Electronics Weekly – Pasternack Calibration Kits, Synopsys Vision Processor & More

Analog Devices Antenna Chip

(Image courtesy of Analog Devices.)

Analog Devices introduced the ADAR1000, an active antenna beamforming chip that allows designers to replace bulky, mechanically steered antenna platforms with a compact, solid-state device for phased array radar and communications systems.

The four-channel ADAR1000 active antenna beamforming chip replaces 12 discrete components needed for antenna phase-gain adjustments and digital controls. The IC supports time division duplexing (TDD) across the X and Ku bands. It includes an integrated T/R switch that can be used to select the common port as an input for transmit (Tx) or an output for receive (Rx). Furthermore, the four pairs of Tx and Rx channels have independently programmable gain and phase settings.

For more information, visit Analog Devices’ website.

Microchip 2D Touch Surface Library

2D Touch Surface library. (Image courtesy of Microchip.)

Microchip announced a 2D Touch Surface library that lets designers implement touch pads using the company’s 8-bit PIC and AVR microcontrollers (MCUs) and 32-bit SAM MCUs. Available free of charge with the purchase of any compatible MCU, the library provides a simplified system for embedded applications.

Ideal for implementing small touch pads and screens, the 2D Touch Surface library runs on a device’s existing MCU. This removes the need for a dedicated touch controller, providing the ability to add finger position tracking and gesture detection—such as swipes, pinch and zoom—to products. The touch library is provided through Microchip’s code configurators: MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC) for PIC MCUs and Atmel START for AVR and SAM MCUs.

Additional specifications are available on Microchip’s website.

Pasternack Calibration Kits

SOLT calibration kits. (Image courtesy of Pasternack.)

Pasternack released a line of 3.5mm calibration kits for test and measurement, field testing, antenna measurement and cable verification applications. The series of kits consists of two models, both with a lightweight, 4-in-1 design package. These short-open-load-through (SOLT) calibration kits have a 26.5 GHz calibration capability. They feature gold-plated 3.5mm connectors and a lanyard.

The SOLT calibration kits have an impedance level of 50 Ohms nominal. They also have a phase deviation of +/-2 degrees maximum and return loss of 30 dB minimum. They are suited for telecommunications, military electronics, automotive, medical, aerospace and consumer electronics industries.

For more information, visit Pasternack’s website.

RS Components Fan Controllers

4300N series of DC axial fans. (Image courtesy of RS Components.)

RS Components announced the availability of energy-efficient fan controllers with the 4300N series of fans from ebm-papst. The DCP controllers offer optimized power consumption by providing temperature-sensitive speed control for four-wire PWM controlled compact fans at 12, 24 and 48V DC. The EC range offers temperature control for compatible fans fitted with energy-saving motors.

Both lines offer a choice of pre-set temperature profiles and are supplied with a 2m temperature sensor lead, enabling a set of alarm functions such as over-temperature, fan and sensor failure, all without the need for an additional power supply to operate them. Also available is the 4300N series of DC axial fans, which provide high airflow (up to 285m³/h) with low operating noise and increased efficiency.

Information concerning pricing and availability can be found on RS Components’ website.

Synopsys Vision Processor IP

ASIL D Ready EV6x processor with Safety Enhancement Package. (Image courtesy of Synopsys.)

Synopsys launched its automotive safety integrity level (ASIL) B, C, and D Ready DesignWare EV6x Embedded Vision Processors with Safety Enhancement Package (SEP) to help accelerate the development of automotive systemonchips (SoCs). The EV6x Processors with SEP include differentiated hardware safety features, safety monitors and lockstep capabilities for safety-oriented designs.

The EV6x Processors integrate scalar, vector DSP and CNN processing units for accurate vision processing. With up to four vector DSPs that operate in parallel to the CNN engine, the processors provide scalable performance that supports all vision algorithms and CNN graphs. An optional IEEE 754-compliant vector floating point unit, integrated into the vector DSP core, and its supporting software offer performance levels of up to 328 Gigaflops for single precision operations and 655 Gigaflops for half precision operations.

For more information, visit Synopsys’ website.

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