Power-Aware Dev Tool Curtails Precision 32 Consumption
To help boost the power efficiency of 32-bit embedded designs, Silicon Labs crafted a new development tool for its Precision 32 Cortex-M3 based MCUs. Tools accompanying the Eclipse-based IDE and AppBuilder software for Precision32 MCUs enable developers to estimate power consumption and receive configuration guidance to minimise system power. The Power Estimator tool offers a top-level graphical view of how a Precision32 MCU uses power in active and sleep mode. Power usage can be adjusted at the onset of a project—even without development hardware. Power Estimator automatically updates the system design with configuration changes, allowing developers to optimise each mode for the lowest power. A companion tool, Power Tips, provides software configuration guidance to also aid in minimising current consumption. Power Tips automatically appears within AppBuilder when the cursor hovers over a configurable setting.