All microcontrollers (MCUs) require some sort of mechanism to program them, even if they only get programmed once. Typically, program code is written on a host computer, then it is compiled or translated, and object (machine-readable) code is downloaded to the MCU (“the target”) from the PC (“the host”) using a cable (usually USB or […]
FAQ
Why clean PCBs matter, Part 2
The article Why Clean PCBs Matter, Part 1, covers the effects that a dirty Printed Circuit Board can have on electronics, especially those supporting high-frequency signals or sensitive analog components. Keeping a PCB clean begins in assembly when components are preferably soldered to the PCB in a clean environment. Of great importance is the type […]
Why clean PCBs matter, Part 1
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are essential in modern electronics. Dust and other contaminants are more important to watch out for than ever. As components get smaller, the relative size of contaminants is larger, heat is more of an issue with densely packed circuits on modern ICs, and devices operating at high frequencies (~1 GHz and […]
Choosing a switched mode power supply for your electronics prototype
Even if you never plan to go beyond one prototype, you still need to wean your board off the bench top power supply. However, choosing a permanent power supply for your electronics design is more than just a simple exercise in determining the operating voltage, maximum current, and form factor. Mouser Electronics has over 43,000 […]
Teardown: Inside the PlayStation 4 game box
We take a look at the venerable Sony game box with an eye toward power handling and architecture. Chances are that if you’re a gamer, you’re experiencing your video games on a Sony PlayStation 4. To date, over 75 million PlayStation 4 boxes have sold. The closest competitor is the Xbox One (36.03 million) and […]
An Open Source RTOS for IoT
An operating system (OS) is software that supports essential computer functions by managing software and hardware in a computer system. An embedded OS is typically tailored for a specific system and is usually as small as is necessary to do its job. You can find OSes in smartphones, routers, smart watches, game consoles, Alexa/Google Home, […]
SSDs: secure erase or sanitize?
When you’re done with a data storage drive, it’s nice to make sure that all of the data is scrubbed from it. A drive that’s returned, repurposed, or discarded can have personal or confidential data on it. Discarded drives have been found with everything from financial and medical data, email, and even pornography on them. […]
So what’s all this compound semiconductor wafer stuff?
David Danzilio from Wind Semiconductor sat down with us to explain some of the basics behind fabricating wafers in the compound semiconductor area. Compound semiconductors have a lot of commercial applications in optoelectronics. Many have a direct bandgap that makes them efficient light emitters. (As a quick review, the band gap is called direct if […]
Million-mile drives on computers that don’t move
Simulation is the only way to get the kind of confidence necessary to field autonomous vehicle functions. Karsten Krügel, Sven Flake, dSPACE GmbH HOW do you ensure that an autonomous vehicle will perform safely when the driver’s responsibility has essentially been removed? The necessity for reliable operation under this scenario is raising major challenges within […]
Inertial measurement units will keep self-driving cars on track
IMUs are just as important as cameras and radar when it comes to operating autonomous vehicles reliably. Mike Horton, Aceinna Inc. AN inertial measurement unit (IMU) is a device that directly measures a vehicle’s three linear acceleration components and three rotational rate components (and thus its six degrees of freedom). An IMU is unique among […]