29 June 2022 FEATURING: • Test &Measurement, Analysis, Calibration&Compliance • Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets &Panel Products • Power & Energy • Spotlight: Automotive Electronics &Telematics Specialised importer and distributor of electronic and industrial products in Southern Africa TheWorld of Actum Group
Dataweek, 29 June 2022 www.dataweek.co.za 1 TELECOMMUNICATIONS, WIRELESS, IoT, RF & MICROWAVE FEATURE 29 June 2022 Vol. 45 No. 5 News................................................................................. 4 Systems, components, design........................12 General ............................................................................ 28 Hot chips......................................................................31 Open [re]sources ....................................................... 32 QuickFind index ......................................................33 contents on the cover features regulars Power & energy...................................................................14 Power supply considerations for remote patient monitors. Spotlight: Automotive electronics & telematics...........................................................................22 New automotive-qualified power solutions, transistor gate drivers and digital signal controllers. Test & measurement, analysis, calibration & compliance........................................................................24 Waveform generators, oscilloscopes and connectors for the evolving world of test and measurement. Enclosures, racks, cabinets & panel products......................................................................26 Cable-entry panels, conduction-cooled cases, aluminium enclosures and rugged subracks. 29 June 2022 FEATURING: • Test &Measurement, Analysis, Calibration&Compliance • Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets &Panel Products • Power & Energy • Spotlight: Automotive Electronics &Telematics Specialised importer and distributor of electronic and industrial products in Southern Africa TheWorld of Actum Group Actum Group has been proudly built through partnerships and acquisitions of leading world-class companies like Actum Electronics, Dowson & Dobson Industrial, Peter Jones Electronic Equipment, Altico Static Control Solutions, Banding & Identification Solutions Africa and COMIR Industrial. The very best of those teams work together to continue delivering the world’s leading quality products. For more information contact Actum Electronics, +27 11 608 3001, [email protected], www.actum.co.za
Dataweek, 29 June 2022 www.dataweek.co.za 2 NEWS Disclaimer While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements, inserts and company contact details are printed as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material. Published by: Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, 1st Floor Stabilitas, 265 Kent Avenue, Randburg Tel: +27 11 543 5800 [email protected] Gauteng Tracy Wolter, Tel: +27 11 543 5800, [email protected] KwaZulu-Natal Jane van der Spuy, Tel: +27 83 234 5412, [email protected] Western Cape Contact Durban or Jhb numbers for details Advertising: Print and Online Sales Manager: Malckey Tehini [email protected] Editor: Peter Howells, B.Tech (Electronic Engineering), [email protected] Subscription services For address changes, subscriptions, renewal status or missing issues call +27 11 543 5800 or [email protected] or WRITE TO: Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Box 385, Pinegowrie 2123 Subscribe online: www.technews.co.za All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, adapted, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Technews Publishing (PTY) Ltd. Reg No. 2005/034598/07 ISSN 0256-8934 VOLUME 45 NO 5 29 JUNE 2022 From the editor’s desk Subscribe online: www.technews.co.za To most people, 42 is simply a number. To some, they may think about the fact that it is an even number, or maybe the product of six and seven, or that this is the length of a standard marathon in kilometres. Some of you may even know that the binary equivalent of 42 is 101010 (we do have engineers reading this publication after all). Whatever the connection, many people may be able to relate to the number 42 in some way. To a few people, however, there may be a strong recollection of a book they once read called the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. As the story goes, a supercomputer called Deep Thought was built to determine the answer to the ultimate question of “life, the universe, and everything”. When Deep Thought eventually came back with the answer of 42, which turned out to be both exceptionally confusing and useless as an answer to that question, it was decided to build a new supercomputer to determine what the actual question should be, this new “supercomputer” being Earth. To me, the number 42 presented in this book was the start of a journey into wonderful ideas, being amazed at all forms of technology, and the consumption of all things futuristic. I became engrossed in reading about electronics and “cool” gadgets and spent hours wishing the future would come quicker than it was seemingly able to do. This was the beginning of a wondrous life-long journey of learning and discovery. Why am I telling you this? Primarily as a way of introducing myself to you, the loyal reader of Dataweek magazine. I am a husband, father, engineer, educator, author and outdoor enthusiast, usually in that order. So, a little bit about myself. Upon leaving school in the mid-eighties, I entered tertiary education where I studied various fields, finally ending up with a diploma and degrees in electronic engineering, instrumentation and control, and business administration. My working life saw me employed first in the industrial field as an instrumentation engineer, and then five years on, as an educator when I joined Technikon Natal in the late nineties to pursue my dream of being able to contribute to engineering in a more meaningful way by guiding young minds as they themselves embarked on a career in engineering. When I was not teaching, I was writing engineeringbased texts or, in my down time, travelling around mostly with a backpack strapped to 42 my back or on two wheels. As I enter this new chapter I can look back and realise that this journey I have taken all culminates in education and the gaining of knowledge which I crave. Moving on thirty years from when it all started, I have now taken the next leap in my ongoing career and taken on a new responsibility, that of being the Dataweek editor. The past month has been a steep learning curve but a thoroughly enjoyable experience at the same time. “Why this new step?” you may ask. Well, as most of the readers know, being in the engineering field means a life-long pursuit of knowledge, not only in the engineering field but also in physics as well as other scientific fields, medicine, business, etc. The learning never stops as new technologies are discovered and developed to eventually become part of the modern engineering landscape. By being involved in a publication such as this, I, just like our readers, am also learning each and every month as I research and edit articles that I think may be of interest in the broad field of data communications. From computers through to communication devices, modern vehicles, and medical advances, many of the devices that only existed in our imagination when we were growing up are now part of our everyday life. I like to think that magazines such as Dataweek have a hand in driving this pursuit of knowledge and I will sincerely do my utmost best to ensure that this legacy continues. Peter
