Burr-Brown Corporation announced the ISO508, an 8-channel isolated digital coupler offering low power and space savings for digital isolation in data acquisition systemsıthe best combination of cost, power and size available.

In a data acquisition system, a signal transmitted from an external source may exceed the electrical limits of this system. For example, common-mode spikes induced in the wire by switching transients can destroy sensitive signal conditioning circuitry. To avoid this, the signal must be electrically isolated to protect both the hardware and the integrity of the data.

The ISO508 provides signal isolation using Burr-Brown's innovative capacitive barrier technique. Capacitive technology has several advantages over optical coupling techniques: lower power consumption, reduction in printed circuit board (PCB) area, and lower overall system cost. In a 16-channel isolated bus, the ISO508 offers a 70% savings in power consumption and an 80% savings in PCB area compared to optical isolation.

"The ISO508 is an innovative entry into the isolation market. It offers designers reduced power consumption and significant space savings," said George Menzies, strategic marketing engineer at Burr-Brown's European Components Division in Livingston, Scotland. "Our unique technology results in simplified system design together with lower overall system cost."

Having been previously briefed on this technology, and some other parts being produced using it, this announcement comes with little surprise. But I am happy to see Burr-Brown's commitment to continuing development of what are -- after all -- not really seen as exciting product areas. But it is an important protection area for designers to think about and the products are certainly needed by the buyers of an analog vendor's instrumentation and data acquisition products. The improvement over optical isolation using this technology is quite dramatic and well worth looking at in just about any industrial application. There is probably an extremely good market for products in this 8-channel version as well as a need for more economical 16 channel parts and a 3-channel part for the communications portion of an acquisition system where a lot of optical couplers are currently employed.