Alok's World

Ultrawideband communication technology revived!

2011-12-21T03:41:00.000-08:00

Imec (Belgium) and the Holst Centre (Netherlands) have announced a chip set for extremely low-power impulse radio ultrawideband (IR-UWB) technology. Operating in the 6–10 GHz band, the radio provides high-quality wireless communication capability for battery-operated mobile and sensing applications, with fade resilience and negligible interference.

The new chip set is designed to make UWB communication available to battery-operated devices for personal area networks and positioning sensors. Potential applications include short-range video streaming and near-body audio streaming, such from a smartphone to a headset. With the UWB radio used for wireless audio streaming, smartphone battery life can be increased by over three times compared to a conventional Bluetooth-based solution, while headphone battery life can be extended by more than five times. Unlike Bluetooth, UWB radio is immune to interference from other wireless devices operating in the same area and the same frequency band.

Impulse radio ultrawideband is especially suitable for short-range (20 m) communication and positioning sensors. The large bandwidth improves resilience to fading, resulting in superior communication reliability – especially compared to narrowband solutions, which are prone to signal loss in surroundings with reflective surfaces and multipath propagation. In addition, spreading information over a wide bandwidth decreases power spectral density, thereby reducing interference with other systems and lowering the probability of interception. IR-UWB is also suitable for positioning sensors, because reflection of the signal pulses allows object positioning with resolution in the centimetre range.

The chip set developed by Imec and the Holst Centre consists of a transmitter, a receiver front-end and a receiver digital baseband. The transmitter delivers 13 dBm peak power with an average power consumption of 3.3 mW. The receiver front-end has -88 dBm sensitivity at 1 Mbps. A digital synchronization algorithm enables real-time duty cycling to yield an average power consumption of 3 mW. A digitally controlled oscillator with 100 ppm frequency resolution and a baseband frequency tracking algorithm enable coherent reception. The radio achieves a 75 dB link budget at a data rate of 1 Mbps.

Image: Imec

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Intelligent cars alert each other to hazards

2011-12-19T03:38:00.000-08:00

Green light for the largest fleet test for car-to-X communication worldwide

The largest field test for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication (car-to-X communication) worldwide is about to get under way. Scientists, auto makers and communication companies as well as public-sector institutions have teamed up to develop a system that allows cars to share information on traffic conditions and impending hazards.

The aim is to promote a safer, more efficient flow of traffic. Researchers from the Technische Universität München (TUM) are currently involved in devising the test scenarios that 120 vehicles will use to put the system dubbed simTD through its paces on Germany's roads next spring.

Notice traffic blocks before they are visible. Recognize risky situations before they get out of hand. Reach your destination on time, safe and relaxed. The “Safe and Intelligent Mobility – Test Field

Germany

(simTD)” research project is pursuing these aims.

The idea is to electronically network vehicles and infrastructure by means of car-to-X communication. A fleet of 120 vehicles fitted with the system developed by the simTD consortium is about to demonstrate how this works in practice on the highways, rural and urban roads in and to the north of Frankfurt am Main over several months.

The simTD–System is using wireless technology that was specifically developed for this automotive field of application. The technology is based on the well-known WLAN standard. Information can either be transferred directly to other vehicles or to Roadside Stations installed along the road. If the communication partner is not located in close vicinity to the sender, other vehicles can transmit or store and forward information.

The vehicles transmit information on the traffic conditions to the control station, which can then predict and manage traffic developments. A display provides drivers with recommendations on the best route. The system also assists drivers at intersections or traffic lights by providing a timely display of the right lane for the next turn, or the optimum speed to ride a “wave of green traffic lights.”

The system also alerts drivers to imminent hazards. An emergency braking lamp in the display, for instance, warns the driver if a vehicle ahead brakes heavily – well before the driver is physically able to react to the situation. Where rescue services are responding to an incident, the system shows the direction and the lane taken by the emergency vehicles, enabling the driver to know precisely where they are. If obstacles, such as lost cargo, are blocking the road, drivers receive timely advice on alternative routes.

What kind of formations, at what times, and which routes do the individual vehicles in the test fleet have to take to produce reliable results? Scientists from the TU München are looking at all these questions. Their remit is to prepare the field test and subsequently to analyze the huge amounts of data produced.

Together with theUniversity of Würzburg, they also run the simTD simulation laboratory. Here, the traffic engineers from the TUM simulate what impact the introduction of the technology would have on the entire traffic in the test area if a certain proportion of cars were fitted with this technology. The Würzburg-based traffic psychologists are using a driving simulator to investigate driver behavior particularly where safety concerns prevent certain scenarios from being tested on the road.

The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS) provide funding for simTD, because this consortium has the potential to promote a new dimension of foresighted driving, traffic control, and accident avoidance. The ministries are convinced that a commonly agreed standard is essential for the commercial deployment of this pace-setting technology.

simTD is a joint project initiated by leading German automakers, automotive suppliers, communication companies and research institutes, together with assistance from the public sector. Project partners are as follows: Adam Opel AG, AUDI AG, BMW AG, BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH, Daimler AG, Ford Forschungszentrum Aachen GmbH, Volkswagen AG, Robert Bosch GmbH, Continental, Deutsche Telekom AG, Fraunhofer- Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz GmbH (DFKI), Technische Universität Berlin, Technische Universität München, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes, Universität Würzburg, Hessisches Landesamt für Straßen- und Verkehrswesen, Stadt Frankfurt am Main.

The project is also promoted and supported by the federal state of Hesse, the German Association of the Automotive Industry and the Car 2 Car Communication Consortium. BMWi, BMBF and BMVBS support simTD with approximately 40 million euros; the other project partners contribute approximately 31 million euros.

Source: Technical University Munich

Embedded motor control Cerebot MC7 Development Kit for academia and hobbyists

2011-12-17T03:39:00.000-08:00

Microchip Technology Inc., announced the availability of a Microchip dsPIC33 Digital Signal Controller (DSC)-based development kit.

The Digilent® Cerebot™ MC7 Development Kit addresses the growing interest in embedded motor control from the academic and hobbyist markets, and is ideal for learning about microcontrollers and solving real problems.

The kit includes a demonstration board that provides four half-bridge circuits, eight RC servo motor connectors, the ability to use Digilent Pmod™ peripheral modules, and an integrated programming/debugging circuit that is compatible with the free MPLAB® IDE. Example applications include university embedded-systems and communications classes, senior capstone projects, and numerous other academic and hobbyist projects.

A video demo of the kit can be viewed on YouTube (link below).

The Cerebot MC7 board features four half-bridge circuits that are rated for 24 V at up to 5 A. These half bridges can be used to control twoBrushed DC motors, two bi-polar stepper motors, one brushless DC motor, and one uni-polar stepper motor.

An onboard 5 V, 4 A switching regulator with an input voltage up to 24 V simplifies operation of the board, enabling it to operate from a single power supply in embedded applications such as robotics.

The onboard dsPIC33 DSC features 128 KB internal Flash program memory and 16 KB internal SRAM, as well as numerous on-chip peripherals, including an advanced 8-channel motor-control PWM unit, an enhanced CAN controller, two Serial Peripheral Interfaces (SPIs), timer/counters, serial-interface controllers, an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), and more.

The Cerebot MC7 board combines two push buttons and four LEDs for user I/O, as well as connections for two I2C™ busses, one of which contains an integrated serial EEPROM device.

New JTAG boundary scan demo kit supports hands-on training

2011-12-15T03:35:00.000-08:00

Goepel Electronic has developed a new demonstration kit for the goJTAG initiative. The kit includes a PicoTAB boundary scan controller with USB 2.0 interface, accompanying software, and a demo board for practical tutorials.

The goJTAG initiative is a joint project of a number of universities and Testonica Lab, with the aim of providing the electronics industry boundary scan tools and expertise based on an independent, non-commercial platform in order to accelerate the widespread use of standardized IEEE 1149 test methods.

The goJTAG package software includes simulation routines that reveal every bit movement along the scan chain with single-TCK precision. This allows users to step through tap states and observe the response of the circuit under test in a real time in an on-screen simulation. This is the first time such a detailed demonstration of the capabilities of JTAG boundary scan technology has been available.

The open-source goJTAG project is the first platform to provide IEEE 1149.1 training software that can run in both simulation and online mode. The goJTAG demo kit supports several graphic displays at various levels. In online mode users can use the demo board software for their own projects with no restrictions.

The Java source code is freely available and can be modified under the terms of the open-source software licence. Reference designs for the PicoTAP controller specifically developed for this project and the new demo board are also available for non-commercial use free of charge.

Image: goJTAG

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Concept 21st Century LED Lamp

2011-12-13T03:33:00.000-08:00

Demonstrating the future of lighting, Cree, Inc. unveiled a concept LED light bulb from its lighting research and development team.

Redefining what is possible with high-performance LED lighting, the lamp delivers more than 1,300 lumens at 152 lumens per watt (LPW) using Cree TrueWhite® Technology. Cree’s prototype LED light bulb exceeds the performance goals set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the 21st Century Lamp, the third category in its L PrizeSM competition.

“Cree’s concept lamp is a far cry from its 20th-century counterparts,” said Gerry Negley, Cree LED lighting chief technology officer and co-inventor of Cree TrueWhite Technology. “No one has fully envisioned what the lighting of the future will look like, which allows Cree to continue to innovate without constraint.”

Neal Hunter, Cree co-founder, added, “Not long ago, fixture efficacy of 100+ lumens per watt was impossible, but Cree is shipping fixtures at 110 LPW today. We calculate that if fully deployed, LED lighting at 150 LPW could bring a 16.5 percent reduction in the nation’s electric-energy consumption, returning it to 1987 levels. By pushing the limits of what is possible in LED lighting, Cree continues to design products that help reduce global demands for energy.”

LED lighting at this level of performance is only made possible by advancements across all elements of the LED lighting system – lighting-class LEDs, optical elements, drivers and power supplies. Optimizing each element was critical in achieving the performance reached by Cree’s prototype LED lamp. As an efficiency comparison, a traditional 75-watt incandescent light bulb produces 1,100 lumens at only 14.6 lumens per watt.

Third-party testing by independent lab OnSpeX confirmed that Cree’s lamp delivered more than 1,330 lumens and consumes only 8.7 watts. The lamp uses Cree TrueWhite Technology to deliver a high-quality, energy-efficient light with a CRI of 91 at a warm white color of 2800 K. This project benefits from technology developed under DOE-funded contracts, which are part of Cree’s ongoing collaboration with DOE to advance the successful adoption of energy-saving solid-state lighting.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 directed the DOE to establish the Bright Tomorrow L Prize competition. The 21st Century Lamp competition is the third category in the legislation, joining competitions to create replacements for some of the most widely used and most inefficient lighting technologies on the market today, 60-W incandescent lamps and PAR-38 halogen lamps. The preliminary specifications for the 21st Century Lamp include: >1200 lumens, >150 lumens per watt, >90 CRI and CCT between 2800-3000 K.

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ED & Laser tail light creates safer perimeter for bikes

2011-12-11T03:30:00.000-08:00

A new bike tail light developed by Apex Bright LED was designed not just as a techno-gizmo but also to improve the security of bicycle riders riding in the dark or in poorly lit conditions. An IPX2 rated laser writes two bright red lines on the road surface, warning traffic coming from the rear to keep a safe distance.

The waterproof unit also has three very bright red LEDs that can operate in various flash modes. It works from two AAA batteries and can be secured to seat posts with a diameter between 20 and 36 mm. The battery capacity enables the laser work to work for approximately 9 hours, while the LED on its own can flash for up to 36 hours.

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Radar can see through walls

2011-12-09T03:27:00.000-08:00

Much as humans and other animals see via waves of visible light that bounce off objects and then strike our eyes’ retinas, radar “sees” by sending out radio waves that bounce off targets and return to the radar’s receivers.

But just as light can’t pass through solid objects in quantities large enough for the eye to detect, it’s hard to build radar that can penetrate walls well enough to show what’s happening behind. Now, MIT Lincoln Lab researchers have built a system that can see through walls from some distance away, giving an instantaneous picture of the activity on the other side.

The researchers’ device is an unassuming array of antennas arranged into two rows — eight receiving elements on top, 13 transmitting ones below — and some computing equipment, all mounted onto a movable cart. But it has powerful implications for military operations, especially “urban combat situations,” says Gregory Charvat, technical staff at Lincoln Lab and the leader of the project.

Walls, by definition, are solid, and that’s certainly true of the four- and eight-inch-thick concrete walls on which the researchers tested their system.

At first, their radar functions as any other: transmitters emit waves of a certain frequency in the direction of the target. But in this case, each time the waves hit the wall, the concrete blocks more than 99 percent of them from passing through. And that’s only half the battle: Once the waves bounce off any targets, they must pass back through the wall to reach the radar’s receivers — and again, 99 percent don’t make it. By the time it hits the receivers, the signal is reduced to about 0.0025 percent of its original strength.

But according to Charvat, signal loss from the wall is not even the main challenge. “[Signal] amplifiers are cheap,” he says. What has been difficult for through-wall radar systems is achieving the speed, resolution and range necessary to be useful in real time. “If you’re in a high-risk combat situation, you don’t want one image every 20 minutes, and you don’t want to have to stand right next to a potentially dangerous building,” Charvat says.

The Lincoln Lab team’s system may be used at a range of up to 60 feet away from the wall. (Demos were done at 20 feet, which Charvat says is realistic for an urban combat situation.) And, it gives a real-time picture of movement behind the wall in the form of a video at the rate of 10.8 frames per second.

One consideration for through-wall radar, Charvat says, is what radio wavelength to use. Longer wavelengths are better able to pass through the wall and back, which makes for a stronger signal; however, they also require a correspondingly larger radar apparatus to resolve individual human targets. The researchers settled on S-band waves, which have about the same wavelength as wireless Internet — that is, fairly short. That means more signal loss — hence the need for amplifiers — but the actual radar device can be kept to about eight and a half feet long.

Even when the signal-strength problem is addressed with amplifiers, the wall — whether it’s concrete, adobe or any other solid substance — will always show up as the brightest spot by far. To get around this problem, the researchers use an analog crystal filter, which exploits frequency differences between the modulated waves bouncing off the wall and those coming from the target. “So if the wall is 20 feet away, let’s say, it shows up as a 20-kilohertz sine wave.

If you, behind the wall, are 30 feet away, maybe you’ll show up as a 30-kilohertz sine wave,” Charvat says. The filter can be set to allow only waves in the range of 30 kilohertz to pass through to the receivers, effectively deleting the wall from the image so that it doesn’t overpower the receiver.

In a recent demonstration, Charvat and his colleagues showed how the radar was able to image two humans moving behind solid concrete and cinder-block walls, as well as a human swinging a metal pole in free space. The project won best paper at a recent conference, the 2010 Tri-Services Radar Symposium.

Because the processor uses a subtraction method — comparing each new picture to the last, and seeing what’s changed — the radar can only detect moving targets, not inanimate objects such as furniture. Still, even a human trying to stand still moves slightly, and the system can detect these small movements to display that human’s location.

With further refinement, the radar could be used domestically by emergency-response teams and others, but the researchers say they developed the technology primarily with military applications in mind. Charvat says, “This is meant for the urban war fighter … those situations where it’s very stressful and it’d be great to know what’s behind that wall.”

Source: MIT News

Audio effects processor IC enables sound tailoring

2011-12-07T03:32:00.000-08:00

Quickfilter Technologies has developed a three-channel audio processor IC designed for insertion in a serial digital audio data path. The QF3DFX Profound Sound Audio Processor is easily configured using Quickfilter QFPro design software and features royalty-free, user tuneable advanced audio algorithms for psychoacoustic effects such as bass enhancement, high frequency restoration and virtual surround sound.

The QF3DFX can interface with I²S or TDM audio systems. It can operate at data rates up to 48 kilosamples per second and supports word sizes of 16 and 24 bits. The QF3DFX is self-booting and provides pin control for volume, mute and profiles to enable cost-sensitive designs with minimal external components. It automatically powers down when audio data is not present, facilitating its use in low power applications such as wireless headsets and speakers.

In consumer audio products such as iPods, MP3 docking stations and sound bars, speakers have been scaled down and placed close together, resulting in poor bass response and limited stereo separation. With the Quickfilter Profound Sound IC, these speakers can reproduce bass tones down to 40 Hz and provide enough separation to create virtual surround sound with just two small speakers.

According to Quickfilter, the key advantage of the QF3DFX over alternative solutions using DSPs and licensed software is that it allows developers to achieve superior audio performance at lower cost without the need for licensed software, which often restricts design freedom. The QF3DFX is fully user configurable, so products can be given their own unique sound. In addition, with the QFPro software all tuning can be done in real time by the audio engineer instead of the DSP engineer, thereby reducing software iterations and improving time to market.

A complete three-channel development board built around the QF3DFX processor (illustrated) is also available

Image: Quickfilter Technologies

More info @

Quickfilter Technologies website

Low-voltage opamp runs on 0.8 V supply voltage

2011-12-05T03:24:00.000-08:00

The TS1001 from Touchstone Semiconductor is a single-supply, rail-to-rail operational amplifier with the unique ability to operate from a 0.8 V supply voltage with a supply current of 600 nA, reducing overall power consumption by at least 50% compared to other low-voltage operational amplifiers.

Optimised for ultra long life battery-powered applications, the TS1001 is Touchstone’s first operational amplifier in the NanoWatt Analog™ high-performance analogue integrated circuits family.

The TS1001 has a typical offset voltage of 0.5 mV, a typical input bias current of 25 pA, and rail-to-rail input and output stages.

