STMicroelectronics highlights AI-Driven Technologies, Next-Gen Wireless MCUs and Power Semiconductors, Advanced Sensor Solutions at electronica India 2024

At electronica India 2024, held from September 11-13, 2024, at the India Exposition Mart Limited in Greater Noida, STMicroelectronics showcased its latest products and solutions across Smart Mobility, Industrial, automotive, AI and IoT. The major attractions were the advancements in wireless MCU solutions, power semiconductors, personal electronics and sensors. Key demonstrations included: Imaging and MEMS sensors, STSAFE solutions for secure authentication and protection, STM32MP Expansion Boards, STM32WBA solutions, Gallium Nitride Power devices, 460W charger for 2 wheelers and many more. ST presented over 25 innovative products and demos, along with 10 applications and sustainable solutions. More than 20 technical experts were on-site to engage with attendees and provide insights into the cutting-edge technologies on display. Sharing below some key highlights of the show:

1. Motor control with Edge AI-enabled washing machine for more sustainable world

STMicroelectronics introduced its AI-enabled washing machine at Electronica India, showcasing the company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation in household products. This advanced machine leverages AI to optimize washing cycles, reducing water and energy consumption while enhancing overall efficiency, aligning with ST’s focus on creating environmentally friendly technologies.

Washing machines have evolved from inefficient induction motors to advanced BLDC motors, improving efficiency and control. STMicroelectronics has played a key role by developing intelligent power modules for these motors. With AI integration, the machines now automatically detect clothing weight, optimizing wash cycles to save water, detergent, and energy. AI eliminates the need for sensors, using load measurements inside the motor to tailor the process for specific fabrics. Despite these advancements, there are no significant hardware changes, keeping costs stable. STMicroelectronics continues to support customers with ongoing software updates, ensuring reliable performance.

Features:

The new 700W washing machine with AI and ZeST inverter technology offers enhanced energy efficiency through precise repeated startups during wash cycles.

 It achieves significant water and energy savings with accurate load and imbalance measurements, utilizing a 3-shunt topology and phase voltage sensing.

The smart shutdown inside the SLLIMM Nano IPM ensures OCP and UVLO protection, while current sensing is handled by the embedded STM32G4 with integrated PGA.

Additionally, the system provides high-speed drum protection and hardware over-voltage protection during AC power loss.

The smart, power-efficient washing machine offers 100g precision in load weight measurement and delivers double-digit energy savings compared to standard models.

STM32WBA Bluetooth LE Audio

2. STM32WBA solution for Auracast: The STM32WBA solution for Auracast™ offers a seamless way to explore Bluetooth® LE Audio, enabling new and exciting use cases like shared audio experiences and assistive listening. With Auracast, audio broadcast capabilities are extended to Bluetooth LE devices, allowing for more dynamic interactions. This next-generation Bluetooth LE Audio technology enables users to effortlessly switch between different audio sources without the need for pairing. Additionally, it supports broadcasting to an unlimited number of in-range Auracast receivers, further enhancing the versatility and convenience of Bluetooth LE Audio.

3. STM32WBA solution for Unicast: The demo showcases the new Unicast LE Audio feature which allows for high quality audio streaming over Bluetooth Low Energy. Unicast LE Audio focuses on its improved audio quality, lower latency and reduced part consumption. The demo also highlighted the benefit of Unicast LE Audio through a variety of such cases including hearing aids, wireless headphones and earbuds and smart speakers.

4. STM32WB addressing Matter
The STM32WB is an excellent choice for Matter networks, as it can run Thread and Bluetooth® Low Energy concurrently, facilitating device commissioning. With 1 Mbyte of flash memory and 256 Kbytes of RAM, it supports both application layers and connectivity stacks, and its Quad-SPI peripherals allow external memory expansion. Additionally, it supports over-the-air firmware updates, independent of the application or connectivity stack. The STM32WB MCU is available on the NUCLEO-WB55RG and STM32WB5MM-DK discovery boards, which include sensors, external flash memory, a screen, and touch sensors.

MasterGaN series: Under ST’s gallium nitride power Ics

  • MASTERGAN3

Under ST’s Gallium Nitride power Ics showcased the MASTERGAN3, an advanced power system-in-package that integrates a gate driver and two GaN transistors in an asymmetrical half-bridge configuration. It features 650V blocking voltage with RDS(ON) of 225 mΩ (Low side) and 450 mΩ (High side). The device includes an integrated bootstrap diode for easy high-side gate driver supply, UVLO protection for safe operation, and interlocking to prevent cross-conduction. With an extended input range for easy interfacing and a compact 9×9 mm QFN package, the MASTERGAN3 supports industrial temperatures from -40°C to 125°C.

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