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Responding to demand for a simple but accurate tool for measuring discharge flow rates in streams, rivers and channels, NIVUS initially demonstrated a prototype NivuFlow Stick in 2018, and received its first order for a commercial product in 2020. Today, NIVUS is delighted to announce that the NivuFlow Stick has received an independent calibration certificate from METAS, the Federal Institute of Metrology in Switzerland.

“This is a significant achievement,” explains Christian Koch, Head of Product Management at NIVUS. “The calibration certificate resulted from a series of stringent tests, and follows the award of a similar verification certificate from NIWA, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand.

“We already have regulatory customers as well as water companies, consultancies, researchers and academia, but third-party verification will provide users with the assurance that they can now measure flow quickly, easily and accurately; confident in the knowledge that they are using an accurate, independently tested device.”

The NivuFlow Stick is a simple to use, portable instrument for fast, accurate flow velocity measurements utilising the ultrasonic cross-correlation measurement principle. In contrast with traditional methods, this technology is able to measure water velocities at different water depths simultaneously and with high resolution. As a result, even relatively unskilled operators are able to derive an accurate flow velocity curve quickly and easily.

Simple, intuitive operating procedures are driven via smartphone or tablet, and data are both displayed in real-time and shared on-site via WLAN. Importantly, any deviations in measurement quality by the NivuFlow Stick are also displayed, and this quality indication is stored with the data.

The system contains no wearing parts and is maintenance-free, and with lightweight components, handling in the water is effortless and safe. The NivuFlow Stick is therefore ideal for discharge measurements in streams and small rivers, as well as for checking the accuracy of fixed flow monitoring equipment.

Summarising, Christian Koch says: “The speed and simplicity of the NivuFlow Stick offer major advantages to customers looking to migrate their instruments from more traditional methods such as ADCP and acoustic doppler. The new verification certificates will therefore provide users with the assurance that they can exploit the benefits, whilst also achieving the required levels of accuracy.”

The latest edition of the popular digital magazine e-TechJournal, entitled Fuelling the Future, is now available to download for free from Farnell.

Farnell, a fast and reliable distributor of products and technology for electronic and industrial system design, maintenance and repair, is inviting readers on a journey towards sustainable mobility by offering in-depth insights into advancements in EV charging technology, from automotive traction inverters to battery management.

Edition 6 of e-TechJournal includes articles exploring:

• Current Market and Technological Developments in Automotive Traction Inverter Systems
• EV Charging and Battery Management – Ensuring Optimal Performance and Lifespan
• EV Charging and Renewable Energy: Maximising Sustainability in Transportation
• Bring on the electric revolution – Enable fast, low-cost and sustainable charging everywhere
• The Advantages and Challenges of Electric Vehicles
• EV Charging Standards: Ensuring Compatibility and Safety in the Charging Process
• Powering Up with Safety and Ease: The Art of EV Charger Design

Cliff Ortmeyer, Global Head of Technical Marketing at Farnell, and Editor of e-TechJournal, said: “EVs are driving sustainable transportation, undoubtedly marking a profound transformation in the automotive landscape. In this instalment of e-TechJournal, we embark on an electrifying journey into the world of Electric Vehicles and explore cutting-edge technological developments shaping sustainable mobility.

“By downloading the latest edition, our loyal readers can uncover how renewable energy integration and emerging technologies like wireless charging revolutionise the EV charging experience and join us in our quest for seamless, safe, and user-friendly EV chargers as we head together towards a greener future.”

Issued quarterly, e-TechJournal provides in-depth technical insight into the latest technologies, along with analysis and explanations from supplier partners, industry experts, and Farnell engineers on key new trends shaping today’s electronics industry. In each edition, a different essential technology is the challenge’s focus.

Interested readers can download edition 6 for free from Farnell, Newark, and element14

Tektronix, Inc, a leading provider in test and measurement solutions and Fortive company, has announced the launch of its 4 Series B Mixed Signal Oscilloscope (MSO) featuring state-of-the-art measurement performance capabilities on all channels, unmatched user experience, and advanced analysis capabilities. Made for embedded designers who demand superior accuracy, versatility and ease-of-use, the Tektronix 4 Series B MSO offers the same cutting-edge signal fidelity as the earlier version 4 Series with bandwidths from 200 MHz to 1.5 GHz, real-time sampling at 6.25 GS/s and up to 16-bit vertical resolution. It also includes the same award-winning, made-for-touch user interface, but with an upgraded processor system. Customers will note that the 4 Series B MSO user interface is twice as responsive and boasts significantly accelerated advanced analysis.

