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Market analyst firm TrendForce’s latest research into the micro-LED industry highlights how generative AI is driving rapid growth in demand for high-speed optical communications. Micro-LED technology offers power consumption as low as 1–2pJ/bit and ultra-low bit-error rates (BER) of ≤10-10. It is also emerging as one of the three major short-distance, high-speed intra-rack transmission solutions for scale-up data-center networks, alongside active electrical cables (AEC) and vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL)-based near-packaged optics (VCSEL NPO). As a result, TrendForce projects that the micro-LED CPO optical transceiver market will reach US$848m by 2030...

Кампус КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського стає ще зеленішим kpi пн, 05/11/2026 - 15:27

Kick-off GreenChem Accelerator 2026 у КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського kpi пн, 05/11/2026 - 15:20

Diminutive? Definitely. Flexible? Indubitably. Safety-cognizant? Thankfully…unless you activate “FORCE” mode, that is (hopefully intentionally).

A bit more than a year ago, within a blog post that talked about (potentially) resurrecting dead lead-acid batteries, I noted that I’d recently added additional members to my battery-charger stable. Historically, I’d relied on a legacy-design DieHard model, one of the two which, loudly humming and dubiously still working, I subsequently turned into a teardown target:

The others were all newer designs, solid-state (vs transformer-based) and both more flexible in their supported battery voltages and technologies and more feature-rich. Specifically, today I’ll be focusing on the NOCO Genius 1, a 1A trickle charge two examples of which I’d acquired on promo discount from Amazon’s Warehouse-now-Resale) site intending to tear one of ‘em down:

Walking while chewing gum

I’d teased the feature set a year-plus back, then focusing (given the overall writeup topic slant) on its battery-rejuvenating chops. Here’s the fuller feature-set list, requoted from the Amazon product page (from which, by the way, I’d acquired today’s dissection victim for only $20.12, ~1/3 off the current brand-new $29.95 price tag, which in and of itself also isn’t bad, or if you prefer, half off the $39.95 MSRP):

• MEET THE GENIUS 1 — Similar to our G750, just better. It’s 35% smaller and delivers over 35% more power. It’s the all-in-one charging solution – battery charger, battery maintainer, trickle charger, plus desulfator.
• DO MORE WITH GENIUS — Designed for 6-volt and 12-volt lead-acid (AGM, Gel, SLA, VRLA) and lithium-ion (LiFePO4) batteries, including flooded, maintenance-free, deep-cycle, marine and powersport batteries.
• ENJOY PRECISION CHARGING — An integrated thermal sensor dynamically adjusts the charge based on ambient temperature, preventing overcharging in hot weather and undercharging in cold, ensuring optimal battery performance.
• CHARGE DEAD BATTERIES — Charge batteries from as low as 1 volt, or use Force Mode to manually charge completely dead batteries down to zero volts. Perfect for recovering deeply discharged or neglected batteries.
• BEYOND MAINTENANCE — Keep your battery fully charged without worrying about overcharging. Our smart charger constantly monitors the battery, allowing you to leave it connected safely – indefinitely – for worry-free maintenance.
• RESTORE YOUR BATTERY — Precision pulse charging automatically detects and reverses battery sulfation and acid stratification, restoring your battery’s health for improved performance and extended lifespan.
• COMPATIBLE — Charges and maintains all types of vehicles, including cars, automobiles, motorcycles, mopeds, lawn mowers, ATVs, UTVs, tractors, trucks, SUVs, RVs, campers, trailers, boats, PWCs, jet skis, classic cars, and more.
• WHAT’S IN THE BOX — Includes a 1A charger, a direct wall plug-in, 110-inch DC cable with battery clamps, and integrated eyelet terminals, and 3-year warranty. Proudly designed in the USA.

It’s pretty tiny (that’s the aforementioned G750 behind it in the following photo, by the way); 3.62in (92mm) high, 2.32in (59mm) wide and 1.26in (32mm) deep, and weighing only 0.77lb (0.35kg):

And the manufacturer was even thoughtful enough to include a preparatory teardown diagram on the website product page:

(Simple) assembly required

Let’s see how close reality comes to matching that conceptual image, shall we? This charger arrived absent its packaging, so what you’ll see first (as usual accompanied by a 0.75″/19.1 mm diameter U.S. penny for size comparison purposes) is the other, ~$3 more, charger’s box:

Wonder what happened to the original “tab” for retail-display hanging purposes?

