EDN Network
3 basic considerations for vibration control in chip manufacturing
Uncontrolled vibration can cause semiconductor damage and decreased performance. Many sources of vibration challenge semiconductor manufacturers, including people’s footsteps, running machines, wind blowing in the building and passing vehicles. These sources can pose a significant challenge for design and manufacturing engineers.
Working in environments with poorly controlled vibrations can mean these professionals waste time and raw materials while designing and manufacturing new components or improving existing ones. What sources of vibration control should engineers consider?
- Facilities for vibration control
People involved with semiconductor manufacturing facilities under construction should be proactive and insist that those buildings have appropriate vibration controls. That was the approach of the design team associated with a $279 million project for a three-story semiconductor research lab.
The designers knew even tiny vibrations could negatively impact a semiconductor’s performance, potentially delaying or complicating research and manufacturing. Similarly, they recognized that the new facility must have contamination-mitigation features.
For instance, the building must have a clean room with a vibration-isolated floor. While working with those overseeing the construction details, the design professionals created a set of specifications adhering to their vibration-dampening and contamination-preventing needs.
Designers considering temporarily or permanently working at existing semiconductor facilities should ask which measures those buildings have, ensuring they reflect industry standards. That proactive measure helps designers work at places where they will spend their time well.
- Specialized products to interrupt and absorb vibration
Semiconductor manufacturing plants must have integrated products that absorb incoming vibrational energy and dampen external vibration sources. For example, a company may need to put thousands of spring mounts inside pipes and ductwork. However, the size and placement of the required spring mounts vary depending on the length and diameter of the building’s infrastructure.
It’s also often necessary to suspend pipes and ductwork from acoustic hangers after wrapping them in special housing. Some semiconductor facilities also have pipe connectors designed for specific types of vibration.
Those overseeing the construction or upgrading of a semiconductor fabrication facility should familiarize themselves with the off-the-shelf and custom-made products available to meet such needs. It’s also wise to get input from at least one consultant about how best to dampen the known or suspected types of vibration that will affect a fab.
- Install sensors to measure machine conditions
When electronics product designers consider the aspects of new items, they must think about whether such components could be manufactured on a facility’s existing equipment. Another thing to verify is whether the fab’s infrastructure has sensors to detect abnormal vibrations.
Due to the semiconductor industry’s heavy dependence on water during manufacturing, a pump failure could be an extremely costly and disruptive problem. Rotor pumps spin as fast as 30,000 rotations per minute and vibrate more when rotor damage occurs. This issue generally requires a total pump replacement.
Advanced sensors can measure tiny changes—such as progressively increasing vibration—and warn technicians that failures will happen soon. Such information allows fab professionals to order new parts or schedule service calls before outages occur. Decision makers could also use these sensors as vibration monitoring tools and act quickly to mitigate new issues.
Vibration control is essential
Poor or non-existent vibration-control measures in a semiconductor plant affect manufacturers and design team members. The above mentioned strategic measures can reduce or eliminate problems, helping everyone stay productive and get the best results from their work.
Ellie Gabel is a freelance writer as well as an associate editor at Revolutionized.
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- Cars That Listen: External Sound Pickup With Vibration Sensors
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Keysight hones post-quantum algorithm testing
Keysight announced additional testing capabilities for its Inspector security platform to assess the robustness of post-quantum cryptography (PQC). Keysight Inspector, part of the recent Riscure Security Solutions acquisition, enables device and chip vendors to identify and fix hardware vulnerabilities during the design cycle.
The development of PQC encryption algorithms capable of withstanding quantum computer attack is crucial for protecting sensitive electronic information. However, new technologies assumed to be resilient against post-quantum threats may be vulnerable to existing hardware-based attacks. To tackle this issue, Keysight has added post-quantum algorithm testing to the Inspector device security platform.
Inspector can now be used to test implementations of the CRYSTALS-Dilithium digital signature algorithm, one of the encryption algorithms selected by NIST for PQC standardization. Hardware designers adopting this algorithm will be able to verify that products are secure against these threats. Government institutions and security test labs can also use Inspector to verify the strength of third-party products.
With ongoing standardization, many more new security algorithms will become available for multiple applications and industries. Ensuring their effectiveness demands verifiable implementations. Keysight will furnish the requisite test tools alongside certification services via Inspector.
To read more about Inspector and Riscure Security Solutions by Keysight, click here.
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.
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High-side switch suits automotive loads
HMI’s HL8518 is a single-channel high-side power switch for automotive low-watt lamps, high-side relays and valves, and other general loads. The device integrates a power FET and charge pump, providing a typical on-resistance of 80 mΩ.
The HL8518 operates from 3.5 V to 40 V and provides 3-V/5-V compatible logic inputs. Current limiting is programmable via an external resistor. AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualified, the switch operates over a temperature range of -40°C to +125°C and has a low standby current of <0.5 µA.
Protection functions of the HL8518 include overvoltage, short-circuit, undervoltage lockout, thermal shutdown, and reverse battery. When tested in accordance with AEC-Q100-12, the power switch achieved Class A certification by enduring 1 million short circuits to ground.
Samples of the HL8518 high-side switch can be ordered online.
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.
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32-bit MCUs embed high level of security
Powered by an Arm Cortex-M33 core, Microchip’s PIC32CK 32-bit MCUs leverage both a hardware security module (HSM) and Arm’s TrustZone security architecture. This level of embedded security enables designers to meet upcoming cybersecurity compliance requirements set to take effect in 2024 for most IoT-connected devices.
The HSM subsystem of these mid-range MCUs integrates a dedicated CPU, memory, secure DMA controllers, cryptographic accelerators, and firewalled communications with the host. It provides symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic operations, true random number generation, key management, and authentication for automotive, industrial, medical, and communication applications. TrustZone, a hardware-based secure privilege environment, provides an additional layer of protection for key software functions.
PIC32CK microcontrollers support ISO 26262 function safety and ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity standards. Devices offer a range of options to tune the level of security, memory, and connectivity bandwidth. They furnish up to 2 Mbytes of dual-panel flash with ECC and 512 kbytes of SRAM. Connectivity options include 10/100-Mbps Ethernet, CAN FD, and USB.
The PIC32CK family is available now for purchase in high-volume production quantities.
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.
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USB signal conditioner is self-adapting
Operating from a supply voltage down to 2.3 V, the PI5USB212 signal conditioner IC from Diodes automatically detects a USB 2.0 high-speed connection. The part, which is intended for use in PCs, docking stations, cable extenders, and monitors, preserves signal integrity when driving long PCB traces or cables extending up to 5 meters.
The PI5USB212 symmetrically boosts the USB D+ and D- channels to maintain common-mode stability. It also applies pre-emphasis to compensate for intersymbol interference (ISI). The IC’s wide supply range of 2.3 V to 5.5 V simplifies system design and extends the operating window of portable and battery-powered equipment.
To converse energy, the PI5USB212 automatically detects when a USB device is not attached and reduces its supply current to just 0.7 mA typical. When the IC is disabled via the RSTN disable pin, it minimizes current consumption to just 13 µA typical. In addition to USB 2.0, the PI5USB212 is compatible with USB On-The-Go (OTG 2.0) and Battery Charging (BC 1.2) specifications.
Housed in a 12-pin, 1.6×1.6-mm QFN package, the PI5USB212 signal conditioner costs $2.70 each in lots of 3500 units.
