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Linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs) stand out as one of the most reliable displacement sensors in modern engineering. By converting linear movement into proportional electrical signals, they deliver unmatched accuracy and repeatability across demanding environments—from aerospace control systems to industrial automation lines. Their rugged, non-contact design ensures long service life, while their ability to resist electrical noise makes them indispensable wherever precision and stability are paramount.

This article highlights how LVDTs operate, why they define precision sensing, and what are their key applications.

At the heart of an LVDT is a movable ferromagnetic core that shifts within a coil assembly, inducing voltage changes that correspond directly to displacement. This elegant mechanism defines LVDT’s reputation for precision sensing, enabling engineers to capture minute movements with exceptional accuracy and repeatability.

That reliability translates into critical applications: stabilizing aircraft control systems, guiding industrial automation processes, and supporting delicate medical instrumentation. By combining robust design with noise-resistant performance, LVDTs continue to set the benchmark for displacement measurement across diverse fields.

The electromagnetic elegance of LVDTs

Well, let’s dig deeper into the rabbit hole of LVDT design. Beyond the straightforward coil-and-core mechanism lies a finely tuned balance of electromagnetic principles that ensures linearity and stability across a wide measurement range.

Its differential signal output scales cleanly with displacement, canceling common-mode noise and making LVDTs remarkably resilient in harsh environments. This blend of simplicity and sophistication explains why they remain the sensor of choice when precision, durability, and repeatability are non-negotiable.

In practice, an LVDT is a widely used electromechanical transducer that converts the rectilinear motion of a mechanically coupled object into a proportional electrical signal. Its structure features a primary winding centered between two symmetrically spaced, identically wound secondary windings, forming the stationary coil assembly of the sensor.

The moving element is a separate tubular armature—called the core—made of magnetically permeable material. Free to slide axially within the hollow bore of the coil, the core is mechanically linked to the object under measurement. The bore provides ample radial clearance, ensuring no physical contact between the core and coil.

As the core shifts position, the magnetic coupling between the primary and each secondary winding changes, producing displacement-dependent voltage signals that deliver a precise electrical representation of the object’s position.

Figure 1 Pencil drawing illustrates the cutaway view of a basic LVDT. Source: Author

The primary winding is shown at the center of the LVDT. Two secondary coils are wound symmetrically on either side of the primary coil for short-stroke LVDTs, or concentrically over the primary coil for long-stroke versions. The two secondary windings are typically connected in a series-opposed (differential) configuration, ensuring that the output signal accurately reflects the core’s displacement.

In operation, the LVDT’s primary winding is energized by an alternating current of suitable amplitude and frequency, referred to as the primary excitation. The resulting electrical output is a differential AC voltage between the two secondary windings, which varies with the axial position of the core inside the coil. To make this signal more practical, it’s typically converted by electronic circuitry into a higher-level DC voltage or current.

Note that the two secondary windings are connected in series but wound in opposite directions—a series-opposed configuration that ensures the differential output accurately reflects the core’s displacement. For most industrial LVDTs, datasheets assume this series-opposed arrangement. In high-reliability sectors, however, the windings are often kept separate to enable more advanced error-correction techniques.

Figure 2 Schematic illustrates the circuit model of a basic LVDT. Source: Author

How an LVDT works: The silent precision of linear sensing

An LVDT operates as a specialized transformer with a single primary winding, two identical secondary windings, and a movable ferromagnetic core. The core slides axially within the assembly, linked to the monitored component by a push rod. When the primary winding is energized, its magnetic field induces voltages in the secondary coils.

Because these coils are connected in series-opposition, the output is zero when the core is centered at the null position. As the core shifts, magnetic coupling increases in one secondary and decreases in the other, producing a differential output voltage proportional to displacement. The direction of movement is indicated by the phase of the output signal relative to the primary excitation.

To summarize, an AC LVDT is a variable-reluctance transducer that operates by energizing a primary coil with a constant AC supply to induce a magnetic field. This flux is coupled through a moving armature to two secondary coils which are wired in series opposition.

When the armature is at the null position (dead center), the magnetic flux is distributed equally between both secondaries, causing their output to cancel out perfectly. However, as the shaft shifts closer to one coil, the energy in that coil increases relative to the other; by measuring this differential output, the sensor precisely determines the shaft’s position and direction within the tube at all times.

Figure 3 LVDT AC miniature free core position sensors monitor and track the linear motion or position of a target. Source: HGSI

LVDT mechanical configurations: The art of precision displacement

Modern LVDTs are available in three primary mechanical configurations to suit different integration needs. Free (unguided) armature LVDTs utilize a core that moves freely within the bore; because the core is not physically restrained by the sensor, it’s ideal for high-speed dynamic applications where near-zero friction is required.

