Game-Changing IoT Power-Saving IC Development Kit

Nanopower Semiconductor AS has introduced the first evaluation kit to support its innovative nPZero product, a power-saving IC that can reduce the energy consumption of battery-powered applications by up to 90%. This kit showcases the full feature set and capabilities of the nPZero chip, allowing OEMs to evaluate its performance in their applications. Developers can easily configure the nPZero power-saving IC to autonomously power up sensor peripherals, read data, and wake up the system as required. The ultra-low-power nPZero IC can power down a microcontroller host, take over the controller role, and independently manage power-up, configuration, and data reading from up to four sensors or peripherals.

When activated by user-defined rules, the nPZero will power up the host and then return control to it, enabling the host to remain off for extended periods while the system detects and responds to events. This capability can lead to a significant reduction in total power consumption, particularly in battery-powered wireless IoT systems, potentially saving up to 90% of energy.

The comprehensive evaluation kit is user-friendly and includes a main evaluation board with headers for attaching a microcontroller host board in Arduino format. Additionally, it features an MCU board with a low-power STMicroelectronics STM32L053C8. The evaluation board is equipped with PMOD headers to connect up to four sensor boards, allowing developers to use any PMOD sensor board with an I2C or SPI interface. To facilitate rapid system evaluation, Nanopower provides an ams OSRAM AS6212 temperature sensor board and an STMicroelectronics LIS2DW12 accelerometer board with the kit.

The nPZero Configurator development tool simplifies the configuration and programming of the main board in the kit. Developers can adjust settings through an intuitive graphical user interface without the need to manually write code. Once the setup is finalized, the nPZero Configurator automatically generates the required code for the API.

Nanopower CEO Tore Irgens Kuhnle expressed, ‘The launch of the first evaluation kit for the nPZero power-saving IC marks a significant milestone for our company. Our customers can now engage with the IC and witness firsthand how Nanopower can assist them in reducing power consumption, empowering them to innovate and create new products.’ Shipments of the kit to partners and for fulfilling online pre-orders are set to commence later in March, with general availability expected by the end of Q2 2025.

At Embedded World, Nanopower is showcasing two designs based on its nPZero power-saving IC. The first demonstration involves energy harvesting, developed in collaboration with TDK, featuring the nPZero power-saving IC controlling environmental sensors continuously, including the TDK CH201 time-of-flight sensor. The system is powered by TDK CeraCharge solid-state batteries charged by Epishine indoor photovoltaic cells. The second demonstration highlights the nPZero Configurator tool for configuring an nPZero IC connected to a Nordic Semiconductor nRF54 wireless microcontroller-based system.