fellow readers) know 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.

Related Content

• Peering inside a Pulse Oximeter
• Thermometer measures temperature without contact
• Teardown: A smartwatch with an athletic tradition
• Teardown: Inside the art of pulse oximetry
• Teardown: Fitness band hardware
• Teardown: A fitness tracker that drives chip demand
• Teardown: Misfit Shine 2 and the art of power management

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India’s premier expo, Light + LED Expo India 2024, is set to showcase advanced products in LED and intelligent lighting solutions from 21st to 23rd November 2024 at Yashobhoomi (IICC), Dwarka, Delhi. With 240+ exhibitors from six countries, the B2B event will present innovative solutions for homes, high rises, architecture, infrastructure, and everything in between.

With LED light emerging as a powerful catalyst in India’s energy efficiency journey, its applications have spread from households and industrial spaces to more complex and customised needs for architecture and interior design, urban infrastructure and smart city projects. Government-backed initiatives like Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All and LED Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP), gave a substantial boost to LED adoption in India while saving costs and energy with environmental benefits. Besides this, the growth of the semiconductor ecosystem in India will revolutionise LED manufacturing, boost domestic production, achieve energy efficiency and contribute to positioning India as a global manufacturing hub for semiconductors and diverse lighting products.

Bringing together India’s lighting and LED ecosystem, the 29th edition of Light + LED Expo India will feature 240+ exhibitors and about 1,000+ brands showcasing their products, across a gross area of 14,000 sqm at Yashobhoomi, Delhi, Dwarka. Taking the expo to a whole new level, this year the show will feature 126 new exhibitors and has more participation from lighting automation companies than the previous editions, enhancing the solutions portfolio. Besides India, the expo will present participation from six countries including China, Finland, Germany, Italy, Taiwan and the UAE. Participants include brands like BAG, Calcom, Caterlux, JN Lighting, Kevin Electrochem, Lumens Technologies, Optiks Mechatronics, Power Pallazo, Talenteq, Tinge, Uniglobus, Zylos and many other prestigious names.

Ahead of the show, Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, expressed his thoughts: “The Government of India has undertaken collaborative initiatives to establish a strong LED ecosystem in India. Initiatives like the Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) and LED Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) have significantly bolstered the adoption of energy-efficient lighting solutions across the nation, leading to widespread cost savings, reduced energy consumption and environmental benefits. I am hopeful that this expo and summit will serve as an ideal platform for stakeholders to come together, exchange ideas, showcase advancements and further contribute to the growth and sustainability of the LED industry in India.”

The upcoming event will present dynamic workshops and expert-led sessions, a certification workshop and a conference. The knowledge sessions have been planned in association with the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), Women in Lighting (WIL), Lighting Designers Association of India (LiDAI) and Electric Component Manufacturers’ Association (ELCOMA). Attendees will explore the innovative applications of lighting technology within India’s cultural landscape, covering topics such as the role of lighting in architecture, the future of entertainment lighting, and advancements in connected lighting systems. The sessions will also address the creative potential of drone light shows, smart lighting solutions, human-centric designs, and India’s emergence as a global lighting hub. Key discussions on ‘circadian lighting’ and the evolving language of lighting design promise attendees’ valuable insights into the industry’s latest trends and technologies.

Mr Parag Bhatnagar, President, of the Electric Lamp and Component Manufacturers Association of India (ELCOMA) commented: “In the last few years there were some disruptions because of the technology changes, however, there are many opportunities as India is growing. You look at any segment whether it is infrastructure or modern office space which is growing by 30% or even the recent PLI scheme of the government – the CAPEX cycle is triggered and there is growth in the industry. There is an opportunity to upgrade the industry. I think Light + LED Expo India is a very prominent platform where the entire lighting fraternity will come together and there will be knowledge sharing around government policies, standards and innovation and especially, the new initiatives around lighting design. I invite the entire lighting fraternity and all ELCOMA members to Light + LED Expo India taking place from 21 – 23 November 2024 at Yashobhoomi (IICC), Dwarka, Delhi.”

What makes the expo more relevant is the fact that the Indian LED lighting industry in 2023 stood at USD 4.2 billion which is expected to reach USD 23.2 Billion by 2032, growing at a rate of 20.91% during 2023-2032, according to a report from Research and Markets. Mr Raj Manek, Executive Director and Board Member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings Ltd, shared: “According to leading industry research companies, the LED lighting industry is expected to grow about five-fold by 2032. At this juncture, the Light + LED Expo India will exhibit an array of products and solutions before the industry, with new launches that will take place at the show.  Entering the 29th edition, the expo has received a great response from the participating companies ready to display an advanced showcase that will aid in addressing the evolving needs of the Indian landscape. I feel proud that the show highlights the growth of India’s lighting and LED industry with an emphasis on sustainability in the segment.”

The exhibition has garnered strong support from India’s leading industry associations and government bodies such as Ministry of Electronic & Information Technology (MeitY), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) Ministry of Power, LiDAI (Lighting Designers Association of India), CREDAI-MCHI, Council of Architecture (CoA), Luminaire Accessories Components Manufacturers Association (LACMA), Indian Building Congress (IBC), Solar Energy Society of India (SESI), Bombay Suburban Electric Supply (BSES), The Calcutta Electric Traders Association and the Secunderabad Electric Traders Association.