Captive (guided) armature LVDTs feature internal bearings to maintain core alignment, preventing lateral wear and simplifying installation in industrial automation. Finally, spring-loaded (forced) LVDTs employ an internal spring to maintain contact with the specimen, making them the go-to choice for gauging and QC applications where a permanent mechanical link to the test object is not possible.

Each variety offers a unique trade-off between mechanical simplicity and operational precision.

LVDTs: Key features and operational benefits

LVDT stands as a premier electromechanical transducer, primarily distinguished by its friction-free operation; since the movable core does not touch the coil assembly, there is zero mechanical wear, ensuring an exceptionally long lifetime and high reliability. This physical decoupling allows for infinite resolution, enabling the detection of sub-micron displacements limited only by the signal-conditioning electronics, while its single axis sensitivity ensures that cross-axial movements do not interfere with measurement accuracy.

The design’s separable coil and core mechanism simplifies integration into complex machinery, and its environmentally robust construction allows it to thrive in extreme temperatures or high-vibration settings. Furthermore, LVDT provides remarkable null point stability for consistent zero-referencing, a fast dynamic response capable of tracking rapid changes in position. And, most importantly, an absolute output that retains the correct position data immediately upon power-up, even if the core moved while the system was inactive.

Support electronics: From AC physics to DC simplicity

Although an LVDT is technically a transformer, it requires specialized AC excitation—typically a few volts RMS at several kilohertz—rather than standard line power. Supplying this excitation is a key role of LVDT signal-conditioning electronics, which also convert low-level AC outputs into high-level DC signals, decode directional information from the 180° phase shift at the null point, and provide precise electrical zero adjustments.

These electronics are available in multiple forms, from chip-level components for OEM integration to modular boards and full laboratory instruments. Some LVDTs incorporate integral electronics for simplified “DC-in, DC-out” operation, but such self-contained units may be unsuitable for extreme environments where heat, vibration, or space constraints can compromise internal circuitry.

Figure 4 Datasheet excerpt shows an in-line amplifier transforming LVDT displacement into a directly proportional DC signal. Source: MTS

As a quick side note, LVDT is the technical acronym for the component itself—linear variable differential transformer—while LVDT displacement sensor is often used in industrial catalogs to distinguish it from other measurement technologies, such as capacitive or eddy-current sensors. This descriptive naming helps engineers quickly identify the device’s primary function as a tool for tracking linear position, even though both terms refer to the same electromagnetic hardware.

LVDT signal conditioning: Differential vs. ratiometric

Back to the signals, when choosing how to process an LVDT signal, the main difference lies in how the system handles fluctuations in power. Differential input AC signal conditioning is the more straightforward approach, where the sensor simply measures the difference in voltage between its two secondary coils to determine position. While effective, it has a notable weakness: if the input power (excitation voltage) fluctuates even slightly, the output reading will change as well, potentially leading to errors.

Ratiometric signal conditioning is a more sophisticated method designed to eliminate those errors. Instead of just looking at the difference between the coils, it compares that difference to the total sum of the voltage from both coils. By calculating this ratio, the system automatically cancels out any inconsistencies in the power supply. This makes ratiometric conditioning much more stable and reliable for high-precision tasks, as the measurement stays accurate even if the environment gets hot or the input voltage drifts.

Figure 5 This standalone universal LVDT signal conditioner supports any LVDT sensor with 4, 5, or 6 wires, as well as RVDT or 3-wire half-bridge sensors. Source: Lab Systems

It’s worth noting that an LVDT measures straight-line (linear) displacement, whereas a rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT) measures angular (rotary) displacement.

Precision in motion—From floor to space

From machine tools and robotics to aerospace and space-borne instrumentation, LVDTs remain the gold standard for precise, contactless position measurement. Their rugged construction, infinite resolution, and immunity to wear make them indispensable wherever accuracy must endure vibration, temperature extremes, or time itself.

For today’s makers and engineers, the story doesn’t end at the sensor—modern signal-conditioning ICs such as Analog Devices’ AD598 and Texas Instruments’ PGA970 bring excitation, demodulation, and calibration into compact solutions, while discrete signal-handling circuits continue to offer flexibility for custom designs and extreme environments.

And for those who venture into DIY territory, crafting the coil-core assembly demands patience, precision winding, and careful alignment—skills that embody the very discipline of engineering. Whether you’re building a robotic actuator, a precision test rig, or a satellite mechanism, LVDT proves that elegant physics and smart electronics can turn motion into measurable insight.

I’m ready for a larger displacement of detail in future posts, but at this time, that’s all. Take this knowledge forward—experiment, prototype, and innovate with LVDTs, integrated ICs, discrete signal handlers, and even your own hand-built coil assemblies. Push your designs from the lab bench to the factory floor, and even to orbit. The next breakthrough in precision engineering could start with your hands.

T. K. Hareendran is a self-taught electronics enthusiast with a strong passion for innovative circuit design and hands-on technology. He develops both experimental and practical electronic projects, documenting and sharing his work to support fellow tinkerers and learners. Beyond the workbench, he dedicates time to technical writing and hardware evaluations to contribute meaningfully to the maker community.

