On Design
Smart Grid: The future of energy
June 12, 2013 11:23 am | by M. Simon, Technical Contributor | Articles | CommentsThe Smart Grid is coming. It is needed in order to raise or lower prices for consumers depending on the time of day. It is needed to control consumer loads to better integrate intermittent alternative energy into the grid (industrial loads are already demand controlled by the grid operator depending on the type of service contract they have).
Resolve signal integrity issues in cloud computing platforms
May 29, 2013 4:10 pm | by Bill Weir, Pericom, www.pericom.com | Articles | CommentsWhile the cloud promises to reduce enterprise network infrastructure and operating costs, the remote execution of applications makes factors such as latency, performance, and reliability critical considerations in the design and deployment of cloud computing platforms. A key factor determining server performance, cloud or not, is maintaining a bit error rate (BER) on the order of 1.E-12 for the overall system.
Design electronics for cold environments
December 17, 2012 4:14 pm | by Jon Titus, Technical Contributor | Articles | CommentsEngineers at Agilent Technologies found a need for a digital multimeter (DMM) technicians and electricians could use in cold environments. "I went to college in Canada where temperatures often got down to below -20°C," said Boon Juan Tan, R&D manager in Agilent's Basic Instruments Division.
MCU tools help estimate and minimize power use
December 12, 2012 9:58 am | by Jon Titus, Technical Contributor | Silicon Laboratories Inc. | Articles | CommentsJosh Norem, an application engineer at Silicon Laboratories, gave me a demonstration of the company's Power Estimator tool available within the larger, free AppBuilder software. The Power Estimator tool now covers the SIM3L1XX Device, although Silicon Labs plans to add sleep-mode power conditions and other MCUs soon.
Kits for Kids
October 4, 2012 3:46 pm | by Jon Titus, Technical Contributor | Articles | CommentsElectronics, computer, and science kits can help kindle technical interests in kids of all ages. Each year the holidays seem to arrive sooner than expected and parents of young people interested in science and technology search for gift ideas. This column provides some suggestions. Some projects require adult help or supervision.
Audio-signal processing without code headaches
September 18, 2012 11:18 am | by Jon Titus, Technical Contributor | Articles | CommentsGraphical approaches to processing audio information lets designers concentrate on how their products sound rather than on DSP and programming chores. It seems few people lack an audio device, which can include an MP3 player and small sound bar up to a custom HiFi sound system in a home theatre.
Careful designers get the most from brushless DC motors
August 20, 2012 10:10 am | by Jon Titus, Technical Contributor | Articles | CommentsA brushed-DC motor comprises external permanent magnets and electromagnets wound on a rotating core. Brushes manufactured from graphite and other materials switch, or commutate, electricity to the coils as they rotate to sustain motion. A brushless-DC (BLDC) motor turns this construction inside out and places
Near-field communications
July 18, 2012 9:29 am | by Jon Titus, Technical Contributor | Articles | CommentsNear-field communications, which arose from earlier RFID applications, have gained in popularity as manufacturers added NFC capabilities to smart-phone and tablet-computer and as merchants have installed NFC payment devices. So instead of carrying a wallet full of credit and debit cards, consumers can use their smart phones as a mobile-payment "account"...
Design West update
April 11, 2012 10:53 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsDesign West remained true to its embedded-systems roots and companies offered a cornucopia of new products for engineers. This year, the Embedded Systems Conference occurred as part of the larger Design West conference and exhibition, but clearly the emphasis remained on embedded systems...
Tips Help Engineers Write Well -- Part 2
March 21, 2012 1:26 pm | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsA conclusion at the start of a report and the active voice improve engineers' written communications.
Tips Help Engineers Write Well -- Part 1
February 24, 2012 6:45 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsMany engineers see engineering and writing as mutually exclusive skills. They think people can do one or the other, but not both. Engineers can write well, although it takes some practice.
Jim Williams Remembered
February 1, 2012 7:36 am | by Jon Titus, senior technical editor | Articles | CommentsAnalog guru Jim Williams died in mid 2011, but his work lives on in circuits, magazine articles, books and photographs. Part of his lab lives on, too, in the exhibit, "An Analog Life: Remembering Jim Williams," at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA.
Forth Works with Embedded Systems
January 30, 2012 10:06 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsIn late 2011 I wrote about the GA144 "multi-computer" integrated circuit from GreenArrays that provides 144 cores on one chip. Engineers and programmers use the company's arrayForth tools to create
Was Lead-Free Solder Worth the Effort?
December 28, 2011 7:28 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsLead-free solder has yet to yield documented benefits.
Eight Tips for Alternate-Energy Users
November 23, 2011 9:57 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsWhen you evaluate alternate-energy sources look at your entire system to find ways to reduce power use.
Apply Security Standards to Wireless Problems
November 16, 2011 3:59 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsYou need not roll your own wireless security protocols. Many standards already include them.
Kits for Kids
September 28, 2011 1:30 pm | Articles | CommentsArduino MCU electronic kits and projects make good gifts during the holidays.
Simulation Enhances Embedded Systems
September 7, 2011 7:20 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsYou might wonder whether engineers who design embedded systems can benefit from using simulation software. "If you plan to control something like a nuclear reactor or a large piece of machinery, where you'd pay a high price for creating a bad controller...
Remote Controls Go Wireless RF
July 20, 2011 9:56 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsAbout two years ago, the Radio Frequency for Consumer Electronics (RF4CE) Consortium joined with the ZigBee Alliance to create a wireless protocol specifically for consumer-electronic products. Manufacturers and consumers have tired of handheld infrared (IR) controls...
Get Started with Android
July 18, 2011 7:27 am | by Colin Walls, Mentor Graphics | Articles | CommentsYou might think of Android only as an operating system (OS) for high-end mobile phones, but it extends beyond that type of device.
Wireless Sensor Networks Go The Distance
July 8, 2011 8:27 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsWhether you use a handful or thousands of sensors in a wireless network, communications can occur in many ways. But each approach requires a thoughtful analysis of distances between sensor nodes, node-power requirements, protocols, and network layouts, among other characteristics.
Kits for Kids
May 23, 2011 7:07 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsSummer vacation arrives soon and parents will have to come up with activities and projects to keep kids busy. Why not consider some electronic kits, boards, tools, and books?
ESC 2011 Update
May 13, 2011 11:07 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsAt the Embedded Systems Conferences manufacturers talk about their new and improved hardware and software products. I wish space and time let write something about them all. Instead, the short descriptions below give you brief highlights of some standout products.
CAN-Bus Analyzers: From Cables to Communications
March 24, 2011 11:29 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsEngineers know about tools for controller-area network (CAN) applications that help identify problems with bits and bytes. But they might get fooled into ignoring low-level problems that can occur down at the "wire-and-connector" level.
Thumbs Up for Touch Sensors
March 1, 2011 11:47 am | by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsMany product designers have thought, "My product uses four push buttons, a rotary switch, and 7-segment displays. How do I take the first step with touch-control replacements?" Semiconductor manufacturers now supply a wide range of touch-control ICs...
