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Types of Magnetometers

Types of Magnetometers

This high-level guide introduces common types of magnetometers, including scalar, vector, gradient, and more.


Understanding the Heterogeneous Graphics Pipeline of i.MX RT1170 MCUs

Understanding the Heterogeneous Graphics Pipeline of i.MX RT1170 MCUs

In this article, learn about the heterogeneous graphics pipeline of the i.MX RT1170 MCU and its three main graphics acceleration engines.


How CMOS Image Sensors Are Making Strides in Pixel Count and Size

How CMOS Image Sensors Are Making Strides in Pixel Count and Size

Companies like Sony and OmniVision continue to develop advanced CMOS image sensors, while the Emmys pay respect to Kodak as one of the forerunners in digital imaging.


News Mar 11, 2021 by Adrian Gibbons
Stanford Engineers Look to Mantis Shrimp Eyes as Muse for Optical Sensor

Stanford Engineers Look to Mantis Shrimp Eyes as Muse for Optical Sensor

Polarimetric imaging could be a boon to machine vision. Now, Stanford researchers have developed a new type of light sensor inspired by an unlikely source.


News Mar 05, 2021 by Jake Hertz
MIT Researchers Strike the Sweet Spot Between Fiber Optic and Copper Cabling

MIT Researchers Strike the Sweet Spot Between Fiber Optic and Copper Cabling

At just the width of a human hair, a new type of cable from MIT and Raytheon is said to be ten times faster than USB.


News Mar 03, 2021 by Jake Hertz
Developing Robust Motion Detectors Does Not Have to Be a Moving Target

Developing Robust Motion Detectors Does Not Have to Be a Moving Target

This article discusses some concepts for ensuring motion detector designs will be robust to external disturbances by presenting an infrared detector assembly that can significantly reduce the parts count and improve product performance and reliability. 


A Billion Dollar Bidding War for Coherent Illuminates the Need for Photonics

A Billion Dollar Bidding War for Coherent Illuminates the Need for Photonics

Coherent is stirring up a major bidding war reaching over $6.4 billion as companies clamor for the photonics leader.


News Feb 18, 2021 by Jake Hertz
New Eval Tools May Simplify E-Paper Design, the Low-Power Cousin of LCDs

New Eval Tools May Simplify E-Paper Design, the Low-Power Cousin of LCDs

As more engineering teams look to incorporate e-paper displays into their products, proper evaluation tools can help designers cut power and boost memory.


News Feb 17, 2021 by Jake Hertz
Apple Files Three Patents for Biometric Sensor-based Tech Coming Down the Pike

Apple Files Three Patents for Biometric Sensor-based Tech Coming Down the Pike

Apple appears to be moving farther into the health market with new patents targeting various metrics of health including AR/VR, glucose monitoring, and clinical sleep analysis.


News Feb 15, 2021 by Adrian Gibbons
Event-Triggered Smart Cameras Equals Major Power Savings, Says ON Semi

Event-Triggered Smart Cameras Equals Major Power Savings, Says ON Semi

ON Semiconductor’s new smart camera is a blend of many of the company's embedded devices, including sensors, cameras, and BLE connectivity.


News Feb 10, 2021 by Jake Hertz
Introduction to Photosensitive Integrated Circuits

Introduction to Photosensitive Integrated Circuits

This article continues our introductory discussion of light-sensitive components that produce higher output-current amplitude than photodiodes.


Introduction to Phototransistors

Introduction to Phototransistors

In this series of articles, we’ll explore higher-output-current alternatives to photodiodes.


New Image Sensors Find Use in Brain Imaging, Security Cameras, and Even Selfies

New Image Sensors Find Use in Brain Imaging, Security Cameras, and Even Selfies

A new crop of image sensors shows how device makers have been thinking out of the box with on-chip hardware "re-mosaic," curved image sensors, and more.


News Jan 21, 2021 by Nicholas St. John
Remembering Narinder Kapany, the “Father of Fiber Optics”

Remembering Narinder Kapany, the “Father of Fiber Optics”

Coining the term "fiber optics" in 1955, physicist Narinder S. Kapany conducted research that had resounding effects across multiple disciplines, including electrical engineering. 


News Jan 11, 2021 by Adrian Gibbons
The Glass Cockpit: The Story of Display Technologies in Space Shuttles

The Glass Cockpit: The Story of Display Technologies in Space Shuttles

In this final part of the Glass Cockpit series, we look at how displays have reached their current iteration in Space X shuttles.


Touchscreen vs. Button Interface Design: Capacitive and Resistive Touchscreens and Haptics

Touchscreen vs. Button Interface Design: Capacitive and Resistive Touchscreens and Haptics

Learn about some of the most important fundamentals for understanding how interface technologies have evolved.


Understanding the Photodiode Equivalent Circuit

Understanding the Photodiode Equivalent Circuit

This article presents a circuit model that helps us to analyze the electrical behavior of a photodiode.


Characteristics of Different Photodiode Technologies

Characteristics of Different Photodiode Technologies

Learn about the differences between silicon photodiodes and photodiodes made from other semiconductor materials.


Understanding Photovoltaic and Photoconductive Modes of Photodiode Operation

Understanding Photovoltaic and Photoconductive Modes of Photodiode Operation

In this article, we’ll look at advantages of two types of photodiode implementation.


The Physical Operation of Light-Sensitive pn Junctions

The Physical Operation of Light-Sensitive pn Junctions

In this article, we’ll delve into semiconductor physics to better understand the operation of photodiodes.