Circuit Cellar Ink 258
January 2012

Table of Contents

4


CJ Abate

HTML Task Manager

Embedded Endeavors in 2012

8


CJ Abate

HTML New Product News

10


Ian Bromley

DesignSpark chipKIT(TM) Challenge

It's time for a new design challenge to showcase the functionality of the chipKIT(TM) Max32(TM) development kit and the award-winning DesignSpark PCB software tool in environmentally friendly applications.

13


David Tweed

HTML Test Your EQ

14


David Penrose

A Different Timeshare

Build a Timeserver System

You can build a timeserver that listens to a GPS signal, extracts the time and date, and retransmits this information to remote systems. The design manages more than one microcontroller that has a real-time clock with an I2C interface and keeps all the clocks synchronized.

Download: Penrose-258.zip

24


Andrew Levido

mbos

A Real-Time Operating System for mbed

This project enhances the NXP Semiconductors mbed environment with a real-time operating system (RTOS). Designed specifically for mbed, "mbos" is a true preemptive multitasking RTOS that's scalable to support virtually any project developed on the NXP Semiconductors LPC1768 platform.

Download: Levido-258.zip

36


Steve Johnson

The SMD Air Bath

A DIY PCB Preheating Setup

The SMD Air Bath is a temperature controller that can preheat a surface-mount device printed circuit board assembly before reflow with a hot air pencil. The preheating capability activates the flux, reduces the chance of thermo shock, relieves the heat load from the hot air pencil, and reduces thermo-mechanical stresses.

Download: Johnson-258.zip

Questions & Answers

46


Nan Price

Innovative Research & Design

An Interview with Mike Smith

Mike Smith is a professor of Computer Engineering at the Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Canada. His main interests are in developing new biomedical engineering algorithms and moving them onto multicore and multiple-processor embedded systems in a systematic and reliable fashion. Mike recently became a convert to the application of Agile Methodologies in the embedded environment. Mention "test-driven development" and his eyes light up. In 2011, Mike had his Analog Devices University Ambassadorship renewed for the eleventh straight year. In December, Mike and I discussed his interests and some of his students' projects.

Lessons from the Trenches

50


George Martin

ADCs and Signal Filtering

You understand the process of creating a new product from start to finish. Now it's time to dig into the specifics, starting with analog-to-digital converters and their supporting hardware and software. Many of the techniques in this article can be applied to other design dilemmas.

The Consummate Engineer

56


George Novacek

Build a Robust Power Supply

Part 1: Power Dissipation

Building a robust power supply design seems like an easy task. The first part of this series on power supply design focuses on switching regulator modules, power dissipation, and low-voltage operation.

Embedded Unveiled

60


Richard Wotiz

Digital X-Ray Sensors

Ever wonder how X-rays work? Here's a detailed look at imaging techniques, from their early inception to today's advances. You'll also learn how a CMOS imaging sensor functions.

From the Bench

68


Jeff Bachiochi

Quantifying Precipitation

Construct a Device to Measure Rainfall Volume

This tip-bucket mechanism uses a Hall-effect sensor and a microcontroller with debugging capability, LEDs, and configuration jumpers to measure rainfall volume. The sensor's open-collector output is connected to the microcontroller's interrupt input.

Download: Bachiochi-258.zip

74

Crossword Puzzle

78

Crossword Puzzle - Answers for Issue 257

79

Advertiser's Index / February Preview

80


Steve Ciarcia

HTML Priority Interrupt

Too Many Layers

FTP Directory for INK 258

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