“The 4 Series B MSO was engineered to enable designers to analyze their systems faster to combat time-to-market pressure,” said Daryl Ellis, Tektronix Mainstream Portfolio General Manager. “The user interface, designed for touch, is intuitive, informative, and now more responsive. With the 4 Series B MSO, our customers will be able to tackle 99% of their mixed-signal design challenges and actually enjoy doing it.”

The 4 Series B MSO is available with up to six input channels, making it well suited for three-phase power analysis, and exclusive Spectrum View provides multi-channel spectrum analysis in sync with time domain waveforms. Along with accelerating front-panel operation, the upgraded processor system also speeds up remote operation. The 4 Series B MSO can be remotely accessed and controlled using a simple web browser, dedicated TekScope PC software, or custom program via a full programming interface. The 4 Series B greatly enhances time to answer on over 25 serial decode packages for inter-chip, automotive, power, aerospace buses, and more. Additionally, it speeds up algorithms and plotting used in existing analysis packages for power supply measurements, motor drive analysis, and double pulse testing.

“This instrument provides accuracy and analysis capabilities that make it ideal for challenges faced every day by design engineers, such as signal chain debugging, power analysis, protocol analysis, and noise analysis—to name a few,” shared Jeffrey Miller, 4 Series Product Planner. “What sets the 4 Series B MSO apart from the rest is the premier user experience and faster analysis capabilities.”

To support that level of unparalleled user experience, the 4 Series B MSO has a 13.3-inch, (1920×1080) HD display using industry-leading optical bonding for a greater screen contrast and viewing angle. Along with its 12-bit analog-to-digital converters and high sampling rate, the 4 Series B shows in-depth signal detail.

The Tektronix 4 Series B MSO is now available globally. For more details on the Tektronix 4 Series B MSO, visit tek.com/4SeriesMSO.

Resolve Optics reports on the development of a compact non browning lens optimised for radiation resistant cameras with smaller sensors.

All non-browning lenses from Resolve Optics are manufactured to the highest standards of quality and performance and are designed to withstand a total radiation dose of 100,000,000 rad. The new Model 390 is a 5mm fixed focus non-browning lens design optimised for ¼-inch image format radiation resistant CCD cameras.

Providing true HD quality images, the Model 390 lens sets a new standard for high-quality imaging of high radiation nuclear applications including monitoring of hot cells, belt lines and close inspection of baffle bolts.

Rob Watkinson, Customer Support Manager at Resolve Optics commented “Producing clear, sharp images free of a strong yellow tint has traditionally been a limitation of radiation resistant lenses on colour cameras. In our Model 390 lens development we drew upon our in-depth knowledge of radiation resistant optical materials to help solve this problem. The fixed focus, radiation resistant lens we have produced enables ¼-inch format CCD cameras to capture clear, high-definition colour images, with minimum geometric distortion from 400 to 770nm”.

For further information on the Model 390 please visit https://www.resolveoptics.com/radiation-resistant-lenses-2/ or contact Resolve Optics on +44-1494-777100 / sales@resolveoptics.com.

Coded for power supply

K- and L-coded M12 connectors are suitable for transmitting electrical power to AC and DC applications in factory automation. binder offers a selection of overmolded cable components that were developed for use in North America according to the UL 2238 standard.

binder, a leading supplier of industrial circular connectors, is expanding its M12 portfolio by adding K- and L-coded overmolded cable connectors of the 823 and 824 series, which were developed according to UL 2238. These are primarily intended for use in the power supply of field devices in automation technology. Here, the transmission of electrical power via compact M12 interfaces has become a fundamental requirement. The connectors provide a compact alternative to power connections using 7/8-inch technology.

The K-coding indicates 5-pin connectors for AC supply of e.g., drives or frequency converters. Target applications of the likewise 5-pin connectors with L-coding include DC miniature drives, decentralized I/O modules, and other automation components that are supplied with DC voltage in field bus systems.

The K-coded products of the binder 824 series with screw locking are characterized by their ampacity of up to 12 A per pin under continuous load at rated voltages of 630 V(AC) respectively. The L-coded products in the 823 series have a rated current of 16 A and a rated voltage of 63 V (DC). Gold-plated contacts guarantee reliable current transmission. The fully overmolded connectors ensure protection of the interface according to IP68.

