FAQ on intrinsically safe systems: part 1
Potentially explosive hazardous environments demand intrinsically safe electronics. Most designers are familiar with ruggedness mandates regarding temperature, vibration, heavy use or abuse, and...
View ArticleFAQ on high-side versus low-side load switching: part 2
The difference between high-side and low-side power switching is not apparent to many new designers but is a critical aspect of a viable circuit. Part 1 looked at the topology of high-side versus...
View ArticleFAQ on high-side vs. low-side load switching: part 1
The difference between high-side and low-side power switching is not apparent to many new designers, but it is a critical aspect of a viable circuit. Applying power (voltage and current) to a load and...
View ArticleFAQ on intrinsically safe systems: part 2
Potentially explosive hazardous environments demand intrinsically safe electronics Part 1 provided an overview of intrinsically safe systems; this part looks at some of the electronics and...
View ArticleUnconventional thinking: When an unregulated pass-through regulator output...
By going contrary to conventional thinking, a design team devised a more efficient regulator device for the DC-power path. DC regulators are available in many different topologies, each offering...
View ArticleFAQ on optical proximity sensing: part 1
A light source and photosensor combine for effective, reliable, non-contact proximity detection of nearby objects. Non-contact proximity sensors detect the presence or absence of nearby objects...
View ArticleFAQ on optical proximity sensing: part 2
A light source and photosensor combine for effective, reliable, non-contact proximity detection of nearby objects. Part 1 of this article looked at the principles and three basic approaches to optical...
View ArticleFAQ on Rogowski coils for current measurement
This basic non-contact transducer is often used to measure AC currents. Accurate measurement of static and dynamic current flow in a conductor is a common requirement in many circuits and systems....
View ArticleBarrel connectors already drive me crazy…and now even crazier
The simple and ubiquitous DC-power barrel connector brings a lot of confusion and frustration. Like most of you, I have accumulated a random collection of many ac-dc and a few ac-ac...
View ArticleFAQ on three-phase AC power: part 1
We’re familiar with single-phase AC at the outlet, but multiphase AC offers advantages and is necessary for higher-power installations. For most engineering designs, the circuit’s DC operating power...
View ArticleFAQ on three-phase AC power part 2: implementation
We’re familiar with single-phase AC at the outlet, but multiphase AC offers advantages and is necessary for higher-power installations. The first part of this article examined the need for three-phase...
View ArticleFAQ on the Butler matrix for beamforming: part 1
This passive beamforming topology is not well known but is widely used — a common situation in the RF world. For many years, radar applications defined much of the world of directional antennas. These...
View ArticleFAQ on the Butler matrix for beamforming: part 2
This passive beamforming topology is not well known but is widely used – a common situation in the RF world. Part 1 was an introduction to the electronic steering of an antenna beam and the Butler...
View ArticleWhich is the real problem: overengineering or underengineering?
Today’s engineering mandates an almost-impossible balance among design imperatives. I recently received two unrelated email advisories from reputable technology companies promoting online webinars on...
View ArticleFAQ on cable impedance: 50 Ω versus 75 Ω
The 50-ohm impedance is standard in RF design, while 75 ohms is also used, so it’s important to understand the attributes of each and not confuse them. One of the issues that beginning electronic...
View ArticleWearable bioelectronic skin patches are a busy research area: part 1
Biomedical skin patches that integrate multiple disciplines for sensing, power, and reporting are receiving significant R&D effort. Passive, chemical-only, wearable skin patches for medical...
View ArticleWearable bioelectronic skin patches are a busy research area: part 2
Biomedical skin patches integrating multiple sensing, power, and reporting disciplines are receiving significant R&D effort. This part continues exposing the remaining 3 wearable biometric patches...
View ArticleBlue Origins celebrity rocket ride: an empty publicity stunt?
The short ride garnered publicity for the crew with little recognition for those who made it possible. At least it added to our rocket-launch expertise. You undoubtedly saw some of the extensive,...
View ArticleWearable bioelectronic skin patches are a busy research area: part 3
Biomedical skin patches integrating multiple sensing, power, and reporting disciplines are receiving significant R&D effort. This final part concludes with an exposition of three more wearable...
View ArticleFAQ on RF directional couplers: part 1
This essential measurement accessory for microwaves has morphed from waveguides down to tiny surface-mount components. Engineers who work with circuits typically use a multimeter as their primary test...
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