Fame and fortune await the inventor _ along with angry mobs, burnings, exile. A brief history
January 25, 2013 9:04 am | by BERNARD CONDON AP Business Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) -- For every clever man who invents a labor-saving machine, it seems a crowd of angry men rises up to destroy it. The most famous of the machine haters were the Luddites, the skilled weavers of England who, in 1811, began smashing power looms that were threatening to take their jobs.
Obsolete industries won’t drive economic growth
January 24, 2013 12:09 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Articles | 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.
Preparing for the worst: Author Martin Ford imagines a future when machines have all the jobs
January 24, 2013 9:38 am | by PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsMartin Ford saw it everywhere, even in his own business. Smarter machines and better software were helping companies do more work with fewer people. His Silicon Valley software firm used to put its programs on disks and ship them to customers. The disks were made, packaged and
Study: Digital information can be stored in DNA
January 24, 2013 9:36 am | by MALCOLM RITTER AP Science Writer | News | CommentsIt can store the information from a million CDs in a space no bigger than your little finger, and could keep it safe for centuries. Is this some new electronic gadget? Nope. It's DNA. The genetic material has long held all the information needed to make plants and animals, and now some scientists are saying it could help handle the growing storage needs of today's information society.
Modular, rackmount mix-and-match surge protector offers 12-module capacity
January 23, 2013 4:00 pm | Product Releases | CommentsITW Linx announced the launch of its SurgeGate Modular Rackmount surge protector. The mix and match 12-module technology is asserted to offer the fastest protection time in the industry with a response time of 1-5 ns. This surge protector offers
Slim SATA SSDs feature power-fail protection
January 23, 2013 3:18 pm | Product Releases | CommentsSTEC, Inc. announced the small-form-factor s230 Series of Slim SATA solid-state drives. This low-power, small-footprint Slim SATA drive comes in an industry standard JEDEC MO-297 format occupying
Tantalum capacitor protects from short circuit conditions
January 23, 2013 11:02 am | Kemet Electronics Corporation | Product Releases | CommentsKEMET Corporation introduced its new T496 Hi-Rel Fused Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) MnO2 Series of tantalum surface mount capacitors. These devices are ideal for use in high reliability applications where a capacitor failing short will disrupt the overall performance of the system. The internal fuse in the capacitor results in a fail open condition.
MEMS oscillators ideal for industrial and high-reliability applications
January 23, 2013 10:03 am | SiTime Corp. | Product Releases | CommentsSiTime Corporation introduced the SiT8920 MEMS oscillator for industrial and high reliability applications. Due to its unique silicon MEMS and analog architecture, the SiT8920 outperforms quartz oscillators in every major performance category. While operating over the widest temperature range, -55°C to +125°C, the SiT8920 consumes half the power of quartz oscillators....
What holds energy tech back? The infernal battery
January 23, 2013 9:00 am | by SETH BORENSTEIN AP Science Writer | News | CommentsAs 21st century technology strains to become ever faster, cleaner and cheaper, an invention from more than 200 years ago keeps holding it back. It's why electric cars aren't clogging the roads and why Boeing's new ultra-efficient 787 Dreamliners aren't flying high.
Miniature smart sensor combines 3-axis accelerometer with embedded microcontroller
January 22, 2013 2:19 pm | Stmicroelectronics | Product Releases | CommentsSTMicroelectronics announced details of a miniature smart sensor that combines a 3-axis accelerometer with an embedded microcontroller together in an ultra-compact 3x3x1mm LGA package for advanced custom motion-recognition capabilities.
Shrouded connectors ideal for robust, secure connection applications
January 22, 2013 12:08 pm | Mill-Max | Product Releases | CommentsMill-Max is pleased to announce the addition of a single row option to our shrouded male pin connector line. Shrouded connectors are ideal for applications where a robust, secure connection is demanded, such as frequently mated interconnects and blind mate conditions.
Pressure switches available with two million life cycle rating, IP67 environmental sealing
January 22, 2013 12:00 pm | Honeywell Sensing And Control | Product Releases | CommentsHoneywell introduced its Pressure Switches, High Pressure Premium, HPS Series, the only pressure switches available in the industry with a two million life cycle rating, IP67 environmental sealing, and multiple port and termination options that improve equipment uptime,
“Smart pills” could save firefighters from injury or death
January 22, 2013 11:27 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsWhile the idea of “Smart Medication” didn’t go over very well with the ECN crowd, there is a group to which it could be the difference between life and death.Firefighters often battle in extreme environmental conditions that can be pretty tough on the body’s vitals.
