STMicroelectronics showcases its smart solutions for IoT

ST offers one of the richest development ecosystems that enable the creation of IoT applications in shorter times and at lower cost. The development ecosystem consists of STM32 Nucleo ARM Cortex-M MCU development boards and X-Nucleo extension boards equipped with motion and proximity sensors, connectivity ICs, NFC tags, motor drivers, MEMS microphones and other components. To date, ST has released 26 types of Nucleo boards and 22 types of X-Nucleo boards.

The modular hardware is complemented with the STM32Cube software development tool that includes a range of code libraries, to provide useful software functions and accelerate application development. At the ST booth, visitors can get hands-on experience with the STM32 development ecosystem using different Nucleo and X-Nucleo boards for motion detection, wireless connectivity, motor control, range measurement and audio detection.

In an IoT-capable society, smarter spaces can be created by connecting various devices through wireless mesh networks. ST’s Smart Home demonstration uses a BLE mesh network to control indoor-lighting, detect door open/close status and monitor temperature. Operated from a tablet or a smartphone, the demonstration relies on network nodes based on Nucleo and X-Nucleo boards equipped with BLE network processors, acceleration and temperature sensors, as well as an evaluation board for remote-control lighting ICs. ST will also exhibit a Wide Area Network solution that combines STM32 MCUs with Semtech's LoRa wireless communication technology.

Sensing technologies play an extremely important role in an IoT scenario where numerous sensors are embedded in various physical objects and locations. A world-leading sensor supplier, ST will conduct a range-measurement demonstration using its latest FlightSense ToF (Time-of-Flight) proximity sensor. Capable of measuring longer distances faster and more accurately than conventional sensors, ST’s ToF sensor enables the creation of new applications for robots, drones and wearable devices. At TECHNO-FRONTIER 2016, ST will also demonstrate the excellent energy efficiency of its latest ultra-low-power 6-axis motion-sensor (gyroscope/accelerometer) module. The ST device consumes half the power of competing solutions, contributing to significant improvements in performance of various battery-operated devices.

As the IoT expands, the number of connected devices and systems and the amounts of data are rapidly growing, increasing the need for sustainable energy use in both the end devices and data centres. At the show, ST will introduce an innovative off-line converter chip, which brings down the standby-power consumption to almost zero. The underlying digital-power IC targets 100-300W AC/DC power supplies used in data servers and 4K TV sets. Integrating a PFC (power factor improvement circuit), an LLC current resonance circuit, gate drivers and a high-voltage startup circuit in a single package, the ST device contributes to minimising the number of external components and reducing the system cost.

In addition, ST will exhibit various other solutions at TECHNO-FRONTIER 2016 that help make our lives and environments smarter, including wireless charger ICs that support the WPC (Wireless Power Consortium) Qi Medium Power specification, SiC (Silicon Carbide) Power MOSFETs, motor-control ICs, USB PD controller ICs and EEPROMs for industrial equipment.