Opening up the box…

you’ll find user guide (also accessible here as a multi-language PDF, plus the product spec sheet) and promo literature, plus, in this particular case, the aforementioned formerly-MIA tab:

along with, of course, today’s two-part patient:

the base unit:

and the remainder of the cabling, including the battery terminal clamps:

Here’s the male-and-female connector pair that mates ‘em:

And what’s that lump partway down the “remainder of the cabling” span?

It’s a (user-replaceable, which is nice) fuse, as at least some of you may have already guessed. 2A is, IMHO at least, a reasonable choice considering the device’s 1A-max output specs:

Before putting the “remainder of the cabling” to the side, here’s a closeup of those “integrated eyelets” mentioned earlier in the bulletized feature list:

And this stock shot shows how to make ‘em usable:

A high degree of integration

Now for the base unit. Before diving inside, here are some real-life overview shots to augment the earlier stock ones:

You’ve probably already noticed the ultrasonic welds around the outside, holding the halves together. Regular readers may already recall that they’re a longstanding bane of mine. This time, since it was convenient to do so and I was under no delusions that the charger would be salvageable/reusable post-teardown anyway, I took a hacksaw to ‘em in conjunction with a vise:

Here’s what the inside of the back half looks like, revealing AC prong connections to the PCB:

And speaking of which, here’s our first look at the PCB itself, specifically the backside:

Nothing here is particularly surprising, nor is the broader fact that DC conversion circuitry dominates the landscape, given the physical proximity to the AC source. Most notable, probably, is the diminutive size of the two transformers, explained in part (but only in part) by this particular unit’s trickle-current characteristics. For the rest of the (hint: solid-state) story, we’ll need to see the other side of the PCB. No better time than the present:

Taking (which?) temperature

With the normally-restraining screws now removed:

and in the process of lifting the PCB out of the remaining chassis half:

I happened to notice, down by the DC cable exit point, two more wires alongside a NTC1 notation on the PCB:

I’m (fairly confidently) assuming that they reference a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor. My initial reaction, and one that in retrospect I admittedly clung to far too long, was that it somehow was used to ascertain if the battery itself was overheating, a situation which would compel the charger to “cut the juice”. Problem being, though, that there are only two wires (DC positive and negative) in the cable running from the main unit to the battery, so the thermistor would end up being nowhere near the battery itself (PDF).

In grasping at straws, I surmised that perhaps the battery temperature was being indirectly determined by the transferred temperature of the connected cabling, which admittedly seemed increasingly silly the more I thought about it. But then I re-read the device specs prior to sitting down to write and realized that what the thermistor was actually measuring was (probably) just the ambient environmental temperature. “An integrated thermal sensor dynamically adjusts the charge based on ambient temperature, preventing overcharging in hot weather and undercharging in cold, ensuring optimal battery performance.” Yeah, that’s it. Ahem.

Onward. Interesting PCB topside two-level sandwich, eh?

And speaking of which:

here’s the inside of the front half of the chassis:

And the PCB topside itself:

The largest IC, the one with the white dot on it and located at lower right on the top (of the two-PCB sandwich) mini-PCB, is the “brains” of the operation, an ABOV Semiconductor A96G148GR 8-bit 8051-class microcontroller with integrated flash memory. On the other (top) end, toward the center, is the multi-function toggle switch, which puts the charger in various operating modes, surrounded by a ring of LEDs, including two more toward the bottom. And to its far left is the multi-pin connector that mates the mini-PCB with its larger sibling below it.

I almost stopped at this point, clinging to the delusion that maybe I’d glue everything back together again in fully-functional form. But curiosity-while-writing eventually got the better of me (and anyway, that was a silly idea), so I rotated the assembly by 90° so the PCB markings could be read right-side-up and let ‘er rip:

Ok, now I’m done!

