Embedded FRAM and ultra-low power MCU evaluation kit from element14  

10 July 2014, London - element14 has announced the launch of the Texas InstrumentsMSP430 ULP(ultra low power) FRAM LaunchPad, a development platform which combines embedded FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory) and a holistic ultra low-power system architecture. The new addition to the LaunchPad family, MSP-EXP430FR5969 - an easy-to-use Evaluation Module for the MSP4305969 microcontroller enables developers to reduce energy budgets, minimize product size and enable a battery-free world.

Embedded FRAM, a non-volatile memory known for high endurance and high speed write access, together with ultra-low power makes the MSP430 suited for a wide variety of applications ranging from metering, wearable electronics, consumer electronics, the Internet of Things (IoT), industrial and remote sensors, home automation and energy harvesting.

Available in this dev kit, TI's new EnergyTrace++ technology is the world's first debug system that enables developers to analyze power consumption down to 5nA resolution in real-time for each peripheral; this allows engineers to take control of their power budget and optimize software to create the lowest energy product possible.

Features include :

  • MSP430 ULP FRAM technology-based 16-bit MSP430FR5969 MCU
    • 64KB FRAM / 2KB SRAM
    • 16-Bit RISC Architecture up to 8-MHz FRAM access / 16MHz system clock speed
    • 5x Timer Blocks
    • Analog: 16Ch 12-Bit differential ADC, 16Ch Comparator
    • Digital: AES256, CRC, DMA, HW MPY32
  • 20 pin LaunchPad standard leveraging the BoosterPack ecosystem

The evaluation kitcomes with the essentials to get started fast, including on-board eZ-FET emulation for programming, debugging and energy measurements. The board features on-board buttons and LEDs for quick integration of a simple user interface as well as a SuperCap allowing standalone applications without an external power supply.

The Texas Instruments MSP-EXP430FR5969 is now available through Newark element14in North America, Farnell element14in Europe, and element14in Asia Pacific. The boards will be priced at USD24.05, £14.45, SGD31.79. Data sheets and application notes can be found on the product pages together with a range of associated accessories, and 24/5 live tech support is available for any queries. 

David Shen, Group Chief Technology Officer at Premier Farnell said: "This evaluation kit is a welcome addition to the LaunchPad family building upon TI's leadership in low-power and high-performance MCUs. Developers will appreciate the outstanding read/write speeds of these FRAM MCUs and its ease-of-use which simplifies code development making it ideal for applications that require ultra-low power consumption, flexible memory options and smart analog integration."

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Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl) is a global leader in high service distribution of technology products and solutions for electronic system design, production, maintenance and repair. It trades as Farnell element14in Europe, Newark element14in North America and element14across Asia Pacific. With sales last year of £968m, the Group is supported by a global supply chain of more than 3,500 suppliers and an inventory profile developed to anticipate and meet its customers' needs.



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