Applications
Technique finds software bugs in surgical robots, helps ensure safety
April 8, 2013 10:57 am | by Carnegie Mellon | News | CommentsSurgical robots could make some types of surgery safer and more effective, but proving that the software controlling these machines works as intended is problematic. Researchers have demonstrated that methods for reliably detecting software bugs and ultimately verifying software safety can be applied successfully to this breed of robot.
Race to build driverless cars is in full throttle
April 8, 2013 10:41 am | by Rick Montgomery, The Kansas City Star | News | CommentsTo call Tim Sylvester a road builder misses the point. The streets he intends to build are embedded with electronic sensors that may keep cars of the future from speeding, veering and crashing. Doctoral candidate Amol Khedkar is toiling on his own prototype for a software system that would let cars talk to one other....
Medical 2x4” switchers sport industry’s lowest profile of only 0.92”
April 8, 2013 10:30 am | Advanced Power Solutions | Product Releases | CommentsAdvanced Power Solutions (APS) announces the release of the APS43MI / APS50MIG / APS63MI series of 2 x4” medical approved switching power supplies with the industry’s lowest profile of only 0.92” and single outputs ranging from 3.3~60VDC.
Should a computer grade your essay?
April 8, 2013 10:09 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsOne should never swap quality for instant gratification. Yet that’s exactly what EdX, a nonprofit educational organization founded by Harvard and MIT, is doing with their automated grading software that promises “instant feedback” on students’ essays. Creativity need not apply.
An engineer's wishlist for car infotainment systems
April 5, 2013 2:51 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Managing Editor | Blogs | CommentsWith Google's self-driving car hitting the road and all sorts of driver-assistance features hitting the showroom, it's a crazy time for drivers and designers alike. Cars are practically overflowing with (good and bad) attempts to integrate outside technology (smartphones, weather apps, virtual assistants) into vehicles interfaces.
Nano connector sealed to the IP67 rating
April 5, 2013 12:56 pm | Omnetics Connector Corporation | Product Releases | CommentsOmnetics Connector Corporation announces its latest addition to the Nano 360 family, the SureCon 360. These connectors are available in 6, 11 or 16 positions, with an IP67 rating and 3 different cable options: Military (UL94 V-O material), Medical (ISO10993 biocompatible) and standard grade.
pHEMT FET provides 22 dBm of output power at P1dB
April 5, 2013 10:57 am | Rfmw Ltd, Triquint Semiconductor | Product Releases | CommentsRFMW, Ltd. announces design and sales support for TriQuint Semiconductor’s TGF2018, a discrete 180-Micron pHEMT which operates from DC to 20 GHz. The TGF2018 is designed using TriQuint's proven standard 0.25um power pHEMT production process.
Explosion-proof metal halide light produces 32,000 lumens
April 5, 2013 10:39 am | Larson Electronics Llc | Product Releases | CommentsLarson Electronics Magnalight has announced today the release of an explosion proof metal halide work light with magnetic mounting base designed to provide high power illumination combined with versatile mounting capabilities. The EPL-BS-70-220V-100-3XMB Explosion Proof Metal Halide Light produces 32,000 lumens of light output....
Connection system protects the user from DC arcing during mating and unmating
April 5, 2013 10:07 am | Anderson Power Products | Product Releases | CommentsAnderson Power Products announces the launch of the Saf-D-Grid Ultra Short Receptacle. The Saf-D-Grid connection system protects the user from DC arcing during mating and unmating. This innovative design enables the safe connection of DC electronic devices to a DC micro grid powered by high efficiency DC sources.
HotSpot Episode 6: Phantom Quadcopter
April 5, 2013 9:30 am | Videos | CommentsThis week on WDD's HotSpot: DJI's new GPS equipped Phantom is an aerial platform for the FOPRO HERO action cam. Featuring a lithium polymer battery, an RGB LED indicator, an Enhanced fail-safe feature, and an Intelligent Orientation Control, this quad-copter makes one nifty little radio-controlled aircraft.
Fuse approved under the UL913 standard to operate in hazardous locations
April 4, 2013 2:26 pm | Mouser Electronics, Littelfuse Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsMouser Electronics is stocking the Littelfuse PICO 259-UL913 fuse - the only fuse approved under the UL913 standard to operate in hazardous locations. Littelfuse PICO 259-UL913 series fuses meet the UL 913 standard for Intrinsically Safe Electrical Equipment to operate in hazardous locations.
LEDs ideal for stage, booth lighting at trade fairs, and architectural lighting
April 4, 2013 2:18 pm | Osram Opto Semiconductors | Product Releases | CommentsThe new Osram Ostar Stage LEDs from Osram Opto Semiconductors offer high luminance of 48 million candelas per square meter (Mcd/m²) and tunable color tones from cold white to warm white. Combined with their extremely low-profile design and glass cover with anti-reflective coating...