The show is organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd in association with ELCOMA. Light + LED Expo India is part of Messe Frankfurt’s Light + Building Technology fair portfolio, which is headlined by the biennial Light + Building event in Frankfurt, Germany.

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Highly integrated biosensor device combines input channel for cardio and neurological sensing with motion tracking and embedded AI core

Demonstration to take place at Electronica 2024, Munich, November 12-15

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has introduced a new bio-sensing chip for the next generations of healthcare wearables like smart watches, sports bands, connected rings, or smart glasses. The ST1VAFE3BX chip combines a high-accuracy biopotential input with ST’s proven inertial sensing and AI core, which performs activity detection in the chip to ensure faster performance with lower power consumption.

“Wearable electronics is the critical enabling technology for the upsurge in individual health awareness and fitness. Today, everyone can have heart-rate monitoring, activity tracking, and geographical location on their wrist,” said Simone Ferri, APMS Group VP, MEMS Sub-Group General Manager at STMicroelectronics. “Our latest biosensor chip now raises the game in wearables, delivering motion and body-signal sensing in an ultra-compact form-factor with frugal power budget.”

Analysts at Yole Development see opportunities for wearable monitors transcending the general wellness market, including consumer healthcare devices that are approved by health organizations and available over the counter. By creating a complete precision sensor input in silicon, ST’s chip-design experts are facilitating innovation in all segments, with advanced capabilities such as heart-rate variability, cognitive function, and mental state.

The ST1VAFE3BX provides opportunities to extend wearable applications beyond the wrist to other locations on the body, such as intelligent patches for lifestyle or medical monitoring purposes. ST customers BM Innovations GmbH (BMI) and Pison are working at the frontiers in this sector and have quickly adopted the new sensor to drive new-product development.

BMI is an electronic design contracting company experienced in wireless sensing and with an extensive portfolio of projects including several leading-edge heart rate and performance monitoring systems. “ST’s new biosensor has enabled us to develop the next generation of precise athlete performance monitoring systems including ECG analysis in a chest band or a small patch,” said Richard Mayerhofer, Managing Director BM innovations GmbH. “Combining the analog signal from the vAFE with motion data from the acceleration sensor within a compact single package facilitates precise and context-aware data analysis. And with additional support for our AI algorithms directly on the sensor, this is exactly what we have been looking for.”

David Cipoletta, CTO of Pison, a developer focusing on advanced technologies to enhance health and human potential, added, “ST’s new biosensor stands out as a great solution for smartwatch gesture recognition, cognitive performance, and neurological health. Leveraging this advancement, we have significantly enhanced the functionality and user experience of our wearable devices.”

The ST1VAFE3BX is in production now in a 2mm x 2mm 12-lead LGA package and available from the eSTore (free samples available) and distributors from $1.50 for orders of 1000 units.

Visitors to Electronica 2024, the major industry trade event happening in Munich November 12-15, can see the ST1VAFE3BX in a sensing technologies demonstration at the ST booth, Hall C3 101. More information is available online at www.st.com/biosensors

Further technical information

The analog front-end circuits for biopotential sensors are difficult to design and subject to unpredictable effects such as skin preparation and the position of electrodes attached to the body. The ST1VAFE3BX provides a complete vertical analog front end (vAFE) that simplifies the detection of different types of vital signs that can indicate physical or emotional state.

Manufacturers of wellness and healthcare devices can thus extend their product ranges to include functionality such as electrocardiography (ECG), electroencephalography (EEG), seismocardiography (SCG), and electroneurography (ENG). This can drive the emergence of new devices that are affordable, easy to use, and reliably indicate health status or physiological responses to events such as stress or excitement. The future could contain a greater diversity of wearable devices that can contribute towards enhanced healthcare, fitness, and self-awareness.

Bringing this precision front end on-chip, the ST1VAFE3BX is building on ST’s established competencies in MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) devices by integrating an accelerometer for inertial sensing. The accelerometer provides information about the wearer’s movement, which is synchronized with the biopotential sensing to help the application infer any link between measured signals and physical activity.

The ST1VAFE3BX also integrates ST’s machine-learning core (MLC) and finite state machine (FSM) that enable product designers to implement simple decision trees for neural processing on the chip. These AI skills let the sensor handle functions such as activity detection autonomously, offloading the main host CPU to accelerate system responses and minimize power consumption. In this way, ST’s sensors let smart devices provide more sophisticated functions and operate for longer between battery charging, enhancing usability. ST also provides software tools like MEMS Studio in the ST Edge AI Suite dedicated to helping designers unleash the maximum performance from the ST1VAFE3BX, including tools for configuring decision trees in the MLC.

The ST1VAFE3BX’s bio-detection signal channel comprises the vAFE with programmable gain and 12-bit ADC resolution. The maximum output data rate of 3200Hz is suitable for a wide variety of biopotential measurements to quantify heart, brain, and muscular activity.

