Firmware Update Adds Powerful Data Processing and Control Capability

SAN DIEGO — (BUSINESS WIRE) — March 16, 2016 — Macnica Americas today announced availability the Version 2.0 update for the Mpression Odyssey MAX^® 10 FPGA and BLE Sensor Kit and companion smartphone apps for Android and iOS. This update adds powerful data processing and control capability that can be used to create custom personalities that manipulate and store data as well as control and format input and output.

“The Odyssey MAX 10 FPGA and BLE Sensor kit has been extremely popular with users wanting a low cost but powerful FPGA development kit that also has a Bluetooth interface and smartphone control,” said John Burton, President of Macnica Americas. “Adding these new features will make the kit even more powerful and opens up many new potential applications.”

The Odyssey Version 2 update includes firmware updates for the on-board microcontroller and the Bluetooth SMART module as well as updated smartphone apps to control the kit. New features include functions such as:

• Hex or decimal format for user data entry or data display
• User-programmable functions for data processing and control
  • Arithmetic, logic, masking, shifting, and byte swapping functions
  • Programmable timing for data collection and LED indication
  • Programmable I/O accesses including loops to/from user RAM
  • Command code loops and branching on programmable conditions

Odyssey users now have the ability to create programmable operations that include data manipulation, calculation and looped data reads and writes with programmable timing and control. Instead of merely displaying raw data from sensor registers, users can now manipulate or convert data from sensors using arithmetic or logic functions. Users can program delays and monitor sensors or FPGA registers to detect activity or calculate averages. Users can also have the board make decisions based on sensor data values or user input.

An example of how these functions could be used would be a personality that collects temperature, proximity or sound samples based on thresholds over a period of time and reading samples out using single (or multiple) buttons on the Mpression Odyssey smartphone app.

The Mpression Odyssey MAX 10 FPGA and BLE Sensor Kit (ordering code: ODYSSEY-MAX10-KIT) is a low-cost evaluation kit ideally suited for collecting and processing data, controlling devices, or adding extra hardware processing to an industrial or IoT design. The development platform contains the Odyssey MAX 10 FPGA board with integrated Enpirion PowerSoCs from Altera, which delivers advance processing capabilities using a MAX 10 low-cost, single chip small form factor programmable logic device. It also contains the Odyssey Bluetooth SMART Sensor board that combines sensors for ambient light, proximity, heart rate, blood oximetry, temperature, humidity and an accelerometer, together with a Bluetooth SMART SIP module. The Odyssey app, which is available today for both Android and iOS platforms, allows designers to customize the control of their own FPGA or Bluetooth SMART design from their smartphone.

Odyssey version 2.0 firmware files and user documentation for performing the update are available now on the Odyssey Kit Downloads page at: http://www.m-pression.com/solutions/boards/odyssey/odyssey-downloads

Updated smartphone apps to use with the version 2.0 update are available today on the Apple iTunes store for iOS and Google Play for Android platforms.

The Odyssey MAX 10 FPGA and BLE Sensor Kit is sold globally by Macnica under the Mpression brand and is available now through Macnica companies worldwide including Macnica Americas in North America, and is priced under $50 for North American customers. Full information and access to the Macnica Americas online store site to purchase the kit is available on the Mpression web site at www.m-pression.com/odyssey-fpga

About Macnica Americas

Macnica Americas is a fully franchised semiconductor distributor covering North America with expertise in design services, IP, applications support, and logistics. Macnica Americas is a division of Macnica Inc, a $3.4B global leader in semiconductor distribution and design services. The Macnica Americas IP portfolio includes solutions for high speed networking, broadcast video, DSP and embedded applications.

Find out more about Macnica Americas products and design services at  www.macnica-na.com

The Macnica Americas logo is a trademark of Macnica, Inc. Altera^® and MAX^® 10 are registered trademarks of Altera Corp. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Contact:

Macnica Americas, Inc.
Steve Sharp, 408-775-7968
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