A (potentially fatal?) forcing function

In closing, let’s revisit that just-referenced multi-function toggle switch, specifically in the context of the “unless you activate “FORCE” mode (hopefully intentionally), that is” comment in this article’s subtitle. Quoting from the user guide:

Mode	Explanation
Force Mode Press & Hold (5 Seconds)	For charging batteries with a voltage lower than 1V. Press and Hold for five (5) seconds to enter Force Mode. The selected charge mode will then operate under Force Mode for five (5) minutes before returning to standard charging in the selected mode.

Here’s the ominous bit:

Force Mode. [Press & Hold for 5 seconds]
Force mode allow the charger to manually begin charging when the connected battery’s voltage is too low to be detected. If battery voltage is too low for the charger to detect, press and hold the mode button for 5 seconds to activate Force Mode, then select the appropriate mode. All available modes will flash. Once a charge mode is selected, the Charge Mode LED and Charge LED will alternate between each other, indicating Force Mode is active. After five (5) minutes the charger will return to the normal charge operation and low voltage detection will be reactivated.

CAUTION. USE THIS MODE WITH EXTREME CARE. FORCE MODE DISABLES SAFETY FEATURES AND LIVE POWER IS PRESENT AT THE CONNECTORS. ENSURE ALL CONNECTIONS ARE MADE PRIOR TO ENTERING FORCE MODE, AND DO NOT TOUCH CONNECTIONS TOGETHER. RISK OF SPARKS, FIRE, EXPLOSION, PROPERTY DAMAGE, INJURY, AND DEATH.

The entire quote, notably the all-caps portion, was 100% original, by the way, not “enhanced” in any way by editing from yours truly (explaining, among other things, the “creative” grammar in spots). Reminds you of Jason Hemphill’s “hack” that I highlighted back in mid-March, doesn’t it?

Death. I’ll just leave that for you to ponder as you wish. Memento Mori, my friends. And with that pleasant thought , I’ll wrap up for today and turn it over to you for your thoughts (feel free to skip posting the morbid ones, please) in the comments!

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

Related Content

• Dead lead-acid batteries: Desulfation-resurrection opportunities?
• A battery charger that loudly hums: Dump it or just make it dumb?
• Resurrecting a 6-amp battery charger

The post NOCO’s Genius 1: A trickle charger that tries harder appeared first on EDN.

When structures bend, stretch, or compress, engineers need a way to translate that invisible mechanical stress into measurable data. Strain gauges do exactly that—tiny sensors that convert deformation into electrical signals with remarkable precision.

From monitoring bridges and aircraft wings to ensuring the reliability of everyday electronics, strain gauges are the quiet workhorses that make stress visible, quantifiable, and actionable.

How resistance reveals stress

At the heart of every strain gauge lies a deceptively simple principle: when a conductor or semiconductor is stretched, its electrical resistance changes. Engineers harness this effect by arranging strain gauges in a Wheatstone bridge circuit, amplifying tiny resistance shifts into measurable voltage signals.

It’s a clever translation—microscopic deformations become clear electrical outputs. Narratively, this is where the magic happens: the silent stress within a bridge girder or aircraft fuselage suddenly speaks in numbers, allowing designers to predict failures, validate models, and ensure safety long before cracks appear.

Stress signals in the real world

A strain gauge is the sensing element itself, while a strain gauge sensor is the complete packaged device that integrates the gauge with wiring, housing, and often signal conditioning for practical measurement. That distinction becomes critical when sensors are deployed in demanding environments.

Consider aerospace wing testing: engineers attach arrays of strain gauges across critical points of an aircraft wing. As the wing flexes under simulated flight loads, each gauge’s resistance shifts, feeding signals into a monitoring system. The sensor assemblies ensure those delicate gauges survive vibration, temperature swings, and handling. This is where theory meets reality—tiny resistance changes become the data that validates aerodynamic models, ensures passenger safety, and drives innovation in lighter, stronger aircraft designs.