The TS1001 can operate from single-supply voltages from 0.65 V to 2.5 V.

The TS1001’s combined features make it an excellent choice in applications where very low supply current and low operating supply voltage translate into very long equipment operating time. Potential applications include nanopower active filters, wireless remote sensors, battery and powerline current sensors, portable gas monitors, and handheld/portable POS terminals.

Image: Touchstone Semiconductor

More info @

Touchstone Semiconductor website

Fluoride increases storage capacity of rechargeable batteries

2011-12-03T03:21:00.000-08:00

KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) researchers have developed a new concept for rechargeable batteries.

Based on a fluoride shuttle -- the transfer of fluoride anions between the electrodes – it promises to enhance the storage capacity reached by lithium-ion batteries by several factors. Operational safety is also increased, as it can be done without lithium.

The fluoride-ion battery is presented for the first time in the “Journal of Materials Chemistry” by Dr. Maximilian Fichtner and Dr. Munnangi Anji Reddy.

Lithium-ion batteries are applied widely, but their storage capacity is limited. In the future, battery systems of enhanced energy density will be needed for mobile applications in particular. Such batteries can store more energy at reduced weight. For this reason, KIT researchers are also conducting research into alternative systems. A completely new concept for secondary batteries based on metal fluorides was developed at the KIT Institute of Nanotechnology (INT).

Metal fluorides may be applied as conversion materials in lithium-ion batteries. They also allow for lithium-free batteries with a fluoride-containing electrolyte, a metal anode, and metal fluoride cathode, which reach a much better storage capacity and possess improved safety properties. Instead of the lithium cation, the fluoride anion takes over charge transfer. At the cathode and anode, a metal fluoride is formed or reduced. “As several electrons per metal atom can be transferred, this concept allows to reach extraordinarily high energy densities – up to ten times as high as those of conventional lithium-ion batteries,” explains Dr. Maximilian Fichtner.

The KIT researchers are now working on the further development of material design and battery architecture in order to improve the initial capacity and cyclic stability of the fluoride-ion battery. Another challenge lies in the further development of the electrolyte: The solid electrolyte applied so far is suited for applications at elevated temperatures only. It is therefore aimed at finding a liquid electrolyte that is suited for use at room temperature.

M. Anji Reddy and M. Fichtner: Batteries based on fluoride shuttle. Journal of Materials Chemistry. 2011, Advance Article. DOI: 10.1039/C1JM13535J.

Source: KIT Press Release.

Illustration: KIT

amcast streams audio to Android devices

2011-12-01T03:19:00.000-08:00

The Jamcast streaming audio system from Software Development Solutions consists of a streaming client for Android devices (Jamcast Player) and Jamcast Server, which allows users with an existing home Internet connection to set up a secure private cloud for sharing their digital music.

Jamcast Player connects users' Android devices to this private cloud over a 3G/4G or Wi-Fi link and allows them to browse, search and stream their music library from anywhere.

Jamcast Player provides full control over audio quality and network usage with adjustable performance configurations per network connection type. Jamcast Player supports native playback of a wide variety of audio formats, including FLAC/FLAC-HD, OGG, MP3, WMA, ALAC and AAC/AAC+. Although still in beta, Jamcast Player features gapless playback, automatic Internet server discovery, integrated security, voice search, SD card installation, car dock support and more. The user interface displays high resolution album art and is optimised for car use.

Jamcast Player is a free download from the Android Market for devices running Android 2.1 and higher. Optimised display support for tablet devices and Google TV is in the works.

Jamcast Server is easy to install and runs on Microsoft Windows XP or higher. A fully functional 14-day trial version of the software is available for free download, and a license can be purchased for USD 29.99.

Image: Jamcast

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Jamcast website

Complete GPS receiver module for under $3

2011-11-29T03:18:00.000-08:00

SiRFstarIII based GPS RADIONOVA provides complete GPS system solution for embedded GPS applications

Antenova Ltd, an integrated antenna and RF solutions company, announced a special sub-$3 price offering of its GPS RADIONOVA SS3 Receiver Module – a complete GPS receiver including SiRFstarIII GPS IC and all front end RF components in a very small low profile single package module.

The SS3 GPS Receiver Module is a complete drop in solution for a wide range of embedded applications including 'GPS mouse' (USB dongles), personal trackers, automatic vehicle locators (AVLs), vehicle black boxes, data loggers, media tablets and portable media players (PMPs).

The GPS RADIONOVA SS3 is a very small 18.4x9x2.3 mm³ single package GPS receiver module suitable for SMT mounting. It operates on a single 3.6V positive bias supply with low power consumption and low power modes are available for further power savings. SS3 is supported by SiRF’s GPS software suite and uses a UART/SPI host processor interface.

The special offer SS3 GPS Receiver Modules are available directly from Antenova.

More info @

http://www.antenova.com/?id=921

Buy or build your own Kilobot swarm

2011-11-27T02:40:00.000-08:00

A low cost scalable robot system for demonstrating collective behaviors

In current robotics research there is a vast body of work on algorithms and control methods for groups of decentralized cooperating robots, called a swarm or collective. These algorithms are generally meant to control collectives of hundreds or even thousands of robots; however, for reasons of cost, time, or complexity, they are generally validated in simulation only, or on a group of a few 10s of robots.

To address this issue, Harvard University researchers Michael Rubenstein, Nicholas Hoff and Radhika Nagpal present Kilobot, a low-cost robot designed to make testing collective algorithms on hundreds or thousands of robots accessible to robotics researchers. To enable the possibility of large Kilobot collectives where the number of robots is an order of magnitude larger than the largest that exist today, each robot is made with only $14 worth of parts and takes 5 minutes to assemble.

Along with its lithium-ion battery and rigid legs, each Kilobot incorporates an LED bulb, two motors (which vibrate the legs), a wide-angle infrared transceiver, and a microcontroller. An unlimited number of the little guys can be programmed via a computer-linked overhead infrared controller in under 40 seconds, and each have the ability to act autonomously, based on the parameters of that programming.

The robot design allows a single user to easily oversee the operation of a large Kilobot collective, such as programming, powering on, and charging all robots, which would be difficult or impossible to do with many existing robotic systems. The researchers demonstrate the capabilities of the Kilobot as a collective robot, using a 29 robot test collective to implement some popular swarm behaviors. For more details please open the free aper and the narrated videos linked to below.

K-Team Corp. is making Kkilobots available for purchase, starting now. See the K-Team Flier and K-Team homepage linked to below. Contact K-Team to purchase your own swarm!

The researchers will also be publishing an open source release (non-commercial, Creative Commons) of all the electronics and assembly documents by end of November. So you can also make your own swarm.

More info

Touchscreens go tactile

2011-11-25T02:42:00.000-08:00

Researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale du Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a technique for giving touchscreens tactile surfaces, so that users have the impression of touching a raised surface. Among the many potential applications, it could be used to make touchscreens more accessible for people with visual impairments.

The novel technique, developed by EPFL’s Integrated Actuators Laboratory in Neuchâtel, is targeted at smartphones, tablets, computers, and vending machines.

Conventional touch screens rely on visual interaction with the user and lack tactile features. By adding a tactile dimension to touchscreens, the novel technique increases their usability and enhances the user’s experience. It could be used to add emphasis to onscreen text or make video games even more entertaining by adding an additional sensory dimension. For the visually impaired, it could truly open up access to smartphones and other electronic devices.

The tactile effect is obtained by using a piezoelectric material that vibrates when an AC voltage is applied to it. Although the amplitude of these mechanical vibrations is very small (around 1 micron), they create an air cushion between the user’s fingertip and the screen, which gives the impression of a raised surface.

Image: EPFL

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EPFL news item

Nanophotonics LED achieves ultrafast data transmission rates

2011-11-23T02:44:00.000-08:00

A team at Stanford's School ofEngineering has demonstrated an ultrafast nanoscale light-emitting diode (LED) that is orders of magnitude lower in power consumption than today's laser-based systems and is able to transmit data at the very rapid rate of 10 billion bits per second.

The researchers say it is a major step forward in providing a practical ultrafast, low-power light source for on-chip data transmission.

Stanford's Jelena Vuckovic, an associate professor of electrical engineering, and Gary Shambat, a doctoral candidate in electrical engineering, announced their device in a research paper set to be published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.

Vuckovic had earlier this year produced a nanoscale laser that was similarly efficient and fast, but that device operated only at temperatures below 150 degrees Kelvin, about minus-190 degrees Fahrenheit, making it impractical for commercial use. The new device operates at room temperature and could, therefore, represent an important step toward next-generation computer chips.

Nanophotonics is key to the technology. in the heart of their device, the engineers have inserted little islands of the light-emitting material indium arsenide, which, when pulsed with electricity, produce light. These "quantum dots" are surrounded by photonic crystal – an array of tiny holes etched in a semiconductor. The photonic crystal serves as a mirror that bounces the light toward the center of the device, confining it inside the LED and forcing it to resonate at a single frequency.

The new device includes a bit of engineering ingenuity, too. Existing devices are actually two devices, a laser coupled with an external modulator. Both devices require electricity. Vuckovic's diode combines light transmission and modulation functions into one device, drastically reducing energy consumption.

Both devices require electricity. Vuckovic's diode combines light transmission and modulation functions into one device, drastically reducing energy consumption.

In tech-speak, the new LED device transmits data, on average, at 0.25 femto-joules per bit of data. By comparison, today's typical "low" power laser device requires about 500 femto-joules to transmit the same bit.

Source: Andrew Myers on Stanford University News

More info @

Stanford University School of Engineering

Contactless card reader IC handles multiple protocols

2011-11-21T02:45:00.000-08:00

NXP Semiconductors has launched the CLRC663, the first member of a new generation of high-performance proximity contactless reader ICs. It combines robust multi-protocol support with the highest RF output power and patented low-power card detection technology.

The CLRC663 is targeted at a wide variety of use scenarios, including banking, e-government, transport and mobile payment.

Supporting all 13.56-MHz contactless standards, NXP’s new reader IC is compatible with all established smart card, smart tag and smart label technologies, including NFC Forum tag types and Mifare products.

It ensures best-in-class interoperability with smart cards, electronic documents and NFC-enabled phones based on NXP technology.

The CLRC663 uniquely combines high RF performance with a very small HVQFN33 package, ensuring large and reliable read ranges as well as energy- and resource-efficient implementations. It can be powered from 5 V for POS and AFC implementations or from 3 V for energy-efficient battery-powered operation.

It features full read/write compliance with ISO/IEC 14443 A&B, ISO/IEC 15693, ISO/IEC18000-3 Mode3 and FeliCaTM and supports NFC initiator mode in peer-to-peer communication.

Image: NXP

More info @

CLRC663 device data

Researchers find key to better solar cell efficiency

2011-11-19T02:55:00.000-08:00

Research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has led to solar cells with record-breaking efficiency. Contrary to conventional scientific wisdom, it turns out that efficient solar cell materials are characterised by high photon emission instead of high photon absorption.

According to the researchers, external fluorescence is the key to approaching the theoretical maximum efficiency for conversion of sunlight into electricity.

The maximum efficiency, called the Shockley-Queisser (S-Q) efficiency limit, is approximately 33.5% for a single p-n junction. An analysis by a member of the research team indicated that gallium arsenide is capable of approaching the SQ limit.

Based on this work, Alta Devices Inc., a private company spun off by the researchers, has fabricate gallium arsenide solar cells that achieved a record conversion efficiency of 28.4%.

The most efficient solar cells in commercial use today are made from monocrystalline silicon wafers and typically achieve a conversion efficiency of around 23%. Although gallium arsenide is more expensive than silicon, it is much better at absorbing photons, so less material is needed for a solar cell with the same performance.

Past efforts to boost the conversion efficiency of solar cells focused on increasing photon absorption in the cell. Absorbed photons produce electrons in the cell, but some of these electrons decay before being extracted from the cell and release their energy. If this energy is released as heat, it reduces the solar cell’s power output, but if it is released as photons, the cell voltage is increased, improving its power output.

Image: Alta Devices, Inc.

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DesignSpark PCB design- version 3

2011-11-17T02:49:00.000-08:00

Now includes an interface to design simulators, enhanced circuit-element grouping capability and design calculators

RS Components (RS), on November 7 unveiled Version 3 of DesignSpark PCB, the company’s free professional standard PCB design software, used by professional designers, hobbyists and students.

Developed by RS, in conjunction with Number One Systems, the latest version of DesignSpark PCB provides extra functionality and enables the PCB design software to be used with Spice simulation tools from several major manufacturers. In addition to the tool’s new simulation interface, Version 3 includes enhancements such as component and circuit element grouping, and design calculators, which model circuit performance characteristics.

“The success of DesignSpark PCB, the world’s most powerful free PCB design tool, is unparalleled in our industry,” said Mark Cundle, Technical Marketing Manager at RS Components. “The release of the third version of this award-winning software clearly demonstrates the commitment from RS to continually improve this highly successful product.

We promise to carry on supporting DesignSpark PCB and continue to make it available free-of-charge to users. We’ve gathered feedback from engineers through our fast-growing DesignSpark community to integrate the new features they’ve requested in Version 3,” added Cundle. “Additionally, the tool is fully functional – with no limitations or locked features – and is well suited to commercial use, which is not always the case with some free tools.”

More than 100,000 users have downloaded DesignSpark PCB since its launch in July 2010, with the tool proving to be one of the most popular free PCB design software packages available.

Since then, thousands of users have contributed suggestions for development, which has resulted in DesignSpark PCB Version 3 being strengthened in three key areas: simulation interface, groups and design calculators:

The simulation interface means that DesignSpark PCB can be linked to industry-standard Spice simulators that help verify the circuit is operating correctly, before moving to board layout or the next stage of the design. DesignSpark PCB Version 3 currently supports four simulators: LTSpice, LSSpice, TopSpice and TINA.

The ‘groups’ feature allows multiple items in the design to be associated, so they act as one unit. Once defined, ‘groups’ can also assist in the selection of related portions of a circuit.

On translation of the schematic circuit into the Autoroute tool, the ‘group’ information is also transferred along with the components, allowing easy placement.

The design calculators allow the selection of a track or via and perform basic electrical calculations, including: track width required for a given current; track impedance; optimum copper density; approximate temperature rise on a track; and the resistance of a via, given its physical characteristics.

DesignSpark PCB remains unique in the industry as a free and fully featured PCB development environment. The upgraded Version 3 is free to download for new users. Existing users will be alerted to the upgrade via release alerts in their existing version of the tool. Feedback and user support forums are also available.

More info @

http://www.designspark.com

Health check as-u-drive

2011-11-15T02:57:00.000-08:00

Safety in traffic depends on a number of factors. One decisive aspect is how fit the driver is. A research team at the Munich Technical University (TUM), in collaboration with researchers at the BMW Group, managed to develop a sensor system integrated into the steering wheel that can monitor the driver’s state of health while driving. The driver can use his time behind the wheel for a minor health check. At the same time the device might be used recognize the onset fainting spells or heart attacks.

If you spend a lot of time driving, in addition to listening to the radio or making phone calls, in the future you will be able to undertake a small health check. Together with researchers from the BMW Group, scientists at the TU Muenchen Chair of Micro Technology and Medical Device Technology (MiMed) directed by Professor Tim C. Lueth have developed a system that monitors vital signs such as heart rate, skin conductance and oxygen saturation in the blood via simple sensors in the steering wheel.

A series of systems for monitoring vital signs while driving have already been developed in the context of studies to measure stress levels while driving, among other things. However, none of these systems are suited for automotive mass production. By integrating appropriate sensors into the steering wheel, the scientists managed to circumvent the laborious wiring of the driver. The data collected is radioed to a microcontroller, which in turn can show the measurement results on the vehicle information system display.

A driver’s skin conductance, for instance, reveals whether he or she is under severe stress, or whether his or her blood pressure exceeds a critical value. The only requirement is that the driver’s hands are in contact with the sensors integrated into the steering wheel. Initial tests with people in cooperation with the Munich Senior Citizens Advisory Council were very promising. The sensors integrated into the steering wheel provided data during four fifths of the driving time. More than half of the test persons felt incited by the system to conduct repeated check-ups.

Two commercially available sensors are key elements of the integrated vital signs measurement system. One of them shines infrared light into the fingers and measures the heart rate and oxygen saturation via reflected light; the second measures the electric conductance of the skin at contact.

The scientists at MiMed have also developed a micro-controller application that processes the data and transfers them back to the vehicle. In order to extend the data pool and make as many reliable assertions as possible on the state of a driver’s health, a radio connection can be established to additional external devices, e.g. a blood pressure monitor.

These results ensued from the research project Fit4Age in the “Assistance Systems for an Aging Society” group and were funded with grants from the Bavarian Research Foundation (BFS). Cooperation partners at the BMW Group did the technical installation of components into the vehicle.

Original publication @

Integrated Systems for distraction-free vital signs-measurment in vehicles
Lorenzo T. D’Angelo, Tim C. Lüth, atz, 11/2011

More info @

http://portal.mytum.de/pressestelle/pressemitteilungen/NewsArticle_20111103

World’s first handheld SDR debuts

2011-11-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

Epiq Solutions, an engineering firm specialising in the development of flexible wireless communications systems, has announced Matchstiq™, billed as the world's smallest commercially available software defined radio (SDR) capable of tuning from 300 MHz to 3.8 GHz.

Measuring just 5.6 x 12 x 2.3 cm, the Matchstiq combines a broadband RF transceiver with a flexible baseband processing engine running under the Linux operating system.

