Electronic Design articles from September 2006

Electronic Design archives from September 2006

Graphical-and text-based programming: complementary, not competitive.
September 1, 2006... Most programmers have a favorite text-based programming language. Some programmers even get rather vocal when it comes to defending their favorite's pros and cons. In fact, the only thing that most programmers can agree upon is that it's a good...

Poll.
September 1, 2006... At present, do you have sufficient resources to complete design projects in a satisfactory manner? Yes, resources are abundant for present needs 4% We have just enough to get the job(s) done 27% We could use some help ...

"Sound off".(internet service providers and their prices)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... "I can guarantee you, if the e-mail providers get permission to charge per e-mail, it won't be a penny. More likely 10 cents or even the same as a letter. Once the mechanism to collect payment is in effect, the sky is the limit. Look at text...

EIED online.(Continuum microcontroller)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The 2006 Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) was the site of plenty of announcements, including the company's "Continuum" 8/32-bit microcontroller. The Continuum blends 8-bit families such as the HSC12 and the new 32-bit V1 core Coldfire family...

What's up?(circuit design)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Free Webcast: HSpice--Just Got Faster, Again! The HSpice circuit simulator has been the golden simulation sign-off standard for the past 25 years. The newest version, from Synopsys, performs faster by focusing on the accuracy and...

Sharing new technologies helps one-up scheming terrorists.(Editorial)(Column)
September 1, 2006... The foiled airliner bombings last month reaffirm the challenge to keep a step ahead of terrorists. Also, the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks reminds us that the U.S. suffered a "failure of imagination" in our threat analysis and that...

What's all this C-R stuff, anyhow?(electronic circuits)(Editorial)
September 1, 2006... A resistor is a resistor, and a capacitor is a capacitor, right? Maybe, and maybe not. I'm doing some research in audio circuits. I've heard all the scientific claims that if two circuits measure the same, they ought to sound the same. This...

Close the security disconnect between awareness and practice.(Viewpoint essay)
September 1, 2006... A sophisticated security infrastructure has developed over the past several years to deal with new threats to information security that seem to emerge on a daily basis. Security software, ever more capable and pervasive, can detect attacks that...

RoHS is in effect, but what about China?(Restrictions on Hazardous Substances )
September 1, 2006... China has taken a different approach to the European Union's Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) legislation in a number of critical areas. These include the date the restrictions become effective, labeling and testing requirements, and...

Charge pump helps 50-MHz op amp crush harmonic distortion.(TechVIEW: ANALOG & POWER)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Input crossover distortion has long been the bane of rail-to-rail op amps. The input stage for most R-R amps consists of p- and n-channel differential pairs (Fig. 1a). The result is that the stage's offset voltage varies with the common-mode...

Digital voice and video get a new VDSL2 solution.(digital subscriber line)
September 1, 2006... Digital subscriber line (DSL) technology provides the greatest percentage of broadband access in the world, with a market share exceeding 60%. As carriers roll out the faster ADSL2/2+/2++ systems, DSL is hard pressed to deal with the growing...

Stop worrying about data loss while capturing real-time sensor signals.(TechVIEW: DIGITAL)
September 1, 2006... If you've ever been frustrated by data loss during real-time data capture at the most inopportune time, set your worries aside and consider using Anvil, Micro Memory's all-digital front end for real-time sensor data recording. Anvil is a...

Reusable verification IP fits into overall automation planning.(TechVIEW: EDA)
September 1, 2006... With its acquisition of Verisity in 2005, Cadence set out on a path toward building an integrated verification methodology that spans the entire design cycle. The latest piece of that puzzle is embodied in a family of verification IP blocks...

Software upgrades enhance compressed video testing.(Tektronix Inc.'s MTS400)
September 1, 2006... The increased adoption of digital video has brought about a real need to speed up and simplify the testing of systems that use compressed video. Video on demand (VoD), HDTV, and video over Internet Protocol (IPTV) systems are growing in number,...

iSCSI does 10G ethernet: increased hardware acceleration makes iSCSI manageable at 10-Gbit/s line speeds.(PUTTING NEW TECHNOLOGY IN PERSPECTIVE)
September 1, 2006... Storage-area networks (SAN) and network-attached storage (NAS) move storage out of the box and onto the network. The Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI) standard takes the SCSI standard and overlays it on the TCP/IP networking...