Rocket powered by nuclear fusion could send humans to Mars
April 4, 2013 2:00 pm | by EurekAlert! | News | CommentsHuman travel to Mars has long been the unachievable dangling carrot for space programs. Now, astronauts could be a step closer to our nearest planetary neighbor through a unique manipulation of nuclear fusion, the same energy that powers the sun and stars.
Engineering Newswire 32: Ben Heck, and the iWorm straps to your back
April 4, 2013 12:48 pm | Videos | CommentsToday on Engineering Newswire, brought to you by Interpower, we're building an internal suspension system for your brain, designing an endoscope as thin as a hair, and using a worm to go hands free. This week we welcome Ben Heck to the Engineering Newswire as we feature...
Television's next big thing: Smell-O-Vision (again)
April 3, 2013 3:44 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Managing Editor | Blogs | CommentsNow that 3D television has failed to take off the way designers were hoping, companies have moved on to a newer, better, greater, bound-for-failure idea: Smell-O-Vision. Haruka Matsukura and a team from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology have designed an olfactory display system that can work in conjunction with a 2D display.
One-resistor-tunable timer ICs operate over wide supply voltage range
April 3, 2013 11:09 am | Product Releases | CommentsTouchstone Semiconductor added four, high-accuracy, micropower timer ICs to its rapidly expanding family of “NanoWatt Analog” timer integrated circuits. These higher-single-supply voltage, second-generation timer ICs operate over a wide supply voltage range
Top 10 must-read posts from March
April 3, 2013 10:47 am | by Kasey Panetta, Managing Editor | Blogs | CommentsHere’s a rundown of the most read, most popular, most awesome articles on the web. Take a look at what you missed the first time around or check up on an old favorite to see the conversation in the comments. Keep checking out the Lead at www.ecnmag.com and follow us on Twitter @ecnonline for our most up-to-date articles.
Industrial analog I/O server targets process control and automation markets
April 3, 2013 10:26 am | Lantronix | Product Releases | CommentsLantronix added the xSenso Controller to its xSenso analog sensor networking family, designed specifically for use in rugged and harsh environments including industrial automation, process control, manufacturing, chemicals, and oil and gas industries. The new analog and relay outputs provide the ability to
LED linear modules boast 145lm/W luminous efficacy
April 3, 2013 10:23 am | Samsung | Product Releases | CommentsSamsung Electronics announced the introduction of a new lineup of Zhaga-compliant LED H-Series linear modules that feature extremely high efficacy, as well as excellent light quality, and color consistency for use in a wide range of LED lighting applications including ambient lighting and linear fixtures.
One accelerometer interrupt pin for both wakeup and non-motion detection
April 2, 2013 4:48 pm | by Jay Esfandyari, Gang Xu, Fabio Pasolini, STMicroelectronics | Stmicroelectronics | Articles | CommentsMEMS accelerometers can output different kinds of interrupt signals such as data ready, freefall, portrait/landscape, single-click/double-click, and impact detection, etc. Some accelerometers have built-in wakeup and motionless detection features to automatically switch between lower output data rate (ODR) at low power mode and higher ODR at normal mode....
Puzzle of how spiral galaxies set their arms comes into focus
April 2, 2013 3:07 pm | by EurekAlert! | News | CommentsAs the shapes of galaxies go, the spiral disk — with its characteristic pinwheel profile — is by far the most pedestrian. Our own Milky Way, astronomers believe, is a spiral. Our solar system and Earth reside somewhere near one of its filamentous, swept-back arms.
Multitouch capacitive product able to sense up to 10 fingers simultaneously
April 2, 2013 2:26 pm | Amulet Technologies | Product Releases | CommentsAmulet Technologies is pleased to announce today its plans to launch the Multitouch Capacitive 4.3" GEMmodule developed in conjunction with partners Cypress Semiconductor Corporation and Clicktouch NV. The new product will be able to sense up to 10 fingers simultaneously on the multitouch screen....
400W quarter-brick converters attain 95% efficiency in standard DOSA footprint
April 2, 2013 2:15 pm | Tdk Corporation Of America, TDK-Lambda Americas, Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsTDK Corporation announces the new TDK-Lambda iQG Series of DC-DC converters that are ideal for intermediate or distributed bus power architectures. Featuring a low profile package that is only 0.52 inch high, these converters have been designed with confined space and demanding thermal environments....
4 mm micro motor and gearhead delivers up to 1.0 W nominal power
April 2, 2013 2:06 pm | Product Releases | Commentsmaxon motor introduces the EC4, a 4 mm diameter brushless DC motor and gearhead. The typical issue found with micro drives of this size is the output power is too low for the application requirements because of the physical limitations. maxon increased the performance of this tiny motor using the latest winding technology....
Switch series features bifurcated contact for increased electrical reliability and consistent performance
April 2, 2013 1:33 pm | C&K Components | Product Releases | CommentsC&K Components has expanded its surface-mount DIP switch series to include an ultra-miniature 1-position version for hand-held and portable electronic devices. Featuring a bifurcated contact for increased electrical reliability and consistent performance, the half-pitch TDA Series DIP switches are process-sealed for surface-mount soldering and washable-processing.
