Inspiring the Evolution of Embedded Design

June 14, 2022

Microcontroller Watch

NXP Debuts Today! The MCX Family of Microcontrollers Reach A New Era In The Smart World With The Neural Processing Unit (NPU)

NXP announces its MCX portfolio of MCUs and launches the Neural Processing Unit, a groundbreaking processor that has 30 times more machine learning throughput than a CPU alone. The MCX series has four different device levels based on Arm Cortex-M processors. These advanced MCUs are aimed at smart homes, smart cities, and an ever-changing industrial and IoT edge landscape of applications.

Portenta X8 is an Arduino SoM With Linux Preloaded Onboard

Arduino’s Portenta system-on-a-module (SoM) comes with Linux preloaded and ready to go right out of the box. The industrial-grade SoM is capable of running device-independent software due in large part to its modular container.

Raspberry Pi Pico is a Microcontroller with the Same Reliability as All Raspberry Pi’s

The Raspberry Pi Pico is the stand-out microcontroller that debuted recently to join the company’s line of boards. Built around the RP2040 silicon platform, Pico is a high-performance, low-cost, easy-to-use microcontroller. Raspberry Pi Pico, in addition to the RP2040, also has 2MB Flash memory and a power supply chip that supports input voltages from 1.8V to 5.5V. There are 26 GPIO pins, three of which can be set to run as analog inputs on 0.1 pitch through-hole pads with castellated edges.

Editor's Desk by Stephen Vicinanza

Microcontroller Developments

This week's focus is on microcontrollers, we have news from the Netherlands, where NXP Semiconductors is taking a leap forward in the controller space with the Neural Processing Unit (NPU).

As the world continues to embrace “the Smart World,” many microcontrollers are now controlling more and more complex functions. This goes without saying for the most part, but with NXP's MCX series of microcontrollers, the ability to connect with the smart world has become even easier than ever.

Building on the strength of more than 20 years of industry-leading Kinetis and LPC portfolios, NXP Semiconductors says its MCX portfolio debuts a new generation of scalable, secure and developer-focused microcontrollers. The Arm Cortex-M based MCX portfolio is purpose-built on a common foundation of core technologies that support vast Industrial and IoT use cases. These 32-bit, flash-based microcontrollers provide expanded product capabilities with memory scalability and a broad package offering. A simplified system design offers optimal enablement and intelligent peripherals for the intelligent edge including: machine learning, wireless, voice, motor control, analog and more.

With 30 times the machine learning throughput as compared to a CPU alone, the functionality of the NPU now puts the onerous on other chip manufacturers to process deep, more inferred content.

Industrial and IoT streams, designs, and concepts will see a surge in ability and an enhanced time to market, as well as reduced bills-of-materials.

For in-home automation and smart cities, a more "thoughtful" machine is on the horizon. The entire process should also become easier for the average user in terms of speech-to-action recognition.

In the industrial space, more in-depth instruction sets, with higher levels of inference will result in safer, more secure, higher-order tasks. The smart factory could also gain a more robust and precise performance set, with an eye on how such a direct impact on the factory and warehouse systems will play out in real time. Such change can see a "calculated" plant floor - that changes with product parameters rather than needing to retool. This could be a huge advancement in how products are manufactured and stored.

Next week, tune in for the IoT Technology showcase, where we examine the latest advances and products.