ROHM Group company LAPIS Technology announced they have developed a chipset capable of providing up to 1W of wireless power for compact, streamlined wearable devices and for industrial smart, miniaturized, and sealing solutions. The ML7661 (transmitter) and ML7660 (receiver) eliminate the need for an external MCU by incorporating a control circuit required for transmission/reception, resulting in the industry’s smallest system size in the 1W class. This makes it ideal for wearables with a large battery capacity designed to be worn for long periods of time. Typical products include wristband blood pressure monitors, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and hearing aids, for example. Moreover, the adoption of the high 13.56MHz frequency band enables the support for Near Field Communication (NFC).

Providing wireless power and communication in a single chipset contributes to improved design flexibility in devices with rotating mechanisms that would normally be restricted by wired designs – such as industrial equipment, PC cooling fans, and e-bike torque sensors.

In recent years, there has been a growing need to improve the safety of compact electronics (especially small medical devices) against electric shock. A wireless power supply eliminates the need for a power cord, significantly improving safety during charging or sweating by increasing the waterproof, dustproof, and (electric) shockproof performance of sealed housings. However, although the Qi standard is widely used and can supply up to 15W, the system size which includes the chipset and antenna is also typically large, making it difficult to incorporate into wearable devices.

In response, ROHM Group company LAPIS Technology previously developed the ML763x chipset that utilizes the 13.56MHz frequency band to deliver 200mW of power and enable communication wirelessly. While this device was well-received by the market, there were calls for increased power to support wearables with large battery capacities such as wristband blood pressure monitors, smartwatches, and hearing aids. ROHM’s latest chipset meets this need by providing a power capacity of up to 1W in a compact form factor, expanding the application range.

Samples available now; mass production April 2022