CURRENT ISSUE
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Issue #220 November 2008 — Analog Techniques
Task Manager
Development Continues, by C. J. Abate
Priority Interrupt
OLED Versus LCD, by Steve Ciarcia
New Product News, edited by John Gorsky
FEATURE ARTICLES
Radiation Detection
Digital and Analog Pulse Measurement
Subcategory Winner Microchip 2007 Design Contest
by Pete McCollum
Pete’s innovative data acquisition system measures cosmic rays, natural background radiation, and emissions from radioactive objects captured from a scintillation probe and a Geiger tube. The compact system controls data acquisition processors, gathers the collected data, and formats the data for display. p. 14
Keywords: Radiation, scintillation probe, Geiger-Muller tube, ray, particle, PIN diode, dsPIC30F6014A, MCP608, MCP6022, MCP3421, MCP6S26, dsPIC30F4012, PGA, parallel processing, HV, muon
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
Embedded Cause and Effect
A Lighting System That Responds to Audio Stimuli
by Matt Corne, Chad Harvey, Thaine Hock, Benjamin Wolpoff, & David Wolpoff
With a Luminary Micro LM3S828, this group of designers built an interactive coffee table that responds to audio stimuli and produces flashy visual effects. The design—which features 96 tricolor LEDs, five custom circuit boards, and four electret microphones—can generate a single color display or exciting lighting effects. p. 24
Keywords: Coffe table, light, Shock-N-Awe, LM3S828, audio, LED, mux, shift register, microphone
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
Digital Stompboxing
An Easy-to-Use Digital Signal Processing Platform
by Kit Church
Are you ready to venture into the world of digital signal processing effects? This article is the perfect introduction. Kit describes a high-quality DSP platform and presents sample code. p. 32
Keywords: Stompbox, guitar, effects, DSP, ADC, OPA2134, PCM3060, dsPIC33FJ64GP206, impedance, C, C30 compiler, interrupt, LFO
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
Time Server Design
Synchronize with the WWVB Time Code Signal
Honorable Mention WIZnet iEthernet 2007 Design Contest
by Steven Nickels
Coordinate your Ethernet applications with Steven’s Time Server. The system keeps a master time and date clock that is synchronized to the U.S. WWVB time code signal. It connects to an Ethernet network and sends time and date information according to the SNTP, DAYTIME, and TIME protocols. Now, no matter their locations, your devices can connect to the system, request the time and date, and synchronize their local clocks. p. 44
Keywords: Time, WWVB, sychronization, MC9S08QG8, NIST, CME6005, demodulation, Ethernet, DEMO9S08QG8, WIZ810MJ, W5100, MAC, JavaCMMR-6 antenna, NetBeasn6
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
Low-Cost Serial-to-USB Migration
by Thayer Fox, Nigel Kostiuck, & Tristan Nixon
If you are unable to access your old data because you don’t have the right controller, this group of designers may have the solution for you. Their design enables projects without serial or USB ports to transfer data to a USB device. p. 52
Keywords: Serial, USB, data transfer, TUSB3410, serialization, EEPROM, burner, LabVIEW
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
Weather-Monitoring Circuitry— Read
it now!
A Design for Indoor-Outdoor Use
by Brian Millier
Brian’s indoor-outdoor weather monitor project is an exercise in precision circuit design and accurate mathematical computations. The electronic system—which features relative humidity and barometric pressure sensors—was designed around an Atmel Butterfly evaluation module incorporated in a decorative wall mount. p. 60
Keywords: Weather, monitor, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, Butterfly, ATmega169, ATtiny26, MPXAZ4115A6U, BASCOM AVR, SC-600, RF, ADC, thermistor, intarsia
COLUMNS
LESSONS FROM THE TRENCHES
What Can C Structures Do for You?
by George Martin
This month, George gets back to work examining the C language. Follow along as he explores the use of C structures in a real-world application. p. 68
Keywords: C, structures, routines, SPI, DAC, ADC, UML
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
FROM THE BENCH
Drive by Wire
A Look at Noncontact Sensing
by Jeff Bachiochi
Jeff has covered optical encoders in previous columns. As you know, while they work well in some projects, they can be expensive. This month, Jeff describes an alternative based on magnetics. A noncontact rotary encoder may be the perfect fit for your next design. p. 74
Keywords: Noncontact sensing, rotary encoder, MLX90316, PTC04, SW 90316 Solverflow, analog, PWM, SPI, DSP, post-angular conversion, Hall, magnetics
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
SILICON UPDATE
It’s the Sensors, Stupid— Read
it now!
by Tom Cantrell
Your design is only as good as its sensors. With the latest sensors incorporating smarter silicon, alternative energies, and wireless technologies, the possibilities for your next system are limitless. This month, Tom shows you some of the interesting sensors he discovered at the 2008 Sensors Expo & Conference. p. 80
Keywords: Sensors, 2008 Sensor Expo, TLE4997, Hall effect, DSP, PWM, ADC, AD7190, MRF24J40MA, RF, wireless, MiWi P2P, ZigBit 900, ZigBee, AT86RF212, GP500C, Joule-Thief, energy harvesting, vibration, Piezoelectric fiber transducer, tire pressue, SP35
PREVIEW
Issue #221 December 2008 — Programmable Logic
◊ An Introduction to Verilog
◊ A Dynamic Tile Display: Board Layout, Real-Time Animation, and More
◊ Electronic ID System: A Display for Text, Photos, and Slide Shows
◊ Cost-Effective Mobile Data Storage: Interface an SD Memory Card with an MCU
◊ Beamforming 101
◊ THE DARKER SIDE PID Control Without Math
◊ ABOVE THE GROUND PLANE Real-World NiMH Charging
◊ FROM THE BENCH Component Control: A Tool for Finding and Handling Small Parts
◊ SILICON UPDATE Tool Time: New Possibilities for Hardware and Software Development
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