Serving the Electronic Design Community Since 1956
Simple techniques to improve solar panel efficiency using a microcontroller or SOC
August 28, 2012 4:54 pm | by Gautam Das G, Applications Engineer at Cypress Semiconductor | Articles | CommentsToday, people are more concerned about fossil fuel exhaustion and environmental problems caused by conventional power generation and renewable energy sources than ever before. Among the renewable resources, photovoltaic panels and wind-generators are primary contenders. They have the advantage of being maintenance and pollution-free...
Keep remote sensors energized
August 28, 2012 4:31 pm | by Sol Jacobs, VP and General Manager, Tadiran Batteries | Articles | CommentsSelecting a primary battery capable of delivering 25 years of continuous operation is an important consideration, especially in situations where the battery replacement is difficult or impossible or not cost effective, as battery failure is commonly identified as the first or second major factor contributing to overall system failure.
Designing low-cost wireless sensor networks for real-world applications
August 28, 2012 4:18 pm | by Brad Walters, President & Kelly Lewis, Engineering Manager, Monnit Corp., www.monnit.com | Articles | CommentsIt is no surprise that industries around the world are moving toward the implementation of wireless sensor networks which, contrary to their wired counterparts, are readily deployed with minimal effort while providing clear advantages in cost, size, power, mobility and flexibility. The cost and hassle of installing and maintaining wired systems has prompted many industries to embrace wireless sensors...
Software provides in-air cursor control on 8-bit microprocessors for the smart TV market
August 28, 2012 3:14 pm | Hillcrest Labs | Product Releases | CommentsHillcrest Labs unveiled a new addition to its award-winning Freespace MotionEngine software family: Freespace MotionEngine Lite. MotionEngine Lite provides high performance, in-air cursor control on 8-bit processors commonly found on remote controls, with lower costs and simpler integration than typical Smart TV motion control implementations.
Space-warping white dwarfs produce gravitational waves
August 28, 2012 3:01 pm | by EurekAlert! | News | CommentsGravitational waves, much like the recently discovered Higgs boson, are notoriously difficult to observe. Scientists first detected these ripples in the fabric of space-time indirectly, using radio signals from a pulsar-neutron star binary system. The find, which required exquisitely accurate timing of the radio signals, garnered its discoverers a Nobel Prize.
NRL researchers observe bright arctic clouds formed by exhaust from final space shuttle launch
August 28, 2012 2:54 pm | by EurekAlert! | News | CommentsNaval Research Laboratory (NRL) scientist Dr. Michael Stevens is leading an international consortium of scientists in tracking the rapid transport of the exhaust plume from the final launch of the space shuttle in July 2011. The team has found that the plume moved quickly to the Arctic, forming unusually bright polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) there a day after launch.
NYTimes leads group defense in mobile patent suit
August 28, 2012 1:47 pm | by RYAN NAKASHIMA - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsThe New York Times Co. is girding for a legal battle that many larger organizations have avoided. The Times is leading the defense of a diverse group of companies that use technology they assumed was free: sending text messages with Web links to mobile phones. The technology was patented by...
USB-powered switches feature 10 W power-handling capability
August 28, 2012 1:11 pm | Product Releases | CommentsVaunix Technology Corporation has announced their new LSW Series Switch products. This new Lab Brick product family has a 10 W power handling capability and offers reliable, high isolation, low power and low cost solid state switch products in both single pole double throw (SPDT) and single pole four throw (SP4T) configurations.
Apple's victory means soul-searching for Samsung
August 28, 2012 12:13 pm | by YOUKYUNG LEE - AP Technology Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsA U.S. jury's $1 billion verdict against Samsung for what rival Apple claimed was the illegal copying of its iPhone and iPad designs signals a turning point for the South Korean electronics giant known for its prowess in adapting the innovations of others and nimbly executing production. The...
LCD touch screen controller intended for SATCOM power amplifiers
August 28, 2012 11:39 am | Product Releases | CommentsComtech Xicom Technology announces a new, compact, LCD (liquid crystal display) touch screen controller for high-power amplifiers (HPAs). The new LCD touch screen provides an easy-to-use interface for monitoring and controlling multiple amplifiers and switches. Comtech Xicom Technology’s new generation of XTCT rack-mount controllers provide an easy to use, intuitive touch screen interface...
IBM introduces new powerful mainframe computers
August 28, 2012 11:31 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsIBM on Tuesday introduced a new line of mainframe computers the company calls its most powerful and technologically advanced ever. IBM said its zEnterprise EC12 mainframe server is designed to help clients securely and quickly sift through massive amounts of data, meeting the demands of retail...
Sinking a pet's teeth into energy saving
August 28, 2012 11:23 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsThe Humane Society of the United States cites a recent national survey reporting that Americans own approximately 78 million dogs and 86 million cats. And while feline-lovers might see this as a reason to break out the tuna since they are, well, top cat, there's a more sobering statistic: more than half of our pets are overweight or obese.
Frankenstein programmers at UT Dallas test a cybersecurity monster
August 28, 2012 11:14 am | by EurekAlert! | News | CommentsIn order to catch a thief, you have to think like one. UT Dallas computer scientists are trying to stay one step ahead of cyber attackers by creating their own monster. Their monster can cloak itself as it steals and reconfigures information in a computer program. In part because of the potentially destructive nature of their technology, creators have named this software system Frankenstein...
A new look at proteins in living cells
August 28, 2012 11:10 am | by EurekAlert! | News | CommentsProteins adorning the surfaces of human cells perform an array of essential functions, including cell signaling, communication and the transport of vital substances into and out of cells. They are critical targets for drug delivery and many proteins are now being identified as disease biomarkers — early warning beacons announcing the pre-symptomatic presence of cancers and other diseases.
New imaging technique homes in on electrocatalysis of nanoparticles
August 28, 2012 11:07 am | by EurekAlert! | News | CommentsBy modifying the rate at which chemical reactions take place, nanoparticle catalysts fulfill myriad roles in industry, the biomedical arena and everyday life. They may be used for the production of polymers and biofuels, for improving pollution and emission control devices, to enhance reactions essential for fuel cell technology and for the synthesis of new drugs.