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The post Precision in motion: The engineering value of LVDTs appeared first on EDN.

Worldwide end-user spending on AI models and platforms is projected to total $64 billion in 2026, up 63.4% from $39 billion in 2025, according to Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company. Spending on GenAI models is forecast to grow 117%, while AI platform spending will rise 36.9% in 2026.

“Enterprise AI budgets are coming under greater scrutiny, with increased focus on usage efficiency, cost control and measurable outcomes,” said Arunasree Cheparthi, Sr Principal Research Analyst at Gartner. “Spending is shifting toward providers who can demonstrate clear value across cost, latency, performance and reliability.

“This is giving an edge to providers that embed evaluation, cost transparency and usage tracking into customer workflows, making it easier to manage and optimize AI use. However, as spending becomes more usage-driven, providers face increasing pressure to demonstrate real adoption, sustained use and durable margins.”

This dynamic is accelerating growth in domain-specific language models (DSLMs) and specialized models, which are forecast to grow 210% in 2026 (see Table 1).

Table 1: Worldwide AI Platforms and Models End-User Spending Forecast, 2025-2026, (Millions of U.S. Dollars)

			2025-2026 Growth %)
Segment	2025	2026
Foundation Generative AI Models	11,438	23,356	104.2
DSLMs and Specialized GenAI Models	1,583	4,910	210
AI Application Development Platforms	6,885	9,541	38.6
AI Platforms for Data Science and Machine Learning	19,405	26,444	36.3
Total Market	39,311	64,252	63.4

 

“Over the long-term, the biggest winners will be vendors that help enterprises manage where and how AI is used across the business,” said Cheparthi. “As more models enter the market and usage-based pricing becomes harder to predict, buyers will turn to platforms that help them choose the right tools, monitor performance, enforce policy and keep costs under control.”

 

The post Gartner Forecasts Worldwide AI Platforms and Models Market to Grow 63% in 2026 Biggest Winners Will Be Vendors That Help Enterprises Manage Where and How AI is Used appeared first on ELE Times.

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi combine to untether smartphone-to-car connections…at least until the former’s battery drains, that is.

At this year’s beginning, EDN published my overview and hands-on impressions of Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto standards, which enable a vehicle radio or automotive head unit to be a display and controller for an iOS or Android device, respectively. Historically, both protocols leveraged a wired USB-based interface between mobile device and vehicle to accomplish the integration objective, for latency, bandwidth and interference-prevention reasons. Newer vehicle models switch to Bluetooth (for initial discovery and connection) and Wi-Fi (for ongoing transmission) communication, enhancing convenience. And bridging these two approaches are wireless adapters that mate an untethered phone to the tethered vehicle.

At the end of that prior coverage, I wrote, “FYI, I’ve also got two single-protocol wireless adapter candidates sitting in my teardown pile awaiting attention.”

Today I’ll analyze the insides of a CarPlay wireless adapter, albeit not the “unit from the Luckymore Store” that I initially planned on disassembling. Next month, I plan to take apart a wireless adapter that implements the Android Auto protocol. And I’ll subsequently wrap up my dissections with a dual-protocol wireless adapter functionally akin to the one still in use in my wife’s Land Rover.

Supplier disappearance and switcheroo

Here again is the wireless CarPlay adapter I’d originally intended as today’s patient.

Right now, as I write these words, it lists for $44.17 on Amazon’s website. But when I bought it in mid-December, it was on sale for $2.99 plus tax, with free shipping. Although the merchant subsequently reported to both Amazon and me that it had shipped, it never actually arrived. And I wasn’t the only one that had this same underwhelming seller experience. Yes, I got my $3.12 back eventually.

I subsequently picked up this WOLIOS adapter (which apparently also came in white), well-reviewed but seemingly no longer available for sale as I write this, from Amazon’s Warehouse-now-Resale section for $11.85 in late February.

Gotta love these conceptual teardown images. And no, I don’t definitively know what “5G” means, either, although I suspect they’re referencing “5 GHz” Wi-Fi.

And, wrapping up the “stock content” suite, a promo video (which, alas, I can’t figure out how to embed) can be found here.

Overview introductions

Now for some real-life photos, as usual accompanied by a 0.75″ (19.1 mm) diameter U.S. penny for size comparison purposes, and of the product packaging first:

Next, what’s inside:

The red disc is an optional sticker for adhering the wireless adapter to the vehicle interior. The included USB-A (female) to USB-C (male) adapter for newer-vehicle use is a nice touch:

And now for our patient:

The hole in the center allows the status LED inside to shine through, as conceptually shown in the prior “stock” images. And the seam around the rim? I’m betting that’s our path inside.

Stubborn adhesive

Speaking of paths to the insides, let’s dive in.