Ready for the markets of North America

The rapid and seamless introduction of new products to the markets of different world regions is an increasingly important competitive demand. Export to North America, for example, requires conformity to US safety regulations. This in turn can be proven by certification from a qualified and recognized test laboratory. With the UL approval from Underwriters Laboratories, manufacturers of electromechanical connectivity products can prove that their components meet the safety requirements for North America. Interfaces designed for rated currents up to 16 A and rated voltages up to 630 V require approval according to UL 2238. UL 2238 certification is currently in preparation. 

M12 – robust, flexible, reliable

The K- and L-coded overmolded M12 cable connectors were developed in conformance with IEC 61076-2-11 for use in industrial-automation environments. Thus, product designers and installers are provided with a robust and variably applicable interface technology that ensures reliable power transmission to AC and DC field components even at high ambient temperatures. The IP68-compliant interfaces feature a protected seal within the M12 socket, and the M12x1 thread is equipped with an anti-vibration lock. Furthermore, connection cross-sections up to 2.5 mm2 are available.

With UK and European companies seeking advanced technology to solve challenges in communications, IoT and automotive applications, many are looking for local support from major solution vendors. Microchip Technology Inc. a leading provider of smart, connected and secure embedded control solutions, today announces the inauguration of a major new facility at Cambridge Research Park, Cambridge, UK.

At the heart of Microchip’s plans to develop more of its smart, connected and secure solutions in the UK area, the new center will add significant R&D space, which will allow Microchip’s business units to further develop their already broad offering. The new site will help Microchip improve its focus on the needs of several of its highest priority markets, such as IoT, automotive, industrial and consumer.

To gain immediate benefit from the facility, many of Microchip’s highly skilled development engineers and other staff will transfer from the company’s Ely site, with plans in hand to boost the number of employees at the Cambridge site over time.

“The Cambridge site is ideally situated in one the world’s top technology areas and will enable us to attract top talent to build state of the art products and serve our customer base,” said Sumit Mitra, senior corporate vice president of Microchip’s 32-bit microcontroller, microprocessor, wireless, aerospace and development tools business units. “We have already onboarded a large number of talented and experienced engineers for the new center and expect that the new opportunities we will offer—to develop exciting solutions for the most significant and dynamic technology markets—will further attract the highly talented staff we need.”

“The facility is intended to become a premier Microchip engineering center, employing 200 highly skilled silicon engineering staff and advanced laboratories,” said Neel Das, senior director of Microchip’s 32-bit microcontroller business unit. “Establishing the new facility in Cambridge means we can meet this target by tapping into the wealth of engineering talent that exists in the area. The Cambridge Research Park is a hub of innovation and an excellent venue to develop the high-tech solutions on which we have built our reputation.”

The three-story building will offer approximately 10,000 square feet per floor, providing space to support multiple product lines including 16- and 32-bit microcontrollers, 32-bit microprocessors and wireless connectivity products plus technology development, physical design and human resource support.

The first 3D fully viewable holographic portrait that can be recorded, has won the ‘Best Display or Emerging Technology Application of Holography’ category at the Excellence in Holography Awards 2023, organised by the industry trade body International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA).

France’s Hologram Center has conducted a project using the digital CHIMERA™ holographic stereogram printing technique combined with image interpolation using a neural network. This required only 12 cameras to record 34 x 44 cm, with 250 μm hogel resolution, full-parallax portraits.

This industry first the judges said, highlighted how ultra-realistic, full-colour, and full-parallax snapshot holographic portraits can now be recorded – a great advance compared to previous techniques – offering a new recording technique to enable holographic portraits to be developed and disseminated to the public on a larger scale.

The Excellence in Holography awards recognise outstanding achievement, marking success for suppliers, manufacturers and end-users at the forefront of the sector who have brought forward innovative or commercially viable hologram products or techniques over the last 12 months.  

This year’s event, held online between 21 – 22 November, comes as the IHMA continues to develop its role as the leading voice for those involved in global commercial holography.

Dr Paul Dunn, chair of the IHMA, said the standard of entries were of the highest quality, representing an innovative industry at the forefront of the fight against brand piracy and counterfeiting.

