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Tuesday, February 07, 2017

Embedded sensors use stomach acid for power

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women's Hospital in the US have developed a small voltaic cell that is powered by acid in the stomach.

By Nick Flaherty www.flaherty.co.uk

The 'pill' was developed with backing from chip maker Texas Instruments and generates enough power to run a temperature sensor and wireless link for several days. This could offer a safer and lower-cost alternative to the traditional batteries, as these can cause burns when swallowed.

The researchers attached zinc and copper electrodes to the surface of their ingestible sensor. The zinc emits ions into the acid in the stomach to power the voltaic circuit, generating enough energy to power a commercial temperature sensor and a 912MHz transmitter.
In tests in pigs, the devices took an average of six days to travel through the digestive tract. While in the stomach, the voltaic cell produced enough energy to power a temperature sensor and to wirelessly transmit the data to a base station located 2 meters away, with a signal sent every 12 seconds.
The current prototype of the device is a cylinder about 40 millimeters long and 12 millimeters in diameter, but the researchers anticipate that they could make the capsule about one-third that size by building a customized ASIC with the energy harvester, transmitter, and a small microprocessor.

See more at Stomach acid powers sensors | EETE Power Management

congatec backs Windows 10 IoT on compute modules
Machine learning for dynamic grid modeling boosts ...
Polarons open up new type of solar cell
Building the new generation of distributed battery power plant...
Four trends driving IoT in 2017
UK battery maker starts virtual power plant trial
FPGAs moving to the edge of the IoT
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              Monday, February 06, 2017

              Power news this week

              By Nick Flaherty www.flaherty.co.uk

              POWER NEWS

              $85m fuel cell system manufacturing joint venture set up
              		.$85m fuel cell system manufacturing joint venture set up
              Suppliers battle to supply largest battery power stations
              		.Suppliers battle over largest battery power stations
              Partnership to roll out aqueous zinc batteries for lower cost grid energy storage
              		.Partnership to roll out aqueous zinc batteries for lower cost grid energy storage
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              TECHNOLOGIES TO WATCH

              Atomic-level sensors measure electric fields in active power semiconductors
              		.Atomic-level sensors can be embedded in  in active semiconductors
              Study finds storing solar power increases energy consumption and emissions
              		.Study finds storing solar power increases energy consumption and emissions
              Polarons open up new type of perovskite solar cell
              		.Polarons open up new type of perovskite solar cell

              NEW PRODUCTS

              Dialog, Energous launch first single chip wireless charging
              		.Dialog, Energous launch first single chip wireless charging
              2W DC-DC converters occupies under 1.25 sq cm
              		.2W DC-DC converters occupies under 1.25 sq cm
              300W level 6 medical supplies offer Class I or Class II inputs
              		.300W level 6 medical supplies offer Class I or Class II inputs

              Related stories:

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                        Thursday, February 02, 2017

                        Top stories in January

                        By Nick Flaherty www.flaherty.co.uk

                        A quieter month for the Embedded blog in January, so older stories are coing through. Embedded World later this month will bring the latest embedded technologies to the fore.

                        Posts


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                        Wednesday, February 01, 2017

                        Telit buys GainSpan for $8m IoT boost

                        By Nick Flaherty www.flaherty.co.uk

                        London-based cellular module and services supplier Telit has bought US WiFi chip designer GainSpan in an $8m deal that highlights the consolidation of the embedded market. 

                        GainSpan manufactures and commercializes chips and modules for battery-powered devices and related intellectual property (IP) with embedded software, including network stacks and application reference designs. GainSpan has over 90 employees, mostly R&D and application and support engineers, spread across an R&D center in Bangalore, India and San Jose, California.
                        GainSpan was set up by engineers from Intel in 2006 to develop low power WiFi chips, but the relatively low deal value after ten years of operation highlights the challenges in getting the technology designed in. 

                        “As we enter an era of maturity for the IoT, we are starting to witness the appearance of spaces within it such as the Internet of Sensors, the Internet of Cars, and the Internet of Digital,” said Oozi Cats, CEO of Telit. “With few exceptions, the ability to cut the power cord is an essential growth engine for all these branches of the IoT.”

                        Telit is bidding for 75% of 27 billion short range IoT connections predicted for 2025 that use WiFi, and a low power solution is essential.
                        This addresses the growing market of battery-powered devices that rely on Wi-Fi and other low-power technologies for healthcare, building management, cold-chain logistics, and a wide range of commercial and industrial application areas.

                        “The acquisition of GainSpan brings to Telit a world-class portfolio and a proven track record of Wi-Fi and low-power module solutions trusted by tier-one customers,” said Cats. “Combined with our existing strength in delivering the most comprehensive, relevant portfolio of products and solutions for the IoT, this addition positions us well for future growth in our target segments, including security and surveillance, home automation, healthcare, asset management, and smart cities.”

