Energy-Friendly EFM32 Development Kits Target Embedded Signal and
Control Applications for Internet of Things and Portable Equipment
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Silicon
Labs (Nasdaq: SLAB), a leader in high-performance, analog-intensive,
mixed-signal ICs, today introduced development kits and application
software demonstrations for the EFM32 Wonder Gecko microcontroller (MCU)
family, which was developed by Energy Micro, recently acquired by
Silicon Labs. The Wonder Gecko MCU line is based on the ARM® Cortex™-M4
processor core, which provides a full DSP instruction set and includes a
hardware floating point unit (FPU) for faster computation performance.
The development kits and software examples are designed to help embedded
engineers leverage 32-bit digital signal control with the
high-performance CPU and extremely low standby power modes.
"With our focus on energy efficiency, the Wonder Gecko kits give
embedded designers access to the most energy-friendly ARM Cortex-M4
based MCU and the lowest standby power modes," said Geir Førre, senior
vice president and general manager of Silicon Labs' microcontroller
business. "The Wonder Gecko development kits and software library
provide easy access to advanced signal processing functions and floating
point performance. More and more instances of smart sensor and wireless
applications benefit from effective analysis locally at the sensor node
rather than transmitting large volumes of data over the network for
remote processing."
To speed up the design time, the EFM32 development kits include a
built-in J-Link debugger and come with software examples using each
kit's built-in features:
-
An audio pre-amplifier equalizer that digitizes the audio connector
signal with the MCU's on-chip analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and
subsequently generates the output via a digital-to-analog converter
(DAC)
-
An audio frequency analyzer using the kit's audio connector and
performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to display a frequency plot
on the development kit's LCD
-
An application example using the kit's onboard light sensor for 10-500
Hz FFT analysis.
These software demonstrations also enable designers to evaluate the
differences between hard and soft floating-point operations and compiler
optimization, as well as the CPU cycle count.
The example projects are coded using algorithms that are part of the
Cortex Microcontroller Software Interface Standard (CMSIS) DSP function
library, which includes complex FFT, finite impulse response (FIR)
filters, matrix and vector operations, and statistical analysis. CMSIS
provides a vendor-independent hardware abstraction layer for ARM
Cortex-M processors.
Silicon Labs' complimentary Simplicity Studio software suite includes
all the necessary CMSIS, board support package (BSP) and documentation
for the development kits including a Wonder Gecko white paper
highlighting the 32-bit processing, DSP and FPU performance benefits of
the EFM32 Wonder Gecko MCU family. The white paper also illustrates how
the Wonder Gecko MCUs achieve high levels of 32-bit performance while
delivering best-in-class energy efficiency.
Pricing and Availability
Silicon Labs' EFM32 hardware evaluation platforms for the Wonder Gecko
MCU family are available now. The EFM32WG-STK3800 starter kit, priced at
$79 (USD), features an LCD segment display, light and touch sensors, and
a USB interface to a host device. The full-featured EFM32WG-DK3850
development kit, priced at $349 (USD), includes a QVGA resistive-touch
color display, audio connectors, a joystick, switches and a
potentiometer for additional user controls. Both development kits
provide advanced energy monitoring and real-time power profiling and are
supported by the SEGGER J-Link debugger and the Simplicity Studio
developer tools.
For more information and to order the EFM32 development kits for the
Wonder Gecko MCU family, visit www.silabs.com/cortex-m4-kit.
Silicon Labs
Silicon Labs is an industry leader in the innovation of
high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs. Developed by a
world-class engineering team with unsurpassed expertise in mixed-signal
design, Silicon Labs' diverse portfolio of patented semiconductor
solutions offers customers significant advantages in performance, size
and power consumption. For more information about Silicon Labs, please
visit www.silabs.com.
Cautionary Language
This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on
Silicon Labs' current expectations. These forward-looking statements
involve risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could
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Silicon Labs
Dale Weisman, +1-512-532-5871
dale.weisman@silabs.com
or
Øyvind
Borgan, +47 23 00 98 00
o.borgan@silabs.com
Source: Silicon Labs
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