• Arduino
• ARM
• Assembly
• Capacitors
• Circuit Design
• Enclosures
• Ethernet
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• Manufacture
• Microcontrollers
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• Resistors
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• Test
• Wireless

The OpenRelief project is building “open, modular information solutions for disaster relief”, and as part of which they're developing a range of network-enabled sensors. I offered to help out by p

• Analogue
• ARM
• Batteries
• Communication
• Cortex-M
• Development Kits - Electronics
• Display & Lighting
• Enclosures
• Mbed
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• RENESAS
• Research Phase
• RL78
• Robots
• Sensors
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Test
• Wireless

The socially responsible among us wishing to save the planet from a carbon dioxide doom should quickly move on to the next blog post now, as I have a confession to make: I own and occasionally get to

• ARM
• Batteries
• Communication
• Cortex-A
• Cortex-M
• Cortex-R
• Development Kits - Electronics
• DSP
• Enclosures
• FLASH
• Freescale
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• Memory
• Microcontrollers
• Microprocessors
• MIPS
• PIC
• PIC32
• Power
• Reliability Testing
• Research Phase
• Robots
• Test

There was a time when deciding which microprocessor to use for a new project was pretty easy: there weren’t that many to choose from. Who remembers the Intel 8080, Motorola 6800 or the CBM 6502? The

• Accelerometers
• Circuit Design
• Development Kits - Electronics
• Display & Lighting
• DRAM
• Enclosures
• FLASH
• FRAM
• Interconnect
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• Memory
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Programming
• Sensors
• Temperature Sensors
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)

There has been a lot of buzz and stories going around about the first micro to have FRAM (Ferroelectric memory). FRAM has been talk about it not only here on DesignSpark but on element14 and was comme

• Audio Applications
• Automotive Applications
• Circuit Design
• Circuit Simulation
• Communication Applications
• Consumer Applications
• Design Phase
• Development Kits - Electronics
• Industrial Applications
• Lighting Applications
• Medical Applications
• Military Applications
• Power
• Robots
• Test

Power Device Simulator is the Web Simulator provided by Panasonic.

• Circuit Design
• Mbed
• PCB
• Power
• Test

Interim Project Report submitted by team 6: Boost Converter for Solar Vehicle

• Batteries
• Display & Lighting
• DSP
• FLASH
• GSM
• Human Machine Interface
• LCD
• Microcontrollers
• MSP430
• PIC
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• Research Phase
• Solder
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• USB (Universal Serial Bus)
• Wired
• Wireless

This posts looks at how a child's toy can be reprogrammed to provide a simple spectrum analyser that may be useful when working with licence-free wireless technologies.Like so many great open source h

• Batteries
• Capacitors
• Enclosures
• Functional Test
• PIC
• Power
• Reliability Testing
• Research Phase
• Sensors
• Temperature Sensors
• Test
• Trial & Evaluation
• Wireless

Over ten years ago Energy harvesting was known only to a small group of research engineers. but if you google it today you will find nearly two million hits and there is now a diverse range of energy-

• ARM
• Circuit Design
• Communication
• Functional Test
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• Memory
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Research Phase
• Safety Testing
• Test

Texas Instruments have recently launched a new range of ARM-core microcontrollers called Hercules. They contain redundant circuits to detect and deal with faults when used in safety-critical applications. Specifically, two Cortex R4F cores run a common program in lockstep and a comparator unit makes sure they produce the same outputs.

• Analogue
• Communication
• Communication Applications
• Consumer Applications
• Development Kits - Electronics
• DSP
• FPGA
• GSM
• Raspberry Pi
• Test
• Wireless

With a 300MHz to 3.8GHZ range, 40MHz bandwidth, USB 3.0 interface and priced at only $400, it's hardly surprising bladeRF reached its $100,000 Kickstarter goal in under 8 days.

• Arduino
• Buzzers & Sounders
• Circuit Design
• Display & Lighting
• DSP
• Human Machine Interface
• LASER
• LCD
• Manufacture
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Test

Last month Nat Morris built a Twitter-controlled feeder for his dog, Toby. In the first five days of this being online it was being used by a group consisting of friends and family. But after national

• Accelerometers
• Communication
• Development Kits - Electronics
• Microcontrollers
• MSP430
• PIC
• Power
• Pressure Sensors
• Raspberry Pi
• Sensors
• SERIAL
• Test
• Wireless
• x86

The eZ430 Chronos development kit from Texas Instruments represents great value for money and provides a wristwatch with a wireless-enabled microcontroller, accelerometers and temperature...

