Sonics, Inc., introduced ICE-P3, the IP industry’s first product to automate implementation of dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS). ICE-P3 is the newest member of the ICE-Grain Family of Energy Processing Units (EPU) that identifies, sequences, and controls power state transitions in hardware up to 500X faster than conventional software-based approaches. ICE-P3 includes all of the capabilities […]
IoT
Prototype, screen-printed, flexible and stretchable batteries for future ready-to-wearables
Charging — let alone recharging — a wearable is a significant challenge. Conventional recharging technologies don’t necessarily translate well to a piece of clothing that will literally go through the ringer in terms of stretching. But now Nanoengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed the first printed battery that is flexible, stretchable and […]
New heart rate sensor claims to cut power consumption of fitness watches
It’s said that nearly 80% of the battery power in smartwatches goes to running the heart-rate monitor. But a new generation of photodiodes able to function as heart-rate sensors consumes five times less energy than the devices now found in smartwatches. The new photodiodes were developed by a Swiss startup called ActLight in conjunction with […]
Batteries boost wireless connectivity to the IIoT
Self-powered electronic devices that define the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) have special needs that can be addressed through the judicious selection of battery chemistry. SOL JACOBS | TADIRAN BATTERIES Going ‘truly wireless’ typically necessitates the use of primary (non-rechargeable) or rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. Besides untethering applications from ac lines, use of rechargeable batteries […]
AC-to-5 V converter chips hit 95% efficiency
Fabless power semiconductor company Helix Semiconductors has launched the first in a series of products designed to eliminate energy waste worldwide. The new eMpower HS100 is a two-chip set that brings unparalleled conversion efficiency of more than 95 percent when converting AC mains voltage to 5VDC — especially at light load, no load or standby operating conditions. […]
Tiny 2.6-A BDC motor driver targets portable, battery-powered IoT devices
The STSPIN250 single-chip 2.6A driver for brushed DC motors extends STMicroelectronics’ family of miniature, low-voltage, energy-efficient drivers for battery-powered portable and wearable applications. The driver integrates a full power-MOSFET bridge and fixed off-time PWM current controller in a tiny 3mm x 3mm package that saves space in portable equipment. The low on-resistance of the power […]
Non-toxic thermoelectric energy harvester could help enable the IoT
Energy scavenging electronics has long used the thermoelectric Seebeck effect to convert temperature differences into electric voltage. A Seebeck device creates voltage when there is a different temperature on each side. One bugaboo with using thermoelectrics, however, is that most employ toxic materials. But in a development that could help enable a variety of internet-of-things […]
New test suite covers smart lighting interoperability
The TALQ Consortium, developers of the global standard interface for smart outdoor lighting networks, have just released the formal beta version of the entire TALQ Test Suite for its members. With this test tool companies can now start testing their smart lighting solutions for multi-vendor interoperability. The Test Suite will allow first products to be […]
