TI intros C5000 ultra-low-power DSP-based audio capacitive touch BoosterPack

SILICON VALLEY, USA: Enabling new functionalities in microcontroller applications, including crystal clear audio with playback and recording capabilities, Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) introduced the C5000 ultra-low-power digital signal processor (DSP)-based Audio Capacitive Touch BoosterPack.

This new Audio Capacitive Touch BoosterPack (430Boost-C55audio1) is a plug-in board for the $4.30 MSP430 LaunchPad development kit, and it is the first solution from TI where a DSP is solely controlled by a microcontroller which allows designers to add audio and other real-time features to their system without DSP programming experience. The BoosterPack is ideal for low-power applications that use record and playback audio functions such as MP3 players, home automation and industrial applications.

"TI is making it possible to achieve rock-bottom power consumption for audio applications by combining the industry's lowest active power DSPs and ultra-low-power microcontrollers," said Jon Beall, marketing director, single-core processors, TI. "In addition to the low power advantage, the real-time DSP performance added to the already-popular Capacitive Touch BoosterPack means the possibilities are endless for microcontroller developers wanting to take full advantage of sophisticated DSP technology without programming on the DSP."

Featuring a C553x ultra-low-power DSP and an MSP430 Value Line device, the Audio Capacitive Touch BoosterPack combines the industry's leading ultra-low-power microcontroller and DSP platforms. This allows developers to add DSP functionality to their microcontroller applications while ensuring the low power consumption. Developers can easily control the DSP through simple commands using the UART by leveraging the pre-programmed DSP functions.