Matchstiq includes an Atlas-I-LPe computer module developed by iVeia Inc, which combines a Xilinx Spartan-6 LX45 FPGA with a Texas Instruments 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor running under Linux. This platform supports a wide range of advanced signal processing tasks while consuming as little as 3 watts in typical receive-only use.

When combined with the library of signal processing applications available from Epiq Solutions or other software suites, such as GNU Radio, Matchstiq enables an array of capabilities including operation as a point-to-point data modem, LTE survey tool, or portable spectrum analyzer. A development kit is also available for users who wish to create their own custom applications.

Matchstiq will start shipping in December 2011 with single unit pricing set at USD 4,500.

Image: Epiq

More info @

Epiq Matchstiq web page

World’s first manned flight with an electric multicopter

2011-11-11T03:02:00.000-08:00

Last month Thomas Senkel of e-volo completed a series of unmanned tests and was ready for the first manned flight on an airstrip in the southwest of

Germany

The flight lasted one minute and 30 seconds, after which the constructor and test pilot said: "The flight characteristics are good natured. Without any steering input it would just hover there on the spot". This could be the future of flight, piloting a device as simple as a car.

The e-volo multicopter is an innovative, vertically starting, human carrying transportation device that’s not easily compared to any of its currently flying counterparts. The e-volo’s sixteen propellers allow it to take off and land similar to a helicopter. It’s massive plus points compared to a helicopter are the simplicity of its engineered construction without complicated mechanics and its redundant engines.

Should anything go wrong, e-volo can still safely land even if up to four of its sixteen motors should fail. Flight time can last between ten to thirty minutes, depending on the payload and the capacity of the lithium batteries. With an empty weight of 80 kgs (including batteries), e-volo fits into the class of ultralights.

As opposed to other helicopters or multi-rotors, e-volo can use a safety parachute, as there are no propellers blocking the deployment area above.

The propellers create the full lift, and are also responsible for balancing the device on all three axes only by independent speed control of the motors. From the beginning E-volo was designed entirely as an electrically powered device. Unlike the rotor of a helicopter, the propellers do not have any pitch control and therefore no wear. These factors make the multicopter mechanically simple, with almost no maintenance necessary.

The automatic attitude and directional control are taken care of by multiple separate and mutually monitoring onboard computers, controlling the engines with the precise rotation speed necessary to fly this tri-axis device. A simple joystick allows the pilot to control the aircraft via a fly-by-wire system. Whether during vertical takeoff, in flight, or landing, the pilot has to pay little attention to minimum speed, stall, gas mixture control, pitch control or one of many other things that make conventional flight as challenging as it is.

This electrically driven system is quiet, clean and economically cost efficient. A one-hour flight would cost around 6 euros for electricity. In addition, the device holds few parts that could wear out, making maintenance intervals and cost low and far between.

The control firmware can be integrated with a sophisticated integrated GPS system or obstacle detection. As such, automated flight for predetermined points on a 3D map is possible. In addition to the relieving the pilot of strenuous navigational tasks, unmanned flight would be feasible similar to other devices (drones).

The main purpose for a single seat device would most likely be for air sports equipment and in the leisure sector. A professional application could be made in areas where helicopters are too big and expensive, for aerial photographs or field inspection of large facilities (wind turbines, pipelines), areas where its flight capabilities (vertical take off, landing, and hovering) are of crucial importance. As a multi-seater it would also be conceivable to use for sightseeing flights, air ambulance, or air taxi. There most certainly will be entirely new use areas that no one has yet imagined.

More info @

http://www.e-volo.com/

EasyPIC v7 development board released

2011-11-09T03:04:00.000-08:00

MikroElektronika has brought out version 7 of the EasyPIC development board for PIC microcontrollers. Particular attention has been given to connectivity in the development of the new version, with four different connectors available for each port.

A unique feature of the new development board is the integrated mikroProg programmer and in-circuit debugger module, which enable device programming and code development for over 250 different types of Microchip PIC microcontrollers.

Debugging is also supported for all MikroElektronica PIC compilers (mikroC, mikroBasic and MikroPascal). A variety of accessory boards are available for the EasyPIC development board, including Ethernet interface modules.

Port connectors, LEDs and pushbuttons are arranged in logical groups on the new board to make things easier for users. Tri-state DIP switches are also provided to simplify connecting pull-up or pull-down resistors. In response to user requests, the new version is again fitted with seven-segment displays. The EasyPIC development board supports a total of three displays: a graphic LCD with 128 x 64 resolution, a text LCD with two lines of 16 characters, and a four-digit seven-segment display.

EasyPIC v7 conforms to the microbus pinout standard and features several new modules, including serial EEPROM, a piezoelectric buzzer and ports for DS1820 and LM35 temperature sensors. The board has a dual power supply, which allows it to support both 3.3-V and 5-V microcontrollers.

Image: MikroElektronika

More info @

EasyPIC v7 web page

High-tech spider tackles hazardous missions

2011-11-07T03:07:00.000-08:00

Created using a 3-D printing process, a lightweight creature developed at Fraunhofer Institute,

Germany

, can explore terrain that is beyond human reach.

Enviably agile and purposeful, the mobile robot makes its way through grounds rendered off-limits to humans as the result of a chemical accident. Depressions, ruts and other obstacles are no match for this eight-legged high-tech journeyman.

Its mission: with a camera and measurement equipment on board, it will provide emergency responders with an image of the situation on the ground, along with any data about poisonous substances. Not an easy task; after all, it must be prevented from tipping over. But this risk seems a minor one as it confidently and reliably picks its way through the area. As a real spider would, it keeps four legs on the ground at all times while the other four turn and ready themselves for the next step.

Even in its appearance, this artificial articulate creature resembles an octopod. And no wonder – the natural specimen provided the model for researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA. This high-tech assistant is still a prototype, but future plans envision its use as an exploratory tool in environments that are too hazardous for humans, or too difficult to get to. After natural catastrophes and industrial or reactor accidents, or in fire department sorties, it can help responders, for instance by broadcasting live images or tracking down hazards or leaking gas.

With its long extremities, the spider has a range of ways to get around. Some models can even jump. This is possible using hydraulically operated bellows drives that serve as joints and keep limbs mobile. With no muscles to stretch their legs, these creatures build up high levels of body pressure that they then use to pump fluid into their limbs. Shooting fluid into the legs extends them.

The components required for locomotion, such as the control unit, valves and compressor pump, are located in the robot‘s body; the body can also carry various measuring devices and sensors, depending on the application at hand. Hinges interoperate with the bellows drives so that the legs can move forward and turn as needed. Diagonally opposed members move simultaneously, too. Bending the front pairs of legs pulls the robotic spider‘s body along, while stretching the rear extremities pushes it.

The special aspect of this high-tech helper: not only very light, it also combines rigid and elastic shapes in a single component; with just a few production steps, it can also be produced at low cost. To date, designs such as the mobile robot have been generated using conventional mechanical-engineering technologies – a time-consuming and costly undertaking.

Researchers at IPA, on the other hand, rely on generative production technologies, and specifically on selective laser sintering (SLS) of plastics, a 3-D printing process. In this process, step by step thin layers of a fine polyamide powder are applied one at a time and melted in place with the aid of a laser beam.

This way, complex geometries, inner structures and lightweight components can be produced – with structures optimized much as if produced by Nature herself. The experts at IPA have a great deal of latitude in the design of their mobile robot; the leg modules, for instance, can be designed with infinitely variable load-bearing characteristics.

A prototype of the robot can be seen at the EuroMold 2011 trade fair in Frankfurt, at the joint stand of the Fraunhofer-Gemeinschaft (Hall 11, Stand C66), from November 29 through December 2.

Source: Fraunhofer Research News

More info @

http://www.fraunhofer.de/en.html

Compact M2M communication module features native Java support

2011-11-05T03:09:00.000-07:00

The new SNAP Stamp module is the smallest and most cost effective member of the Imsys SNAP family. Measuring just 29 x 29 mm, the SNAP Stamp module is based on the Imsys IM3000 family of processors, which can execute key routines – including Java bytecode – internally.

This allows user’s Java applications to run natively without the slowness of Java interpretation or the need for a resource-hungry just-in-time compiler.

The SNAP Stamp module provides everything necessary for the intelligent control of a networked product, including an IM3910 MCU, SDRAM, flash memory, 10/100 Ethernet PHY (and an RMII interface for a second Ethernet port), three UARTs, SPI/I²C, RTC, eight timers, an eight-channel 16-bit ADC, two 16-bit DACs, and a high-speed (83 MB/s) data channel. The module is SMT compatible and is supplied on tape for automatic assembly.

Firmware and application software can be loaded, managed, and upgraded remotely through the network port. Operating from a 3 to 3.6 V supply voltage, the device has a typical active current consumption of 50 mA. System software bundled with the module includes the Rubus real-time operating system, a fail-safe flash file system with wear levelling and power fail recovery, the TCP/IP stack, a J2ME/CLDC environment, Web / FTP / Telnet servers, device drivers for various I/O interfaces, and a user-friendly command line interface. Development kit hardware and reference designs are available.

The Java environment greatly accelerates development, increases software reliability and eases deployment. Java class files generated by any Java IDE (Eclipse, Netbeans) are directly executable on the SNAP Stamp. Imsys Developer (a complete Windows-based IDE) can be utilized for hardware debugging and software development in Java, C and assembly language, with breakpoints and single step debugging at all levels, dynamic variable inspection, event logging, etc.

Image: Imsys

More info

Imsys website

Panoramic photo? Throw your camera in the air

2011-11-03T03:10:00.000-07:00

Panoramic photography creates fascinating images. Very wide angle images are closer to the human field of view than conventional pictures. If seen through a panoramic viewer they let you experience a location as if you were there.

Panoramic image stitching can create panoramas from pictures taken one after another. Unfortunately, acquiring the images takes a lot of time and moving objects may cause ghosting. It is also difficult to obtain a full spherical panorama, because the downward picture cannot be captured while the camera is mounted on the tripod.

A throwable panoramic camera solves these problems. The camera is thrown into the air and captures an image at the highest point of flight -- when it is hardly moving. The camera takes full spherical panoramas, requires no preparation and images are taken instantaneously. It can capture scenes with many moving objects without producing ghosting artifacts and creates unique images.

At SIGGRAPH Asia 2011, a 'Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera' will be presented as an Emerging Technologies demonstration by Jonas Pfeil, Kristian Hildebrand, Carsten Gremzow, Bernd Bickel and Marc Alexa of the Computer Graphics Group at Berlin Technical University.

The camera uses 36 fixed-focus 2 megapixel mobile phone camera modules. The camera modules are mounted in a robust, 3D-printed, ball-shaped enclosure padded with foam and handles just like a ball. The team’s camera contains an accelerometer used to measure launch acceleration. Integration allows the rise time to the highest point to be predicted, when the exposure is triggered.

After catching the ball camera, pictures are downloaded in seconds using USB and automatically shown in a spherical panoramic viewer. This lets users interactively explore a full representation of the captured environment.

For hardware, the ball relies on an ATtiny24, an AVR UC3B, STM VS6724 and other parts. The software was developed using in (and using) C, C++, QT and OpenCV.

The TU Berlin team used the camera to capture full spherical panoramas at scenic spots, in a crowded city square and in the middle of a group of people taking turns in throwing the camera. Above all it was found a very enjoyable, playful way to take pictures. Check out the video the team made!

Patent pending for this product.

Source: Jonas Pfeil

More info@

Highest efficiency ever for flexible OLEDs

2011-11-01T03:13:00.000-07:00

Materials science and engineering researchers at the University of Toronto have developed the world's most efficient organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) on plastic. This paves the way for a flexible form factor as well as a less costly alternative to conventional OLED manufacturing, which is currently based on rigid glass substrates.

OLEDs enable high-contrast, low-energy displays that are rapidly becoming the dominant technology for advanced electronic screens. They are already used in some mobile phones and small-scale applications, and increasingly in general lighting applications.

Current state-of-the-art OLEDs are produced using glass doped with heavy metals to achieve high efficiency and brightness, which makes them expensive to manufacture, heavy, rigid and fragile. Using plastic can substantially reduce production costs while providing designers with a more durable and flexible material for their products.

The research demonstrated the first high-efficiency OLED on plastic. The performance of their device is comparable with that of the best glass-based OLEDs, while providing the benefits offered by using plastic.

The researchers were able to replicate the high refractive index property previously limited to glass with heavy-metal doping by using a 50–100 nm layer of tantalum(V) oxide (Ta2O5), an advanced optical thin-film coating material. In combination with a flexible plastic substrate, this coating technology allowed the team to build the highest-efficiency OLED device ever reported with a glass-free design.

The results of the research are reported online in the latest issue of Nature Photonics.

Image: University of Toronto (Engineering)

More info @

University of Toronto news item

The hidden (electrical) power of moss

2011-10-31T06:31:00.000-07:00

Scientists at CambridgeUniversity are exhibiting a prototype table that demonstrates how biological fuel cells can harness energy from plants.

Moss is regarded as a menace by gardeners who seek to eradicate it from their lawns.

Now researchers all over the world are exploring how moss, algae and plants could be used as a source of renewable energy in the future.

A team of designers and scientists at Cambridge University will be exhibiting a novel moss table at the London Design Festival later this week.

The prototype table will showcase an emerging technology called biophotovoltaics (BPV) which uses the natural process of photosynthesis to generate electrical energy.

Still at early stages, BPV has the potential to power small devices such as digital clocks. Low cost BPV devices may become competitive alternatives to conventional renewable technologies such as bio-fuels in the next ten years.

The appeal of BPV lies in its ability to harness a natural process that takes place all around us.

Photosynthesis occurs when plants convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into organic compounds using energy from sunlight. Plants use these organic compounds – carbohydrates, proteins and lipids – to grow.

When the moss photosynthesises it releases some of these organic compounds into the soil which contains symbiotic bacteria.

The bacteria break down the compounds, which they need to survive, liberating by-products that include electrons. The table designed by the Cambridge University team captures these electrons to produce an electrical current.

The table is based on research into biophotovoltaics funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). This pioneering work involves collaboration between the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Plant Sciences at Cambridge University, and the Chemistry Department atBath University.

The research is led jointly byDr Adrain Fisher, Professor Christopher Howe and Professor Alison Smith at Cambridge, and Dr Petra Cameron at Bath.

Looking into the future, possible applications for BPV include solar panels, power stations and generators.

Currently at concept stage, these are envisaged as sustainable solutions to pressing problems across the world – including the growing need for energy and fresh water from vulnerable communities.

The Cambridge team emphasised that the technology was at very early stages. “It will be a long time before a product powered by this technology will be commercially available,” said Dr James Moutrie, Head of the Design Management Group at the Institute for Manufacturing.

“The table we are exhibiting this week demonstrates the ways in which designers can play a valuable role in early stage scientific research by identifying commercial potential and is one of the outcomes from our Design in Science research project.”

More info

http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/features/the-hidden-power-of-moss/

Radically new memory technology

2011-10-29T06:25:00.000-07:00

Researchers at Purdue University (USA) are developing a new type of computer memory that could be faster than the existing memory devices and consume far less power than flash memory.

The devices combines silicon nanowires with a ferroelectric polymer, which is a material that switches polarity when an electric field is applied, to make storage cells whose polarity can be read as digital ones and zeros.

The new technology, which according to the researchers is still in a very nascent stage, is called FeTRAM for “ferroelectric transistor random access memory”.

FeTRAM devices are nonvolatile, which means that data is retained in the absence of power. They could potentially use only 1% of the power of current flash memory devices, although the current version consume more power because it is not properly scaled.

On of the main development objectives for future generations of FeTRAM will be to reduce power dissipation. The researchers also think that the devices could ultimately be faster than SRAM. The new technology is compatible with fabrication processes for CMOS devices.

FeTRAM is similar to ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM), but unlike FeRAM the new technology allows nondestructive readout because data is stored in a ferroelectric transistor instead of a capacitor.

This work was supported by the Nanotechnology Research Initiative through Purdue's Network for Computational Nanotechnology, which is supported by National Science Foundation. Findings are detailed in a research paper published recently in Nano Letters.

Image: Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University

More info @

Purdue University press release

TI launches second-generation wireless charger controller

2011-10-27T00:22:00.000-07:00

Texas Instruments has introduced the bq500210 IC, which is designed to control and transfer wireless power for contactless chargers compliant with the Qi standard from the Wireless Power Consortium.

The bq500210 is a second generation wireless power dedicated digital controller that integrates the logic functions required to control wireless power transfer in a single channel WPC compliant contactless charging base station.

The bq500210 is an intelligent device that periodically pings the surrounding environment for available devices to be powered, monitors all communication from the device being wirelessly powered, and adjusts power applied to the transmitter coil according to feedback received from the powered device.

The bq500210 also manages the fault conditions associated with power transfer and controls the operating mode status indicator. The bq500210 additionally supports improved detection of parasitic metal objects.

The IC includes an analyzer that examines the efficiency of energy transfer and throttles back power transfer when the target device becomes charged. It also protects the transmitter and receivers from excessive power loss and overheating.

The chip additionally performs metal object detection to provide protection against power transfer to extraneous metal objects. Overload and overtemperature protection circuitry is integrated in the chip.

Image courtesy: TI

Washable wearable antenna

2011-10-25T06:18:00.000-07:00

ESA has provided research and development guidance to Finnish company Patria, with the help of Tampere University of Technology, in designing a search and rescue radio antenna that can be sewn into a life vest.

