Oslo, Norway — Energy Micro offers its EFM32 Gecko and Tiny Gecko product lines in a QFP64 package. The 64-pin devices are said to be popular in the smart meter market, in addition to energy-sensitive applications such as building automation, security systems and portable health and fitness equipment.
The introduction of the larger I/O count package adds 12 new product variants to the company’s ARM Cortex-M3 based microcontroller portfolio. The EFM32G232, EFM32G842, EFM32TG232 and EFM32TG842, which are available in various configurations of Flash memory ranging from 8 to 128 KB and RAM from 2 to 16 KB, offer the same energy-saving Gecko technology as other package options in the EFM32 MCU range.
In application benchmark tests, the microcontrollers’ low current performance, combined with a wake-up time of 2 µs, has enabled the EFM32 microcontrollers to extend battery cell life by a factor of at least four, according to Energy Micro.
The EFM32 Gecko and Tiny Gecko microcontrollers operate in active mode typically at 160 µA per MHz executing code from Flash, 900 nA in deep sleep mode and 20 nA in shut-off mode. The EFM32 Tiny Gecko family now also features the LESENSE low-energy sensor interface, which enables autonomous monitoring of up to 16 external sensors in the microcontroller’s sub microamp deep sleep mode.
Pricing: Starts at $1.49 each in quantities of 100,000.
Resources: Technical data is available via Simplicity Studio.