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. And we also have an archive of recent weekly Planet Analog Newsletters, as pdf files; see the list at the very bottom.
“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.
Special note : due to our extremely long queue of items for the “Also of Interest” and “Elementals” sections, we've increased the number we're showing, at least for the next few weeks until the queue gets down to a more reasonable size. The price, of course, remains unchanged! 😉 Consider these items as “online-only” extras, and worth a look. (Please note: there are also links to the previous weeks' editions, below this week's items.)
Also of Interest:
- Blind rivets (breakstems) provide vibration-proof fastening; know the basics before specifying them:
“Straight Facts on Blind Rivets,”
Machine Design , March 19, 2009 - Setting up an optical laboratory begins with specifying the optical table; understand your requirements before you place an order:
“Optical-table basics: from breadboards to active vibration-control systems,”
Laser Focus World , April 2009 - This device can be used to assess ice buildup on aircraft:
“Improved Instrument for Detecting Water and Ice in Soil,”
NASA Tech Briefs , March 2009 - Future combat vehicles will require unconventional weapons and armor systems such as electromagnetic (EM) or electrothermal chemical (ETC) guns, electromagnetic (EM) armor, and directed- energy weapons (DEWs):
“Weapon and Armor System Power in Future Combat Vehicles,”
Defense Tech Briefs , April 2009
Elementals:
- Designing a multimode WEDGE receiver needs a full understanding of the minimum performance requirements of individual GSM and WCDMA cellular receivers:
“Analyze Requirements For WEDGE Receivers,”
Microwaves & RF , March 2009 - 4G telecommunication technology carries explicit requirements for minimum network speed. Designers must find a way to reliably and cost-effectively reach those targets:
“Getting to 4G through design and test,”
EDN , April 9, 2009 - A basic tutorial on microstrip patch antennas, intended to familiarize engineers with the structure, feed and radiation properties of this common type of antenna:
“The Fundamentals of Patch Antenna Design and Performance,”
High Frequency Electronics , March 2009 - Learn how lead-free alternatives and their associated increase in reflow temperatures affect connector reliability and performance:
“Designing for ROHS: Select the right lead-free-connector design for heat-sensitive applications,”
EDN , March 5, 2009 - This study was a major part of an effort to develop a circuit-reconfiguration system that could utilize any of the four methods to implement fault tolerance in the FPGA:
“Evaluation of Four Methods of Reconfiguring an FPGA,”
Defense Tech Briefs , April 2009
Previous “Also of Interest” and “Elementals” Editions:
Recent Planet Analog Newsletters:
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