AMD defines rack-scale infrastructure for agentic AI
AMD Helion is a rack-scale reference design for agentic AI infrastructure, combining open-source hardware and software. The design accommodates CPU-only configurations for hyperscale deployments and CPU/GPU configurations for enterprises. Based…
Processor IP brings generative AI to edge devices
BrainChip’s Sequora processor IP core runs generative AI and large language models (LLMs) directly on battery-powered edge devices, such as earbuds and sensor nodes. It pairs with the company’s Akida neural processor IP to handle complementary…
Rad-tolerant GaN converter powers space electronics
Microchip’s POL-05-20S-T GaN point-of-load converter delivers up to 20 A of continuous current to power FPGAs, MCUs, and other processing-intensive digital loads in space. The radiation-tolerant device uses GaN power HEMTs to achieve high…
MCUs accelerate multimodal edge AI
The Synaptics Astra SR200 series of xMCUs runs multimodal AI workloads without the memory and compute limitations of conventional MCUs. Devices combine heterogeneous, AI-native compute and acceleration with integrated high-bandwidth custom DRAM…
Altera extends Agilex FPGAs to defense systems
Defense-grade Agilex FPGAs and SoC FPGAs from Altera operate reliably in harsh environments across a temperature range of -55°C to +125°C. Leaded-ball and ruggedized packaging options are designed to withstand temperature cycling, vibration,…
Clustered-bit PWM DAC pedals and settles in a “unicycle”
This engineer combines a fellow contributor’s design and analysis data with his own to deliver a “bit” better circuit result.
In his recent Design Idea, “DAC implementations: The spread-bit PWM strikes back”, frequent and favored contributor…
Automotive sensor power supply without a switching pre-regulator
An automotive sensor power supply appears deceptively simple to design but in fact poses many formidable challenges. The regulated output voltage is required to be 5V or 3.3V, depending on the logic bus voltage for the CPU. A simple low-dropout…
SFP: The multimode module autopsy
A dissimilar laser technology versus the single-mode sibling trades off operating range for cost, at least theoretically. But it’s still faster than the LED-based predecessor.
Last month’s premiere small form-factor pluggable (SFP) module…
Fiber optic gyroscopes: Elegant engineering of modern inertial navigation
Spin a heavy wheel or vibrate a piece of silicon, and you get a traditional gyroscope. Spin two beams of light inside a coil of fiber, however, and you get a masterclass in relativistic physics turning into precision navigation.
Figure 1 The…
Automotive demands driving passive components to extreme performance
The increased sophistication and performance expectation of the automotive drive train, especially in electric vehicles (EVs) and to a lesser extent in hybrid and even internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, is accelerating the usual push/pull…
Apollo 11 corner reflector
Hard science data is typically no barrier to enduring belief for the conspiracy theorist. Nevertheless, this engineer tries, tries again.
“As I went to Bonner, I met a pig without a wig, upon my word and honour.”
-Mother Goose rhyme
Upon…
Not all diodes use electrons
Sometimes thinking like a geek pays off. Especially when you’re dealing with overheated Judge Judy fanatics.
A recurring problem at the transmitter site of the television station I worked at was the cause of no small amount of labor and expense.…
