Wonderful review｜2023 STM32 China Summit opens a new chapter

The theme of this year’s summit is “STM32 is more than just the core”. On the first day of the keynote speech, many ST global executives and experts were invited to the scene, and they provided exciting speeches to the audience in a brand-new mode. Let us review the important speeches of three of the senior leaders.

This is the first time ST has exhibited a prototype of a washing machine running machine learning algorithms in Asia. As one of the highlights of the Embedded World 2023 exhibition, this washing machine uses current sensing technology and a model library generated by NanoEdge AI to accurately determine the weight of clothing, with an accuracy error of ±100 grams. By comparison, comparable systems have an error of about ±500 grams. With a more accurate weighing function, the washing machine can adjust the motor wash cycle based on the actual weight of the clothes, optimizing energy efficiency. The washing machine adjusts the amount of water inlet according to the weight data of the clothes to achieve the goal of saving water.

This product demo is also highly symbolic because it answers the key question of why edge AI should be used in consumer products. Many times, engineers think that machine learning can help us find problems. The ST washing machine prototype answers this question very well, demonstrating that it is possible to create a more efficient and environmentally friendly product without adding any new components. Because NanoEdge AI uses existing current-sensing sensors and can run algorithms on mixed-signal MCUs such as the STM32G4 , device manufacturers can train and deploy new features through machine learning without having to adjust PCB designs and modify bill-of-materials costs.

The STM32 Summit in 2023 is also a good opportunity to understand how the entire ST ecosystem works together, how to promote Industry 4.0 , and embrace Industry 5.0 . In addition to the demonstration of control functions based on STM32 series products, it also demonstrated a wonderful demonstration of a complete production line with integrated robotic arms by simulating actual application scenarios of factory automation. This task seems simple, but all operations require high connectivity, communication and intelligence.

For example, the safety protection function of the assembly line is implemented using STM32G0 , based on the ST TOF distance sensor ( VL53L3CX ) to detect whether there are people or objects near the machine. If present, a message is sent to the programmable logic controller consisting of STM32MP1 and IO-Link interface chip (L6364). Upon receiving the message, the programmable logic controller immediately stops production line operations to ensure the safety of operators lingering near the robotic arm. Through this product demonstration, we can understand that the highlight of Industry 5.0 is its emphasis on people-oriented technology. This demonstration fully demonstrates how to put people's safety and well-being first, which is also one of ST's core concepts.

To demonstrate how all units are connected, this robotic arm prototype uses an IO-Link master with an EtherCAT interface. The master station design is based on an STM32L4 MCU and an IO-Link communication master transceiver L6360 . In this demonstration, the main station connects the air valve execution controller, two conveyor belt stepper motors, robotic arms and other terminal equipment. Therefore, the system can monitor each unit via the IO-Link interface.

In addition, the demonstration also used the STEVAL-PROTEUS industrial AI evaluation kit , which is equipped with an STM32WB wireless microcontroller. Through low-power Bluetooth or Zigbee gateway, various sensor data are uploaded to the cloud server to monitor the working conditions of the assembly line. When the product moves on the assembly line, each product tag is scanned through the NFC reader ST25R3916B controlled by the STM32WL sub-GHz transceiver, and the product production record is sent to the cloud through the LoRa network, and the timestamp issued by the cloud is written. Insert the NFC tag on the product to complete closed-loop control of production traceability.

This device is simple and easy to understand. The NUCLEO-WBA52CG development board and the new STM32WBA wireless microcontroller are the main components. In addition to BLE, STM32WBA also supports multiple protocols, such as Matter, OpenThread, ZigBee, etc. As part of its scalable security strategy, ST has ported Trusted Firmware-M to the STM32WBA's TrustZone architecture with the goal of achieving SESIP Level 3 certification.

During the demonstration, our product specialists installed a display on the circuit board that showed whether the lock was unlocked or locked. In effect, the user interacts with ST's BLE mobile app to send a signal to the lock. This smart lock demonstration uses the capabilities of the STM32WBA to support Trusted Firmware-M, protect various keys and certificates, and isolate parts of the code in a secure enclave. In short, while the demo product is a smart lock, behind the scenes, engineers can see how ST's solution robustly integrates the latest security features into embedded systems.

There are hundreds of unique demonstration activities at the 2023 STM32 Summit. In order to help the industry understand market trends and guide everyone to understand solutions that are beneficial to R&D work, we have chosen demonstrations like the maze game. As the name suggests, this demonstration is to place a maze game table on two motors, use the B-CAMS-OMV camera module to capture images of the maze and capture the position of the target ball in real time. The STM32MP1 microprocessor processes the image, controls the movement of the motor, and pushes the ball. Move to the end of the maze. The communication between the microprocessor and the motor uses the EtherCAT industrial bus protocol interface. The STM32MP1 is connected via an Ethernet cable to a STEVAL-ETH001V1 , which is connected via a daisy chain method to another STEVAL-ETH001V1 evaluation board.

In addition to its inherent fun and puzzle features, the maze game demonstration is another example of the importance of communication in motor control applications. In fact, with the X-NUCLEO-IDB05A1 expansion board, users can control the presentation using a joystick or Bluetooth device. Visitors can therefore understand how important it is to offer a range of motor control solutions and how these motor control solutions can be implemented using ST solutions. Another takeaway from maze games is the importance of edge AI responsiveness. Connect the camera module to the STM32H747I-DISCO and show how development teams can use MCUs and MPUs to optimize operations, ultimately achieving shorter inference times and improving machine learning application performance.