• Analogue
• Capacitors
• Circuit Design
• Communication
• Display & Lighting
• DSP
• dsPIC
• EEPROM
• Ethernet
• FLASH
• Functional Test
• GAL
• Human Machine Interface
• Interconnect
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• Memory
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• PIC24
• PIC32
• Power
• Programming
• Research Phase
• Resistors
• RS232
• RX
• SERIAL
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Solder
• Test
• Trial & Evaluation

An Internet connection would be a valuable addition to many projects, but often designers are put off by the complexities involved. The ‘NetWorker’, which consists of a small printed circuit board

• ARM
• Circuit Design
• Enclosures
• Human Machine Interface
• Manufacture
• PIC
• Power
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Solder
• Switches
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• Thermal Management

ebm-papst are well known as Europe’s largest fan manufacturer but what you may not know is that the UK facility is engaged in the development of controllers that complement the fan range. When I set

• 720
• ARM
• Batteries
• Display & Lighting
• Enclosures
• FLASH
• PIC
• Power
• Sensors
• Test
• WiFi

If you're really interested, the full keynote speech by Steve Jobs at WWDC 2010 can be found on the Apple website:http://apple.comFor everyone else, I'm just going to list the key points:

• Analogue
• Circuit Design
• Development Kits - Electronics
• Display & Lighting
• EEPROM
• FLASH
• Human Machine Interface
• Mbed
• Memory
• PIC
• Power
• Programming
• Research Phase
• RS232
• Sensors
• SERIAL
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Solder
• SRAM
• Test
• Trial & Evaluation
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)
• Wireless

The GA144 from GreenArrays is a highly novel 144 core processor that combines high performance with low power consumption. This post covers initial experiences with breadboarding the GA144 and using t

• Circuit Design
• Circuit Simulation
• Design Phase
• Designspark PCB
• Human Machine Interface
• Interconnect
• Manufacture
• PCB
• PIC
• Power
• Programming
• Research Phase
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• Standards
• Test

RS’ free of charge IDf-to-Collada converter allows EDA tools to connect with the popular Google SketchUp 3D Modelling package. Ever had a design that did not quite fit the mould? You have laid out t

• Capacitors
• Circuit Design
• Communication
• Display & Lighting
• Ethernet
• Functional Test
• Human Machine Interface
• Interconnect
• LCD
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Resistors
• Test

As the title suggests, this post is all about the creation of a multipurpose display board, powered by an mbed. The display board has exposes many of the GPIO functions of mbed and so can be used for

• Development Kits - Electronics
• DSP
• dsPIC
• Enclosures
• Interconnect
• Mbed
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• PIC24
• PIC32
• Power
• Programming
• SERIAL
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)

For some time now we have had the Microchip Microstick that I reviewed back in December 2010. Its a great little product and one I have used in anger over and over again when trying out new ideas. The

• 740
• Accelerometers
• Circuit Design
• Development Kits - Electronics
• Display & Lighting
• DRAM
• EEPROM
• Enclosures
• FLASH
• FPGA
• Human Machine Interface
• Mbed
• PIC
• Power
• Programming
• Switches
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)
• VHDL

When it come to most Dev Kits people can normally find one that fits their needs. However when entering the world for FPGA’s people are always asking which kit to buy. Why? Well they have always

• ARM
• Circuit Design
• Development Kits - Electronics
• FPGA
• FRAM
• Manufacture
• Microcontrollers
• PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)
• PIC
• PLD
• Power
• Programmable Logic
• Programming
• Research Phase
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Test
• Trial & Evaluation
• Verilog
• VHDL

BLOG UPDATED-!VHDL or “very-high-speed integrated circuits hardware description language” must have one of the longest names going in the world or electronics, however as suggested it’s a langua

• DesignSpark Updates
• Green/Environmental Applications
• Manufacture
• Power
• Test

Hardware test for DC DC interleaved boost converter Hardware test for Monolithic interleaved boost converter with MPPT: -Hardware model: ST microelectronics, ISV008V1, (complementary 3 X SPV 1020) -Use DC power supply and photovoltaic cell 2V to 28V input voltage -Value and waveform of V, I, P, I ripple will be recorded by CRO.

• DesignSpark Updates
• Green/Environmental Applications
• Manufacture
• Power
• Test

Hardware test for DC DC interleaved boost converter Hardware test for Monolithic interleaved boost converter with MPPT: -Hardware model: ST microelectronics, ISV008V1, (complementary 3 X SPV 1020) -Use DC power supply and photovoltaic cell 2V to 28V input voltage -Value and waveform of V, I, P, I ripple will be recorded by CRO.

