Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are playing an increasingly crucial role in optimizing electronic design automation (EDA) across the semiconductor industry. This article explores the rising complexity and costs of designing chips at advanced nodes. It highlights how generative AI (GenAI) and deep reinforcement learning (DRL) help semiconductor companies accelerate time to market […]
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How do directed energy weapons work?
Directed energy weapons (DEWs) use electromagnetic (EM) energy, such as high-energy lasers (HELs), high-powered microwaves (HPMs), or high-power millimeter waves (HPMMs), to degrade or destroy targets. Sometimes, sound waves are included in the DEW category. This article focuses on EM DEWs. EM DEWs have several advantages compared with traditional munitions, including: Speed: EM energy travels […]
Achieving isolation in an isolation amplifier
Isolation amplifiers create a galvanic isolation barrier between input and output circuits to protect sensitive equipment and personnel from high voltages. Such isolation can be optical, capacitive, or inductive in an isolation amplifier. This FAQ will help us understand how each isolation type works and how they differ. How do optical isolation amplifiers work? Optical […]
What are the different encoding techniques used for chipless RFID tags?
Encoding refers to converting a message into a different transmission, storage, or processing form. Chipless RFID lacks specialized ASICs to lower costs and use time and frequency domain systems for encoding. Hybrid encoding combines time and frequency domain systems for custom encoding options. A chipless RFID system is a radio frequency identification technology that does […]
What is an analog front end (AFE) in a battery management system (BMS)?
Integrated into battery management systems (BMS), an analog front end (AFE) digitizes and processes key inputs to ensure safe and efficient operation. While AFEs play a crucial role in electric vehicle (EV) Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery traction packs, they are also used in other applications, such as high-voltage data acquisition (DAQ) systems, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), […]
FAQ on spread spectrum for switching-supply EMI management Part 2: details
Spread spectrum minimizes the EMI impact of switching power supplies and helps meet regulatory mandates. This discussion of spread-spectrum topologies for switching regulators and converters continues with a look at some modulation and component details. Q: What are some of the issues associated with the frequency modulation spread spectrum (FMSS)? A: Keep in mind that […]
FAQ on spread spectrum for switching-supply EMI management Part 1: overview
Spread spectrum minimizes the EMI impact of switching power supplies and helps meet regulatory mandates. Noise is a concern and consideration for many circuit designs, and there are many types of noise. There is external noise, such as from nearby motors or RF interference sources, and internal noise, which is generated by various sources of […]
Does 32 kHz or 3.58 MHz mean anything to you? part 2
These two frequencies played major roles in electronics; one is still viable, while the other is entirely obsolete. Find Part 1 here. Color TV was developed in the 1950s and 1960s, largely by Radio Corporation of America (RCA) (see Related EE Word content), as a compatible upgrade to black and white (monochrome) TV. Adding color […]
Does 32 kHz or 3.58 MHz mean anything to you? part 1
These two frequencies played major roles in electronics; one is still very viable, while the other is completely obsolete. Engineers are surrounded by countless standard frequencies, many of which are defined by an industry standard. Some are so well-known and commonplace that they need no clarification other than the frequency number itself; others were “celebrities” […]
What are the seven basic logic gates in integrated circuits?
Logic gates efficiently process binary data to facilitate precise operations within integrated circuits (ICs). This article explains how these gates function and highlights their crucial role in digital and mixed-signal analog applications. It also reviews the seven most common logic gates, exploring key capabilities, operations, and use cases. Understanding logic gate operations and functions Logic […]
