Blog

Monarch Go Starter Kit: access to all UARTs

Jan Cumps

I've reviewed the Monarch Go LTE/4G modem for a road test. For that exercise, the modem was mounted on an Arduino-style shield. And there was a complete software example.In this post, I am checking the lower levels of the modem. How to directly talk ...
- 25 Jul 2021
This 100-qubit processor was developed with atoms cooled down to microkelvin

Catwell

ColdQuanta’s 100-quantum processor, named Hilbert, is set to launch later this year. (Image Credit: ColdQuanta) Quantum computing is fascinating. Some have said they will bring us into a tech revolution of some sort. I’d like to see more practic...
- 14 Jul 2021
Physicists discovered superconductivity exists in trilayer graphene

Catwell

Recently, physicists discovered superconductivity in graphene. (Image Credit: CoolVid-Shows/Pixabay) In 2018, physicists made a unique discovery: stacking two carbon sheets with a small, 1.1-degree twist between them causes the material to behav...
- 30 Jun 2021
Applied Materials achieve a chip wiring breakthrough that could lead to 3nm chips

Catwell

Applied Materials’ new solution involves combining seven process technologies in one system under a high vacuum. This improves chip performance and power consumption. (Image Credit: Applied Material) Recently, Applied Materials announced it achi...
- 17 Jun 2021
IoT devices need to rely less on a battery

Catwell

Wiliot’s sticker-mounted transmitter powers devices by collecting radio waves instead of relying on a battery. (Image Credit: Wiliot) The Internet of Things is constantly expanding with more connected devices. However, more connected longevity c...
- 11 Jun 2021
Making USB 3.0 Play Nice with WiFi on Ultra96-V2

narrucmot

USB 3.0 and WiFi and Interference, Oh My!We have seen comments and questions in the Ultra96 Hardware Design Forum here on Element14 about how WiFi performance on the Ultra96-V2 is affected if the adjacent USB 3.0 interface is also used simultaneously...
- 7 Jun 2021
For the first time, engineers demonstrate two-qubit quantum computing capabilities

Catwell

Intel and QuTech utilized the Horse Ridge chip to demonstrate two-qubit quantum computing capabilities. The researchers say it could pave the way toward silicon-based quantum computing. (Image Credit: Marieke de Lorijn) Engineers from QuTech in ...
- 1 Jun 2021
Researchers develop Foamin, a foam gesture detection sensor

Catwell

Foamin, which consists of a single wire connected to a piece of foam and a microcontroller, detects multiple deformations or touch inputs. (Image Credit: University of Tokyo) Tactile sensors provide robots with enhanced movement or improve...
- 27 May 2021
IBM developed the world's first 2-nanometer chip

Catwell

A 2 nm wafer was developed at IBM Research's Albany facility. There are hundreds of chips on this wafer. (Image Credit: IBM) The semiconductor industry has been striving to produce smaller, faster, more powerful, and energy-efficient microch...
- 18 May 2021
Why is standardized data so important in embedded systems?

jlangbridge

A 193,1 million USD loss because of a bad conversionDecember 11th, 1998. The Mars Climate Orbiter blasts off, starting its voyage of over 200 million kilometers to Mars. Its mission was to orbit and survey the red planet, looking at both the atmosphe...
- 13 May 2021
when a mod goes wrong - failed attempt to add an external antenna

Jan Cumps

Modifications don't always go right. Yesterday morning I tried to replace the PCB WiFi / BT antenna on a Avnet SmartEdge with an external one. I had to place a fitting connector on a footprint and turn a resistor 90° to route the signal to it. &...
- 25 Apr 2021
Fan Controller with Raspberry Pi and Pmods

alexwonglik1

In this project, we use Digilent Pmods and Raspberry Pi 4 to measure the temperature, control the speed of a DC motor, display data, and control the device. Digilent Pmod HAT is used to connect Pmods to Raspberry Pi 4. The motor controll...
- 21 Apr 2021
TinyML combines machine and deep learning models on tiny hardware

