low power

Posted on by Debashis Das - No Comments on Quectel BG95-S5 5G NTN + LTE IoT module can seamlessly connect across satellite and cellular networks

Quectel BG95-S5 5G NTN + LTE IoT module can seamlessly connect across satellite and cellular networks

Quectel BG95 S5 NTN satellite communication module

The Quectel BG95-S5 is a “multi-mode” 5G NTN satellite + LTE IoT communication module designed for seamless connectivity in remote areas. It supports 3GPP Release 17 IoT-NTN (S and L band frequencies) and offers fallback options with LTE Cat M1, Cat NB2, eGPRS, and integrated GNSS. These features make the module suitable for asset management, wireless POS, heavy industry, and wearables applications. In January this year, Quectel announced their CC660D-LS IoT NTN module in partnership with Skylo which focuses solely on NTN connectivity, whereas the “multi-mode” BG95-S5 seamlessly switches between different connectivity technologies (NTN, LTE Cat M1, Cat NB2, eGPRS). Quectel BG95-S5 IoT-NTN satellite module specifications: Module Type – NTN satellite communication module Compliance – Supports 3GPP Rel-17 IoT-NTN/ LTE Cat M1/ Cat NB2/ EGPRS module with Ultra-low power consumption Frequency Bands IoT-NTN S-Band – B23/ B256 L- Band – B255 (Under development/ planning) LTE-FDD Cat M1 – B1/ 2/ […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments on STMicro LSM6DSV32X Edge AI motion sensor aims to extend battery life in wearables, trackers, and activity monitors

STMicro LSM6DSV32X Edge AI motion sensor aims to extend battery life in wearables, trackers, and activity monitors

STMicro LSM6DSV32X AI motion sensor

STMicro LSM6DSV32X is a new low-power 6-axis inertial module with the company’s machine-learning core (MLC) with AI algorithms based on decision trees, a 3-axis accelerometer with a full-scale range of 32g, and a 4000 degrees-per-second gyroscope designed to measure intensive movements, impacts, and freefall height (estimation). The features of the sensors enable it to lower the power consumption for functions such as gym-activity recognition to under 6µA, while 3D orientation tracking consumes just 30µA when using STMicro’s Sensor Fusion Low-Power (SFLP) algorithm. It will be found in a range of battery-powered devices such as consumer wearables, asset trackers, and impact and fall alarms for workers or the elderly. STMicro LSM6DSV32X specifications: Triple-channel architecture for UI (user interface), EIS, and OIS data processing Data storage – Smart FIFO up to 4.5 KB Sensors Accelerometer – ±4/±8/±16/±32 g full scale Gyroscope – ±125/±250/±500/±1000/±2000/±4000 dps full scale Embedded temperature sensor Host interfaces SPI, […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments on Silicon Labs BG22E, MG22E, FG22E wireless MCUs target energy harvesting, battery-free IoT devices

Silicon Labs BG22E, MG22E, FG22E wireless MCUs target energy harvesting, battery-free IoT devices

BG22E MG22E FG22E energy harvesting wireless microcontroller

Silicon Labs xG22E is a family of wireless SoCs consisting of the BG22E, MG22E, and FG22E and designed to operate within an ultra-low power envelope required for battery-free, energy harvesting applications such as electronic shelf labels, Smart Home sensors, remote controls, and so on. Like the just-announced Silicon Labs MG26, BG26, and PG26, the new xG22E family features a Cortex-M33 core clocked up to 76.8MHz. As an evolution of the low-power BG22, the BG22E offers Bluetooth 5.4 LE connectivity with “Energy Conservation” to further enhance battery longevity and even support designs that eliminate the need for batteries. The MG22E is similar but embeds an 802.15.4 radio for Zigbee connectivity, and the FG22E provides a 2.4GHz proprietary plus the Cortex-M33 is clocked up to 38.4MHz. Silicon Labs BG22E, MG22E, FG22E specifications: MCU – Arm Cortex-M33 @ 76.8 MHz with DSP and FPU (38.4 MHz for FG22E) Memory – Up to 32 […]

Posted on by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments on SB Components LoRaWAN gateways and nodes are made for Raspberry Pi and ESP32 boards (Crowdfunding)

SB Components LoRaWAN gateways and nodes are made for Raspberry Pi and ESP32 boards (Crowdfunding)

lorawan product series

UK-based hardware developer, SB Components, has designed a new LoRaWAN product series (gateways and nodes) for the Raspberry Pi SBCs, Raspberry Pi Pico, ESP32, and other hardware, based on RAKWireless RAK5146 and RAK3172 modules. The products are available in up to five variants (plus two relay boards) and are built to cater to hobbyists with different needs. They support several LoRaWAN server platforms including The Things Stack, Chirpstack, and Helium, with adaptive spreading factors, coding rates, and bandwidth configurations. The LoRaWAN products include: Gateways – RAK5146 LoRaWAN Gateway HAT and RAK3172 LoRaWAN Gateway HAT for the Raspberry Pi SBCs Nodes – RAK3172 LoRaWAN Module (Powered by Raspberry Pi Pico), Raspberry Pi RP2040 USB Dongle, RAK3172 LoRaWAN Module (powered by ESP32), LoRaWAN Breakout, GatePi LoRaWAN 4-Ch Relay, GatePi LoRaWAN 8-Ch Relay LoRaWAN (long-range wide access network) uses the LoRa modulation technique to transmit data over large distances. In a LoRAWAN network, […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments on ESP32-S3 PowerFeather board supports up to 18V DC for solar panel input