                        However, the technology aligns well with existing Telit products including cellular, Bluetooth/BLE, and GNSS modules as well as IoT connectivity and platform “sensor-to-cloud” services. The low-power Wi-Fi technology with low standby current and fast wake-up time enables customers to extend the battery life of their devices for years, and GainSpan's IP also offloads Wi-Fi services and networking functionality from the application. Customer devices can be designed with a simple and inexpensive MCU or without one at all.


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                        Arrow invests in Swindon for Artesyn configurable power supply service

                        Distributor Arrow Electronics is investing in its plant in Swindon, UK, to provide configurable AC-DC power supplies from Artesyn Embedded Technologies for low to medium volume requirements.

                        Arrow is replicating Artesyn’s own configuration line and testing processes so that it can offer configured power supplies from Artesyn’s MP, iMP and low profile (1U) MicroMP (uMP) ranges.

                        Over two million options are available and small batches of up to ten units can be produced in as little as 48 hours. Power supply requirements often change during a product design process and the Artesyn configurable solution delivers flexibility while reducing the costs and risk associated with full custom solutions.

                        In addition to the new configuration line, Arrow has installed equipment for surge and EMI testing as well as an environmental chamber that operates from -70 to +100 degrees Celsius. These all use Artesyn’s test procedures and parameters.

                        See more at Arrow invests in Swindon for Artesyn configurable power supply service | EETE Power Management


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                        Tuesday, January 31, 2017

                        congatec backs Windows 10 IoT on compute modules

                        By Nick Flaherty www.flaherty.co.uk

                        Leading German board maker congatec is supporting the IoT editions of Windows 10 across its range of computing modules as an embedded operating, partly driven by the need for data analysis capabilities at the network edge. 

                        "Supporting Windows 10 IoT is a very crucial milestone for us as part of an array of measures on our IoT roadmap which aims to simplify the integration and use of IoT connected embedded computer technology, " said Martin Danzer, Director Product Management at congatec.
                        This has involved changes such as enhanced security and switching off Windows activation as well as lockdown options for IoT-connected appliances. congatec has integrated these features on all its current boards with Intel Atom, Celeron, Pentium, Core and Xeon processors as well as AMD Embedded R and G Series processors. This allows designers to benefit from an overall simplified development of IoT connected devices in industrial automation and production, retail and outdoor advertising, the healthcare and transportation segments, plus a host of additional industries.

                        "Our customers who are using Windows 10 platforms want to develop innovative IoT applications and generate comprehensive business intelligence," said Danzer. "They need highly unified, consistent and completely trustworthy OS support to cover all the embedded devices, tablets, smartphones and IT systems that are to be deployed." 

                        The Windows 10 IoT Enterprise as well as IoT Core editions, which congatec and Microsoft will support for at least 5 years for mainstream appliances and 5 additional years for customers with extended support, offer a range of security technologies such as Secure Boot, BitLocker, Device Guard and Credential Guard, to ensure that appliances are comprehensively protected for the entire operation time from power-on to power off. Whether just a particular app has to be launched or access to non-authorized USB peripherals has to be locked down, Windows 10 IoT provides the necessary functions for any specific device environment.

                        Additionally, Windows activation - which is otherwise obligatory - can be switched off to enable booting in locked network environments. Customers also benefit from the integrated interoperability for IoT-typical heterogeneous device environments, which apart from embedded appliances also integrate smartphones, PCs and laptops as well as edge, fog and cloud servers. That simplifies the development of universal apps and additionally the security and management of IoT applications. It also means that developers can completely focus on their tasks and core competences.

                        The new Windows 10 IoT Board Support Packages are now available in the download area of the corresponding congatec single board computers and modules at http://www.congatec.com/en/products.html

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                        Machine learning for dynamic grid modeling boosts reliability

                        Itron's Idea Labs has developed a modeling technique that uses machine learning and existing voltage data to find out where all the meters are and dynamically balance the electricity grid.

                        The repair of distribution infrastructure following a power outage can sometimes lead to meters being reconnected to the wrong transformer or phase, which leads to issues with grid balancing. Itron Grid Connectivity helps utilities quickly and accurately identify meter-to-transformer and meter-to-phase connections using hourly interval voltage data and machine learning algorithms, without the need for expensive hardware or field labour. The technology was developed by Itron Idea Labs, an organization within Itron that accelerates business innovation.

                         “Traditionally, verifying transformer and phase connectivity has required either visual tracing of overhead lines or sending and receiving electrical signals over the wire. With Itron Grid Connectivity, we are using existing voltage data to significantly improve the speed and accuracy of connectivity and helping utilities ensure high-performance grid operations and applications,” said Roberto Aiello, managing director of Itron Idea Labs. “Enabling smart grid applications without accurate and timely knowledge of meter to transformer and phase connectivity is like finding your way with an out-of-date map. Itron Grid Connectivity is like the GPS, accurately tracking meter locations in relation to the transformers that serve them.”

                        Read more at Dynamic grid connectivity modeling boosts reliability | EETE Power Management

                        By Nick Flaherty www.flaherty.co.uk
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