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.
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Inline power sensor covers low frequencies
The MA24103A inline power sensor from Anritsu performs peak power measurements from 25 MHz to 1 GHz with a power range of 2 mW to 150 W. A dual-path architecture enables the sensor to carry out true-RMS measurements over the entire frequency and power range. This bidirectional plug-and-play device joins the company’s existing MA24105A peak power sensor, which has a frequency range of 350 MHz to 4 GHz.
Critical markets that require peak and average power measurements well below the 1-GHz range, such as public safety, avionics, and railroads, demand reliable communication between control centers and vehicles. Lower frequencies can propagate a longer distance and maintain communication with fast-moving vehicles. Typically, at these lower frequencies, transmitting signals operate within the watt range, making the MA24103A particularly suitable for such applications.
The MA24103A inline peak power sensor communicates with a PC via a USB connection and comes with PowerXpert data analysis and control software. It also works with Anritsu handheld instruments equipped with optional high-accuracy power meter software (Option 19).
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.
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ISM bands and frequencies: Comparisons and case studies
The industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) radio frequency bands find common use in electronics systems, by virtue of their comparatively lightly regulated nature versus (for example) spectrum swaths used by cellular, satellite, and terrestrial radio and television networks. As Wikipedia explains:
The ISM radio bands are portions of the radio spectrum reserved internationally for industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) purposes, excluding applications in telecommunications. Examples of applications for the use of radio frequency (RF) energy in these bands include RF heating, microwave ovens, and medical diathermy machines. The powerful emissions of these devices can create electromagnetic interference and disrupt radio communication using the same frequency, so these devices are limited to certain bands of frequencies. In general, communications equipment operating in ISM bands must tolerate any interference generated by ISM applications, and users have no regulatory protection from ISM device operation in these bands.
Despite the intent of the original allocations, in recent years the fastest-growing use of these bands has been for short-range, low-power wireless communications systems, since these bands are often approved for such devices, which can be used without a government license, as would otherwise be required for transmitters; ISM frequencies are often chosen for this purpose as they already must tolerate interference issues. Cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, near-field communication (NFC) devices, garage door openers, baby monitors, and wireless computer networks (Wi-Fi) may all use the ISM frequencies, although these low-power transmitters are not considered to be ISM devices.
FCC certification of such products is still necessary, of course, to ensure that a given device doesn’t stray beyond a given ISM band’s lower and upper frequency boundaries, for example, or exceed broadcast power limits. That said, reiterating my first-paragraph point, the key appeal of ISM band usage lies in its no-license-required nature. Plenty of products, including those listed in the earlier Wikipedia description along with, for example, the snowblower-mangled “fob” for my Volvo’s remote keyless system that I finished dissecting two years ago, leverage one-to-multiple ISM bands; Wikipedia lists twelve total defined and regulated by the ITU, some usable worldwide, others only in certain regions.
Probably the most common (discussed, at least, if not also used) ISM bands nowadays are the so-called “2.4 GHz” (strictly speaking, it should be 2.45 GHz, reflective of the center frequency) that spans 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz, and “5 GHz” (an even less accurate moniker) that ranges from 5.725 GHz to 5.875 GHz. And echoing the earlier Wikipedia quote that “in recent years the fastest-growing use of these bands has been for short-range, low-power wireless communications systems”, among the most common applications of those two ISM bands nowadays are Bluetooth (2.4 GHz) and Wi-Fi (both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, more recently further expanding into the non-ISM “5.9 GHz” and “6 GHz” band options). This reality is reflected in the products and broader topics that I regularly showcase in my blog posts and teardowns.
However, although when you hear the words “Bluetooth” and “Wi-Fi” you might automatically think of things like:
- Smartphones
- Tablets
- Computers and
- Speakers
I’m increasingly encountering plenty of other wirelessly communicating widgets that also abide in one or both of these bands. Some of them also use Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi, whether because they need to interact with Bluetooth- and Wi-Fi-based devices (a wireless HDMI transmitter that leverages a smartphone or tablet as its associated receiver-and-display, for example) or more generally because high-volume industry-standard chips and software tend to be cost-effective (not to mention stable, feature-rich and otherwise mature) versus proprietary alternatives. But others do take the proprietary route, even if just from a “handshake” protocol standpoint.
In the remainder of this post, I’ll showcase a few case study examples of the latter that I’ve personally acquired. Before I dive in, however, here are a few thoughts on why a manufacturer might go down either the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz (or both) development path. Generally speaking…
2.4 GHz is, all other factors being equal:
- Longer range (open-air)
- Comparatively immune to (non-RF) environmental attenuation factors such as chicken wire in walls and the like, and
- Lower power-consuming
but is also:
- Lower-bandwidth and longer-latency, and
- (For Wi-Fi uses) offers fewer non-spectrum-overlapping broadcast channel options
Unsurprisingly, 5 GHz is (simplistically, at least) the mirror image of its 2. 4 GHz ISM sibling:
- Higher bandwidth (especially with modern quantization schemes) and lower latency, and
- (For Wi-Fi) many more non-overlapping channels (a historical advantage that’s, however, increasingly diminished by modern protocols’ support for multichannel bonding)
but:
- Shorter range
- Greater attenuation by (non-RF) environmental factors, and
- Higher power-consuming
Again, I’ll reiterate that these comparisons are with “all other factors being equal”. 5 GHz Wi-Fi, for example, is receiving the bulk of industry development attention nowadays versus its 2.4 GHz precursor, so the legacy power consumption differences between them are increasingly moot (if not reversed). And environmental attenuation effects can to at least some degree be counterbalanced by more exotic MIMO antenna (and associated transmitter and receiver) designs along with mesh LAN topologies. With those generalities and qualifiers (along with others of both flavors that I may have overlooked; chime in, readers) documented, let’s dive in.
Wireless multi-camera flash setups
One of last month’s teardowns was of Godox’s V1 flash unit, which supports the company’s “X” wireless communication protocol, optionally acting as either a master (for other receivers and/or flashes configured as slaves) or slave (to another transmitter or master-configured flash):
In that writeup, I also mentioned Neewer’s conceptually similar, albeit protocol-incompatible Z1 flash unit and its “Q” wireless scheme:
And a year back I covered now-defunct Cactus and its own unique wireless sync approach:
All three schemes are 2.4 GHz-based but proprietary in implementation. Candidly, I’m somewhat surprised, given the limited data payload seemingly required in this application, that even longer-range 900 MHz wasn’t used instead. Then again, the limitations of camera optics and artificial illumination intensity-vs-distance may “cap” the upper-end range requirement, and comparative latency might also factor into the 2.4 GHz-vs-900 MHz selection.
Wireless HDMI transmitter and receiver
Vention’s compact system, which I purchased from Amazon at the beginning of the year, has found a permanent place in my travel satchel. The Amazon product page mentions both 2.4 and 5 GHz compatibility, but I think that’s a typo: Vention’s literature documents (and promotes, versus the company-positioned inferior 2.4 GHz alternative) only 5 GHz support, and the FCC certification records (FCC ID: 2A7Z4-ADC) also only document 5 GHz capabilities. The perhaps-obvious touted 5 GHz advantages are resolution (1080p max) and frame rate (60 fps), along with decent range; up to 131 feet (40 m), but only “in interference-free environments”, along with a further qualifier that “range is reduced to 32FT/10M when transmitting through walls or floors.” Regardless, since this is a “closed loop” (potentially multiple) transmitter to receiver setup, Wi-Fi compatibility isn’t necessary.
