In the past five to 10 years, we’ve witnessed momentous events. We’ve just seen the end of the twentieth century and crossed the threshold into the new millennium. And in the world of engineering, we’ve seen remarkable achievement, leading to an age of digital everything. However, for those of you for whom change sends a chill down your spine, rest assured that some things remain the same. Regardless of how far we’ve come in the digital revolution, you still find analog parts on the shelves.

Yes, traditional methods still apply in today’s world. For instance, speakers are still analog devices. For insight into the world of audio systems, look no further than page 30 for Ed Nisley’s article. You probably think building a trouble-free audio system is a tremendous ordeal. Everything has to be high quality, right? There are the PC, software, as well as digital data and high-resolution converters to worry about. Well, maybe not. You can’t learn everything from the datasheets, says Ed.

Longtime writer George Novacek also has an interesting topic to talk about. Following up his coverage of EMC, ESD, and transient protection, he now focuses on grounding and bonding (page 12). George provides the basics of this expansive issue. Armed with some no-nonsense solutions, you’ll be ready to experiment on your own.

In your experiments, do you often find yourself battling the effects of nonlinearity in analog devices? You’re not alone. Tom Napier has spent a good deal of time dedicated to combating this obstacle. As with most things in life, a solid education in the principals you’re dealing with is the key to success. Interestingly, the solutions evolve out of not just a solid understanding of analog techniques, but also of the digital domain. When you know which components work best as analog or digital, you’re a step closer to fixing the flaws.

This month, you also get a special treat from Jeff Bachiochi. Following the Design Logic 2001 contest sponsored by Atmel, Jeff came out from behind the bench to take a look at the projects entered. Impressed by the professional-quality work accomplished by a group of Cornell University seniors, he decided to find out more. “RISCy Business” (page 44) is the result of interviews with the students and their professor who encouraged them to enter. If you’re interested in finding out what the future holds for engineering, you’ll want to take a look at what college kids are building these days.

What will happen in the next five to 10 years? During the early twentieth century, consequential inventions including the airplane, light bulb, and analog cellular phone were created. In 1945, John Mauchly and John Eckert along with their colleagues introduced the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), which played a pivotal role in the progression to modern electronic computers. With the proven capabilities of analog techniques coupled with the growth of the digital age, I wonder what inventors will discover in the early twenty-first century.

jennifer.huber@circuitcellar.com

Published: August-2002