Several previously published Design Ideas and appnotes [1-4] show how to use many pushbuttons with a minimum number of inputs. They require an RC circuit where the timing can be measured to identify which pushbutton has been pressed, or an ADC input, with resistors forming a divider for each pushbutton pressed. The following Design Idea […]
Monitor 15 contacts with one PIC input Continue Reading
Hello everyone ! Please vote for me in the tech contest! In this instructable I am collaborating with Akin Yildiz an instructables author that creates instructables that help plants grow you should really go check out his account: http://www.instructables.com/member/Akin+Yildiz/ The planterbot is a plant monitoring robot. It uses capacitance for sensing moisture from the plant
Planterbot – The Plant Monitoring Robot Continue Reading
MIT researchers have developed a circuit design that could make simple superconducting devices with zero electrical resistance much cheaper to manufacture, and which would be 50 to 100 times as energy efficient as today’s chips. Even though the circuits’ speed probably would not top that of today’s chips, they could solve the problem of reading
Simpler superconducting promised by nanowire device Continue Reading
The ChronodeVFD is a personal project I’ve been working on for a couple of months. It’s a wristwatch built around the IVL2-7/5 VFD display tube. I originally purchased a few of these tubes to build a standard desk clock, but after playing around with them, I realized I could probably build a wristwatch too. The
ChronodeVFD: A Cyberpunk Wristwatch Continue Reading
Today, we’ll be discussing Rigol’s MSO2302A Mixed Signal Oscilloscope from the MSO2000A series. Starting at $1,239, this oscilloscope features 300 MHz bandwidth, with 2 giga-samples per second, a memory depth of 14 megapoints (Mpts), with an option up to 56 megapoints. The large 8 inch high resolution screen typical to Rigol scopes allows for easy
Tech Lab – Rigol MSO2000A Series Oscilloscopes Continue Reading
Abstract: The typical specification for lithium coin-cell batteries has been to provide a 10-year battery lifetime in the absence of system power. End users should evaluate the anticipated lifetime in their specific application, especially for those that exceed typical commercial environments or that need to last more than 10 years. This article gives the reader
Lithium coin-cell batteries Predicting an application lifetime Continue Reading
Proximity sensors working on an induction principle are able to detect ferrous and non-ferrous metals very reliably. For those of you, who already work in this field, there´s everything clear for you probably and you know well, that induction sensors are literally one of the keystones for an industrial automation. For all of you, who´re
Induction sensors don’t need a touch, they’re satisfied by proximity Continue Reading
Traditional versus PIN Diode Geiger Counter A short intro (pdf-file) Do-it-yourself PIN-diode counter Intro to the basics (pdf-file) Complete do-it-yourself instructions The “Stuttgarter Geigerle” The most simple and cheapest solution: The “Mini-Geigerle” used with the PC-soundcard The “Stuttgarter Geigerle” for thru hole assembly Further infos on PIN-diode counter Detection of alpha radiation with the PIN-diode
PIN diode counters Continue Reading
I have been hearing about so many different and novel techniques for battery charging and cell balancing lately. Designers are working feverishly to optimize cell balancing and battery safety along with improved efficiency. I have been closely watching Sendyne for a while now, ever since the SFP100 was chosen to be one of 2013’s EDN
Unique battery pack architecture patented by Sendyne Continue Reading
Dave shows you how to reverse engineer a PCB to get the schematic. In this case the new Rigol DS1054Z oscilloscope. How does the discrete transistor analog front end and the software bandwidth limiting work? How do you decode SMD transistor codes? How does it compare to the old Rigol DS1052E? Dave also discusses the
How To Reverse Engineer A Rigol DS1054Z Continue Reading
