As the demand for smart, automated and eco-friendly end-equipment continues to grow, industrial and automotive technologies are becoming increasingly electrified. With this trend also comes an increased emphasis on ensuring electronic systems not only meet standards of EV performance but safety standards as well. In the automotive space specifically, the use of highly…
Real-time control is the ability of a closed-loop system to gather data, process that data, and update the system within a defined time window. As a continuation of the article, “What is ‘Real-Time Control’ and Why Do You Need It?,” I’ll take a closer look at the first functional block of real-time control systems – sensing (gathering…
Think about the current applications of Bluetooth® in our daily life and then envision a world that is even more connected. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group estimates that annual shipments of Bluetooth-enabled devices will exceed 7 billion in 2026. As innovative engineers, you have the opportunity to help meet the market demand for more integration of Bluetooth in medical devices, toys, personal electronics, smart…
With increasing competition between electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers to develop models with lower cost and longer drive range, power system engineers are under pressure to reduce power losses and improve traction inverter system efficiency, which can improve driving ranges and provide a competitive advantage. Efficiency relates to lower power losses, which affect…
High-voltage industrial and automotive systems such as factory automation equipment, grid infrastructure applications, motor drives and electric vehicles (EVs) can generate several hundred to thousands of volts, which poses a significant safety risk to humans and can reduce equipment lifetimes. This article explains how to keep these HV systems safe by utilizing the…
In the past, a human machine interface (HMI) consisted of a physical control panel with push buttons, switches and indicator lights that enabled users to communicate with a machine. As the technology progressed, it became possible for users to monitor processes, see status information displays and send commands. Now, HMI applications are everywhere, including smartphone apps used…
Previously published on Electronic Design
In my previous Hall-effect sensor myths technical article, I focused on misconceptions about Hall-effect switches and latches, including common applications where designers could benefit from using Hall-effect sensors instead of other integrated circuits. The six myths in this article go a bit more in depth on the high-accuracy angle-measurement…
Relays have been used as switches since before the transistor was invented. The ability to safely control high-voltage systems from lower-voltage signals, as is the case in isolation resistance monitoring, is necessary for the development of many automotive systems. While the technology of electromechanical relays and contactors has improved over the years, it is…
You’ve probably heard that it’s possible to shatter glass by screaming at a high-pitched tone, but have you heard of cleaning glass by screaming? With precisely controlled, high-frequency vibrations, ultrasonic cleaning technology can clean glass surfaces. On a rainy day this technology could automatically detect and clear raindrops from a car’s rear camera lens without requiring action from the driver…
Semiconductor packaging techniques have evolved in order to adapt to the smaller chip sizes made possible by technological advances, as well as increased power dissipation and growing demands for power density. Flip chip on leadframe (FCOL) packaging technologies have become increasingly popular given their technical benefits and efficient use of printed circuit board (PCB) area. In this article, I’ll give a short overview…
Previously published on Electronic Design
Hall-effect sensors are commonly used in automotive and industrial systems for applications including proximity detection, linear displacement measurement and rotary encoding. Currently, the high system performance requirements of modern applications have led to IC manufacturers increasing sensitivity accuracy, integrating…
The adoption of gallium nitride (GaN) field-effect transistor (FET) is rapidly increasing, given its ability to improve efficiency and shrink the size of power supplies. But before investing in the technology, you may still be asking yourself whether GaN is reliable. It strikes me that no one asks whether silicon is reliable. After all, there are still new silicon products coming out all the time, and power-supply designers…
A brushed DC motor’s simplicity of control, low cost and wide range of capability makes it a good fit for automotive loads that need integrated, high-powered and reliable motor drivers such as window lifts, sunroof controls, locks, latches and engine valves.
If you’re designing an automotive system, you’ll likely encounter both device- and system-level…
As electric vehicles (EVs) become more popular, the challenge for car manufacturers is to remove drivers’ “range anxiety” while making the car more affordable. This translates into making the battery packs lower cost with higher energy densities. Every single watt-hour stored and retrieved from the cells is critical to extend the driving range.
Having accurate measurements of voltage, temperature and…
Co-authored by Matthias Thoma
Every day, consumers interact with systems that assess their surroundings and act accordingly. In a vehicle, when pressing the accelerator, the vehicle speeds up almost instantaneously – there is no noticeable delay between pressing the pedal to acceleration.
To apply this example to the topic of this article, if the vehicle were a system, the surroundings pressing the accelerator and…
A typical factory automation environment has multiple levels of operator and field control to establish device-to-device communication. As smart factories become more prevalent, it’s a challenge to design systems that not only address the complex computational needs of larger data sets throughout the factory, but to do so in a way that addresses multiprotocol real-time communication…
Fault-detection mechanisms are a necessity in high-power industrial systems such as motor drives and solar inverters, as well as automotive systems including electric vehicle (EV) chargers, traction inverters, onboard chargers and DC/DC converters.
Fault detection involves current, voltage and temperature measurements to diagnose any AC power-line fluctuations, mechanical or electrical…
Unless you ride in a spacecraft, automotive power seats are probably the most complex chair in which you will ever sit. More adjustable than airplane seats – and much more comfortable than a dentist’s chair – automotive power seats provide a luxurious level of comfort, convenience and safety.
Whether you are moving the seat up and down, forward or…
Co-authored with Jitin George.
Originally published in Electronic Products.
Autonomous robots are intelligent machines that can understand and navigate through its environment without human control or intervention. Although this technology is relatively young, there are many different use cases of autonomous robots in factories, warehouses, cities, and homes. For example, robots can be used to transport goods around warehouses…
Technology companies are looking to expand into more intelligent and advanced sensing in vehicle interiors. Consumers want to see applications such as child presence detection, occupant detection, vital-sign monitoring and gesture recognition. The in-cabin space currently has various camera-based and time-of-flight solutions; however, most of these are limited to only one application…
Not too long ago, widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) was nothing but science fiction. Once thought too expensive or impractical, we are now in the midst of an EV revolution driven by OEMs’ desire to achieve zero emissions and explore alternative energy sources. Many car manufacturers have gone all-in by pledging all-EV lineups in the next 10 to 15 years.
Despite this momentum, we stand at an inflection…
It’s a challenge to create highly efficient and compact designs while also adhering to strict electromagnetic interference (EMI) requirements imposed by groups such as Comité International Spécial des Perturbations Radioélectriques (CISPR). Therefore, component selection becomes a critical part of the design process. As with most design decisions, choosing between…
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