The Buffer/Driver: What Is It, and Do I Need One? - Story
January 14, 2020Although buffers and drivers don?t appear to add functionality to a circuit, these apparently simple interface elements are essential to viable circuit design and operation.
Obtaining Hands-Off, Long-Life Power: No Easy Options - Blog
November 12, 2019The design assignment is clear: build a small datalogger which will be inaccessible once in place, yet must operate for a minimum of 20 years.
Bus Bars: The 3D Solution to Excessive IR Power-Rail Drop - Story
September 13, 2019Voltage drop and low voltage at the load is more than just a nuisance. It can cause circuits to not function at all, or function erratically when the voltage is at the edge of the IC specification.
What's Protecting Your Power Supply? - Blog
July 15, 2019Be sure your system is protected against power-supply faults as well as the complementary scenario.
Choosing a Relay: Go Newer Solid State or Older Electromechanical? - Story
May 06, 2019When embedded systems need to contact the outside world to sense strong signals, they often need electrical dilation on the I/O. The question is: Should I use a SSR to do this, or an EMR?
The Basic Concept of Digital Power - Story
March 14, 2019The primary objective of any AC/DC or DC/DC power supply or regulator is to provide a stable DC-output voltage despite changes in input voltage or load conditions.
Don't Ignore the Brushed DC Motor - Story
March 07, 2019While most engineers assume the brushless DC motor is the best choice, the older brushed motor may be better while offering a lesson in the importance of objectively looking at design options.
That Simple Current-Sense Resistor Isn't Simple at All - Story
January 22, 2019Sensing of current magnitude is critical in many applications and often done by measuring the voltage across a shunt resistor, but even this simple technique has subtleties and issues to resolve.