Abundant exposure to my wife’s hair dryer on “high” (both temperature and fan speed) helped, but only a little. I resisted using my heat gun as it might have been melt-inducing overkill.

The last bit of the panel stubbornly refused to dismantle, so I eventually turned to a cutter tool.

Finally free, courtesy of a needle-nose pliers, albeit resulting in PCB mars.

This side’s much more interesting:

The embedded antenna at upper right is curious. As previously noted, two wireless broadcast links are necessary: 2.4 GHz Bluetooth for initial setup, and Wi-Fi for ongoing streaming. The latter is usually based on the 5 GHz band for higher transfer bandwidth, since range isn’t a concern in a diminutive vehicle interior. But I only see one antenna here.

Did the manufacturer figure out some way to passably enable it to support both bands? Or is there another one somewhere that I’m overlooking? Or does this particular design, in contrast to “Wireless Compability [sic]: 5.8 GHz Radio Frequency” spec claims to the contrary, leverage 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi instead? Or…???

Equally baffling is the user-inaccessible switch in the lower left corner (with the status LED to its right, in the middle of the lower edge). What’s the switch for? And then there’s the unmarked square IC enigma above and to the switch’s right (and LED’s left). I assume it’s the application processor, and that it runs at 24 MHz (courtesy of the marked oscillator to its left).

But who makes it, and what’s its specific product code? Another mystery. These are commonly Arm-based, with Chinese fabless suppliers Allwinner and Rockchip common sources (so says Google AI Overviews, at least), although this reverse-engineered unit from early and ongoing-leading adapter supplier Carlinkit reportedly leverages a Freescale (now NXP Semiconductors) SoC, the i.MX6 UltraLite.

To its right, and to the left of (and slightly below) the aforementioned antenna(e) assembly, is a Winbond W25Q128 128 Mbit serial flash memory, presumably housing the user-upgradeable system firmware image. And then there’s the even larger shiny-shield covered square IC below the antenna(e). This one’s easier to figure out, thanks to the careful application of a flat-head screwdriver acting as a lever.

It’s Realtek’s RTL8733, supporting the device’s wireless subsystem. The RTL8733 comprehends both Bluetooth and dual-band Wi-Fi transceiver functionality and presumably operates in conjunction with the mystery application processor to implement the adapter’s wireless-to-USB wired bridge functionality.

That’s all I’ve got for you today, folks. As always, let loose with your thoughts in the comments!

—Brian Dipert is the associate editor, as well as a contributing editor, at EDN.

Related Content

• Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto: Usage impressions and manufacturer tensions
• Spotify’s Car Thing: “Why does it exist” is the crux of the questioning
• Amazon’s Echo Auto Assistant: Legacy vehicle retrofit-relevant

The post Adapter makes CarPlay connectivity wireless appeared first on EDN.

The second phase of the India Semiconductor Mission has received a much larger budget than the first phase, with Rs 1.27 lakh crore allocated to support different areas of semiconductor and electronics manufacturing. Similar to the first phase, it is expected that most of the budget will be allocated to the selected individual projects, either as a capital subsidy (in which case, the government might contribute less than the 50% that it agreed to in the first phase) and as manufacturing-linked incentives paid on a per-unit basis once sales are completed. An added element of Incremental incentive boosters will be made available for those manufacturing those electronic goods that make use of domestic technologies and components.

It promises to extend the government’s stated intent of making India a strategic hub for the electronics value chain and build those capabilities in-house, with both intellectual and human capital, when only a few countries globally command such capabilities across different components of the value chain.

The government had stated from the very beginning that this would be a multi- decade process and its continued patronage with a more substantive kitty of money is indeed welcome. While this might not be a high job-generating industry per se, it is their strategic, geo-political considerations to deploy public funds. Whether this was a good initial wager is still largely unclear, as many of the first round of awarded projects have still to commence commercial production.

Some technology is well beyond the reach of all economies: The complexity of the machines that print nanoscale feature images from “extreme ultraviolet,” or EUV, lithography, currently mastered only by the Netherlands with a looming challenge
from Japan, means the thought of India’s committing investment to such a technology is enticing, but unfathomable. Such strategic capabilities have hard payoffs. Such a capacity to do “hard things” will breed resistance to India rapidly developing the capability and attracting talent.

 

The post A New Wave of Chip Making, Phase 2 on the India Semiconductor Mission appeared first on ELE Times.

Tata Electronics, a group company under the $103 billion Tata Sons conglomerate, is set to establish the country’s first commercial chip fabrication plant utilising an older technology to focus on a market segment for semiconductor designs from external customers, said an official with knowledge of the project. This would mark the first time the Indian government allocates resources to support establishing a chip making unit. The Tata Group had earlier reported the creation of India’s maiden integrated device manufacturer (IDM) in the country, a unit that designs and produces semiconductor chips in-house.