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Dataweek, 29 June 2022 www.dataweek.co.za 4 NEWS Vicor releases technology predictions for 2022 Another year into the COVID-19 crisis has shown that the drive for innovative power solutions has waned little, however progress does not come without its challenges. The three examples below reflect on how each sector can benefit from the drive for electrification and increased need for modular solutions, amongst other challenges and trends being seen in the industry as we approach the third year of a global pandemic. Automotive “Electric vehicles will be shedding weight while manufacturers are looking for innovative ways to give batteries a second life”, said Nicolas Richard, Vicor’s Director of EMEA Automotive Business Development. Today’s electric vehicles have as many as three separate batteries: one at 400 V or 800 V (traction battery), and a distribution system that operates from secondary 12 V and 48 V batteries. Manufacturers are looking to reduce vehicle weight and can eliminate up to 11 kg in BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and reduce power system complexity by architecting the traction battery to power the 12 V battery loads. This makes the 12 V battery redundant and expendable. As we move through 2022, we expect to see this modular approach to power delivery being adopted by OEMs seeking to electrify and differentiate their fleets, offering extended range and better overall performance. We also expect to see the momentum pick up behind EV battery re-use, ensuring that they can be re-purposed for power forklifts or to serve as reserve power for homes. In larger high-power commercial vehicles, there is growing interest in using hydrogen fuel cells for power, which will generate a greater demand for high efficiency DC-DC conversion. Lastly, within the vehicle itself, ride comfort will also become increasingly important for drivers and passengers. We believe there will be a greater demand for electrically powered active suspension, again highlighting the need for high efficiency power management solutions. High-performance computing “Data centre growth will continue to accelerate with the catalyst of the pandemic”, said Lev Slutskiy, Vicor’s Regional Manager. In 2022, the global hyperscale computing market will continue to grow from about $147 billion last year with a projected revenue compound annual growth rate of 27,4% through 2028. Key growth drivers will include increasing cloud workloads, data centre optimisation, social media platforms, and the emergence of data-as-a-service. We believe the debate between adopting AC or DC power will continue between data centre operators. Benefits of DC distribution include elimination of large AC-DC UPS systems, and no concerns about compute load distribution. Modern data centres use the most common approach of bringing 3-phase AC to the building and then splitting them into three single phase AC lines backed up by their own UPS systems. The trend towards the increased share of the renewable “green” energy continues and the high voltage DC will be provided by primary energy source in more and more cases, especially at the edge. COVID-19 has accelerated data growth, and this trend will continue after the pandemic. As 5G takes hold, network infrastructure will grow more complicated, with more computing nodes nearer to the user to reduce latency and allow the greater use of IoT applications. As IoT develops, more computing power will be needed to improve security increasing overall computing power demanded in the edge, fog and in central applications. Vicor has started early to meet this trend by building the smallest, densest power converters to support this trend. Data centres clearly need to reduce energy consumption by adopting power dense modules, which will in turn minimise the air-cooling load. The supply chain continues to be disrupted and we anticipate difficulties until at least the end of 2023. Military and aerospace “Innovation and demand for higher efficiency will continue despite the pandemic and the growing skills shortage”, said Teo DeLellis, Vicor’s Business Development for Aerospace. Innovation and demand for higher efficiency will continue to cause growing interest in electrification to replace mechanical systems and chemical fuels. For example, advanced submersibles are replacing hydraulics with electric power, while electric aircraft are setting new range and speed records. Power management for electrically driven drones will continue to be a critical factor, while the growing interest in directed energy weapons such as lasers for both shipboard and vehicle use will require solutions to manage new power sources such as solid-state batteries. There is also an increasing demand for power electronics technologies to conform to the requirements of standards such as the Sensor Open System Architecture (SOSA). The bounce back from the pandemic continues to see a surge in demand for electronics in military and aerospace markets, causing Vicor and others to quote increased extended lead times for some products. This is expected to extend well into 2022 although Vicor is mitigating this by expanding its production facilities. Further fallout from the pandemic is being seen in civil avionics where air travel is still not back to its pre-COVID level. We expect it will be 2023 before both civil avionics and the aftermarket are back to their pre-COVID levels. As with other engineering sectors, we continue to see a growing skills shortage. It is estimated that by 2030, there will be a global skilled labour shortage of up to 85 million jobs, which equates to $8,5 trillion, according to a recent Korn Ferry report. Recruiting young engineers could be essential in preventing a prolonged shortfall. This could be achieved in this sector by adopting innovative electric power technologies that show how the industry is responding to environmental concerns and is committed to renewable energies. The growing European space sector will also see increasing use of electric ion propulsion for spacecraft, primarily for station keeping for the new constellations of space-borne broadband satellites. For more information visit www.vicorpower.com Vicor, a global company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets power components and complete power systems, has released its industry predictions for 2022, covering three areas: automotive, hyperscale computing, and aerospace and defence.
