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There’s Exciting News on the Multi-Modal AI SoC Front

As is often the case, I’m amazed by how so many things seem to be interrelated and interconnected. I’m sorry… I feel an aside coming on… I cannot help myself… just saying “interconnected” reminds me of the book “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency,” which was written by the late great Douglas Adams.

As you may recall, Dirk is an unconventional detective who believes in the “fundamental interconnectedness of all things.” The idea is that everything in the universe is interrelated, meaning that even seemingly random events or trivial details can … Read More → "There’s Exciting News on the Multi-Modal AI SoC Front"

The Rise and Fall of Heathkit – Part 1: Early Days

If you came of age in the 1960s or 1970s and then later became an EE, chances are you’re more than casually acquainted with Heathkit. Many engineers started their budding careers by building one or more kits made by the Heath Company. I certainly did. When I stumbled across a brief interview with Chas Gilmore, who joined the Heath Company in 1966 as a design engineer and worked at the Heath Company on and off for more than two decades, eventually becoming VP of product development, marketing, and sales, I knew I needed to interview him.

< … Read More → "The Rise and Fall of Heathkit – Part 1: Early Days"

Customized Analog ASSPs for Smart Factories and Industry 4.0

I’m a digital logic design engineer by trade. In this uncertain world in which we live, I find comfort and take solace in the fact that you know where you stand with a trusty 0 or 1 in the digital domain. By comparison, I view the wibbly-wobbly analog arena as being inherently unsure, undecided, and uncertain. You never know what to expect with an analog signal.

Ironically, this means I have tremendous respect for those who dive deeply into the analog waters (although I have to say their view that digital is only a … Read More → "Customized Analog ASSPs for Smart Factories and Industry 4.0"

In Memoriam: Charlie Sporck, Former CEO of National Semiconductor

Charles (Charlie) Sporck, a former CEO of National Semiconductor, died in October. He was a true semiconductor pioneer – a contemporary of Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore – who started working at Fairchild Semiconductor as a production manager in 1959 when he knew virtually nothing about semiconductors. Sporck’s claim to fame is transforming National Semiconductor from a failing enterprise into a chip-making powerhouse and analog IC leader during the 1970s and 1980s. National was the first semiconductor company to reach $1 billion in annual sales, during Sporck’s tenure as CEO. That was in 1981. A mechanical engineer, Sporck focused on … Read More → "In Memoriam: Charlie Sporck, Former CEO of National Semiconductor"

Altera unveils slightly more detail about the Agilex 3 FPGA family a year after announcing it

At Altera’s recent Innovators Day, the company’s CEO Sandra Rivera mostly rehashed the newly freed FPGA company’s goals and plans. She also disclosed just a little more information about the upcoming Agilex 3 FPGA family, slated to become Altera’s low-end offering in the growing Agilex FPGA family of families. In her keynote presentation, Rivera said that the Agilex 3 FPGA family would include devices with 25K to 135K logic elements, which squarely overlays the company’s aging Cyclone V FPGA family. The Agilex 3 family will therefore usher end-product designs in the Cyclone V FPGA class … Read More → "Altera unveils slightly more detail about the Agilex 3 FPGA family a year after announcing it"

Arrggghhh! Now I Want an NI mioDAQ! (Ignore the ‘!’)

For those who don the undergarments of authority and stride the corridors of power, pompously parading the insignia of the punctuation police and SEO security, it should be noted that the title to this column in no way ends with an exclamation mark, so there are no SEO concerns to concern you there!

Moving on… have you ever found yourself desperately wanting to own something you didn’t even know existed just a few short minutes earlier? This just happened to me. I’ll tell you about that in a moment, but first … Read More → "Arrggghhh! Now I Want an NI mioDAQ! (Ignore the ‘!’)"

What if Your Strawberries Could Talk?

So, there I was, happily minding my own business, when my email system went “ping” and I looked up to see a message with a subject line saying, “What if Your Strawberries Could Talk? Now They Can!” Unfortunately, I was obliged to lose the “Now They Can!” part from my column title. This is because—as I’ve mentioned before—those who don the undergarments of authority and stride the corridors of power have forbidden me from terminating the titles to my columns with exclamation marks. This would leave “Now They Can” (without an exclamation mark) looking … Read More → "What if Your Strawberries Could Talk?"

Welcome to the Wild Goose Lodge, a LoRaWAN hotel where you can check in and out any time you like

On a recent trip through Oregon, my wife and I stopped in a very small town named Merrill, which is the closest town to the Lava Beds National Monument in northern California – a must-see part of the country managed by US National Park Service. We spent the night in Merrill at a tiny motel called the Wild Goose Lodge, with 13 rooms and two larger “cabins.” … Read More → "Welcome to the Wild Goose Lodge, a LoRaWAN hotel where you can check in and out any time you like"

Humanoid Robots Will Be Serving You Soon

As I always say, if you show me a picture of a robot or an elephant, you will have my full and undivided attention. This happened to me recently when Matthew Cossel sent me a picture of a robot called ADAM serving drinks in a fast-food restaurant. This picture was accompanied by a message that essentially said: “Interested? Want to learn more?” To which I heard a little voice inside my head shouting, “YES!”

Before we proceed, I’d like to give a shout out to Matthew, who works for Read More → "Humanoid Robots Will Be Serving You Soon"

555 versus Raspberry Pi Pico: Which side are you on?

I’ve seen a lot of engineering religious wars over the decades. Chances are, you have as well. Here’s a very partial list of some wars I’ve seen:

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