Made from highly flexible, lightweight material that is robust against water exposure and moist conditions, and resistant to wear and tear, this special antenna has been designed for use by the Cospas-Sarsat worldwide search and rescue satellite system. Cospas-Sarsat has been operating for almost 30 years and has helped to rescue more than 26,000 victims in distress.

Sponsored by Canada, France, Russia and the United States, and started during the Cold War, the system operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and aims to reduce the time required to alert rescue authorities in emergencies.

Recent field trials with the antenna show that someone lost at sea wearing a life vest equipped with this new technology can be pinpointed within minutes.

The Cospas-Sarsat system consists of emergency radio beacons carried by aircraft, ships or people, receivers on satellites, ground receiving stations, mission control centres and rescue coordination centres.

When a carrier is in distress, the emergency beacon is activated. As satellites orbit Earth, they ‘listen’ for active beacons and report their position to rescue authorities. This new antenna works as part of the Cospas-Sarsat distress transmitter.

Its high flexibility and small size make this antenna unique, given that the Cospas-Sarsat radio frequencies are so low. With such low frequencies, an antenna is usually much larger.

The life vests were designed by Viking life saving equipment, based in Denmark.

In addition to integrating antennas into a life vest, a second attachable antenna is designed to be used with a diving vest.

Source courtesy: ESA News

More info @

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMO3L6UXSG_index_0.html

Industry’s first single-chip hybrid TV receiver

2011-10-23T00:15:00.000-07:00

Silicon Laboratories Inc. released the industry’s first single-chip hybrid TV receiver family designed to simplify the design of TVs, set-top boxes (STBs), Blu-ray recorders and PC accessories.

The new receiver family includes the Si2185 hybrid receiver, which combines a digital/analog TV tuner, a multi-standard analog demodulator, and DVB-T and DVB-C demodulators into a fully integrated, monolithic solution.

The receiver family also includes the Si2115/13/11 digital-only receivers designed for DVB-T and DVB-C digital STBs offering terrestrial and cable reception.

The new Si2185/15/13/11 receiver family enables TV and STB developers to eliminate numerous external components such as surface acoustical wave (SAW) filters, tracking filter inductors, wirewound inductors and low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), thereby simplifying their designs and reducing BOM cost.

The receiver family’s unprecedented single-chip integration can enable a total system savings of up to 75 percent compared to more complex two-chip solutions.

Silicon Labs’ single-chip TV receiver architecture provides a fully optimized, integrated signal path from RF antenna input to demodulated digital or analog baseband output, enabling superior RF performance. In addition, the single-chip design eliminates the sensitive intermediate-frequency PCB traces used to connect a tuner to a separate demodulator, reducing the likelihood of system noise interference and degraded performance.

The superior sensitivity of Silicon Labs’ TV receivers (with a very low 4 dB noise figure) makes it easier for TVs to receive weak RF signals, allowing viewers to receive more channels.

The receivers also offer excellent front-end linearity and channel selectivity, resulting in better reception in crowded spectrum areas. Strong blocking performance is especially critical in urban settings where many undesired blocking channels can reduce the number of channels received.

To ease application development, the Si2185/15/13/11 receiver family is supported by a unified software application programming interface (API) that encompasses both tuner and demodulator functions.

This unified API simplifies software design compared to competing two-chip solutions, which require separate APIs for the tuner and demodulator. In addition, all members of Silicon Labs’ receiver family are pin and software compatible, which helps reduce the cost of developing TV and STB products for multiple markets.

More info @

http://www.silabs.com/pr/tv-receiver

Nintendo Gameboy Digital Storage Oscilloscope

2011-10-21T00:13:00.000-07:00

Elektor’s Gameboy Digital Sampling Oscilloscope (GBDSO) is a truly legendary design having achieved sales in the ‘K’ regions over the years since its publication.

It is now on offer at a rock bottom price in the Elektor OUTLET store.

GBDSO is a cartridge turns your Nintendo Gameboy into a dual channel Digital sampling oscilloscope with Dual trace display, DC to 1Ms/s sampling rate, 100 s to 5 µs/div. timebase, AC/DC 1 MΩ Inputs, real time FFT mode (dB scale), Serial PC interface for data or display, averaging and auto trigger functions.

GBDSO comes as a ready assembled board, complete with PC software and the magazine articles describing the unit.

More info

Straight to GBDSO in Elektor OUTLET

Microsized driver for 132 LEDs

2011-10-19T00:09:00.000-07:00

The new AS1130 from austriamicrosystems drives 132 LEDs but requires only 5 mm² PCB space, reduces external component count, allows use of cheap connectors and requires fewer PCB (printed circuit board) layers.

Benefits for end users include up to 80% longer battery lifetime, more colorful effects and smoother running animations.

Using a 12x11 cross-plexed technique, the AS1130 LED driver is targeted for dot-matrix displays in mobile phones, toys, small LED displays in personal electronics, but also non-battery powered household goods, indoor public information displays, and industrial applications such as power meters.

The AS1130 drives 132 LEDs, each with an 8-bit dimming control and no external resistor required.

Additionally, an 8-bit analog current control allows fine tuning of each current source to compensate for different brightness of different colors, or to adjust the white balance on RGB LEDs. austriamicrosystems' AS1130 incorporates 36 frames of memory for small animations or for use as a buffer to reduce host processor load, saving energy and processing time.

The AS1130 LED driver can also extend battery life by controlling an external power supply (e.g. charge pump) which is required when LEDs need a higher voltage than the battery can supply, allowing continuous operation even under low battery voltage conditions.

In addition to the ultra-small sized CS-WLP-20, the AS1130 LED driver is also available in a gull winged SSOP-28 package, allowing easier handling in applications that are not so space sensitive.

This makes the AS1130 a perfect replacement for indoor high pixel density video walls, easily replacing up to eight 16-channel PWM LED drivers, or reducing the complexity of externally (user designed) multiplexed systems.

Only 12 lines are required to drive all 132 LEDs. This is accomplished with austriamicrosystems' multiplexing technique called cross-plexing. It reduces line count on the PCB as well as pins on the connectors, saving space & costs.

Other features include control via a 1 MHz I²C compatible interface, open and shorted LED error detection, and low-power shutdown current.

The AS1130 LED driver operates over a temperature range of -40 to +85°C and a wide 2.7 to 5.5 V power supply range.

More info @

AS1130 dot-matrix LED driver data

Microchip integrates new peripherals in small-package MCUs

2011-10-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

Microchip Technology has announced several new 8-bit PIC® microcontrollers featuring configurable logic and a high level of peripheral integration in 6- to 20-pin packages. The PIC10F(LF)32X and PIC1XF(LF)150X MCUs integrate new peripherals, including configurable logic cells (CLCs), complementary waveform generators (CWGs) and numerically controlled oscillators (NCOs), enabling functionality that was not possible before with low pincount MCUs.

The CLCs enable software control of combinational and sequential logic, which increases the on-chip interconnection of peripherals and I/Os to reduce external component count, save code space and add functionality. The CWG works with multiple peripherals to generate complementary waveforms with dead-band control and auto shutdown for improved switching efficiencies. Additionally, the NCO peripheral enables linear frequency control with high resolution for applications such as lighting ballast, tone generation and other resonant control circuits.

The MCUs also feature low power consumption with operating current less than 30 µA/MHz in active mode and under 20 nA in sleep mode; as well as an on-chip 16 MHz internal oscillator, analogue-to-digital converter, and up to four PWM peripherals. An integrated temperature-indicator module enables low-cost temperature measurements.

To facilitate product development, the PICDEM™ Lab Development Kit now includes samples of both the PIC10F322 and PIC16F1507 MCUs. Additionally, the F1 Evaluation Platform is available for development with enhanced mid-range core 8-bit PIC MCUs, including the PIC1XF(LF)150X family. A free CLC configuration tool is also available.

Image courtesy: Microchip Technologies

More info @

Microchip website

Electricity from the nose

2011-10-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

The same piezoelectric effect that ignites your gas grill with the push of a button could one day power sensors in your body via the respiration in your nose.

Writing in the September issue of the journal Energy and Environmental Science, Materials Science and Engineering Assistant Professor Xudong Wang, postdoctoral Researcher Chengliang Sun and graduate student Jian Shi report creating a plastic microbelt that vibrates when passed by low-speed airflow such as human respiration.

In certain materials, such as the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) used by Wang’s team, an electric charge accumulates in response to applied mechanical stress. This is known as the piezoelectric effect. The researchers engineered PVDF to generate sufficient electrical energy from respiration to operate small electronic devices.

“Basically, we are harvesting mechanical energy from biological systems. The airflow of normal human respiration is typically below about two meters per second,” says Wang. “We calculated that if we could make this material thin enough, small vibrations could produce a microwatt of electrical energy that could be useful for sensors or other devices implanted in the face.”

Researchers are taking advantage of advances in nanotechnology and miniaturized electronics to develop a host of biomedical devices that could monitor blood glucose for diabetics or keep a pacemaker battery charged so that it would not need replacing. What’s needed to run these tiny devices is a miniscule power supply. Waste energy in the form or blood flow, motion, heat, or in this case respiration, offers a consistent source of power.

Wang’s team used an ion-etching process to carefully thin material while preserving its piezoelectric properties. With improvements, he believes the thickness can be controlled down to the submicron level. Because PVDF is biocompatible, he says the development represents a significant advance toward creating a practical micro-scale device for harvesting energy from respiration.

More info @

http://www.engr.wisc.edu/news/archive/2011/Oct11.html

Four Android apps 'STRaND'ed in space

2011-10-13T05:57:00.000-07:00

Space technology experts from Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) and the Surrey Space Centre (SSC) at the University ofSurrey last week announced the four lucky winners of the ‘Space App Competition’ who will see their Android Applications run on smartphone-powered satellite STRaND-1, due for launch into space next year.

Applying through a competition held on Facebook, the four winners were chosen for their app’s scientific benefits, their creativity, or the app’s ability to get young people enthusiastic about science and technology. The winning apps make use of the technology of the Android smartphone, including the microphone, speakers, camera, and display, in conjunction with the satellite’s conventional features - enabling STRaND-1 to do things in space that no one has done before.

Testing the theory ‘in space no one can hear you scream’ -- made popular in the 1979 film ‘Alien’ – the ‘Scream in Space!’ application will make full use of the smartphone’s speakers. Developed by student-run society Cambridge University Spaceflight, ‘Scream in Space!’ will allow the public to upload videos of themselves screaming in a creative way to an allocated website. The most popular videos will be played on the phone when the satellite is in orbit, and the scream recorded using the smartphone’s microphone.

‘Postcards from space’ & ‘360’ are joint winners, using an app that will take images using the smartphone’s camera and use the technology available on the satellite to establish the satellite’s position. The public will be able to request their own unique satellite image of Earth through a website, where images also can be seen on a map showing where they have been acquired.

Using the phone and satellite magnetometers, the truly scientific ‘iTesa’app will be able to record the magnitude of the magnetic field about the phone during orbit. Used as a precursor to further scientific studies, such as detecting Alfvén waves (magnetic oscillations in our upper atmosphere), the iTesa app could provide proof of principle, and explores the possibility of using a mobile phone for scientific use in space.

‘The STRaND Data’ app will show satellite telemetry on the smartphone’s display which can be imaged by an additional camera on-board. This app is developed by the team behind FUNcube (UK Amateur Radio Educational Satellite) and will not only enable new graphical telemetry to interpret trends but also provide a lasting way of communicating with the smart-phone.

STRaND-1 System Engineer Shaun Kenyon commented: “After some tough judging, we’ve chosen the four winning Apps and are really excited about what they will do in space. The Apps make full use of the phone, meaning that we’ll see some pretty cool stuff that hasn’t been done before”.

Dr Chris Bridges, based at Surrey Space Centre (SSC) at the Universityof Surrey, added: “We’d like to congratulate the winners and thank all contestants for sending through such amazing ideas. We were very impressed by the response to the competition and wish that we could include them all”.

To find out more about the progress of the STRaND-1 mission, follow @SurreyNanosats on Twitter. Or visit the STRaND Facebook page, linked below

More info @

LED Spin Top

2011-10-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

This highly educational gadget is a gyroscope that shows a text on a string of LEDs when you spin it, with the earth's magnetic field used in a clever way for synchronization.

The applications range from a lap counter to a compass!

The LED Spin Top comes as kit comprising all parts, the programmed microcontroller and a board with SMD components already mounted.

As a special time limited offer the Elektor Spin Top is priced at just € 24.98 from Thursday October 13, noon, through Thursday, October 20, 2011, noon. Time: CET.

Yes that’s 50% off the original price.

As a bonus, a free LED driver board is included with every order.

More info @ Elector LED Spin Top

Courtesy of Author MKT

Novel transistor uses protons for charge transport

2011-10-09T00:48:00.000-07:00

Scientists at the University of Washington (USA) have developed a new type of transistor that uses protons instead of electrons for charge transport.

It is intended to simplify the interfacing of electronic circuitry to the brains of living organisms, since protons (positively charged hydrogen atoms) and ions are responsible for signal transport between nerve cells. Proton-based transistors are therefore better suited to controlling and monitoring processes in the brain.

The researches discovered that the natural biomaterial chitosan, obtained from squid pens and crab shells, is a good proton conductor. They then used it to fabricate a transistor that can generate proton pulses. The prototype device is a field-effect transistor with a source, gate and drain, but it operates with protons.

The proton current can be switched on and off in the same way as the electron current in a conventional FET. The current prototype is built on a silicon substrate and is therefore not suitable for direct implantation in the body, but the researchers expect that a biocompatible version suitable for direct control of biological processes will be developed in the future.
The results of the research were published recently in Nature Communications.
Image courtesy: Marco Rolandi, UW
More info @ University of Washington press release

LED spotlight sets new luminous intensity record

2011-10-07T00:42:00.000-07:00

New possibilities for architecture and shop illumination

Developers at OSRAM have achieved a breakthrough in LED technology: for the first time ever a laboratory has successfully generated a rating of 124,000 candelas for an LED spotlight with a coverage angle of 7.5 degrees.

Combined with a very good colour rendering and a warm white colour temperature, LED spotlights now reach a power range that to date has been reserved for high-intensity discharge lamps.

This kind of spotlight is of particular interest for architecture and shop illumination, where they create new possibilities. Thanks to such positive results in their research OSRAM contributes to the lighting market’s change of focus towards semiconductor-based technologies.

To date, as far as the generation of large quantities of light with high energy efficiency is concerned, high-intensity discharge lamps have been paramount.

Nevertheless, compact light diodes are hot on their heels: combined with a standard commercial reflector, and when used in continuous operation, the new OSRAM LED spotlight attains a rating of 124,000 candelas in a coverage angle of 7.5 degrees – which exceeds the required minimum light intensity needed for all spotlight applications tenfold.

Yet power consumption is merely 60 watts. By way of comparison: one spotlight with a conventional 70-watt high-intensity discharge lamp and a reflector with a 9-degree coverage angle attain a rating of approx 82,000 candela.

In order to achieve these high ratings, the phosphors as well as the connection technology were adjusted for optimum results. In addition to innovations in the development of light generating areas, the latest generation of chip technology is also used: the UX:3 by OSRAM Opto Semiconductors.

By means of this technology, LED can be operated with a higher current. Therefore, more light can be decoupled from the chip than is the case with standard technologies.

What is more, the power supply does not run via the chip surface, but is instead integrated within the chip itself. Thus, the light is radiated more homogenously and arrives at the illuminated object more homogenously than is the case with other methods.

The new LED module offers a new world of luminance on a par with high-intensity discharge lamps and opens up a world of different possibilities in shop and architecture illumination. With the new LED spot, the required minimum rating of 3,000 Lux for spotlight illumination is exceeded: from one metre’s distance, it attains a rating of 124,000 Lux, and from five metres’ distance it reaches 5,000 Lux.

Therefore, exhibits or constructions can be illuminated even at a greater distance without the visual effect being disturbed. Due to the high lifespan of LED – approx. 50,000 hours – maintenance works are no longer required, which can be complicated and costly if the spots are installed for instance in great heights when illuminating churches or castles (like Elektor House).
Main technical data:

•Luminous flux LED spot in continuous operation (temperature of the LED approx. 100°C): 4,075 lumen
•Optical diameter LED module: 9 mm

•Colour temperature: 3,000 K (warm white)
•Luminous intensity (coverage angle 7.5 degree): 124,000 cd
•Colour rendering:
•- Ra (general colour rendering index): 92
•- R9 (index for saturated red): 97

More info @ http://www.osram.com/

Negative capacitance - one day soon

2011-10-05T00:27:00.000-07:00

Engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, have shown that it is possible to reduce the minimum voltage necessary to store charge in a capacitor, an achievement that could reduce the power draw and heat generation of today’s electronics.

Shown is a rendition of an experimental stack made with a layer of lead zirconate titanate, a ferroelectric material. UC Berkeley researchers showed that this configuration could amplify the charge in the layer of strontium titanate, an electrical insulator, for a given voltage, a phenomenon known as negative capacitance.

“Just like a Formula One car, the faster you run your computer, the hotter it gets. So the key to having a fast microprocessor is to make its building block, the transistor, more energy efficient,” said Asif Khan, UC Berkeley graduate student in electrical engineering and computer sciences.

“Unfortunately, a transistor’s power supply voltage, analogous to a car’s fuel, has been stuck at 1 volt for about 10 years due to the fundamental physics of its operation.

Transistors have not become as ‘fuel-efficient’ as they need to be to keep up with the market’s thirst for more computing speed, resulting in a cumulative and unsustainable increase in the power draw of microprocessors. We think we can change that.”