Civil infrastructure offers another compelling example. Bridges endure constant stress from traffic, wind, and temperature cycles. Embedded strain gauge sensors provide early warnings of fatigue, helping engineers schedule maintenance before cracks or failures occur. In this narrative, strain gauges are not just measuring stress, they are safeguarding lives and economies by keeping critical structures resilient and reliable.

A technical note: A strain gauge directly measures strain (physical deformation). From this measurement, we determine the internal stress—the intensity of the forces resisting that deformation—using the material’s known stiffness.

Strain gauge vs. load cell vs. FSR

Since this post is focused on strain gauges, here is a quick distinction. A strain gauge measures material deformation as a resistance change, forming the basis of precise force sensing. A load cell builds on this, packaging strain gauges into a calibrated transducer for accurate weight and force measurement in industry. By contrast, a force-sensing resistor (FSR) is a low-cost sensor whose resistance shifts with pressure—handy for relative force detection in consumer and robotic applications, but far less precise.

Figure 1 Strain gauges and force-sensing resistors convert mechanical input into changes in electrical resistance, yet their responses vary in linearity, sensitivity, and application scope. Source: Author

So, in essence, when designers and engineers need to measure force, two of the most widely used technologies are force sensing resistors and strain gauges. Both convert mechanical input into changes in electrical resistance, yet their principles, accuracy, and applications differ greatly.

A force sensing resistor is a thin, flexible, polymer-based sensor whose resistance decreases as pressure is applied to its surface. A strain gauge, on the other hand, is made of fine metallic foil or wire arranged in a grid and bonded to a stable substrate. Rather than detecting direct pressure, it measures strain—the deformation of the material it is attached to. As the material stretches or compresses, the strain gauge deforms as well, producing a slight change in resistance. This change is typically measured using a Wheatstone bridge circuit for precise results.

Similarly, load cells build upon strain gauge technology by integrating one or more gauges into a mechanical structure that translates applied force into measurable strain. This makes load cells highly accurate and reliable devices for quantifying weight and force in industrial, commercial, and scientific applications.

Figure 2 A compact button-type load cell, based on strain-gauge technology, delivers compression measurements in space-limited applications. Source: ATO

Wheatstone bridge configurations for precision strain measurement

In practical applications, strain measurements typically involve very small changes rather than large strain values. Detecting these minute variations requires precise measurement of small resistance changes. A Wheatstone bridge circuit (WBC) is widely used for this purpose, as it translates subtle resistance shifts into measurable voltage outputs.

A standard Wheatstone bridge consists of four equal resistors arranged in a square. An excitation voltage is applied across one diagonal, while the output voltage is measured across the other. In its balanced state, the bridge produces zero output voltage. For strain measurement, one or more resistors are replaced with active strain gauges, whose resistance varies in response to external forces acting on the structure.

To achieve higher sensitivity and improved accuracy, different Wheatstone bridge configurations are employed: quarter-bridge, half-bridge, and full-bridge. In a quarter-bridge, a single resistor is replaced with a strain gauge. A half-bridge uses two strain gauges, while a full bridge replaces all four resistors. These configurations not only enhance measurement precision but also help compensate for temperature effects, making them essential in modern strain gauge instrumentation.

Figure 3 Diagram illustrates a quarter Wheatstone bridge, where one resistor is replaced by the strain gauge. Source: Author

Selecting the right strain gauge

Selecting the right strain gauge requires balancing geometry, resistance, and environmental compatibility to achieve accurate measurements while controlling installation costs. Options range from simple linear gauges for uniaxial stress fields to rosette configurations—rectangular, delta, or tee—for analyzing complex or unknown stress directions, and bridge arrangements for enhanced sensitivity and thermal compensation.

The choice of grid orientation and gauge length must align with the material’s homogeneity and the stress distribution being measured. Equally important are electrical parameters such as the nominal resistance, which determines compatibility with the measurement circuitry, and self-temperature compensation, which offsets thermal effects to maintain accuracy and improve signal-to-noise ratios under fluctuating operating conditions.

Environmental and installation considerations in strain measurement

As stated before, strain gauges are inherently sensitive to temperature variations, and changes in temperature can alter their electrical resistance. If not properly compensated or controlled, this effect can introduce significant measurement errors.