Military R&D 101: many of the military's newest and most sophisticated technologies lie behind ivy-covered walls on the nation's campuses.(ENGINEERING FEATURE: MILITARY ELECTRONICS)
September 1, 2006... Ray Baughman, director of the University of Texas' NanoTech Institute, sees a time when military leaders will send robots into battle. "They could fight ahead of American soldiers, take a bullet for American soldiers, and then, after giving...

Video processing brings new meaning to motion: hundreds of video processing and compression methods present a real challenge for analog and digital video engineers.(TECHNOLOGY REPORT: VIDEO PROCESSING)
September 1, 2006... In the not-too-distant future, a single fiber-optic cable will deliver phone service, an Internet connection, and of course, digital television (DTV), movies, and other multimedia to the home. Until that time, though, most consumers will have...

Linux first?(Embedded IN ELECTRONIC DESIGN)
September 1, 2006... Texas Instruments (TI) had one operating system at the top if its list when it put together support for DaVinci, its latest dual-core ARM/DSP OMAP line--MontaVista's Linux. In fact, TI took this support a step further by eliminating the need...

SDK targets emerging robotics market.(Embedded IN ELECTRONIC DESIGN)
September 1, 2006... "Microsoft sees great potential in robotics," says Tandy Trower, general manager of the Microsoft Robotics Group at Microsoft. The company presented its community technology preview (CTP) of the Windows-based Robotics Studio development...

Virtual platform exposure makes debugging easier.(Embedded IN ELECTRONIC DESIGN)
September 1, 2006... With virtual platform simulation, developers can implement applications without resorting to hardware (see the figure). Development then can proceed prior to the availability of hardware. Additionally, it reduces the need for additional...

Kit and tools target multimedia apps and new processors.(Embedded IN ELECTRONIC DESIGN)
September 1, 2006... Priced at $895, Analog Devices' Blackfin Multimedia Starter Kit combines the ADSP-BF561 EZ-Kit Lite with the AV EZ-Extender and USB-LAN EZ-Extender boards (see the figure). The AV board has analog and digital camera interfaces along with audio...

Chip set fits ultra-portables.(Embedded IN ELECTRONIC DESIGN)
September 1, 2006... VIA's VX700 integrates north- and south-bridge functionality to support the company's latest C7 x86-compatible processor with a 533-Mbyte/s front-side bus. The combination suits Ultra Mobile PCs. The VX700 includes the UniChrome Pro II IGP...

Optimized interconnect eliminates limits in orthogonal architectures: advances in level 3 backplane system technology provide a novel approach to meeting today's high-speed orthogonal architecture performance requirements.(Design SOLUTION: INTERCONNECTS)
September 1, 2006... For modern high-performance electronic systems, it's common practice to break the system down into pluggable, line-replaceable modules. This gives system designers flexibility to connect subsystems with a variety of functions. It additionally...

Reference design delivers compact 120-W Class D amplifier.(ANALOG & POWER)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The IRAUDAMP3 Class D audio reference design offers a complete six-channel 120-W half-bridge audio power amplifier without a heatsink and in a footprint of only 4.5 [in..sup.2] The reference design employs an IRS20124S high-voltage IC, which...

Cool-running MOSFETs deliver high efficiency for Class D.(ANALOG & POWER)
September 1, 2006... A new generation of trench MOSFETs offers high efficiency, cool running temperatures, and quality audio reproduction for Class D output stages. The n- and p-channel devices in the ZXM N/P 7 series are rated at 70 V and come in SOT223 and DPAK...

Dual-output DC-DC converters boast 95% efficiency.(ANALOG & POWER)
September 1, 2006... Two dual-output, step-down, dc-dc converters feature TI's one-pin serial interface technology, which lets the devices adjust the output voltage dynamically during operation. The converters boast a 95% efficiency at 2.25-MHz operation, suiting...

Front-end converter pushes 800 W in small package.(ANALOG & POWER)
September 1, 2006... The HPD-800 converter delivers 800 W of 12-V dc power from a 9.84- by 2.36- by 1.65-in. package, equating to over 20 W/[in..sup.3] Its power conversion efficiency is more than 90% under full load at 230 V ac input. Its efficiency and small size...

5-mm thick PLED displays replace LCD technologies.(polymer light emitting diodes, liquid crystal displays)
September 1, 2006... The models in a new line of polymer LED (PLED) displays from One Stop Displays measure only 5 mm thick with lighting. Many systems that use reflective LCD technologies can't expand into backlit technologies because of the thickness added by...