In congratulating the winner, he said: “The awards celebrate the best in holographic achievement and the remarkable innovations our industry produces every year. Design excellence, creativity and technical skill have been prevalent this year, reinforcing holography’s success as one of the most effective, reliable and eye-catching display and visual devices in use today.”

Other category winners were as follows:

• Best Origination: QUANTUM – Inspired by Nature, Meta Materials Inc (Canada)
• Best Innovation in Holographic Technology: PicoMaster Single and Multiple Beam Direct Write Lithography, Raith Laser Systems B.V. (Netherlands)
• Best Applied Security Product: Green LongLife RollingStar® Hologram Micromirror LEAD Mix, Louisenthal (Germany)
• Best Applied Decorative/Packaging Product: 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Book, Hazen Paper Company (US)
• Best in Show (new category for 2023 based on the highest score of all the submissions): QUANTUM – Inspired by Nature, Meta Materials Inc (Canada)

Zebra Technologies Corporation, a leading digital solution provider enabling businesses to intelligently connect data, assets, and people, today revealed that 56% of automotive business leaders surveyed in the UK are currently using some form of artificial intelligence (AI) such as deep learning in their machine vision projects. For Germany, that figure stands at 43%.

The need for heightened inspection confidence, parts traceability and operational transparency across the supply chain are driving this advancement, as auto manufacturers and suppliers grapple with growing regulatory burdens and consumer mistrust.

Though it might be expected for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to embrace AI technologies to automate certain processes and decisions in production environments, the newly released “AI Machine Vision in the Automotive Industry Benchmark Report” reveals that, broken down by organisation, AI machine vision is being used by 56% of OEMs, 63% of tier 1 and 44% of tier 2 suppliers in the UK. This data reflects UK automotive industry companies’ commitment to quality, supply availability and customer satisfaction at the nexus between supply chains and emerging industry trends such as electric, hybrid, and autonomous vehicles.  

In Germany, 49% of OEMs, 40% of tier 1 and 35% of tier 2 suppliers have embraced AI machine vision to date. While it’s possible others are exploring the benefits of this technology – around 20% of all respondents in the UK and Germany said they would like to learn more or have already started to procure AI machine vision tools – those who delay adoption of AI machine vision may find it more difficult to maintain a competitive edge.   

“It’s concerning that nearly one-quarter (24%) of automotive business leaders in the UK and over one-third (34%) in Germany say there are not using any form of AI, such as deep learning, in their machine vision projects. It’s even more worrying that they don’t see the importance or relevance,” said Stephan Pottel, Automotive Manufacturing Practice Lead EMEA, Zebra Technologies. “The automotive industry is highly competitive, meaning automotive business leaders should be looking at ways they can build confidence in the quality of their products, especially as the rising shift toward hybrid and electric vehicle production.”

For automotive OEMs and suppliers who are preparing their engineers and plant-floor employees to think and act like data and AI specialists, new AI-powered machine vision software is unlocking higher levels of productivity, speed, accuracy and capabilities in challenging environments and with complex use cases.

Yet, feedback provided by the 500 automotive OEM and supplier decision-makers in the UK and Germany who participated in this benchmark survey illustrate a more polarised situation unfolding against a backdrop of renewed pressures around sustainability, transparency and performance.

The data also shows that when it comes to AI performance in machine vision projects, there is room for growth. Of those using AI in the UK, nearly one-in-five (18%) say their AI could be working better or doing more. “Some OEMs and suppliers expect more from their AI-powered machine vision applications—they’re setting down a challenge to machine vision partners, who can and must deliver on this expectation,” added Pottel.

The report also reveals several key challenges UK and German OEMs and suppliers face when using conventional optical character recognition (OCR) tools, which are widely used for reading serial codes, component and lot numbers, as well as vehicle identification numbers to ensure quality, traceability, and presence/absence checking. They claim there is a significant amount of training time required, and the older OCR tools are often unstable, difficult to use, and unable to handle complex use cases well – even by a well-trained engineer.

“The survey results show a surprisingly high level of dissatisfaction with traditional OCR tools, and a range of challenges that require a lot of investment for an unsatisfactory outcome,” said Pottel. “These older OCR tools do not meet the demands of modern manufacturing. However, new deep learning OCR models are available to deliver immediate value out of the box with no specialised skills or training required.”