Wireless video-capture monitoring systems
Accsoon and Zhiyun’s approaches to wirelessly connecting a camera’s external video output to a remote monitor, which I previously covered back in July of last year, are conceptually similar but notably vary in implementation. The two Accsoon “mainstream” units I own are designed to solely stream to a remote smartphone or tablet and are therefore 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi-based, generating a Wi-Fi Direct-like beacon to which the mobile device connects. That said, Accsoon also sells a series of CineEye “Pro” models come as transmitter-plus-dedicated receiver sets and support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz transmission capabilities.
Zhiyun’s TransMount gear is intended to be used with the company’s line of gimbals, and like Accsoon’s hardware you can also “tune into” a transmitter directly from a smartphone or tablet using a company-developed Android or iOS app. That said, Zhiyun also sells a dedicated receiver to which you can connect a standalone HDMI field monitor. And for peak potential image quality (at a range tradeoff), everything runs only on 5 GHz Wi-Fi.
Wireless lavalier microphone sets
I got the Aikela set from Amazon last spring, and the Hollyland system (the Lark 150, to be exact) off eBay a month earlier. Both, as you have probably already discerned from the photos, are two-transmitter (max)/single-receiver setups. The Hollyland is the more professional-featured of the two, among other things supporting both built-in and external-tethered mics for the transmitters; that said, the Aikela receiver has integrated analog and both digital Lightning and USB-C output options…which is why I own both setups. They’re both 2.4 GHz-based and leverage proprietary communication schemes. Newer wireless lav models, such as DJI’s Mic 2, can also direct-transmit audio to a smartphone, tablet or other receiver over Bluetooth.
Joyo wireless XLR transmitter/receiver combo
I picked up two sets of these from Amazon last summer. As the image hopefully communicates effectively, they aren’t full-blown microphone setups per se; instead, they take the place of an XLR cable, with the transmitter mated to the XLR output of a microphone (or other audio-generating device) and the receiver connected to the mixing board, etc. The big surprise here, at least to me, is that unlike the previous 2.4 GHz mic sets, these are 5 GHz-based.
Clearly, as the earlier microphone-set examples exemplify, audio doesn’t represent a particularly large data payload, and any lip sync loss due to latency will be minimal at worst (and can be further time sync-corrected in post-production; that is, if you’re not live-streaming).
Perhaps the developer was assuming that multiple sets of these would be in simultaneous use by a band, for vocals and/or instruments, and wanted plenty of spectrum to play with (each transmitter/receiver combo is uniquely configurable to one of four possible channels). And/or perhaps the goal was to avoid interference with other 2.4 GHz broadcasters (such as a microwave oven backstage). All at a potential broadcast range tradeoff versus 2.4 GHz, of course.
Wireless guitar systems
I got the Amazon Basics setup last summer, and the Leapture RT10 (also from Amazon) last fall. Why both, especially considering the voluminous dust currently collecting on my guitars? The on-sale prices, only ~$30 in both cases, were hard to resist. I figured I could just do a teardown on at least one of them. And hope springs eternal that I’ll eventually blow the dust off my guitars. Both are 2.4 GHz-based; the Leapture setup also offers Bluetooth streaming support.
CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine
Last, but not least, and breaking the to-this-point consistent cadence of multimedia-tailored case studies, there’s my Philips Respironics DreamStation Auto CPAP (living at altitude can have some unique accompanying health challenges). Every morning, I download the previous night’s captured sleep data to my iPad over Bluetooth. Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), to be exact, for reasons that aren’t even remotely clear to me. The machine is AC-powered, after all, not battery-operated. And that the DreamStation doesn’t use conventional Bluetooth connectivity only acts as a potential further complication to initial pairing and ongoing communication. Then again, I suppose Bluetooth connectivity is among the least of Philips’ challenges right now…
Connect with me, wired or wirelessly
As always, I welcome your thoughts on anything I’ve written here, and/or any additional case studies you’d like to share, in the comments!
—Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Vision Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the company’s online newsletter.
Related Content
- A Volvo key fob: A post-mortem investigation
- The Godox V1 camera flash: Well-“rounded” with multiple-identity panache
- Multi-source vs proprietary: more “illuminating” case studies
- USB Power Delivery: incompatibility-derived foibles and failures
- Fundamentals of ISM-Band and short range device antennas, Part 1
- Exploring software-defined radio (without the annoying RF) – Part 1
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Non-linear pullup for multi-rate I2C buses
I2C is a popular bidirectional serial communications bus having a clock and a data line. Both line’s drivers consist of an open drain ground-referenced N-channel MOSFET with a pullup resistor connected to a supply ranging from 1.8 V to 5 V. The pullup resistor must be small enough to meet certain timing requirements in the presence of significant bus capacitance, but large enough that the surprisingly weak active driver (specified to drop less than 0.4 V at 3 mA for standard mode and less than 0.6 V at 6 mA for fast mode speeds) current is not exceeded and that the logic low levels are met. Meeting both needs can be a challenge.
Figure 44 in section 7.24 of the UM10204 I2C-bus specification and user manual presents a method of amelioration (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Switched-pullup circuit where the analog switch is activated at high bus voltages only, paralleling an additional resistor with the standard pullup. Source: NXP
Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide
An analog switch is activated at the higher bus voltages only, paralleling an additional resistor with the standard pullup. This reduces rise time without raising the driver’s achievable logic low level. But when the driver is activated, the amount of improvement is limited by the presence of the additional resistor at the higher voltages—too small an additional pullup, and the allowed driver current will be exceeded, and the required logic low level will not be met. A better approach would be to connect the additional resistor only when the signal is rising, that is, when the driver is off. The driver would then not be fighting the additional pullup, which accordingly could be made extremely small. This is the approach taken with the following circuit.
In Figure 2, comparators U1 and U2 are set to switch at the logic low and high thresholds of a typical 1.8V I2C bus.
Figure 2 A schematic of simulated I2C drivers, pullup resistors and bus capacitances, without (old) and with (new) connection to the autonomous non-linear pullup circuit.
When the driver turns off and releases the signal “new” from a logic low, that signal rises through the low threshold. There is an acceptable propagation-delayed positive output transition of U1 which clocks the 1Q output of D flipflop U3 to a logic high. This activates U4, switching R5 in parallel with the standard pullup R6 and greatly reducing rise time. As the signal rises through the logic high level, the output of U2 transitions to a logic low, clearing the 1Q output of U3, deactivating U4 and disconnecting R5. (In this instance, the propagation delay is welcome. U2’s delay allows the signal time to reach 1.8 V, courtesy of the additional pullup.) The circuit is now ready for the driver’s next activation, which will happen without it having to fight R5. Until activation, the circuit draws negligible current. Figure 3 shows the reduced rise time of the “new” circuit in comparison to that of the “old”, both having the same bus capacitance and same standard pullup. 100 pF is only 25% of the maximum specified value for I2C operation.
Figure 3 A comparison of the performances of standard (old) and an enhanced (new) I2C bus signals. The signals CLR, CLK, and Q swing between ground and +3.3 V are shown scaled for clarity purposes.
