EDN articles from October 2005

EDN archives from October 2005

Industry rocks the night away.(COMMENT)(music bands formed gives donations)
October 13, 2005... Music has long been a release for many working in the high-pressure electronics and IT industries. In the '80s, Borland founder Philippe Kahn held jams at the once-huge, now-defunct Comdex computer conference (Link 1). The music was so-so, but...

Specifying A/D converters: considerations for IF-sampling applications.(Advertorial)(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... Choosing the ADC with the highest resolution or sampling speed is often not enough to satisfy the performance demands presented by IF-sampling architectures. ADCs for IF-sampling applications must support high input frequencies while also...

Modular current sharing controller.(Featured Products)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... The LM5080 is a simple and cost-effective load-share controller that provides all of the functions required to balance the currents delivered from multiple power converters operated in parallel. The LM5080 implements an average program method...

First 7V to 75V input, 2.5A buck regulator.(Featured Products)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... The LM5005 high-voltage switching regulator features all of the functions necessary to implement an efficient high-voltage buck regulator using a minimum of external components. This easy-to-use regulator includes a 75V N-Channel buck switch...

PWM DC-DC controllers with built-in start-up regulators simplify switching power supply design.(DESIGN / idea)
October 13, 2005... Although PWM DC-DC switching power converters are based on simple topologies, making practical power supplies out of them requires the addition of various functions such as start-up bias, soft-start, switch driving, regulation, short circuit...

Current-mode controller for forward converters with active-clamp reset.(Featured Products)
October 13, 2005... The LM5026 PWM controller contains all of the features necessary to implement power converters utilizing the active clamp/reset technique with current-mode control. With the active-clamp technique, higher efficiencies and greater power...

Industry's first 100V dual interleaved active clamp current-mode controllers.(Featured Products)
October 13, 2005... The LM5032 and LM5034 are flexible controllers that can be configured to control either two independently regulated outputs or a single, high-current output from two primary power stages. In the first case, the two PWM channels operate 180...

Embedded modem eases data-communications woes.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 13, 2005... Targeting applications in remote-monitoring systems, point-of-sale terminals, home-security networks, medical devices, and backup-communication systems, Radicom Research recently announced a low-power, low-cost modem. Standard AT commands...

RF connector links boards, uses no cable.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 13, 2005... Getting dc power or digital signals from one board to an adjacent one is a challenge, but getting RF signals to make the leap is even more difficult. A compression coaxial connector from Tyco Electronics can make the task easier. The Blindmate...

Get your wall power ac/dc or ac/ac.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... The ubiquitous wall wart usually provides low-voltage, isolated dc output from the ac mains, but some applications need low-voltage ac, either for circuit operation or because the device it supplies will perform its own local or multivoltage...

Desktop platform supports voice over WiFi.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 13, 2005... Azimuth Systems' two-module W-Series desktop WiFi (wireless-fidelity)-test platform enables software designers to test station roaming, performance, function, and range. The system comes in a portable, three-slot chassis and includes a...

Dilbert.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)(Cartoon)
October 13, 2005... Caption: HOW COULD 'YOU TELL A VENDOR ABOUT OUR REORGANIZATION BEFORE 'YOU TELL "YOUR OWN STAFF?!! COME INTO MY OFFICE AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT. GAAAA!!! ITS A TRICK

Line terminator says "hasta la vista" to reflections.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 13, 2005... Squeezing an array of Schottky diodes into a single package, the QDN001/ 002/003 series of diode-protection networks from TT Electronics IRC provides line termination and ESD protection. According to Debasis Roy, PhD. director of IRC's Advanced...

Processor integrates more peripheral support.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 13, 2005... Atmel's AT91SAM7X128 and AT91SAM7X256 ARM7-based, flash microcontrollers include peripheral support for 10/100 Ethernet; CANs (controller-area networks); full-speed, 12-Mbps USB 2.0 devices; and high-speed AES/3DES (Advanced Encryption...

EPIC computer pushes temperature extremes.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 13, 2005... With potential application in medical devices, security equipment, industrial machinery, aerospace projects, and transportation systems, VersaLogics latest EPIC (embedded-plafform-for-industrial-computing)-format single-board computer operates...

