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From the BBC Horizon series, this episode from 1978 about microprocessors. Read the rest of this entry »
Wearable Computers Are the Next Big Devices, Report Says – NYTimes.com – [via]
The wearable computing wars are about to begin, says a report released Tuesday by Forrester Research.
The report predicts that consumers will begin experimenting more with wearables over the coming year, specifically around health and fitness, navigation, social networking and gaming. This new theme among consumers will hasten big tech companies to begin creating wearable computing products.
Wearable Computers Are the Next Big Devices, Report Says - [Link]
Scanalogic-2 Logic Analyzer and Signal Generator on your pocket
Scanalogic-2 PRO is a 4 channel Logic Analyzer and Digital signal generator, specially designed to decode and analyze serial protocols like SPI, I2C, UART, 1-WIRE and CAN.
Scanalogic-2 is designed to be used with the brand new ScanaStudio software, giving your logic analyzer ever evolving capabilities.
The Scanalogic-2 counts more than 3000 users around the world, a lot of reviews written by our fans, a very active support forum and a growing portfolio of distributors.
Features
- 20 Million Samples Per Seconds
- 4 Input/Output channels
- 256K Sample per channel
- 2V, 2.8V, 3.3V, 3.6V and 5V logic levels support
- Serial protocols decoders (SPI, I2C, 1-WIRE, UART, CAN, LIN,Manchester)
News: A new version of ScanaStudio is online (V1.104). you can download this update in ScanaStudio by going to “Help > check for updates”
Scanalogic-2 Logic Analyzer and Signal Generator on your pocket - [Link]
thebackshed.com writes:
This little project is a Gauss Meter, or Flux Meter, or Magnet Polarity Indicator. Basically, it senses magnetic fields. Using a hall sensor, the meter can measure the Gauss/Flux density and polarity of a magnet. It only needs a few parts, so can be built without a circuit board.
A Gauss Meter is handy when you want to know what end of a magnet is a North or South pole, and when you want to test magnets for strength, especially if they may have been heat damaged.
The heart of the meter is a UGN3503U or similar hall sensor. The UGN3503U is a linear hall sensor, meaning its output level changes with magnet Gauss changes, and the device can be sourced from most electronics suppliers, like Jaycar, Altronics, Farnell, etc..
UGN3503U hall effect sensor – Gauss Meter - [Link]
Giorgos Lazaridis writes:
Some time ago i published a theory page regarding the LED driving and controlling methods. These methods were all linear regulators, very simple to make but very inefficient -in terms of power consumption- for high current applications. The idea was to use this theory page as an entrance level for the SMPS LED drivers.
The first SMPS (Switching Mode Power Supply) LED driver that i made is a Buck-Regulating LED Driver using a chip from Allegro Microsystems, the A6210. I was provided some samples from Farnell for testing and prototyping, along with some other cool staff. Do not forget to pay a visit to Farnell on-line store and Element14 website.
The A6210 can drive up to 3A load with constant current, with switching frequencies up to 2 MHz and supply voltage from 9 to 46 volts. It has additionally an optional PWM input to control the brightness of the LED. The sense voltage is limited to 0.18 volts for higher efficiency, since the power dissipation on this sense resistor is minimal. I will be using a 10-12V 1A 10 Watt LED, powered from 24 VDC supply.
High Efficiency High Current LED Buck Driver using the A6210 - [Link]
Solutions Cubed, LLC writes:
In a generic electronic system there are some inputs that are controlled by the end user. These inputs are read by electronics and acted upon by using outputs. The inputs can come from a myriad of sources: buttons, switches, sensors, relays, and communication devices, to name a few. In certain environments and situations, these input signals can pose a threat to the electronics reading them – especially if those electronics are designed without thought of protection. One such environment is the world of industrial electronics.
An important aspect of designs for this environment is interfacing sensitive electronics with inputs coming from the harsh conditions of a factory floor. Usually, inputs are read by some sort of intelligent processor such as a microcontroller, FPGA, or state machine. In cases like these, it is imperative to protect the processor from the inputs, while still providing a usable signal for the processor to read.
Protecting Inputs in Digital Electronics - [Link]
Giorgos Lazaridis writes:
The idea for this project came from Viktor’s site, a guy that has some interesting projects in his DIY subdirectory. He cloned a HDD spindicator with 10 LEDs driven from a 4017 chip. I liked the idea but the implementation was kinda… sterilized. So, i decided to make one for my PC, but spice it up with PWM control…
HDD LED Spindicator - [Link]
Hercules Trapierakis writes:
This is a copy paste tool of George’s Homemade Soldering Station but with some improvements and not with a PIC but with an AVR ATMEGA8 uC. I have changed the way that the information is displayed also you can adjust the P I D values and it has a safe mode option – that it will turn off the soldering iron if it is not used for a certain amount of time.
Here is an implementation of Pantelis
Homemade Soldering Station - [Link]
Scientists and engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have accidentally discovered an entirely new carbon-based material that is synthesized from graphene. The new material that the researchers are calling graphene monoxide unifies all three characteristics of electrical conductivity – conduction, insulation and semi-conduction – which are needed for use in electronics.
Graphene has the potential to revolutionize electronics because it conducts electricity much better than the gold and copper wires used in current devices. Applications for graphene however are limited because it’s too expensive to mass produce. Another problem is that, until now, graphene-related materials existed only as conductors or insulators.
The researchers created the new material by heating grapheme oxide (GO) in a vacuum to reduce oxygen. Instead of being destroyed, however, the carbon and oxygen atoms in the layers of GO became aligned, transforming themselves into the ordered, semiconducting graphene monoxide (GMO) – a material that does not exist in nature. It was not the result they expected. The new GMO exhibits characteristics that will make it easier to scale up than grapheme and it is semiconducting. [via]
Accidental Discovery Advances Graphene-based Electronics - [Link]
Engineers from around the world are competing for the title of the RL78 Green Energy Challenge Grand Prize winner! Renesas is challenging everyone to change the way the world experiences green energy by developing an eco-friendly, low-power application using the RL78 MCU. Succeed and you’ll win share of a $17,500 Grand Prize. [via]
Plus, follow Renesas on Twitter and Facebook now for a chance to win additional prizes from official contest partners. Pmods, development tools, and even more cash prizes are up for grabs. Join the RL78 Green Energy Challenge today!
- @Renesas_Europe
www.facebook.com/renesaseurope
The RL78 Green Energy Challenge Is On! - [Link]
