Rigid-flex or rigid-flexible PCBs are the preferred interconnection circuits in today’s electronics. They have simplified the PCB assembly with superior mechanical stability and electrical reliability features. The driving factors for their popularity are reduced product weight, compact packaging, and quick assembly. Rigid-flex PCBs were designed primarily for critical interconnections in […]
FAQ
How do sensors improve home appliances? Pt. 1
Today’s home appliances are increasingly connected for remote monitoring and control and smarter due, in part, to numerous sensors. The sensors help even lower end appliances implement their basic functions and, more importantly, enable smarter, top end appliances. While sensors provide these capabilities for several home appliances, this two-part series will describe sensing functions for […]
How can TinyML support sustainability on the edge?
Sustainability can be in the eye of the beholder. That’s certainly true for the question of how can TinyML (tiny machine learning) support sustainability on the edge? From a societal perspective, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) believes that TinyML can help to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From an engineering […]
What is the MIPI I3C interface and where might I use it?
I3C improves on I2C through higher speeds and backward compatibility You’ll often want to interconnect two chips on a circuit board, and a standard interface can help you design efficiently. Engineers working at a division of Philips thought so back in 1982, so they developed the Inter-Integrated-Circuit interface, which they dubbed I2C. Of course, things […]
How do consumer and industrial Li batteries differ?
Consumer (sometimes referred to as commercial) lithium (Li) batteries offer better performance compared with lower-cost alkaline, nickel-cadmium (NiCd), or nickel metal hydride (NiMH) alternatives, but industrial Li batteries are even higher in performance. This FAQ looks at examples of chemistries for primary and secondary Li batteries in consumer and industrial devices including the use of…
What’s different about industrial and medical Li batteries?
In many cases, the difference is related to regulatory demands versus environmental demands. Both segments require high levels of safety and performance from Li batteries. Medical applications have numerous strict regulatory and certification requirements while industrial systems tend to have more challenging environmental performance needs. This FAQ looks at the extensive standards defined for medical…
What is a SmartNIC and its underlying architecture?
Learn the basics about SmartNICs, their design, and why they’ll be a crucial element in future networks.
How do the six most common Li primary chemistries compare?
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries get a lot of headlines, but primary Li battery chemistries are the workhorses in a large number of industrial, medical, consumer, and other applications. This article looks at the performance tradeoffs and typical applications for the six most common Li primary chemistries including LiCFX (lithium poly carbon monofluoride) LiMN02 (lithium manganese dioxide),…
How can primary Li batteries contribute to sustainability?
A lot has been written regarding rechargeable lithium (LI) batteries and sustainability. Primary (non-rechargeable) Li batteries can also make major contributions to improving the sustainability of the systems where they are used. This FAQ reviews some of the factors related to the sustainability of primary Li batteries including key performance indicators (KPIs), downcycling versus recycling,…
When to use energy harvesting and when to use long-life batteries
Energy harvesting (EH) can be an attractive way to power wireless internet of things (IoT) and other small devices. EH can be combined with rechargeable batteries, capacitors, or supercapacitors to provide enhanced performance. Depending on the circumstances, primary batteries can provide a more reliable and even lower-cost option. This FAQ looks at ways to classify…
