Rosenberger and STMicroelectronics develop high-speed contactless connector

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor provider, and Rosenberger, a manufacturer of impedance-controlled and optical connectivity solutions, announced their collaboration on a contactless connector for ultra-reliable, short-range, point-to-point full-duplex data exchanges in industrial and medical applications .

Rosenberger’s innovative contactless connector, the RoProxCon, leverages ST’s 60GHz RF transceiver, the ST60A2, to deliver high-speed data transmission while providing immunity to movement, vibration, rotation, and contaminants — including moisture and dust, which can disrupt conventional pin-and-receptacle interconnects.

The ST60A2 combines high-data-rate transmission at Bluetooth-like power consumption and promises a new range of medical and industrial applications that are no longer constrained by physical connections.

“Pairing ST’s contactless connectivity technology with our interconnect expertise and antenna-design knowledge enabled us to create a first-of-its-kind module that transmits full duplex data at up to 6 Gbps with complete rotational freedom,” said Folke Michelmann, executive VP Medical & Industries at Rosenberger. “Much less expensive than alternative optical connectors and using much less power than other RF technologies, the RoProxCon will let innovators loose to create new applications.”

The STMicroelectronics ST60A2 offers reliable, point-to-point, high-data-rate transmission of up to 6.25 Gbps over distances of a few centimeters – at exceptionally low power. Operating over an extended temperature range of -40° to +105° C, the chip ST60A2 is well suited to industrial markets.

With a 2.2 x 2.2 mm package footprint, the chip is the smallest device available on the market with ultra-low power consumption of 70mW for a reliable, completely contactless link.

“We developed the ST60A2 contactless transceiver to allow customers to create reliable, high data-rate, extremely power-efficient wireless links. Rosenberger’s expertise in interconnects combined with our RF chip is an outstanding example of the value of the technology,” said Laurent Malier, RF&Communications Division GM, STMicroelectronics. “Customers across the full range of electronics applications have expressed interest in this transceiver and several have shared their need for a module that includes the antenna. Our cooperation project with Rosenberger delivers on that need.”

In the RoProxCon, ST’s transceiver is paired with an appropriate antenna, which offers excellent options for different areas of applications like smart factory, medical technology, connected devices, office equipment, conveyer technology, renewable energies, and other high-bandwidth applications.