Touch sensors can replace mechanical switches, but first you must understand noise, materials, and software. Many 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–from stand-alone devices through […]
Embedded Systems: Ethernet Modules Act Like SBCs
Ethernet Modules Act Like SBCs Small Ethernet modules include processors that handle much more than communication tasks. by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor Manufacturers offer a variety of small modules that let engineers easily add an Ethernet port to a design. They may need only a UART or I2C port in a main system to […]
Embedded Systems: Sniff ZigBee Packets
Embedded Systems Sniff ZigBee Packets A variety of software and hardware lets you monitor and analyze IEEE 802.15.4 radio traffic. by Jon Titus, Senior Technical Editor When engineers tackle a project that uses ZigBee communications they may get a surprise. Unlike point-to-point communications, ZigBee involves a network that can establish nodes, repeaters and complex mesh […]
Kits for Kids
As a youngster I enjoyed wiring up circuits with knife switches, lamps, buzzers and large dry cells. While in high school I made frequent trips to surplus-electronics stores in New York City and ordered components from mail-order supply houses. My projects included a 4-bit binary adder — built from switches and relays — and a tic-tac-toe […]