ESP32-S3 PowerFeather board supports up to 18V DC for solar panel input

ESP32-S3 PowerFeather

The ESP32-S3 PowerFeather board is an Adafruit Feather-shaped ESP32-S3 WiFi and BLE IoT board that can be powered by a Li-Ion or LiPo battery and supports up to 18V DC input for direct connection to a solar panel. The developer told CNX Software that the main differentiating factor from other ESP32-S3 development boards was “its extensive power management and monitoring features” with a wide DC input range, supply and battery monitoring, and battery protection features. ESP32-S3 PowerFeather specifications: ESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N8R2 MCU – ESP32-S3 dual-core Tensilica LX7 up to 240 MHz with 512KB SRAM, 16 KB RTC SRAM Memory – 2MB QSPI PSRAM Storage – 8MB QSPI flash Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5 LE + Mesh; PCB antenna USB – 1x USB-C 1.1 OTG port for power and programming Expansion 2x 16-pin 2.54 mm pitch headers with 23x multi-function GPIO: UART, I2C, SPI, I2S, SDIO, PWM, CAN, RMT, Camera, LCD […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 12 Comments on ESP32-H4 low-power dual-core RISC-V SoC supports 802.15.4 and Bluetooth 5.4 LE

ESP32-H4 low-power dual-core RISC-V SoC supports 802.15.4 and Bluetooth 5.4 LE

ESP32-H4 block diagram

Espressif Systems has formally announced the ESP32-H4 low-power dual-core 32-bit RISC-V wireless microcontroller with support for 802.15.4 and Bluetooth 5.4 LE portfolio after having unveiled it at CES 2024. It’s the first Espressif chip to support Bluetooth 5.4 LE with previous models such as ESP32-H2 or ESP32-C6 only supporting Bluetooth 5.0/5.2. Besides BLE 5.4 support, the new ESP32-H4 dual-core RISC-V WiSoC is an evolution of the ESP32-H2 single-core chip with PSRAM support (up to 4MB built-in), additional GPIOs (36 vs 24), touch sensing GPIOs, and some extra security features such as a power glitch detector also found in the recently announced ESP32-C61. ESP32-H4 specifications: CPU – Dual-core 32-bit RISC-V core (at up to 96 MHz) RAM – 320KB KB SRAM, optional PSRAM up to 4MB Storage – 128KB ROM, External flash support Wireless connectivity IEEE 802.15.4 radio with Zigbee and Thread support, Matter protocol Bluetooth 5.4 (LE) radio designed in-house, […]

Posted on by Debashis Das - No Comments on Blues launches $19 Notecard XP cellular IoT module and Notecarrier XP series carrier board

Blues launches $19 Notecard XP cellular IoT module and Notecarrier XP series carrier board

Blues $19 Notecard XP

Blues has recently released the latest entry to its Notecard family, the Notecard XP (External Power supply), an updated and more cost-effective version of its existing Notecard Cellular. This new model reduces costs by not including certain components, such as SIM switching hardware, an embedded SIM with a data plan, and conformal coating while retaining all key features and functionalities. These include an Arm Cortex-M4 microcontroller, a three-axis accelerometer, a temperature sensor, and a secure element. Additionally, they have also removed the radio power supply to reduce costs further, bringing the price down to just $19. Alongside this release, Blues has also introduced a new “midband” LTE Cat 1 bis Notecard Cellular model, which features a single antenna design making it more compact and economical. In February this year we have seen Blues announced the Blues Starnote IoT Module, along with the Notecarrier A, B, F, and Pi series of […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments on Qualcomm QCC730 low-power Arm Cortex-M4F WiFi 4 SoC targets battery-powered IoT applications

Qualcomm QCC730 low-power Arm Cortex-M4F WiFi 4 SoC targets battery-powered IoT applications

Qualcomm QCC730 dual WiFi IoT microcontroller

Qualcomm has unveiled the “micro-power” QCC730 Arm Cortex-M4F dual-band WiFi 4 microcontroller for the IoT market that targets similar applications as the Espressif ESP32 microcontrollers but potentially at lower power consumption with claims of up to 88% lower power than “previous generations” making it suitable for battery-powered industrial, commercial and consumer applications. To highlight the low-power consumption, the company also mentions that QCC730 devices could become high-performance alternatives to Bluetooth IoT solutions with direct cloud connectivity. Qualcomm QCC730 specifications: CPU core – Arm Cortex-M4F @ 60 MHz Memory/ Storage 1.5 MB RAM, including 600KB for user app (On-chip RRAM (NVM) to host application without the need for an external NOR flash) 640 KB SRAM, including 260KB for user app XiP over QSPI Flash Wi-Fi Standards: 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11a Spectral Bands: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz Channels: 20 MHz Antenna Configuration: 1×1 Features: up to MCS3 Interfaces – Master I2C, 15x […]