Articles
Supercapacitors Replace Batteries with Help of 3mm × 3mm Charger
September 8, 2009 5:51 am | by Jim Drew, Sr. Applications Engineer, Linear Technology | CommentsSupercapacitors are finding their way into an increasing number of applications for short-term energy storage. One such application is a power ride-through circuit, in which a backup energy source cuts in and powers the load when main power supply fails for a short time. This type of application has been dominated by batteries in the past
Choosing the right IGBT Trade-Offs to maximize Motor Drive performance
September 8, 2009 5:29 am | by Vijay Bolloju, Jun Yang , & Elk Kabaker, IGBT Applications Engineering group, International Rectifier | CommentsRecent advances in IGBT technology have given motor drive designers more options to consider for system development. Different specification conventions of various vendors complicate the design process further. Conventionally, system efficiency has been equated directly with VCEON. This metric is important for calculating the conduction losses of an IGBT but leaves out switching losses completely.
Constant Current Regulation delivers HB-LED advances
September 4, 2009 8:23 am | by Tim Kaske & Paul Decloedt, On Semiconductor | CommentsIn recent years significant advances in high-brightness LEDs (HB-LEDs) have given designers the opportunity to replace conventional incandescent, fluorescent and halogen technologies with more reliable and energy-efficient LED-based alternatives. As a result, solid-state lighting has seen considerable uptake in automotive, digital signage, and architectural applications, as well as the illumination of our city streets.
Power over Camera Link Standard Saves Space in Factory Floor Machinery
September 2, 2009 11:35 am | by Dan Cronch, Product Development Specialist, 3M Electronic Solutions Division | CommentsIn Japan, space is a precious commodity. In the manufacturing setting, companies strive to make the most of every square inch. To that end, the Japan Industrial Imaging Association (JIIA) led the development of the Power over Camera Link (PoCL) Interface Standard for digital cameras and frame grabbers used in Machine Vision systems.
SuperSpeed USB: A USB 3.0 Update
September 2, 2009 7:35 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | CommentsSuperSpeed USB connections — coming in 2010 — will zip data between devices at a theoretical rate of 5 Gbps, or more than 10-fold faster than a high-speed USB 2.0 connection. The faster transfers could help embedded-system developers who design video kiosks, TV recorders/players, and test-and-measurement equipment that use large quantities of information.
Tennis Players Encouraged to Watch what they Tweet
August 31, 2009 7:56 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsEven tennis isn’t sacrosanct—competitors in the US Open are being warned to watch what they tweet. The warning is purportedly to ensure compliance with tennis’ “Anti-Corruption Program Rules.” Posted in conspicuous locations, the warning reads: "Many of you will have Twitter accounts in order for your fans to follow you and to become more engaged in you and the sport...
Try before you buy: MP3s and digital media rights
August 25, 2009 9:56 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsThe UK is considering a law that would force ISPs to cut off service to those accused of illegally downloading movies and/or music. This has the potential to reignite an old debate—one that’s persisted since the term “digital media” was invented. Our handling of this issue has profound ramifications for the future of the entertainment industry.
Selecting the Right Rapid Prototyping System
August 21, 2009 6:01 am | by Scot Thompson, Solid Concepts, www.solidconcepts.com | CommentsWhen I started in the rapid prototyping industry with 3D Systems in March of 1989 it was just months after the very first SLA system, the SLA-1, was introduced at the Autofact Show in Detroit in 1988. This first rapid prototyping system was invented by Chuck Hull, an engineer trained in photosensitive polymers.
Crosstalk in Multi-Channel High-Speed ADCs
August 13, 2009 10:13 am | by Chuck Sanna, Product Marketing Engineer, Texas Instruments | CommentsIn the push to increase bandwidth, range and sensitivity in wide bandwidth systems, multi-antenna and multi-sensor arrays are becoming increasingly popular. With each antenna or sensor requiring its own signal chain, many analog-to-digital converter (ADC) suppliers are integrating multiple high-speed ADCs into a single IC design.
Filter Design Tools and Wizards
August 13, 2009 9:53 am | by Hank Zumbahlen, Sr. Staff Applications Eng., Analog Devices | CommentsFilters are common in electronic equipment. From antialiasing filters used before A to D converters, to reconstruction filters after D to A converters, to intermediate frequency (IF) strips applications for filters are everywhere. The common thread is the desire to pass some frequencies, while blocking others. An ideal filter will have an amplitude response that is unity (or at a fixed gain) for the frequencies of interest
Design Talk - Circuits
August 12, 2009 6:00 am | CommentsWhen designing at the board level, there are always new things to consider. Here are some essays on design to help you in your work.
Thermal Management Strategies for Extreme 3U cPCI Embedded System Applications
August 5, 2009 6:47 am | by Barbara Schmitz, MEN Mikro Elektronik | CommentsAs the cooling challenges of 3U CompactPCI (cPCI) embedded system applications multiply due to increased processing power, reduced package sizes and more hostile environments, new thermal management options and industry standards continue to evolve. Chip and board manufacturers have already done a vast amount of work to mitigate thermal management concerns.
Modules Simplify RF Designs
August 4, 2009 10:01 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | CommentsReady-to-use wireless modules provide a way to quickly get a design "on the air" when engineers find RF circuits and communication protocols fall outside their areas of expertise. Even when engineers have RF experience, a module still might make sense from the perspective of saved time and money.
Government intervention may stifle tech industry
August 4, 2009 7:18 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsOn October 20, 2005 Congress passed the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005. The act mandated the cessation of analog broadcasting by February 18, 2009, and the subsequent reign of digital. The program floundered, leaving the public woefully unprepared for the February deadline. This example illustrates how badly the government can mangle an enterprise.
Brainstorm: Alternative Fuels Part 2
August 3, 2009 12:59 pm | CommentsWhat’s the best way to advance alternative energy research? With government grants, free market solutions, or something else?
