Each week, the editor of Planet Analog finds items of interest and then features them in two sections, entitled “Also of Interest” and “Elementals”. Each cites items from publications outside the Planet Analog and EETimes portfolios.

“Also of Interest” and “Elementals” is an extension of our belief that engineers are interested in on-going tutorial on obviously relevant topics, as well as the serendipity of exploring topics which are not directly related to their jobs, but which will broaden their knowledge and sometimes spurs innovative and creative approaches. The first box highlights a items of general interest to the engineer, while the second highlights basic and tutorial electronic-engineering material.

Among the publications we check are IEEE Spectrum , Machine Design , Design News , Laser Focus World , EDN , Electronic Design , NASA Tech Briefs , Portable Design , and Physics Today , plus others.

Consider these items as “online-only” extras, and worth a look! (Please note: there are also links to the previous weeks' editions, at the bottom).

Also of Interest:

• Anneal-resistant copper alloys and a dedicated brazing process could bring copper's high strength and heat conductivity back to air conditioning:
  “Back to the Future With Copper Brazing,”
  Machine Design , December 11, 2008
• A quest for energy efficiency has fostered development of switched reluctance motors that are inherently simple and can supply variable speeds:
  “The Switch to Switched Reluctance,”
  Machine Design , December 11, 2008
• Kodak manages to shave years off a product development project using CFD:
  “FLOW-3D Speeds MEMS Inkjet Development,”
  Desktop Engineering , January 2009
• Sunshine Heart optimizes a unique pump design to make sure the human heartbeat goes on:
  “Abaqus FEA Leads to Lifesaving Heart Pump,”
  Desktop Engineering , January 2009
• A combination of ultraprecision diamond-turned hard tools and microlithograp, pave the way for high-volume production of wafer-level stacks of lenses required for next-generation cameras:
  “High-volume optics fabrication: New technologies enable precise and cost-effective wafer-level optics,”
  Laser Focus World , January 2009

Elementals:

• How do make an amplifier with adjustable positive and negative slew rates:
  “What’s All This “Adjustable Slew Rate Stuff,” Anyhow?,”
  Electronic Design , December 11, 2008
• This article describes a WiMAX power amplifier, which achieves high performance using the latest device technologies and design techniques:
  “A High Efficiency Doherty Amplifier with Digital Predistortion for WiMAX,”
  High Frequency Design , December 2008
• Overview of the 2008 Antenna Applications Symposium, an annual conference dedicated to antenna design, development and system use:
  “State-of-the-Art Antenna Technology: The 2008 Antenna Applications Symposium,”
  Microwave Journal , January 2009
• Use this circuit as a DC-biased AC source when you need both low-distortion and power-driving capability:
  “Test Ideas: Produce AC test signals,”
  Test & Measurement World , December 2008

Previous Editions:

• February 9, 2009
• February 2, 2009
• January 26, 2009
• January 19, 2009
• January 12, 2009
• January 5, 2009