Tata Electronics Pvt. It will use technology far older than planned to produce India’s first semiconductor wafers, coming from a country with virtually no history of the sophisticated technology, highlighting how much work it will need to do to catch up. The tech unit of the sprawling Tata conglomerate will use 90-nanometer process technology for a large part of its first chip fab, which will be located in Dholera, a city in the western state of Gujarat, according to the sources.

That’s a very mature technology used in low-end industrial applications and cars – one that might even be obsolete in the coming years. It’s a more humble beginning compared with the 28nm node which Tata Sons Pvt., the group’s holding company, said would be the first step of its chipmaking innings in its annual report for the year ended March 2025.
It has been observed that Tata’s public plans could have been aspirational regarding what is realistically possible on the ground in the next couple of years. Tata’s entry into chipmaking involves a partnership with Taiwanese rival Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.

The post Tata Electronics to Manufacture India’s First Large-Scale Chip Factory appeared first on ELE Times.

The STM32U3B5/C5 are the first STM32U3 devices featuring 2 MB of flash and our new hardware signal processor (HSP). In a nutshell, the HSP is an embedded signal processor that accelerates certain computations, enabling a whole range of industrial and AI applications on our ultra-low-power microcontroller. While the new models retain the near-threshold design that allowed the STM32U3 series to boost efficiency by a factor of four, the HSP opens the way for sensing and machine learning programs that would have been too demanding before. We wrote an accompanying blog post on the new hardware signal processor to help avid readers grasp the performance gains and what it means for the STM32 community.

What’s new? The new STM32U3B5/C5

The STM32U3B5/C5 primarily stands out from the other STM32U3 devices thanks to its HSP. It’s also why it carries double the flash memory of previous models and 640 KB of RAM, as we expect developers to need a much greater capacity for larger applications and datasets. The new device also comes with one additional group of interfaces, bringing the total to four SPI and I2C, two I3C and CAN-FD, and five UARTs. There are also five more 16-bit timers, for a total of 10. The only difference between the STM32U3B5 and the STM32U3C5 is that the latter includes a cryptocore to accelerate encryption and decryption operations, as well as offer CCB (see more on that later).

What makes the STM32U3 series special? Ultra-low-power consumption and high energy efficiency

One number sums up the efficiency of the STM32U3: at 117 Coremark/mW, it breaks the 100 symbolic threshold, literally making it a new benchmark in the industry. Indeed, most of the best devices from the competition hover below 100, and the STM32U5 reached 53.9. This significant jump in energy efficiency is due to our near-threshold design. We dedicated an entire blog article to this region of CMOS transistors that many are trying to utilize, but that has remained mainly in the background until now due to its inherent challenges.

0.65 V minimum and 105ºC maximum

In a nutshell, near-threshold conduction in a CMOS transistor occurs when applying a voltage between the gate and the source near a threshold (VT). In most of the devices used in a microcontroller like the STM32U3, that threshold is 500 mV. The vast majority of near-threshold designs apply a VGS of about 700 mV or more. And since near-threshold conduction is a diffusion current as residual leakage current flows under the gate oxide, the transistor itself experiences strict limitations in its operating voltage and temperatures. Most competing devices don’t go above 85ºC, which is why we don’t usually find these devices in industrial applications.

The STM32U3 is different because, thanks to unique optimization in the lithographic processes and manufacturing, ST can apply a lower voltage of 650 mV. The most direct benefit of a VGS value that’s closer to VT is that it helps lower the VCORE further, meaning that we can reach a minimum of 0.65 V and a typical value of 0.75 V. Additionally, as we are experiencing significantly less leakage current than competing solutions, the STM32U3 supports an operating voltage of up to 3 V and a temperature of 105ºC. It can, therefore, tolerate far harsher environments. Hence, the STM32U3 is unique because it makes near-threshold designs mainstream in most industrial applications.

Adaptive Voltage Scaling

Another issue common in near-threshold designs is die variability. Because the near-threshold region is sensitive to the smallest voltage variations, it affects dies on the same wafer more significantly. That’s why tuning each die to account for changes between them can be time-consuming and costly. To solve this challenge, ST implemented a testing system at the factory level, which automates machine learning on STM32 devices. We call it Adaptive Voltage Scaling. Simply put, our machines test each die, and a machine learning algorithm automatically tweaks various aspects to ensure consistent ultra-low-power consumption.

Versatile peripheral offering without compromising cost efficiency

Another challenge of near-threshold designs is performance. Indeed, as the VCORE is low, so is the operating frequency. However, that is not the case with the STM32U3, which features a Cortex-M33 running at 96 MHz. Moreover, we ensured that despite its more cost-effective pricing, engineers would still get a lot of peripherals and timers. Indeed, the new device supports two I3C buses, CAN-FD, one octo-SPI interface, and more. It also comes with 16 timers, including two 16-bit ones for motor control applications, and a touch-sensing controller for those working on a UI.