Catwell

The Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense. (Image Credit: Arduino) Developing machine learning (ML) algorithms for hardware involves complex mathematical models based on training data. Using this approach enabled it to make predictions without being program...
- 12 Apr 2021
AWS IoT: convert a character array into JSON in a MQTT Rule

Jan Cumps

This is a little side note, related to the project Arduino Day Workshop: NanoDrone II: AI and Computer Vision with LoRa (Win a PSoC6 and a Pair of MKR 1300 Boards!).In this project, 4 attributes are sent to Amazon Web Services, via MQTT.We get the da...
- 6 Apr 2021
PSoC 6 and ModusToolbox: UART receiver with FreeRTOS - Deep Sleep support

Jan Cumps

The steps to integrate incoming UART data with FreeRTOS on a PSoC 6.Part 2: now with low power support. image source: Infineon application note AN219528 PSoC 6 MCU Low-Power Modes and Power Reduction Techniques In the first iteration of thi...
- 3 Apr 2021
PSoC 6 and ModusToolbox: Break the Debugger from the Proto Board

Jan Cumps

In this post: what happens if you remove the debugger. Will everything still work? What's the difference? TL;DR: you can still use all functionality. Difference when debugger is broken off When you break the debugger off the main P...
- 3 Apr 2021
PSoC 6 and ModusToolbox: FreeRTOS to AWS MQTT

Jan Cumps

In this post we react on a message on the RTOS queue and publish its payload on Amazon's AWS IoT MQTT service. Together with the two previous posts, this one describes a hardware component in the NanoDrone II project of balearicdynamicsScenario:...
- 28 Mar 2021
What can you do with a GHz MCU?

kjachim

Despite the thousands of development boards that have shipped and the overwhelming interest from the market for the i.MX RT1170 crossover MCU, I do come across an occasional customer that does not understand the value. They say they do not need...
- 25 Mar 2021
PSoC 6 and ModusToolbox: FreeRTOS message queue

Jan Cumps

The steps to use an RTOS message queue to exchange data between tasks. In this post, we post data from the low level hardware (UART peripheral) to a task that handles a logic part of our firmware. This is a direct follow up from the previous Fre...
- 15 Mar 2021
PSoC 6 and ModusToolbox: UART receiver with FreeRTOS

Jan Cumps

The steps to integrate incoming UART data with FreeRTOS on a PSoC 6.The focus is on saving processor power. The design does not poll for incoming data.It yields all powers to the RTOS scheduler (possibly going to low power mode) until a trigger fires...
- 13 Mar 2021
PSoC 6 and ModusToolbox: Create a FreeRTOS 10.3 Project

Jan Cumps

The steps to create an empty PSoC 6 project and run FreeRTOS on the CM4 core. It's easy to set up a FreeRTOS project in ModusToolbox. The simplest way is to start from one of the examples of the IDE's Application Creator.But adding FreeRTOS to a...
- 27 Feb 2021
Ubuntu Bash Tips and Tricks

narrucmot

I will admit it. I am sometimes lazy. And forgetful. And despite my preference for working at the Linux command line rather than a GUI, I don't really like to type any more than I need to. It is good to know these things about...
- 26 Feb 2021
Getting Started with the USRP B205mini-i software defined radio platform

alexwonglik1

The USRP B205mini-iUSRP B205mini-i is a flexible and compact platform that is ideal for both hobbyist and OEM applications. It is designed by Ettus Research™︎ and provides a wide frequency range (70 MHz to 6 GHz) and a user-programmable, industr...
- 23 Feb 2021
Physicists create the world's tiniest microchips using graphene and 2D materials

Catwell

The image shows the 2D-material's base. White lines represent the structural kinks that alter the electrical properties mechanically. (Image Credit: University of Sussex) For the first time, physicists at the University of Sussex have produced ...
- 22 Feb 2021
PSoC 6: Low Power Management - Power consumption without WiFi or Bluetooth

Jan Cumps

When you're making a low power design, it's interesting to know the energy use of your gizmo.In this 2nd post of the series, I measure the current in the different power modes.image source: readme file of the PSoC 6 MCU: Switching Between Power Modes...
- 20 Feb 2021