Articles
Did the Justice Department cause Aaron Swartz’s suicide?
January 31, 2013 9:00 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsAaron Swartz was a 26-year-old computer programmer and online activist who died of apparent suicide on January 11, ahead of a scheduled trial where he was charged with 13 felonies. Swartz, founder of Demand Progress, an online group actively working against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)...
The changing face of distribution: 3D isn’t just for the TV ... or the printer
January 29, 2013 4:49 pm | by Chris Sullivan, Technical Marketing, Newark element14 | Newark | CommentsDistributors distribute, right? Common sense dictates this to be, well obvious and true. But the past 5 years has seen a transformation of the high-service electronics distribution industry where business models and service levels have been redrawn to become more relevant, more competitive and more attractive.
Obsolete industries won’t drive economic growth
January 24, 2013 12:09 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsAn article in the Associated Press, "Big Data and cloud computing empower smart machines to do human work, take human jobs," bemoans the loss of jobs to technology – a highly dubious assertion that crops up every generation like a broken record. And like the damaged piece of vinyl, this argument is immune to logic and reason.
CES 2013 a meager showcase for consumer electronics
January 17, 2013 2:20 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Microsoft Corp. | CommentsCES has never been more irrelevant. I wrote those words last year when Microsoft pulled out of CES and the industry was in the thralls of its 3D hysteria, pushing a technological gimmick that no one wanted. Since then, the industry has found a new rallying cry – 4K (or Ultra-HD) – and largely abandoned hopes of shoving stereoscopy down our throats, but the pizzazz is still missing.
The truth about relative vs. absolute motion control systems
January 16, 2013 12:39 pm | by Chad Lucien, Hillcrest Labs, www.hillcrestlabs.com | Hillcrest Labs | CommentsSmart TV features are beginning to transform the TV into an entertainment hub. Whether functionality is native to the TV or via a connected set-top box, many Smart TV systems utilize motion and pointing to control myriad features and functions. Motion control provides cursor, point-and-click, and tilt-based controls, mimicking the control system of a computer mouse or smartphone touchscreen.
New Jersey’s power and fuel infrastructure was no match for Sandy
January 16, 2013 12:14 pm | by Chris Warner, Executive Editor | CommentsThe love-hate relationship we have with "the grid" was inescapable during Superstorm Sandy. We don’t think about it much when our homes are lit and appliances are humming – we have the freedom to do anything we want. But when there’s an interruption, there’s that nagging wish to be free from the grip of our local utility....
Resolution rises to become banner spec for oscilloscopes
January 16, 2013 11:03 am | by David Maliniak, Technical Marketing Communications Specialist, Teledyne LeCroy | CommentsSince its invention in the 1980s, the digital oscilloscope represented a more modern approach to the visualization of waveforms compared with the analog instruments it replaced. Analog oscilloscopes displayed waveforms directly, but digital oscilloscopes use high-speed analog-to-digital converters....
How to get more than 8 bits from your 8-bit scope
January 16, 2013 10:54 am | by Joel Woodward, Agilent Technologies | Agilent Technologies | CommentsMeasurements are key to all scientific and engineering disciplines. For the electronics industry, oscilloscopes provide a number of critical measurements required by engineers to conduct real-world testing and gain needed insight. The majority of today’s oscilloscopes are designed with 8-bit ADCs (analog-to-digital converters).
DC/DC converter design principles for wireless sensor node applications
January 15, 2013 4:55 pm | by Yogesh Ramadass, Design Engineer and Tony Antonacci, Systems Engineer, Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | CommentsWith the advancement of energy harvesting elements, energy can be found and captured in almost any application, allowing for a wide variety of systems to be powered remotely. Applications such as “smart homes” and “mesh sensor networks” take advantage of the harvesting elements in order to power back-end electronics....
Using wireless in industrial automation to improve energy efficiency
January 15, 2013 4:44 pm | by Cory Vanderpool, Business Development Director, EnOcean Alliance | Enocean | CommentsThere is no doubt that considerable energy is utilized when it comes to industrial facilities. According to the Department of Energy, there are about 350,000 industrial facilities in the U.S. with annual energy costs totaling $94.4 billion. It is estimated that 30 percent of this energy is used inefficiently or unnecessarily.
Designing a smart TV remote using a 2.4GHz RF radio
January 15, 2013 10:13 am | by RamaSai Krishna Vakkantula, Cypress | Cypress | CommentsToday’s television manufacturers are designing televisions that are smart and have the ability to connect to the Internet so that users can browse web content and socialize. Usually these smart TVs are mounted on the wall and all other entertainment equipment islocated behind the closed doors of an entertainment center.
What to look for in your next power supply
January 14, 2013 8:58 am | by Lorenzo Cividino, Director Field Technical Support, SL Power Electronics | SL Power Electronics Corporation | CommentsChoosing the right power supply design is imperative for an overall successful product. With the ongoing goal of increased density, reliability and efficiencies, power ratings need to be reviewed carefully. Product life, temperature, input voltage, load and cooling are vital considerations as is meeting standards for safety, EMC and regulatory environmental impact compliance.
High-voltage Battery Simulator and Test Systems Critical for Hybrid Vehicle Development
January 8, 2013 3:03 pm | by Randall Beattie, SAKOR | CommentsHigh voltage battery simulator and test systems are essential for conducting testing of the high voltage DC power systems that are such a critical element of electric (EV) and hybrid/electric (HEV) vehicles. To accurately test a high voltage hybrid
Why the computer mouse will soon be obsolete
January 8, 2013 9:04 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsIf you thought being able to “pinch” your iPad screen to zoom was cool, hold on to your hats, because there is something even better coming: a way to use your computer without even touching it.To fully understand why this technology is so awesome, you have to ask yourself about the actual reason the computer mouse is designed the way is it.
Pecan Street demonstrates the potential of smart grid technology
January 7, 2013 11:33 am | by Melissa Barnes, Associate Editor, PD&D | CommentsWhen I first learned of Pecan Street, Inc. and the Smart Grid Demonstration Project, I knew little of the consortium’s mission. I had heard of smart grids before, but I was curious to know more about what the Pecan Street’s project was and how it was significant to the advancement of “green” technology.