Innovative technology allows Kopin's industrial and military.(NEWS IN BRIEF: DISPLAYS)
September 1, 2006... Innovative tchnology allows Kopin's industrial and military active-matrix LCDs to operate at temperatures down to -40[degrees]C. The company's low-voltage architecture reduces video levels by 50%, substantially reducing power consumption. In...

Designed to offer high brightness and excellent viewing.(NEWS IN BRIEF: DISPLAYS)
September 1, 2006... Designed to offer high brightness and excellent viewing characteristics in a slim package, Vishay's 128-by-32 LED graphics display with drive electronics and +5-V video interface is a solid-state alternative to plasma displays. The LED-128G032...

Tvia Inc., a fabless semiconductor company that designs and develops digital display processors, is offering a new OEM manufacturing service.(NEWS IN BRIEF: DISPLAYS)
September 1, 2006... Tvia Inc., a fabless semiconductor company that designs and develops digital display processors, is offering a new OEM manufacturing service. It will ship flat-panel TVs, complete knockdown kits (CDKs), and semi knock-down kits (SDKs) to OEMs...

LED power-management strategies for LCD backlighting.(light emitting diodes, liquid crystal displays)
September 1, 2006... Most small-size color LCD displays today use white LEDs for backlighting. These systems usually involve handheld devices with an LED drive circuit powered by a battery whose output voltage varies over time. Therefore, an optimum LED driver...

LED configuration and driver IC.(light emitting diodes)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Small, white LEDs for backlighting typically exhibit forward voltages of 3.4 V at 20 mA. These LEDs may require a higher voltage than that available from the battery, so their drive voltage must get a boost. There are two ways to increase LED...

Charge-pump efficiency.(HIGHLIGHTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Charge-pump efficiency is the ratio of the output-to-input power: Efficiency = [P.sub.LED]/[P.sub.IN] = [P.sub.LED]/([V.sub.IN] x [I.sub.IN]) where [P.sub.LED] = LED power and [P.sub.IN] = input power. Therefore, for a given LED...

Inductive boost topology.(liquid crystal displays)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... For larger LCDs, or battery-powered devices where efficiency is critical, the preferred solution is the inductive boost-converter IC for series-connected LEDs. With an inductive boost converter, an inductor boosts the input voltage by...

Inductor selection.(HIGHLIGHTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Generally, larger-size inductors handle higher currents and generate less loss. Small-dimension inductors are often desirable on the pc-board from a design standpoint, but they aren't always recommended. When excessive current flows through the...

Single-supply DC restore amp reestablishes negative sync.(Design BRIEFS: INNOVATIVE DESIGNS FROM READERS)
September 1, 2006... Video systems operating from single +5-V supplies use ac-coupled RGB and composite video signals that operate only within the useful dynamic range of the single-supply amplifiers in the signal chain. For example, if a single +5-V supply...

Miniature embedded motherboards for industrial I/O.(PRODUCT ALERT)
September 1, 2006... The new NANO I/O Server family of cost-effective embedded motherboard solutions uses COTS ETX CPU modules on ACCES I/O's ETX-NANO-104 baseboard. The system's PC/104 I/O module stack allows the NANO to function as a complete self-contained data...

Flex Circuits Design Kit.(PRODUCT ALERT)
September 1, 2006... Learn how flex circuits can add value to your application today with the Minco Flex Circuits Design Kit. This kit contains comprehensive information to help you understand the potential of flex circuit technology, select the appropriate...

Integrated circuit protection for telephony and VoIP.(PRODUCT ALERT)
September 1, 2006... Raychem's new 2Pro[TM] device protects costly telephony communications equipment by providing current limiting during overcurrent events and voltage clamping during over-voltage events. This single-device approach to coordinated circuit...

ISI lead free interposers for DDR2 BGAs.(PRODUCT ALERT)
September 1, 2006... ISI Lead Free Interposers allow OEMs use standard eutectic (leaded) SMT assembly processes, even when BGAs are only available in lead-free packaging. DDR2 memory chips are one common application, although ISI supplies interposers for a complete...

