Piezoelectric is the property of a material to generate a voltage when mechanical force is applied to it. In contrast, the piezoresistive effect is the property of a material’s resistivity to change when subjected to a mechanical force. In either case, the mechanical force or stress can be compression, tension or a bending force. Ceramic […]
FAQ
Measuring the behavior of electronic filters
Passive electronic filters are composed of one or more passive components including resistors, inductors and capacitors. In contrast, active electronic filters also contain an amplifier composed of transistors or op-amps. The point of electronic filters is to pass some frequencies while blocking others. Depending upon the configuration, they selectively attenuate high frequencies (low pass), low […]
The working principle, applications and limitations of ultrasonic sensors
The ultrasonic sensor (or transducer) works on the same principles as a radar system. An ultrasonic sensor can convert electrical energy into acoustic waves and vice versa. The acoustic wave signal is an ultrasonic wave traveling at a frequency above 18kHz. The famous HC SR04 ultrasonic sensor generates ultrasonic waves at 40kHz frequency. Typically, a […]
The basics of AC-line isolation for safety, Part 2: The solution
Isolation from the AC line is essential for user safety in many situations and can be implemented using a special isolation transformer as well as other means. Part 1 of this FAQ looked at the multiple-fault and failure scenario that can put users at risk from AC-line connected products, including appliances, instruments, or medical devices. […]
The basics of AC-line isolation for safety, Part 1: The challenge
Isolation from the AC line is essential for user safety in many situations and can be implemented using a special isolation transformer as well as other means. “Isolation” is one of those terms which gets tossed around and is often cited as an almost universal, all-purpose cure for various ongoing or possible circuit and system […]
Selecting the right M.2-format NVMe SSD
How the NVMe solid state disk protocol evolved A consortium of vendors, including Intel, Samsung, SanDisk, Dell, and Seagate, developed Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) as a communication interface/protocol specifically for solid-state drives (SSDs). The specification defines a register interface, command set, and features for PCI Express (PCIe)-based SSDs to facilitate high performance and interoperability across […]
The effect of DC bias on MLCC class 2 capacitors
Not all capacitors are created equal. Some are polarized, some are ultra-stable, and others have low dielectric absorption or high volumetric efficiency—all depending on the materials and other physical characteristics in the technologies used in manufacturing. Multiayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) are divided into types or classes, based on the materials used for the dielectric. These […]
Power system design considerations for wireless IoT nodes and wearables – Virtual Roundtable (part 2)
The second part of EEWorld’s two-part “virtual roundtable” discussion on power system design considerations for wireless IoT nodes and wearables focuses on the use of switching regulators and the associated technical challenges. Our panelists are: Florian Feckl (FF), Systems Engineer and Product Definer for Low Power Buck Converter, Texas Instruments, and Kyle Van Renterghem, (KVR) […]
Power system design considerations for wireless IoT nodes and wearables – Virtual Roundtable (part 1)
The first part of EEWorld’s two-part “virtual roundtable” discussion on power system design considerations for wireless IoT nodes and wearables focuses on the use of low dropout regulators (LDOs). Our panelists are Kyle Van Renterghem, (KVR) Marketing & Applications Manager, Low Input Voltage LDOs, Texas Instruments, and Julian Hagedorn (JH), Systems Engineer, Texas Instruments. JS: […]
What is an SoC?
A System on Chip or an SoC is an integrated circuit that incorporates a majority of components present on a computer. As the name suggests, it is an entire system fabricated on a silicon chip. The beauty of an SoC is that it integrates all the components on a single substrate. In semiconductors, a substrate […]
