The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog, which was launched in November 2012.
Here’s an excerpt:
4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 14,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 3 Film Festivals
The Arduino platform has become a common component in robotics and an array of do-it-yourself (DIY) tech gadgets. Now, Arduino boards, based on Atmel AVR megaAVR 8-bit and ARM processor-based microcontrollers, are poised to power personal satellites that could get launched into space as early as this fall.
One of the driving forces behind these cracker-sized satellites, dubbed “Sprites,” is Zac Manchester, who recently talked to the San Francisco Chronicle about his Kickstarter-funded project. Working from NASA’s Ames Research Center, Manchester and his team are aiming to get 250 of the personal satellites into space via a container placed inside the SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which resupplies the International Space Station.
More on the Sprite project here. What would you do with your own personal satellite?
By Stuart Cording
Sorry to disappoint, but no, this isn’t Elmo’s cousin from the Italian version of Sesame Street. If you’re an engineer, it’s something much, much better. A new shield design offering proximity and five touch buttons for the increasingly popular range of Arduino boards. If, after that explanation, you’re none the wiser, read on!
Arduino boards are a range of popular, open-source hardware and software development boards based on Atmel’s range of AVR and, most recently, ARM processor-based SAM3X microcontrollers. The focus of Arduino’s efforts is to make the lives of artists and hobbyists easier by simplifying both the programming of microcontrollers and development of the hardware surrounding them. For professional engineers, Arduino provides an ideal platform for rapid prototyping, test systems and concept design.
The TickleShield, based on Arduino, aims to simplify the use of capacitive touch.
The functionality of the Arduino boards can be expanded by daughter cards that stack on top, known as “shields”. In order to further simplify the use of capacitive touch, and bring it to Arduino users, I recently started the “TickleShield” project (see picture). As is the way in the wild-wild-west of open source, the project hops along in fits and starts, gaining more and more traction as the concept is shared and feedback on the idea is received.
Of course, there is no better way to rapidly share and gather feedback than via Atmel’s new Spaces cloud-based collaboration workspace where the project, incidentally, is hosted. Why not drop by and participate? Perhaps you have some great ideas on how this shield, or potentially other future touch shields, should function?
With a microcontroller, a multi-channel ADC and a LCD display, you can create a low-power, multi-channel, standalone digital voltmeter. This design uses an Atmel ATmega8-16AC and a 12-bt ADC. Get the schematic and design details here.
If you’re like most people in this connected world, you probably spend a lot of your time in front of a computer–whether it’s a PC, laptop or tablet. Do you ever find yourself slouching, or even feeling some pain as the hours online tick by?
With some ingenuity and an Arduino Pro Mini featuring an Atmel AVR ATmega168 microcontroller, Tobias Sonne has created smart Posture Suspenders that alert the wearer when he or she isn’t maintaining a healthy posture. For those who suffer from back pain–and there are a lot of us in this world!– the Posture Suspender could be just what we need.
Learn more about how this wearable electronic solution works. Have you created any interesting wearable electronics?
Going to the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next month? In our meeting room at the show, Atmel will showcase embedded technologies that inspire smart, connected designs. Among our many demos:
To schedule a meeting with Atmel executives and Tech Experts at CES, contact your local sales representative or send an email to events@atmel.com. We will also be in the ZigBee Pavilion with demos of our ZigBee Light Link and Wireless Composer/Sniffer solutions.
We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!
Engineering TV’s Paul Whytock talks about Atmel Studio 6 with John Fogelin, Atmel’s principal technologist for software platforms MCU. From the company’s booth at the recent Electronica show, the two talked about how increasing software complexity has created the need for integrated development environments to evolve into platforms. The Atmel Studio 6 integrated development platform, for example, includes the Atmel Gallery apps store for third-party extensions and plug-ins. These additional tools have transformed Atmel Studio into a more comprehensive environment for efficient design of AVR and ARM core-based applications. Watch interview.
Have you tried Atmel Studio 6? What do you think about the platform?
Do you plan to brave the crowds and shop for deals on Black Friday (or online, on Cyber Monday?). If electronics are on your shopping list, there’s a good chance that microcontrollers or touchscreen controllers are inside. These versatile, high-performance, low-power devices are workhorses that handle a variety of functions in a variety of products.
The folks at iFixit have taken a close look at a couple of new products featuring Atmel touchscreen controllers. Microsoft’s new Surface tablet contains three mXT154E devices and a mXT1386 device. And Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD has an Atmel maXTouch mXT768E inside.
What kinds of microcontroller-powered electronic products are you eyeing this holiday season?
It’s pretty amazing when you realize the variety of applications that can be powered by microcontrollers. Did you know, for example, that AVR microcontrollers are inside race cars? One group of engineering students used an AVR AT90CAN128 microcontroller to power the steering wheel of a race car. They wrote, “This microcontroller is an excellent choice for use in automotive systems because it offers a wide variety of functions, among these a CAN controller, and it is affordable and it is easy to use.” Read article.
Here’s video of a Formula One gaugeboard, made with an AVR XMEGA ATmega16 microcontroller.
Just a few examples we’ve run across. Have you found microcontrollers in surprising places?