Caplugs' catalog released.(PRODUCT ALERT)
September 1, 2006... (Buffalo, N.Y.) -- Caplugs' product catalog features over 80 new parts along with the existing product lines of caps, plugs, edge liners, grommets, wraps, nettings and Clearview[TM] tubing. The 150-page, full-color catalog highlights more than...

"Sound off".
September 14, 2006... "Living solar is more of a lifestyle choice. I'm sure that there are ways we can live with a smaller energy footprint, and I'm sure that as this industry develops further, prices will come down and efficiencies will go up... But, I have been...

Poll.
September 14, 2006... Express yourself through our new poll. To vote, go to www.electronicdesign.com Don Tuite's recent article on alternative fuels (ED Online 12857) outlined the technologies being explored by auto manufacturers. Which option do you see as...

E/ED online.(National Instruments' launched LabVIEW 8.20 and the Lego NXT robotics platform)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... LabVIEW Celebration; and Robots Too! National Instruments' annual NI Week was the host for the announcement of LabVIEW 8.20 and the Lego NXT robotics platform. It was also a major celebration of the company's 30th year and the 20th...

What's up?(Ray Kurzweil developed Blind portable text-to-speech reader)(Interview)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Podcast: Interview With Ray Kurzweil Inventor Ray Kurzweil talks with Electronic Design Editor-in-Chief Mark David about the Kurzweil/National Federation of the Blind portable text-to-speech reader. In discussing the engineering challenges...

Technology takes kids from toys to engineering careers.(Editorial)(Editorial)
September 14, 2006... My son Joe is gaming via our Wi-Fi connection, lying on the couch with his Nintendo DS, racing Mario Kart drivers from around the globe. One teenage daughter, Anna, is up in her room lounging about and chatting and texting on her cell phone. My...

Bob's mailbox.(Letter to the editor)
September 14, 2006... Hi Bob: In today's Wall Street Journal, there's a full article on A4 concerning hydraulic hybrids. It was developed by the EPA, which has a small lab. UPS trucks are being used for testing, but garbage trucks will be the first commercial use....

ZigBee or 802.15.4 network layer--is there room for both?(wireless network)
September 14, 2006... ZigBee applications are different from other wireless networking applications, such as Wi-Fi, WiMAX, CDMA, GSM, and Bluetooth. In these latter applications, the network is the application. With 802.15.4 or ZigBee, the wireless network isn't the...

With ZigBee mesh network, remote caregivers keep tabs on patients.(Tech VIEW)
September 14, 2006... This year, almost 3 million Americans will turn 60. While rapid advances in health care are keeping people healthier longer, designers are increasingly looking for ways to enable individuals with medical problems to care for themselves in their...

Mobile phone sales top $4.4 billion so far in 2006.(Tech VIEW)
September 14, 2006... The mobile phone market is as hot as ever, according to the NPD Group. The market research company says that U.S. consumer sales totaled 67 million units for the first half of 2006. That figure is 2% smaller than the total for the last six...

Antenna-analyzer designer bypasses the business bull.(Tech View: Analog & Power)
September 14, 2006... Conventional wisdom (and your neighborhood venture capitalist) says you can't go to market with a new product until you have a business plan, a second mortgage, an offshore manufacturing contract, and sales projections that guarantee 20% return...

FPGA delivers SPI-4.2 core built on low-cost fabric.(Tech View: Digital)
September 14, 2006... If you've grown tired of purchasing premium FPGAs to gain the benefit of a full-rate SPI-4.2 bridge core supporting complex packet flow and traffic management, consider the Economy Plus 2 (ECP2) family from Lattice Semiconductor. With up...

Digital design tip: a few HDL "No-Nos".(hardware description language,)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... If you're designing a circuit in a high-level design language like Verilog or VHDL, there are a few simple rules to follow to ensure the synthesizer generates the intended circuit. First, avoid using both positive and negative...

Pondering: internet access in the friendly skies.(Tech View: Digital)
September 14, 2006... Does the thought of JetBlue offering Internet access give you the blues? Do you expect this to lead to cheaper in-flight calls using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and passengers screaming into VoIP phones, just like people screaming into...

SystemC verification suite adds transaction-level assertions.(Tech View: EDA)
September 14, 2006... One of the greatest benefits of emerging electronic system-level (ESL) methodologies is the ability to exploit techniques such as assertions and transaction-level models. Such techniques are critical in a top-down verification process. ...

