Posted by
delabs on
26 August 2010, 11:03 am
A compact sub-liter DIY PC kit for enthusiasts who want to taste the next generation of ultra-compact desktop computing. Full 64-bit computing in an Ultra Compact Desktop form factor. Features like HD video support, HDMI and VGA display connectivity, full Gigabit networking, Wi-Fi Support and five USB ports, all into a PC chassis that fits into the palm of your hand.
VIA ARTiGO A1100 PC Kit- VIA Technologies
Features include:
- VIA Nano 64-bit Processor
- HD MPEG-2 & H.264 video decoding hardware acceleration
- Space saving, palm size PC with 14.6 x 9.9 x 5.2cm (5.7? x 3.9? x 2?) dimensions
- Multiple I/Os: HDMI, USB device port, 4 USB2.0 ports, VGA, Gigabit LAN
- Optional WiFi networking and SD card reader
- Supports Microsoft Windows 7 & Linux
From VIA Technologies
Posted by
delabs on
24 August 2010, 2:59 pm
I just got a letter from a US firm enquiringly about my transmitters. It read something like …
“…..Mini RTD Pt100 Three Wire Transmitter is commercially available? We may be interested in both the 100 ohm RTD input as well as the 1K ohm RTD input types”
I do not respond to product enquiries as i do not “Make” anymore. But, this letter is about a design of mine that is published in my pages. It is a low cost transmitter anybody can build. Study my Elex Quna where some such letters are published. I may now reply only mail that stimulates me, and appears genuine enough. If you are an engineer in the US, try making these, a better way possibly, and serve people using online stores. Online shops should offer Cards, Cheque and Cash-On-Delivery to enable all types of customers. Items in a store must reach clients, inside 7 days. Other products should be cataloged with prices, outside store application.
Small manufacturers have to get their profile and products across. Just building a site is not enough, you need to advertise. People search for solutions, by proper advertising you can get tuned/filtered visitors to your website. These people were looking for solutions and you are looking for customers.
Other “promotional techniques” get you a lot of visitors. Even “ranking high in search results” gets you “Visitors”. This traffic is like Kids looking for Chip-n-Dale landing in a Vertical Niche Product Catalog for Steam Turbines. This will just build bandwidth cost for you, but you will have a nice feeling you are getting Visitors. This may even make your site slow for the rare real visitors, who want to buy your products/services. So think smart, nothing comes easy, lot of hard (straight) work.
I suggest start with Google’s Small Business Network and a nice Blog. Try Wordpress or Blogger.
Posted by
delabs on
24 August 2010, 6:42 am
I once knew a dogbert, i will not name him. Yet his words resonated as true again and again. Once when someone asked him .. “Where the highest value can be created, in an engineered product?”. He reveled a profound secret, that is only discussed in whispers in the backrooms of high-tech upstarts. I will attempt to phrase it in a more concise manner.
“When the raw materials transform into an Engineered product, the highest engineering value is both in the manufacturing process machinery and the manufactured product; If and only if, that product has mechanical, electrical, electronic and computing elements in its composition.” – This was Mechatronics?
In essence it appeared to be a CNC machine, but not exactly, CNC too and much more. Robotics is a pinnacle of this collage. Then an Intelligent Embedded Control System with sensors, switches, tachos, drives and motor a part of Mechatronics. Looks like control engineering, a sub-section of mechatronics too. Control engineering is also an independent science. Can’t leave out Intelligent machinery and Complex Gadgets.
Without chemical, component and materials engineering all the above cannot materialize. They create the inputs and technologies to the systems above.
Finally two examples for Mechatronic Marvels – One the Lone Martian called Rover (like Wall-E) and the Ultra Busy HardDisk HDD in your own Computer.
Related Sciences
Systems Engineering – Managing and Integrating a Large Engineered System Solution. Includes Process, Project, Time, Work-flow, Co-ordination and Communication. (Means .. many Crimson Ties and a lot of Meetings ;-)
Mems – Micro, Electronic/Electrical, Mechanical Systems.
Start Reading in detail about it, but never skip Lunch. -
Posted by
delabs on
20 August 2010, 12:11 pm
An analog electrical engineer from Cleveland, OH. Writes Reviews on Semiconductors and Articles on Enginnering in his Tech Blog.
Chris Gammell – Analog Design Notes
Consult Chris Gammell for your Product Design.
Analog circuit design, including signal conditioning, amplification, control loops, input protection and power circuitry. Digital hardware design for your embedded project.
Interface – @Chris_Gammell
Posted by
delabs on
17 August 2010, 8:33 pm
EDA/CAE/CAD software – CADint PCB, ELECTRA Autorouter with Schematic Entry and 3D Board View as well.
CADint Sweden – EDA and CAE design tools
Schematic capture – Draw hierarchical schematic diagrams with an unlimited number of pages
PCB Design – Powerful layout features include net guidelines, manual trace routing with optional mitering or bezier curves, pin and group swap, automatic via generation, trace length and impedance calculators…
Amazing 3D PCB visualization – The CADint 3D Viewer allows you to view your board from any angle at nearly any magnification. Vertical clearance constraints for components can easily be visualized, as can any aspect of the PCB itself.
CADint Freeware you get all the power of CADint PCB for small projects. Layouts are limited to 100 pads and schematic diagrams are limited to 350 nodes.
Posted by
delabs on
17 August 2010, 2:59 pm
A tool for developers of small digital devices and radio amateurs, for those who is familiar with Boolean algebra and Karnaugh Map optimization method, best suits for electrical engineering students.
Karnaugh Minimizer – Refactoring Code
- Draws 2 – 8 variable Karnaugh Maps
- Quine Mc Cluskey minimization
- Convert boolean to VHDL / Verilog
- Simplifies boolean expressions
Posted by
delabs on
16 August 2010, 7:14 pm
“The monthly magazine features exclusive reports of innovations developed by NASA and its industry partners/contractors that can be applied to develop new/improved products and solve engineering or manufacturing problems.”
NASA Tech Briefs and Innovations
- Electronics & Computers
- Semiconductors & ICs
- Materials
- Manufacturing & Prototyping
- Machinery & Automation
- Test & Measurement
