Communications

BT and Stratospheric Platforms are to test phased array antennas designed to provide 4G and 5G coverage from stratospheric aircraft into the wilds. “This partnership will build on SPL’s world-first 5G demonstration from the stratosphere in 2022,” said SPL CEO Richard Deakin. Funded by Innovate UK, the trials will be at BT’s labs at Adastral Park and “could offer transformational ...

To defend against quantum computer based hacking, Infineon and partners have revealed an electronic passport demonstrator that meets the security requirements of the quantum computing era, claims Infineon. “Today we are launching the encryption procedures which will be needed to repel quantum computer attacks of tomorrow,” said company head of identification products Maurizio Skerlj. “Working together with our collaboration partners ...

Texas Instruments has introduced Matter-enabled software development kits for  its Wi-Fi and Thread wireless microcontrollers. “Engineers can use the software and wireless MCUs, such as the CC3235SF and CC2652R7, to create low-power secure battery-powered smart home and industrial automation IoT applications that connect with devices across proprietary ecosystems,” according to the company. Matter is a royalty-free connectivity protocol developed by ...

Inova Semiconductors is proposing a 30Gbit/s bi-directional bus for vehicles, that will carry multiple separated data streams. Branded ADXpress, for ‘automotive data express’, “all raw sensor data can be transmitted via sensor-specific virtual data paths with deterministic latency to one or more evaluation units”, claimed the company. “The sensors can be connected to an ADXpress node via PCI Express, Ethernet ...

The government has announced a telecoms lab to be based in Solihull. “The first of its kind in the country, the lab will act as a secure research facility bringing together telecom operators, suppliers and academics to research and test ways of boosting the security, resilience and performance of the UK’s mobile networks,” according to the Department for Digital, Culture, ...

Analog Devices has introduced ADIN2299, a multi-protocol industrial 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet switch, designed to operate in a star, line or ring topologies. “The platform was pre-certified so that the field device can operate in any of the supported industrial Ethernet networks,” according to the company. “The module contains everything needed to participate in a EtherCat, Profinet real-time and isochronous real-time, EtherNet/IP ...

For hyperscale data centres, preparing for ‘co-packaged optics’ (CPO) Molex has announced a pluggable module for external laser sources, with a cage and blind-mating hybrid optical-electrical connector. It is called Elsis. “Traditional pluggable modules have their optical connections at the user side of the module, creating concerns about eye safety when used with high-power laser sources, such as those planned ...

Renesas is aiming a set of microcontrollers at industrial equipment needing real-time Ethernet control. Dubbed RZ/N2L, the MCUs have an integrated time-sensitive networking (TSN) compliant three port Gigabit Ethernet switch and an EtherCAT slave controller. They support industrial network communication protocols including EtherCAT, Profinet RT, the new Profinet IRT, EtherNet/IP and OPC UA. “By using the RZ/N2L as a companion ...

Nexperia is aiming at protecting USB 3.2, HDMI 2.0 and LVDS data lines in vehicles with family of ESD (electrostatic discharge) protection diodes. “Additionally, this portfolio also aims to address the upcoming high-speed video-links as well as the Open Alliance multi-Gbit Ethernet applications”, according to the company. All variants come in 1 x 0.6 x 0.5mm leadless packages to improve ...

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group has announced the completion specifications that define LE Audio, the next generation of Bluetooth audio. LE Audio adds support for hearing aids and introduces ‘Auracast’ branded broadcast audio. It uses an LC3 (low complexity communications codec) to deliver its quality/bit-rate/energy balance. “Extensive listening tests have shown that LC3 will provide improvements in audio quality over ...