Resistance is one of the most basic concepts in electricity and electronics. And resistors are simple-looking devices. Given their apparent simplicity, the range of resistor types and their capabilities can be surprising. This FAQ looks at some common resistor types and tradeoffs between stability, precision, size, power handling, and so on. It briefly considers mounting […]
FAQ
3D printing and bacteria blend for solar harvesting
Leveraging apparently unrelated technologies links bacteria and photosynthesis to additive manufacturing for energy harvesting. Additive manufacturing—perhaps better known as 3D printing—has radically changed the production reality for everything ranging from unique, one-of-a-kind structures to spare-parts inventory to lower-volume, tooling-free productions. It’s also enabled the creation of structures that would be difficult if not impossible to […]
The difference between solar cells and LEDs
Perhaps thanks to YouTube, more people understand that light emitting diodes (LEDs) and solar cells may be thought of as mirror images of one another because the conversion of energy in each involves similar interactions of charge carriers. It’s easy to find YouTubers who have either created solar arrays from LEDs or rigged solar cells […]
Creating 5G massive MIMO: Part 1
Part 1 explains who originated massive MIMO and how it works IEEE Fellow Thomas Marzetta is well known for originating the 5G massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) technology in 2006, which telecom experts consider to be one of the cornerstones of 5G wireless communications. This technology uses many small, individually controlled, low-power antennas to directly beam…
How are RF connectors shrinking for mmWave systems?
RF connectors for mmWave are shrinking to accommodate higher performance and higher densities in 5G communication networks and devices. This FAQ begins by looking at today’s 4.3-10 coaxial connectors, which were developed to solve the performance issues inherent to the previous 7-16 connectors. It then examines how the technologies unveiled in the 4.3-10 are further […]
Where are miniature connectors for wearables headed?
Miniature connectors for wearables continue to shrink, and they are increasing in performance, carrying higher bandwidth signals and more power. Wearables add functionality, resulting in more components and interconnects in the same size package. Applications range from smartwatches and health monitoring devices to augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) devices, as well as medical and military systems. […]
What? LORAN may be back? Why? How? Part 3
The defunct, obsolete LORAN navigation system is being revived with enhancements to overcome GNSS’s potential performance and availability risks. Congress debated whether to retain and upgrade the LORAN-C infrastructure to become enhanced LORAN (eLORAN), a national backup to GPS. In October 2009, Congress enacted a Department of Homeland Security appropriations measure allowing LORAN-C termination. […]
What? LORAN may be back? Why? How? Part 2
The defunct, obsolete LORAN navigation system is being revived with enhancements to overcome the potential performance and availability risks of GNSS. Before GNSS and GPS, and before INS systems were available, another type of RF-based position-determining system was in wide use: LORAN. Q: What is LORAN? A: LORAN is short for LOng RAnge Navigation. LORAN, […]
PCB assembly tips for medical device manufacturing
By Suresh Patel, Sales Engineer, Mer-Mar Electronics Medical PCBs are built with the highest quality standards to ensure the precision and reliability of medical devices. PCB fabrication and assembly processes are converging on greater accuracy of health monitoring and diagnostic devices. Flexible treatments and faster information exchange systems are possible due to the improved design, […]
What is 3D scanning?
Since 3D scanners have become more affordable, 3D scanning has changed the world of custom 3D printing. Once, 3D scanning was only used in military equipment and spacecraft parts production. With desktop and handheld 3D printers available for a few hundred dollars, 3D scanning has found a place in home fun and hobby projects. You […]