The device is powered from a supply voltage in the range 1.62V to 3.6V and has typical operating current of just 50µA, which can be cut to just 2.2µA in power-saving mode.

The integrated low-noise accelerometer has programmable full-scale range from ±2g to ±16g.

In addition to the machine-learning core and programmable finite state machine, which can provide functionality such as activity detection, the ST1VAFE3BX implements advanced pedometer, step detector, and step counting functions.

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Following the announcement in February of a conditional commitment, as part of the Biden–Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda the US Department of Energy (DOE) has now confirmed a $544m loan ($481.5m of principal and $62.5m of capitalized interest) to compound semiconductor wafer maker SK Siltron CSS LLC of Auburn, MI, USA (a subsidiary of South Korea-based wafer manufacturer SK Siltron, a part of South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate SK Group) to expand American manufacturing of high-quality silicon carbide (SiC) wafers for electric vehicle (EV) power electronics...

Singapore-based wet etch and clean solutions provider NexGen Wafer Systems has launched SERENO its latest multi-chamber platform (available now for orders, with first deliveries starting in first-quarter 2025)...

Solid State Physics Laboratory, a research arm of the Indian Ministry of Defence’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has developed indigenous processes for growing and manufacturing 4-inch-diameter silicon carbide (SiC) wafers, as well as fabricating gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) up to 150W and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) up to 40W for applications operating at up to X-band frequencies...

Sivers Semiconductors AB of Kista, Sweden (which supplies RF beam-former ICs for SATCOMs and photonic lasers for AI data centers) says that its board of directors has decided to put on hold its discussions with byNordic Acquisition Corp (BYNO) — a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) — regarding the proposed business combination with its subsidiary Sivers Photonics Ltd of Glasgow, Scotland, UK and release BYNO to seek other merger candidates...

NS Nanotech Inc of Ann Arbor, MI, USA — a University of Michigan Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) spin-off co-founded by professor Zetian Mi in 2017 that develops gallium nitride nanowire LEDs for visible displays and UVC disinfection applications — has appointed John Bayne to its board of directors...

Cree LED Inc of Durham, NC, USA (a Penguin Solutions brand) has launched its new CV28D LEDs with FusionBeam Technology, providing an advance for the LED signage market. The CV28D LED combines the latest through-hole and surface-mount (SMD) RGB LED technology, delivering what is claimed to be superior directionality, image quality and resolution in a durable, easy-to-assemble package...

I got so fed up with the stupid interface on the front of my automatic cat feeders that I decided to make a web interface and use the ESP8266 to control them. They are very simple devices. Across two different brands of feeders I have they use the same internal mechanism, so this should work pretty universally across all generic-looking cat feeders... I was going to design a custom PCB but the circuit is so simple it was pointless and would've taken weeks to arrive. I cut the original wiring harness and crimped on JST-XH connectors to make it look somewhat professional. cat feeder from brand #1 wired to my board cat feeder from brand #2 wired to my board The prefboard I made (I made 3x of them) You can check out the code and some more images of the feeders and board (front/back/etc) here: https://github.com/captmicr0/EspCatFeeder submitted by /u/rhyno95_ [link] [comments]

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Often, one needs a simple low voltage sinusoidal oscillator with good amplitude and frequency stability and low harmonic distortion; here, the Peltz oscillator becomes a viable candidate. Please see the Peltz oscillator Analog Devices Wiki page here and a discussion on my Peltz oscillator here.

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Shown in Figure 1, the Peltz oscillator requires only two transistors, one capacitor, one inductor and one resistor. In this configuration, the output voltage is a ground referenced, direct coupled, low distortion sinewave, swinging above and below ground at ~1 Vbe, while operating from a low negative supply voltage (AAA battery).

Figure 1 Basic configuration of a Peltz oscillator with a low component count yielding a low distortion sinewave output.

The oscillating frequency is shown:

A simplified analysis shows the minimum negative supply voltage (Vee) is:

Where Vt is the Thermal Voltage (kT/q), Z is the total impedance “seen” at the parallel resonant LC network, Vbe is the base emitter voltage of Q1 [Vt*ln(Ic/Is)], and Is is the transistor saturation current.

Here’s an example with a pair of 2N3904s, a 470 µH inductor, 0.22 µF capacitor, and a 510 Ω bias resistor, powered from a single AAA cell (the oscillator actually works at ~0.7 VDC), producing a stable, low noise ~16 kHz sinewave as shown in Figure 2, Figure 3, and Figure 4.

Figure 2 Peltz oscillator output with a clean 16 kHz sinewave.

Figure 3 Spectral view of sinewave showing fundamental as well as 2nd and 3rd harmonics.

Figure 4 Zoomed in view of ~16 kHz sinewave.

Note the output frequency, peak to peak amplitude and overall waveform quality is not bad for a 5-element oscillator!

Michael A Wyatt is a life member with IEEE and has continued to enjoy electronics ever since his childhood. Mike has a long career spanning Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Insyte/ITT/Ex-elis/Harris, ViaSat and retiring (semi) with Wyatt Labs. During his career he accumulated 32 US Patents and in the past published a few EDN Articles including Best Idea of the Year in 1989.

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