Products: Energy
RECOM Power Inc. (Brooklyn, NY) has developed a series of constant current LED drivers in the power ranges of 12, 20, and 60 Watts. The new series feature universal AC inputs, power factor correction, and UL-8750...
Question of the Week
This week's Question of the Week addresses home foreclosures. Several major home lenders, including JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America, have suspended foreclosures in parts or all of the country because of sloppy paperwork and improper oversight of the many loans that went bad. Some say, absent...
Products: Energy
The high-brightness black top surface tri-color PLCC-6 family of SMT LEDs from Avago Technologies (San Jose, CA) has a separate heat path for each LED dice, enabling the LED to be driven at higher current. The...
News: Energy
Scientists from Rice University and Lockheed Martin have discovered a way to use simple silicon to radically increase the capacity of lithium-ion batteries. The researchers are...
Products: Lighting
Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA) introduced its AAT1409/7/5 family of multi-string LED backlight drivers with integrated boost converters and precision current sinks that can support up to 88...
Products: Energy
The KP Series of illuminated miniature pushbutton switches from NKK Switches (Scottsdale, AZ) provide design engineers options that complete front panels needing an innovative look and feel. The devices are...
Question of the Week
This week's Question of the Week addresses Google TV. Engineers are putting the finishing touches on Google TV, a software platform that aims to bring the complete Internet experience to television sets. Expected in stores later this month, the Google TV device has a remote-control keyboard/pointing device...
News: Energy
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) of Livermore, CA is home to the world's largest and highest-energy laser. On September 29th, the NIF completed its first integrated ignition...
Products: Green Design & Manufacturing
A new standard DC filter called the FMER SOL from Schurter (Santa Rosa, CA) is designed for use on the DC side of the inverter in photovoltaic systems, and ensures EMC compliance and overall reliability of the...
INSIDER: Medical
University of Arkansas at Little Rock researchers are inventing a "smart" cane that will help guide visually impaired users with a Flash LADAR (laser detection and ranging) sensor that provides a more detailed "picture" of the physical environment.
Products: Lighting
ROHM Semiconductor (San Diego, CA) introduces the Model BD8381EFV-M high-brightness LED driver for automotive forward illumination applications. With this flexible IC, designers can specify the same driver...
Question of the Week
This week's Question of the Week concerns a recent Gallup poll that revealed that a majority of Americans (57%) say they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. Sixty-three percent of respondents perceived bias. What do...
INSIDER: Medical
Researchers are developing microelectronic circuitry to guide the growth of axons in a brain damaged by an exploding bomb, car crash, or stroke. The goal is to rewire the brain connectivity and bypass the region damaged by trauma, in order to restore normal behavior and movement.
Articles: Motion Control
In dozens of industries and in millions of applications around the world, dangerous chemicals are transferred from their original shipping containers...
Application Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
A unique cavitating pump dynamics test facility has been developed at Concepts NREC (CN, White River Junction, VT) in cooperation with engineers at NASA Marshall Space...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
National Instruments (Austin, TX) has announced the AKD servo drives and AKM servo motors for deploying custom motion applications to any NI real-time controller supporting NI EtherCAT technology. The motors are...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
MICOS USA (Irvine, CA) offers a multiphase piezo nanopositioner that reduces stick-slip signature for nanopositioning applications. The motor uses at least two piezos and friction elements that move in unison, but slip at...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The Model 475 series diaphragm valves from Tridak, a Dymax Co. (Torrington, CT), are used with low- to medium-viscosity fluids. The internal design prevents fluid contact with the actuating components, making them suitable for...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
US Digital (Vancouver, WA) offers the QSB (Quadrature to USB) encoder interface adapter that interfaces standard quadrature encoder signals into a PC USB port for encoder verification. Single-ended or differential...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Novotechnik (Southborough, MA) has introduced the TX2 series of position sensors with stroke lengths up to 300 mm. The sensors are sealed to IP67 specifications, and feature an 18-mm-diameter housing size. The sensors provide...
Products: Sensors/Data Acquisition
PIHER North America (Libertyville, IL) offers the PS15 rotary position sensor in a 15-mm package. It is surface-mountable for detecting changes in angle and position, and converting them to a voltage output. It can be...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The HR 1120 electronic handwheel from Heidenhain Corp. (Schaumburg, IL) is used in machine automation systems where changing formats or positioning objects with numerous axes is necessary. It is suitable for both portable...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions (Hollis, NH) offers the Kerk® Micro Series lead screw assemblies. Standard configurations include 2-mm-diameter screws with leads ranging from 0.3 mm to 2 mm revolution, and a variety of nut...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The Thomas 1210 Series diaphragm liquid DC pump from Thomas Division (Sheboygan, WI) features the REFLEX valve design that provides a bubble-free liquid flow for fuel cell and diagnostic applications. Available in 12V and 24V DC...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
International Rectifier (El Segundo, CA) offers the AUIRS4426S dual-channel, low-side driver IC for hybrid power train drives, direct fuel injection, and DC-DC converter applications. Available in an 8-lead package, the IC is a...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Lee Linear (Piscataway, NJ) has introduced end-machined precision rolled ball screws available in a range of sizes and leads. Made from induction case-hardened alloy sheet, the screws are integrally sealed and are available...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The PTAM27L series MEMS-based inclinometer from ASM Sensors (Elmhurst, NY) is designed for single- and dual-axis tilt angle measurements. For single-axis versions, measurement ranges span from ±15° to ±180°, in increments...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Aerotech (Pittsburgh, PA) offers the ANT 130-5-V linear motor-driven wedge-style vertical lift stage that provides in-position stability for nanopositioning applications. It offers travel up to 5 mm and is a precision stage...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The Super Torque 5818 series stepper motors from Lin Engineering (Morgan Hill, CA) measure 2.4" and feature up to 305 oz-in of holding torque. Bipolar and unipolar windings are available with the option of a custom winding for...