Robust safety and security for sensitive and mission-critical applications

Besides efficiency and performance, ST also designed the STM32U3 for safety and security. Consequently, the new device offers up to 1 MB of dual bank flash, enabling firmware updates without shutting the system down, which is often a critical consideration in mission-critical applications. The STM32U3 also introduces CCB to securely transmit keys by using independent buses ([patent filed in 2023 and 2024]). And we’ve already updated STM32CubeMX, our initialization tool. After activating the random number generator, users can select “CCB” in the list of cryptographic options and start using the feature. Finally, the STM32U3 can also target PSA L3 and SESIP3 certifications.

What’s next

To ensure the STM32U3 can reach numerous industrial applications, we are offering eight packages, which is unique for a near-threshold design. We are also releasing a Nucleo board to help developers rapidly design a proof-of-concept or run their tests to witness the ultra-low-power consumption for themselves. SmaXtec, a member of the ST Partner Program specializing in bovine monitoring already shared how,

The post STM32U3B5/C5 With 2 MB of Flash and HSP, The 1st ULP STM32 to Run AI Without Batteries appeared first on ELE Times.

Researchers at Jilin University in China have reported a significant enhancement in the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) mobility of nitrogen-polar (N-polar) GaN/AlGaN heterostructures grown on silicon carbide (SiC) substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)...

NUBURU Inc of Centennial, CO, USA (a dual-use defense & security integrated platform company) has closed its best-efforts public offering, generating gross proceeds of about $38m, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses...

The effective implementation of India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on July 15, 2026, highlights a significant growth for India’s automotive and electric vehicle (EV) sector. This agreement is a landmark free trade that eliminates custom duties on thousands of products, significantly boosting exports and foreign-investment by encouraging UK companies to invest in India through supply chains and manufacturing facilities. It was introduced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Stamer, officially signed in July 2025 by both nations with the primary objective of expanding bilateral trade and investment.

The CETA establishes a comprehensive framework for creating new opportunities for Indian EV manufacturers, component suppliers, and battery companies by reducing traffic barriers and improving market access. Indian automakers like Tata Motors, Mahindra, and Maruti Suzuki can export up to 88,000 vehicles to the UK completely duty-free and scale their domestic manufacturing by integrating domestic MSME suppliers deeper into the UK and global EV supply chains.

The UK gains benefits by this agreement through deepened cooperation with India’s expanding clean energy and technology sector. The CETA provides UK businesses with improved access to India’s rapidly growing market and creating opportunities for greater trade and investment. This agreement improves the UK economy by granting tariff cuts on 90% of UK exports to India, lowering costs for UK consumers, and improving market access for British products.

The agreement is fully active and remain operational to its provisions on implementation. The future goal is to double bilateral trade to 100-120 billion by 2030. The current status of this agreement is that it operates alongside the Double Contribution Convention (DCC), a social security pact that saves Indian companies up to $600 million annually by exempting Indian professionals working temporarily in the UK from paying social security contributions in both countries simultaneously.

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🤩 КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського отримав міжнародні сертифікати відповідності вимогам стандартів ISO 9001:2015 та ISO 21001:2025 KPI4U-2 нд, 07/19/2026 - 21:31

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So I made those PCBs at home. Those are adapters from SOP to DIP so prototyping is easier. Took me like a day submitted by /u/Effective_Vacation21 [link] [comments]

NUBURU Inc of Centennial, CO, USA (a dual-use defense & security integrated platform company focused on non-kinetic effects and directed-energy technologies, electronic warfare and defense mobility programs, software-orchestrated defense systems and advanced manufacturing) has announced initial results from a laser dazzler counter-UAS test campaign conducted at the facilities of Tekne S.p.A. in Italy...

NUBURU Inc of Centennial, CO, USA (a dual-use defense & security integrated platform company focused on non-kinetic effects and directed-energy technologies, electronic warfare and defense mobility programs, software-orchestrated defense systems and advanced manufacturing) has announced a proposed best-efforts public offering of up to $38m of its securities...

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I think you already know, but since July 1st a tax of €3 per ARTICLES is now mandatory. (they say it’s by categories but in reality, no) For €30 of electronic components, I have +€50 of taxes. For a person who has started to be interested in electronics recently, it hurts. So I come to try to find alternatives to aliexpress, with similar prices if possible… If the delivery lasts 6 months but there are no taxes I DONT CARE, I need the components at an affordable price. Thanks, and I hope that the aliexpress sellers will quickly find a solution for us submitted by /u/gluat [link] [comments]

Purchased AD SSM2019 amplifier from DigiKey, only 1 unit. Got 26… :) submitted by /u/daduka1999 [link] [comments]

For its fiscal third-quarter 2026 (to end-May), LED chip and component maker SemiLEDs Corp of Hsinchu, Taiwan has reported revenue of $9.07m, up from $1.06m last quarter, due to the increase of buy-sell purchase orders of equipment...

