MCU that's smaller than a golf ball dimple
Freescale Semiconductor has introduced Kinetis KL03 MCU, which is said to be the world’s smallest and most energy-efficient 32-bit MCU based on ARM technology. The MCU builds on the previous generation Kinetis KL02 device with new features, advanced integration and greater ease of use - all in an even smaller 1.6 x 2.0 mm2 package. The new capabilities of the Kinetis KL03 device help customers to achieve lower power in a smaller form factor, saving on product design time and cost.
Leveraging advanced wafer-level chip scale packaging, the MCU is said to be more than 15% smaller than the previous generation Freescale KL02 device and 35% smaller than competing 32-bit ARM MCUs. The new SoC is suitable for space-constrained designs, including a wide range of applications in the consumer, healthcare and industrial markets. It is suitable for the fast-growing Internet of Things (IoT) market, where edge nodes increasingly require more intelligence in ever-smaller form factors.
“When size is no longer a barrier to incorporating microcontrollers into edge node devices, we can start to redefine what’s possible for the Internet of Things,” said Rajeev Kumar, director of worldwide marketing and business development for Freescale’s Microcontrollers business. Freescale sees the miniaturisation of MCUs as a key driver of IoT evolution.
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