Embedded,  smartphone,  5G,  Intel,  200MP image sensor, 

A selection of news from the world of embedded, this week featuring Andes Technology, Autotalks, Axivion, Blues Wireless, Cadence Design Systems, GlobalFoundries (GF), Green Hills Software, ITTIA, KIOXIA, Kontron, Microchip Technology, OMNIVISION, proteanTecs, Qt Group, and Review Display Systems (RDS).

OMNIVISION released a 200MP image sensor with a pixel size of just 0.56µm, which it said is a key breakthrough, proving that pixel shrink is not limited by the wavelength of light. Its new OVB0A is designed for rear-facing (wide-angle) main cameras in high-end smartphones. The image sensor utilizes 16-cell binning to achieve premium video capture of 12.5MP/4K at 120 frames per second (fps). It also features 100% quad phase detection (QPD) for superior autofocus. The OVB0A sensor’s selective conversion gain attains the optimum balance between low-light image quality and high dynamic range (HDR). This allows smartphone OEMs to optimize HDR performance for contrasting light and dark areas in any scene.

Cadence Design Systems and GlobalFoundries (GF) have collaborated on a design, simulation and tape out of a 28GHz 5G mmWave IC, including an integrated antenna as a system-in-package (SiP), based on silicon-proven GF 22FDX platform. The design was then simulated with the Cadence AWR Virtual System Simulator (VSS) – using the combined Rohde & Schwarz signal creation and analysis tools within the R&S VSESIM-VSS supporting 5G NR – and showed a high correlation to silicon measurements and lab testing performed by the German institute, Fraunhofer IIS/EAS. The design flow enables customers to optimize the complete mmWave IC and SiP for performance, power efficiency and reliability.

Microchip Technology announced it has achieved MIL-STD-883 class B qualification for its RT PolarFire FPGAs. To achieve this qualification, the FPGAs passed a series of environmental tests to determine resistance to the deleterious effects of natural elements and conditions of defense and space operations, as well as mechanical and electrical tests. Passing these tests paves the way for Qualified Manufacturers List (QML) Class Q and V qualification for spaceflight component reliability.  Unlike alternative solutions, the FPGAs do not exhibit any configuration upsets in radiation and therefore require no mitigation, reducing engineering expenses and bill of materials costs.

Andes Technology and Green Hills Software announced they are collaborating to offer an integrated and optimized platform for safe and secure computing on the AndesCore 25-Series family of RISC-V cores. The Green Hills Software offering will include the safety-certified µ-velOSity real-time operating system (RTOS), the ASIL-certified MULTI development environment with advanced system-level debugging and analysis tools and C/C++ optimizing compilers, along with probe for JTAG and trace target connections. The combined hardware and software platform is designed for to help customers to create 32/64-bit RISC-V-based SoCs targeting critical functions requiring ISO 26262 ASIL B to ASIL D, making the combined platform ideal for vehicle electronics requiring compact and cost-sensitive SoCs capable of ASIL certification.

proteanTecs announced that Autotalks has selected its health and performance monitoring solutions to enhance reliability of the TEKTON3 and SECTON3, its chipsets that support 5G vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication.  proteanTecs’ cloud and edge analytics provide actionable insights and predictive data about the chipset’s performance and quality, during production testing and in lifetime usage. The company provides monitoring solutions for ADAS, electric vehicles and autonomous applications. By incorporating proteanTecs as part of their zero defects program, Autotalks aims to give automotive OEMs the ability to predictively monitor reliability with greater certainty.

ITTIA has announced immediate availability of version 8 of its real-time embedded database for monitoring, storing and analyzing time series data locally in embedded systems and IoT devices. Its ITTIA DB v8 is a hybrid transactional/analytical processing (HTAP) solution for both microcontrollers and microprocessors that combines the best traits of online transaction processing (OLTP) with online analytical processing (OLAP) optimized for live sensor data. The company said this new release enables customers to derive deeper insights more effectively by understanding raw data where it originates.

Axivion, a provider of software solutions for static code analysis and software erosion protection, announced it is being acquired by Qt Group. Qt Group plans to sell Axivion products to new and existing customers, as well as to C/C++ software development markets outside the Qt ecosystem. Static code and architecture analysis is increasingly becoming an integral part of the software development process throughout the lifecycle. Juha Varelius, president and CEO, Qt Group Plc, said, “Together with Axivion’s team we see potential to grow faster than the market with our comprehensive quality assurance offering.”

KIOXIA Europe said it is sampling new industrial-grade flash memory devices utilizing its latest generation BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory with 3-bit-per-cell (triple-level cell, TLC) technology, and is available in a 132-BGA package. Densities range from 512 gigabits (64 gigabytes) to 4 terabits (512 gigabytes) to support the unique requirements of industrial applications – including telecommunication, networking, and embedded computing. The devices have the ability to convert TLC flash memory (3-bits per cell) to single-level cell (1-bit per cell) mode – improving performance and reliability.

Blues Wireless announced the general availability of its Sparrow developer kit, which claims to be an efficient and economical solution to the last mile problem of internet-connecting a group of low-cost, low-power device sensors for shared data backhaul to the cloud. The kit includes reference hardware, example firmware, and an easy-to-deploy web application. Sensors are organized into clusters, and LoRa-based sensor data is routed through inexpensive Notecard-powered cellular gateways. The Notecard’s developer experience was designed to simplify cellular, democratizing a capability formerly only available to sophisticated engineering firms.

Review Display Systems (RDS) has introduced a family of industrial motherboards, the Kontron K384x series Micro-ATX featuring Intel’s latest 12th Generation Alder Lake chipset. Designed and developed for continuous 24-hour operation in industrial environments, the Micro-ATX K3481-Q, K3482-Q and K3843-B offer support for a multitude of Intel processors including the Core i9, i7, i5, i3, and Pentium and Celeron processors. Common features across all three motherboards include four memory sockets supporting up to 128GBytes of the latest DDR5-4800 DIMM, four DisplayPorts enabling support for four independent external displays, multiple M.2 solid-state drive (SSD) expansion capability, four PCI Express (Gen5) sockets, four USB 3.2 (Gen1/Gen2), RS232 serial comms and one 8-bit GPIO.