The 5G mid-band spectrum offers a compelling balance of capacity and coverage necessary for new applications and use cases.
Wearables
Low-power cellular module combines MCU and modem
In conjunction with Sony Semiconductor Israel (Sony, formerly Altair Semiconductor), STMicroelectronics, and Truphone, Murata introduced the availability of the Type 1SE module, a highly integrated, miniaturized, low power cellular IoT solution featuring a low power STM32L4 MCU and an ALT1250 M1/NB modem. Measuring just 15.4 x 18.0 x 2.5 mm, it combines the key components […]
Hybrid FPC-to-board connector combines low-profile with high-current capacity
Hirose has developed a hybrid flexible printed circuit (FPC) to board connector that offers significant space savings and high power capability. The low-profile BK13C series has a pitch of only 0.35 mm, stacking height of 0.6 mm, and width of 1.9 mm, enabling OEMs to reduce the size and cost of portable and wearable electronic […]
Inductors target power circuits in wireless earphones
TDK Corporation has developed the PLEA67 Series of inductors for use in true wireless stereo (TWS)* devices. Mass production will begin in March 2021. This new series of inductors is intended for use in power circuits incorporated into wireless earphones used with smartphones, portable players, and similar devices. In addition to an impressive rated current […]
Thin film haptic actuators create high-fidelity in a localized way
While piezoelectric haptic solutions are found in many applications, they are often large and heavy, thus shaking the entire device. KEMET’s new piezoelectric polymer film haptic actuators are thin (150 µm), flexible and conformable devices made from a proprietary, patent-protected paper-thin material, an electro-active polymer film, that enables piezoelectric effects to mimic the sense of […]
Boost converter, LDO ICs feature supe-low quiescent currents
Designers can now extend battery life and reduce the solution size of consumer, industrial, healthcare, and IoT systems with three new Essential Analog ICs from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. The MAX17227A 2A nano power boost converter, the MAX17291 high voltage, 1A boost converter, and the MAX38911 500mA LDO all provide the lowest quiescent current among competitive solutions to […]
LCD contrast vs temperature
by Bill Cheung, Orient Display The LCD has been widely used in different applications, such as automotive, home appliance, medical, industrial, communication, entertainment, consumer devices, etc. It has been the most popular display technology for more than a decade after surpassing CRT. But the LCD has its genetic drawbacks, such as narrow viewing angle, slow […]
Super-low-power arm cortex-M33 core MCUs feature advanced cybersecurity, graphics, peripherals
STMicroelectronics has announced a new generation of extreme power-saving microcontrollers (MCUs), the STM32U5* series, to meet the most demanding power/performance requirements for smart applications including wearables, personal medical devices, home automation, and industrial sensors. The industry-leading STM32 MCUs, built upon the highly energy-efficient Arm Cortex-M processors, are already in billions of domestic appliances, industrial controls, […]
Smart hearable reference design speeds development of voice-initiated, hands-free Alexa built-in devices
QuickLogic Corporation announced it has released an Amazon-qualified reference design that empowers OEMs and ODMs to evaluate and develop their own smart hearable products quickly and easily. This kit integrates the Alexa voice-initiated Close-Talk experience, enabling a broad set of battery-powered applications to communicate directly with Alexa for a multitude of use cases. This is […]
MPPT chip boosts efficiency of space-constrained solar harvesters
Designers of space-constrained designs can now significantly increase runtime with the MAX20361 single-/multi-cell solar harvester with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. The industry’s smallest solar harvesting solution is ideal for space-constrained applications such as wearables and emerging internet of things (IoT) applications. Designers are often challenged with the tradeoff between […]