Although 1.8 V is a popular bus voltage (especially for smart battery IC’s), I was unable to find suitably fast, adequately low supply current comparators which can be powered from this voltage. Fortunately, 3.3 V is generally available in products with 1.8 V buses, and an analog switch serves admirably to bridge the gap between the two supplies. If the bus runs at 3.3 V, the analog switch can be replaced with a PNP transistor whose emitter is connected to the bus’s supply, and its base driven through a 3.3k resistor. In the unlikely event of a 5 V bus, 5V can be connected to the PNP’s emitter, but a 5 V-supply-capable D flip-flop will need to be found to replace U3.
Christopher Paul has worked in various engineering positions in the communications industry for over 40 years.
Related Content
- Adaptable pullup
- I2C interface has galvanic isolation, wired-OR capability, improved noise margin
- Optically isolating an I2C interface: Beware of nonlinear propagation delays
- How does hot-swap capability improve isolated I2C interface?
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Gated 555 astables can still the ground running even when Vreset doesn’t equal V+
A previous design idea (DI), “Gated 555 astable hits the ground running” fixed the problem of the excessively long first pulse generated by 555 astables when gated by the RESET pin from oscillation-off to oscillation-on. See Figure 1 and Figure 2.
Figure 1 The problem – first oscillation cycle has a too-long first pulse generated by 555 astables when gated by the RESET pin from oscillation-off to oscillation-on.
Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide
Figure 2 The fix via C2 charge injection when Vreset = V+ to equalize pulse length.
However, unstated in the DI was the simplifying assumption that Vreset = V+ if the C2 = C1/2 fix is to work. But what if they’re not equal?
The LMC555 is rated for V+ supply voltages from 1.5 V to 15 V which lie outside the recommended limits of most logic families. This makes the ability to choose V+ unequal to Vreset a frequently useful thing. Happily, a C2 can still be chosen that will work with most combinations of supply rails. Specifically, the arithmetic is…
- Let Ct = total required timing capacitance.
- Then C2 = Ct * V+ / Vreset / 3
- C1 = Ct – C2
Some examples:
- Vreset = 5v and V+ = 1.5v, C2 = 0.1Ct, C1 = 0.9Ct
- Vreset = 3v and V+ = 5v, C2 = 0.2Ct, C1 = 0.8Ct
- Vreset = 5v and V+ = 5v, C2 = 0.33Ct, C1 = 0.67Ct
- Vreset = 5v and V+ = 15v, C2 = Ct, C1 = 0
Stephen Woodward’s relationship with EDN’s DI column goes back quite a long way. Over 100 submissions have been accepted since his first contribution back in 1974.
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Lithography specialist ASML decides to stay in Eindhoven, for now
At a time when the semiconductor industry is shrouded in mystery about who is ASML’s second customer of high numerical aperture (NA) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine after Intel acquired the first one for its upcoming 14A process node at its fab in Hillsboro, Oregon, ASML has resolved a long-standing matter about its future.
The world’s largest supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment has been pondering about moving to another country amid unfavorable business conditions in the Netherlands. Multinationals Shell and Unilever moved their headquarters to London in 2018, citing an unfavorable change in Dutch tax law.
Figure 1 A year after its birth in 1984, ASML moved to a newly built office and factory in Veldhoven, an Eindhoven suburb just a few kilometers from the Philips research labs. Source: ASML
Now ASML—the Netherlands’ largest company and Europe’s largest technology outfit—is having second thoughts due to the government’s immigration policies, housing market shortage, and phasing out of the beneficial tax measures for expats. ASML, which employs 42,000 staff worldwide, has nearly half its workforce based in and around its headquarters in Veldhoven, Netherlands.
It’s important to note that more than 40% of ASML’s 23,000 employees in the Netherlands are not Dutch. In fact, ASML’s initial response was sparked after anti-immigration parties made substantial gains in Netherlands’ 2023 elections. In January 2024, ASML’s then-CEO Peter Wennink warned that his company was highly reliant on skilled foreign labor.
“The consequences of limiting labor migration are large, we need those people to innovate,” he told the press. “If we can’t get those people here, we will go somewhere where we can grow.” That thrust the caretaker cabinet into action, leading to the “Operation Beethoven” initiative to address ASML’s concerns, reported the largest daily newspaper in the Netherlands, De Telegraaf.
The outcome of this government initiative led to a $2.7 billion investment package to improve infrastructure in the Eindhoven region to prevent ASML from moving operations abroad, reported Reuters. The initiative, also aiming to turn Eindhoven into a booming technology hub, will include a large expansion capable of housing 20,000 new employees near Eindhoven’s airport.
The $2.7 billion investment striving to create favorable business conditions for ASML and other Dutch tech outfits will encompass housing, education, transportation, and the electric grid. The infrastructure and highway buildup will also benefit ASML’s headquarters in Veldhoven, a suburb of Eindhoven.
It’s an ambitious undertaking by the Dutch government, and it shows the leverage that successful tech companies have in the socioeconomic context. At the same time, this ambitious expansion plan in Noord-Barbant, an Eindhoven suburb, is merely a letter of intent right now.
That means it’s a long-term undertaking, and that there won’t be any improvements in infrastructure aspects like housing in the short term. “Of course, we have a Plan B, but we want to expand here due to what Veldhoven and Eindhoven have to offer,” said Roger Dassen, ASML’s financial director. “The government also recognizes the circumstances we need to grow.”
Figure 2 The Dutch maker of semiconductor lithography equipment is under immense pressure to maintain its position as an undisputed leader in chip manufacturing gear. Source: ASML
The Dutch paper De Telegraaf, which first reported Operation Beethoven, also mentioned France as a potential destination for ASML’s future expansion. So, while expansion in the Eindhoven region suits ASML because of its existing operations, it has a Plan B in case of failure.
It all comes at a crucial time for the semiconductor lithography titan. It’s nervously charting the opportunity of a lifetime that comes with an unprecedented chip manufacturing boom spanning from Asia to Europe to the United States.
ASML has promptly identified the issues surrounding its future growth, showing its preparedness to fulfill the soaring demand for cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing equipment. A company spokesperson summed it well by saying that “The decision we need to take is not if we (will) stay, but where we (will) grow.”
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- ASML aims to accelerate EUV platform R&D once SVG merger closes
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Disclosing the results of a webcam closeup
Remember 2020? Global pandemic lockdown forced many of us out of our cubicles and into haphazard home offices, frantically outfitted and upgraded for their new tasks. Retailer inventories of webcams (and associated green screens), ring lights, microphones, headsets, broadband networking equipment and the like quickly evaporated, boosting the prices of whatever remaining equipment stock scraps were left to stratospheric levels. And both existing and new suppliers, sensing a highly profitable business opportunity, rushed to market with products based on whatever (sometimes subpar) system building blocks they could source.
