Automotive
Interconnect solutions provide automatic coplanarity compensation
August 29, 2012 1:44 pm | Product Releases | CommentsAutosplice has introduced a new series of specialized Solderball Pin Array (SPA) interconnect capabilities that leverage the company’s industry-leading Solderball Pin Technology by creating pre-defined arrays and header configurations that are targeted to meet application-specific requirements.
Ensuring safety through automobile electronics
August 27, 2012 10:31 am | by Anthony Le, Winbond Electronics, www.winbond.com | Blogs | CommentsHow many of us have seen cars swerving on the road because the driver is on the phone or texting? The reality is that more drivers are using mobile devices in cars and more electronics are being designed into new cars, such as smart phones, infotainment systems with large tablet-like displays, and various inputs/warning systems resulting in information overload. These gadgets dramatically
SPDT RF switch suits battery-powered and automotive telematics applications
August 24, 2012 10:21 am | Product Releases | CommentsPeregrine Semiconductor announced the availability of the SPDT PE42421 RF switch, which is available in a miniature, six-lead SC-70 package. With its small package size, ESD performance of 2 kV on the RFC port, low voltage support down to 1.8V VDD, and low power consumption of
Blade fuses suit space-constrained electrical systems
August 23, 2012 12:02 pm | Product Releases | CommentsLittelfuse, Inc. has introduced its new MICRO3 line of blade fuses. This new line combines two individual fused circuits in a single sub-miniature body, making it an desirable for space-constrained electrical systems. The fuse is less than 15 mm wide and offers the same 5-mm terminal spacing and electrical
Hypersonic "Waverider" Aircraft Breaks Apart
August 23, 2012 9:28 am | by Engineering.com | Videos | CommentsThis Week in Engineering - Tiny cubesat thrusters; hypersonic Waverider crashes; bird-friendly glass; robot inchworm; room-temperature masers; and DNA data storage. Hypersonic "Waverider" Aircraft Breaks Apart
Pushbutton latching switch targets interior automotive lighting applications
August 22, 2012 12:00 pm | Product Releases | CommentsCW Industries has introduced a new push button alternate action latching switch. The GCL-536 series push button switch was designed to mate with customer insert molded and lead frame manufactured components in automotive interior applications. The switch is designed to
A mentor's perspective: Project-based learning and student competitions
August 22, 2012 10:57 am | by Gen Sasaki, Principal Technical Consultant, MathWorks, www.mathworks.com | Blogs | CommentsI have experienced first hand the great learning opportunity such venues provide students to apply what they have learned in the classroom, and have fun (and a fair share of pain) doing it. In addition, this hands-on learning brings greater understanding and gratification of the knowledge acquired in coursework. In addition, a team competition
Pre-driver features low self heating and small pin count
August 22, 2012 10:15 am | Product Releases | CommentsMelexis latest pre-driver IC, the MLX83203, deploys EEPROM memory and combined bootstrap and charge pump blocks.
Feds, Univ. of Michigan hope to make roads safer with cars that can talk to each other
August 22, 2012 8:37 am | by TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsIn a few weeks, about 2,800 cars, trucks and buses will start talking to each other on the streets of Ann Arbor, Mich., in a giant experiment that government officials are hoping will lead to safer roads.
Would you eat printed meat?
August 21, 2012 1:56 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | Comments3D printing is a hot topic issue in the tech world with everything from printed guns to printed arms making headlines around the world.The newest 3D item to hit the scene? Printed meat. Modern Meadows,a firm looking to develop “high value, food grade animal protein”
Dual range DC power source delivers up to 350 W of power
August 21, 2012 11:02 am | Product Releases | CommentsB&K Precision today announced the addition of the model 1747--its latest dual range DC power source. Delivering up to 350 W of power with constant voltage (CV) and constant current (CC) modes, model 1747 can output either higher voltage at a lower current range
Insight: Experts hope to shield cars from computer viruses
August 20, 2012 9:03 am | by Jim Finkle, Reuters | News | CommentsA team of top hackers working for Intel Corp's security division toil away in a West Coast garage searching for electronic bugs that could make automobiles vulnerable to lethal computer viruses.
Automotive relay offers maximum current rating of 20A
August 16, 2012 1:05 pm | Product Releases | CommentsThe CIT Relay & Switch A17 Series is a robust automotive relay in a small package. Noted for its high current/in-rush capabilities, the A17 offers plug-in styling with maximum current rating of 20A. This sealed relay is single pole single throw with coil suppression options of resistor or diode.
