Silicon Laboratories introduces Direct Sensor Interface Technology (DSiT™)

Citation

(2005), "Silicon Laboratories introduces Direct Sensor Interface Technology (DSiT™)", Sensor Review, Vol. 25 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.2005.08725cad.002

Silicon Laboratories introduces Direct Sensor Interface Technology (DSiT™)

Silicon Laboratories introduces Direct Sensor Interface Technology (DSiT™)

Keywords: Sensors

Silicon Laboratories Inc. announced its Direct Sensor Interface Technology (DSiT™), which enables designers to create truly intelligent sensor systems by interfacing unconditioned, uncompen- sated, raw output signals from sensors and transducers directly to Silicon Laboratories' C8051F350 family of single-chip precision mixed-signal microcontrollers (MCUs). To showcase its technology, Silicon Laboratories created a complete electronic compass reference design based on the C8051F350 to enable customers to easily evaluate DSiT functionality in a live application (see Plate 2).

Plate 2

Using the DSiT capability, Silicon Laboratories' digital compass reference design is a multi-axis, tilt-compensated, electronic compass that demonstrates how small signals from magnetic sensors are interfaced directly to the C8051F350 with no additional instrumentation circuitry. Silicon Laboratories' technology provides a single-chip data acquisition and control solution where precision measurement, high-speed data processing and space efficiency are required, making it ideal for sensors, sensing systems, industrial process control, scientific instrumentation, test and measurement, medical devices, building automation, HVAC, intelligent transmitters and weigh scales.

“Silicon Laboratories' DSiT capabilities showcase our mixed-signal expertise. By directly interfacing a mixed-signal MCU to a sensor in a precision application, we simplify our customer's design process”, said Derrell Coker, Vice President of Silicon Laboratories. “Our new digital compass reference design is an easy way for customers to quickly evaluate this powerful technology”.

Silicon Laboratories' DSiT capability integrates all the elements necessary in an instrumentation system including a multiplexer, an offset digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a programmable gain amplifier, a comparator, a 24-bit sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter (ADC), an on-board voltage reference, a programmable digital filter and current-controlled DACs. Each of these features serves a specific function to accommodate both the sensor interface and the end-user application creating a balanced combination of features and integration.

Pricing and availability

The F350-COMPASS-RD includes a complete compass, a user's guide, schematics, USB cable and PC-based GUI software. Pricing for the F350- Compass-RD is $79.95. Pricing for the C8051F350 product family starts at $3.28 in quantities of 10,000. Silicon Laboratories' products are available in lead-free, environmentally friendly packages.

For further information visit the web site: www.silabs.com