Four years later, COVID-19 is still with us, of course, but many of us have returned to the cubicles (at least part-time, and sometimes reluctantly). But regardless, we’re now fully gear-equipped at all possible work locations. The electronics supply-vs-demand curve has therefore regained sanity, leading to no-longer-crazy prices. And longstanding webcam (for example) suppliers are differentiating their products, hoping to escape profit-killing commoditization: BenQ with the easily relocatable, macro-capable ideaCam S1 Plus and Pro, for example:
Logitech’s Brio line with a focus (pun intended) on high res and other image enhancements:
And Razer’s Kiyo integrating illumination:
Back to commodities. As I’ve mentioned before, I regularly donate computers, both ones that I’ve personally used and outgrown and others hand-built specifically for this purpose, to a local charity for subsequent handoff to its income- and otherwise-challenged clients. I always make sure that the computers include full online communications capabilities—a microphone, speakers, and a webcam, to be precise—for virtual job interviews, online advanced education classes and the like. With laptops this is easy, since such gear is already built in. For desktop computers, on the other hand, I need to source this stuff separately.
Back in February (as well as several times before, apparently), the Avaya Huddle HC010 Webcam was on sale at bargains site Meh, in this case for $14.99 each. At the time, it was reportedly selling for $60.99 at Amazon (it’s now $39.99 there as I write these words two-plus months later), so I quickly “fished” the three-unit limit (two will eventually end up with charity-donation computers; the third is being dissected here just for you). And longer-term historical data is even more revealing. Back in mid-2021 when the pandemic was still raging and the product was just-introduced, Amazon had it marked at $129 per price-tracking site CamelCamelCamel.
The specs are average and passable:
- 1080p and 720p resolution options, along with a 30 fps frame rate
- A/V output: H.264 over USB 2.0
- Digital (i.e., software-interpolated, and Windows-only) pan, tilt and 4x zoom
- 85° horizontal field of view
- Two integrated microphones
- Built-in privacy cover
- Integrated activity light
- Dimensions of 4.65″ (L) x 1.46″ (W) x 1.22″ (H)
- Weight of 3.28 oz
- 1/2.8″ CMOS image sensor
- 8mm focal length
although low-light performance is generally dubious-at-best with such cost-centric products. Here’s a promo video with more details:
And here’s our victim, beginning with the obligatory outer box shots:
Note, to my earlier “suppliers sensing a highly profitable business opportunity” comment, the mid-February 2021 manufacturing date:
Now let’s take a peek inside:
A desiccant packet and two slivers of literature:
Along with (cue striptease music)…
Our patient, as-usual accompanied by a 0.75″ (19.1 mm) diameter U.S. penny for size comparison purposes:
Here’s what it looks like from the front. Note the microphone ports to either side of the currently protected cover/lens, and the currently extinguished activity light above the penny:
Remove the protective sliver of plastic in the center and you can see the privacy cover, marked red to alert you when it’s in place:
versus slid away to reveal the lens behind it:
with both positions controlled by a topside switch:
Here’s the rear (I made a rhyme! I’m easily amused!):
And here’s the bottom, first revealing the ¼” thread tripod base built into the lower segment of the two-piece hinged “foot”:
Unfold the two halves of the “foot” and more product info appears, courtesy of another label (augmenting the already shown one attached to the product packaging):
There’s actually another hinge, this one connecting the “foot” to the main body and convenient for when you need to tilt the webcam down post-mount to more effectively frame the user:
And speak of “mount”, it occurred to me post-disassembly of the Avaya HC010 that some of you might not already be familiar with standalone webcams (versus those built into laptop display bezels) and therefore how they’re mounted to displays. Here’s my woefully dusty Logitech Brio perched on top of my Dell UP2516D two-LCD suite; the HC010 operates similarly:
Onward. The front panel pops off easily:
The translucent rubber piece shown at left in the prior photo fell out as I was pulling the panel off. I put it back in place for the following photo (stay tuned for its function):
We now have our first unobstructed perspective of the insides, once again in both privacy cover-active and-inactive modes:
Note the (inexpensive) electret condenser mics on either side, along with the “hole” into which the other end of the recently mentioned translucent rubber piece fits. The piece’s function, as it turns out, is to act as a sort of “light pipe”, transferring the illumination coming from an embedded-in-hole LED, presumably attached to a PCB-to-be-seen-fully-later, to the front panel.
See, too, those four screws, one in each corner? To proceed further, I first tried removing them:
which didn’t get me anywhere meaningful:
The five additional inner screws, on the other hand…
The aforementioned two-piece “foot” also detached as a result:
Now let’s see if we can get the inside assembly to move:
That’s encouraging:
All that’s left is to detach the USB cable’s power-and-data connector to the PCB:
And out it goes!
with the gasket around each mic coming off in the process:
Here’s a standalone front view of the inner assembly, with most of the PCB still obscured by the black plastic frame:
Top view:
Bottom:
And finally, the now-visible backside:
Four more screws to remove:
And the black plastic frame comes right off. Inside:
Already-seen outside:
And now free-and-clear PCB:
Next, let’s detach those mics:
Note, too, the previously embedded-in-hole LED in the upper left corner of the USB connector:
Bottom-side view:
Top:
Left:
Right:
And now let’s flip the PCB back over and peel off the heat sink you likely already noticed earlier:
The dominant-size square IC now revealed at right has markings too faint to discern in a photo, so you’ll have to take my word that it’s the SSC33x Camera SoC Processor from a company called SigmaStar. The smaller chip in its upper left corner (the one with the dab of blue paint on top of it) is a GigaDevice GD25Q64CSIG 64 Mbit SPI NOR flash memory, presumably containing the system firmware. And in the middle, you probably already noticed two more screw heads:
I’m betting that removing them will enable detach of the lens assembly on the other side of the PCB. Let’s see if I’m right:
Yep, we have liftoff:
Here’s the now-exposed other end of the lens:
And here’s the image sensor!
That wraps it up for today, folks. As always, I welcome your thoughts in the comments!
—Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Vision Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the company’s online newsletter.
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EDA toolset parade at TSMC’s U.S. design symposium
The EDA trio—Cadence Design Systems, Siemens EDA, and Synopsys—is working hands in hand with TSMC to facilitate production-ready EDA tools for the mega-fab’s newest and most advanced processes. These EDA outfits showcased their IC design solutions at the TSMC 2024 North America Technology Symposium held in Santa Clara, California, on 24 April 2024.
The EDA tie-ups with TSMC show how toolmakers have established a symbiotic relationship with large fabs to support chip designers on advanced semiconductor manufacturing nodes. Moreover, it demonstrates why design flow migration is critical when chip designs move from one advanced node to the next.
- Cadence
Cadence showcased its node-to-node design migration flow based on the Cadence Virtuoso Studio, which facilitates the migration of schematic cells, parameters, pins, and wiring from one TSMC process node to another. Next, Virtuoso ADE Suite’s simulation and circuit optimization environment tunes and optimizes the new schematic to ensure the design achieves all required specifications and measurements.
That allows IC designers using Cadence tools on TSMC process nodes to automatically recognize and extract groups of devices in an existing layout and apply them to similar groups in the new layout. Cadence has also been working closely with TSMC to ensure its EDA tools’ compatibility with fab’s advanced nodes, including N3E and N2 process technologies.
Figure 1 The enhanced PDKs and EDA methodologies simplify and accelerate the design migration from one process node to another. Source: Cadence
- Siemens EDA
Siemens EDA displayed its IC design solutions for TSMC’s latest process and advanced packaging technologies, including IC verification tool Calibre nmPlatform now certified for TSMC’s N2 process. At TSMC’s event, Siemens EDA also demonstrated its FastSPICE platform for circuit verification of nanometer analog, RF, mixed-signal, memory; it’s now certified for TSMC’s N3P, N2 and N2P process nodes.
