SimleLink TI

Wi-Fi CC3000, a self-contained wireless processor to give developers a quick way to add internet connectivity to any embedded system using any microcontroller.

TI said SimpleLink, which uses an 802.11 network processor, will make it easy for people to add wireless connectivity to almost anything, from lawnmowers to dishwashers, allowing everyday products to connect up and share information.

electric potential sensor detects changes in electric field

Plymouth, ENGLAND – 10 October 2011 – Plessey Semiconductors announced today that commercial samples of its award winning Electric Potential Integrated Circuit (EPIC) sensors are now available. The first products are optimised for use as an ECG sensor and provide a resolution as good as or better than conventional electrodes. The EPIC sensors offer several advantages that save money and speed up taking readings. First, the EPIC sensors are dry contact so that no gels or similar fluids are required to make contact. Second, the sensors can be simply cleaned between uses - unlike conventional ECG sensors that have to be disposed of after every use at a cost of $2 a set. Third, only a pair of sensors are required that are held in each hand which is very quick to do unlike the current approach that requires seven or more leads to be carefully applied to specific locations on the body whilst the patient lies down.
http://www.plesseysemiconductors.com/resource_library/?page_id=5&did=191
http://www.plesseysemiconductors.com/media_video.html

Panasonic Bluetooth RF Modules PAN1317 and PAN1327

PAN1317/PAN1327 Bluetooth RF Modules feature both Dynastream's dual-mode Area Network Technology (ANT+™) software protocol and Bluetooth connectivity. This combination creates a low cost, ultra-low power wireless networking solution for short range applications. ANT+ managed network software facilitates the collection, automatic transfer, and tracking of sensor data for monitoring personal wellness information. ANT protocol is well-suited for low data rate sensor network topologies in personal area networks (PANs) and practical wireless sensor networks (WSNs), and is most commonly found in sports and low power medical device applications. Panasonic's tiny footprint technology offers a module of only 85.5 mm2 including antenna. PAN1317/PAN1327 Bluetooth RF Modules are designed to accommodate PCBs pad pitch of 1.3mm and as little as two layers for easy implementation and manufacture.

Wahoo Fitness offers new ANT+ API for Android

Wahoo Fitness has been making some interesting accessories for the iPhone for a while now that allows the iPhone to interface with ANT+ fitness sensors to track a person’s vital stats during a workout. The company has announced that it has unveiled a new API that allows Android devices to work with ANT+ accessories.
The new API is called the Wahoo ANT+ API and using it devs can tap into all of the native functions of the Android platform to help folks get fit. The apps using the API interface with sensors for different activity types and the data the sensors gather is sent to the smartphone wirelessly using a sensor embedded inside some Android smartphones.
http://api.wahoofitness.com/
http://api.wahoofitness.com/android/beta/

news

Linear-motor-control-without-the-math

http://www.eetimes.com/design/other/4026992/Linear-motor-control-without-the-math-item-1?pageNumber=4&Ecosystem=embedded

Scientists Crack The Physics Of Coffee Rings
http://www.npr.org/2011/08/17/139681851/scientists-crack-the-physics-of-coffee-rings

Ready Play! Go. - modular systems
http://blogs.freescale.com/2011/08/16/ready-play-go/?tid=NL_3411

World's first dual channel brushless DC motor controller targets small electric vehicles and robotics
http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-products/electro-mechanical/4219189/World-s-first-dual-channel-brushless-DC-motor-controller

CERN launches Open Hardware initiative

Geneva, 7 July 2011. Four months after launching the alpha version, CERN1 has today issued version 1.1 of the Open Hardware Licence (OHL), a legal framework to facilitate knowledge exchange across the electronic design community.

In the spirit of knowledge and technology dissemination, the CERN OHL was created to govern the use, copying, modification and distribution of hardware design documentation, and the manufacture and distribution of products. Hardware design documentation includes schematic diagrams, designs, circuit or circuit-board layouts, mechanical drawings, flow charts and descriptive texts, as well as other explanatory material.

Atomic clock are now available in a small, low power oscillator

At only 0.45 inches high, the SA.45s CSAC is the world’s first atomic clock with the small form factor and low power consumption portable applications demand.

nRF8001 - Bluetooth® low energy

FEATURES

• Fully qualified Bluetooth® v4.0 low energy Connectivity IC with integrated Radio, Link Layer and Host stack
• Cost optimized solution for Peripheral (Slave) role operation
• Best-in class power consumption enabling up months to years of battery lifetime on standard CR2032 cells.
• On-chip DC/DC regulator enabling up to 20% peak current reduction for 3V cells
• Fully integrated low tolerance 32kHz RC oscillator eliminating the need for external 32kHz crystals.
• Simple serial interface (ACI) supporting a range of different external application microcontrollers

more: http://www.nordicsemi.com/index.cfm?obj=product&act=display&pro=104#

Sensor AFE Revolutionizes Sensor System Design

Sensor AFE tools simplify design, enabling the engineer to select a sensor, design and configure the solution, and download configuration to the Sensor AFE IC. The SPIO-4 Digital Controller Board provides a USB-controllable interface between a Sensor AFE evaluation board and a PC running Sensor AFE Software. This web page describes typical configurations for LMP90100 evaluation and LMP91000 evaluation.

PN533 NFC Communication controller

Near Field Communication (NFC) is a wireless connectivity technology that enables convenient short-range communication between electronic devices. Today NFC is in everyone’s mind who intends to build up 13.56 MHz RFID systems requiring bidirectional information flow such as payment or ticketing systems. NXP now provides a new controller with system-on-a-chip features. PN533/C250 is a highly integrated transceiver module for contactless communication based on the 80C51 microcontroller core. A dedicated ROM code is implemented to handle different RF protocols. Highest data rates to and from ISO/IEC 14443A/B protocol based cards/transponders and support of all MIFARE products (e.g. new MIFARE Crypto) are provided.

Ultra-low energy radio draws less than 3mW

Toumaz launched the TZ1053 Telran, an ultra-low energy (ULE) radio for wireless sensor networks, remote controls, green energy solutions, smart meters, and environmental monitoring. Built on the company’s proprietary AM Mixed Signal technology, the sub-1GHz radio SoC offers 1V operation using a single button cell battery and consumes less than 3mW continuous use power consumption.

Transparent OLED display

Musical Handrail using the Mux Shield