Accelerating the shift to next-gen SDVs with zonal MCUs
As the automotive industry shifts toward software-defined vehicles (SDVs), with features and updates delivered via software, vehicle electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures are evolving. These architectures are moving away from traditional…
Phantom-powered solid-state linear airflow sensor
Self-heated Darlingtion transistor pair linearly senses airflow using just two wires for both power in and signal out.
Suppose we take a common TO-92 transistor and heat it to a constant temperature differential above ambient. The power input…
AI infrastructure is a multi-fab physical realization stack
When people talk about AI hardware, the conversation usually begins with the AI accelerator. That is understandable. GPUs, custom AI accelerators, CPUs, and high-performance compute dies are the most visible symbols of the AI era. They are also…
Why analog anti-tamper security IP is crucial in the PQC era
The global semiconductor industry is transitioning to the post-quantum cryptography (PQC) era. PQC is changing how digital systems defend against potential mathematical attacks. PQC algorithms are designed to protect against hackers who try…
Add-on beat frequency oscillator (BFO) for shortwave radio
Expensive shortwave radios include beat frequency oscillators, so why not also add one to an inexpensive radio version?
Broadcast shortwave (SW) radio use may be declining, but there are still lots of interesting signals to listen to between…
Rapid scale-up in data center: The case for distributed optical circuit switching
AI infrastructure is moving from server-scale acceleration to multi-rack supernodes that must behave like a single, highly available computer. Distributed optical circuit switching offers a practical way to extend scale-up fabrics with lower…
The security imperative for software-defined vehicles
The automotive industry has undergone a major transformation, shifting from traditional hardware-centric vehicles to software-defined vehicles (SDVs). Unlike conventional cars, SDVs continuously evolve through over-the-air (OTA) updates, unlocking…
Blue’s original Snowball: A multi-capsule sonic catch-all
Two capsules. Two consequent pickup-pattern options. Three pickup-setting options. What’s not to like (aside, maybe, from the cosmetics)?
In November 2022, EDN published my introductory treatise on standalone microphones. At the time, I mentioned…
Micro power generators: Turning everyday flows into energy
Engineers are redefining energy by looking not at massive grids but at the overlooked flows around us. Rain gutter generators that channel storm runoff, tap-mounted turbines spinning with household water, and balcony-scale wind turbines catching…
Why 4D imaging radar is critical to AV commercialization
The market for commercial autonomous vehicles (AVs) is poised for explosive growth over the coming decade, and 4D imaging radar has a key part to play. 4D radar, which offers a 4D view combining distance, velocity, position, and vertical resolution,…
Test, debug, and validation of CXL memory expanders
Part 2 of this series covered the user-space tooling stack—cxl, ndctl, daxctl, numactl, lspci, and setpci—and walked the boot path from power-on through DRAM training, DVSEC and HDM reporting, decode programming, CDAT delivery, ACPI table…
Guitar Frets
Have you heard of the golden ratio? Well, what about the gold-colored guitar fret ratio?
I’ve been listening lately to classical guitar musicians on YouTube. Such skill and artistry is utterly astonishing. After a while, though, I got curious…