Beyond temperature, external factors such as humidity, moisture, vibration, and electromagnetic interference can also degrade performance and accuracy. Appropriate protective measures—such as encapsulation, shielding, and environmental sealing—are therefore essential to ensure reliable operation.

Equally important is the bonding of the strain gauge to the surface of the substrate. A strong, uniform bond ensures that the gauge accurately follows the strain of the underlying material. Achieving this can be challenging when working with dissimilar materials or irregular surfaces. Poor bonding may result in signal instability or inaccurate readings, undermining the integrity of the measurement system.

Practical strain gauge systems: Bridges, amps, and test kits

In a Wheatstone bridge, the strain gauge serves as the variable resistor whose resistance shifts under mechanical deformation, producing a differential voltage proportional to strain. Because this resistance change is extremely small—often less than 0.1% of the gauge’s nominal value—the bridge must be energized with a stable excitation source and paired with an amplifier stage to extract the signal from noise.

For basic designs, a differential amplifier can provide initial signal conditioning, but for precision applications, an instrumentation amplifier (INA) is preferred due to its superior common-mode rejection and high input impedance.

Keep in mind that the bridge configuration depends on accuracy requirements: a quarter-bridge offers simplicity, a half-bridge adds temperature compensation, and a full-bridge delivers maximum sensitivity. The choice of amplifier ensures the bridge’s delicate balance is preserved while enabling reliable strain measurement.

Today’s compact strain gauge amplifiers make the entire measurement workflow far more straightforward by integrating multiple critical functions into a single, easy-to-use module. Not only do they provide clean signal gain and low-noise performance, but many also feature built-in excitation voltage sources, eliminating the need for external supplies.

They often include automatic bridge balancing to correct minor mismatches in resistance, ensuring the Wheatstone bridge remains stable and accurate. With high input impedance, filtering options, and sometimes digital outputs, these amplifiers reduce design complexity, accelerate setup, and deliver reliable strain data. For engineers, this means less time spent on circuit design and more confidence in capturing precise measurements across lab and field applications.

Figure 4 Compact strain gauge amplifier modules meet growing demand for industrial strain measurements, where miniature size and easy setup are essential. Source: Transmission Dynamics

Moreover, when it comes to strain gauge test kits, they offer a practical, all-in-one pathway for converting mechanical stress into precise electrical signals. These kits typically include gauges with standard resistances (120 Ω or 350 Ω), along with surface preparation tools, adhesives for secure bonding, and protective coatings to ensure durability in challenging environments.

Once integrated into a Wheatstone bridge, the kit enables detection of minute resistance changes defined by the gauge factor, directly linking strain to output voltage. Thus, strain gauge kits simplify what would otherwise be a complex measurement workflow, making them indispensable across fields ranging from structural health monitoring and aerospace stress testing to advanced biomechanics.

That wraps up today’s dive into strain gauges. From foil to semiconductors, the evolution continues—and now it’s your turn to engineer what comes next.

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.

Related Content

• Strain Gauge Sensor Module Intro
• Industrial sensors and control–The basics
• Nanoscale strain sensors measure molecular force
• LXI-compatible sensor measurement unit packs built-in LAN controller

The post Strain gauges: Turning stress into signal appeared first on EDN.

For fiscal third-quarter 2026, Wolfspeed Inc of Durham, NC, USA — which makes silicon carbide (SiC) materials and power semiconductor devices — has reported revenue of revenue of $150.2m, down 10.6% on $168m last quarter and 19% on $185.4m a year ago...