• 802.15.4
• Analogue
• ARM
• Batteries
• Communication
• Development Kits - Electronics
• Display & Lighting
• Electronics Legislation
• Ethernet
• Mbed
• Microcontrollers
• MiWi
• PIC
• Power
• Research Phase
• Test
• Trial & Evaluation
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)
• WiFi
• Zigbee

RS hosts Microchip seminars.

• Capacitors
• Circuit Design
• Interconnect
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Resistors
• Test
• Trial & Evaluation

An electronics or embedded engineer should not limit themselves to writing firmware. Having thorough knowledge on hardware empowers the designer to understand what is happening and take the right path

• Arduino
• Circuit Design
• Development Kits - Electronics
• Display & Lighting
• Enclosures
• Ethernet
• FLASH
• Interconnect
• Mbed
• PIC
• Power
• Programming
• Research Phase
• Resistors
• Sensors
• SERIAL
• Temperature Sensors
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)

A few weeks back I a received the mbed dev kit from RS (Part No.703-9238), but it was only today that I got a gap in my work schedule to play with it.

• Arduino
• ARM
• Capacitors
• Display & Lighting
• Enclosures
• Ethernet
• Interconnect
• Manufacture
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Research Phase
• RS232
• RX
• SERIAL
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)

So, connectivity... Where would we be without it? Well, obviously some place else. But as luck would have it, we are able to communicate and we can communicate with our ICs. In fact we're having loa

• Display & Lighting
• Enclosures
• Human Machine Interface
• Image Sensors
• Logistics
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• PIC
• Power
• Research Phase
• Sensors
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Test
• Wireless

Watching us, watching them

• 740
• Arduino
• Circuit Design
• Communication
• Development Kits - Electronics
• Display & Lighting
• Interconnect
• Mbed
• PIC
• Power
• Robots
• SERIAL
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)
• Wireless

I seen a few reviews now of devices like the Xbee and they never seem very exciting. So this is the first of a number of posts I'll be writing were you see me using the product. So let get started and

• 802.15.4
• Bluetooth
• Communication
• Freescale
• Manufacture
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Sensors
• Standards
• Test
• WiFi
• Wireless
• Zigbee

Wireless Personal Area Networks: Zigbee or IEEE 802.15.4? Certification, Standards and Alliances.

• Development Kits - Electronics
• Enclosures
• FPGA
• Functional Test
• Human Machine Interface
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• Memory
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Research Phase
• Test
• Trial & Evaluation

Roughly ten years ago, the embedded world was a simpler place (or at least it seemed to be), and the development kit off ered an excellent starting point for an embedded design project. Like the prove

• Analogue
• Arduino
• Communication
• Designspark PCB
• Display & Lighting
• FLASH
• GAL
• LASER
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Research Phase
• Safety Testing
• Solder
• Standards
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)

Developments in recent years suggest that we may be on the cusp of an engineering renaissance. Significant advances are being made in key areas such as tools, technology, principles and methodologies,

• Analogue
• Circuit Design
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Resistors
• Test

Modern applications require quite a bit of analog and digital capabilities. Most of the medium level systems now employ microcontrollers, ADCs and DACs. For  a normal design engineer, the practic

• Circuit Design
• Development Kits - Electronics
• DSP
• dsPIC
• Human Machine Interface
• Manufacture
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• PIC24
• Power
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)

At ebm-papst are well known as a fan manufacture so I was keen to see the latest development kit from Microchip, the Motor Control Starter kit. So I was interested to see how easy it is to setup and u

• Analogue
• ARM
• Capacitors
• Circuit Design
• Communication
• Cortex-M
• DSP
• FLASH
• Functional Test
• Human Machine Interface
• Interconnect
• LCD
• Mbed
• Memory
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Programming
• Research Phase
• Resistors
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Test
• Trial & Evaluation

There are different ways for a system to interact with the real world. Starting with the use of a simple LED that describes the state of a process and going all the way down to complicated graphic LCD

• Communication
• Display & Lighting
• Enclosures
• Fibre Optic Connectors
• PIC
• Power
• Test
• WiFi
• Wired
• Wireless

I love living in the English countryside, but I can’t help thinking I’m stuck in the dark ages when it comes to Internet connectivity speed. Our house is in a small village in Oxfordshir

• ARM
• AVR
• Batteries
• Bluetooth
• Buzzers & Sounders
• Communication
• Cortex-A
• Display & Lighting
• Enclosures
• FLASH
• Interconnect
• LCD
• Mbed
• PIC
• Power
• Programming
• Robots
• Sensors
• Solder
• Switches
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)

