AC/DC supply shrink illustrates dramatic technology shift
While looking through some of my accumulated AC/DC wall adapters, I came across an AC-line input, 5-volt, 2-amp output linear power supply from “back in the day.” The Analog Devices model 956...
View ArticleUltrasonic sensing part 1: static presence
Ultrasonic energy is widely used to sense the presence of nearby objects and even determine their distance if needed, as well as to measure fluid flow rates in industrial and scientific applications....
View ArticleWhat is intersymbol interference and why should I care about it?
Real-world digital signals and their channels are characterized by complex equations that lead to improved link performance. When engineers think or talk about digital signals, there’s often the sense...
View ArticleSub-1 K cooling for quantum computing: part 3
New techniques and refinements of older ones are needed to reach <1 K for quantum-computing cooling. The final part of this series looks at absorption refrigeration, an alternative to dilution...
View ArticleDo cars, or their drivers, still need steering wheels?
The steering wheel has been with us for over 100 years, but perhaps its time is finally coming to an end. The automobile steering wheel has been an integral part of the car since the early 1900s and...
View ArticleSub-1 K cooling for quantum computing: part 2
New techniques and refinements of older ones are needed to reach <1 K for quantum-computing cooling. Part 1 provided an introduction to the needs of quantum computing and the operating concept of...
View ArticleSub-1 K cooling for quantum computing: part 1
New techniques and refinements of older ones are needed to reach <1 K for quantum-computing cooling. Quantum computing in various forms is a hot topic these days for many reasons. It offers the...
View ArticleReed relays: from voiceband calls to GHz ATE, now facing MEMS disruption part 3
Part 1 covered the basics, Part 2 explored the reed relay and its use in ATE applications, while this final section looks at MEMS-based relays and their function in ATE applications. Disruption:...
View ArticleReed relays: from voiceband calls to GHz ATE, now facing MEMS disruption part 2
Reed relays have evolved from their audio roots to handle GHz signals; MEMS technology may push them aside. This section explores the reed relay and its use in ATE applications. The alternative: the...
View ArticleNomographs: once ubiquitous, now mostly gone…but holdouts remain
This classic graphical tool is now rarely used, but there is one application where it still reigns. Back in the “BC” era (before calculators/computers), calculations associated with basic engineering...
View ArticleReed relays: from voiceband calls to GHz ATE, now facing MEMS disruption part 1
Reed relays have evolved from their audio roots to handle GHz signals; MEMS technology may push them aside. Electromechanical relays are like dinosaurs that haven’t gotten the news that they are...
View ArticleShould you bring in a “consultant?”
Hearing that management is bringing in a “consultant” often provokes both fear and anger among lower-level staffers, and for good reasons. Their role is often stated as providing a review of data,...
View ArticleResearch paper fraud: a growing problem — what about engineering?
You’ve undoubtedly seen reports that fraud and fakery in academic-level research papers are increasing. There are several likely reasons for this: the ease with which such a paper can be created, AI,...
View ArticleMIL-STD-1553B still alive and well: part 2
This final part continues the look at MIL-STD-1553B with an overview of formats and protocols, as well as available hardware and development/debug tools. Formats and protocol Q: What is the basic...
View ArticleCan we celebrate engineers actually solving problems?
Engineering success requires more than the flash of a brilliant solution; it takes analysis and persistence. It seems that the “celebretization” of almost everything is increasing, and at a faster...
View ArticleMIL-STD-1553B alive and well: part 1
For engineers who are not involved in military/aerospace designs or similar systems requiring extreme reliability, ruggedness, and redundancy, the MIL-STD-1553B connectivity standard may be an unknown...
View ArticleWhy would you use a zero-ohm resistor?
If you had never heard it before, the term “zero-ohm resistor” might seem at best like an oxymoron or, at worst, some sort of joke to play on a new or naïve circuit designer. After all, designers are...
View ArticleDo cars, or their drivers, still need steering wheels?
The steering wheel has been with us for over 100 years, but perhaps its time is finally coming to an end. The automobile steering wheel has been an integral part of the car since the early 1900s and...
View ArticleWhat is intersymbol interference and why should I care about it?
Real-world digital signals and their channels are characterized by complex equations that lead to improved link performance. When engineers think or talk about digital signals, there’s often the sense...
View ArticleSub-1 K cooling for quantum computing: part 3
New techniques and refinements of older ones are needed to reach <1 K for quantum-computing cooling. The final part of this series looks at absorption refrigeration, an alternative to dilution...
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