Latest Technical Articles

Why are negative-feedback amplifiers susceptible to oscillation? What is the fundamental criterion for stability? Let’s…

Why are negative-feedback amplifiers susceptible to oscillation? What is the fundamental criterion for stability? Let’s find out.

Use the Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) feature of LaunchPad to build a laser tripwire alarm. This is a great way to…

Use the Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) feature of LaunchPad to build a laser tripwire alarm. This is a great way to familiarize yourself with LaunchPad while simultaneously making something cool.

Part five of a series of articles on building a robot that can follow lines or walls and avoid obstacles!

Part five of a series of articles on building a robot that can follow lines or walls and avoid obstacles!

Programmable thermostats can save a lot of energy and money. But you don't have to buy one. You can convert an old…

Programmable thermostats can save a lot of energy and money. But you don't have to buy one. You can convert an old mechanical thermostat into a programmable thermostat using an Arduino and a servo.

In the last installment, we built the hardware to control an AC waveform with a TRIAC as the first step in a DIY solder…

In the last installment, we built the hardware to control an AC waveform with a TRIAC as the first step in a DIY solder reflow oven. This tutorial continues the project by showing you how to set up the low-level hardware to measure temperature, read the zero-cross detector, drive the TRIAC, and print to the serial terminal using a USART.

An inside look at how the 741 operational amplifier operates with LTspice simulation. We'll go over internal structure…

An inside look at how the 741 operational amplifier operates with LTspice simulation. We'll go over internal structure and differential amplifiers and continue with everything you've ever needed to know about this operational amplifier.

This article discusses power conversion topologies that can be used as alternatives to the boost converter that are less…

This article discusses power conversion topologies that can be used as alternatives to the boost converter that are less vulnerable to short circuit load conditions.

Connecting a PICAXE to the IoT through an ESP8266 module is easy once you know the process. Here are the details you need!

Connecting a PICAXE to the IoT through an ESP8266 module is easy once you know the process. Here are the details you need!

Delve into phasor concepts and transforming a circuit with circuit analysis techniques to solve a given circuit in the…

Delve into phasor concepts and transforming a circuit with circuit analysis techniques to solve a given circuit in the frequency domain.

Nothing on TV tonight? Control an Arduino with any infrared remote control, including the one you use to command your television.

Nothing on TV tonight? Control an Arduino with any infrared remote control, including the one you use to command your television.

Use negative feedback to increase your amplifier’s signal-to-noise ratio, reduce its nonlinear distortion, and improve…

Use negative feedback to increase your amplifier’s signal-to-noise ratio, reduce its nonlinear distortion, and improve its input- and output-impedance characteristics.

This article contains practical PCB layout tips that can help your PCB projects work correctly and reliably.

This article contains practical PCB layout tips that can help your PCB projects work correctly and reliably.

An overview of how the concepts of electron flow and the role of individual circuit components can be related to the flow…

An overview of how the concepts of electron flow and the role of individual circuit components can be related to the flow of fluid in pipe networks. The analogy between hydraulics and electricity is a useful tool for teaching and for those who are struggling to understand how circuits work.

Explanation of what a transmission line is, and the conditions under which it exists. Uses lumped element model to derive…

Explanation of what a transmission line is, and the conditions under which it exists. Uses lumped element model to derive differential equations and manipulates the equations to get telegraph equations. Uses solutions to telegraph equations to get characteristic impedance and propagation constant and looks at matched and unmatched load cases.

Having introduced the general negative feedback structure, we will now demonstrate that negative feedback has a…

Having introduced the general negative feedback structure, we will now demonstrate that negative feedback has a beneficial effect on two important characteristics of amplifier circuits.

Part four of a series of articles on building a robot that can follow lines or walls and avoid obstacles!

Part four of a series of articles on building a robot that can follow lines or walls and avoid obstacles!

Learn how to put together your own toaster oven controller with a handful of inexpensive, through-hole parts. The…

Learn how to put together your own toaster oven controller with a handful of inexpensive, through-hole parts. The emphasis is on safety, low price, and minimal modification of the toaster oven.

Texas Instruments' LaunchPad makes developing applications with MSP430 microcontrollers easy and fast. Learn all about it…

Texas Instruments' LaunchPad makes developing applications with MSP430 microcontrollers easy and fast. Learn all about it and create your first application.

This article, the first in a series, will introduce you to the fundamental concepts required for understanding and…

This article, the first in a series, will introduce you to the fundamental concepts required for understanding and analyzing negative feedback amplifiers.