It took 100 years to come to fruition, but this recently created fluid enables non-magnetic electrostatic-based motors.

Say the word “motor” to most engineers and they almost always associate it with magnetics of some type, whether the term is explicitly stated or not. Of course, not all electrically powered motors use magnetism: piezoelectric motors use that well-known principle and the voltage-driven elongation of a crystal, and there are also tiny MEMS-based motors.

Still, magnetics is front of mind for most cases, with motors that take electric current and power and transform it into a magnetic force that drives the rotor. (Come to think of it, there are also pneumatic and hydraulic motors often used by mechanical engineers, often with some electronic control – but that’s another story for another day.)

That’s why a recent development led by a team at the Institute of Science Tokyo may change our thinking about non-magnetic motors. They have developed a rotary motor based on electrostatic forces rather than the usual electromagnetic ones. Using a ferroelectric fluid, motors that previously required fairly high voltages on the order of 1000 V can operate at much lower voltages. (Not familiar with ferroelectric fluids, or have them confused with ferrofluids? See the sidebar at the end.)

A critical factor in their approach is that the force generated by electricity is not limited to attraction along the direction of the applied voltage. Instead, there is also a force that acts perpendicular to that direction, creating a sideways-pushing force. In conventional materials, this sideways force is extremely weak and has long been considered too small to utilize and, as a result, has attracted little attention.

However, the team demonstrated that the sideways electrostatic force can, under the right conditions, become surprisingly strong. They placed the fluid between two electrodes separated by only a few millimeters and applied a voltage. The result was striking: the liquid was pushed sideways and moved nearly 10 centimeters even against gravity. When the same experiment was performed with conventional liquids, this motion did not occur; the effect appeared only with the ferroelectric fluid.

Another interesting finding was how the force increased. In ordinary materials, increasing the voltage does not easily lead to a large increase in force. In contrast, with the ferroelectric fluid, even a small increase in voltage led to a proportional increase in force. Through detailed deep-physics analysis, the team found that the electric field causes the molecules in the liquid to align in an ordered way, generating the sideways-pushing force.

Using ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals, they were able to show that transverse electrostatic force (TEF) can elevate the fluid between electrodes with a gap of 2.5 millimeters (mm) up to more than 80 mm at only 28 V/mm, corresponding to a stress greater than 1000 newtons/m2 (Figure 1).

Figure 1 Direct observation of the TEF produced interesting results. (a) Experimental setup where TEF is balanced with the gravitational force. Voltage-dependent fluid heights at a 10mm gap under applied voltages of 0 V (b), 50 V (c), 100 V (d), and 150 V (e). Note that the zero-point height is 1 cm on the ruler. (f) Case of a 2.5mm gap at DC 80 V. (g) Height of fluid, H, plotted as a function of the applied voltage V for 1.0 (green), 2.5 (pink), 5.0 (yellow), and 10mm (purple). The data for silicone oil and nematic liquid crystal 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) at 80 V at a 2.5mm gap are shown as a gray bullet. (h) Generated stress, σ⊥, plotted as a function of the applied electric field E. (The inset is a magnification at a 1.0mm gap.) (Image source: Springer Nature)

This discovery led to a next logical next step: if this force can push, could it also be used to create rotation? The answer is yes, and they developed a prototype motor that does not use magnets, a metal rotor, or rare-earth metals (Figure 2).

Figure 2 A prototype plastic ferroelectric motor successfully implemented rotation (Left: angled view; Right: bottom view with the lower electrode removed to reveal the resin rotor) (Image source: Institute of Science Tokyo)

The structure can also be simpler and lighter. Because the rotating part can be made of resin rather than metal, devices can be made lighter and respond more quickly. The absence of magnetic materials also means it can be used where having these materials in proximity to other system parts can induce magnetic noise or distortions.

Additional tests were done to assess both stability and scalability for the TEF-based approach (Figure 3).

Figure 3 Testing of TEF scalability and stability further confirmed concept viability. (a) Lifting a resin weight (circled in white) by TEF generated in a ferroelectric fluid, before a DC voltage was applied (upper) and after lifting for 22mm upon application of DC 20 V (lower). The mass was 5 mg, constrained between the electrodes. The interelectrode  distance was fixed at 1.0mm. (b) Experimental setup for testing TEF scalability and stability. A tensile-testing machine holds a 3D-printed resin piece whose base area is 100mm2. The resin piece is immersed in the ferroelectric fluid reservoir to a depth of 1 mm; the aluminum parallel-plate electrodes of 56 mm length were fixed at a distance of 2.5 mm. The temperature was controlled by heaters with thermocouples inserted into the reservoir. The temperature of the ferroelectric fluid was directly measured by a thermocouple immersed in the fluid. (c) Time-course measurement of TEF under 60 V DC using the tensile-testing machine experiment setup shown in (b). Generated TEF, F⊥, was plotted as a function of time t. The force represented by the red line is the five-point moving average before and after the raw data shown in gray. (Image source: Springer Nature)

Of course, the true endpoint of this project was not just to explore these fluids but make something that at least initially appears potentially useful, such as an electric motor. To do this, they built a motor roughly analogous to a DC stepper motor by following three basic design rules (Figure 4):

1. The fundamental components should consist of three pairs of stators and two rotors.
2. The width of the rotor should be longer than that of the stator but shorter than the sum of the width of the stator and the space between stators.
3. The relationship between the total number of stators and rotors should be an integer multiple of 3:2.

