Texas Instruments has introduced a new SimpleLink family of Wi-Fi 6 companion integrated circuits (ICs) to help designers implement highly reliable, secure and efficient Wi-Fi connections at an affordable price for applications that operate in high-density or high-temperature environments up to 105ºC.

The first products in TI’s new CC33xx family include devices for Wi-Fi 6 only or for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.3 connectivity in a single IC.

When attached to a microcontroller (MCU) or processor, the CC33xx devices enable a secure Internet of Things (IoT) connection with reliable radio-frequency (RF) performance in broad industrial markets such as grid infrastructure, medical and building automation.

The new SimpleLink CC3300 Wi-Fi 6 companion IC and CC3301 Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.3 companion IC start at US$1.60. The 2.4-GHz CC33xx devices provide greater Wi-Fi network efficiency and a stable connection across more than 230 access points, while operating at temperatures from –40ºC to 105ºC. The devices also allow designers to affordably connect their IoT edge nodes directly to home or enterprise access points without additional equipment.

The Wi-Fi 6 companion devices feature orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technology and basic service set (BSS) colouring to deliver fast and consistent network performance and connect more devices simultaneously, without interference from congestion. The devices also support Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) security features, including the latest WPA3 cryptographic technologies for personal and enterprise networks and a secure boot feature with firmware authentication.

“The adoption of Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E is accelerating, with 2.5 billion Wi-Fi 6 devices expected to ship worldwide in 2023,” said Kevin Robinson, CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance. “Today’s Wi-Fi is well suited to address a variety of industrial IoT applications, and innovation from companies like Texas Instruments is helping expand the number of applications, such as electric vehicle charging systems, smart meters and smart appliances, that can rely on Wi-Fi to deliver reliable, consistent, and efficient connectivity in the IoT market.”

“Adding a secure and robust wireless connection to an industrial design such an EV charging system that operates in an outdoor and potentially hard-to-reach environment is challenging and especially costly for designers,” said Marian Kost, vice president and general manager of Connectivity at Texas Instruments. “Our new SimpleLink family of Wi-Fi devices makes it significantly more affordable and simpler to implement the latest Wi-Fi technologies in more places than ever before.”