CURRENT ISSUE
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Issue #214 May 2008 — Measurement & Sensors
Task Manager
DIY Measurement And Sensing Projects, by C. J. Abate
Priority Interrupt
Who Said Variety Is Good?, by Steve Ciarcia
New Product News, edited by John Gorsky
FEATURE ARTICLES
Depth Measurement
Construct An Ultrasonic Snow Depth Sensor
by Gerhard Oberforcher
Gerhard used the sonar components from an autofocus camera, a Microchip PIC18F452 microcontroller, and several off-the-shelf parts to construct an ultrasonic snow depth sensor system. The low-power design provides accurate snow depth measurements and is easy to integrate into other weather station systems. p. 16
Keywords: Ultrasonic, depth, snow, sensor, PIC18F452, SensComp 6500, 600 series, blanking, RS-485, reflectivity, temperature. LM34, LM2596, power supply, MAX483, ADC, TL851CN
(A link to the article will be emailed to
you.)
Contest Winners
WIZnet iEthernet 2007 Design Contest — Read
it now!
p. 30
Where Analog And Digital Collide
An Easy-To-Use LCR Meter - Third Place Microchip 2007 Design Contest — Read
it now!
by Miguel Rusch
Miguel’s portable LCR meter makes it easy to analyze the analog performance of virtually any device under test, whether in the lab or on the job. The dsPIC30F4012-based meter uses DDS techniques and DSP methods to condition the resulting voltage and current signals. Its handy user interface and graphic LCD make it easy to operate and read. p. 34
Keywords: LCR meter, dsPIC30F4012, DDS, DSP, LCD,
MCP23S08, MCP6S91, PGA, AD9833, MCP41010, ADC, filter
Electronic Data Logging And Analysis
A How-To Guide For Building A Seizure-Monitoring System
by Steve Lubbers
Steve’s electronic monitoring system enables pet owners and vets to monitor the patterns of epileptic seizures in dogs. The real-time, ATmega32-based system logs the number of seizures and measures the time between them. p. 41
Keywords: Seizure, dog, canine, monitor, ATmega32, logging, accelerometer, ADXL202EB, frequency detection
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
Embedded Linux Development (Part 2)
Create An Embedded Development Environment
by David Lynch
David finishes describing his coLinux cross-development platform that runs on Windows. You can create an embedded development environment with him on coLinux or other versions of Linux. p. 52
Keywords: Linux, development, coLinux, Windows, GNU, GCC, GIT, CVS, links, PowerPC 405, cross platform, compile, driver, Crosstool
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
Advanced Technology Attachment I/O
Use ATA Interfaces For General-Purpose I/O Applications
by Wolfgang Matthes
Using modern PC interfaces for connecting application-specific hardware can create a wide range of problems for embedded designers (e.g., slow communication and long latencies). In this article, Wolfgang describes a viable alternative: an ATA interface. Employing ATA as the low-latency embedded interface allows you to apply miniaturized motherboards instead of typical industrial platforms, which are considerably more expensive. p. 60
Keywords: ATA, I/O, Advanced Technology, Attachment, PC, latency, parallel, serial, OS, BIOS, boot, addressing, XC95108
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
COLUMNS
FROM THE BENCH
Control Circuitry
by Jeff Bachiochi
Advances in video game technologies and controllers are changing the ways we interact with gaming consoles. If you don’t want to buy expensive power pads and controllers, you can follow Jeff’s lead and build your own controllers with much of the same circuitry. p. 70
Keywords: Game control, controller, PS2, SPI, PIC16F737, LCD, communications
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
SILICON UPDATE
Designer’s Best Friend
by Tom Cantrell
The roots of Altera’s MAX II go back about 30 years to the programmable array logic (PAL) device. This month, Tom covers the history of programmable logic chips and introduces you to MAX II technology. Say hello to his little friend. p. 76
Keywords: PAL, CPLD, FPGA, MAX II, power, memory
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
LESSONS FROM THE TRENCHES
Making Changes
A Look Into The C Compiler
by George Martin
Guess what happened after George recently made a few simple changes to a product for a customer and then recompiled the code? Compiler errors! In this column, he describes how he addressed the problem. p. 83
Keywords: C, compiler, code changes, memory space, output, MSP430, switch statement, arrays
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
PREVIEW
Issue #215 June 2008 — Communications
◊ Message Acquisition: Ring Signal Detection And Interpretation
◊ Pump Control: Build A Variable-Speed Induction Drive For Motors
◊ Ray Tracing Made Simple: A Ray Tracer Implemented On An FPGA
◊ MCU-Based Game System: A Dot-Matrix Game That Targets C Coding Efficiency
◊ THE DARKER SIDE Let’s Be Crystal Clear: A Look At Crystal Oscillators
◊ FROM THE BENCH Self-Destructive Behavior: Processor Action Requires Power
Supply Removal
◊ ABOVE THE GROUND PLANE Resistance Soldering
◊ SILICON UPDATE Touch Me: An Exploration Of New Touch Sensors
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