Khan, working in the lab of Sayeef Salahuddin, UC Berkeley assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences, has been leading a project since 2008 to improve the efficiency of transistors.

The researchers took advantage of the exotic characteristics of ferroelectrics, a class of material that holds both positive and negative electrical charges. Ferroelectrics hold electrical charge even when you don’t apply a voltage to it. What’s more, the electrical polarization in ferroelectrics can be reversed with the application of an external electrical field.

The engineers demonstrated for the first time that in a capacitor made with a ferroelectric material paired with a dielectric – an electrical insulator – the charge accumulated for a given voltage can, in effect, be amplified, a phenomenon called negative capacitance.

The team report their results in the Sept. 12 issue of the journal Applied Physics Letters. The experiment sets the stage for a major upgrade to transistors, the on-off switch that generate the zeros and ones of a computer’s binary language.

The researchers paired a ferroelectric material, lead zirconate titanate (PZT), with an insulating dielectric, strontium titanate (STO), to create a bilayer stack. They applied voltage to this PZT-STO structure, as well as to a layer of STO alone, and compared the amount of charge stored in both devices.

Since the first commercial microprocessors came onto the scene in the early 1970s, the number of transistors squeezed onto a computer chip has doubled every two years, a progression predicted by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore and popularly known as Moore’s Law. Integrated circuits that once held thousands of transistors decades ago now boast billions of the components.

But the reduced size has not led to a proportional decrease in the overall power required to operate a computer chip. At room temperature, a minimum of 60 millivolts is required to increase by tenfold the amount of electrical current flowing through a transistor. Since the difference between a transistor’s on and off states must be significant, it can take at least 1 volt to operate a transistor, the researchers said.

The researchers noted that it becomes increasingly difficult to dissipate heat efficiently from smaller spaces, so reducing transistor size much more would come at the risk of frying the circuit board.

The solution proposed by the UC Berkeley team is to modify current transistors so that they incorporate ferroelectric materials in their design, a change that could potentially generate a larger charge from a smaller voltage. This would allow engineers to make a transistor that dissipates less heat, and the shrinking of this key computer component could continue.

Notably, the material system the UC Berkeley researchers reported shows this effect at above 200 degrees Celsius, much hotter than the 85 degrees Celsius (185 degrees Fahrenheit) at which a current day microprocessor works.

The researchers are now exploring new ferroelectric materials for room temperature negative capacitance in addition to incorporating the materials into a new transistor.

Image courtesy: Asif Khan

Source courtesy: UC Berkeley News Center

More info @ http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/

Wireless home automation devices build on DECT technology

2011-10-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

The SmartPulse™ family of DECT-based wireless sensors and base station devices from Dialog Semiconductor facilitate the creation of wireless sensor networks for home automation, security, health care and energy monitoring applications.

DECT is an established technology that provides whole-house coverage, and SmartPulse with DECT ULE builds on this legacy. Its simple star networks can be used for a variety of home automation applications.

Systems running SmartPulse sensors can self-configure with a home’s DECT / DECT ULE hub or internet gateway, allowing connected systems to be managed over the web using a smartphone, laptop or tablet PC. Additionally, the sleep mode of DECT ULE enables a wide range of new wireless consumer products that run for up to 10 years on a single AAA battery pack.

The first wireless sensors in the family, SC14WSMDATA (for data) and SC14WSMDECT (for data and audio) use the DECT ULE standard and integrate the baseband logic, radio transceiver and power amplifier in a single package.

The family also includes a DECT ULE enabled base station device (SC14CVMDECT). All three SmartPulse devices feature a user-friendly AT command set for configuring wireless links between multiple sensors and the base station, eliminating the need for a detailed understanding of the DECT protocol.

To help accelerate OEM product development, Dialog has created complete development kits for all SmartPulse devices and a SmartPulse DECT IP base station reference design supporting Internet connectivity. This design is supported by Dialog’s Rhea μClinux based VoIP software development environment.
Image courtesy: Dialog Semiconductor

More info @ SmartPulse web page

Seaweed polymer may improve electrodes in Lithium-Ion batteries

2011-10-01T00:17:00.000-07:00

By looking to Mother Nature for solutions, researchers have identified a promising new binder material for lithium-ion battery electrodes that could not only boost energy storage, but also eliminate the use of toxic compounds now used in manufacturing the components.
Known as alginate, the material is extracted from common, fast-growing brown algae.

In tests so far, it has helped boost energy storage and output for both graphite-based electrodes used in existing batteries and silicon-based electrodes being developed for future generations of batteries.

The research, the result of collaboration between scientists and engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Clemson University, was reported Sept. 8 in Science Express, an online-only publication of the journal Science. The project was supported by the two universities, as well as by a Honda Initiation Grant and a grant from NASA.

The scientists looked at ways to improve binder materials in batteries. The binder is a critical component that suspends the silicon or graphite particles that actively interact with the electrolyte that provides battery power.

Finding just the right material is an important step toward improving the performance of lithium-ion batteries, which are essential to a broad range of applications, from cars to cell phones. The popular and lightweight batteries work by transferring lithium ions between two electrodes -- a cathode and an anode -- through a liquid electrolyte. The more efficiently the lithium ions can enter the two electrodes during charge and discharge cycles, the larger the battery's capacity will be.

Existing lithium-ion batteries rely on anodes made from graphite, a form of carbon. Silicon-based anodes theoretically offer as much as a ten-fold capacity improvement over graphite anodes, but silicon-based anodes have so far not been stable enough for practical use.

Among the challenges for binder materials are that anodes to be used in future batteries must allow for the expansion and contraction of the silicon nanoparticles, and that existing electrodes use a polyvinylidene fluoride binder manufactured using a toxic solvent.

Alginates -- low-cost materials that are already used in foods, pharmaceutical products, paper and other applications -- are attractive because of their uniformly distributed carboxylic groups. Other materials, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, can be processed to include the carboxylic groups, but that adds to their cost and does not provide the natural uniform distribution of alginates.

The alginate is extracted from the seaweed through a simple soda (Na2CO3)-based process that generates a uniform material. The anodes can then be produced through an environmentally friendly process that uses a water-based slurry to suspend the silicon or graphite nanoparticles. The new alginate electrodes are compatible with existing production techniques and can be integrated into existing battery designs, Yushin said.

Thus far, the researchers have demonstrated that the alginate can produce battery anodes with reversible capacity eight times greater than that of today's best graphite electrodes. The anode also demonstrates a coulombic efficiency approaching 100 percent and has been operated through more than 1,000 charge-discharge cycles without failure.

Alginates are natural polysaccharides that help give brown algae the ability to produce strong stalks as much as 60 meters in length. The seaweed grows in vast forests in the ocean and also can be farmed in wastewater ponds.

More info @ Georgia Tech newsroom

World's brightest commercial laser has 85 miles range

2011-09-30T00:11:00.000-07:00

Wickedlasers claim their Spyder 3 Krypton is the world's brightest handheld laser so powerful its beam breaks through the atmosphere into outer space.

With a theoretical range of 85 miles, the S3 Krypton is the first and only handheld laser visible from outer space. Directly viewing the dot of a the Krypton 1-watt laser (86 million lux) will appear over 8,000 times brighter than looking directly at the sun. Safety goggles are a must.

A green laser was chosen because the human eye perceives pure green light brighter than red, blue or purple light.

The Krypton is the first laser to contain an internal thermopile detector. When excess heat is detected, the internal microprocessor gradually lowers operating current to ensure temperature stabilization. A Tactical Smartswitch 2.0 feature on the device offers 9 operation modes including 5 new tactical modes like SOS (Hi / Low), Beacon (Hi / Low), and Tactical Hibernation. SmartSwitch technology locks out unauthorized access to your S3 Krypton making this super-powered laser inoperable when unattended.

The Spyder 3 Krypton has 100% unlimited duty cycle meaning you can operate the laser continuously, 24/7 with no risk of damaging the laser diode. Its aircraft grade aluminium chassis is a fully tested and proven quality construction.

The Spyder 3 Krypton comes with safety goggles, holster and storage case, rechargeable lithium battery and charger.

Editor’s Note. The product described may not be legal to own, use or import in your country. Please check with local customs.

More info @ Wickedlasers website

Electric vehicle travels world record 1,000 miles+ on a single charge

2011-09-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

The "Schluckspecht E" electric vehicle built by a team at the University of Applied Sciences in Offenberg, Germany has broken the world record for the longest distance travelled on a single charge.

The world record attempt was made at the Bosch test track in Boxberg with the vehicle travelling a total distance of 1631.5 km (1,013.76 miles), breaking the previous record of 1,003 km (623 miles) set by the Japan Electric Vehicle Club last year.

While the Schluckspecht E beat the previous record by more than 600 km (373 miles), what's even more impressive is that the feat was accomplished using existing rechargeable battery technology.

The impressive range of the vehicle is due to the fact that it was designed from the ground up using lightweight materials in an aerodynamic shape. The 320 kg (705 lb) single-seat vehicle is driven by two wheel hub motors integrated into the wheels that are powered by 14 lithium-ion battery packs.

The aerodynamic and weight efficiencies of the vehicle are highlighted by the fact that the battery capacity of the Schluckspecht E was just 23 kWh, compared to the previous record holder's 50 kWh. Additionally, the Schluckspecht E achieved an average speed of 45 km/h (28 mph), while the Japan Electric Vehicle Club's Mira EV averaged 40 km/h (25 mph).

The total time of the record breaking journey was 36 hours and 12 minutes, with the vehicle's drivers having to contend with sometimes-rainy conditions. This latest achievement builds on the Schluckspecht team's previous success in completing the South African Solar Challenge 2010, when the vehicle traveled 626.6 km (389 miles) on a single charge.

Source courtesy: Oekonews / Gizmo Mag

Elektor presents new, professional SMT reflow oven

2011-09-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

eC-reflow-mate has unique features

In the wake of the popular SMT reflow oven introduced in late 2008, Elektor now presents a new SMT oven, developed in cooperation with EuroCircuits, that is even more precise, has more room for PCBs, and can even be operated from a PC.

In short, it is a truly professional machine that deserves a place in every electronics lab or shop where SMD boards are assembled on a regular basis.

The eC-reflow-mate is ideal for assembling prototypes and small production batches of PCBs with SMD components. This SMT oven has a very large heating compartment, which provides plenty of space for several PCBs.

Two built-in sensors and IR lamps with non-linear profiles, specially developed for this machine, help keep the temperature inside the entire oven compartment very uniform and constant. An additional sensor can be connected separately to measure the surface temperature of a component or the PCB.

The oven is supplied as standard with five preconfigured heating profiles, which can easily be adapted to your own wishes. The accompanying PC software allows you to monitor the temperature curves of all sensors precisely during the soldering process, and it enables you to modify existing temperature/time profiles or create new ones.

This can be done very easily by using the mouse to move corner points on the screen in order to adjust times and temperatures. A glass front panel lets you keep an eye on what’s happening inside the oven at all times.

eC-reflow-mate specifications:

Supply voltage: 230 V / 50 Hz only
Power: 3500 W
Weight: approx. 29 kg
Dimensions: 620 x 245 x 520 mm (W ´ H ´ D)
Heating method: Combined IR radiation and hot air

Operation:

- Directly using menu buttons and LCD on oven
- Remotely using PC software and USB connection
- Temperature range: 25 to 300 °C
- Maximum PCB size: 400 x 285 mm
- Temperature sensors: 2 internal and 1 external (included)

Special features:

- Optimal temperature distribution thanks to special IR lamps
- Drawer opens automatically at end of soldering process
- Glass front for easy viewing

The eC-reflow-pilot software for the eC-reflow-mate, which is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, enables full remote control of the oven over a USB link. The screen provides a simultaneous display of the selected (configured) temperature/time profile and the actual temperature/time profile inside the oven. The individual temperatures of all sensors in the oven (2 or 3) are displayed constantly.

Temperature/time profiles can be adjusted by using the mouse to drag one or more corner points of the curve in the horizontal or vertical direction to change the time or temperature, respectively. The screen also has buttons for saving new or modified temperature/time profiles or opening existing profiles. The oven can even be switched on or off from the PC.

Note: USA or other countries with 110 VAC electricity networks should note that the oven requires 230 VAC, 50 Hz to operate at a power consumption of up to 3,500 watts.

More info @ Elektor eC-Reflow-Mate SMD Oven info and ordering

Phone LCDs charge ... phone batteries!

2011-09-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

Photovoltaic polarizers enable devices to be powered by sunlight

New technology developed by researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science could finally help solve the problem of smartphones or laptops running down when there is no access to an electrical outlet.

UCLA engineers have created a novel concept for harvesting and recycling energy for electronic devices — one that involves equipping these devices' LCD screens with built-in photovoltaic polarizers, allowing them to convert ambient light, sunlight and their own backlight into electricity.

LCDs, or liquid crystal displays, are used in many of today's electronic devices, including smartphones, TV screens, computer monitors, laptops and tablet computers. They work by using two polarized sheets that let only a certain amount of a device's backlight pass through.

Tiny liquid crystal molecules are sandwiched between the two polarizers, and these crystals can be switched by tiny transistors to act as light valves. Manipulating each light valve, or pixel, lets a certain amount of the backlight escape; millions of pixels are combined to create images on LCDs.

The UCLA Engineering team created a new type of energy-harvesting polarizer for LCDs called a polarizing organic photovoltaic, which can potentially boost the function of an LCD by working simultaneously as a polarizer, a photovoltaic device and an ambient light or sunlight photovoltaic panel.

Their research findings are currently available in the online edition of the journal Advanced Materials and will be published in a forthcoming print issue of the journal.

From the point of view of energy use, current LCD polarizers are inefficient, the researchers said. A device's backlight can consume 80 to 90 percent of the device's power. But as much as 75 percent of the light generated is lost through the polarizers. A polarizing organic photovoltaic LCD could recover much of that unused energy.

The research was supported by Intel through a gift to UCLA, and by the Office of Naval Research.

Source courtesy: Matthew Chin and Wileen Wong Kromhout for UCLA Newsroom

SiC JFETs target high-end audio

2011-09-22T00:23:00.000-07:00

15% lower cost; high linearity, low distortion; available packaged or in die form

SemiSouth Laboratories, Inc., the leading manufacturer of silicon carbide (SiC) transistor technology for high-power, high-efficiency, harsh-environment power management and conversion applications, has launched a new family of low cost SiC JFETs with very good linearity targeted at high-end audio applications.

Types SJEP120R100A and SJEP120R063A are claimed to offer a very good linearity and best-in-class distortion.

Compatible with standard gate driver ICs, both versions feature a positive temperature coefficient for ease of paralleling; extremely fast switching with no’tail’ current at up to a maximum operating temperature of 150 degC and a low RDS(on) max of 0.100 Ω and 0.063 Ω respectively.

Devices are available in TO-247 packages; the 100 mΩ part is also available in die form for integration into modules.

Comments Nelson Pass, founder of leading audio amplifier manufacturer Nelson Pass, Inc., “Over the last forty years I have greatly appreciated the qualities of lower power JFETs in audio circuits, and experimenting with the few examples of ‘unobtainable’ power JFETs has convinced me of their great potential.

With the new SiC power JFETs from SemiSouth, this potential has been realized in reliable linear power amplifiers. In push-pull topologies, they exhibit a 50% to 70% improvement in distortion, and in single-ended circuits the improvement has been nearly ten-fold.

Currently we profitably produce a small high-end audio amplifier using the SJEP120R100A devices and are engaged in developing other higher power amplifiers using this and the SJDP120R085 depletion mode devices.”

Comments Dieter Liesabeths, SemiSouth’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing, “These parts are especially suitable for high end audio amplifier designs which demand the best linearity performance and lower distortion.

Compared to conventional SiC JFET for power applications, the prices for these audio parts has been reduced by about 15% in order to meet the demand of customers.”

Electric motorcycle breaks 200 mph barrier

2011-09-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

Paul Thede, owner/President of Race Tech Suspension can claim he is the fastest man in the world on an electric motorcycle after cresting the 200 mph mark when he set a new Land Speed Record of 206.080mph.

Paul Thede crushed his previous record of 176.321 mph that he set in 2010 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

Thede teamed up with Richard Hatfield from Lightning Motorcycles to accomplish this feat. “Breaking the 200 mph barrier on an electric-powered motorcycle is so special because it isn’t just another record; it’s a step towards furthering ‘green’ technology around the world,” Thede stated.

He goes on to say, “It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when. If you swung a leg over and opened her up, you’d become a believer too!”

Thede is no stranger to motorcycles. He is a former pro motocross racer, Pikes Peak Hill climb winner, and has set numerous land speed records at Bonneville.

Hatfield brought his extensive experience with electric motors to the table and built an incredible motorcycle able to exceed 200 mph. It is his mission to “push electric-motorcycle technology to parity with gas-powered motorcycles.” While accomplishing this goal he still has some work to do; capping 200 mph is certainly a major check-point along the way.

After asking Thede if topping 200 mph this year means that 220 mph will become the goal for next year, he simply replied, “We’ll see what this year brings.” Something tells me he and Richard Hatfield have a bigger plan, and whatever it is, will check another box in electric-powered motorcycle technology.

UPDATE: After setting a record earlier in the week, Thede and Hatfield went back to work on the gearing and body work of the Lightning Motorcycle.

Thede made two additional runs to push the World Record to an astonishing 215.960 mph, with a top speed of over 218 mph! Thede and Hatfield are still looking for more.

