Serving the Electronic Design Community Since 1956
Implementing remote tamper detection with wireless and capacitive sensing technologies
May 8, 2013 1:51 pm | by Parker Dorris, Senior Applications Engineer, Microcontroller Products, Silicon Labs | Silicon Laboratories Inc. | Articles | CommentsThe advent of wireless connectivity in the home automation market has enabled developers to create many innovative products that make end users feel safer and more aware of their personal property. Remote tamper detection is one example of innovation made possible through wireless connectivity.
One order of steel; hold the greenhouse gases
May 8, 2013 1:00 pm | by Massachusetts Institute of Technology | News | CommentsAnyone who has seen pictures of the giant, red-hot cauldrons in which steel is made — fed by vast amounts of carbon, and belching flame and smoke — would not be surprised to learn that steelmaking is one of the world’s leading industrial sources of greenhouse gases. But remarkably, a new process developed by MIT researchers could change all that.The new process even carries a couple of nice side benefits: The resulting steel should be...
Connectors satisfy solid state lighting fixture applications
May 8, 2013 12:13 pm | Hirose Electric Usa | Product Releases | CommentsHirose Electric has developed a complete series of wire-to-board, board-to-board joint, and in-line connectors to satisfy solid state lighting fixture applications. Providing space savings, high cable pull force, and a secure connection upon installation, the DF Series connectors
Quantum optics with microwaves
May 8, 2013 12:07 pm | by EurekAlert! | News | CommentsQuantum mechanics, famously, is full of effects that defy our basic intuition. A fine example is the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect, which occurs when two light quanta (or, photons) arrive simultaneously at a so-called beam splitter. As its name implies, a beam splitter is a device that splits one beam of light into two...
NREL quantifies significant value in concentrating solar power
May 8, 2013 11:52 am | by National Renewable Energy Laboratory | News | CommentsResearchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have quantified the significant value that concentrating solar power plants can add to an electric grid. The NREL researchers evaluated the operational impacts of CSP systems with thermal energy storage within the California electric grid...
Illuminated pushbutton switches offer RGB color options
May 8, 2013 11:51 am | E-Switch | Product Releases | CommentsE-Switch announced its LP6 Series LED illuminated pushbutton switch includes a color option. The switch is available with either SPST or DPST circuit options, and it is a momentary switch. It offers a 15-mm square sculptured cap with LED color options that now include
UF launches HiPerGator, the state’s most powerful supercomputer
May 8, 2013 11:45 am | by University of Florida | News | CommentsThe University of Florida today unveiled the state’s most powerful supercomputer, a machine that will help researchers find life-saving drugs, make decades-long weather forecasts and improve armor for troops. The HiPerGator supercomputer and recent tenfold increase in the size of the university’s data pipeline...
An electronic nose can tell pears and apples apart
May 8, 2013 11:41 am | by EurekAlert! | News | CommentsSwedish and Spanish engineers have created a system of sensors that detects fruit odors more effectively than the human sense of smell. For now, the device can distinguish between the odorous compounds emitted by pears and apples. Researchers have created an electronic nose with 32 sensors...
Cyberattacks a growing irritant in US-China ties
May 8, 2013 11:24 am | by CHRISTOPHER BODEEN, Associated Press | News | CommentsSigns are growing that the sustained surge in cyberattacks emanating from China is imperiling its relations with the U.S., lending urgency to fledgling efforts by both governments to engage on the issue. The Pentagon this week said China appeared to be cyberspying against the U.S. government...
150-Watt, AC/DC power supplies are 80 Plus certified
May 8, 2013 11:07 am | Product Releases | CommentsXP Power announced the GCS150 series of IT and medically approved 150-W single output AC/DC power supplies that meet the stringent internationally recognized 80 Plus Silver energy efficiency specifications. With active power factor correction (PFC), the series have a typical efficiency of
USB Picoammeter’s sync feature offers desirable low DC current measurements
May 8, 2013 10:21 am | Product Releases | CommentsRBD’s 9103 USB picoammeter is designed to provide reliable and accurate bipolar DC current measurements in the range of picoamps to milliamps. A simple ASCII-based command structure enables users to quickly incorporate the 9103 into their own custom software application.
Engineering Newswire 36: Electric car charge time cut in half
May 8, 2013 9:54 am | Videos | CommentsThe new fast-charging system from Volvo and Siemens is cutting recharge times in electric vehicles down to 90 minutes. The new 22 kilowatt fast-charger system is an on-board charger that operates on a 3-phase supply, and uses a 3-phase outlet to provide enough charge for a range of 102 miles in 90 minutes.
Should engineers be licensed: A process improvement perspective
May 8, 2013 9:29 am | by Alan Nicol, Executive Member, AlanNicolSolutions | Blogs | CommentsIn his article, “Should Engineers Be Licensed,” posted on www.pddnet.com Monday, April 22, Karl Stephen presented an interesting question that generated a great many comments and some debate among readers. Perhaps a way to answer the question is to answer the question phrased differently.
Trulia buying Market Leader for more than $300M
May 8, 2013 7:39 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsReal estate website operator Trulia is buying real estate software provider Market Leader Inc. for more than $300 million in cash and stock. Market Leader teams up with real estate brokerages and franchisors to help their agents manage their leads and convert those leads into closings. Trulia...
Dow closes above 15,000 for first time; what next?
May 8, 2013 6:06 am | by BERNARD CONDON - AP Business Writers - Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Dow Jones industrial average closed above 15,000 for the first time Tuesday. An improving outlook for the economy and record corporate earnings are persuading investors to buy stocks. Federal Reserve stimulus is also helping. The Dow has gained 15 percent this year. It has more than doubled...