Septentrio and CompoTEK announce collaboration Septentrio is strengthening its market reach for high-precision GNSS modules by signing a distribution partnership with CompoTEK for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. With over a decade of experience as a distributor of modules and semiconductors, CompoTEK support its customers during the purchasing and sourcing process, works closely with them during the design phase, and offers long-term product support. “We are excited about our new partnership with CompoTEK, a company with long-term An opportunity for a get together to catch up and rub shoulders with fellow Electronic Industry players. Our first get together COVID since Venue : Kyalami Country Club Date : Wednesday, 27 July 2022 Time : 07H30 Cost : R295 pp (excl. VAT) Networking Breakfast Invitation RSVP : 20 July 2022 +27 82 899 4143 [email protected] Join us! Altron Arrow FAE earns top award STMicroelectronics, one of Altron Arrow’s key suppliers, has awarded a top trophy award to Renaldo Fibiger, an Altron Arrow field application engineer. The trophy was in recognition of his outstanding achievement on completion of the STMicroelectronics field application engineer certification course in 2021. Renaldo was one of two attendees from Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region who scored 30 out of a possible 31 in the certification course. The award was presented at Arrow Centralised Training (ACT) in Prague, Czech Republic. ACT is an annual event for field application engineers hosted by Altron Arrow’s joint venture partner, Arrow Electronics. For more information contact Renaldo Fibiger, Altron Arrow, +27 11 923 9600, [email protected], www.altronarrow.com experience and knowledge of the high-accuracy positioning technology and market. We are extending our existing sales and application engineering channels, with a goal of complete coverage of US, Europe, Asia and beyond as well as efficient local support,” said Jan Reisen, sales manager at Septentrio. The mosaic high-accuracy real-time kinematic (RTK) module makes use of all available GNSS constellations and signals for maximum positioning availability even in challenging environments. Its small form factor and low power consumption makes it ideal for high-volume applications and assembly lines. The built-in AIM+ advanced interference mitigation technology ensures resilience to GNSS jamming and spoofing, making mosaic a reliable positioning component in any robotic, drone or machine control system. For more information visit www.septentrio.com/en NEWS
Dataweek, 29 June 2022 www.dataweek.co.za 6 NEWS KITE 2022 explored solutions to get industry back on track The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition (KITE) took place at the Durban Exhibition Centre recently and provided an overview of the major industrial players across the country, showing undeniably that industry and technology are thriving despite the global pandemic. The gathering of industrial suppliers showcased and demonstrated the latest technologies, equipment and services that can improve production efficiency, lower operating costs and improve safety. The event saw a big focus around automation and digitalisation which was spearheaded by the Covid-19 pandemic. This year’s exhibition provided visitors and exhibitors with both the opportunity to learn from keynote speakers who hosted free seminars during the expo, and to network with leading industry experts. Event organisers ensured safety and security for exhibitors and visitors alike with strict Covid-19 safety protocols throughout the event. Gary Corin, managing director of Specialised Exhibitions that is responsible for KITE, said the safety and wellbeing of exhibitors, suppliers, and visitors and indeed the industry as a whole was of paramount importance. “The excitement was tangible as the 80 exhibitors awaited the arrival of the thousands of visitors and was equally evident in the long queue that had formed to register on day 1 of the expo. This clearly underlined that an event which allows visitors and suppliers to interact on a more personal level was sorely overdue and we are thrilled to have initiated the reopening of trade shows in a controlled manner, with all Covid-19 safety regulations in place” he added. Mellisa Govender, marketing director of RS Components South Africa said that RS was excited to be one of the many companies that exhibited at this year’s KITE event. “This is our Cellular IoT module shipments surge ahead Annual shipments of cellular IoT modules in 2021 increased by 39% to reach 428 million units, according to a research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight. Annual revenues increased by 54% to reach US$ 5,3 billion, reflecting strong customer demand in a constrained supply environment. Even though the supply shortage has likely caused some inventory backlogs, many vendors have reported continued strong growth in the first quarter of 2022, suggesting that short-term demand remains robust. The results of this latest cellular IoT module vendor market share assessment show that the five largest cellular module vendors, including Quectel, Fibocom, Sunsea AIoT, Thales and Telit, hold 68% of the market in terms of revenues. Overall, 2021 was a record year for the cellular IoT module industry, in which all major vendors achieved double-digit growth. China-based vendors continue to outgrow the market, in part due to the significant growth in the domestic IoT market, which now accounts for more than 55% of the global cellular module demand. 