How Wi-Fi sensing simplifies presence detection
The emerging technology of Wi-Fi sensing promises significant benefits for a variety of embedded and edge systems. Using only the radio signals already generated by Wi-Fi interfaces under normal operation, Wi-Fi sensing can theoretically enable…
MCU manages 12-V automotive batteries
Infineon’s PSoC 4 HVPA 144k MCU serves as a programmable embedded system for monitoring and managing automotive 12-V lead-acid batteries. The ISO 26262-compliant part integrates precision analog and high-voltage subsystems on a single chip,…
Crossbar switch eases in-vehicle USB-C connectivity
A 10-Gbps automotive-grade crossbar switch from Diodes routes USB 3.2 and DisplayPort 2.1 signals through a USB Type-C connector. The PI3USB31532Q crossbar switch maintains high signal integrity when used in automotive smart cockpit and rear…
Silicon capacitor boasts ultra-low ESL
Joining Empower’s family of E-CAP silicon capacitors for high-frequency decoupling is the EC1005P, a device with an equivalent series inductance (ESL) of just 1 picohenry (pH). The EC1005P offers a capacitance of 16.6 µF, along with low impedance…
Software platform streamlines factory automation
Reducing shop-floor hardware, Siemens’ Simatic Automation Workstation delivers centralized software-defined factory automation and control. The system allows manufacturers to replace a hardware programmable logic controller (PLC), conventional…
Handheld analyzers gain pulse generator option
FieldFox handheld RF analyzers from Keysight can now generate an array of pulse types at frequencies as high as 54 GHz. Outfitted with Option 357 pulse generator software, the FieldFox B- and C-Series analyzers give field engineers access to…
2×AA/USB: OK!
While an internal, rechargeable lithium battery is usually the best solution for portable kit nowadays, there are still times when using replaceable cells with an external power option, probably from a USB source, is more appropriate. This DI…
Optimize battery selection and operating life of wireless IoT devices
Batteries are essential for powering many Internet of Things (IoT) devices, particularly wireless sensors, which are now deployed by billions. But batteries are often difficult to access and expensive to change because it’s a manual process.…
Apple’s Spring 2024: In-person announcements no more?
By means of introduction to my coverage of Apple’s 2024-so-far notable news, I’d like to share the amusing title, along with spot-on excerpts from the body text, from a prescient piece I saw on Macworld yesterday. The title? “Get ready…
TSMC crunch heralds good days for advanced packaging
TSMC’s advanced packaging capacity is fully booked until 2025 due to hyper demand for large, powerful chips from cloud service giants like Amazon AWS, Microsoft, Google, and Meta. Nvidia and AMD are known to have secured TSMC’s chip-on-wafer-on-substrate…
Double and invert 5 V to generate ±10 V using two generic chips and two bootstraps
Integration of analog circuitry with digital logic often requires the addition of an extra supply rail or two. The excellent PSRR of precision op-amps (typically >>100 dB) makes them unfussy about power rail variations. This simplifies…
James Hitchcock at Tektronix explains the recent EA acquisition
An interview with James Hitchcock, a general manager of Keithley Instruments a Tektronix Company, shed light upon the recent acquisition of Elektro-Automatik (EA), a supplier of high-power electronic test solutions.
EA’s principal application…
