Nanopower Chipscale Power Management

Nanopower, a company based in Norway, is making strides in the development of a chip-scale version of its power controller specifically designed for wearable and implantable medical devices. The nPZero power controller, currently housed in a 32-pin 5 x 5mm QFN package, is undergoing a transformation to address size constraints that have been a limiting factor in its integration within systems that require management of power for multiple peripherals or sensors.

The new chipscale version being designed by Nanopower will measure a compact 2.5 x 2mm, significantly reducing the footprint of the power controller while maintaining its functionality and efficiency. This downsizing effort is crucial for enhancing the versatility and applicability of the nPZero in various medical devices.

One of the key features of the nPZero power controller is its utilization of several state machines running in parallel, coupled with a sub-threshold design aimed at minimizing power consumption. William Xavier, the chief technology officer of Nanopower, likened the operation of the device to that of a smartcard, where information is sent to the RAM for execution, enabling the seamless functioning of the state machines.

As part of its product showcase, Nanopower is set to unveil a development board at the Embedded World exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany. This platform will provide a hands-on experience for attendees to explore the capabilities and potential applications of the nPZero power controller in the realm of wearable and implantable medical technologies.

Looking ahead, Nanopower is focused on advancing its technology to support a greater number of peripherals beyond the current limit of four due to constraints related to the number of state machines. The company is actively exploring innovative solutions to overcome these limitations, with plans to enhance the design for increased versatility and functionality in future iterations of the power controller.