Package provides IDE for heterogeneous distributed systems.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 13, 2005... According to John Pasquarette, National Instruments' director of software marketing, LabView 8, the latest release of LabView, is the most extensive revision yet. NI developers have been working since 1998 on some of the new features. The...

SMT plasma arrester features low, stable capacitance.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... A trio of Greentube gas-plasma arresters (similar to gas-discharge tubes) from Littelfuse targets use as surge protection for broadband circuits. The devices have maximum capacitance of just 1.5 pF, along with low insertion loss, and these...

Coating may dispel condensation fog.(RESEARCH UPDATE)
October 13, 2005... Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a coating, made from layers of silica nanoparticles and a special polymer, which may counter droplet accumulation on windows, goggles, and lenses. Normally, condensed...

Microstrip line uses layered dielectrics for front-side antenna patch.(RESEARCH UPDATE)
October 13, 2005... By using multiple layers of dielectric material on a pc board, engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have developed a microstrip-line patch antenna that mounts on the front of a pc board and is easy to electrically couple to the...

Fuel cell beats power-density benchmarks.(RESEARCH UPDATE)
October 13, 2005... UltraCell Corp claims that its cells, using a reformed-methanol technology, provide significantly more power density than the conventional "direct-methanol" approach and twice the power density of lithium batteries. Key to the improvement is a...

GaN FET produces 174W at 6 GHz.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 13, 2005... For satellite and cellular base stations, a GaN (gallium-nitride) power FET from Toshiba Corp surpasses the output of GaAs (gallium-arsenide) devices, improving power density by a factor of eight. Currently available GaAs devices are rated at...

Low-cost handsets gain traction in India.(GLOBAL DESIGNER)
October 13, 2005... Burgeoning demand from mobile-service operators for ultralow-cost handsets to service price-sensitive emerging markets, such as India, is motivating semiconductor vendors to develop single-chip-handset offerings. For example, Texas Instruments...

Japanese-automotive software goes horizontal.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 13, 2005... Toyota Motors is moving to a horizontal and cooperative model for software development to meet the increasing demand for more sophisticated and widespread automotive electronics. Traditionally, Japanese designers in the automotive industry nave...

See beyond the edge.(SIGNAL INTEGRITY)(time-domain reflectometer used by engineers)
October 13, 2005... To measure the characteristic impedance of a pc-board trace, most engineers use a TDR (time-domain reflectometer). Connect the instrument to a long, unterminated trace, and it blasts into the trace one very quick, precise rising edge. By...

Coping with changes of employment.(TALES FROM THE CUBE)
October 13, 2005... A few weeks ago, Boeing completed the sale of the Rocketdyne operation, where I work, to Pratt & Whitney. P&W (part of UTC) is the ninth company I've worked for in the last (almost) 40 years. I carefully picked my first job in 1966,...

NAND versus NOR: which flash is best for Bootin' your next system?
October 13, 2005... If you are a handset-chip architect, you have more choices than ever when it comes to picking a memory architecture for your next project. Users can go with tried-and-true methods using NOR for system booting or try their hands at designing a...

Instigating a platform tug of war: graphic vendors hunger for CPU suppliers' turf: processor vendors' fiscal fortunes hinge on the ability to sell increasingly powerful chips. Graphics-processor vendors, too, depend on upgrades to pave a path to continued success. These upgrades will increasingly rely on stealing functions that the CPU once handled.
October 13, 2005... In his keynote at mid-July's IEEE Hot Chips conference (www.hotchips.org), Nvidia's chief scientist David Kirk made a startling public confession, validating a trend that graphics-industry observers had long suggested was under way. Kirk...

Optimized learning in metro switches: Ethernet extends into aggregation and core networks.
October 13, 2005... Ethernet has emerged as an alternative access technology to SONET/SDH (synchronous optical network/synchronous digital hierarchy) for broadband deployments; its low cost and simple provisioning mechanism mainly drive this emergence. Most new...

Use sound judgment with dynamic range.(THE DATA DETECTIVE)
October 13, 2005... Almost everyone has heard the difference in the quality of sound produced by movie-theater system and that produced by home-theatre audio equipment. The difference can arise from audio-signal distortion that human ears can detect at low levels....