More info @ http://www.racetech.com/

Laird launches EMI shielding effectiveness calculator

2011-09-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

Laird Technologies, Inc. has developed an online shielding effectiveness calculator, which is available free of charge on the Laird Technologies website.

The shielding effectiveness calculator draws on a library of available shielding materials to calculate their shielding effectiveness.

Users can also simulate their own material by entering the material’s relative conductivity and relative permeability.

Parameters for the shielding computation include material thickness, relative permeability, relative conductivity, and a user-defined pattern of apertures. Other selectable parameters are offered as well, such as aperture aspect ratio, frequency range, and emitter location and distance. Multiple measurement units are also supported.

After the data is entered, the calculator computes shielding effectiveness over the selected frequency range, and if there are apertures it plots their pattern.

Image courtesy: Laird Technologies

More info @ Laird Technologies shielding effectiveness calculator

Nickel-zinc batteries get a new lease on life

2011-09-14T21:56:00.000-07:00

Over 110 years ago, the legendary inventor Thomas Edison was granted a patent for the nickel-zinc (NiZn) battery, but a multitude of technical problems blocked the commercial success of this type of battery, and it vanished into distant memory.

However, the situation started to change around 2000, when nickel-zinc battery technology again became a focus of intensive research due certain advantages over nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries – in particular a higher cell voltage, which simplifies the use of primary batteries as direct power sources.

The EU is also campaigning to prohibit the use of NiCd batteries due to their cadmium content. The first generation of NiZn rechargeable batteries is now available in AAA and AA formats from suppliers such as Conrad and Volkner (in Germany).

The nominal cell voltage of NiZn batteries (1.55 V) is not their only difference from NiCd and NiMH batteries. The voltage across the terminals of a fully charged cell is 1.8 V, dropping to around 1.2 V when fully discharged, depending on the current level. NiZn batteries have very low internal resistance, which allows them to be charged quickly at 0.5 to 1C.

However, the manufacturers are currently keeping mum on the allowable number of charge cycles. In the medium term NiZn batteries could be more economical than NiCd or NiMH batteries because zinc is relatively cheap.

With the currently available types, the energy capacity is specified in mWh instead of the usual mAh. A typical figure for an AA-format NiZn cell is 2,500 mWh, corresponding to roughly 1,400 to 1,500 mAh with a 1C discharge curve. NiZn batteries require suitable chargers.

The charging method is simple and similar to the method for lead-acid or LiPo batteries: the cells are charged at a constant current of 0.5 to 1C (700 to 1,500 mA with an AA cell) until the cell voltage reaches 1.9 V. The cell is fully charged when the charging current drops below 0.05C (75 mA).

The main advantage of NiZn cells is that they are easier to use as replacements for primary cells with a nominal voltage of 1.5 V, since the voltage at the end of the discharge cycle is significantly higher than that of commonly used NiMH cells.

This means that battery-powered devices in daily use, such as wireless keyboards and mice, do not need to be recharged as often.

Image courtesy: Shenzhen BetterPower Battery Co., Ltd

More info @ Wikipedia nickel-zinc battery article

Power-line modem development kit

2011-09-12T21:53:00.000-07:00

Microchip has launched a development kit for a power-line modem (PLM), consisting of a PICtail Plus daughter board that mates with the popular Explorer 16 Development Board.

It is compliant with the utility frequency band and enables products to communicate using the same wiring that provides AC power.

The kit transmits data using a binary phase shift keying modulation scheme, with the onboard modem using the CELENEC A utility frequency baseband of 72 kHz for communication at 6 kbps.

The modem hardware is compatible with all power systems and can operate at 110 V or 220 V. The BPSK modulation method performs well in noisy environments, and the data rate can be selected in software.

The soft modem is based upon the scalable dsPIC33F Digital Signal Controller (DSC) architecture. It is supported with royalty-free schematics, demo code and software in source-code format, all of which is available for download.

Following up on the Microchip consumer-band PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board Development Kit launched earlier this year, the utility-band PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board Development Kit comes with two nodes to provide point-to-point communication out of the box, enabling users to run a selection of demos with the daughter board in a matter of minutes.

The PLM PICtail Plus Daughter Board Development Kit includes two daughter boards and two sets of high-voltage adapter cables. It is supported by the free MPLAB IDE.

Image courtesy: Microchip

Scope / spectrum analyzer combo captures time-correlated analogue, digital and RF signals

2011-09-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the finding that over 60% of oscilloscope users also use a spectrum analyzer to troubleshoot embedded system designs with integrated wireless functionality, Tektronix has developed the world’s first mixed domain oscilloscope (MDO), which provides the functionality of an oscilloscope and a spectrum analyzer in a single instrument.

The new MDO4000 Mixed Domain Oscilloscope series gives engineers the unique ability to capture time-correlated analogue, digital and RF signals for a complete system view.

With the MDO4000, engineers can replace a scope and a spectrum analyzer by a single instrument. The MDO4000 also surpasses typical spectrum analyzer functionality by allowing users to capture time-correlated analogue, digital and RF signals on several channels.

Time correlation between the domains allows users to can make accurate timing measurements to understand delays and latencies between command/control events in their design and changes in the RF spectrum.

The MDO4000 also allows designers to view the RF spectrum of a signal at any point in time within a long acquisition to see how it changes over time or with device state.

By scrolling the spectrum time through the time domain acquisition, they can see the RF spectrum at any point in the acquisition along with the analogue, digital and/or decoded bus signals at the same point in time.

An optional module supports additional trigger modes using the RF power level as a source, enabling users to isolate RF events of interest. Users can trigger on a specific pulse width, look for a timeout event or a runt, or even include the RF input in a logic pattern defined along with the analogue and digital channels.

This ability to trigger on whatever the user is interested in, regardless of whether it’s analogue, digital, RF or some combination of the three, represents another industry first for the MDO4000 series.

Image courtesy: Tektronix

AM/FM/SW receiver integrated on a single CMOS chip

2011-09-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

The Si4840 and Si4844 from Silicon Labs are the first CMOS AM/FM/SW radio receiver ICs with analogue tuning and digital display that integrate the complete receiver function from antenna input to audio output.

Based on Silicon Labs' proven and patented digital low intermediate frequency receiver architecture, the Si4840 and Si4844 deliver superior RF performance and interference rejection.

The integrated control algorithm provides an easy and reliable control interface while eliminating all of the manually tuned external components used in a traditional receiver.

The analogue tuning voltage can be provided by a simple potentiometer, and the IC communicates with a host microcontroller over an I²C-compatible 2-wire control interface to display frequency and stereo/mono data on an LCD.

The receiver IC covers the frequency ranges of 504 to 1750 kHz (AM), 2.3 to 28.5 MHz (SW – Si4844 only) and 64 to 109 MHz (FM). It supports digital tone and volume control, and provides a stereo/mono indication on the display.

The Si4840 and Si4844 operate over a supply voltage range of 2.0 to 3.6 V and are available in a 24-lead SSOP package.

Image courtesy: Silicon Labs

RF module features embedded multiprotocol stack

2011-09-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

The RC1180-KNX2 from Radiocrafts AS targets building automation applications and claims to be the world's first RF module with a complete embedded KNX-RF multiprotocol stack. KNX-RF Multi is an extension of the European standard for building automation with extra redundancy and increased reliability.

The embedded protocol is backward compatible with KNX-RF 1.1 and KNX Ready and can be used with unidirectional and bidirectional devices.

The new module is intended to be used with sensors, actuators and other home and building automation devices. It operates in the 868 MHz band using Listen Before Talk (LBT) and frequency agility to reduce collisions. Up to five frequencies are scanned and selected automatically. A single receiver can be linked with up to 64 transmitters, enabling very large RF networks.

Among other features, the module offer automatic battery supervision and signal strength information. Fast acknowledge and retransmit capability ensures link reliability. Complete repeater functionality is also built into the protocol stack, which can retransmit messages in two hops.

It can be used with S, A and E installation modes. A UART interface supports serial communication and configuration. An antenna can be connected directly to the RF pin.

The RC1180-KNX2 surface-mount transceiver module measures 12.7x25.4x3.3 mm and is certified for operation under European radio regulations for license-free use. A line-of-sight range of 800 metres can be achieved with a quarter-wave antenna.

Image courtesy: Radiocrafts AS

More info @ Radiocrafts AS website

Novel current probe measures currents in PCB tracks

2011-09-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

Aim-TTi has launched an innovative current probe designed to measure currents in PCB tracks.

The Aim I-prober 520 ‘positional current probe’ uses patented technology to measure current in a conductor without requiring the conductor to pass through the probe or flow through a shunt resistor, as with conventional methods.

The current probe operates by sensing the magnetic field very close to the track. The distance between the track and the sensing element must be very small to achieve good sensitivity, because the field strength decreases with the square of the distance.

To create a practical current probe, the I-prober 520 utilises a patented miniaturised fluxgate magnetometer developed in conjunction with Cambridge University (UK).

The miniature device also has much lower noise and much wider bandwidth than conventional fluxgate magnetometers.

The I-prober 520 is a compact hand-held probe for use with an oscilloscope. When the insulated probe tip is placed on a PCB track, the current flowing in the track can be sensed and measured. The probe has a bandwidth of DC to 5 MHz and a dynamic range of 10 mA to 20 A peak to peak. It is safety rated at 300 V Cat II (600 V Cat I) and is suitable for connection to any oscilloscope.

As well as measuring current in PCB tracks, the probe can be used on component leads or any other current-carrying conductors. Another interesting use is measuring currents in ground planes, where it can detect circulating currents, interference injection points and 'hot spots' in order to optimise designs.

The Aim I-prober 520 is supplied with a control box and calibrator, power supply, and a clip-on toroid assembly for conversion into a conventional closed magnetic loop current probe.

Image courtesy: Aim-TTi

USB Weather Logger in kit form

2011-09-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

The stand-alone USB Weather Logger published in the September 2011 issue of Elektor records accurate atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity readings from I²C-bus sensors and displays readings on a built-in LCD module. It can run for six to eight weeks on three AA batteries. Digital sensor modules keep the hardware simple, and no calibration is required.

Stored data can be read out over USB and plotted on a PC using gnuplot. The unit is able to record data at up to six records per hour, with each record containing a set of pressure, temperature and humidity readings. The data storage capacity in nonvolatile memory is 8191 records.

A complete parts kit is available from the online Elektor Shop. The bare PCB, sensor modules and preprogrammed ATMega microcontroller for the Weather Logger are also available separately.

You can order your parts kit now!

Circuit design/simulator app runs on iPhone, iPad and MacOS

2011-08-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

iCircuit is a user-friendly electronic circuit simulator and editor billed as ideal for students, hobbyists and engineers. Its advanced simulation engine can handle both analogue and digital circuits and features real-time, always-on analysis.

You use it as you would any CAD program: you add components, connect them together, and configure their properties. But iCircuit is unlike other CAD programs because the simulation is always running. It's just like working with the real circuit. Instead of stopping to make a measurement or spending a lot of time compiling reports, you simply play with the circuit and see what happens.

There are over 30 components you can use to build your circuits. The app has everything from simple resistors to switches, MOSFETs and logic gates. It also has a multimeter that you use to probe around the circuit to instantly read voltages and currents.

If you want to see how a value changes over time, you can view it with the built-in oscilloscope. The oscilloscope can simultaneously track many signals over time and features a touch interface for the time base as well as stacked and unstacked modes to make signal comparison easy.

iCircuit supports the following devices and components:

•signal generators, voltage sources and current sources

•resistors, capacitors and inductors

•manual SPST/SPDT switches and SPST/SPDT relays

•diodes, bipolar transistors and MOSFETs

•speakers, buzzers and LEDs

•A/D and D/A converterss

•logic gates: AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR

•JK and D flip-flops

iCircuit is available as an iOS app for the iPhone and iPad and as a MacOS app.

Image courtesy: iTunes store

Ultrasonic beam = wireless charging

2011-08-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

The day when we don't have to plug in our consumer electronics is getting closer, claim a a new startup firm named uBeam that has developed a safe way of beaming power to your devices.

Rather than using inductive charging, which has a very short effective range and usually requires that the charger and device be in close proximity to each other, uBeam uses an ultrasonic transducer to convert power from your wall socket into inaudible sound energy.

On the device side, there's a battery adapter that converts the sound energy back into power to charge your batteries. The ultrasonic frequency used is well above the range that can be heard by humans or dogs.

uBeam wants to develop wireless charging units for home and commercial use, with the idea that businesses like Starbucks could install a transducer on the ceiling of each coffee shop to provide power to gadget-happy customers who have a uBeam battery adapter.

The product idea was developed by two recent University of Pennsylvania graduates, Meredith Perry and Nora Dweck, and they demoed a proof of concept device made from off-the-shelf parts for Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher at the recent D9 conference. The video linked below has more information about the technology and the plans uBeam has for making the future even more wireless.

The uBeam charge station will emit ultrasound at frequencies and amplitudes well below OSHA regulations. The uBeam system is said to meet all federal guidelines, and all components comply with CPSC regulations. Ubeam founders Meredith and Kate anticipate their current model to beam energy to up to 7 m (21 feet).

More info @ Ubeam website & D9 Conference video

Sun-free photovoltaics

2011-08-25T03:05:00.000-07:00

A new photovoltaic energy-conversion system developed at MIT can be powered solely by heat, generating electricity with no sunlight at all.

While the principle involved is not new, a novel way of engineering the surface of a material to convert heat into precisely tuned wavelengths of light — selected to match the wavelengths that photovoltaic cells can best convert to electricity — makes the new system much more efficient than previous versions.

The key to this fine-tuned light emission, described in the journal Physical Review lies in a material with billions of nanoscale pits etched on its surface. When the material absorbs heat — whether from the sun, a hydrocarbon fuel, a decaying radioisotope or any other source — the pitted surface radiates energy primarily at these carefully chosen wavelengths.

Based on that technology, MIT researchers have made a button-sized power generator fueled by butane that can run three times longer than a lithium-ion battery of the same weight; the device can then be recharged instantly, just by snapping in a tiny cartridge of fresh fuel.

Another device, powered by a radioisotope that steadily produces heat from radioactive decay, could generate electricity for 30 years without refueling or servicing — an ideal source of electricity for spacecraft headed on long missions away from the sun.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 92 percent of all the energy we use involves converting heat into mechanical energy, and then often into electricity — such as using fuel to boil water to turn a turbine, which is attached to a generator.

But today's mechanical systems have relatively low efficiency, and can't be scaled down to the small sizes needed for devices such as sensors, smartphones or medical monitors.

Being able to convert heat from various sources into electricity without moving parts would bring huge benefits especially if it could be done do it efficiently, relatively inexpensively and on a small scale. It has long been known that photovoltaic (PV) cells needn't always run on sunlight.

Half a century ago, researchers developed thermophotovoltaics (TPV), which couple a PV cell with any source of heat: A burning hydrocarbon, for example, heats up a material called the thermal emitter, which radiates heat and light onto the PV diode, generating electricity.

The thermal emitter's radiation includes far more infrared wavelengths than occur in the solar spectrum, and "low band-gap" PV materials invented less than a decade ago can absorb more of that infrared radiation than standard silicon PVs can. But much of the heat is still wasted, so efficiencies remain relatively low.

The solution discovered at MIT is to design a thermal emitter that radiates only the wavelengths that the PV diode can absorb and convert into electricity, while suppressing other wavelengths. This is done by making a photonic crystal take a sample of material and create some nanoscale features on its surface — say, a regularly repeating pattern of holes or ridges — so light propagates through the sample in a dramatically different way. This gives us the ability to control and manipulate the behavior of light.

The team — which also includes Peter Bermel, research scientist in the Research Laboratory for Electronics (RLE); Peter Fisher, professor of physics; and Michael Ghebrebrhan, a postdoc in RLE — used a slab of tungsten, engineering billions of tiny pits on its surface. When the slab heats up, it generates bright light with an altered emission spectrum because each pit acts as a resonator, capable of giving off radiation at only certain wavelengths.

Source courtesy: MIT news office, contributions by David L. Chandler

More info @ http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/sun-free-photovoltaics-0728.html/

World’s first aircraft from 3D printer

2011-08-23T02:57:00.000-07:00

Engineers at the University of Southampton, UK, have designed and flown the world’s first ‘printed’ aircraft, which could revolutionize the economics of aircraft design.

The SULSA (Southampton University Laser Sintered Aircraft) plane is an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) whose entire structure has been printed, including wings, integral control surfaces and access hatches. It was printed on an EOS EOSINT P730 nylon laser sintering machine, which fabricates plastic or metal objects, building up the item layer by layer.

No fasteners were used and all equipment was attached using ‘snap fit’ techniques so that the entire aircraft can be put together without tools in minutes. The project team worked in partnership with 3T RPD who undertook the manufacture and detailing of the design, as well as supplying laser sintering knowledge and expertise.

The electric-powered aircraft, with a 2-metres (6.5 ft.) wingspan, has a top speed of nearly 100 miles per hour, but when in cruise mode is almost silent. The aircraft is also equipped with a miniature autopilot developed by Dr Matt Bennett, one of the members of the team.

Laser sintering allows the designer to create shapes and structures that would normally involve costly traditional manufacturing techniques. This technology allows a highly-tailored aircraft to be developed from concept to first flight in days. Using conventional materials and manufacturing techniques, such as composites, this would normally take months. Furthermore, because no tooling is required for manufacture, radical changes to the shape and scale of the aircraft can be made with no extra cost.

