Embedded Systems Weekly – Issue 70
Issue 70 – 16 September 2016
Hardware
Renesas will pay $3.2 billion for Intersil in a merger that officials say will expand the company’s efforts in such areas as smart cars and the IoT.Share on Twitter ∙ Share on Facebook
Having the design in a spreadsheet makes it easy to do “what if” scenarios and see the effects on the design almost immediately.
Another advantage that spreadsheets offer is a way to “solve” or optimize equations. That can be very useful once you have your model. For Excel, you need to install the Solver add-in (go to the Excel Options dialog, select Manage Add-Ins, and select the Solver Add-In). You might also enjoy OpenSolver. You can even get that for Google Sheets (although it currently lacks a non-linear solver which makes it less useful for what we need).Share on Twitter ∙ Share on Facebook
This article is how-to guide, intended as a quick learning aid for engineers considering using the MAX6954 to drive 14-segment monocolor LEDs. Share on Twitter ∙ Share on Facebook
Primary and secondary (i.e., rechargeable) coin cell batteries, as well as super capacitors, have been in use for years as auxiliary power sources for applications including SRAM, real-time clocks, and microcontrollers. Now, a new type of rechargeable battery is available from Cymbet Corporation, the leader in thin film rechargeable micro-batteriesShare on Twitter ∙ Share on Facebook
his application note describes a circuit architecture using the AD5933 that allows the system designer to measure the impedance profile of the loudspeaker and integrate this circuitry into the audio signal chain. This offers many benefits. Upon system power-up, for example, the circuitry provides the ability to measure the impedance profile and thus the acoustic properties of the loudspeaker, enabling direct comparison to a factory calibrated profile stored nearby. Any changes in the impedance profile are detected and further diagnostics are carried out, preventing premature damage.Share on Twitter ∙ Share on Facebook
Software
NexMon is a firmware patching framework initially build for the BCM4339 WiFi firmware of Nexus 5 smartphones. However, this repository contains firmware patches for the BCM43438 WiFi chip used in the Raspberry Pi 3. It’s main intension was to enable monitor mode and frame injection, which is already working quite well.Share on Twitter ∙ Share on Facebook
This Eagle ULP script is designed to simplify generating quotes on the PCBShopper.com website, which aggregates quoting services from ~30 PCB fabs around the world.Share on Twitter ∙ Share on Facebook
Misc
A Volkswagen engineer has pleaded guilty to involvement in the German carmaker’s diesel emissions scandal.
He is the first to be charged as part of the US Justice Department’s year-long criminal probe into the firm’s rigging of federal air-pollution tests.Share on Twitter ∙ Share on Facebook
Take the Test!Share on Twitter ∙ Share on Facebook
How does a group of animals — or cells, for that matter — work together when no one’s in charge? Tiny swarming robots–called Kilobots–work together to tackle tasks in the lab, but what can they teach us about the natural world?Share on Twitter ∙ Share on Facebook
Photo by Vitaly Gariev