4G LTE is the dominant technology as LTE Cat-1, NB-IoT and LTE-M replace 2G and 3G technologies in the low- to mid-market segments. LTE Cat-1 module shipments almost tripled in 2021, driven by strong uptake in China where adoption of LTE Cat-1 comes somewhat at the expense of NB-IoT shipments that recorded slowing growth year-on-year. Similar to the previous year, NB-IoT module shipments were largely confined to China with shipments internationally only in the single-digit millions driven primarily by smart gas meter and smart water meter deployments. LTE Cat-1 modules also account for a major share of the volume in North America, Europe and parts of the Asia-Pacific region, though LTE-M is viewed as an increasingly attractive alternative for IoT devices with stricter requirements on power consumption and long lifecycle. As both LTE-M and NB-IoT are 5G-ready, they are suitable for IoT devices that will stay in the field for more than 10 years, which may prove critical as mobile operators in advanced markets will start to sunset their 4G LTE networks near the end of the decade. LTE-M module shipments far exceed NB-IoT shipments outside of China. The ability to perform overthe-air software upgrades of LTE-M devices has proven to be the key factor for the technology’s success compared to NB-IoT. For more information visit www.berginsight.com St Henry’s Marist College learners exploring the KITE2022 stands. Team RS Components at this year’s KITE. fourth, consecutive KITE show. Many companies have had to reconsider how their businesses operate and are starting to fast track their digitalisation adoption. KITE is contributing to these decisions by offering suppliers and partners a platform to showcase their solutions so that companies can choose from the best technologies and innovations to help move their businesses forward and mitigate future challenges. KITE has always been a premier event for RS and we’re glad that it finally had the chance to take place. It has allowed us to reconnect with many customers in Durban and discuss how we can help them improve their businesses and achieve their design, production, and maintenance goals. As always, it’s also a great opportunity to catch up with other industry players and share information about new products and solutions. We’re already looking forward to the next one,” she said. For a recap of the KITE event visit https://bit.ly/kite2022
Dataweek, 29 June 2022 www.dataweek.co.za 7 NEWS with Greg Barron, Actum Group director Clearing the Static ESD flooring contains antistatic chemicals that enable static to dissipate through the floor to a ground point, and in so doing prevents discharges from occurring. A vital consideration when choosing floor covering is its resistance to earth, which indicates how strongly the material will resist the flow of electricity through it (measured in ohms). Altico’s ESD flooring has been specially engineered to facilitate a uniform flow of static electricity directly to a ground point. A selection of ESD flooring solutions allows you to choose an option to suit your unique facility, ESD requirements and budget. The range includes Static Dissipative (SD), Electrostatic Conductive (EC) and Conductive ROF floorings. Static Dissipative flooring is a hardwearing homogenous contact sheet or tile floor covering engineered for ESD protection. It’s typically used for computer operator installations, hospital theatre/CAT scan equipment and MRI units. Electrostatic Conductive flooring is a hard-wearing homogenous commercial flooring product that is designed for areas which require static dissipative qualities. It is typically used for electronic assembly/ repair areas, high-level sensitivity medical equipment, high-level sensitivity computer equipment, electronics etc. Conductive Flooring is generally used in explosive areas or manufacture of any explosive material, ammunition, or highly sensitive chemicals, ESD Floors are an essential solution for workspaces where anti-static flooring is required; in order to inhibit the static electricity on a person, reaching sensitive equipment. For more information contact Actum Group on +27 11 608 3001 or email [email protected]. Actum Group is a specialised importer and distributor of industrial and electronic products in South and Southern Africa. ESD Flooring Actum Group is fanatically focused on quality and proudly represents only the very best international and local company and brands. Actum Group has been proudly built through partnerships, collaborations, and acquisitions of leading world-class companies like Actum Electronics, Dowson & Dobson Industrial, Peter Jones Electronic Equipment, Altico Static Control Solutions, Banding & Identification Solutions Africa and COMIR Industrial. The very best of those teams now all work together and continue to bring you the world’s leading quality products. Actum Group was founded 18 years ago when entrepreneurs Greg Barron and Kevin Klaff decided to acquire the Actum Electronics business. The original business was founded in 1968 and grew over decades into a supplier of quality electronic components. Actum Electronics is now a leading distributor of quality electronic components, interconnect technology, EMI shielding and electronic packaging products in Southern Africa. Some of the leading interconnect brands distributed by Actum Group are: ERNI Connectivity ERNI is a leading global manufacturer and worldwide supplier of a broad line of interconnects for a variety of industries. ERNI develops and manufactures high-quality connector solutions, cable housings and enclosures and cable assemblies for a broad spectrum of applications. Actum Electronics has been the exclusive partner to ERNI for over 40 years and continues to support the product through technical expertise and stockholding. Rosenberger Rosenberger is one of the leading manufacturers of high-frequency coaxial connectors in the world. Its product ranges include RF coaxial connectors, RF automotive connectors, testing and measurement solutions, high-speed data systems, fibre optics, cables and cable assemblies and RF cable connections for mobile radio stations. Actum Electronics has been a local distributor for Rosenberger since 1975. Laird Performance Materials Laird solves design issues through products such as EMI shielding, suppression or absorber materials, thermal interface materials, precision Actum Group leads in the interconnect industry metals, and integrated, multi-functional solutions. Laird Performance Materials serves automotive, aerospace, medical, computing, data infrastructure, telecom, test and measurement, wearable devices, and gaming markets. Around the world, Laird protects billions of electronic devices from harmful heat, electromagnetic interference, or both, as