Interleaving dc/dc converters boost efficiency and voltage: though somewhat more complex than single-phase designs, interleaved-boost converters run cooler, occupy less space, and can cost less.
October 13, 2005... Boost power supplies are popular for creating higher dc voltages from low-voltage inputs. As the power demands from these supplies increase, however, a single power stage may be insufficient. This article presents an interleaved-boost approach,...

The secrets of successful communications using LVDS; reliable single- and mixed-technology LVDS designs require attention to voltage levels, noise margins, and drive levels.
October 13, 2005... Many choices now exist for LVDS (low-voltage differential-signaling) devices. Versions of these devices often coexist in the same system, which creates interoperability concerns. Among the available and practical versions, designers can choose...

ThinSOT Micropower buck regulator has low output ripple: design note 373.(DESIGN NOTES)(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... Introduction High voltage monolithic step-down converters simplify circuit design and save space by integrating the high-side power switch into the device. In most cases, the switch is an n-type transistor (NMOS or NPN) with a...

Dither a power converter's operating frequency to reduce peak emissions.(design ideas: READERS SOLVE DESIGN PROBLEMS)
October 13, 2005... Designers of dc/dc switching power converters face the challenge of controlling EMI (electromagnetic-interference) emissions produced during normal operation. If large enough, these emissions conduct through power lines or radiate to other...

Single-port pin drives dual LED.(design ideas)
October 13, 2005... Most current microcontrollers offer I/O ports that can change their functions during program execution. As outputs, the circuits can sink and source reasonably large amounts of current. This Design Idea shows three alternative methods for...

Network linearizes dc/dc converter's current-limit characteristics.(design ideas)
October 13, 2005... Recently announced versions of integrated step-down dc/dc converters have eliminated the requirement for a high-side current-sense resistor by sampling the voltage drop across an external, low-side, MOSFET synchronous rectifier. This topology...

Add a Schmitt-trigger function to CPLDs, FPGAs, and applications.(design ideas)
October 13, 2005... Thanks to its internal hysteresis, the highly useful Schmitt-trigger circuit accepts a low-slew-rate input signal and produces a clean, glitch-free output transition. Unfortunately, user-programmable logic devices, such as CPLDs and FPGAs,...

Midvoltage rad-hard MOSFETs have improved device on-resistance.(DISCRETE SEMICONDUCTORS)
October 13, 2005... The R6 line of HiRel 100, 150, 200, and 250V radiation-hardened MOSFETs target hybrid military PRF-38534 Class K modules for satellite applications, such as low-, middle-, and Geostationary-earth orbit and deep-space missions. The product...

Two high-current SCRs and three triac series now available.(DISCRETE SEMICONDUCTORS)
October 13, 2005... Two series of high-current SCRs (silicon-controlled rectifiers) with 40 and 50A ratings come in nonisolated packaging. The CYNB40 and CYNB55 feature 400 to 1000V blockage-voltage ratings, and the CYNB55 has a 700A rating at 60 Hz, full cycle....

Small, low-voltage device features lightning protection.(DISCRETE SEMICONDUCTORS)
October 13, 2005... Protecting as many as four low-voltage interfaces against ESD, the 3.3V RClamp3304N TVS (transient-voltage-suppression)-protection device features protection levels that meet IEC 61000-4-2 ESD specifications at 15V on contact and 25 kV on air....

Low-leakage Schottky diode raises efficiency.(DISCRETE SEMICONDUCTORS)
October 13, 2005... With reverse-current ratings of 30V at 1 [micro]A, the ZLLS350 Schottky barrier diode has a 380-mV forward voltage for a 30-mA forward current. The device also handles a 380-mA continuous forward current. With a 1.7x0.9 footprint in an SOD-523...

EMI-filter/ESD-protection device has low leakage current.(DISCRETE SEMICONDUCTORS)
October 13, 2005... This six-line EM6D-100L low-pass-filter array integrates TVS (transient-voltage-suppressing) diodes, suppresses undesirable EMI/RFI signals, and provides ESD protection for high-speed data interfaces. A cutoff frequency of 150 MHz provides...

