Neural implant merges photovoltaics with custom analog, PPM encoding

It seems as if every technical advance these days is either directly related to AI software and data centers, or at least tries to establish such a connection, even if that connection is somewhat of a tenuous “stretch.” Despite this, there…

Memory wall: Why cache miss tolerance defines CPU performance now

The memory wall is no longer a theoretical concern. It’s the defining bottleneck in today’s AI, automotive, and data center system-on-chips (SoCs). CPUs operate at GHz frequencies with single-digit nanosecond cycle times, yet DRAM latency…

TP-Link’s Tapo T300 sensor detects water and other liquid-leak dangers

Unintended fluids dripping from above? Accumulating from below? The T300 alerts you to them all. And mysteriously threaded contacts suggest other uses, too. Back in March, I covered the activation and ongoing usage impressions of three interrelated…

Inductive loop vehicle detectors: Still steady in the noise of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) may dominate today’s conversations about smart cities and autonomous mobility, but beneath the pavement lies a technology that has quietly kept traffic flowing for decades. Inductive loop detectors (ILDs)—simple…

Absolute illiteracy about absolute maximum ratings

Stress exceeding the levels prescribed in absolute maximum ratings specifications may lead to chip malfunctions. Key word: may. Within the last decade, I was the head of a captive tier 1 automotive embedded electronics department for a global…

Why CXL Type 3 memory matters, what your platform must provide

Applications in the AI era are memory starved. They need more capacity and, in many cases, more effective memory bandwidth than traditional server designs. Generative AI and large language models (LLMs) store trillions of parameters that must…

Tachometer frequency to 4-20mA loop current converter

Converting frequency signals to loop current signals creates an economical result for process industry applications. Process industry applications commonly employ multiple motors. Their speeds are monitored by tachometers using magnetic pickups…

SSDs are hot: Why AI demands micro-cooling

Solid-state drives (SSDs) are among the evolutionary success stories of modern computing. They replaced spinning disks, eliminated mechanical bottlenecks, and enabled the high-speed data access that today’s applications depend on. Plus, they…

The interposer-to-PCB realization corridor in CoWoP

Part 1 of this mini-series on advanced packaging outlined the basic comparison between CoWoS, wafer-scale integration, and CoWoP. It established why the package substrate, silicon wafer, and platform PCB represent different settings for future…

Wireless module simplifies multiprotocol IoT design

Built around the NXP RW612 wireless MCU, Quectel’s FCM365X module combines dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE 5.4, Zigbee, and Thread connectivity in a single device. It integrates a 260-MHz Arm Cortex-M33 processor with TrustZone, 1.2 MB of…

80-V MOSFET improves power supply efficiency

The TPM1R408RH 80-V N-channel MOSFET is built on Toshiba’s latest-generation low-voltage U-MOS11-H process. It features an optimized device structure with an RDS(on) of 1.4 mΩ—about 26% lower than the 80-V TPM1R908QM based on the previous-generation…

UWB SoC provides precise distance measurement

Infineon’s AIROC UWB TSL100 SoC enables centimeter-level distance measurement and localization using ultra-wideband (UWB) time-of-flight (ToF) technology. Designed for low-power, secure operation, the device targets automotive, consumer, and…