This issue features a broad range of projects—everything from a portable power supply to a customized volume controller to a serial port solution. These are the types of systems every engineer could use on his workbench. And they’re sure to spark fresh ideas for new projects.

Jason Wu, Kiran Kanukurthy, and David Andersen designed a portable power supply that can supply 100-mA, 3.3-V of continuous power to embedded applications (p. 12). For ultimate convenience, the system’s batteries are inductively charged, so it doesn’t need to be connected to a charging source. The heart of this well-designed device is a Linear Technology LTC1325 battery management system. The system also includes a pair of Atmel ATmega8 microcontrollers and a pair of LM2621 converters from National Semiconductor. Appropriate for a variety of embedded applications, this portable power supply is definitely handy to have around.

If you want to improve your ability to multitask and you enjoy putting your skills to work, this next project is for you. Lane Hauck wanted to make life a little easier (p. 28). When he was listening to CDs on his computer while using other programs, it was a pain to bring up the Windows Media Player window to control the volume, pause, stop, and play functions. He needed a way to easily control the various functions so that when his phone rang, he wouldn’t have to spend time looking for the right window. He designed his Windows Volume Control project around a Maxim MAX3420E USB peripheral controller and an Atmel ATtiny13 microcontroller. Using the MAX3420E enables him to plug the system directly into his PC’s USB port.

Like many designers, Miguel Sanchez was concerned when serial ports started disappearing (p. 34). He needed to figure out a way to continue using his devices with serial connectors. Sending serial communications over the Internet turned out to be the perfect solution. Using a Rabbit Semiconductor RCM3700 RabbitCore development kit and a handful of additional components, he built a reliable system that ensures his serial devices won’t become obsolete anytime soon.

Lastly, I want to mention Brian Millier’s thorough review of Ramtron International’s integrated processor companions (IPCs) (p. 43). Everyone’s been in a situation where they had to make a tough choice when faced with a lacking supply of RAM. As Brian explains, adding static RAM or upgrading to a higher-capacity processor isn’t always the best option. After checking out Ramtron’s new devices and weighing their pros and cons, he’s convinced they’re a solid solution when you need more RAM. This article covers everything you need to know to decide if Ramtron’s new IPCs are right for your project.

August is the time to kick back and enjoy the summer sun. With a variety of useful and exciting applications, this is the perfect issue to read while relaxing in your favorite lawn chair and pondering your next project. Let the sparks fly!

jennifer.huber@circuitcellar.com