well as adding to the structural integrity of those devices. KVG Crystals and Oscillators KVG is a German manufacturer of crystals and crystal products since 1946. KVG’s crystal products cover a variety of applications, such as telecommunication nets, mobile systems, and electronic measuring technology. These applications demand high precision, longevity, and reliable system availability. Products and partners include crystals, crystal oscillators, crystal filters, Taitien Electronics and Accubeat. Actum Group believes that honesty and integrity are more important than ever when doing business on our developing continent. It knows that in a harsh economic climate and hard world, a company that cares, and has decades of experience, is a company that’s strong. Actum Group invests in relationships and want to make a real difference. Why choose anyone else? For more information contact Actum Electronics on +27 11 608 3001, [email protected], www.actum.co.za Actum Group is a specialist importer and distributor of industrial and electronic products in Southern Africa. The world of Actum Group touches everything from agriculture and telecoms, to pharmaceutical and construction, to mining, oil and gas. 29 June 2022 FEATURING: • Test &Measurement, Analysis, Calibration&Compliance • Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets &Panel Products • Power & Energy • Spotlight: Automotive Electronics &Telematics Specialised importer and distributor of electronic and industrial products in Southern Africa TheWorld of Actum Group
Dataweek, 29 June 2022 www.dataweek.co.za 8 NEWS Settling a key dispute in the wireless communications field, researchers at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) found that transmission performance is consistent across different bands of the millimetrewave (mmWave) spectrum targeted for high-speed, data-rich 5G systems. Wireless systems are moving to the mmWave spectrum at 10-100 GHz, above crowded cellular frequencies as well as early 5G systems around 3 GHz. System operators tend to prefer lower bands of the newmmWave spectrum. One reason is that they are influenced by a formula that says more signals are lost at higher frequencies due to smaller wavelengths, resulting in a smaller useful antenna area. But until now, measurements of this effect by many organisations have disagreed over whether this is true. NIST researchers developed a newmethod to measure frequency effects, using the 26,5-40 GHz band as a target example. After extensive study in the laboratory and two real-world environments, NIST results confirmed that the main signal path – over a clear “line of sight”between transmitter and receiver – does not vary by frequency, a generally accepted thesis for traditional wireless systems but until now not proven for the mmWave spectrum. The results are described in a new paper [hyperlink to https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9759479]. The team also found that signal losses in secondary paths – where transmissions are reflected, bent or diffused into clusters of reflections – can vary somewhat by frequency, depending on the type of path. Reflective paths, which are the second strongest and critical for maintaining connectivity, lost only a little signal strength at higher frequencies. The weaker bent and diffuse paths lost a bit more. Until now, the effects of frequency on this so-called multipath were unknown. “This work may serve to demystify many misconceptions about propagation around higher frequencies in 5G and 6G,”NIST electrical engineer Camillo Gentile said. “In short, while performance will be worse at higher frequencies, the drop in performance is incremental, so we do expect the deployment at 5G and eventually at 6G to be successful.” The NIST method emphasises innovative measurement procedures and enhanced equipment calibration to make sure only the transmission channel is measured. The researchers used NIST’s SAMURAI (Synthetic NIST finds wireless performance consistent across 5G mmWave bands Aperture Measurement UnceRtainty for Angle of Incidence) channel sounder, which supports design and repeatable testing of 5G mmWave devices with unprecedented accuracy across a wide range of signal frequencies and scenarios. The NIST system is unique in that antenna beams can be steered in any direction for precise angle-of-arrival estimates. NIST’s main innovations in the new study, as discussed in the paper, were calibration procedures to remove the effects of channel sounder equipment from the measurements, extension of an existing algorithm to determine from a single measurement how individual paths vary by frequency, and studies in an industrial control centre and a conference room to classify the types of paths involved and determine any frequency effects. For more information visit www.nist.gov Wireless transmissions can take many routes to the intended receiver. The coloured lines are reconstructions of measured paths of millimetre-wave signals between a transmitter (not visible) and receiver (lower middle) in a NIST industrial control room. Each path is precisely characterised in terms of length and angle to the receiver. These paths are all secondary, meaning reflected or diffracted signals. EV wireless recharging in the future of transportation After months of testing at the “Arena del Futuro” ring located in a private area of the A35 motorway, Stellantis, together with its project partners, have demonstrated the capability of dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) technology to wirelessly recharge electric vehicles. The pilot project is coordinated by A35 Brebemi, a company owned by the global transportation infrastructure operator Aleatica that focuses on sustainable and innovative mobility solutions. DWPT technology uses a system of coils positioned under the asphalt that transfers energy directly to cars, trucks and buses without the need to stop at charging stations to refill the battery. The technology can be adapted for all vehicles equipped with a special receiver that transfers the energy from the road infrastructure directly to the electric motor, extending the range, while conserving the vehicle