This project has been led by Professors Andy Keane and Jim Scanlan from the University’s Computational Engineering and Design Research group. SULSA is part of the EPSRC-funded DECODE project, which is employing the use of leading edge manufacturing techniques, such as laser sintering, to demonstrate their use in the design of UAVs.

More info @ University of Southampton website

Laser sparks revolution in internal combustion engines

2011-08-21T03:01:00.000-07:00

New laser system may lead to reduced auto emissions, enhanced fuel efficiency

For more than 150 years, spark plugs have powered internal combustion engines. Automakers are now one step closer to being able to replace this long-standing technology with laser igniters, which will enable cleaner, more efficient, and more economical vehicles.

In the past, lasers strong enough to ignite an engine’s air-fuel mixtures were too large to fit under an automobile's hood. At this year's Conference on Lasers and Electro Optics (CLEO: 2011), held in Baltimore May 1 - 6, researchers from Japan described the first multibeam laser system small enough to screw into an engine's cylinder head.

Equally significant, the new laser system is made from ceramics, and could be produced inexpensively in large volumes, according to one of the presentation's authors, Takunori Taira of Japan's National Institutes of Natural Sciences.

According to Taira, conventional spark plugs pose a barrier to improving fuel economy and reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), a key component of smog.

Spark plugs work by sending small, high-voltage electrical sparks across a gap between two metal electrodes. The spark ignites the air-fuel mixture in the engine's cylinder — producing a controlled explosion that forces the piston down to the bottom of the cylinder, generating the horsepower needed to move the vehicle.

Engines make NOx as a byproduct of combustion. If engines ran leaner – burnt more air and less fuel – they would produce significantly smaller NOx emissions.

Spark plugs can ignite leaner fuel mixtures, but only by increasing spark energy. Unfortunately, these high voltages erode spark plug electrodes so fast, the solution is not economical. By contrast, lasers, which ignite the air-fuel mixture with concentrated optical energy, have no electrodes and are not affected.

Lasers also improve efficiency. Conventional spark plugs sit on top of the cylinder and only ignite the air-fuel mixture close to them. The relatively cold metal of nearby electrodes and cylinder walls absorbs heat from the explosion, quenching the flame front just as it starts to expand.

Lasers can focus their beams directly into the center of the mixture. Without quenching, the flame front expands more symmetrically and up to three times faster than those produced by spark plugs. Equally important, lasers inject their energy within nanoseconds, compared with milliseconds for spark plugs.

Lasers promise less pollution and greater fuel efficiency, but making small, powerful lasers has, until now, proven hard. To ignite combustion, a laser must focus light to approximately 100 gigawatts per square centimeter with short pulses of more than 10 millijoules each.

Taira’s research team overcame this problem by making composite lasers from ceramic powders. The team heats the powders to fuse them into optically transparent solids and embeds metal ions in them to tune their properties.

Ceramics are easier to tune optically than conventional crystals. They are also much stronger, more durable, and thermally conductive, so they can dissipate the heat from an engine without breaking down.

Taira’s team built its laser from two yttrium-aluminum-gallium (YAG) segments, one doped with neodymium, the other with chromium. They bonded the two sections together to form a powerful laser only 9 millimeters in diameter and 11 millimeters long (a bit less than half an inch).

The composite generates two laser beams that can ignite fuel in two separate locations at the same time. This would produce a flame wall that grows faster and more uniformly than one lit by a single laser. The laser is not strong enough to light the leanest fuel mixtures with a single pulse. By using several 800-picosecond-long pulses, however, they can inject enough energy to ignite the mixture completely.

A commercial automotive engine will require 60 Hz (or pulse trains per second), Taira says. He has already tested the new dual-beam laser at 100 Hz. The team is also at work on a three-beam laser that will enable even faster and more uniform combustion.

The laser-ignition system, although highly promising, is not yet being installed into actual automobiles made in a factory. Taira’s team is, however, working with a large spark-plug company and with DENSO Corporation, a member of the Toyota Group. This work is supported by the Japan Science and Technical Agency (JST).

Photo courtesy Takunori Taira, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Japan.

More info @ CLEO Conference

LEDs can be stretched like rubber

2011-08-19T02:36:00.000-07:00

Stretchable electronics, an emerging class of modern electronic materials that can bend and stretch, have the potential to be used in a wide range of applications, including wearable electronics, "smart skins" and minimally invasive biomedical devices that can move with the body.

Today's conventional inorganic electronic devices are brittle, and while they have a certain flexibility achieved using ultrathin layers of inorganic materials, these devices are either flexible, meaning they can be bent, or they are stretchable, containing a discrete LED chip interconnected with stretchable electrodes. But they lack "intrinsic stretchabilty," in which every part of the device is stretchable.

Now, researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have demonstrated for the first time an intrinsically stretchable polymer light-emitting device. They developed a simple process to fabricate the transparent devices using single-walled carbon nanotube polymer composite electrodes.

The interpenetrating networks of nanotubes and the polymer matrix in the surface layer of the composites lead to low sheet resistance, high transparency, high compliance and low surface roughness.

The metal-free devices can be linearly stretched up to 45 percent and the composite electrodes can be reversibly stretched by up to 50 percent with little change in sheet resistance.

Because the devices are fabricated by roll lamination of two composite electrodes that sandwich an emissive polymer layer, they uniquely combine mechanical robustness and the ability for large-strain deformation, due to the shape-memory property of the composite electrodes.

This development will provide a new direction for the field of stretchable electronics.

The authors of the project are UCLA postdoctoral fellow Zhibin Yu, UCLA professor of materials science and engineering Qibing Pei, Xiaofan Niu and Zhitian Liu. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation, and recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Advanced Materials

Source courtesy: UCLA Newsroom

More info @ UCLA newsroom website

Nanoplasmon ‘whispering gallery’ slashes emission lifetime in semiconductors

2011-08-17T01:00:00.000-07:00

Taking a cue from ‘whispering galleries’ built into cathedrals by Renaissance architects, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania adapted the principle to nanoscale devices to drastically reduce emission lifetime, a key property of light-emitting semiconductors.

A whispering gallery is a circular chamber designed to reflect and direct sound waves so that a whisper can be heard across the room.

When a semiconductor material is excited, it takes a few nanoseconds to return to the ground state, which is accompanied by emission of light. This delay is called the emission lifetime. For devices such as modulators, which must switch back and forth between two states, the emission lifetime sets a limit to the switching rate.

The novel approach taken by the researchers reduces the emission lifetime to less than a picosecond – more than a thousand times faster than anything else currently available.

The unique structure of the nanowires constructed by the research team holds the key to the drastically reduced emission lifetime. They have a core of cadmium sulphide (a commonly used nanowire material), surrounded by a buffer layer of silicon dioxide and an outer layer of silver.

The silver layer supports surface plasmons – unique waves consisting of a combination of oscillating metal electrons and light. These surface plasmons are highly confined to the junction between the silicon dioxide and the silver layer.

Previous researchers had placed nanowires on a metal surface; the innovative leap consisted of wrapping the metal surface around the wire to form a nanoscale plasmonic cavity and achieve the whispering gallery effect.

With specific nanowire sizes, resonance pockets are formed in the silver layer, resulting in highly confined electromagnetic fields within the nanostructure. The emission lifetime can then be engineered by precisely controlling the electromagnetic fields inside the cadmium sulphide core, which is the light-emitting medium.

To achieve an emission lifetime in the femtosecond range, the researchers had to find an optimal tradeoff between confinement and the Q factor of the cavity. Confinement and the Q factor are inversely related – confinement decreases as the Q factor increases.

However, by opting for a moderate Q factor the researchers were able to vastly increase the confinement of the electric field inside the nanowire by resonant surface plasmons and achieve a record-breaking emission lifetime.

Image courtesy: University of Pennsylvania

More info @ University of Pennsylvania press release

Reference design released for USB RF4CE stick

2011-08-15T00:55:00.000-07:00

GreenPeak technologies, a fabless semiconductor company based in Utrecht (Netherlands), has released the company’s first reference design for an RF4CE USB stick that allows RF4CE technology to be integrated into PCs and home entertainment devices such as set-top boxes, television sets and media players.

The RF4CE USB stick design is especially compact. It facilitates rapid RF4CE USB stick implementation for easy upgrading of PCs, set-top boxes, television sets and other home entertainment devices to accept RF4CE commands from an RF4CE remote control or RF4CE wireless keyboard.

GreenPeak's ready-to-use reference design comes with the hardware and software tools required for quick product development, including software stacks for the ZigBee remote control (ZRD) profile and ZigBee input device (ZID) profile, which is compatible with the human interface device (HID) profile.

Certification guidelines and tools are provided to simplify RF4CE and USB certification. GreenPeak’s patented radio architecture makes it robust against Wi-Fi and Bluetooth interference.

Image courtesy: GreenPeak

More info @ GreenPeak website

Acoustic diode developed

2011-08-13T00:50:00.000-07:00

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have now created the first tunable acoustic diode-a device that allows acoustic information to travel only in one direction, at controllable frequencies.
The mechanism they developed is outlined in a paper published on July 24 2011 in the journal Nature Materials.

Borrowing a concept from electronics, the acoustic diode is a component that allows a current — in this case a sound wave — to pass in one direction, while blocking the current in the opposite direction.

The new mechanism brings the idea of true soundproofing closer to reality. Imagine two rooms labeled room A and room B. This new technology would enable someone in room A to hear sound coming from room B; however, it would block the same sound in room A from being heard in room B.

The system is based on a simple assembly of elastic spheres — granular crystals that transmit the sound vibrations — that could be easily used in multiple settings, can be tuned easily, and can potentially be scaled to operate within a wide range of frequencies, meaning its application could reach far beyond soundproofing.

Similar systems have been demonstrated by other scientists, but they all feature smooth transitions between transmitting and nontransmitting states instead of the sharp transitions needed to be more effective at controlling the flow of sound waves.

To obtain the sharp transition, the team created a periodic system with a small defect that supports this kind of quick change from an “on” to an “off” transmission state.

This means the system is very sensitive to small variations of operational conditions, like pressure and movement, making it useful in the development of ultrasensitive acoustic sensors to detect sound waves.

The system can also operate at different frequencies of sound and is capable of downshifting, or reducing the frequency of the traveling signals, as needed.

The technology can also shift the undesired frequencies to a range that enables a more efficient conversion to electricity.

The team plans to continue studying the fundamental properties of these systems, focusing on their potential application to energy-harvesting systems. They also believe that these systems may be applicable to a range of technologies including biomedical ultrasound devices, advanced noise control, and even thermal materials aimed at temperature control.

Photo credit: Georgios Theocharis / Caltech

More info @ http://mr.caltech.edu/press_releases/13438/

ARISSat-1 Amateur Satellite built by Microchip engineers

2011-08-11T00:42:00.000-07:00

Satellite design team launches blog about project; deployment to be broadcast live on NASA TV and online

A volunteer team of Microchip engineers spent nearly four years working on nights and weekends to develop the ARISSat-1 amateur satellite. On August 3 at 7:30 a.m. (Pacific Time) their hard work will come to fruition when the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled to deploy the satellite during a spacewalk.

The deployment will be broadcast live on NASA TV and online. Additionally, ARISSat-1 design-team leader Steve Bible launched the limited-series Chips in Space Blog on EE Times’ Web site last week, to both educate and entertain readers by relating the story of how he and his colleagues came to build the satellite, and the challenges they ran into along the way.

Bible will also provide analysis of the satellite’s deployment and functionality.

ARISSat-1 is the prototype test flight for a proposed series of educational satellites being developed in a partnership with the Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. (AMSAT), the NASA Office of Education ISS National Lab Project, the Amateur Radio on ISS (ARISS) working group and RSC-Energia.

If all goes well with the deployment of the new satellite, it will perform the following primary functions:

Two-way communication via UHF uplink and VHF downlink, for use by ham radio operators
Visuals of space from four cameras
Recharging of the satellite’s battery using solar panels, enabling operation for months
Transmission of audio greetings in many languages, for reception via simple radios or scanners
Telemetry transmissions with updates on the health of the satellite
House an experiment from Russia’s Kursk University that measures atmospheric pressure

More info @ Chips in Space (ARISSat-1) blog (Steven Bible / EE Times) & NASA TV online

Will It Blend?

2011-08-09T00:38:00.000-07:00

Do not try this at home ...

Just in case you did not know: for years on end, American manufacturer of household appliances Blendtec have used a peculiar type of advertising that has achieved cult status.

Ominously, under the very rhetorical question "Will It Blend?" all kinds of possible and impossible objects meet their demise in a blender machine. And no question at all, the Blendtec blender chops everything to pieces.

Apart from the bizarre idea to blend non-food items, the huge response to this video series is due to the brittle charm of "Blender" Tom Dickson who with stoic countenance chops up just about everything from beverage bottles and garden torches right up to an Apple iPad.

The video in which he pulverized a brand new iPhone shortly after its release proved especially popular with viewers. Apple fans watch with horror and bleeding hearts, Apple haters with a grin on their faces.

Take a look at the video collection – there’s something to everyone's taste. The image shows the effect of a drink made of fluorescent glow sticks poured (sort of) from the blender.

More info @ Will it Blend website

Novel green LED built on silicon substrate

2011-08-07T05:56:00.000-07:00

US semiconductor technology company RoseStreet Labs (RSL) has announced what it claims to be the world's first long wavelength LED device built on a low-cost silicon wafer substrate.

According to RSL, LEDs operating at green or longer wavelengths would fill a demand gap in the rapidly growing commercial and industrial markets for lighting and illumination.

RSL's device compliments its proprietary thin-film InGaN-on-silicon technology for high efficiency photovoltaic applications and power devices. These longer wavelength devices are fabricated using commercial scale deposition tools at RSL's Nitride Research Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Silicon substrates have a substantial cost advantage over the more traditional sapphire or silicon carbide substrates typically utilized in LED fabrication, the company claims.

Efficient long wavelength LEDs are regarded as essential milestones on the roadmap for solid state lighting, LED backlighting and next generation display technology. Green or longer wavelength nitride-based LEDs are much more difficult to fabricate than UV and blue LEDs, due to lower quantum efficiencies, and have remained a tough challenge for the LED industry.

RSL scientists have also demonstrated the initial capability of this technology for tuning to cover the multi-colour and white light spectrums.

The new device holds great promise due to its potential for high intensity, low energy consumption, and a path to very low commercial cost. RSL believes this technology can be commercialised in two to three years with migration to 200 mm silicon substrates.

Image courtesy: RoseStreet Labs

More info @ RoseStreet Labs website

Massive microprocessor array aims to simulate human brain

2011-08-05T05:50:00.000-07:00

Up to a million ARM processor cores will be linked together to simulate the workings of the human brain in a UK research project.

The chips, designed at Manchester University and manufactured in Taiwan, form the building blocks for a massively parallel computer called SpiNNaker (Spiking Neural Network architecture). Although the chips are based on a relatively old ARM instruction set architecture, the first samples were delivered to the university only last month and have subsequently passed functionality tests.

SpiNNaker is a joint project of the universities of Manchester, Southampton, Cambridge and Sheffield and is funded by a £5 million government grant. Professor Steve Furber of the University of Manchester has been studying brain function and architecture for several years, but is also well known as one of the co-designers of the Acorn RISC machine, a microprocessor that is the forerunner of today's ARM processor cores.

There are around 100 billion neurons with 1,000 trillion connections in the human brain. Even a machine with one million of the specialized ARM processor cores developed at Manchester would only allow modelling of approximately 1% of the human brain, the researchers said.

In the SpiNNaker machine, neurons will be modelled as packets of descriptive data, and data channels will replace the nerve axons and electrical ‘spikes’ that provide communication between neurons.

The contents of the data packets will be processed by virtual neurons running on the ARM microprocessors. The architecture and the use of packetised digital data allow SpiNNaker to transmit virtual spikes as quickly as the brain, with many fewer physical connections.

Although an initial test chip was designed by Professor Furber's team in 2009, the latest implementation has 18 ARM processors one each silicon die, which is packaged with a memory die and has a power budget of around one watt.

The chip is being manufactured by UMC (Hsinchu, Taiwan) in 130-nm CMOS. It contains approximately million transistors, although most them are located in 55 32-kbyte SRAM blocks distributed over the die. The accompanying memory die is a 1-Gbit DDR SDRAM that operates at up to 166-MHz.

Image courtesy: Manchaster University

More info @ SpiNNaker website

ChipLED for ultra low profile displays

2011-08-03T05:42:00.000-07:00

Although optical touch screens are available in a wide variety of designs they do share a common principle in that the touch of a finger will either cast a shadow or reflect light. In basic versions an array of infrared emitters (IREDs) and detectors create a grid of vertical and horizontal beams.

The components are housed in a low-profile frame, known as the bezel, measuring a half to one millimeter in depth around the screen.

Osram’s new ChipLED SFH 4053 measures just 0.5 x 1 mm so it takes up very little space. With a height of 0.45 mm in industry standard 0402 (length/width) it is one of the smallest on the market.

In addition to size, the high light output of these components plays an important role, particularly for camera-based touch screens. Such a display setup requires considerably fewer IR emitters than the basic version but the emitters must have a very high output because they flood the display with infrared light from two corners.

Next to the IR emitters are camera chips that detect a change in the signal when a pen or finger touches the display.

The thin-film chip technology applies makes SFH 4053 a high-efficiency IRED that offers high output from a small package for this application, rated at 35 mW from an operating current of 70 mA. In pulse mode it can achieve as much as 260 mW from 700 mA.

The ChipLED therefore provides enough light to make it easy and cost-effective to expand camera-based touch screen systems to larger screen diagonals.

