Starter kit supports 32-bit MCU-based developments

The MCU features one of the most highly accurate analogue front ends (AFE) in the industry boasting less than 0.1% precision without calibration.

Evaluating analogue characteristics with high precision requires strong analog design and development expertise, from evaluation board design to software development.

In addition, identifying and analysing problems when the desired characteristics cannot be obtained is time-consuming, making it difficult to bring products to market in a timely manner.

The RX23E-A RSSK brings together hardware, software, and tools optimised for evaluating the MCU’s high-precision 24-bit delta-sigma (ΔΣ) A/D converter with industry-leading accuracy.

The RSSK enables users without any AFE development expertise to accurately evaluate analogue characteristics to the nanovolt (nV) level, thereby reducing development workload and time-to-market.

Designed to optimise evaluation of the RX23E-A AFE, the evaluation board allows users to check characteristics of the 24-bit ΔΣ A/D converter with high accuracy, regardless of analogue development expertise levels.

The evaluation board is equipped with a plug-in terminal block to connect a variety of sensors without soldering, a thermocouple (temperature sensor) connector, and the reference junction compensation circuit required for thermocouple measurement applications.

By referencing thermocouple and weight measurement application software, both available for download on the Renesas website, users can immediately start their evaluation, thereby shortening the time to market for developing IoT sensor devices.

The Renesas Solution Starter Kit consists of an evaluation board with the RX23-A and peripheral circuits for sensor measurement, a K-type thermocouple, and is provided with the GUI and sample programs.

These ready-to-use tools enable users to start evaluation of the A/D converter without hardware modification or software development.

The kit can be utilised to evaluate the measurements of thermocouples, RTD, and strain gauges, which are typical sensors in industrial equipment.

Renesas evaluation of K-type thermocouples using the RSSK shows that the measured temperature error is within ±0.6°C under environments between -40°C and 85°C and the effective resolution is 19.4 bit, which means temperature deviation is equivalent to 0.0015°C at rms value.

The measured temperature error, which is within the sensor error, validates the evaluation board as a reference design.