Other Parts Discussed in Post: BQ79616, BQ76952, BQ79731-Q1 Solar and wind power bring renewable energy to the grid, but the imbalance between supply and demand is a major limitation to maximize their use. Although solar energy is abundantly availabl...

Other Parts Discussed in Post: DLP160CP, DLPC3420, DLPC3421, DLPC3430Have you ever thought of adding a projected display to your microcontroller-driven (MCU) application? For example, imagine using a projected display in a home appliance that offers ...

Consumers want portable, fast and efficient chargers for the various electronic devices they carry with them daily. With a majority of electronics moving to USB Type-C® chargers, demand for compact power adapters that can charge all of their devices is increasing rapidly.

The challenge in designing modern consumer USB Type-C mobile chargers, PC power supplies and TV power supplies…

Authored by George Lakkas, Robert Martinez, Sean Murphy

A traction inverter converts the EV battery’s high-voltage DC to the AC that the electric motor needs. The traction inverter controls the speed and torque of the motor, and its efficiency has a direct impact on the power and thermal dissipation, as well the EV’s driving range.

Figure 1 shows some of the most important…

Other Parts Discussed in Post: AM625 Manufacturers of electric vehicle (EV) charging systems have two things on their mind: First, to design reliable charging systems that can operate for years to come; and second, to create a seamless, positive char...

Kim Nielson co-authored this technical article

There has been a significant increase recently in the use of silicon carbide (SiC) field-effect transistors (FETs) in traction inverter designs. The fact that SiC inverters can produce high transient voltage (dv/dt) signals greater than 100 V/ns raises concerns…

With the world more battery-powered than ever, the demand for better and cheaper batteries and battery packs is soaring. And while battery manufacturers are introducing new chemistries and smaller packs, which are putting new and complex constraints on power requirements, the fundamental functionality remains the same: today’s batteries must have a maximized run time and an extended shelf life without compromising system…

In office buildings, factory floors and automobiles, software is replacing mechanical components and fixed electric circuits. For example, replacing a mechanical lock with a smart lock gives users operational control through an app, while the manufacturer can improve or correct lock functionality through software updates. One often-forgotten challenge with this trend, however…

Front camera units are an essential component of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), especially now that New Car Assessment Program requirements include automatic emergency braking and front collision avoidance as standard features. Front cameras help with other ADAS features such as adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance and traffic sign recognition…

Computer vision refers to the technological goal of bringing human vision to computers, enabling applications from assembly-line inspection to driver assistance and robotics. Computers lack the ability to intuit vision and imagery like humans. Inste...

Other Parts Discussed in Post: DLP471TPSE, DLP471TP, DLP230NPResolution is a critical specification for any display. For projectors, a higher resolution can make a measurably positive impact to the viewing experience with more lifelike, detailed imag...

It can be challenging for engineers to design applications using rechargeable batteries that provide the best charging experience for consumers when different projects have different battery-charging needs. Using a different battery charger for every application increases design time because you have to redesign, debug and requalify every new circuit.

What if you could minimize development…

Republished with permission from EETimes

A zone architecture and Ethernet represent the future of networking in vehicles. New features in vehicles, as well as the shift to aggregating sensors and actuators into zonal modules, require a high-bandwidth and low-latency in-vehicle communication network. A zone architecture implementing Ethernet enables the growing trend of the software-defined vehicle.

Most vehicles today…

Today’s parking systems primarily use ultrasonic sensors, a low-cost solution that can detect objects nearby. Although this technology is well-established, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) must meet evolving requirements for parking assistance and autonomous parking applications in a cost-sensitive market, while tier-1 manufacturers see diminishing returns on their efforts…

In the technical article, “How Low-Power 60-GHz mmWave Radar Sensors Enable High-Accuracy Sensing in More Applications Than Ever Before,” my colleague Kishore Ramaiah discussed how 60-GHz millimeter wave (mmWave) radar sensors are enabling high-accuracy sensing in industrial and consumer electronics applications. In this article, I’ll explore how low-power 77-GHz radar sensors…

The electric vehicle (EV) charging industry is experiencing rapid growth. With consumers, industries and governments demanding more environmentally sustainable transportation, the EV charging infrastructure must become more efficient and accessible.

Unlike DC chargers, AC chargers do not use stacked power modules, making them more compact and less expensive…

Think about all of the times that a TV is left on with no one watching; given rising energy costs, it would help if a TV could sense that no one is present and turn itself off. A TV that detects the distance and direction in which people are sitting and uses this information to optimize image quality, while also directing sound toward them for best audio, would enhance the viewer…

Jad Panjaitan co-authored this technical article

Advancements in processor and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology are complicating power requirements. In addition to supplying the correct voltages and currents to power rails, many power solutions need features such as power sequencing (the activation of power rails in a certain order), low-power modes and monitoring…

Optocouplers, also known as photocouplers, opto-isolators and optical isolators, have long been an option for designers seeking galvanic isolation for their system signals. Around since the 1970s, these semiconductor devices have played an important role in providing safety isolation for industrial and automotive end equipment. However, despite significant advancements, there appears…

Traditional power liftgates and trunks require users to press and hold a button on their key fob to activate the hatch. This can be a major inconvenience, especially when you’re trying to open the trunk while your hands are holding grocery bags. Hands-free systems such as kick-to-open tailgates enable you to open the trunk of your vehicle with a simple kick.

Many cars equipped…

Eileen Zhang co-authored this technical article

A device’s quiescent current, or I_Q, is an important parameter for low-power, energy-efficient end equipment such as continuous blood glucose monitors (CGMs). The current drawn by the integrated circuit at light or no loads significantly influences power losses in standby mode and the total run time of the system.

The load powered…

Other Parts Discussed in Post: TMS320F28P650DK, DRV8353F, LMG3422R050, TMS320F28065, MCT8316ACo-authored by Matthias Thoma. From surgical procedures to lifting thousands of kilos in manufacturing plants, robots simplify many aspects of our lives. An...

As satellites and space exploration evolve, the industry continues adding more onboard computing for real-time processing. As a result, point-of-load power system requirements are also evolving, requiring higher levels of power, performance and increased efficiency coupled with the challenges of smaller board space and…

Co-authored with Hyunggi Cho, CEO, Phantom AI

As we drive through our neighborhoods and towns and see children walking and riding bikes, we’re reminded of the importance of safety on our roads. A 2021 study by the NHTSA revealed that in the United States, on average, 20 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents each day – one every 71 minutes. In a 2022 study, the…

Power electronics designers are striving to increase power efficiency and power density in industrial and automotive designs ranging from multiaxis drives to solar energy storage to electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and EV onboard chargers.

One of the primary design challenges is achieving better real-time control performance while reducing system costs. A common approach…