The COM Express open standard, initially released in 2005, covers Computer on Modules (CO) and Single Board Computers (SBCs) under the auspices of the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturer’s Group (PICMG), a consortium of equipment and system vendors, component suppliers, and end users for the embedded computer market. Open standards are not open source, but they […]
FAQ
Here’s what happens when lithium-ion batteries are drastically overcharged
Lithium batteries have a high energy density so they can store a lot of energy in a small volume. But they can go up in smoke when bad things happen. Recently we recorded a short video to show what can happen during one of those bad things – overcharging. Excessive charging can bring on thermal […]
What is DICE architecture?
DICE stands for Device Identifier Composition Engine, and it is a security standard created by the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) which has been addressing security issues for years. TCG announced the establishment of DICE Architecture, or DICE Architecture Work Group to address the need for increased security in the Internet of Things (IoT) therefore targeting […]
Measuring phase noise and jitter
Generally, whether one speaks of phase noise or jitter depends upon whether they happen to be a radio frequency or digital systems engineer. Both phenomena are random fluctuations of a time-domain waveform in an oscillator or in a clock. Phase noise is best represented in the frequency domain. It is usually defined as the spectral […]
Gyroscopes, Part 2: Optical and MEMS implementations
Part 1 of this FAQ examined the basics of IMUs based on spinning-rotor gyroscopes to establish and maintain a fixed attitude via a gimbaled platform, along with orthogonal accelerometers to sense motion along each axis. Part 2 looks at optical and MEMS-based gyros which have largely replaced the spinning-rotor core function except in the most-demanding […]
Voice-coil actuators, Part 2: Application issues
Part 1 looked at the basic of the VCA. Part 2 looks at operation in more detail along with applications, as well as a comparison to the solenoid. Q: What equation governs the behavior of a VCA? A: As with most magnetic-coil devices, it’s the Lorentz force equation. This shows that the force generated is […]
Understanding magnetic resonance technology
Various electronics circuits and human-made or natural phenomena and atomic configurations spontaneously exhibit or can be configured to exhibit resonance. What this means is that when they oscillate, the associated waveform is at a stable fundamental frequency. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) takes place when the isotope of an atom is located within a magnetic field. […]
Why 5G is going to over-the-air testing
Cables and connectors may become artifacts of the past for communication electronics as the world moves to 5G standards. SHERI DETOMASI, KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 5G is rapidly approaching and there is a lot of talk about over-the-air (OTA) testing – that is, testing without the DUT physically connected to the test equipment. I’ve seen test […]
What is a spirometer?
A spirometer is used to make the most common of pulmonary function tests (PFTs). It is a respiratory flowmeter that determines how well the lungs are working by measuring the amount of inhaled air, amount of exhaled air and how quickly it is exhaled. Used to diagnose asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other […]
Infrared cameras for PCB development and diagnosis
IR cameras can help size up the surface temperatures of electronic components, PCBs, and other objects to reveal unseen problems. ALAN J. LOWNE, SAELIG CO. INC. Thermal imagers, also called infrared cameras, capture a 2-D representation of objects in front of their germanium optics (ordinary optical glass impedes IR wavelengths). They present a visible version […]
