Passive RFID tags have been widely adopted, and some applications show creative adaptation to unmet needs. While many uses for passive RFID tags were predicted and expected, innovators implemented some that were not obvious. This part will look at two of those applications. Clothing-store “mass” checkout One obvious application predicted for passive RFID labels was […]
Passive RFID finds unanticipated mass-market applications: part 1
Passive RFID tags have been widely adopted, and some applications show creative adaptation to unmet needs. It’s interesting to see how advances in technology often are adapted to applications that were not highlighted in their original “use case” scenarios and how clever people adapt or leverage new technologies in unscripted ways. A good example of […]
Vehicle-to-grid is technically feasible, but what’s the reality?
A concept may be elegant and even possible to implement, but the actual benefits are dubious — especially with the stress it gives to users. You’re probably somewhat familiar with the idea of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) automobile energy transfer. It’s been a “hot” topic for the last few years, largely due to the increase in the […]
FAQ on servo motors: part 2
The servo motor is an older precise-positioning motor arrangement now facing some competition from the stepper motor. Part 1 of this article introduced the concept of servo motors along with servo amplifiers and servo controllers. This part continues that exploration. Q: What’s the history of servo motors? A: There were purely mechanical, closed-loop servo systems […]
FAQ on servo motors: part 1
The servomotor is an older precise-positioning motor arrangement now facing some competition from the stepper motor. When engineers need precise positioning of a motor’s shaft (rotor) angle and associated mechanical system, their first thought in many cases may be to use a stepper motor (aka “stepper”). That makes sense, as stepper motors have the attributes […]
Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces: what, why, where, and how?
Metamaterial arrays allow the wireless medium and path to be “adjusted” to compensate for its many imperfections and changes.
We have “supermodels” — so can we now have “superengineers?”
I recently came across a review of a four-part series that premiered on Apple TV+ in September entitled “The Super Models” (that space between “super” and “models” is not a typo, but the show’s clever title wordplay). The series focuses on four women who were supermodels several decades ago and still have considerable sway and […]
Power sequencing — options and tradeoffs: part 2
Proper sequencing of the multiple power rails in a system is a critical function and can be accomplished using different approaches. For applications with many rails, complicated sequencing requirements may require many additional components. There are two paths to resolving this advanced sequencing challenge, both offering the needed capabilities. One is based on a user-programmed […]
Power sequencing — options and tradeoffs: part 1
Proper sequencing of the multiple power rails in a system is a critical function and can be accomplished using different approaches. Experienced designers know that one of the riskiest periods in a product’s operating cycle is when power is turned on. This power-up phase is when each of the multiple power rails must come up […]
3D printing provides innovative approaches to GHz and THz components
High-precision stereolithography offers an innovative way to create active and passive components for the 100-GHz and even terahertz range.