Alright so soldering is pretty straightforward for through-hole components, but then there are times when you need to go tiny *insert ant-man reference here*, and the skills you learnt for TH soldering just dont apply anymore.Welcome to the world of Surface Mount Device (SMD) soldering, where components are placed on tiny pads, and solder on […]
A Complete Beginner’s Guide to SMD Soldering Continue Reading
In optical microscopes, there is a fundamental trade-off between field-of-view and resolution: the finer the detail, the smaller the region imaged by the microscope. One way to overcome this limitation is to translate the sample and acquire images over a larger field-of-view. The basic idea is to stitch together many high resolution images to form
Desktop Gigapixel Microscope Continue Reading
Many of will have marveled at the feats of reverse engineering achieved by decapping integrated circuits and decoding their secrets by examining the raw silicon die. Few of us will have a go for ourselves, but that doesn’t stop the process being a fascinating one. Fortunately [Ryan Cornateanu] is on hand with a step-by-step description of
REVERSE ENGINEERING SILICON, ONE TRANSISTOR AT A TIME Continue Reading
We’ve all likely seen the amazing images possible with a scanning electron microscope. An SEM can yield remarkably detailed 3D images of the tiniest structures, and they can be invaluable tools for research. But blasting high-energy cathode rays onto metal-coated samples in the vacuum chamber of a bulky and expensive instrument isn’t the only way
DVD OPTICS POWER THIS SCANNING LASER MICROSCOPE Continue Reading
Even with more and more devices making the leap to USB-C, the Arduino Uno still proudly sports a comparatively ancient Type-B port. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that many Hackaday readers only keep one of these cables around because they’ve still got an Uno or two they need to plug in occasionally. Looking
CLEVER PCB BRINGS MICRO USB TO THE ARDUINO UNO Continue Reading
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Maryland say they have developed a step-by-step recipe to produce single-atom transistors. by Rich Pell @ smart2zero.com Transistors consisting of only several-atom clusters or even single atoms, say the researchers, promise to become the building blocks of a new generation of computers
SINGLE-ATOM TRANSISTOR ‘RECIPE’ SIMPLIFIES ATOMIC-SCALE FABRICATION Continue Reading
HOUSTON – (July 12, 2017) – Rice University engineers are building a flat microscope, called FlatScope TM, and developing software that can decode and trigger neurons on the surface of the brain. Their goal as part of a new government initiative is to provide an alternate path for sight and sound to be delivered directly
Flat microscope for the brain could help restore lost eyesight Continue Reading
High resolution inspection tool with built-in LCD designed for standalone PCB inspection. Saelig Company, Inc. announces the introduction of the Saelig SAE106S Digital Microscope, a versatile tool designed specifically for PCB inspection, but it will also prove to be useful in many other fields such as coin or mechanical part examination. The SAE106S may be used as
SAELIG’S SAE106S DIGITAL PCB MICROSCOPE HAS 1080P RESOLUTION Continue Reading
With surface-mount technology pushing the size of components ever smaller, even the most eagle-eyed among us needs some kind of optical assistance to do PCB work. Lots of microscopes have digital cameras too, which can be a big help – unless the camera fights you. Faced with a camera whose idea of autofocus targets on
ARDUINO PROVIDES HANDS-FREE FOCUS FOR DIGITAL INSPECTION SCOPE Continue Reading
Reverse engineering the popular 555 timer chip (CMOS version) This article explains how the LMC555 timer chip works, from the tiny transistors and resistors on the silicon chip, to the functional units such as comparators and current mirrors that make it work. The popular 555 timer integrated circuit is said to be the world’s best-selling
Reverse engineering the popular 555 timer chip (CMOS version) Continue Reading
