Chronos was created to inspire wireless
networking development by enabling designers to easily and cost-efficiently
harness the integration of TI's new CC430 microcontroller (MCU), regardless of
programming expertise. The CC430 MCU combines the MSP430 core and an RF
transceiver to result in the industry's lowest-power, single-chip
radio-frequency (RF) solution for MCU-based applications. The kit includes a
3-axis accelerometer for motion-sensitive control and sensors for data
collection of altitude, temperature and battery voltage. It comes with RF
protocols and open source example projects and can be used as a wireless hub to
access real-time data from wirelessly paired custom sensors. Never
before have developers had access to a completely reprogrammable development
kit packaged in an environment as portable as a sports watch. Chronos' leading hardware/software integration
allows developers to significantly save on BOM and board space, resulting in
lower cost, smaller end products. It includes an eZ430-emulator for
simplified programming debugging on top of base software framework and RF
functions so developers are able to
easily customize Chronos' basic functionality, or wirelessly pair it with their
own custom sensors. Unlike
anything on the market, Chronos provides developers with a wearable, low-cost,
easy-to-use tool, complete with software, hardware and community support.
CC430 shrinks package and printed circuit board size by up to 50 percent compared to two-chip-solutions. Chronos performs watch functions (30m waterproof), and is equipped with on-chip sensors to
measure altitude, temperature and battery voltage.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
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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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