STMicroelectronics Exhibits Latest Embedded-Systems Solutions that Accelerate Smart Industry at Embedded Technology 2018
Tokyo / 13 Nov 2018With the arrival of the IoT era meaningfully connecting people with a wide variety of things, embedded systems are more important and valuable than ever. At Embedded Technology 2018 (ET2018), STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, will showcase Smart Industry demonstrations combining a range of functions, including face recognition, voice control, image recognition by embedded Artificial Intelligence (AI), vibration detection, and cloud connection. The Company will exhibit the latest semiconductor solutions essential for embedded systems, performing processing, sensing, connectivity, and motor/power-supply control.
The need for automation to boost efficiency and reliability at factories, logistics centers, construction and other sites is increasing. One of ST’s Smart Industry demonstrations will show visitors a humanoid robot, a robot arm, and a belt conveyor working together under the instructions of an operator. This demo features a cloud connection (AWS: Amazon Web Services) to enable the instructions from the operator to undergo voice processing in the cloud. The demonstration also features image recognition based on embedded AI, and vibration detection using industrial sensors.
Integrating many ST products, such as high-performance 32-bit STM32 microcontrollers, motion sensors, ToF ranging sensors, MEMS microphones, and Bluetooth® low energy ICs, ST’s Smart Industry demo also features a range of ST development boards, including the BlueCoin sensor development board, the STM32 Nucleo microcontroller development board, the X-NUCLEO function extension board, and an industrial multi-sensor development kit. Through this demo, ST will highlight a range of solutions that increase productivity by expanding the potential of collaboration between humans, robots, and facilities.
The growth of the IoT has produced a massive volume of data, continuously being sent between network-connected embedded systems and cloud servers, suggesting the need to reduce the load on communication lines and cloud servers. At the ST booth, visitors can see demonstrations of embedded AI hosted on a high-performance, low-power 32-bit STM32 microcontroller that might move processing from the Cloud to an edge node. These demonstrations include vibration detection that enables predictive maintenance of equipment and facilities, on-screen image recognition, and recognition of hand-written English letters and numbers. As ST’s demos show, Embedded AI can be swift and efficient, and by giving data processing capabilities to embedded systems on a network, it can contribute to the construction of a distributed IoT model.
Sensing, too, plays an important role in gathering a range of data in connected embedded systems. The ST booth will feature a demo of bone conduction using a low-noise high-bandwidth triaxial acceleration sensor module equipped with a time-division multiplexing (TDM) interface mounted on the side of a head. This solution is perfect for bone-conduction earphones that enable a clear conversation even in noisy environments such as factories and construction sites. In addition, ST will showcase the demo of motor-vibration detection for predictive maintenance systems using an industrial sensor development kit built using one of ST’s industrial-grade sensor assuring 10-year availability/longevity.
Tying together all of the embedded systems requires connectivity technology to create the networks of the IoT. Using an IoT device development kit that meets the LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) standard Cat-M1/NB-IoT that is now officially in use in Japan, the ST booth will showcase demonstrations of sensor-data uploading over a commercial network and cloud-side data monitoring. This development kit is comprised of a development board with an ultra-low-power microcontroller and ST’s free software, and provides an environment with everything needed for the initial stages of IoT device development. Also in the booth, ST will demo the just-announced Sigfox communication IC supporting Monarch software, which delivers automatic optimum-frequency recognition upon moving between areas that use different frequencies, and mesh networks using Bluetooth low energy ICs, to cover long- and short-range wireless communication.
Many embedded systems also include devices that drive a motor. ST will demonstrate a stepper motor driver integrated in a 3D printer. The 4MHz step-clock input frequency for this motor driver is extremely high, and the ST motor control can accurately micro-step in 1/256 increments. This optimizes the performance of the 3D printer and assures high-speed printing and a smooth surface finish. For brushless DC motors, another demo will show RPM control for an electric drill using a motor controller with an Arm® Cortex®-M0 microcontroller.
Other ST boards and demos displayed at the show include STM32 32-bit microcontrollers, pressure sensors, NFC tag ICs, wireless-charger ICs, and secure MCUs. In addition, to support IoT device prototyping, ST will place hands-on experience corner of STM32 Nucleo, 32-bit MCU development boards, and X-NUCLEO expansion boards with motion and environmental sensors, communication IC, ToF ranging sensors, motor drivers, and NFC tags.
To see all of these demonstrations, visit STMicroelectronics at Embedded Technology 2018 (November 14 - 16, 2018, at PACIFICO Yokohama).
STM32 is a registered and/or unregistered trademark of STMicroelectronics International NV or its affiliates in the EU and/or elsewhere. In particular, STM32 is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.
About STMicroelectronics
ST is a global semiconductor leader delivering intelligent and energy-efficient products and solutions that power the electronics at the heart of everyday life. ST’s products are found everywhere today, and together with our customers, we are enabling smarter driving and smarter factories, cities and homes, along with the next generation of mobile and Internet of Things devices. By getting more from technology to get more from life, ST stands for life.augmented.
In 2017, the Company’s net revenues were $8.35 billion, serving more than 100,000 customers worldwide. Further information can be found at www.st.com.