Figure 2 The EDA toolset certifications are crucial in migration to new IC manufacturing process and advanced packaging technologies. Source: Siemens EDA
Siemens EDA also provided details about collaboration with TSMC to certify its Calibre 3DSTACK solution’s support for the foundry’s latest 3Dblox standard. TSMC’s 3Dblox technology addresses specific IC test and diagnosis challenges that arise at 2-nm geometries and below.
- Synopsys
Synopsys also unveiled details about its latest collaborations with the Taiwanese fab, including a co-optimized photonic IC flow, which is integrated with the EDA firm’s 3DIC Compiler and supports TSMC’s 3Dblox technology.
Figure 3 The production-ready design flows were showcased for TSMC’s advanced nodes at the symposium. Source: Synopsys
Additionally, Synopsys showcased its digital and analog design flows compatible with TSMC’s N3/N3P and N2 process nodes. The EDA toolmaker is also working closely with TSMC to ensure the design productivity and optimization of its AI-driven flows such as Synopsys DSO.ai.
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- Synopsys collaborates with TSMC on 2nm IP portfolio and photonics ICs
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Vibration sensor aids predictive maintenance
Murata’s PKGM-200D-R vibration sensor detects high-frequency vibrations up to 11 kHz to assist predictive maintenance in production equipment. The device measures vibration acceleration along the Z-axis to detect abnormal vibrations, which can indicate early bearing wear and prevent unexpected equipment stoppage.
For rotary bearings, engineers can employ FFT analysis on vibration data to pinpoint irregularities caused by depleted grease or minor surface imperfections. By detecting these anomalies early on, FFT analysis enables proactive intervention, potentially averting impeding issues before they escalate.
Housed in a compact 5.0×5.0×3.5-mm surface-mount package, the PKGM-200D-R integrates a PZT piezoelectric ceramic element, driver circuit, and temperature sensor. Differential analog output reduces line noise. Specifications for the sensor include a detection range of ±10.2 g minimum, a frequency band of 6 kHz to 11 kHz, and sensitivity of 118 mV/g typical.
The PKGM-200D-R vibration sensor requires a supply voltage of 3.0 V to 5.2 V, with current consumption of 3.5 mA. It operates over a temperature range of -20°C to +85°C. The device is now in mass production.
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.
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Generator delivers analog signals up to 40 GHz
A microwave signal generator, the SMB100B from R&S offers four frequency options covering 8 kHz to 12.75 GHz, 20 GHz, 31.8 GHz, and 40 GHz. This midrange analog signal generator provides single sideband (SSB) phase noise of <-106 dBc (measured) at 20 GHz with an offset of 20 kHz and <-100 dBc (measured) at 40 GHz with a 20-kHz offset. According to R&S, the SMB100B also exhibits low wideband noise for all carrier frequencies.
Output power options of 25 dBm at 20 GHz and 19.5 dBm at 40 GHz are activated by keycode and can be installed at any time. In addition to the instrument’s standard OCXO reference oscillator, a high-performance variant is available across all frequency ranges. It enhances close-in phase noise and frequency stability, while reducing sensitivity to temperature variations.
The SMB100B has a standard 10-MHz reference frequency. An optional 1-MHz to 100-MHz variable external reference frequency input allows the unit to be integrated into existing test environments. The received reference frequency can also be sent to a separate reference output. A 1-GHz reference frequency input and output option improves phase stability between multiple SMB100B instruments.
The SMB100B microwave signal generator (up to 40 GHz) is available now and joins the existing RF models (up to 6 GHz).
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.
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Gate driver targets 24/48-V automotive market
Tailored for automotive motor control, the TLE9140EQW gate driver from Infineon eases the migration of systems from 12 V to 24 V or 48 V. The IC drives three-phase bridges for brushless DC motors commonly found in automotive applications, such as engine cooling fans, water pumps, oil pumps, and HVAC modules.
Part of the MOTIX family of motor control solutions, the TLE9140EQW gate driver can be paired with Infineon’s MOTIX TLE987x and TLE989x 32-bit motor control MCUs. The driver accommodates a wide input voltage range of 8 Vsm to 72 Vsm and offers high-voltage robustness up to 110 V. It also provides a gate driving capability of ~230 nC/MOSFET up to 20 kHz.
The TLE9140EQW is compliant with the ISO 26262 ASIL B functional safety standard and operates over a temperature range of -40° to +175°C. Protection and diagnostic functions include overvoltage, undervoltage, cross-current, and overtemperature, along with drain-source monitoring and off-state diagnostics.
The TLE9140EQW gate driver is available now in small TS-DSO-32 packages. Infineon also offers an evaluation board to speed prototyping and ease the design-in process.
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.
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LDO regulators provide flexible outputs
ST’s LDH40 and LDQ40 voltage regulators deliver up to 200 mA and 250 mA, respectively, for use in industrial and automotive applications. The LDH40 regulator provides an adjustable output voltage from 1.2 V to 22 V. Variants of the LDQ40 regulator offer either an adjustable output from 1.2 V to 12 V or a fixed output at 1.8 V, 2.5 V, 3.3 V, or 5.0 V. Output voltage tolerance is ±0.5% at 25°C and ±1.5% over temperature.
These two low-dropout (LDO) regulators start up from an input as low as 3.3 V and operate with up to 40 V applied. To help conserve battery energy in always-on standby systems, the devices’ quiescent current is 2 µA at zero load and just 300 nA in logic-controlled shutdown mode. Automotive versions are AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualified and operate over a temperature range of -40°C to +150°C.
The LDH40 automotive-grade regulator is in production now. Adjustable-output LDQ40 regulators, in industrial and automotive grades, are in production as well. Prices for both the LDH40 and LDQ40 automotive-grade parts start at $0.47 each in lots of 1000 units. Fixed-output LDQ40 automotive components will be available in Q2, with industrial parts to follow in Q3.
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.
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Scope software improves multi-signal analysis
Version 5.4 of SignalVu Spectrum Analyzer software from Tektronix allows multichannel modulation analysis of up to eight signals in parallel. The software transforms Tektronix 5 Series MSO, 6 Series MSO, and DPO70000 oscilloscopes into a comprehensive wireless system tester. This latest update is particularly well-suited for time-domain analysis with RF measurements.
SignalVu Version 5.4 furnishes up to 26 wireless modulation schemes, including 1024-QAM to cater to the demands of higher-bandwidth applications. The introduction of shared-acquisition, multi-signal support enables the simultaneous analysis of signals that are frequency-separated, yet input through the same scope channel. This is important for the validation and optimization of advanced wireless communication systems, including phased array antennas, RF transmitters, and mixed-signal ICs.
SignalVu provides engineers and researchers with in-depth analysis of RF signals. It can be used in a wide range of applications for wireless, military, and government applications, as well as microwave and IoT sectors.
SignalVu Version 5.4 software is available now with a base price of $1670. Digital modulation analysis is offered as a downloadable license (Option SVM).
SignalVu Version 5.4 product page
Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.
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What’s that?…A fuel cell that harvests energy from…dirt?
The continual attraction of energy harvesting is well known. Who can resist possibly getting something—usually electricity—for nothing, or almost nothing? Yet the reality is that in many cases, the harvesting arrangement technically works but its cost in up-front hardware, longevity, actual harvested energy density, or other key metrics versus is an unbalanced, unfavorable situation.
