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. Please note : our backlog queue for both sections has grown much faster than we're listing them, so we're running more of them each week to clear the backlog (for now), and all at no charge to you!

“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 few items of general interest to the engineer, while the second highlights some 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:

• Adhesives that handle high temperatures and corrosion can be attractive alternatives to traditional fasteners:
  “Epoxy Adhesives Hold Their Own,”
  Machine Design , September 25, 2008
• Here are some tips for sizing pneumatic systems for performance and efficiency:
  “How to Streamline Air Circuits,”
  Machine Design , October 8, 2008
• A terahertz camera with a one-pixel detector can be the solution to high-speed imaging in the terahertz region for detecting concealed weapons at airports, locating defects in space shuttle foam, and more:
  “TERAHERTZ IMAGING: Single-pixel terahertz camera speeds measurement,”
  Laser Focus World , September 2008
• Genetic-trait analysis, and forensics, deoxyribonucleic acid is also playing a role as a biopolymer for the creation of novel photonic device.:
  “DNA PHOTONICS – Next-generation optoelectronics leverage DNA biopolymers,”
  Laser Focus World , September 2008
• During World War II, RF and microwave systems proved to be of major importance for both communication and radar:
  “50 Years of Millimeter-Waves: A Journey of Development,”
  Microwave Journal , August 2008

Elementals:

• Give your system a boost by interfacing high-end op amps with ADCs, using one of three different driver architectures:
  “Interface High-Performance Op Amps With ADCs,”
  Electronic Design , September 11, 2008
• Higher on-chip power dissipation and power density accompany increasing micropower performance, which impacts system reliability; designers must ensure adequate cooling:
  “Cooling Techniques Attack MPU Processing Heat,”
  Electronic Design , October 23, 2008
• Using the right op amp in front of your data converter will give you good performance. Adjusting component values by production lot will give you the best performance:
  “Start with the right op amp when driving SAR ADCs,”
  EDN , October 16, 2008
• These experiments considered the practical transmission distances between wireless sensors and their base stations, under different environmental conditions and with different antennas:
  “Measure The Range Of Sensor Networks,”
  Microwaves & RF , October 2008

Previous Editions:

• November 17, 2008
• November 10, 2008
• November 3, 2008
• October 27, 2008
• October 20, 2008