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Why Comparing Low-Power MCUs Can Be So Difficult

When vendors have different names for power modes of low-power MCUs, it can be confusing to compare options for battery-powered IoT designs.

October 05, 2020 by Jake Hertz

Active Rectifier Circuits: Convert Alternating Current to Direct Current

In this video we will discuss the active rectifier, which is an op-amp-based circuit that uses a normal diode in conjunction with negative feedback to rectify signals without generating a significant amplitude difference between the input voltage and the rectified output voltage.

October 04, 2020 by Robert Keim

Fabric-Based Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Relies on Hot Pressing and Tape Casting

Engineers in South Korea have developed a process that could lead to the realization of embedded wearable electronics.

October 03, 2020 by Luke James

SILICON LABORATORIES EFP01 Energy Friendly PMICs | New Product Brief

This New Product Brief (NPB) is part of a video series highlighting the features, applications, and technical specs of newly-released products.

October 02, 2020 by Mouser Electronics

NXP Pushes 5G With New Arizona Fab Focused on GaN Power Amplifiers

NXP Semiconductors has announced the opening of its new high-volume RF GaN fab in Chandler, Arizona, representing the United States’ most advanced fab dedicated to 5G RF power amplifiers.

October 02, 2020 by Luke James

What is DrMOS—the IC Powering Next-Gen Processors?

Integrated powertrain devices go back at least as far as 2004 when Intel wrote the specification for DrMOS, a high-efficiency high-current IC for powering next-gen processors.

September 30, 2020 by Adrian Gibbons

Where Do Lithium-Ion Batteries Stand in 2020?

Some of the leading players in Li-ion battery development—like Tesla—along with research universities are making notable strides in this energy-efficient technology.

September 28, 2020 by Tyler Charboneau

Transimpedance Amplifier: Op-Amp-Based Current-to-Voltage Signal Converter

In this video we’ll study an op-amp-based current-to-voltage converter. This widely used circuit is a simple and effective means of converting the output of a current source into a typical voltage signal.

September 27, 2020 by Robert Keim

What are the Challenges of Electric Heavy-Duty Vehicles?

With bigger vehicles come bigger problems with electrification.

September 25, 2020 by Steve Arar

Samsung’s Claim of “World’s Smallest Power Inductor” Has Big Design Implications

This month, Samsung released news of the "world’s smallest power inductor." What does this miniaturization mean for electronic design, even at a theoretical level?

September 24, 2020 by Jake Hertz

Understanding the Six Power Modes for Maximum Efficiency on NXP’s LPC55S69 MCU 

This article explores the power rails and power modes of the LPC55S69 and investigates how the modes affect the MCU in various applications.

September 24, 2020 by Mark Dunnett, on Behalf of NXP

Applications of the Op-Amp: Voltage Follower Circuit

In this video, we’ll be exploring the voltage follower, which is a good example of an op-amp circuit that is simple yet very useful.

September 20, 2020 by Robert Keim

For Wearables, Inkjet-Printed Solar Cells Can Be an Ultra-Thin Power Source

The printed solar cells are so light, thin, and flexible that they can rest on a bubble.

September 17, 2020 by Luke James

Designing Microelectronics Using Fusion 360

This article dives into how Fusion 360 can be used to produce smarter microelectronics.

September 17, 2020 by Sam Sattel, Autodesk

Determining Which PoE Transformer Is Best: Flyback or Forward?

With IoT on the rise, engineers are increasingly faced with options of transformer topologies in Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)-based designs.

September 15, 2020 by Antonio Anzaldua Jr.

Photorelays: A More Power- and Size-Efficient Alternative to Conventional Relays?

Photorelays are gaining traction. In many cases, these devices outpace their mechanical counterparts in terms of size and power efficiency.

September 14, 2020 by Jake Hertz

Common Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp) Applications

In this video, we’ll look at some circuits that represent common op-amp applications. We’ll start with the voltage follower, then we’ll move on to an inverting amplifier, an active filter, and a current-to-voltage converter.

September 13, 2020 by Robert Keim

Engineers Create Low-Power Collision Detector Inspired by Locusts

Engineers say they’re creating a low-power collision detector that mimics the way locusts avoid one another when flying in swarms.

September 09, 2020 by Luke James

A New Low-Power GNSS Solution Creates More Precise Indoor Positioning

Synopsys and Nestwave are combining hardware IP and algorithms to give GNSS receivers in battery-operated IoT devices extra nap time.

September 08, 2020 by Adrian Gibbons

Layered Nickelates and Rare Earth Elements Could Beat Silicon in Energy Efficiency

A joint research team based at the University of Geneva has successfully controlled the properties of artificial electronic structures, dramatically improving energy efficiency.

September 08, 2020 by Luke James