news

Google rises the number of closures. Google Reader switchoff on July 1.

Google Reader, Google Building Maker, Google Voice App for Blackberry, Google Cloud Connect and many other features or services will be closed soon.

http://googleblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/a-second-spring-of-cleaning.html

But… http://support.google.com/reader/answer/3028851 writes:

How can I download my Reader data?

Google Reader will be retired on July 1, 2013. If you’d like to download a copy of all your Reader data before then, you can do so through Google Takeout. You’ll receive your subscription data in an XML file, …. more

C2000 Launchpad Photos

J-Link Lite for Cortex-M debug probe included in IAR KickStart Kit for Kinetis K70F120M

J-Link Lite for Cortex-M debug probe

Kit contents:

TWR-K70F120M – MK70FN1M0VMJ12: K70FN1M in a 256 MAPBGA with 120 MHz operation
TWR-ELEV – Two elevator modules that provide power regulation circuitry, standardized signal assignments, and act as common backplane for all assembled Tower System modules
TWR-SER – Serial peripheral module with Ethernet, USB, RS232/485, and CAN interface circuitry
J-Link Lite for Cortex-M – a small JTAG-emulator with SWD/SWO debugging support for Cortex-M devices
DVD with software development tools, example projects & MQX BSPs, documentation

IAR KickStart Kit for Kinetis K70F120M

Price in IAR’s e-shop: 200 EUR / USD 249

https://old.iar.com/website1/1.0.1.0/3084/1?item=prod_prod-s1%2F594

(the link states old.iar… but is the current e-shop)

Lattice starts shipping ECP4 FPGAs First Samples

LatticeECP4 Block Diagram

Lattice has begun shipping the highest density member of the next generation LatticeECP4 FPGA family to select customers.

This new family offers the richest portfolio of low cost, low power mid-range devices under 200K LUTs, with high performance innovations such as 6G SERDES in low cost packages, powerful DSP blocks and built-in hard IP-based communication blocks.

The highest density device in the family, the LatticeECP4-190, features 183K LUTs, 480 double data rate DSP multipliers (18×18), 5.8 Mbits of memory and twelve 6 Gbps SERDES channels, making it ideally suited for a broad range of cost- and power-sensitive wireless, wireline, video and computing applications.

LatticeECP4 Family:

http://www.latticesemi.com/products/fpga/ecp4/index.cfm

LatticeECP4 Samples:

http://www.latticesemi.com/corporate/newscenter/newsletters/newsjune2012/ecp4samples.cfm

LatticeECP4 Overview Video:

http://www.latticesemi.com/products/fpga/ecp4/overviewvideo.cfm

LatticeECP4 Datasheet:

http://www.latticesemi.com/dynamic/view_document.cfm?document_id=43587

C.A 7028 – Lan Cable Analyzer

C.A 7028 Wire Mapper

Locates and identifies faults up to 150m or 500ft: cut, short-circuited, crossed or separated pairs, short-circuits between pairs, pair inversions and sheath / screen continuity; faults at the end of the link or installed line.

Types of cables tested: UTP & STP (SSTP & FTP) as per TIA568 A/B, ISO, EN, USOC and ISDN standards

http://www.chauvin-arnoux.com/produit/Famille_detail.asp?idFam=1837&idPole=1

Element 14 Webinars

Great free webinars at Element14/Farnell www.element14.com/webinars

Upcoming:

13/06/12 REACH Regulations: steps to compliance

13/06/12 ON Semiconductor: Solutions for Driving High Brightness LEDs

19/06/12 Design Flow Series: A step-by-step guide to debugging an ARM based design with the Keil ULINK-ME 20/06/12 EAO Switch: Design Considerations for Effective Human Machine Interface Systems

21/06/12 Elektor Academy – AndroPod – Bridging Android and your electronics projects

27/06/12 Design Flow Series: BGA layout guidelines–Designing for manufacturability

18/07/12 Freescale Part 1 of 5 Part Series: Build your own Embedded System

Renesas: NLT Technologies – New Projected Capacitive Touch Panels

http://am.renesas.com/press/news/2012/news20120522b.jsp

ST-LINK & ST-LINK/V2

STMICROELECTRONICS – ST-LINK & ST-LINK/V2 – DEBUGGER/PROGRAMMER, ICD, FOR STM8 and STM32

The ST-LINK/V2 in-circuit debugger and programmer for the STM8 and STM32 microcontroller families features a single wire interface module (SWIM) and a JTAG/serial wire debugging (SWD) interfaces are used to communicate with any STM8 or STM32 microcontroller located on an application board.