Figure 4 The ferroelectric motor’s novel design followed three basic rules. (a) (Upper) Case of the width of a mover being shorter than that of the electrodes. (Lower) The case of the width of a mover being longer. (b) A fundamental configuration of electrodes for continuous movement. The number in the upper-left corner of each panel corresponds to the phases of the pulse shown at the bottom. (c) CAD designs and photographs of the rotor (bottom inset) and the stator (top inset). The position of the upper stator in the CAD designs is not the actual position for clarity. The outer diameter, each pole’s length, and thickness of the rotor are 18 mm, 4 mm, and 1 mm, respectively. The stator consists of three-layered electrodes (U, V, and W poles) with two insulating layers. The outer diameter, each pole’s length, and total thickness of the rotor are 28 mm, 4 mm, and 2.1 mm, respectively. The length of the overlapping part of the poles of the rotor and the stator is about 3.5 mm. The gap between the upper and lower stators is 2 mm. (d) External view of the assembled motor. (Image source: Springer Nature)

Their prototype ferroelectric motor consists of a 3-phase 24-pole stator with an 11.25° electrode angle and a 3.75° space angle between stators and a single-phase 16-pole rotor with a 12.5° electrode angle and a 10° space angle. It was driven with a 3-phase, 60-V square wave with a duty ratio of 33%.

Most electrostatic motors studied thus far required a high applied electric field of several 10–100 MV/m; in contrast, the ferroelectric motor rotated with an electric field as weak as 0.03 MV/m (here, 60 V/2 mm), which means that a driving voltage as low as one-thousandth of that figure could be used.

The most important advantage of this ferroelectric motor over ordinary electromagnetic motors is that it does not require a voltage to be applied to the rotor, which means that the rotor can be made of resin instead of metal, making it lightweight and reducing inertia. In addition, because the rotor does not need to be energized, mechanisms such as carbon brushes and slip rings are unnecessary.

The work is fully detailed in their paper “Huge transverse Maxwell stress in ferroelectric fluids and prototyping of new ferroelectric motors” published in Nature’s Communication Engineering (why there – I can’t say). It includes the associated deep-physics analysis as well as links to some “action” videos.

Do you think there’s a future for these electrostatic motors, or will real-world considerations hinder their advance? Or will they be like ferrofluids, and find uses far removed from their design objectives?

Sidebar: Ferroelectric fluids and ferrofluids

The history and development of ferroelectric fluids is a 100-year journey from an early 20th-century theoretical prediction culminating in 21st-century reality. In 1916, physicist Max Born predicted that if a fluid’s molecules possess a strong enough electric dipole, they would naturally form a spontaneously polar (ferroelectric) fluid that can withstand thermal fluctuations.

The concept of a polar, electric-field-responsive liquid was finally transformed into reality in 2017 when scientists experimentally produced the first stable ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals. They successfully synthesizing and identifies the elusive ferroelectric nematic phase in a highly polar rod-shaped molecular material (known in chemistry as RM734). This experimentally proved the existence of 3D fluids with stable, switchable macroscopic electric polarization. (See Science Advances, Development of ferroelectric nematic fluids with giant-ε dielectricity and nonlinear optical properties (2021).)

Ferroelectric fluids are easily confused with ferrofluids, but they are very different. Ferrofluids are colloidal suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles (like iron oxide) in a carrier oil and they respond to magnetic fields. They were developed by NASA’s Steve Papell in 1963 as a liquid rocket fuel that could be drawn toward a fuel pump in a weightless environment by applying a magnetic field. Although that application didn’t work out, these ferrofluids found other uses such as liquid seals around spinning drive shafts and in loudspeakers to remove heat from the voice coil while also passively damping the movement of the cone. In contrast, ferroelectric fluids (FNLCs) are pure or mixture-based 3D molecular fluids. They have spontaneous electric polarity and respond natively to electric fields.

—Bill Schweber is a degreed senior EE who has written three textbooks, hundreds of technical articles, opinion columns, and product features. Prior to becoming an author and editor, he spent his entire hands-on career on the analog side by working on power supplies, sensors and signal conditioning, and wired and wireless communication links. His work experience includes many years at Analog Devices in applications and marketing, and he also developed significant mechanical-engineering insight while designing control electronics for large materials-testing systems.

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