PC-board design suite spans layout, schematic capture, routing, and libraries.(Tech View: EDA)
September 14, 2006... Sporting a layout module, an autorouter, schematic capture, and component/pattern editors, Novarm's latest version of its DipTrace 1.23 PCB design software application package features a PCB Layout module, a powerful auto-router, schematic...

Visual design tool tackles multiple MCUs.(Tech View: Embedded)
September 14, 2006... Graphical design tools simplify design and decrease development times by enabling designers to concentrate on the application instead of the syntax of the underlying software. That's why I was excited to try out the latest PSoC Express from...

RTOS handles dual-core bound and symmetrical multiprocessing.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 14, 2006... QNX has added Freescale's 1.5-GHz dual e600 Power core MPC8641D support to its collection of Neutrino real-time operating-system (RTOS) platforms. The microkernel-based QNX Neutrino supports bound multiprocessing (BMP), where each core supports...

64-bit processor line cuts mobile power consumption with dynamic cache sizing.
September 14, 2006... Intel's latest releases of its 64-bit Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme processors incorporate a number of enhancements, including power-management features targeted at mobile devices. The desktop and server versions incorporate Intel's Advanced...

NFC makes great progress in the wireless world.(near-field communications )
September 14, 2006... It's an invisible part of our everyday lives, but in today's world, we can't get by without it. Short-range wireless is one of the most pervasive and important radio communications technologies. Ranging from 125 kHz to infrared (IR),...

Poly-band mobile broadcast tuner makes adding radio/TV a snap: this low-power, RF front-end tuner covers from 100 kHz to 1.9 GHz.(Leap Frog)
September 14, 2006... The mobile nature of broadcast radios and TVs becomes more evident all the time, appearing in myriad devices like cell phones and MP3 players. For example, take analog radio. There's AM and FM. Or, try a National Oceanic and Atmospheric...

Ready for WiMAX? This wireless metropolitan-area network is making great progress as a superior alternative broadband access method.(Broadband: ENGINEERING FEATURE)
September 14, 2006... It seems like it takes forever for any new wireless technology to work its way from initial idea through standards adoption to useful products. After the long development cycles of 3G cell phones, Bluetooth, Zig-Bee, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and...

The elusive software-defined radio: will SDR become the ubiquitous wireless method, or is it destined to fall into the "niche technology" category?(SDR: TECHNOLOGY REPORT)
September 14, 2006... Software-defined radio (SDR) represents the future for some wireless technologies, but it's still a work in progress. Like any technology, it's followed an evolutionary path as components and practices continue to improve. Its adoption is more...

Build a phased array on a wafer to boost antenna performance: for ultra-high-frequency applications, a phased-array antenna manufactured entirely on an 8-in. wafer can create narrow beam widths and high gains.(Design Solution)
September 14, 2006... The need for significant improvements in radar continues to be an ongoing concern for the Department of Defense (DoD). One of the most impressive developments addressing this need is a high-resolution RF beam-forming system using phased-array...

Novel differentiator handles discrete time-domain signals.(Design Briefs: INNOVATIVE DESIGNS FROM READERS)
September 14, 2006... This Design Brief introduces a computationally efficient network that computes the derivative of a discrete time-domain (digital) sequence. While recursive differentiating networks exist, this article describes a simple tapped-delay line...

Add caliber determination to gunshot detectors.(Design Briefs: INNOVATIVE DESIGNS FROM READERS)
September 14, 2006... Many communities are installing gunshot detectors on lamp poles to help triangulate the location of gunfire during holidays or to help in responding to "shots fired" 911 calls. Besides location, another piece of useful information is the...

Correction.(Correction notice)
September 14, 2006... In the July 20, 2006 issue, the Design Brief headline "Generate 630 V Using A Transceiver IC" was in error. Instead of 630 V, it should have read [+ or -] 30 V. The same error occurs in the figure caption, and the same correction applies.

Termination resistor runs at 40 GHz.(TT electronics' IRC Advanced Film Division developed microwave/RF termination resistor )
September 14, 2006... Tt electronics' IRC Advanced Film Division has developed a microwave/RF termination resistor rated for operation at frequencies up to 40 GHz, giving designers a rugged resistive device specifically designed for transmission-line termination at...

A water-based conductive printing ink technology from Acheson.(Acheson Industries)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Electronic Materials provides manufacturers of RFID antennas with many production and performance advantages. The technology creates products with a wider scope of processing capability, which is critical for RFID applications. It's fast drying...