battery charge. “Our long-term strategic plan, ‘Dare Forward 2030’, is based on the premise of bringing ‘cutting-edge freedom of mobility’ to all and this project is the very essence of where we are headed as a company,” said Anne-Lise Richard, head of global e-mobility business unit, Stellantis. “Working with this incredible group of partners, we have proved that inductive recharging technology can power our electrified future. These joint projects are exciting steps as we work to achieve longer battery lifespan, lower range anxiety, greater energy efficiency, smaller battery size, outstanding performance and lower weight and cost.” The research project at Arena del Futuro showed that a BEV, like the Fiat New 500 outfitted to test the system, can travel at typical highway speeds without consuming the energy stored in its battery. Tests showed that the efficiency of the energy flow from the asphalt to the car is comparable to the typical efficiency of fast charging stations, so the driver does not need to stop to recharge. Furthermore, measurements on magnetic field intensity proved that there is no impact on the driver and passengers. At the event in Chiari, a Maserati Grecale Folgore was displayed to announce Maserati’s upcoming involvement in the project. The Grecale Folgore will be outfitted and run on the Arena del Futuro circuit to collect data and provide a detailed performance analysis. Inductive energy transfer of DWPT means there are no exposed cables, keeping the road surface safe for people to walk on. Arena del Futuro is a 1050 m asphalt ring powered by 1 MW of power. The system is powered by direct current (DC), which offers several advantages, including: • Reducing the power losses in the energy distribution process. • Guaranteeing a direct integration with renewable energy sources without the need to convert DC into AC. • Using aluminium cables for current distribution, which is easier to source, reduces costs compared to copper, and is lighter and easier to recycle. Time magazine cited the in-road inductive charging system behind Arena del Futuro as one of the 100 most important inventions of 2021. In addition to being useful on roads and motorways, it is also suitable when combined with other infrastructures like harbours, airports, and parking lots.
Certified SIL 2/3 Self-Test Library for Industrial Safety Simplify Your System Development and Certification Industrial safety is critical in the field of industrial controls, robots, sensors, gas detectors and smoke detectors, making the IEC 61508 Industrial Safety Standard a pre-requisite for these applications. Our broad portfolio of 32-bit SAM and PIC32 Microcontrollers (MCUs) and dsPIC33C Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) offers TÜV Rheinland-certified diagnostic libraries (self-test libraries) for designs targeting up to SIL 3, IEC 61508 FMEDA and/or safety manuals, which are available in a complete package. Utilize the comprehensive set of documentation and certified software libraries to simplify and accelerate your system development while saving certification cost and time. Advantages of Microchip’s IEC 61508 Diagnostic Libraries: • TÜV Rheinland certified diagnostic libraries can be used to implement an SIL 2 safety level in singlechannel applications and an SIL 3 safety level in dual-channel applications • Detects random hardware failures in the core, Flash memory, SRAM and other peripherals • The SIL 2/3 diagnostic libraries are part of an overall safety package that includes a software safety manual as well as a safety checklist offering for the IEC 61508 industrial safety designs • Complete source code for PIC® and AVR® MCUs and dsPIC33C DSCs, and binaries for PIC32C and SAM 32-bit MCUs microchip.com/IEC61508 The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo, AVR and PIC are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their registered owners. © 2022 Microchip Technology Inc. All rights reserved. DS00004456A. MEC2418A-UK-03-22
Dataweek, 29 June 2022 www.dataweek.co.za 10 NEWS Today, let’s start by talking about antennas. It is quite difficult to see the difference an antenna makes. This is because the view on the Helium app is delayed by a couple of days, and you therefore need to use the Helium Explorer page via an Internet browser. Even this, I suspect, is still giving you a delayed view, but it is workable. The other useful tool to keep in mind is the Helium coverage map (https://explorer.helium.com/hotspots/), which shows you the distances you are currently achieving when communicating with other gateways. Every antenna I have tested has been on test for at least a week so I can get a decent ‘feel’ for what it is actually doing. The SenseCAP M1 gateway comes with a small stubby antenna, listed as having 2,8 dBi gain, and it is suggested that you mount the device as high as possible and next to a window. In reality, this is not always practical – my first device was mounted at the top of my garage roof, on the inside! Suffice it to say my earnings were not great. I then added a 6 dB outdoor antenna, and the earnings were easily six times what I was achieving with the standard stubby antenna, so this clearly made a huge difference. This antenna was mounted outside, on top of my garage roof, roughly 5 metres off the ground. In terms of coverage, I would say the average distance I was achieving was about 10 km, with the odd 25 km connection taking place (from Benoni to Johannesburg). I later tested an antenna which was being marketed as having 12 dB gain, mounted 10 metres high. Based on the device datasheet, I had my doubts as to whether it was genuinely a 12 dB antenna, as it was shorter than a similar 11 dB antenna which I trusted. Nevertheless, the tests on our network analyser showed that the 12 dB antenna was exceptionally well tuned, and I tested it in the field for about a week. Heliummining – Popular hype or real business opportunity? – Part 2 By Chris Viveiros, operations director, Otto Wireless Solutions. Following on from Part 1 of my article in the May issue of Dataweek (see www.dataweek.co.za/16437r), I hereby invite you to rejoin me on my journey as I delve further