Serial SRAM devices boast 1 Mbit densities, 80 Mbps speeds and 5-V operation
August 15, 2012 5:56 pm | Microchip Technology Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsMicrochip Technology Inc. expanded its serial SRAM portfolio with four new devices that are said to feature the industry’s largest densities and speeds. They also offer 5-V operation, which remains prevalent in automotive and industrial applications. These 512 Kb and 1 Mb SPI devices maintain the
Who needs a license? Self-driving cars coming our way
August 15, 2012 4:07 pm | by Ben Klayman, Reuters | News | CommentsIt's been more than half a century since some of the first concept cars boasting self-driving features were presented to the world and they're still not on the roads. But many auto executives say the industry is on the cusp of welcoming vehicles that make the idea of keeping both hands on the wheel an anachronism.
UC research promises quiet cars -- even when hitting unexpected bumps in the road
August 14, 2012 2:07 pm | by EurekAlert! | News | CommentsAll noise is not necessarily equal – especially when it comes to sound minimization in automobiles. For instance, automakers have long used sound-absorbing materials (passive control) in the design of cars in order to minimize engine noise and the "routine" noise of tires traveling on smooth pavement at a consistent speed.
Would you trust brakes that think for you?
August 14, 2012 11:34 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsIn keeping with the vehicle safety theme I’ve self-cultivated with Signal and the inflatable seatbelt, let’s take a look at the world of brakes, specifically Automatic Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS). The idea behind AEBS is that in the event that you, the driver, are unable or incapable of braking in order to avoid a collision with a car, pedestrian, object, your garage door, etc. the car will take (complete or partial) control...
Innovative technology meets a luxury brand: The Audi Pavilion
August 10, 2012 9:22 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsAudi AG has been making luxury cars since 1932 when four car companies of the 19th and early 20th centuries—Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer—joined to form the company which exists today. The cars are known for their sleek lines, German engineering, high performance and tech-savvy interior.
Multi-Image switch designed for high-density instrumentational panels, display panels
August 9, 2012 12:14 pm | Product Releases | CommentsElectro-Mech Components, Inc. has introduced the Series SW44823 Multi-Image Switch Series offering an ideal solution for high-density instrumentation panels and display areas where several switching functions may be required.
Gearing offers high torque, low output speed gearmotors
August 9, 2012 12:07 pm | Product Releases | CommentsTo meet requirements in solar tracking, medical diagnostic and motion control applications for high torque, low output speed gearmotors with self-locking capability without sacrificing energy efficiency, Dunkermotor, part of Ametek Precision Motion Control, has added its unique Wormetary gearing to its complete line of intelligent servo and brushless dc motors. The intelligent servo motors feature integral control capabilities ranging from 4-quadrant digital speed or positioning to master electronics, including CANopen, Profibus and EtherCAT fieldbus connectivity.
University of Tennessee engineering team develops chip for Mars rover
August 8, 2012 3:26 pm | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsNASA's Mars Science Laboratory Rover 'Curiosity' would have a hard time completing its mission if it were not for a successful partnership between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a professor-student team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Cost-effective production of infrared lenses
August 8, 2012 3:25 pm | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsRain pelts down on the roof of the car; it is difficult to make out anything in the pitch dark. Suddenly, a deer runs out of the forest and onto the road, but the driver cannot respond in time. When it comes to such dangerous situations, micro-bolometers constitute one way of "extending" the human eye and defusing such dangerous situations. They detect infrared rays – in other words, the heat emitted by a living creature – and in case of danger, warn the driver through an acoustic signal or a warning light. At about 2,000 euros, these devices are still quite expensive and are only being used in luxury-class vehicles.
A simple way to help cities monitor traffic more accurately
August 7, 2012 2:25 pm | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsCOLUMBUS, Ohio – Cities count the number of cars on the road in order to plan everything from the timing of stoplights to road repairs. But the in-road metal detectors that do the counting can make errors – most often by registering that a car is present when one isn't.
Mini Minis in athletics cause big branding stir
August 7, 2012 12:49 pm | by Karolos Grohmann, Reuters | News | Comments(Reuters) - Remote-controlled miniatures of Mini cars whizzing around the athletics stadium to shuttle javelins, discus and hammers back to the athletes have triggered branding questions at what are strictly ad-free Olympic venues at the London Games.
EMI test receiver is presented as world’s fastest
August 7, 2012 10:25 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe new R&S ESR test receiver is available in two different models for frequencies ranging from 10 Hz to 3 GHz or 7 GHz to meet the requirements of all users who perform EMC certification on commercial equipment. The R&S ESR covers