Software advancements allow for improved power calculations, design productivity
January 21, 2013 3:47 pm | Lattice | Product Releases | CommentsLattice Semiconductor Corporation announced an array of advancements to its software platforms, debuting new versions of Lattice Diamond® and iCEcube2™ design tools. The updated software prominently features several notable advancements that improve power calculations and design productivity
Single-phase energy-measurement processors are energy-measurement subsystem in a single chip
January 21, 2013 2:17 pm | Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsMaxim Integrated Products, Inc. announced that it is now sampling the 78M6610+PSU/78M6610+LMU single-phase energy-measurement processors. These processors are an energy-measurement subsystem in a single chip. They provide simple utility-grade sensing and diagnostics for existing designs without the traditional cost of a utility meter system-on-chip.
What technology do you expect to take the consumer space by storm in 2013? (Part II)
January 21, 2013 11:31 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsThe question of, "What technology do you expect to take the consumer space by storm in 2013?" continues in part II of the February Brainstorm series as experts take on the question of what will be popular in consumer electronics and the consumer technology space in the next 12 months.
What technology do you expect to take the consumer space by storm in 2013?
January 21, 2013 11:30 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsThe question of, "What technology do you expect to take the consumer space by storm in 2013?" begins in part I of the February Brainstorm series as experts take on the question of what will be popular in consumer electronics and the consumer technology space in the next 12 months.
Do you have what it takes to be a Brainstorm expert?
January 21, 2013 10:36 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsWe here at ECN love to hear what you have to say, so for our March issue we’re opening up the Brainstorm discussion to our faithful readers. We want to hear your thoughts about lighting and the future of technology.Typically, the Brainstorm is an editorial section consisting of short commentary by five or six experts in a particular vertical market. Check out the Brainstorm archive, here.
Miniature metal photoeye touts hybrid structure
January 21, 2013 9:51 am | Keyence Corporation Of America | Product Releases | CommentsKEYENCE introduced the PR-M/F Series, said to be the industry’s first miniature metal photoeye. The PR-M/F Series is intended to fulfill three main focuses: durability, stable operation, and ease of use. By employing a “hybrid structure”, which features a
Adjustable equipment mounting pole includes surface-mount bracket
January 18, 2013 10:40 am | Larson Electronics Llc | Product Releases | CommentsLarson Electronics has announced the addition of the TPM-12 Telescoping Light Pole to its extensive line of industrial grade lighting equipment. The TPM-12 adjustable light pole is designed for permanent attachment to walls, supports and flat surfaces, and provides a highly convenient method of mounting lighting, speakers, and similar devices....
Miniature SMT mountable 5W DC/DC converters combine high performance features
January 17, 2013 10:35 am | MicroPower Direct, LLC | Product Releases | CommentsNow available from MicroPower Direct, the LF500RU series is a family of miniature SMT mountable 5W DC/DC converters. These converters combine high performance features such as a wide 4:1 input range, tight line/load regulation and low noise operation with a compact SMT package.
Solid metal USB 3.0 hub designed for industrial, heavy traffic areas
January 17, 2013 10:17 am | Product Releases | CommentsStarTech.com which enables users to add multiple external USB 3.0 connection ports to a PC, server or thin client located within server rooms or industrial operating environments.The industrial-grade hub can be mounted to a wall or DIN rail, and features 350W surge protection on each port as well as a solid metal chassis designed to withstand harsh conditions.
New robotic fish glides indefinitely
January 17, 2013 9:05 am | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsA high-tech robotic fish hatched at Michigan State University has a new look. A new skill. And a new name. MSU scientists have made a number of improvements on the fish, including the ability to glide long distances, which is the most important change to date. The fish now has the ability to glide through the water
Differential pressure transducer features oil-free, high line pressure design
January 16, 2013 5:14 pm | Product Releases | CommentsAmerican Sensor Technologies, Inc. (AST) has released the AST5300 wet/wet differential pressure transducer for use in Explosion-Proof and Non-Incendive areas. Featuring all 316L and Inconel X750 material, the AST5300 is suitable for various liquids and gases requiring high line pressure (1,500 PSI) and low differential pressure (10 PSID) measurements.
Low-profile, explosion-proof light features high output and paint booth certification
January 16, 2013 2:26 pm | Larson Electronics Llc | Product Releases | CommentsLarsonelectronics.com has announced the introduction of a low profile explosion proof light featuring high output and paint booth certification. Designed to provide compatibility with low profile mounting applications, the EPL-48-216 Explosion Proof Light Fixture from Larson Electronics provides high output in a less obtrusive form factor....


