Marvell Technology Group this week introduced a new platform for wearable devices and the Internet of Things.
The chip company is pitching three new microcontrollers for its platform; the MW300 for low-power Wi-Fi, MB300 for Bluetooth, and MZ100 for Zigbee, according to PC Magazine.
"Marvell is proudly powering the 'Smart Life and Smart Lifestyle' through flexible, energy-efficient platforms that enable our customers and partners to deliver new and innovative connected products in the rapidly growing Internet of Things market," said Philip Poulidis, vice president and general manager of Marvell's Mobile and Internet of Things business units. "Marvell's latest system-on-chip solutions offer unparalleled advantages for home automation, LED lighting control, remote control, healthcare monitoring, and other applications. Marvell's EZ-connect delivers the industry's highest level of integration to significantly improve performance, lower power consumption, and reduce the total bill of materials."
The MW300 Wi-Fi microcontroller offers 802.11n in Wi-Fi, provides easy interfacing to sensors, actuators other components, and can go into deep low-power states. It can also support audio and video streaming, according to MarketWatch.
The MZ100 Zigbee microcontroller also provides easy interfacing with sensors and actuators, and functions at industry best RF performance with its 10+dB link-budget margin.
The MB300 Bluetooth Controller includes dual-mode Bluetooth 4.1 support. The integrated circuit (IC) also includes built-in voice capability and connects directly to a microphone, PC Magazine reported.
Marvell said all three ICs were designed for "easy interfacing to sensors, actuators, and other components." Each microcontroller needs a single crystal and antenna to work.
The company also said that its EZ-Connect package provides developers with "easy-to-use" APIs and SDKs, as well as many cloud search options through support for HTTP and other Web standards.
Marvell believes the Wi-Fi IC could be used to find faulty parts in home appliances and repair them faster, FierceWireless reported.
The company also believes the Bluetooth IC could be used for wearable devices, and that the Zigbee IC could be used for lighting and other appliances.