When is electronics exciting? Well most of the time people outside this world of electronics don't see flashing LEDs very exciting unless its on a tree at Christmas. However if you put some wheels on

• Bluetooth
• Communication
• Display & Lighting
• Enclosures
• Functional Test
• GPS
• Human Machine Interface
• LCD
• Mbed
• PIC
• Power
• Research Phase
• Safety Testing
• Test
• Trial & Evaluation
• Wireless

There is a lot of focus these days on safety in vehicles, particularly associated with distracting electronic gadgets, installed in the drivers view. It could easily be argued that adding a computer s

• Arduino
• Batteries
• Beagle
• Communication
• DSP
• FRAM
• Functional Test
• GPS
• Manufacture
• PIC
• Power
• Programming
• Research Phase
• Robots
• Sensors
• Test
• Wireless

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology is becoming increasingly affordable, and when combined with low cost wireless sensor networks and computer vision opens up exciting possibilities for use in di

• Circuit Design
• Mbed
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Test

So in 1975 the Apollo missions ended, and now this week NASA’s Space Shuttle program ended.   Compared to today’s available technology, it’s surprising the Apollo program ever left the

• Batteries
• Communication
• Display & Lighting
• DSP
• dsPIC
• Ethernet
• GPS
• Human Machine Interface
• Mbed
• Memory
• MiWi
• PIC
• PIC24
• Power
• Scientific Applications
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)
• Wired
• Wireless
• Zigbee

Yesterday, anyone following me on Twitter will have seen that I attended the 2010 Microchip EDF (Embedded Design Forum) at RS Components in Corby. As an engineer it’s important for me and my employe

• ARM
• Cortex-M
• Freescale
• Functional Test
• H8
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• Memory
• Microcontrollers
• Microprocessors
• MIPS
• PIC
• Power
• RENESAS
• Safety Testing
• SuperH
• Test
• Wireless

This is an extract from an article in the latest eTech MagazineThe general-purpose microcontroller, or MCU, is now a commodity product. Perhaps this is an overstatement. But in one sense, at least, it

• Beagle
• Capacitors
• Display & Lighting
• Ethernet
• FLASH
• Human Machine Interface
• MIPS
• PIC
• Power
• Programming
• Raspberry Pi
• RX
• SERIAL
• Solder
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)
• Wired
• Wireless

The TL-WR703N is a 3G travel router that has become a hit with the hacking community due its low cost, compact size and the ease at which it can be re-purposed. This post covers initial experiences wi

• Communication
• FRAM
• GSM
• PIC
• Power
• Scientific Applications
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)
• Wireless

Software-defined radio (SDR) holds incredible promise for the future of communications: from reducing the bill of materials and enabling software upgrade of equipment, to cognitive radio systems that

• Enclosures
• PCB Drilling
• PIC
• Power
• Test

Today marks the release of DesignSpark PCB version 2.0. The latest iteration of the world's most powerful free schematic and PCB layout tool. One particularly cool feature is the 3D output but what to

• Arduino
• ARM
• Assembly
• Bluetooth
• Communication
• Enclosures
• Functional Test
• Mbed
• PIC
• Power
• Programming
• Raspberry Pi
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Test

Dr Jeremy Bennett is Chief Executive of Embecosm, a provider of embedded development tools and services, and is former Champion for Embedded Systems at the Technology Strategy Board's ESP Knowledge Tr

• Display & Lighting
• DSP
• Ethernet
• Human Machine Interface
• LCD
• Manufacture
• Mbed
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Powerline
• Switches
• Test
• USB (Universal Serial Bus)

Power over Ethernet started out as a proprietary technology developed by network equipment vendors such as Cisco, to deliver power to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phones without using separate

• Batteries
• Capacitors
• Circuit Design
• FPGA
• LASER
• Manufacture
• PCB Etching
• PIC
• Research Phase
• Resistors
• Test

A 600 um long “Nyan Cat” etched into 200nm thick copper film (HomeCMOS project, New BSD License)First we had software where the source code is made freely available to all. Then came open source h

• Accelerometers
• Communication
• Microcontrollers
• PIC
• Power
• Robots
• Serial Peripheral Interface
• Switches
• Test

After my last post on the Fukushima power plant and the use of robots to reconnoitre the damaged reactor buildings, I thought about what might make an 'ideal' robot for the task. The second video in t

• Development Kits - Electronics
• Display & Lighting
• GAL
• Manufacture
• PIC
• Power
• Test
• Wireless

…None. They are all too busy trying to design the perfect LED lighting application!”…It seems to me that LED lighting applications (Light Emitting Diodes) are popping up everywhere, from handhel