Silicon Labs' New Dual-Band SoC Extends Connectivity with Amazon Sidewalk, Wi-SUN, and Proprietary Long-Range Wireless Protocols

By Tiera Oliver

Associate Editor

Embedded Computing Design

June 20, 2023

News

Silicon Labs' New Dual-Band SoC Extends Connectivity with Amazon Sidewalk, Wi-SUN, and Proprietary Long-Range Wireless Protocols

AUSTIN, Texas – Silicon Labs announced a new dual-band FG28 SoC designed for long-range networks and protocols like Amazon Sidewalk, Wi-SUN, and other proprietary protocols.

The FG28 features radios for sub-Gigahertz (Ghz) and 2.4 Ghz Bluetooth LE, in addition to a built-in AI/ML accelerator for machine learning inference, and Silicon Labs' Secure Vault™ technology.

"The FG28 SoC addresses several key needs for our customers when it comes to developing and deploying low-power wide area networks," said Daniel Cooley, CTO of Silicon Labs. "By including Bluetooth, it gives users an easy way to provision and deploy new devices onto the network, while the sub-Ghz band is designed to support device communications over one mile, allowing for new edge applications in areas like smart agriculture, smart cities, and neighborhood networks like Amazon Sidewalk."

The FG28 SoC has several additional features that enable the development of new applications for sub-Ghz devices:

  • The industry's first integrated AI/ML hardware accelerator in a sub-Ghz SoC, allowing for machine learning inference at the edge to enable predictive maintenance warnings, monitor soil conditions for key conditions like moisture and pH levels, and more.
  • 1024 kB of flash storage and 256 kB of RAM, to meet the memory needs of a wide range of protocols and technology stacks.
  • Secure Vault Mid and High support to enhance trust in the device and allow designers to choose the level of security they need for their applications.
  • Energy-efficient radio core with low active and sleep currents with fast wakeup times ideal for battery-operated end nodes.
  • Up to 49 General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) pins for robust peripheral connectivity.

The FG28 is currently sampling now with general availability planned before the end of 3Q 2023. The FG28 will also be available in derivatives for optimized for Amazon Sidewalk and Z-Wave Long-Range, and as a stand alone MCU.

For more information, visit: https://www.silabs.com/

Tiera Oliver, Associate Editor for Embedded Computing Design, is responsible for web content edits, product news, and constructing stories. She also assists with newsletter updates as well as contributing and editing content for ECD podcasts and the ECD YouTube channel. Before working at ECD, Tiera graduated from Northern Arizona University where she received her B.S. in journalism and political science and worked as a news reporter for the university’s student led newspaper, The Lumberjack.

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