Latest Technical Articles

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.

One of the most common analog-to-digital converters used in applications requiring a sampling rate under 10 MSPS is the…

One of the most common analog-to-digital converters used in applications requiring a sampling rate under 10 MSPS is the Successive Approximation Register ADC. This ADC is ideal for applications requiring a resolution between 8-16 bits.

In this continuing series of Building Raspberry Pi Controllers, you'll learn how to build a object detection control…

In this continuing series of Building Raspberry Pi Controllers, you'll learn how to build a object detection control circuit for operating a small DC motor using a photocell.

LabVIEW is a graphical language targeted for equipment monitoring and control. Not using statements, it is programmed…

LabVIEW is a graphical language targeted for equipment monitoring and control. Not using statements, it is programmed using graphic controls. Here's a great intro to this fantastic language.

This is a simple motion activated camera that will allow you to finally get photographic evidence of Santa Claus.

This is a simple motion activated camera that will allow you to finally get photographic evidence of Santa Claus.

For a local area network (LAN) to provide good coverage, improved antennas are often a better (and less expensive) option…

For a local area network (LAN) to provide good coverage, improved antennas are often a better (and less expensive) option than more access points. Directional antennas are sometimes the better choice, but often omnidirectional gain antennas will work well.

Impress your friends and family by learning how to implement a finite state machine in VHDL

Impress your friends and family by learning how to implement a finite state machine in VHDL

An AC-DC wall adaptor gets disassembled to see what components are used to build it, then the purpose of each component…

An AC-DC wall adaptor gets disassembled to see what components are used to build it, then the purpose of each component is analyzed.