Traditionally, summer wildfires are associated with California and the west coast. With the recent Canadian wildfires spreading smoke and dense particulates to extensive areas in the eastern and southern U.S., monitoring outdoor particulates has become an important topic for areas of the U.S. that are not normally that interested. On June 8, the U.S. National […]
FAQ
How is skin sensing for robots advancing?
Robots need numerous sensors and various sensing technologies to perform a variety of functions. However, for human-robot Interaction, the most important sensing could be performed in the skin — especially in those robots designed to be as lifelike as possible and physically interface with (touch) humans. To enhance the collaboration between humans and machines, the […]
What’s different about MCUs for use in vehicle networking?
The increasing use of automated driving functions, more sensors and actuators, and growing V2X connectivity is increasing the challenges related to vehicle electric/electronic (E/E) architectures and in-vehicle networking (IVN). This FAQ will review the performance requirements for microcontrollers (MCUs) needed to support time-sensitive networking (TSN) in IVNs, move over to look at service-oriented gateways, domain […]
The Radio Data System: FM radio adds features to stay viable, part 2
Broadcast FM radio has extended its user-friendly capabilities through the addition of embedded, backward-compatible functionality which adds text and even graphics to the radio display. This part looks at other radio-receiver upgrades that preceded RDS. Q: Is this the first time that FM radio has been “upgraded”? A: No, not at all. In the 1970s, […]
The Radio Data System: FM radio adds features to stay viable, part 1
Broadcast FM radio has extended its user-friendly capabilities through the addition of embedded, backward-compatible functionality which adds text and even graphics to the radio display. From the late 1920s and for decades afterward, AM-based broadcast radio was the primary real-time mass media in the US and the world. In the AM band (550 kHz to […]
What is GPIB and is it obsolete?
The bus, codified as the IEEE 488 standard, continues to find use in legacy test-system upgrades and in calibration labs. The General-Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) began life as the Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus (HP-IB). Hewlett-Packard, whose electronic test-and-measurement business has evolved into today’s Keysight Technologies, created the interface in the 1960s to connect multiple instruments in […]
What’s the difference between batteries for power tools?
There’s more variety available in power tool batteries than might be expected. Of course, various rechargeable Li chemistries dominate, and battery management systems (BMS) are critical, but there are also power tool batteries that can automatically switch their output voltage to suit the needs of specific tools; thermal management can be important for both chargers…
Co-packaged optics: promises and complexities
Integrating optics into the same package as switching ASICs improves signal integrity and increases data rates, but challenges remain. Near-packaged optics could emerge as an interim solution to the problem. The constant need for more throughput in data centers pushes engineers to develop ever-faster optical and electrical links. In addition to designing for more speed, […]
FAQ: Antenna-in-package answers the “last mile” RF challenge, Part 2
If you think antennas must live “outside” a circuit, think again: they can also be housed in a small package adjacent to the active components they serve. The previous part established the context and rationale for AiP; this part continues the exploration. Who are some of the AiP technology suppliers or OEMs? ASE, a leading…
What is TinyML?
Data science has not just remained a field of scientific computing and research. In the internet-connected world, data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are far more applicable than ever imagined. No doubt, the very first leap in the practical applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence happened when enterprise websites, including social media platforms, e-commerce […]