But maybe that’s not a problem in a suitable application scenario. That’s what I found intriguing about a fuel cell developed by a Northwestern University-led team (which included three other universities) that harvests energy from microbes living in plain dirt, Figure 1.
Figure 1 Working in the lab, Northwestern University project leader Bill Yen buries the fuel cell in soil. Source: Northwestern University
The team does not make the usual extremely optimistic claims made by proponents of some other harvesting approaches that their innovative technique is going to “save the planet”. Instead, said Northwestern’s George Wells, a senior author on the study, “These microbes are ubiquitous; they already live in soil everywhere. We can use very simple engineered systems to capture their electricity. We’re not going to power entire cities with this energy. But we can capture minute amounts of energy to fuel practical, low-power applications.”
Where is this scheme a good fit? It’s a natural fit for agricultural IoT situations, where it’s necessary to know soil conditions such as moisture levels and temperature. The obvious solution is solar panels, but they don’t work well in dirty environments because they get covered with dirt, do not work when the sun isn’t out, and take up a significant amount of surface space.
Another option is non-rechargeable batteries, but they have a limited lifetime. It’s not practical to expect farmers to go find these scattered sensor devices to replace that power source.
Use of soil-based microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) is not a new idea, as they have been around since the early 1900s. However, their inconsistent performance and low output power, especially in low-moisture conditions, has impeded attempts to deploy them widely. Nonetheless, as project leader Bill Yen noted, SMFCs offer a large potential advantage (no pun intended), since “As long as there is organic carbon in the soil for the microbes to break down, the fuel cell can potentially last forever.”
How they work
I won’t try to explain the microbiology details, as the research paper does so both briefly and also in detail with the required chemical equations, Figure 2. It says that “In a SMFC, the biofilm growing on the anode oxidizes organic matter to release electrons, which becomes the source of electrical power. The cathode performs a reduction reaction to balance out the cell’s net charge, which requires oxygen as a reactant. The electrolyte facilitates ion exchange between the anode and cathode while preventing oxygen from penetrating into the anode.” That’s a good-enough explanation for me.
Figure 2 The electrochemistry of the microbial-based fuel cell shows how it creates electron flow. Source: Northwestern University
The team set out to overcome the limitations of existing approaches. They designed and tested multiple prototype versions over several years and took the best for literal field tests. That version owes much of its success primary to a new geometry, rather than advanced materials
Instead of using a traditional design, in which the anode and cathode are parallel to each other, that fuel cell used a perpendicular design. It worked well in dry conditions as well as within a water-logged environment.
The anode is made of carbon felt while the cathode is made of an inert, conductive metal and sits vertically on top of the anode; the anode is in the horizontal position while the cathode is at right angles to it, Figure 3.
Figure 3 The physical construction and alignment of the cell’s components is critical to achieving its performance in challenging conditions. Source: Northwestern University
The top end of the anode is buried but flush with the ground’s surface. A 3D-printed cap rests on top of the device to prevent debris from falling inside, while a hole on top and an empty air chamber running alongside the cathode enable consistent airflow.
Since the lower end of the cathode is relatively deep beneath the surface, it stays hydrated from the moist, surrounding soil—even when the surface soil dries out in the sunlight. After any ground flooding, the vertical design enables the cathode to dry out gradually rather than all at once.
The results of their design were impressive but difficult to compare. The reasons are that there are different ways to assess performance, especially as the output is a function of many varying factors such as moisture level and its timing, temperature, soil type and texture, and more (note there are no defined IEC, ASTM or other standardized tests yet). This dilemma also makes it hard to compare the capabilities of this design to ones done elsewhere.
One of their many graphs does give some sense of the available output, Figure 4.
Figure 4 One of the may performance graphs shows the small but consistent power output achieved, but there are many varying factors to be considered. Source: Northwestern University
The power level of the cell dropped significantly after it was “transplanted” to the outside. However, it still produced enough power to theoretically turn on MARS during spikes in moisture levels caused by occasional irrigation; see shaded red regions for the energy which can be used by MARS. (Note: MARS is a nano-power battery-free wireless interface developed by other, unrelated researchers in 2021.)
They integrated their design with an RF-backscatter scheme to transmit sensor data in SMFC-powered system, Figure 5. Backscatter operates on the order of nanowatts, making them suitable for SMFC-powered applications. By using a purely analog backscatter device like MARS, they achieved superior performance in terms of runtime availability and robustness without using batteries and storage capacitors.
Figure 5 By combining the SFMC with an RF-backscatter scheme, they were able to build and test a complete sensor and data-reporting module. Source: Northwestern University
How much more improved is their design compared to other efforts? Short answer: it’s very hard to say, primarily due to lack of a standard test procedure as noted. However, they did report they felt the data showed it was an impressive ten to 50 times better.
Also impressive is their published paper, “Soil-Powered Computing: The Engineer’s Guide to Practical Soil Microbial Fuel Cell Design” (at the Proceedings of the Association for Computing Machinery on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies). At 40 pages, it is the longest academic-class paper I have ever seen, and for good reason.
How so? It is not just a report on what they did and the results. Instead, it’s really a complete design course. It discusses how they designed, built, and evaluated various versions until they reached their final one. It also explains how they identified the shortcomings of each version, and the flow-chart they devised for each observed problem as they methodically approached each, strived to identify one or more causes, and then minimized the problem. As a result, the paper is a comprehensive tutorial in the realities of a total project cycle, even if the result is not a commercially abatable device as is the case here.
What’s your view on the practicality of microbe and soil-based harvesting for these field applications? Have you even been attracted to energy-harvesting designs which appear to have significant capabilities, until you looked more closely at the realities of their implementation?
Bill Schweber is an EE who has written three textbooks, hundreds of technical articles, opinion columns, and product features.
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Universal analog-to-digital multiplexer-demultiplexer
The possibility of creating a universal analog-to-digital multiplexer-demultiplexer is shown.
Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide
As is known, a multiplexer and a demultiplexer is an electronic device designed for selective signal transmission from one of several inputs to one output, or, on the contrary, signal transmission from one input to one of several outputs. Channel switching is performed by digital signals supplied to the control inputs.
First, let’s consider the operation of a control node containing key elements controlled by digital input signals. Figure 1 shows an example of such a node based on discrete elements such as bipolar or field-effect transistors; or using two “NOT” logic elements. When applying to the input (Inp) of such a node, signals of the level “Log. 1»/«Log. 0” the output signal levels Out1 and Out2 are switched. To switch, for example, four channels, it is necessary to use two similar control nodes.
Figure 1 Control node using discrete elements such as bipolar or field-effect transistors.
Figure 2 shows the electrical circuit of the signal transmission channel switching unit, made using two control units, Figure 1, as well as diode-resistive elements. The signals from the ABCD outputs are sent to the corresponding ABCD control inputs of analog switches, Figure 2.
Figure 2 Electrical diagram of the analog switch control unit using discrete elements.
When digital signals of the level “Log. 1” or “Log. 0” are applied to the inputs, X1 and/or X2 of the control nodes implements four combinations of selective appearance at the outputs of the ABCD levels “Log. 1”. The inputs and outputs of analog switches have the property of reversibility, which allows the device to be used both as a multiplexer and a demultiplexer.
Figure 3 shows a variant of the control unit for analog switches from a set of logic elements “NOT” and “2AND”.