MOSFET arrays support nanowatt-power circuit operation.(DISCRETE SEMICONDUCTORS)
October 13, 2005... This family of quad/dual N-channel, matched-pair MOSFET arrays achieves a 0.2V threshold voltage with [+ or -]0.02V tolerances and [+ or -]10-mV offset. The ALD110802/ALD110902, ALD110808/ALD110908, and ALD110814/ ALD110914 devices have...

Low-profile ESD-suppression device meets protection standards.(DISCRETE SEMICONDUCTORS)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2005... Targeting portable devices, the [micro]ESD dual series of ESD-protection diodes clamps 30-kV ESD transients--per the IEC61000-4-2 standard--in less than 1 nsec. The devices clamp ESD pulses to less than 7V and offer a leakage of 0.05 mA with a...

Stand-alone radio features RS-232 or USB connectivity.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
October 13, 2005... Allowing quick connections to RS-232- or USB-enabled devices, the 2.4-GHz Xbee-Pro stand-alone radio is compatible with networks operating on Xbee and Xbee-Pro technology. The radio is made of an aluminum housing and a 2.1-dBi dipole antenna....

Low-cost development-tool suite adds upgrades.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
October 13, 2005... Targeting development of software applications and systems for the Java 2 Enterprise Edition and other environments, Version 4.0 of the MyEclipse Enterprise Workbench enterprise-class platform and tool suite supports 25 application-server...

Single-board computer features a Pentium 4 CPU.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
October 13, 2005... Targeting industrial applications, the ATX-807 single-board computer Mini ITX form factor suits compact chassis. It includes a 90-nm Pentium 4 Prescott CPU with selectable 400-, 533-, or 800-MHz front-side-bus speed and Intel VRD 10.1...

PMC card features low-or ultralow-voltage processors.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
October 13, 2005... The PSL09 PrPMC high-performance-processor module includes either a 1.4-GHz Intel Pentium M processor or an ultralow-voltage Intel Celeron M processor. The module includes an Intel 855GME graphics-memory-controller hub and an Intel 6300ESB...

Microcomputer has low power consumption.(MICROPROCESSORS)
October 13, 2005... Suited for watches and clocks, the ultralow-power S1C63708 microcomputer features a 4-bit CMOS core. The device integrates an 8192-word x 13-bit ROM, a 1024-word x 4-bit RAM, a serial interface, a programmable PWM timer, and a sound generator,...

Evaluation kit includes Linux evaluation board.(MICROPROCESSORS)
October 13, 2005... This evaluation kit for the Power-PC 440EP processor includes the Yosemite evaluation board with a Linux configuration but is flexible enough to load and run other PowerPC-compatible embedded operating systems. The 5 x 7in.-form-factor board...

IPsec software encrypts and safeguards data.(MICROPROCESSORS)
October 13, 2005... Integrating with the IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) layer and IPv6 layer of the Nucleus Net TCP/IP stack, the Nucleus IPsec (Internet Protocol-security) software includes protection mechanisms, such as data-origin authentication, data...

Software supports all Intel Itanium 2-processor-based platforms.(MICROPROCESSORS)
October 13, 2005... Supporting the Intel Itanium 2-processor-based computing platform, QuickTransit software allows applications for one processor and operating system to run on another processor and operating system without source-code or binary changes. The...

CAN software integrates support tools.(MICROPROCESSORS)
October 13, 2005... CANopenRT integrates device-driver support and includes all functions necessary for implementing slave or simple master devices in accordance with CANopen specification DS301, Version 4.02. Supported processors include Analog Devices' Blackfin...

Rapidly create test, measurement and control systems with LabVIEW.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... NI LabVIEW is the graphical development environment for creating flexible and scalable test, measurement, and control applications, rapidly and at minimal cost. With LabVIEW, engineers and scientists interface with real-world signals, analyze...

Test & measurement accessories.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")
October 13, 2005... Broad line of over 12,000 high quality test and measurement products that solve application problems in the electrical, electronic, industrial, automotive and medical fields. Product line includes test leads, adaptors, connectors, DMM kits,...

Expertise in DFM/DFT.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... [check] Reduce production costs [check] Improve product quality [check] Speed time to market [check] Simplify your design process That's what can be achieved through DFM / DFT methods and procedures. For more information visit...

