Infocus LP540 (http://rbi.ims.ca/3860-546). Even the best PowerPoint presentation can suffer if the projector is mounted at a sharp angle producing a distorted image called the keystone effect. Besides having several features including front, rear, and ceiling projection methods, InFocus LP540 projector uses an Analog Devices iMEMS accelerometer to accurately measure the projection angle in any given setting. The accelerometer provides the tilt angle data to the Digital Keystone Correction software in the controller, which automatically determines the level of correction necessary (up to ±25 degrees) to digitally resize the image and provide a square and undistorted image. For more info on Analog Devices' iMEMS accelerometers, go to http://rbi.ims.ca/3860-547.
Notepad Computer Knows Which Way is Up
Toshiba Portégé M200 (http://rbi.ims.ca/3860-550). The graphics capability of the M200 Tablet PC allows a speaker to add hand-written notes or diagrams to a document during a presentation or meeting—so long as the computer knows which side is up. By integrating a low-cost, compact, dual-axis accelerometer into the design, engineers made it possible to determine the orientation. The tilt input from Analog Devices'±2g, accelerometer also allows users to view the top and bottom of a web page by simply tilting the computer up and down. Tilting the notebook from left to right while viewing an eBook or digital magazine automatically turns the page, thanks to the signal from the accelerometer. For more info on Analog Devices' ADXL311 accelerometer, go to http://rbi.ims.ca/3860-551.
Self-Orienting Camera Phone
The V401D by Mitsubishi Electric (http://rbi.ims.ca/3860-548). Engineers at Mitsubishi realized it would be great to know which side of a cell phone is up when taking photos with it. To distinguish the portrait from the landscape mode in their 2G cell phone handset with integrated camera, they selected a low-g CMOS-based MEMS accelerometer to sense tilt. In addition to sensing the phone's position, the accelerometer made possible a pedometer feature to count the steps and measure the distance traveled. In the future, engineers plan to use it as an input for games. Unfortunately, the V401D is currently available only in Japan. For more info on the MEMSIC CMOS Thermal Accelerometer, go to http://rbi.ims.ca/3860-549.
Andrew Morris designed a circuit that could detect a stroke victim's groan and convert the sound into a signal so caregivers would know when help was needed.
New disc magnet motors fit into the design trend of stepping up to closed loop performance while maintaining the cost advantage of stepper motor technology.
At the Design News webinar on June 27, learn all about aluminum extrusion: designing the right shape so it costs the least, is simplest to manufacture, and best fits the application's structural requirements.
On April 21, NASA launched a novel project, putting into orbit three satellites that employ an off-the-shelf commercial smartphone as the control system.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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