I built a GPS and temperature data logger equipped with an alarm buzzer and an EEPROM for offline data backup and ESP32S3. I made a mistake with one net name but I was able to solve it. Pd: How is the market in EE ? Is any opportunity for the new one? submitted by /u/Licantropos1 [link] [comments]

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submitted by /u/1Davide [link] [comments]

Man the difference between linear and logarithmic pots and faders for volume is pretty interesting. This is my third TX-6 style mixer that I had time to finally finish. The first used linear faders and pots, and the second had faders that were too high value resistance so it was more on the quiet side. submitted by /u/Edboy796 [link] [comments]

«Золоті почесні знаки» від Національної технічної організації Федерації науково-технічних товариств Польщі KPI4U-1 пт, 05/08/2026 - 23:15

maybe it's time to start using PCBs submitted by /u/Effective_Vacation21 [link] [comments]

For more detail: https://blog.mehmetasaf.me/how-to-build-a-uart-to-half-duplex-converter-for-your-servo-projects/ Tomorrow, I will build this schematic on a breadboard. I might add some pictures later. Thanks for reading. submitted by /u/PineappleOk7203 [link] [comments]

Нова лабораторія керування промисловими системами на ФЕЛ kpi пт, 05/08/2026 - 17:48

I have designed and built a test jig that will automatically test a small USB output for bench power supplies adapter called USBpwrME. The USBpwrME allows users to connect USB powered electronics to a power supply during test, evaluation troubleshooting etc. Test jig in action The test jig is built around the PIC18F27K22. This is my goto chip at the moment. It has a lot of configurable peripherals, ADC with really high resolution and a huge amount of memory for being a small MCU. And wide supply voltage range! Test sequence will cover all the functions of the USB adapter with as few operator interactions as possible. One "funny" mistake i made during the design was not noticing that the relays i use has actually polarized coil so the pos/neg has to be connected in correct way to make the relay click. I missed this so i needed to hand modify all three relays. Second mistake i made was actually a bit harder to foresee. One test that is performed is to invert the the input polarity to the USBpwrME to see that the polarity protection works. Well the design mistake was that the GND between the jig and the adapter is connected together thru the GND shield of the USB cables. So when the polarity switches the test jig short-circuits itself and restarts. I solved this by adding in the test sequence when to actually connect the USB cables and performing the polarity test just before. Even my eight year old son can operate it :) :) Quite happy although with the result submitted by /u/KS-Elektronikdesign [link] [comments]

Noise, India’s leading connected lifestyle brand, announces the launch of NoiseFit Halo 3, a bold, design, first round dial smartwatch crafted to seamlessly blend style, productivity and AI-powered utility. Design for those who refuse to compromise, Halo 3 combines the refined aesthetics of a classic dress watch with the intelligence and functionality of a modern smartwatch. It delivers what consumers have long sought: a timeless round-dial design paired with meaningful smart capabilities. Building on the Halo legacy, Halo 3 features a sculpted integrated-strap silhouette, a vibrant 1.43″ AMOLED display with 1000 nits brightness, and Noise AI Pro, a productivity-first AI ecosystem offering voice commands, voice recording and transcription, health insights, and personalised wallpapers. 

With Noise Vault for QR pass access, a customizable Smart Dashboard, one-tap health checks and up to 7 days of battery life, Halo 3 is built for the modern man who wants to make an impression, moving effortlessly from a boardroom meeting to a boarding gate, with a watch that transitions as fluidly as he does.

Noise AI Pro with Smart Productive Dashboard

At the core of Halo 3 lies Noise AI Pro, a productivity-first AI layer built for modern routines. Voice commands enable hands-free actions, morning briefs summarise sleep and activity insights, and AI Transcription transcribes voice notes into clean notes. Super Notifications refine alerts by surfacing contextual updates like OTPs, ride statuses and delivery notifications (Android supported). Complementing this intelligence is a customizable Smart Dashboard that supports up to five widgets,  from music control and AQI to sleep insights and hydration tracking, ensuring the most relevant information is always within reach.

Round-Dial Design with AMOLED Brilliance, built to command attention

NoiseFit Halo 3 features refined curves that flow into an integrated strap design, creating a cohesive, sculpted silhouette. Precision cuts along the dial edge add depth and character, while the 1.43” AMOLED display with 1000 nits brightness delivers striking clarity and effortless visibility across lighting conditions. Available in metal, leather and silicon strap options, Halo 3 adapts seamlessly from boardrooms to social settings, offering long-wear comfort without compromising on presence.