into the practicalities of mining Helium cryptocurrency – the frustrations, the successes, the ups and the downs. As expected, though, the performance was not on par with my expectations of what a 12 dB antenna should achieve, although I did see a slight distance/coverage increase compared to the 6 dB antenna This led me to believe this so-called 12 dB antenna was in fact more akin to an 8 dB antenna. Testing our tried and trusted 11 dB antenna, however, increased coverage all the way to Krugersdorp and Pretoria (again, that’s from Benoni) and to date this is the antenna I am continuing to run. My main conclusion from the antenna testing is that the best antenna certainly does make a difference to coverage and to resultant earnings, and there is a lot of rubbish out there, which one needs to be wary of. Show me the money! My final point of analysis concerns the rate of exchange. Before investing in Helium mining, one needs to understand that it is not a quick-cash strategy. There are multiple factors at play when it comes to this sort of investment, and the golden rule of crypto investment which one hears time and time again is “Only invest what you can afford to lose.” Initially, when I started this journey, the exchange rate between Helium and the US Dollar, and taking into account the exchange rate between the Dollar and the South African Rand (ZAR), was HNT1,00 = R21,00. During March the rate rose to HNT1,00 = R27,00. The application on one’s phone, and the associated secure wallet, can display your earnings in ZAR, which is what most people will do. In order to convert, the app then also makes use of the prevailing US Dollar to ZAR exchange rate, and this is where it gets a bit complicated. At the start of March, that rate was approximately $1,00 = R16,00 and later in the month this ‘improved’ to $1,00 = R14,50. However, this is not actually an improvement for Helium mining, and for viewing one’s earnings in ZAR. As the Rand strengthens, so the ZAR value of your HNT will decrease. Adding to this risk was the cryptocurrency carnage seen across the board during May – the prevailing HNT to US$ rate is (at the time of writing) below HNT1,00 = $10,00, down from the high I saw of HNT1,00 = $27,00. Your device mines in HNT, your wallet is represented in HNT, and the ZAR value is dependent on the two rates of exchange. By way of example: in March during my peak, HNT10 = $270 = R4320. In May, at the time of writing, HNT10 = $100 = R1600. This has the effect of deterring potential investors, because the period for getting a return on your investment (which comprises the costs of the Helium mining device, antenna, cables and ancillaries) suddenly moves from, say, three-four months, to 10-12 months. This will not necessarily deter those in the mining community who follow the “invest what you can afford to lose” principle, but any fickle members who are looking for a quick-cash strategy will be put off. Closing thoughts In conclusion, if you want to get into this sort of crypto mining, I would say it is really easy to get into, but you need to be aware of the exchange rates and you need to have a solid and stable Internet network. With the unfortunate reality of load shedding in our country, one also needs to invest in UPS devices for your Internet router as well as for your Helium miner. If you are using an LTE router, all this may still be in vain if the service provider’s towers in your area go offline Chris Viveiros.
Altron Arrow is a proud distributor of the Philips product range. For more information contact Willem Schmidt on 011 923 9642 or [email protected] Future-proof LEDtechnology for dynamic LED markets during load shedding, so also give due consideration to your choice of service provider. And my answer to the obvious questions – how much can one earn per day and is it worth it? This is tough to answer. My experience since March is that one device with a good antenna can earn up to R150 per day quite easily when the exchange rates are favourable, while peak earnings using exactly the same setup might be as low as R30 per day when they are unfavourable. On bad days, expect to see R2 in earnings, and expect lots of days where it is anything in between. If you, like me, switch off the Rand value indication and concentrate on the Helium earnings, expect 2-5 HNT per month. So, is it worth it? Well, we have all heard stories of people investing early in things like Bitcoin and walking away wealthy over a short period of time; I happen to know someone who went from an R8000 investment to an R800 000 payout in no time… so I guess only time will tell if it is a worthwhile investment. My opinion is that Helium poses a solid business proposition in principle – it is encouraging Internet of Things build-out and enabling communication, and one thing any engineer will tell you is that every technological advance follows behind communications upgrades. Ultimately, though, only time will tell if Helium mining is a good investment or not, as it falls into the broader ‘Regulation of Crypto’ discussion which is certainly a huge risk as well. At the end of the day, I am personally enjoying this journey. It is not without its challenges, but it is also not without reward. As stated, I do not look at my Helium wallet in ZAR or US Dollars, I only look at the Helium value so as to exclude exchange rate variability. My objective was foremost to understand the topology, the earnings and the effects of different hardware. It has been a very steep and enjoyable learning curve. The frustrations I went through when trying to bring a mining device onto the Helium network (through our secure office environment) is something I viewed as a necessary evil, as I would rather have gone through that and be able to better assist customers, than remain ignorant of the challenges one might face. Secondly, having been the only South African out of 25 000 deployed devices to have been cloned has also given me a good level of understanding in terms of what can go wrong. Better that it happens to me – someone from a tertiary engineering background with the wherewithal to conduct proper testing, and trying to understand the network in order to be able to provide customers with support – than to one of our clients. For more information contact Otto Wireless Solutions, +27 11 791 1033, [email protected], www.otto.co.za Heliummining rewards, shown in HNT, for the Massive Chocolate Koala device in Benoni (refer to www.dataweek.co.za/16437r for context). www.dataweek.co.za NEWS
