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Issue #230 September 2009
Develop Code, Acquire Data
by C. J. Abate
No code, no data. It’s just that simple.
Whether you’re gathering timing info, radio emissions data, or the locations of underground cables, a data acquisition system—no matter how well-designed the hardware—is useless without a well-written program running behind the scenes. This month we present articles about data acquisition systems that harness the power of reliable code to manage hardware and move data from point A to B in a fluid manner.
For instance, starting on page 16, Chuck Baird explains how he combined his programming and hardware design skills to develop a standalone timing system. With the right code, you can use the design as a standalone timer or a timepiece for a more complicated application.
Want to gather radio emissions data? Turn to page 24 to learn how Carlo Tauraso built and programmed a very low-frequency (VLF) datalogger. After describing the design, he details the firmware development process and presents an interesting real-world application.
On page 36 begins the second part of Kevin Gorga’s two-part article series, “Cable Tracer Design.” Here he presents the software portion of the design process and then describes the system’s controls.
A successful embedded development application is built upon good code. Last month Dale Wheat familiarized you with ARM Cortex-M3 microcontrollers. This month he details the application development process and covers the coding procedures from start to finish (p. 44).
After covering C language in several articles, George Martin asks an important question (p. 62). What do you do once you have your embedded processor up and running? George describes how to compartmentalize your design work and minimize processing requirements.
Not every article in this issue is code-centric. For instance, in “Neural Networker,” Tom Cantrell presents what he calls “a SNAP-shot” from Synapse Wireless, which now offers a unique solution that integrates multiple aspects of an embedded wireless project on a small piece of silicon (p. 50).
Starting on page 58, Brian Millier describes his “smart” power bar, which is a compact unit that can turn off several electronic devices at the same time, thus conserving energy. The interesting design’s circuitry consists of a basic 60-Hz power supply, a microcontroller, a relay, and an IR module.
Columnist Jeff Bachiochi ends the issue with a presentation of how internal protection circuitry for Li-Ion battery cells can prevent dangerously high temperatures and failure (p. 66). Like Jeff, you can check a cell’s state of charge, find problems, and then repair them.
Whether programming, developing hardware, or both, be sure to share your experiences with us. We’re just an e-mail away.
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