Noise Vault & Seamless Utility, scan and move

Halo 3 introduces Noise Vault, allowing users to store QR codes for flights, concerts, movies and more directly on the watch. Acting as a digital passbook, it enables seamless, hands-free scanning at entry points and boarding gates, reducing dependence on the phone during high-movement moments.

Health Insights & Week-Long Battery, built for uninterrupted days

The smartwatch supports one-tap heart rate, stress and SpO₂ monitoring alongside continuous tracking throughout the day. Backed by up to 7 days of battery life, Halo 3 ensures users stay informed and connected without frequent charging interruptions.

Price and Availability

Available in four elegant colours with strap options – Metal (Black) , Leather (Brown, Blue) & Silicon (Black),  the NoiseFit Halo 3 is live on sale, at an introductory price of 5,499 on gonoise.com, Amazon and Flipkart. 

Product Specifications
NoiseFit Halo 3

Specification	Details
Display	1.43″ AMOLED, 1000 nits
Strap options	Metal (Black), Leather (Brown, Blue), Silicon (Black)
Core AI	Noise AI Pro: Voice commands, Morning briefs, AI Transcription, Super Notifications (Android-only advanced notifications)
Health	One-tap Heart Rate, Stress, SpO₂; continuous tracking
Compatibility	Android & iOS
Battery	Up to 7 days

 

About Noise

Noise is India’s leading smartwatch and connected lifestyle brand. The brand prioritises consumer centricity, design innovation, and product excellence to constantly reinvent and introduce future-forward innovations in audio, wearables, and the connected lifestyle ecosystem. As a homegrown brand, it is committed to creating an experience-led ecosystem through futuristic yet meaningful technology. With patents and a strong R&D focus, their innovation arm, Noise Labs, boasts many industry-first breakthroughs and houses some stellar technologies across categories. 

Noise is leading the charge to foster the growth of the industry and the nation’s vision by boosting the manufacturing efforts under the Make in India initiative, fostering a strong community of people who want to connect on health, lifestyle, and fitness on the NoiseFit App, while helping businesses ensure their employee wellbeing through the Corporate Wellness Program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post Next-Gen Upgrade to the Halo Series, NoiseFit Halo 3 brings Presence-Led Design and AI to the Wrist appeared first on ELE Times.

Simple analog circuits manage multi-PSU powerup and shutdown sequences.

In projects containing digital and/or analog circuits, multiple power supplies are used, generally 5V DC for digital circuits and 15V DC for analog circuits. Some projects also use 24V or 48V DC as the third power supply. In many cases, these power supplies need to be switched on in sequence, commonly 5V DC first and 15V DC next, with a time delay in-between. Subsequently switching them off necessitates implementing this sequence in reverse, i.e., first in/last out (FILO) in total, with 15 VDC first and 5V DC next and again with a time delay in-between.

Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide

In MCU-based projects, this sequencing can be achieved through an appropriate software routine. For non-MCU projects, conversely, Figure 1 shows a simple analog circuit that accomplishes this function for two power supplies:

Figure 1 A simple analog circuit controls the powerup and shutdown sequencing of two power supplies. 

How does this circuit work? Fundamentally, it employs the charging and discharging of capacitor C1 to achieve both power supply sequencing and the interim time delay. SW1 is a two-pole ON/OFF switch. When it is pressed, 5V is applied first through one pole and then through the second pole. 0V applied to the base of Q5 creates an open circuit. Next, C1 gets charged through R8.

The voltage at C1 rises per the following formula:

 v= V(1-e-t/T)

Here V=5V and T=R8xC1. R9, R10 and R11 serve as voltage dividers to set the references for comparators U1B and U1A.

When the rising voltage v crosses through the first reference voltage set by R11, the U1B output goes HIGH, saturating Q1. This transition causes Q2 to conduct and connect to the 5V output.  Capacitor voltage v, further rising, next crosses through the second reference voltage set by R10+R11. Now the U1A output goes HIGH, saturating Q4. Q3 now also conducts, with 15V also made available at the output.