5 V power from USB connector, USB 2.0 full speed compatible interface
SWIM specific features:

– 1.65 V to 5.5 V application voltage supported on SWIM interface

– SWIM low-speed and high-speed modes supported

– SWIM programming speed rate: 9.7 Kbytes/s in low speed and 12.8 Kbytes/s in high speed

– SWIM cable for connection to the application via an ERNI standard vertical connector (ref: 284697 or 214017) or horizontal connector (ref: 214012)

– SWIM cable for connection to the application via a pin header or a 2.54 mm pitch connector

JTAG/serial wire debugging (SWD) specific features:

– 1.65 V to 3.6 V application voltage supported on the JTAG/SWD interface and 5 V tolerant inputs

– JTAG cable for connection to a standard JTAG 20-pin pitch 2.54 mm connector

– JTAG supported

– SWD and serial wire viewer (SWV) communication supported

http://www.st.com/internet/evalboard/product/251168.jsp

Farnell Order Code: 1892523

The ST-LINK (V1) features:

USB 2.0 full speed interface compatible
SWIM specific features:
- 1.65 V to 5.5 V application voltage supported on SWIM interface
- SWIM low speed and high speed modes supported
- SWIM programming speed rates of 9.7 Kbytes/s in low speed, 12.8 Kbytes/s in high speed
- SWIM cable for connection to an application with an ERNI standard connector vertical (ref: 284697 or 214017) or horizontal (ref: 214012)
- SWIM cable for connection to an application with pin headers or 2.54 mm pitch connector
JTAG/SWD specific features:
- 3 V to 3.6 V application voltage supported on JTAG/SWD interface and 5 V tolerant inputs
- JTAG/SWD cable provided for connection to a standard JTAG 20-pin pitch 2.54 mm connector

http://www.st.com/internet/evalboard/product/219866.jsp

Fluke Thermography – The Efficiency of Your Fireplace

A good article about using Thermography Imaging in Home Improvement here:

http://www.fluke.com/Fluke/usen/community/fluke-news-plus/ArticleCategories/TI/efficiency-of-your-fireplace.htm
Fluke Thermal Imaging Product line:
http://www.fluke.com/Fluke/usen/products/CategoryTI.htm

TTI I-Prober 520

Contactless current measurement probe from TTI

A magnetic field mesurement interpreted as current on Oscilloscope.

Unlike any other current probe

The Aim I-prober 520 positional current probe is unlike any other current measurement device available.

Calibrated measurement of current normally requires the current to be passed through a closed magnetic loop. Typically this is done using some form of split clamp device. Whereas this is suitable for individual wires, it is of no use for measuring current in PCB tracks.

The I-prober 520 is a compact hand-held probe which is used with an oscilloscope. By placing the insulated tip of the probe onto a PCB track, the current flowing in the track can be observed and measured.

http://www.tti-test.com/go/iprober/index.htm

AOZ1905 boost converter

http://aosmd.com/res/application_notes/power-ics/PIC-001.pdf

ex. Input 12V – Output 36V

X-fest 2012, Avnet and Xilinx technical training events

What you can expect from X-fest 2012

Beginning in April 2012, Avnet and Xilinx will co-host FREE X-fest technical training events throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Japan.

The X-fest experience will feature:

Full-day, how-to training for FPGA, DSP & embedded systems designers
Multiple learning tracks – topics include “fundamentals,” “applications” & “Zynq™-7000 EPP”
75-minute training courses devoted to design solutions for FPGA circuitry & the surrounding components
Specialized 7 Series & Zynq™-7000 EPP solutions training
Practical, real-world design examples with an emphasis on:

Industrial networking and control
Video processing
Wireless communication
Motor control
FPGA attach

Partner demonstrations & exhibits that allow for direct interaction with factory experts
A sneak peek at exciting new products, advanced technologies & design tools

https://www.weboom.com/avnet2012/index.html

Keithley Instruments Discount Offer

20% discount off list price for a limited period of time on the following Keithley Test&Measurement instruments:

• Source&Measure SourceMeter Instruments (SMUs)

• Integrated Switch/Multimeter Instruments

• A range of programmable DC Power Supplies

via Keithley Instruments Newsletter.

STM32 F0 European Seminars

ARM^® and ST Free European seminar series on the new STM32 F0 MCU series, between 22 May and 5 July 2012.

Attend this FREE seminar and walk away with in-depth technical knowledge of the STM32 F0 series and a FREE STM32 F0 Discovery Kit!

http://www.st.com/internet/com/Learning/stm32f0_europe_seminars.jsp?WT.ac=enews_may12_stm32f0_eur_seminars

Technical Documentation and Software ST page or direct links:

DATA BRIEF

APPLICATION NOTES

LICENSE AGREEMENTS

USER MANUALS: UM AND Getting Started

FIRMWARE

C5000™ Audio Capacitive Touch BoosterPack

http://www.ti.com/tool/430boost-c55audio1

A new BoosterPack for Launchpad

A great product! It works with a MSP430G2553 which comes preprogrammed in the box.

OLED, DAC, DSP, microSD Card, USB mass storage, MP3 player/recorder, capacitive touch scroll wheel.

EETimes Semiconductor News

Kamen Aims to Deliver AI to FedEx March 21, 2019
The engineer behind the Segway and First Robotics Competition discusses his team's current work for FedEx on a delivery robot using neural networks.
Sensors, Networks Enable Precision Agriculture March 21, 2019
With a growing population and a fixed amount of arable land, food production is becoming increasingly critical. The proliferation of IoT technologies along with data analytics, however, is dropping the cost of sensor-based crop, livestock, and resource management practices known as precision agriculture.
Ag Tech Brings Revolution to Food Chain March 21, 2019
We designed this Special Project to illustrate how agriculture technology is bringing fundamental changes to the food chain. We explore advancements in agriculture tech, while examining the new challenges that farmers face.