Latest Consumer Electronics Technical Articles

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Modern Motor Drivers Enable a Common Platform for Power Tool Designs

With so many power tool options, designing for compatibility can be a struggle. Learn more about this challenge leveraging metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).

March 31, 2022 by Charles Keefer, Allegro MicroSystems

Understanding Side Channel Attack Basics

Learn the basics of side channel attacks (SCAs), the threat they pose security for hardware-level security, and why they can be so powerful.

March 27, 2022 by Jake Hertz

Developing Game Accessories: The Design Challenges and Choosing an MCU

In this article, learn some of the design challenges facing game accessory development and considerations for selecting microcontroller units (MCUs) for game accessory designs.

March 17, 2022 by Andy Lin, NXP Semiconductors

Harmonic Current in Power Supplies and IEC 61000-3-2

In this article, we'll take a look at the harmonic current in switched-mode power supplies and how power factor comes into play.

December 22, 2021 by Ron Stull, CUI

Understanding and Addressing 5 Key Power Supply Issues

This article will take a deeper look at five key power supply problems, how to know when they arise, and the best ways to address or mitigate them.

November 05, 2021 by Ron Stull, CUI

Understanding the Safety Standards for Smart Appliances

Which IEC power standards should you be familiar with when designing smart appliances? This article breaks down smart household device classification and power requirements for their design.

August 05, 2021 by Ron Stull, CUI

Driving Motors in Battery-powered IoT Systems

Learn motor driver design techniques to help extend battery life in battery-powered motor systems.

July 29, 2021 by James Lockridge, Texas Instruments

Hall Effect Magnetic Design: Head-on and Slide-by Configurations

Learn about how the Hall effect is used in position sensing applications.

July 04, 2021 by Dr. Steve Arar

Laser Diodes Enable Motion Sensing and Light-Based Distance Measurements (LiDAR)

In this article, ROHM will discuss the role of laser diodes in motion sensing and LiDAR, as well as their properties and limitations.

May 06, 2021 by ROHM Semiconductor

Four Lessons an Adult Engineer Can Learn From Children’s Toys

Children’s toys aren’t just for children. Inside every toy, there are hundreds of hours of engineering experience just waiting to be discovered.

March 24, 2021 by Mark Hughes

What Is a Magnetometer?

Learn the basics of magnetometers, including their relation to hysteresis curves and their applications.

March 19, 2021 by Ignacio de Mendizábal

The Dominos Are Falling for the Automotive Semiconductor Shortage

Michael Knight, president of TSG, offers a look into how the semiconductor shortage for automotive production is a multifaceted issue years in the making.

March 04, 2021 by Michael Knight, TTI Semiconductor Group

Designing Safety and Reliability into Intelligent Power Outlets for Smart Homes

This article provides designers with recommendations for protection and low-power control components for power outlet design that both prevent overloads from damaging sensitive circuitry and maximize device efficiency.

January 26, 2021 by Ryan Sheahen, Littelfuse

Introduction to Photodiodes: The Nature of Light and pn Junctions

Learn about how semiconductor devices interact with electromagnetic radiation to enable electronic detection of light, UV, and infrared.

December 16, 2020 by Robert Keim

The History of Vacuum Tubes: An Era Away

While semiconductor devices make possible the lightweight 'gadgets' we enjoy, our electronic world was built on devices that operated on a different scale. Let's take a look at vacuum tubes!

December 11, 2020 by Marie Christiano

Improving Home Appliance Safety with IEC Standards

This article explores the IEC 60730 Class B standard for functional safety to address both mechanical and electrical design in appliances. Learn what the standard entails and controllers to help meet these standards.

December 01, 2020 by Chad Solomon, Microchip Technology

Introduction to CMOS Image Sensors

In this article, you'll learn the basics of the CMOS image sensor, including its core components, its block diagram, its strengths and weaknesses, and its applications.

November 09, 2020 by Dr. Steve Arar

A Low-Cost Method of Powering a Microcontroller

This article proposes a simple microcontroller power-supply circuit that is worth considering when you’re developing a (very) cost-sensitive system.

October 30, 2020 by Robert Keim

Machine Learning and Intelligent Vision for the Industrial Edge

NXP’s i.MX 8M Plus applications processor enables machine learning and intelligent vision for consumer applications and the industrial edge. Learn about the features of this processor and how it can be used in embedded vision systems.

October 22, 2020 by Jeff Steinheider, NXP Semiconductors

Finding Statistical Significance from t-Tests Applied to Engineered Systems

This article discusses important aspects of t-testing with the help of the example experiment presented in the previous article.

October 14, 2020 by Robert Keim