Low-power MCUs for sensor processing

18 March 2015 DSP, Micros & Memory

NXP Semiconductors unveiled the LPC54100 series of microcontrollers (MCU), boasting ultra low-power performance for ‘always-on’ sensor processing.

Crucial for always-on applications, the technology requires as little as 3 μA for continuous sensor listening. A first for sensor applications, its asymmetric dual-core architecture enables scalable active power/performance so that developers can optimise power efficiency by using the 55 μA/MHz Cortex-M0+ core for sensor data collection, aggregation and external communications, or the Cortex-M4F core (100 μA/MHz) to execute math-intensive algorithms (ie, motion sensor fusion) more quickly while saving power.

This architecture is complemented by a range of analog and digital interfaces designed from the ground up for power efficiency – including a 12-bit, 4,8 MSps analog-to-digital converter capable of full-spec performance across the full voltage range (1,62 to 3,6 V), as well as low-power serial interfaces.

The LPC54100 Series targets products in mobile, wearable health/fitness, industrial applications (environmental monitoring, home and building automation lighting and robotics), gaming or other use cases that require long ­battery life as a key driver to enhance the end-user experience.

To enable embedded developers to bring sensor-based designs to market quickly, NXP has partnered with strategic manufacturers and sensor-processing middleware providers to offer an application-in-a-box sensor processing/motion solution that combines an LPC54102 microcontroller, nine popular sensors with middleware, and NXP’s LPCXpresso development platform and support.

For more information contact Arnold Perumal, Avnet Kopp, +27 (0)11 319 8600, [email protected], www.avnet.co.za

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