For switching off, although SW1 is now opened, 5V initially continues to be fed to the output through the ongoing conduction of Q2. The base of Q5 goes HIGH, causing it to saturate. C1 resultantly starts discharging through R12. The voltage v at C1 decreases as per the formula:

v=Ve-t/T

When this voltage goes below the reference voltage 2 set as the input to U1A, its output goes LOW. Q4 and Q3 now turn OFF. Hence, the 15V DC output is switched OFF first. As the capacitor voltage further decreases with the passing of time, it goes below the reference 1 set at the input of U1B. Its output now also goes LOW, turning Q1 and Q2 OFF. The 5V output, switched OFF last, implements the desired FILO sequence.

Notably, this design doesn’t employ a constantly power-consuming watchdog circuit. For different time delays, accordingly select R9, R10 and R11 to set the desired reference voltages. High current power supplies can be handled by using suitable MOS switches (Q2 and Q3).

You can expand this concept to cover any number of power supplies to be operated in a time-delay FILO sequence. For example, Figure 2 shows a derived analog circuit, this time supporting three power supplies:

Figure 2 An analog circuit derived from the previous one controls the powerup and shutdown sequencing of three power supplies, with the concept further as-needed expandable.

The video below demonstrates the operation of Figure 2’s circuit with three power supplies in a FILO sequence.

Jayapal Ramalingam has over three decades of experience in designing electronics systems for power & process industries and is presently a freelance automation consultant.

Related Content

• Short push, long push for sequential operation of multiple power supplies
• Silly simple supply sequencing
• Vcc delay

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Renesas Electronics Corporation is a premier supplier of semiconductor solutions. Today, it announces that a subsidiary of Renesas has completed the acquisition of Irida Labs, a Greece-based company specialising in embedded software for AI-powered visual perception systems. The acquisition strengthens Renesas edge AI embedded processing offerings, a key secular growth area for Renesas. It also enables system-level solutions that integrate physical AI vision systems across industrial, robotics, smart city, IoT, agriculture and healthcare markets. As a part of Renesas’ digitalisation strategy, Irida Labs software and tools will be integrated into Renesas 365, a newly released platform that unifies electronics system development from discovery to development and lifecycle management.

While the demand for intelligent systems at the edge continues to soar across industries, developers must often overcome the growing complexity of AI system development. This includes the integration of power-constraint embedded processors and software, training, deploying AI models and addressing latency and security risks associated with data transmission. Vision AI software plays a critical role in interpreting and processing visual data from cameras and sensors widely used in industrial inspection, robotics guidance, in-cabin automotive sensing, traffic and infrastructure monitoring, smart retail analytics and safety and security systems.

The addition of Irida Labs to Renesas’ product portfolio addresses these emerging challenges. By combining Renesas’ AI-enabled RA microcontrollers (MCU) AND RZ microprocessors (MPU) with Irida Labs comprehensive tool suite and lightweight Vision AI software, Renesas can now delebier high performance, power-efficient edge AI solutions that are ready for deployment. Together, these capabilities reinforce Renesas’ progress towards fully integrated Vision AI system solutions.

Vassilis Tsagaris, CEO & Co-Founder of Irida Labs, added, “The joining of Irida Labs into Renesas marks an important milestone in our edge vision AI journey. By combining Irida Labs’ edge Vision AI expertise and our PerCV.ai software with Renesas hardware and global ecosystem, we open up exciting new opportunities to deliver meaningful impact on edge AI worldwide. I am proud of what the team has built, and genuinely excited to take it forward together with Renesas, turning our shared vision into reality.”

Before the acquisition, Renesas and Irida Labs collaborated as partners to develop solutions combining Irida Labs’ PerCV.ai software with Renesas’ RA and RZ devices. Bringing these capabilities in-house enables Renesas to deliver more tightly integrated solutions quickly. Renesas also plans to integrate Irida Labs software and tools into its newly introduced intelligent, open cloud-based development platform, Renesas 365.

The post Renesas Completes Acquisition of Irida Labs to Expand Vision AI Software Capabilities and Accelerates System-Level Vision Solutions appeared first on ELE Times.

День пам’яті та перемоги над нацизмом у Другій світовій війні 1939–1945 років KPI4U-2 пт, 05/08/2026 - 11:56