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Clock Signals in FPGA Design: Data Path Maximal Clock Rates and the Xilinx PERIOD Timing Constraint

Clock Signals in FPGA Design: Data Path Maximal Clock Rates and the Xilinx PERIOD Timing Constraint

This article will discuss the Xilinx Period timing constraint that allows us to describe the characteristics of the clock signal that will be used with an FPGA design.


Intro Software Walkthrough: Fast Fourier Transforms and the Xilinx FFT IP Core

Intro Software Walkthrough: Fast Fourier Transforms and the Xilinx FFT IP Core

This article will explain some of the most important settings and design parameters for the Xilinx FFT IP core and function as a basic walkthrough of the Fast Fourier Transform interface.


How to Process I/Q Signals in a Software-Defined RF Receiver

How to Process I/Q Signals in a Software-Defined RF Receiver

This article discusses the mathematical significance of I/Q signals and presents the final steps in the DSP algorithm for decoding frequency-shift-keying baseband signals.


Protect Your Personal Castle With the Gentleman Maker’s Photon Trebuchet

Protect Your Personal Castle With the Gentleman Maker’s Photon Trebuchet

In this Gentleman Maker project, we will use Particle Photon boards to power a motion-sensing trebuchet that can fend off all your mischievous intruders.


Projects Sep 27, 2018 by Robin Mitchell
Digital Signal Processing in Scilab: How to Decode an FSK Signal

Digital Signal Processing in Scilab: How to Decode an FSK Signal

Learn about a DSP technique that extracts the original digital data from a demodulated frequency-shift-keying baseband signal.


Clock Signal Management: Clock Resources of FPGAs

Clock Signal Management: Clock Resources of FPGAs

This article will review the common FPGA resources that allow us to efficiently generate and distribute clock signals throughout a system.


How to Design a Super Simple Sensor System for Industrial Monitoring Applications

How to Design a Super Simple Sensor System for Industrial Monitoring Applications

This article describes an Ethernet-connected subsystem of a larger modular sensor system designed for industrial or smart home sensing and monitoring. We will discuss a custom sensor subsystem developed for this application.


Projects Sep 12, 2018 by Mark Hughes
The I2C Bus: When to Use an I2C Buffer

The I2C Bus: When to Use an I2C Buffer

This article discusses the use-cases, benefits, and applications of using an I2C buffer.


The Electrical Engineer’s Guide to Instruction Set Architectures (ISAs)

The Electrical Engineer’s Guide to Instruction Set Architectures (ISAs)

This article explores some important details related to the design and functionality of processors.


What Is an FPGA? An Introduction to Programmable Logic

What Is an FPGA? An Introduction to Programmable Logic

Learn about a hardware-based approach to performing calculations, routing digital signals, and controlling embedded systems using programmable logic and FPGAs.


Protect Your Summer Harvest with the Gentleman Maker’s Raspberry Pi and Arduino Dog Corrector

Protect Your Summer Harvest with the Gentleman Maker’s Raspberry Pi and Arduino Dog Corrector

In this episode of the Gentleman Maker, we're using a Raspberry Pi and an Arduino Uno to stave off the onslaught of dogs trying to eat every single plant in our garden.


Projects Aug 09, 2018 by Robin Mitchell
What Is Embedded System Design? Defining an Electrical Engineering Field

What Is Embedded System Design? Defining an Electrical Engineering Field

Could you concisely define "embedded system design" off the top of your head? This article looks at the essential characteristics of an increasingly prominent specialization within the field of electrical engineering.


Considerations for Adding Reset Capability to an FPGA Design

Considerations for Adding Reset Capability to an FPGA Design

This article will look at some of the consequences of adding a reset input to an FPGA design.


How To Control a DC Motor with an Arduino

How To Control a DC Motor with an Arduino

By connecting an L298 bridge IC to an Arduino, you can control a DC motor.


Projects Jul 07, 2018 by Tim Youngblood
Feeling Flashy? Tone It Down with the Gentleman Maker’s Raspberry Pi Colorboringizer

Feeling Flashy? Tone It Down with the Gentleman Maker’s Raspberry Pi Colorboringizer

In this episode of the Gentleman Maker, we'll use a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, an Arduino Nano, and an Arduino Uno to create a handy system to rid ourselves of overly-colorful fashion choices.


Projects Jul 05, 2018 by Robin Mitchell
I2C Design Mathematics: Capacitance and Resistance

I2C Design Mathematics: Capacitance and Resistance

This article looks at the mathematical calculations used to size the pull-up resistors and determine the maximum length of circuit traces.


Take a Gander at Wildlife with Your Raspberry Pi: The Gentleman Maker’s Life-Cam!

Take a Gander at Wildlife with Your Raspberry Pi: The Gentleman Maker’s Life-Cam!

In this project, we’re using an Arduino Uno and a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B to create an automatic wildlife camera. And, as an added bonus, this camera works at night. Make one of your own to snap photos of local birds, parading pups, or sneaky humans.


Projects Jun 15, 2018 by Robin Mitchell
PCB Layout for a Photovoltaic Power Supply for Microcontroller Circuits

PCB Layout for a Photovoltaic Power Supply for Microcontroller Circuits

This article discusses the PCB layout for a power-supply circuit that generates a regulated 3.3 V rail from a small solar cell.


Schematic Design for a Solar-Powered Charge-Pump Power Supply Circuit

Schematic Design for a Solar-Powered Charge-Pump Power Supply Circuit

This article discusses a 3.3 V power-supply circuit that is built around an inductorless DC/DC converter and a solar cell.


Basics of Digital Down-Conversion in DSP

Basics of Digital Down-Conversion in DSP

This article discusses digital down-conversion which is a digital-signal-processing technique widely used in digital radio receivers.