Atmel's ATA5567 small-sized 330-bit read/write transponder IDIC with unique ID is optimized for next-generation access-control ISO cards and key fobs.(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Atmel's ATA5567 small-sized 330-bit read/write transponder IDIC with unique ID is optimized for next-generation access-control ISO cards and key fobs. Such products are used as membership cards and in access control systems. The low-frequency...

G2 Microsystems is working with Microsoft to deliver a low-cost RFID and sensing system.(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... G2 Microsystems is working with Microsoft to deliver a low-cost RFID and sensing system. G2 Microsystems has developed an ultra-low-power system-on-a-chip (SoC) that integrates Wi-Fi with RFID technology and sensors, allowing battery-backed...

Partnership leads to RFID antenna developments.(Hyan Microelectronics Co. Ltd and Paralec Inc. )(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... * Two RFID developments have emerged from a partnership between Hyan Microelectronics Co. Ltd. (Shenzhen, China) and Paralec Inc. (Rocky Hill, N.J.). An anti-counterfeiting smart label using a printed silver antenna affixes inside or outside a...

Pubic safety VPN solution upgraded for better coverage.(virtual private networks)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... * Multi-Net Mobility, a mobile virtual private network (VPN) solution that delivers secure, seamless connectivity to public safety and government workers, now has two significant improvements. An optimized network switching feature added to the...

Test platform yields more thorough RF hardware measurement.(WIRELESS)
September 14, 2006... * Agilent Technologies is now offering a test platform that enables thorough system-level testing for wireless networking and cellular communications systems. The Connected Solutions Workbench makes RF hardware measurements such as swept error...

3G short-range radio modules offer higher power outputs.(WIRELESS)
September 14, 2006... * Based on the company's ultra-low-power proprietary and patented amplifier-sequenced hybrid (ASH) radio architecture, RF Monolithics' 3G series delivers a number of improvements over previous models. The Virtual Wire Radios include an RF IC...

LabVIEW 8.20--20th anniversary edition.(ELECTRONIC DESIGN: Catalog Literature Review)
September 14, 2006... National Instruments LabVIEW 8.20 continues to make common tasks easier with Express technologies and wizards that automate much of your programming work. Take advantage of powerful features for developing measurement applications and open...

High performance sockets and adapters.
September 14, 2006... Includes GHz bandwidth sockets for BGA and QFN only slightly larger than the IC with integral heatsink for medium power and optional heatsinking to over 100 watts. Up to 500k insertions. Adapters for prototype, test, and more. Quick turn volume...

PICmicro[R] development system.
September 14, 2006... ClearView[TM] Mathias is a full-featured ICE with a highly productive Development and Debugging environment for the PICmicro. Mathias fully emulates the selected device including all peripherals. See why Engineers choose TechTools. Request...

NEW! 80 channels, 1 MS/s NI M series data acquisition.
September 14, 2006... The newest addition to the high-speed M Series data acquisition family, the NI 6255 extends the DAQ standard with 80, 16-bit analog input channels sampling at a maximum 1.25 MS/s. The NI 6255 is optimized for superior accuracy at fast sampling...

Make accurate RF power measurements in the field or the R&D lab.
September 14, 2006... Whether you're making measurements in the lab or in the field, get laboratory accuracy in a package that fits in the palm of your hand with Keithley's Model 3500 RF Power Meter. Its sensor and display are housed in the same compact enclosure,...

Compact 120W six-channel class D audio reference design with no heatsink and 0.01% total harmonic distortion.(PRODUCT ALERT)
September 14, 2006... The IRAUDAMP3 Class D audio reference design features the IRS20124S high-voltage analog IC and IRF6645 DirectFET[R] power MOSFETs to complete a six-channel 120W half-bridge Class D audio power amplifier with no heatsink. International...

"Sound off".(Letter to the editor)
September 28, 2006... "This article is very misleading. Li-ion rechargeable (secondary) cells are not the same as lithium primary cells. Li-ion cells do not contain metallic lithium as do lithium primaries. If abused over time, lithium-ion cells may form metallic...

Poll.
September 28, 2006... Express yourself through our new poll. To vote, go to www.electronicdesign.com. Yes, opportunity is rampant 21% There's some opportunity but with limits 68% No, it's a dead-end career path 11%