The new ChipLED is part of a broad range of components that are being used in more and more applications – from narrow-angle emitters for light grids to low-profile components for optimum injection into light guides. LEDs are available in 0603 sizes with lens types from +- 40° to +-10° and different chip technologies (thin film, nanostack).

The wavelength of the ChipLED is ideal for the requirements of these applications. At 850 nm the light from the IRED is barely discernible to the human eye but receiver components exhibit very high sensitivity to this wavelength.

More info @ http://www.osram.com/

Carbazole: The electric fuel?

2011-08-01T05:46:00.000-07:00

A new type of fuel could be an alternative to batteries as energy sources and helping to boost the hydrogen breakthrough.

This goal is pursued by the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, the Excellence Cluster of Engineering of Advanced Materials at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and the Energy Campus Nuremberg, by researching a mobility option that provides for the storage of energy in liquids, making it compatible with today's petrol / diesel supply.

These so-called energy-carrying substances (ETS) will be recycled and not consumed. This distinguishes them from the current system of fuel.

In Nuremberg, the substance N-ethylcarbazole is being researched in terms of an energy-carrying liquid, which can be quasi recharged with hydrogen: byu absorbing hydrogen, the liquid is chemically converted into a high-energy "perhydro-form."

In the application in the vehicle, hydrogen is chemically removed from this energy-rich liquid, for use as fuel for by a fuel-cell electric drive or an internal combustion engine. When refueling the ‘discharged’ (i.e. energy reduced) carbazole is simply pumped out and replaced by a fresh (high energy) amount.

For car owners, the only change is the shape of the refueling nozzle. The ‘used’ carbazole is collected at gas stations and later regenerated -- preferably using renewable energy sources.

The new technology competes with the technology already available to the 700-bar high-pressure storage of pure hydrogen in vehicles. The new technology has a marked advantage in allowing existing service station infrastructures to be used. Also, no pressure is required; the substance N-ethylcarbazole is similar to diesel in many ways.

One liter of N-ethylcarbazole allows almost twice as much hydrogen (54 grams) to be stored as in the equivalent volume of a 700-bar hydrogen tank. The range and power would be equivalent to today's vehicles.

The technology development at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg is headed by Professors Arlt and Wasserscheid. They have formed a consortium comprising vehicle manufacturers, the German chemical industry, a utility company, an electric engineering company and gas producers.

Energy-carrying substances such Carbozol can also be used for the stabilization of the electricity system and for energy storage in solar powered homes.

Funding for a preliminary evaluation of this technology was applied for at the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development.

Source courtesy: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Arlt

More info @ http://www.tvt.cbi.uni-erlangen.de/eng/index.html

A New Paradigm for Power Generation

2011-07-28T22:37:00.000-07:00

Nuclear Power is a Key Element of Our Energy Mix

In order to meet the planet's ever expanding need for affordable energy, a number of different types of clean, emission-free technologies must be developed and employed. Nuclear power, with its ability to provide robust, continuous, and reliable energy – regardless of weather conditions – must be part of this diverse mix. However, conventional large nuclear power plants, due to construction expense and the time required to build them, must be augmented with a smaller solution.

Small & Modular nuclear power Reactors (SMRs)

That "smaller solution" is the category of power reactors known as Small & Modular nuclear power Reactors (SMRs). The history of SMRs is about as long as the commercial use of large nuclear power plants. The fuels and technology included in today's SMR designs have been studied for over 50 years, and some units went online decades ago. SMRs provide the benefits of larger nuclear power plants – clean, continuous, reliable energy with no greenhouse gas emissions – yet they require very little space in which to operate. SMRs can be transported to sites and engaged without the transportation and construction costs of big nuclear power plants. Sealed and self-contained, they offer a safe energy solution for areas of the globe where nuclear proliferation is a concern. But unlike any other clean energy generation, SMRs operate when the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine.

The Hyperion Power Module (HPM)

The Hyperion Power Module (HPM) is an active member of the SMR industry–and is the leader in the SMR segment known as "Mini Power Reactors" or MPRs. The HPM is one of the smallest, safest, and simplest designs. Hyperion Power is deeply concerned about the state of the environment, and the search for energy independence – vital not just to the U.S., but to every nation on the planet. Hyperion Power believes that these concerns can be met through the safe deployment of SMRs and so is dedicated to realizing the full potential of our power module – the HPM. Clean, safe, affordable energy should be available to everyone – even in the most remote locations.

Industry & Community Benefits

The Hyperion Power Module (HPM) offers a perfect "distributed" independent energy solution for remote locations that are too difficult or expensive to reach with traditional electrical grid systems from one large, centrally-located power plant. Each HPM-based electric plant generates 25MW of electricity.

An HPM-based power plant can supply enough power for:

20,000+ American-style homes, or a …
Large hospital complex
Entire government complex
Irrigation systems
Water treatment & distribution site
Waste – sewage facility
Heavy oil recovery
Refugee community
Emergency – disaster response center
Government installation
University or college
Mining or drilling operation
Industrial center or factory
Corporate data centers

And more …

Electrical Output 25MW electric
Coolant Liquid Metal (Pb-Bi)
Fuel Uranium Nitride (UN)
Fuel cladding Stainless Steel
Enrichment 19.75%
Refueling cycle 10 years
Reactor size 1.5m x 2.5m < 50 tons
Sealed core Yes
Transportable Yes

Hyperion Power Module Product Characteristics

1. Transportable

Current design criteria of unit will measure approximately 1.5m wide x 2.5m tall

Transportable via ship, rail, or truck

Modular design for easy and safe transport

2. Sealed Core – Safe and Secure

Factory sealed; no in-field refueling

Sealed unit deployed in an underground containment vault – isolated from environment

3. Safety

Improved protection against natural disasters and security threats

Proliferation-resistant; never opened once installed

Coolant (Pb-Bi) is non-reactive with air or water

4. Operational Simplicity

Operation limited to reactivity adjustments to maintain constant temperature output of 500C

Operational reliability is greatly enhanced by the reduction of moving mechanical parts

Nuclear training requirements reduced

5. Isolated Power Production

Electric generation components requiring maintenance are completely separated from the reactor

Tiny USB router supports 4G/LTE mobile network access

2011-07-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

Mobile broadband router specialist Dovado has launched the Dovado Tiny, billed as the world’s smallest 4G/LTE-capable USB router. It is the latest addition to the wide range of Dovado routers and is designed for use in home, office, vehicle and machine-to-machine (M2M) environments.

Mobile broadband connectivity for the Dovado Tiny is provided by a USB dongle, allowing subscribers to use their service on the go and as a replacement for fixed broadband service.

This also allows them to upgrade the mobile broadband modem whenever a new model becomes available. The Dovado Tiny features an Ethernet LAN port, a WAN port for DSL failover, and the latest 802.11n WLAN standard.

One of the strongest features of the Dovado Tiny is its high-throughput 4G/LTE capability, with support for up to 65 Mbps. It also has the unique ability to re-power the inserted USB modem in order to prolong Internet connection uptime. It supports over 140 different USB modems currently available worldwide, with nearly two dozen models capable of 21 Mbps or 42 Mbps using 3G networks or 4G/LTE.

In addition to being a very price-competitive product that fills the gap between USB modems and local area network routers, the Dovado Tiny is easy to configure and resilient in terms of both stability and performance.

It utilises Dovado Connection TrackerTM to provide continuous connection capability including automatic USB modem reset if necessary. The router can also send text message notifications when usage limits are close to being exceeded or when the mobile network is down. It can also be controlled remotely by text message commands from a whitelisted mobile phone.

Image courtesy: Dovado

More info @ Dovado Tiny product data

Universal USB/RS485 Converter

2011-07-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

The series of articles about the Elektor Bus is attracting many readers interested in the design and further developments of the system.

In the June 2011 edition of Elektor we a couple of circuits were suggested that hopefully lead on to your first experiments with the Elektor bus and the associated protocol now being developed.

One of the circuits proposed in the June 2011 edition is a universal USB/RS485 converter that allows the Elektor bus to be linked to a PC. Although the converter is a very simple concept indeed, it does employ SMD ICs (notably the FTDI FT232L) that are hard to solder by hand. So we decided to make this converter available as a ready built and tested module at an attractive price.

One side of the USB/RS485 converter is fitted with type-B USB connector for connection to the computer. At the other side you’ll find a three-way PCB terminal block where the RS485 signals and ground get connected. The circuit is powered from the USB connection. The dimensions of the PCB are modest at 44 x 20 mm, making it the most compact USB/RS485 converter published in Elektor to date.

The first indestructible transistor

2011-07-22T03:59:00.000-07:00

Extremely rugged 1,200-W RF MOSFET survives live short circuits and open outputs.

Semiconductor manufacturer NXP is mighty proud of its new high-power transistor, called BLF578XR, which is good for 1.2 kilowatts of RF power output.

The device is suitable for use in RF amplifiers operating within the in the 10 to 500 MHz frequency range and has proved it’s up against extremely adverse operating conditions.

NXP is so proud of her latest result of outstanding engineering achievement that they released a video demonstrating the load disconnected and even the output shorted with the RF amplifier in full operation, without so much as harming the transistor.

Typical applications for this power semiconductor include the control of industrial lasers, etc.

More info @ NXP web page on BLF578XR

Capture free energy 24/7

2011-07-20T05:21:00.000-07:00

For sure, right now you're surrounded by electromagnetic energy transmitted from sources such as radio and television transmitters, mobile phone networks and satellite communications systems.

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have created a device that is able to scavenge this ambient energy so it can be used to power small electronic devices such as networks of wireless sensors, microprocessors and communications chips.

Manos Tentzeris, a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and his team used inkjet printing technology to combine sensors, antennas and energy scavenging capabilities on paper or flexible polymers.

Presently, the team's scavenging technology can take advantage of frequencies from FM radio to radar, a range of 100 MHz to 15 GHz or higher. The devices capture this energy, convert it from AC to DC, and then store it in capacitors and batteries.

So far the team has been able to generate hundreds of milliwatts by harnessing the energy from TV bands. It is expected that multi-band systems would generate one milliwatt or more, which is enough to operate small electronic devices, including a variety of sensors and microprocessors.

Tentzeris says exploiting a range of electromagnetic bands increases the dependability of energy scavenging devices as if one frequency range fades due to variations in usage, other frequencies can be used to pick up the slack.

The team is also looking at combining the energy scavenging technology with supercapacitors and cycled operation so that the energy builds up in a battery-like superconductor and is utilized once the required level is reached. The team expects this approach would be able to power devices requiring over 50 milliwatts.

The researchers have already successfully operated a temperature sensor using electromagnetic energy captured from a television station that was half a kilometer away. They are now preparing another demonstration in which a microprocessor-based microcontroller would be activated simply by holding it in the air.

The researchers say the technology could also be used in tandem with other electricity generating technologies. For example, scavenged energy could assist a solar element to charge a battery during the day and then at night, scavenged energy would continue to increase the battery charge or would prevent discharging.

It could also be used as a form of system backup. If a battery failed completely, the scavenged energy device could allow the system to transmit a wireless signal while maintaining critical functions.

The Georgia Tech team believe that self-powered, wireless paper-based sensors will soon be widely available at very low cost, making then attractive for a range of applications, such as chemical, biological, heat and stress sensing for defence and industry; radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging for manufacturing and shipping, and monitoring tasks in many fields including communications and power usage.

Source courtesy: Gizmag

More info @ http://www.gatech.edu/

World’s first fully organic microprocessor demonstrated

2011-07-17T05:15:00.000-07:00

Imec, the Holst Centre and TNO, in collaboration with Polymer Vision, have demonstrated the world’s first working 8-bit organic microprocessor, fabricated by depositing 4,000 organic transistors directly on a flexible plastic film.

Using an inexpensive organic (plastic) material instead of expensive silicon opens the door to new niche applications that need inexpensive processing power, such as smart packaging that can be discarded after use, and flexible applications such as roll-up display screens and smart fabrics.

The organic microprocessor consists of two thin films with a thickness of 25 µm. One of them holds the arithmetic logic unit, with 3,381 transistors covering an area of 1.96 by 1.72 cm, while the other holds the instruction code, with 612 transistors covering an area of 0.72 by 0.64 cm.

The circuits were fabricated by depositing alternating layers of organic material (pentacene and insulators) and metal (for interconnects) on a flexible substrate. The microprocessor operates with a supply voltage between 10 and 20 V at a maximum clock frequency of 6 Hz. The typical power consumption with a 10 V supply voltage is 92 µW.

Although the new organic microprocessor is presently the slowest microprocessor in the world, it represents enormous progress, like the Intel 4004 at its time. When Intel launched their first 4-bit silicon microprocessor (the Intel 4004) in 1971, it had 2,300 transistors and was able to perform simple calculations.

At that time nobody expected it to herald the start of the digital era. Now Intel makes 64-bit processors with billions of transistors, which can perform complex operations at lightning-fast speeds with relatively low power consumption.

It is unlikely that organic microprocessors will cause a comparable revolution, but the demonstration of the first organic microprocessor shows that inexpensive organic circuits can be a real alternative to expensive silicon devices in a number of applications.

Organic circuits will never be able to outperform conventional semiconductors in terms of speed or processing power, but they have many other advantages. They are flexible, and they can be applied to a very large surface easily and expensively.

Applications with microprocessors printed directly on packaging materials, in the same way as labelling or advertising, are directly possible. In the longer term, potential applications of inexpensive, flexible organic microprocessors include smart packaging for medicinal products that indicates when you should take your medicine, and packaging that allows you to check authenticity or freshness.

A box of biscuits from the supermarket could tell you how many biscuits you have already taken, and accordingly how many calories you have consumed.

Image courtesy: Imec

More info @ Imec website

Graphite + water = the future of energy storage

2011-07-15T05:06:00.000-07:00

A combination of two ordinary materials – graphite and water – could produce energy storage systems that perform on par with lithium ion batteries, but recharge in a matter of seconds and have an almost indefinite lifespan.

Dr Dan Li, of the Monash University Department of Materials Engineering, and his research team have been working with a material called graphene, which could form the basis of the next generation of ultrafast energy storage systems.

“Once we can properly manipulate this material, your iPhone, for example, could charge in a few seconds, or possibly faster.” said Dr Li.

Graphene is the result of breaking down graphite, a cheap, readily available material commonly used in pencils, into layers one atom thick. In this form, it has remarkable properties. Graphene is strong, chemically stable, an excellent conductor of electricity and, importantly, has an extremely high surface area.

Dr Li said these qualities make graphene highly suitable for energy storage applications. “The reason graphene isn’t being used everywhere is that these very thin sheets, when stacked into a usable macrostructure, immediately bond together, reforming graphite. When graphene restacks, most of the surface area is lost and it doesn’t behave like graphene anymore.”

Now, Dr Li and his team have discovered the key to maintaining the remarkable properties of separate graphene sheets: water. Keeping graphene moist – in gel form – provides repulsive forces between the sheets and prevents re-stacking, making it ready for real-world application.

“The technique is very simple and can easily be scaled up. When we discovered it, we thought it was unbelievable. We’re taking two basic, inexpensive materials – water and graphite – and making this new nanomaterial with amazing properties,” said Dr Li.

When used in energy devices, graphene gel significantly outperforms current carbon-based technology, both in terms of the amount of charge stored and how fast the charges can be delivered.

Dr Li said the benefits of developing this new nanotechnology extend beyond consumer electronics.

“High-speed, reliable and cost-effective energy storage systems are critical for the future viability of electricity from renewable resources. These systems are also the key to large-scale adoption of electrical vehicles. Graphene gel is also showing promise for use in water purification membranes, biomedical devices and sensors.”

Dr Li has been working with graphene since 2006 and his team’s research findings have recently been published in a number of prestigious journals including Advanced Materials, Angewandte Chemie and Chemical Communications.

Illustration credit courtesy: Gengping Jiang

More info @ http://www.monash.edu.au/news/show/graphite-water-the-future-of-energy-storage

Silverstone's gone electric (and Dutch too)

2011-07-13T04:01:00.000-07:00

After ten racing cars with combustion engines, a change-over to electric power has proved a triumph for students of the Delft Technical University (The Netherlands).

Their DUT11 vehicle won the overall classification and no fewer than nine of the ten individual components straight away in their first Formula Student competition, which took place in the UK last weekend.

“We knew that we had built a good car, but I hadn’t reckoned on winning the overall electric classification straight away”, team leader Paul van Tricht told us. The Delft electric racing car was also faster than the racing cars with fuel engines, which race in a separate classification. A total of 126 teams took part in the competition in the UK, under very rainy circumstances.

The Delft students won the Formula Student Germany on two previous occasions, in 2008 and 2010. However, till now, they never won the competition at Silverstone in England. Delft students have made their name with ultra-light racing cars with small engines. These ‘lightweights’ have often beaten the much heavier powerhouses created by German universities in particular.

“Naturally, we have not let go of that ‘Delft Concept’”, says Paul van Tricht. “Our first electric racing car weighs only 175 kg, which is lighter than the other electric participants. That makes a huge difference on circuits with lots of bends”.

Formula Student is an international racing and design competition for student teams. Worldwide, more than 450 university teams from around the world take part in the ten racing events on different Formula 1 Circuits.

A panel of experts judges the racing cars on aspects including safety, quality and durability. In addition, the cars compete with each other in four racing components.

The TU Delft’s student project team, called DUT Racing, includes roughly 60 students. In just one year, they have designed and built a racing car with which they are taking part in competitions in the UK and Germany. The competition in Germany starts on August 2.

More info @ Technical University Delft