Electronics-Lab.com Blog

The ATF697FF is the newest member of Atmel’s SPARC V8 processor family and the industry’s first radiation-hardened (RAD Hard) high-performance aerospace microprocessor that can be reconfigured on-the-fly. The ability to reconfigure on-the-fly allows making on-going design modifications to satellites, including specification updates, in-flight adjustments during trial flights and post-launch alterations.

The new device is a reconfigurable processor that combines an AT697F processor and an ATF280F SRAM-based FPGA unit in a single multichip module. It can run at speeds up to 100MHz and it is low-power, down to 0.7W. Designed and developed by the Atmel Aerospace Business Unit in Rousset, France, adds the flexibility of a reprogrammable FPGA to the reliability of a powerful core processor running application software. It is targeted at systems that require reconfiguration of peripherals and interfaces, making it easy to comply and stay up-to-date with evolving standards that are used on many space missions, such as SpaceWire, CAN or IEEE1553. The flexibility of the ATF697FF processor is also beneficial for late design modifications performed on Earth, for in-flight adjustments on satellites and for space trial operations. [via]

Reconfigurable Processor for Space Applications - [Link]

Data storage is becoming increasingly important as digital information doubles in volume roughly every two years. By the end of 2012 the volume will have grown 48% compared to 2011, the International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts.

Bioengineers have been jealously eyeballing nature’s information storage medium DNA for its efficiency and robustness.

Information stored in DNA can survive for a hundreds of thousand of years. Unlike data centers, DNA doesn’t need climate-control because it can withstand just about any environmental circumstance. As long as the data isn’t accessed there is no energy cost. And above all it has an extremely high storage density.

Now Harvard researchers report a major breakthrough. They have successfully encoded the contents of a book in DNA, copied it 70 billion times and fitted it on a space the size of a thumbnail. [via]

All data humanity creates in a year stored on 4 grams of DNA - [Link]

Chris @ PyroElectro.com writes:

A tachometer is a useful tool for counting the RPM (rotations per minute) of a wheel or basically anything that spins. The easiest way to build a tachometer is using a transmitter and receiver. When the link between them is broken, you know that something is spinning and can execute some code that calculates the current RPM of whatever is spinning to break the transmitter/receiver link.

In this article we will explore how to use an IR transmitter and receiver break-beam pair similar to the PIC Tachometer project I built a few months ago, but because of popular demand, the Arduino system will be used for all the processing and break-beam interruption counting. The end result will be a 16×2 LCD displaying the RPM of some computer fans.

Arduino Tachometer - [Link]

embedded-lab.com writes:

All embedded systems require electric power to operate. Most of the electronic components inside them, including the processors, can operate at a wide range of supply voltage. For example, the operating voltage range for the PIC16F1847 microcontroller is 2 to 5.5 V. But there are certain applications where you need a regulated constant voltage to avoid malfunctioning of the circuit or getting erroneous results. For instance, any application that involves analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) requires a fixed reference voltage to provide accurate digital count for input analog signal. If the reference voltage is not stable, the ADC output is meaningless. Here is my latest dual power supply regulator board that provides constant 3.3V and 5.0V outputs from an unregulated DC input (6.5-10V). It is small in size and can be easily enclosed inside the project box along with a project circuit board. It can also be used to power test circuits on breadboard. The board uses two AMS1117 series fixed voltage regulators and receives input power through a DC wall wart or an external 9V battery.

Multi-purpose dual power supply (5.0V and 3.3V) regulator board - [Link]

embedded-lab.com writes:

The goal of this project is to construct a simple 0-9999 seconds count down timer with an alarm and a display. The time is set through two tact switches and the count down seconds are displayed on a 4-digit seven segment LED display. The project uses PIC12F683 microcontroller for all I/O and timing operations and MAX7219 IC for driving the seven segment LED module. The time out condition is indicated by an audible alarm from a buzzer.

0-9999 seconds count down timer using PIC12F683 microcontroller - [Link]

The MAX16962 is a high-efficiency, synchronous step-down converter that operates with a 2.7V to 5.5V input voltage range and provides a 0.8V to 3.6V output voltage range. The wide input/output voltage range and the ability to provide up to 4A to load current make this device ideal for on-board point-of-load and post-regulation applications. The MAX16962 achieves -3.7%/+2.6% output error over load, line, and temperature ranges.

MAX16962 – 4A, 2.2MHz, Synchronous Step-Down DC-DC Converter - [Link]

AKTAKOM’S AM-7025 and AM-7111 are the latest technology in portable yet high-precision equipment calibrators

Miami Fl., August 20, 2012 – T&M Atlantic., distributer of the test and measurement equipment, today unveiled Aktakom AM-7025 and AM-7111 handheld equipment calibrators.

These multi-functional portable calibrators generate high-precision signals for testing and calibrating different types of equipment (probes, measurers, converters, controllers etc.) during repair or adjustment work. These compact handheld devices are must have for service engineers, they save time and solve a wide range of tasks in field conditions.

AM- 7025 is a dual display 5 digit (50000 counts) multi-functional process calibrator with basic accuracy of 0.02% and high precision voltage, resistance, frequency, continuity and temperature.

AM- 7111 is a process multimeter with 5 digit (50000 counts), basic accuracy of 0.02% and high precision voltage, resistance, pulse and temperature. Introductory prices start from $699. More info available at www.tmatlantic.com

Multi-Functional Process Calibrators Aktakom - [Link]

Load Transient Response Testing for Voltage Regulators

Semiconductor memory, card readers, microprocessors, disc drives, piezoelectric devices and digitally based systems
furnish transient loads that a voltage regulator must service. Ideally, regulator output is invariant during a load
transient. In practice, some variation is encountered and becomes problematic if allowable operating voltage tolerances
are exceeded. This mandates testing the regulator and its associated support components to verify desired performance under transient loading conditions. Various methods are employable to generate transient loads, allowing observation of regulator response.

Load Transient Response Testing for Voltage Regulators  - [Link]

The MAX16122–MAX16125 pushbutton controllers with single-supply monitors monitor one or two pushbuttons and generate a hard reset signal if the buttons are pushed and held for a setup delay. The devices make it easy to “hide” the hard reset function in an existing pushbutton, such as a soft power switch. These devices operate from 1.6V to 5.5V and consume a quiescent current of only 5µA at 3V.

MAX16122 – Dual Pushbutton Controllers - [Link]

Ishan Karve writes:

I have made a 16×8 led word clock, a rectangular one. Break from square or almost square ones. This one is a complete modular design and can be scaled up or down in size / complexity according to ones need. The whole design and requisite files are in open domain and the project has also some good 3d pcb renders. The main clock controller is arduino-like and is again scalable.

The LED panel is composed of 8 individual panels of 4×4 LEDs. Each group of 4 such panels will be controlled by a MAX7219. Here are the schematics and board layouts of the 4×4 LED board and LED driver … They are on the way to a fab house….In the meantime I shall do 3D render of my project. Schematics & PCB designed using Eagle CAD 6.2.0 Lite Running on Linux Box.

16×8 LED Word Clock - [Link]