Articles – Page 6

Retro Gadgets, Gizmos, Tools, and Technologies

July 1, 2025

It’s funny how you think you know what a word means until someone asks you for a definition, at which point you run into problems trying to articulate that word’s meaning. Take the word “retro,” for example. What does this mean to you?

Take a few minutes to jot your thoughts down, and then we’ll continue. There’s no rush. I’m happy to wait. What? You’ve finished? That was fast!

In fact, the term “retro”—as it’s commonly … Read More → "Retro Gadgets, Gizmos, Tools, and Technologies"

Wow! That’s Some AI SOM!

by Max Maxfield

June 26, 2025

Sometimes people say things that are both obvious and unexpectedly insightful. “Unexpected,” in the sense that I hadn’t thought of it myself—yet once I heard it, I was surprised it hadn’t already occurred to me. I’ll explain what kicked off my current cogitations in a moment. First, however, I’d like to waffle a bit, as is my wont.

I hail from the city of Sheffield, in the county of Yorkshire, in merry old England. My grandfather (on my mother’s side) was born in the 1890s. At that … Read More → "Wow! That’s Some AI SOM!"

Are Mixed Reality Theme Parks Headed Our Way?

by Max Maxfield

June 24, 2025

I’m not sure when I first ran across the concepts of things like virtual reality and augmented reality. I think it may have been around the tail end of the 1960s when I read Way Station by Clifford D. Simak.

Simak’s science fiction stories have a style of their own. His tales often take place in rural America, particularly the Midwest, and reflect an abiding affection for nature and simple … Read More → "Are Mixed Reality Theme Parks Headed Our Way?"

Eeek Alors! AI-Powered PCB Layout Is Here and It’s Awesome

by Max Maxfield

June 19, 2025

For reasons we need not go into here, I was just perusing a column on French phrases that people in France do not, in fact, use (I’m sure knowing this will come in handy one day).

The column in question was 9 French Phrases Native Speakers Never Use on the Babble language learning app website. For example, in this article we read: “Sacré bleu</ … Read More → "Eeek Alors! AI-Powered PCB Layout Is Here and It’s Awesome"

Making Machine Vision Accessible and Affordable for Engineers, Educators, and Makers

by Max Maxfield

June 17, 2025

I’m sure I’ve asked you this before, but have you ever read Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by the late, great Douglas Adams? If so, I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s hard to beat the author’s own description of this tale as a “thumping good detective-ghost-horror-whodunnit-timetravel-romantic-musical-comedy-epic.”

This was followed by Read More → "Making Machine Vision Accessible and Affordable for Engineers, Educators, and Makers"

Celebrating the FPGA’s 40th Birthday

by Max Maxfield

June 12, 2025

The phrase “wake up and smell the coffee” is an idiom that means: “Pay attention to what’s really going on.” It’s not that this is in any way relevant to the following discussions: I was just wondering where and how this expression originated.

Now I come to think about it, this query was sparked by my hearing the news that the folks at Xilinx (now part of AMD) are celebrating June 2025 as the 40th anniversary of the first time a physical field-programmable gate array (FPGA) bid a cheery “Howdy” to the … Read More → "Celebrating the FPGA’s 40th Birthday"

Living in a Cubic World

by Max Maxfield

June 10, 2025

What I laughingly call “my mind” is usually jam-packed with a jumble of rambling miscellaneous musings, all vying for my attention… and today is no exception.

One of the topics that’s currently at the forefront of my consciousness (and quite possibly my unconsciousness, for all I know) is that of retro electronic toys.

Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised that just saying this triggered a new cascade of concepts, starting with, “Hmmm, what does the word ‘retro’ mean?” (It’s one of those words that I know what … Read More → "Living in a Cubic World"

Is This the First Video Podcast with an AI Co-Host?

by Max Maxfield

June 5, 2025

Things are moving at breakneck speed in artificial intelligence (AI) space (where no one can hear you scream). For example, I’ve just been introduced to Sophie the Sage, who is the AI co-host of a video podcast.

Now, you may think “Sophie the Sage” is a strange sobriquet, but my own online moniker is “Max the Magnificent,” so I’m in no position to cast aspersions, not least that my throwing arm isn’t what it used to be.

I was just thinking back to a couple of … Read More → "Is This the First Video Podcast with an AI Co-Host?"

Machine Vision, Robotics, Industrial Applications? There’s an SOM for That!

by Max Maxfield

June 3, 2025

I’ve heard it said that “60 is the new 40,” which means that people in their 60s today are often as active, healthy, and youthful as people in their 40s used to be in previous generations. This must be true because, a few days ago, as I pen these words, I celebrated the 47th anniversary of my 21st birthday, and I don’t feel a day over… I’m sorry, what was it that we were talking about?

One of the (few) advantages of growing old is having been around for a long time, … Read More → "Machine Vision, Robotics, Industrial Applications? There’s an SOM for That!"

EYEO’s Eye-Opening Image Sensor Technology

by Max Maxfield

May 29, 2025

Today’s image sensors—the ones used in digital photography, surveillance, and machine vision—are amazing, awesome, and [insert your favorite superlative here]. Even more remarkable is the fact that they achieve all this while effectively “throwing away” around 70% of the incoming light. Can you imagine how much more amazing, awesome, and [your superlative here] they could be if they used 100% of the light instead? Well, now they can!

I don’t know about you, but I seem to experience things in waves, especially when it comes to topics of a technological twist. … Read More → "EYEO’s Eye-Opening Image Sensor Technology"