Embedded hardware solutions.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... Tri-M Engineering continues to maintain a leading role in the creation of hardware solutions for Embedded Systems. From our Port Coquitlam facility, Tri-M specializes in the design and production of DC to DC Power Supplies, Relay Boards, CPU...

Batteries short form catalog with technical data on CD-ROM.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... Panasonic's broad line of battery sizes and chemistries is condensed for review in this new 16-page, 4-color catalog with technical data and company overview on enclosed CD-ROM. Batteries covered include NiCd, NiMH, Lithium, Li-ion, VRLA and...

Mill-Max's design guide now available on CD ROM.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... Mill-Max, is the leading US manufacturer of precision-machined interconnect components. CD includes our most up-to-date: * Catalog PDF Pages * New Product Information * Plant Tour * Links to our Website Visit...

Graphic overlays & membrane keypads.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... Amazing design options are now possible with NFi's unique full color applied graphic products. With our Design Guide, you'll discover special features to enhance the function and appearance of your products! Receive samples from an ISO...

Surge protection.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... * COAXIAL Surge Suppressors for PCS, GPS, RF Equipment * AC Protector UL1449 * DC/DATA Line Protectors * Surge Arrester Gas Tubes * Voltage from 75V To 2500V * Available in Surface Mount CITEL, Inc. 800-248-3548...

AC power distribution & control systems.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... Product is rack or strip mounted with: Circuit Breaker Protection, EMI/RFI Filtering, Spike/Surge Protection, Remote Power On/Off, Remote Reboot, Emergency Shutdown, Redundant Power, Sequential Power Up/Down and power regulation Agency systems....

Single board computers.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")
October 13, 2005... PC/104-Plus, EPIC, and EBX embedded computers feature processors from 586 to Pentium M. Ideal for OEM applications. Benefits include extended temperature operation, industrial I/O, 5-year product availability guarantee and outstanding...

New Thyristor Device Databook.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... Central's new 2005 Thyristor Databook features SCRs and TRIACs in leaded and SMD packages. This databook includes an extensive cross reference, selection guide, detailed datasheets and package specifications. Also featured is Central's new...

Fiberglass laminated epoxy 1557c ready-to-use shapes.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")
October 13, 2005... Design data pamphlet features materials, properties, and tolerances for glass epoxy components. It shows designers how to specify from open stock tools, their critical requirements for potting forms, bobbins, coil forms, structurals, and...

Design Guide for optical encoders.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... This Guide provides a comprehensive summary of optical encoders, accessories and interface electroNics. Included are design examples, absolute and incremental encoders, shafted and hollow-sections include hazardous environments. Call...

Multi-axis, multi-motor motion control ICS.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... PMD, the leader in IC-based motion, introduces the Magellan[TM] Family of Motion Processors. Available in 1-4-axis versions these flexible, programmable chips control DC brush, brushless DC, microstepping and pulse & direction motors. Magellan...

AutomationDirect 2005 catalog.(literature link: "The engineering professional's link to technical literature")(Advertisement)
October 13, 2005... AutomationDirect's 2005 free catalog offers 5500 industrial automation products for a wide range of applications. The expanded 1750-page volume features product descriptions, technical data, photos, and price lists for PLCs, AC drives/ motors,...

Does anybody really know what time it is?
October 27, 2005... Time is such a contradictory parameter. It is at the core of most scientific analysis and engineering design, we can measure and slice it with femtosecond precision, and we effortlessly take it for granted. After all, everyone knows what...

Understanding high-speed signals, clocks, and data capture. (SIGNAL PATH / designer [SM]: Tips, tricks, and techniques from the analog signal-path experts.
October 27, 2005... As today's data conversion sample rates for analog-to-digital converters are moving into the Giga Samples Per Second (GSPS) range, systems need to be capable of such high conversion rates and the supporting analog components have to generate...

We don't need no stinkin' RF-free room.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 27, 2005... "Personal" is the descriptive adjective for many devices, so why not a personal RF-test enclosure? If you have no access to or can't afford the preliminary sessions in a standard RF-screened room, consider a benchtop RF-test enclosure from...