In the last year, there has been an increase in the availability of deep learning OCR tools that come pre-trained using thousands of images, making it easy for people with no AI experience or data science skills to use. These deep learning OCR models are built specifically to handle complex use cases such as damaged and hard to read characters, reflective surfaces, and changing lighting environments. As a result of this innovation by machine vision system engineers, automotive OEMs and suppliers no longer have to expend resources trying to configure OCR tools or validate inspection outcomes. There are hardware and software tools which can provide the answers they need to deliver on quality and availability promises to stakeholders.  

Nordic Semiconductor today announces that this year the company reached its 40th anniversary milestone since its founding in Trondheim 1983.

The history of Nordic Semiconductor could be described as one of two 20-year-old companies joined together, with the first laying the critical technical foundations for the second. The original Nordic Semiconductor, named Nordic VLSI, began life as a design house. Nordic VLSI sold consultancy services for mixed signal (analog and digital) application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) to individual customers in the Nordics, and later expanded into high performance data converters.

The second Nordic, rebranded to the current identity of Nordic Semiconductor in 2004, began in 2002 with the arrival of Nordic’s current CEO, Svenn-Tore Larsen. Larsen decided that the company would transform from a supplier of services to a supplier of wireless components. It was a keystone decision from which Nordic Semiconductor would never look back.

Wireless design is a challenging area of electronics engineering, often considered a technological art form. Over the company’s first two decades, Nordic has mastered the fusion of analog and digital signals, elevating its expertise and competence to extraordinary levels. “In 2004, this laid the foundation for us to make the strategic decision to lead in standard RF wireless components, says Svenn-Tore Larsen, Nordic’s CEO/President. “And in particular, standard wireless components engineered for ultra-low power consumption levels that could support battery-powered operation.”

Back in 2002 the whole world was ‘wired’. Since then, Nordic Semiconductor, more than any other semiconductor company, has done the heavy lifting to forever turn the world wireless. The company did this by first using license-free proprietary ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) frequency bands and later the 2.4 GHz band that would lay the foundations for modern-day Bluetooth^® Low Energy (Bluetooth LE). In fact, Nordic effectively wrote the original engineering specification for Bluetooth LE in the early 2010s.

This connectivity revolution enabled the development of products that could operate wirelessly while running on battery power alone for extended periods of time (months or even years).

But it was the 2012 launch of Nordic’s nRF51 Series Systems-on-Chip (SoCs) that redefined the leading-edge of the Bluetooth LE market. This included using a powerful on-board Arm processor for the very first time, unprecedented amounts of embedded memory, and a unique software architecture that separated the Bluetooth RF protocol from application software to dramatically simplify coding. “The nRF51 Series literally sent Nordic’s competitors scrambling back to the drawing board when it came to how to design a Bluetooth LE chip,” recalls Larsen.

The nRF51 Series was later expanded to the nRF52, nRF53 and now latest nRF54 Series including the newly sampling nRF54H20 and nRF54L15 SoCs. Each of these Series in turn redefined the state-of-the-art in Bluetooth LE in areas such as power consumption, security, processing power, on-air performance, size, and integration. When launched in volume during 2024, the nRF54 Series will redefine what products and applications it is possible to build using Bluetooth LE.

Nordic Semiconductor today

Today Nordic Semiconductor’s mission is to make low power wireless IoT connectivity accessible to all. Although the company will remain the world’s leading Bluetooth semiconductor chip and solutions provider, Nordic has become a complete end-to-end wireless connectivity solutions company offering products including Cellular IoT (NB-IoT and LTE-M), DECT NR+, low power Wi-Fi, Matter, Thread, ZigBee, Cloud and location services, and PMICs.

All of this is designed to make it as simple as possible for customers to develop a wireless solution within consumer, industrial and healthcare. This includes being simple to design, power-optimized, and with a lower total ownership cost compared to using a mix of third-party suppliers.

What has not changed in four decades is Nordic’s ambition, commitment to exciting developers, commitment to producing class-leading and industry-disrupting products, and commitment to providing a level of technical support to all its customers that is unmatched in the global semiconductor industry.

“Nordic has never lost its focus on customers,” states Geir Langeland, Nordic’s EVP Sales & Marketing. “Nordic Semiconductor’s technical support is second-to-none. Its ability to support and solve customers’ technical issues – whether or not the problem is even related to a Nordic component – is what customers worldwide have come to expect and rely on.”