Articles
Buried treasure: Unlock the processing power of wireless modules
July 2, 2012 3:58 pm | by Jacques Suire, Sierra Wireless | CommentsWhen looking to add cellular connectivity to an embedded system, many designers choose a wireless module like the one shown in Figure 1, since the device contains all the analog and digital circuitry necessary for producing, transmitting, and decoding data over a cellular network.
Wireless networking's effect on the industrial environment
July 2, 2012 10:46 am | by Brian Buchanan, On Semiconductor, www.onsemi.com | CommentsWithin the Industrial segment, there are many functional wireless networks deployed and many more in the various stages of deployment. A system of connected machines can increase productivity, reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies for the industry. The idea of machine-to-machine landscape has the potential to allow multiple devices to communicate through a common network feeding real-time data back to processing centers.
Interview with NLT Technologies on transflective displays
July 2, 2012 10:02 am | CommentsAt one time, transflective displays were the hottest property in the optoelectronics market. The last two SID Display Weeks cast a sharp eye on this emerging technology, and nearly every OEM was promoting it. And then abruptly, it disappeared. At SID 2012, no one was talking about it anymore. What happened to transflective displays? ECN recently had the chance to talk with Bob Dunhouse and Cathy Dobson of NLT Technologies regarding this strange phenomenon.
What happened to transflective displays?
June 29, 2012 9:40 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsThe most notable feature of this year’s SID Display Week was what wasn’t there: transflective displays. Sure, they were somewhere, tucked away in a corner or hidden in plain sight. But no one was talking about them anymore. Their conspicuous absence was underscored by their ubiquitous presence at the last two Display Weeks. So why did transflective displays abruptly disappear?
Data acquisition vendors let users phone-in for increased productivity
June 27, 2012 10:18 am | CommentsData acquisition continues to migrate from the desktop to smaller, portable solutions. This portability, combined with advances in USB and wireless connectivity plus applications for smart phones and tablets, has made the process of gathering and analyzing data from remote locations simple and ubiquitous.
Why Canon should kill its mixed reality glasses product
June 27, 2012 8:48 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsCanon is debuting their Mixed Reality Glasses—just in case you suddenly have the desire to totally throw off your entire vestibular system and sense of reality. You know, like at a fun weekend party. The goggles fall somewhere between Google Glass and RED Classic ViewMaster 3D Viewer and Collector Reel. If you’re still not experiencing a vivid mental image, they look awful, heavy, and awkward...
Portable defibrillators rely on reed relays in high-voltage charging circuit
June 26, 2012 10:13 am | by John Beigel, MEDER electronic, www.meder.com | CommentsPortable automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are showing up regularly in places where large groups of people congregate, like airports and sports stadiums. This huge increase in the number of portable AEDs has not been driven by governmental regulation, but by the overwhelming evidence that they save lives.
The Roundtable - Industrial
June 25, 2012 3:18 pm | CommentsThanks to rapid advances in both the software and hardware, network engineers are able to use wireless to fill in the old communications gaps. They’re extending the network’s edge to include devices of every description, and turning those devices into nodes on modern, intelligent data communications systems. Wireless makes it possible to network-enable just about any device, just about anywhere.
6 must-have apps for a stress-free summer
June 22, 2012 8:51 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsBetween the heat, the busy weekends, and the school-free kids, summer can be more stressful than stress-free. Don’t worry, like every problem these days, there’s an app for that. For the sake of sanity, we’ve compiled a list of the best apps to keep your summer from feeling like a punishment. Nothing kills a day at the beach like an unexpected, hostile Facebook message from your mom...
Why I won’t trade my iPad for a Windows tablet
June 21, 2012 9:13 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsWhen Microsoft announced their not-so-secret news that they were releasing a tablet on Monday, it didn’t really take anyone by surprise. It was only a matter of time before the big-name competitor delivered a platform for Windows 8. For the sake of full disclosure, I am an Apple fan(atic). I haven’t owned a non-mac computer in years—after watching every single Dell laptop crash in college...
Coordinated circuit protection for small solar power systems
June 20, 2012 2:43 pm | by Neal Schultz, Senior Applications Engineer, TE Circuit Protection | CommentsRising energy costs and increasing support for clean, renewable energy sources has made solar power a growth industry. Solar panels directly generate power by converting sunlight to electricity with no moving parts, zero emissions, and little to no maintenance.
It's a bird...it's a plane...it's a Volkswagen!
June 19, 2012 4:39 pm | by Sara Cohen, Editorial Intern, WDD Magazine | CommentsThe ‘People’s Car Project’ debuted in China last year, as an experimental website aimed at soliciting ideas for future car models from Chinese inhabitants. The site received 119,000 concept-based ideas from its 33 million hits. The project aims to bring the Chinese public- VW’s largest market- to the forefront of its design team, and help the German automaker develop the “Volkswagen model of the future.”
Kickstarter: Helpful website or project killer?
June 18, 2012 10:46 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsIt seems innovative technology often gets stuck in the dark chasm that exists between a great idea and a final product. Between skyrocketing production costs, the difficulties of marketing on a limited budget, and unexpected hiccups, some projects never get off the ground. Kickstarter, a crowd-sourced funding website where inventors raise enough to manufacture their product, seems like the perfect solution to technological limbo.
Rugbeer: Tackling technology in advertising
June 15, 2012 8:45 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsHave you ever had a vending machine eat your dollar while you stand, helpless, as it destroys your dream of a tasty afternoon snack? Honestly, who hasn’t wanted to tackle a vending machine at least once? Here’s your chance. Following in the footsteps of Coca-Cola’s Hug Machine, Ogilvy+Mather public relations has taken creative advertising to an entirely different level.
Brainstorm: Military & Aerospace
June 14, 2012 3:47 pm | CommentsEach new generation of digital processor technology has been a principal driver in achieving better and more rugged solutions for military and aerospace applications. Using more advanced processors actually has helped engineers reduce the parts count in typical systems, leading directly to higher MTBFs and significantly improved reliability.
