Latest Technical Articles

Tips and techniques for incorporating EFM8 microcontrollers into your custom hardware.

Tips and techniques for incorporating EFM8 microcontrollers into your custom hardware.

Typically, getting started with a PLC can be a costly endeavor, but this project will show how to get started with them…

Typically, getting started with a PLC can be a costly endeavor, but this project will show how to get started with them on a small budget!

Learn how to measure distances up to 20 ft with a sonar sensor on an Arduino!

Learn how to measure distances up to 20 ft with a sonar sensor on an Arduino!

Use data from an RGB sensor to improve the accuracy of illuminance measurements.

Use data from an RGB sensor to improve the accuracy of illuminance measurements.

Whether for cooking or reflow soldering, a thermocouple is often the best choice for a high temperature sensor. The…

Whether for cooking or reflow soldering, a thermocouple is often the best choice for a high temperature sensor. The MAX31855, a PICAXE-08M2, a serial LCD, and a few lines of code will do the trick.

Learn how to translate the output of a photosensor into an illuminance measurement.

Learn how to translate the output of a photosensor into an illuminance measurement.

Build an LED chaser with a little twist: we'll be using a microcontroller and an LCD along with the usual 4017 counters.

Build an LED chaser with a little twist: we'll be using a microcontroller and an LCD along with the usual 4017 counters.

Galvanic isolation is a way to isolate functional sections of electrical systems to prevent current flow. A brief…

Galvanic isolation is a way to isolate functional sections of electrical systems to prevent current flow. A brief explanation of differing methods to create galvanic isolation.

A practical introduction to quantifying perceived light intensity.

A practical introduction to quantifying perceived light intensity.

To simplify Boolean functions (or switching functions), one might use the Karnaugh map method when there are not that…

To simplify Boolean functions (or switching functions), one might use the Karnaugh map method when there are not that many variables used. However, if a greater amount of variables are used or if several Boolean functions need simplification, using a computer is ideal. The Quine-McCluskey procedure presents a systematic approach that can easily be programmed into a computer for digital simplification.

Firmware architecture and example code for an I2C interface based on the Silicon Labs SMBus peripheral.

Firmware architecture and example code for an I2C interface based on the Silicon Labs SMBus peripheral.

Gray Codes are used in encoders, altimeters, and Karnaugh maps due to their error detection and unit-distant properties.

Gray Codes are used in encoders, altimeters, and Karnaugh maps due to their error detection and unit-distant properties.

The Particle Photon is a powerful little board with the ability to easily connect objects to the internet. This series of…

The Particle Photon is a powerful little board with the ability to easily connect objects to the internet. This series of articles will be enough to get you up and running with the Particle Photon.

Learn all about Akerberg-Mossberg Filters and how to plot the frequency response using MATLAB.

Learn all about Akerberg-Mossberg Filters and how to plot the frequency response using MATLAB.

Learn about Fourier series coefficients.

Learn about Fourier series coefficients.

Learn how to design an I2C interface using the Silicon Labs SMBus peripheral.

Learn how to design an I2C interface using the Silicon Labs SMBus peripheral.

x86 processor architecture is coded in a language known as Assembly. Assembly language is a great tool for learning how a…

x86 processor architecture is coded in a language known as Assembly. Assembly language is a great tool for learning how a computer works, and it requires a working knowledge of computer hardware. This article will detail basic microcoputer design, instruction execution cycles, how memory is read, and how programs run.

Understand the I2C protocol in the context of firmware design and make your projects seamless.

Understand the I2C protocol in the context of firmware design and make your projects seamless.

An FPGA is a crucial tool for many DSP and embedded systems engineers. However, the learning curve when getting started…

An FPGA is a crucial tool for many DSP and embedded systems engineers. However, the learning curve when getting started can be fairly steep. This project introduces the Quartus II and ModelSim software suites as well as a background on FPGA design flow for system on chip development. The development board used was a Terasic DE1-SoC, which has the Altera Cyclone V SoC chip. This IC contains an FPGA and an integrated ARM Cortex A9 as a hard processor system.