Figures 3 Electrical diagram of the analog switch control unit using logic elements.
To be able to disable the passage of any signals from the input to the output of the device, or vice versa, the scheme shown in Figure 2 can be supplemented with the function of general disconnection of the passage of signals, Figure 4. When an Inhibit signal of the “Log. 1” level is applied to the input, the transistor Q opens and shunts the control inputs of the analog switches ABCD through the diodes.
Figures 4 Electrical diagram of the device for general disconnection of signals passing through all switching channels.
Figure 5 shows the possible pin arrangement of the universal analog multiplexer/demultiplexer chip, its schematic representation, and truth table.
Figure 5 Possible pin layout of the universal analog multiplexer/demultiplexer chip, its schematic representation, and the truth table.
Figure 6 demonstrates the possibility of using such a device as a multiplexer when signals from 4 sources are fed to the ABCD inputs. When digital control signals are applied to inputs X1 and X2, one of the signals taken from sources E1–E4 will pass to the output Y of the device.
Figure 6 Using a universal analog multiplexer/demultiplexer as a multiplexer, its graphical designation, equivalent circuit, and truth table.
Figure 7 shows the options for using a universal analog of a universal multiplexer/demultiplexer as a demultiplexer.
Figure 7 Using a universal analog multiplexer/demultiplexer as a demultiplexer, its graphical designation, equivalent circuit, and truth table.
Figure 8 shows an example of using a device for selectively enabling/disabling information transmission channels from sources E1–E4 to the outputs/inputs of ABCD.
Figure 8 Examples of using a universal analog multiplexer/demultiplexer to control the passage of signals through one of the channels involved.
The described device can be used for switching both analog and digital signals of positive polarity, however, with a slight improvement of the device, it can be converted to switch signals of both positive and negative polarity.
Michael A. Shustov is a doctor of technical sciences, candidate of chemical sciences and the author of over 800 printed works in the field of electronics, chemistry, physics, geology, medicine, and history.
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5 considerations when choosing a haptics manufacturer
In the rapidly emerging world of haptic technology, businesses are increasingly recognizing the value of integrating haptic feedback into their products. In a study conducted by Immersion Corp. on consumer attitudes about high-definition haptic effects in smartphones, a vast majority of respondents (~90%) said they prefer mobile phones that offer haptic feedback. Another study from the University of Oxford found that the participants performed tasks better when notifications came with haptic feedback.
This shows that haptics is poised to play a big role in shaping user perceptions and behaviors. Market research firm CB Insights projects that the haptics industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.7%, reaching a value of $ 5 billion by 2028. Moreover, a gradual shift toward touch-centric consumer gadgets is paving the way for more opportunities in haptic technology.
Source: Titan Haptics
Integrating haptics into your next product comes with a plethora of benefits. It not only enhances the user experience, leading to improved brand image and customer satisfaction, but can also boost accessibility, safety, and precision. Additionally, haptics can enable businesses to offer customization options, future-proof their offerings, and explore new revenue streams.
That said, the manufacturing of haptic products is no small feat. It requires a blend of multidisciplinary expertise, careful consideration of user experience, seamless integration of technology, meticulous material selection, and strategic planning for scalability.
What are the issues to think about when manufacturing haptic products?
- Multidisciplinary expertise
Haptic technology is a complex field that requires a deep understanding of electronics, firmware, software, and mechanical engineering. For small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this multidisciplinary nature can pose a significant challenge.
Consider a startup that specializes in virtual reality (VR) gaming and wants to incorporate haptic technology into its products to enhance user experience. This startup may have a team of software engineers who are proficient in developing VR games but lack the expertise in haptic technology.
In order to incorporate their desired haptics, a partnership with a full-service manufacturer or product development firm may be beneficial. This can help bridge the necessary expertise in electronics, firmware, software, and mechanical engineering. As a result, the startup can focus on its core competency, while ensuring that its products are enhanced with the latest haptic technology.
- User experience (UX)
The user experience (UX) should be a priority when designing haptic products. The haptic feedback should be instinctive and enhance the user’s engagement with the product. However, the transition from prototype to mass production may introduce changes that could impact the intended user experience.
This is where a manufacturer with expertise in manufacturing haptic products becomes invaluable. Manufacturers can recommend vibration damping to significantly enhance the haptic feedback. They can also procure high-quality components like buttons—loose buttons that create noise during haptic feedback can negatively impact the user experience.
Manufacturers can also tailor the product to its intended use. For instance, if the product is designed for use in a heavy-duty industry, the motors need to be sealed against environmental factors. This ensures they are not compromised by dust and debris, thereby maintaining the quality of the haptic feedback and, in turn, the user experience.
- Material selection
The choice of materials in the production of haptic products can significantly influence the quality of the haptic feedback. Selecting the appropriate materials is a vital part of manufacturing haptic products, as an unsuitable choice can negatively impact the product’s functionality and effectiveness.
For example, using a rigid material for a haptic glove, which needs high touch sensitivity and responsiveness, may not deliver the subtle haptic feedback required for an immersive virtual reality gaming or medical training experience.
The importance of material selection goes beyond the product’s performance. It also impacts user comfort, market attractiveness, and, ultimately, sales. Experienced haptic product manufacturers can provide insight and suggest suitable materials for the product’s intended use. They can also assist companies in making educated decisions regarding material selection, which also has an impact on cost.
- Scalability
In addition to the technical considerations, it’s also important to consider the scalability of a product. This involves consideration of manufacturing processes, cost, and quality control measures. A well-thought-out design should be scalable for mass production without compromising on quality.
Scalability in manufacturing is a crucial factor in effectively boosting production volumes to satisfy rising market needs while keeping or even reducing costs per unit. Imagine a startup that has created a new high-definition haptic gaming controller. At first, production is on a small scale, with only a few hundred units produced each month. However, as the product becomes more popular, demand surges.
With this increased demand, there are additional factors to consider. While producing more units could decrease the cost per unit due to economies of scale, it could also inflate total costs if not properly managed.
Therefore, it’s crucial to collaborate with a trusted manufacturer to ensure that the quality of the product aligns with the company’s standards, values, and customer expectations.
- Importance of IP protection
In the tech-driven haptic industry, intellectual property (IP) is a critical asset. Protecting this asset can be a complex and challenging process, particularly when dealing with international suppliers. A robust IP protection plan is critical in providing peace of mind for a business.
Consider a company that has developed a unique haptic feedback mechanism for a wearable. This mechanism could be a huge differentiating factor that sets the product apart from similar wearable devices. However, without a solid IP protection plan, the company risks losing its competitive edge if the mechanism is copied or reverse-engineered by a rival.
This risk is particularly high when dealing with international suppliers, as different countries have different laws and regulations regarding intellectual property. For example, if the company is sourcing components from China, it needs to be aware of the Chinese laws on intellectual property and ensure that its IP protection plan is robust enough to protect its technology.
Why a qualified manufacturing partner matters
Manufacturing haptic products can be incredibly challenging and requires careful consideration of the factors outlined above. A qualified manufacturing partner should be capable of addressing all these factors and offering advice on how haptic products can be optimized for their use case.
By understanding these complexities and partnering with a reliable manufacturing program, businesses can successfully navigate the haptic industry and create products that deliver value to their customers.
Kyle Skippon is head of engineering at Titan Haptics Inc.
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