Dataweek, 29 June 2022 www.dataweek.co.za 12 REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN Quectel Wireless Solutions has announced the launch of the SG560D, an Android smart module integrating 5G New Radio (NR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Featuring a powerful CPU and GPU, the SG560D will satisfy complex application scenarios that require both high data rates and computing capabilities such as in-vehicle infotainment, industrial handheld devices, smart gateways, industrial cameras and monitoring devices. “In the era of Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT), computing capability becomes more critical to make devices smarter and more responsive. Our 5G SG560D module combines 5G and AI technologies to deliver state-of-theart performance in communication and data processing,” said Patrick Qian, CEO of Quectel. “I Quectel announces high-performance 5G smart module believe the SG560D will offer an excellent option for edge computing requirements and will accelerate the digital transformation of devices.” Powered by the Qualcomm QCM6490 chipset, Quectel’s SG560D is a 5G sub-6GHz smart module equipped with a Qualcomm Kryo 670 CPU as well as a Qualcomm Adreno 642L GPU, which together bring superior computing power to enable fast data processing. Tests indicate that the SG560D module can achieve computing performance of up to 14 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Quectel’s SG560D contains an embedded Android 12 operating system and allows for future upgrades to the OS. It has a default onboard memory of 4 GB LPDDR4X + 64 GB UFS, with multiple memory configurations available. The product has multi-region variants including SG560D-EU for EMEA, SG560D-NA for North America, SG560D-CN for China and SG560D-WF for worldwide use. Through the MIPI DSI interface, the SG560D can support displays with a maximum resolution of 2520 x 1080 and a refresh rate of 144 Hz. The module provides video performance offering a maximum 4K@30fps video encode and 4K@60fps video decode as well as a maximum of five groups of cameras. Embedded voice control via the STM32Cube The partnership between STMicroelectronics and Sensory Inc. has borne fruit in enabling embedded voice control through the STM32Cube software ecosystem. ST has announced a collaboration that will enable the STM32 microcontroller (MCU) user community to develop and prototype intuitive voicebased user interfaces for a wide range of smart embedded products. The joint efforts pair the STM32 hardware and software with Sensory’s voice-control technologies, including the new VoiceHub online portal that supports seamless creation of embedded speech-recognition models using custom wake words, voice-control command sets, and large natural-language grammars in almost twenty languages and dialects. The solution is based on an STM32Cube software extension package and runs on a high-performance STM32H7 MCU, taking advantage of its architecture, internal Flash, SRAM, and high CPU speed. This combination plays a key role in increasing voice-control accuracy and minimising commandrecognition time. The voice application and speech models are hosted in the on-chip memory of the STM32 MCUs which further boosts the system integration and ease of use, as well as lowers the cost of ownership “This collaboration is set to jump-start the development of embedded-voice user interfaces, adding friction-free command control and custom wake word to any device, from wearables to smart-home appliances,” Featuring 5G standalone (SA) and nonstandalone (NSA) network architectures, the SG560D supports downlink 4x4 MIMO and uplink 2x2 MIMO. In addition to cellular communication capability, the SG560D supports Wi-Fi 6E bands of 2,4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz, Wi-Fi 2x2 MU-MIMO and Bluetooth 5,2, which will significantly improve network coverage and enhance transmission data rates. The module also contains a multi-constellation GNSS receiver and can concurrently receive signals from up to seven constellations (GPS/GLONASS/ BDS/NavIC/ Galileo/QZSS/SBAS). By combining GNSS signals from dual-frequency bands (L1/L5), the module can deliver fast and highly accurate positioning performance. With various peripheral interfaces such as dual USB, multiple PCIe and UART, I2S and SPI, the SG560D offers flexibility and ease of integration to OEM developers in a wide range of AIoT applications including video conferencing systems, live streaming devices, gaming, edge computing, robots, drones, AR/VR and intelligent retail. For more information contact iCorp Technologies, +27 11 781 2029, [email protected], www.icorptechnologies.co.za said Ricardo De Sa Earp, executive vice president, general-purpose microcontroller sub-group vice president, STMicroelectronics. “The unique combination of ST and Sensory technologies will enable the STM32 user community to deploy ‘Voice AI on the edge’ without any programming, data-science, or machine-learning expertise, for free in prototypes and with favourable licensing terms in production.” “Sensory designed our VoiceHub so developers could quickly and painlessly create custom speech-recognition models. However, after creating a custom model, integrating the model onto hardware, and moving to licensing terms were the next hurdles that needed to be cleared,” said Todd Mozer, CEO, Sensory. “This world-class collaboration with ST creates a complete software, hardware, and licensing package for embedded speech recognition across the STM32 family and makes adding voice UIs simple.” ST’s new software package dedicated to voice-user interfaces is available at https://www.st.com/en/embedded-software/ x-cube-localvui For more information contact EBV Electrolink, +27 21 402 1940, [email protected], www.ebv.com
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