Ferrite-bead chip inductors stifle RF flow.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 27, 2005... Helping keep that pesky RF energy from propagating along signal lines where it doesn't belong, the CB series of multilayer ferrite-bead chip inductors from Stackpole Electronics is available in 0402 through 1812 case sizes. Depending on model,...

EDGE chip set offers multimedia features, slashes BOM.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 27, 2005... Although much of the hype in the handset business revolves around 3G standards, such as wideband CDMA (code-division multiple access), the bulk of the market is still in 2.5G standards, such as EDGE (enhanced data for GSM evolution). That fact...

Broadband over coax plays both home- and access-networking roles.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 27, 2005... Entropic Communications is making good on its promises to use existing coaxial cables to deliver broadband data. The company focuses primarily on using the coax installed in most homes as a high-speed backbone for home networks that can...

Dilbert.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)(Cartoon)
October 27, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: THE COMPANY REQUIRES ME TO GIVE FAILING PERFORMANCE REVIEWS TO 20% OF MY STAFF. THERE ARE FOUR OF YOU, SO THAT WORKS OUT T0... 80% OF A PERSON. WALLY, YOUR CALF MUSCLES AND ANKLES ARE PERFORMING...

Wireless-USB chip adds VOIP.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 27, 2005... For the past few years, Cypress has been pushing its proprietary WirelessUSB technology in applications ranging from HIDs (human-interface devices), such as wireless mice, to lightweight industrial control. The newest addition to the line, the...

Midpriced, 100-MHz MSOs provide 16 digital and two or four analog channels.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 27, 2005... According to Johnnie Hancock, program manager for Agilent's moderately priced 6000-series MSO (mixed-signal oscilloscopes) and DSOs, the market for 100-MHz scopes is alive and more than just well. "Unit volumes at this bandwidth continue to...

Reference design adds support for mobile WiMax.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 27, 2005... WiMax news will be abundant in the near term as the WiMax World conference (www.wimax world.com) kicks off in Boston this week. Companies are getting a jump-start on the proceedings, rolling out new WiMax products. Sequans Communications...

Kris Pister: don't bother vacuuming this smart dust.(Q&A)(Interview)
October 27, 2005... The inventor of Smart Dust and a longtime leader in the academic wireless-sensor-networking community, Kris Pister in 2002 co-founded Dust Networks to deliver his vision of a commercially robust wireless-sensor-networking platform. Pister is...

Caveat emptor!(Rarely Asked Questions: Strange but true stories from the call logs of Analog Devices)(data sheet)
October 27, 2005... Q. How do I make sense out of a data sheet? A. With some difficulty. The ostensible purpose of a data sheet is to provide the user and potential user with the fullest possible information about the functions and technical characteristics of...

Digital TV comes with "India inside".(GLOBAL DESIGNER)
October 27, 2005... As HDTV in the United States and Europe gains traction, demand from consumer-electronics manufacturers for tuner and set-top-box chip sets is growing. Among the key suppliers to this industry is Broadcom. A number of leading television and...

Members of two England-based engineering institutions.(BITS AND PIECES)
October 27, 2005... Members of two England-based engineering institutions, the IEE (Institution of Electrical Engineers) and the IIE (Institution of Incorporated Engineers), have established a new organization, dubbed the IET (Institute of Engineering and...

South Korean cellular provider SK Telecom.(BITS AND PIECES)
October 27, 2005... South Korean cellular provider SK Telecom has rolled out a digital smart-home service, with help from ZigBee-technology developer Ember, which it says will allow people to remotely control and monitor their homes using cell phones and the...

Video-processing chip gets MII approval.(pulse: INNOVATIONS & INNOVATORS)
October 27, 2005... Hisense recently unveiled the Hiview digital-video media-processing chip, which successfully passed authoritative appraisal by the MII (Ministry of Information Industry). Hisense built the chip on a 0.18-micron CMOS process, It integrates...

Ease into the flexible CAN bus.(BAKER'S BEST)
October 27, 2005... When you need to select a network protocol, there are more choices than you may want. CAN (controller-area network) is one choice if you have a wired network. CANs have been around for more than 15 years. Historically, this bus targeted the...