Author Archives: R-B

Microchip introduces new temperature sensors with 1.8V SMBus and I2C™ Interface

Posted on by Leave a comment

Microchip Technology Inc. has announced a new six-member family of temperature sensor ICs called the EMC118X.  This is the world’s first family of temp sensors with 1.8V SMBus and I2C™ communications, which is required for interfacing to the latest generation of smartphone, tablet and PC chipsets.  Additionally, this integrated low-voltage I/O support reduces cost and board space because it is accomplished without an external voltage level shifter.  These are also the first temp sensors to use an advanced sample-frequency-hopping filter, which enables temperature-monitoring traces of up to 8 inches in noisy environments with accurate readings.  The EMC118X family serves a broad range of applications in the mobile, commercial and embedded computing markets, by combining the above features with options for dual, triple and quad temperature monitoring, along with hardwired system-shutdown settings that can’t be overridden by software.

EMC118X temperature sensors support 1.8V SMBus and I2C communication

New power supply boards added to our Tindie store

Posted on by Leave a comment

We have added two new regulated power supply boards and one general purpose double-sided prototyping circuit board (7cm X 9cm) to our Tindie store today. Both the power supply boards provide constant 3.3V and 5.0V power supply derived from an unregulated DC input ranging from 6.5-12V. One is designed to serve power supply for a breadboard circuit whereas the other one can be enclosed within the project box along with the project circuit board. The boards are designed for low power applications (600 mA).

The breadboard version can be powered either from a DC wall wart or 9V battery (connector clip is provided).

Breadboard version

Read more

Implementing digital filters using PIC18F microcontrollers

Posted on by Leave a comment

Microchip’s PIC18 family of microcontrollers are popularly known for their logic and controlling functions. In addition, these microcontrollers have builtin hardware multipliers and multiple file pointers. These features, along with the built-in analog-to-digital converter (ADC), make PIC18 microcontrollers a competent choice for applications where logic and controlling functions are combined with signal processing applications. This application note demonstrates how the PIC18 family of microcontrollers can be used to implement digital FIR and IIR filters.

Implementing digital filters with PIC18F MCU

Shoe-integrated sensor system to serve as a walking aid for visually impaired people

Posted on by 2 comments

This shoe-integrated sensor system is supposed to serve as a walking aid for a person with impaired sight. It alerts the user about obstacles surrounding him. Based on the information received from multiple ultrasonic sensors attached to the shoes, an Arduino Mega 2560 board used in the project forms a virtual map of the surroundings. The user is alerted about any obstacle through a set of vibrating elements placed in the user’s trouser pockets.

Walking-aid shoes for blind people

Interfacing AC power lines with PIC microcontrollers

Posted on by Leave a comment

Applications like automatic power factor correction, power measurement, and power line monitor require interfacing the high voltage AC power lines to microcontrollers. This application note from Microchip describes a simple method for measuring parameters from the AC power line by using only one external resistor, and is more reliable than using a bulky and expensive transformer. This method takes advantage of the input static protection circuitry that exists on I/O pins of a CMOS PIC16C5X. These protection circuits are designed to short the inputs to the power supplies when a large overvoltage is applied, thus protecting the chip from static electricity spikes.

Input static protection circuitry on PIC I/O pin

 

« Older Entries Recent Entries »