The late Bob Pease, a venerated and well-liked engineer at National Semiconductor Corp. (now part of Texas Instruments) once wrote a series of technical musings inspired by questions that mostly younger engineers had to put to him somewhere along the line. We thought back to how Mr. Pease might have reacted when we noticed a […]
Applications
24-W LED drivers said to be world’s smallest
Seoul Semiconductor has developed the phase-cut DC LED driver series, with a power density 10X higher than conventional LED drivers. The NanoDriver Series is said to be the world’s smallest miniature converter at just 13.5mm wide, and is available in four versions rated for 16W and 24W output power for operating LED lighting with input […]
Dimming LEDs
As the use of LEDs for area lighting has grown dramatically, with both the use of LED-based replacement bulbs as well as LED-based fixtures for new construction (called luminaires in the trade), the issue of dimming these LEDs becomes more critical. LEDs require a very different technique for dimming than the conventional legacy incandescent bulb. […]
How to power and configure LEDs
LEDs – light-emitting diodes – have largely supplanted other sources of light in many applications. They are used in applications ranging from small on/off power indicators, to small and large alphanumeric displays, to screen backlighting, and even for area and street illumination. It’s well known that LEDs are far more efficient than venerable incandescent lighting, […]
Premier Farnell in distribution agreement with Dialog Semiconductor
Premier Farnell announced a new global franchise agreement with Dialog Semiconductor. The agreement further enhances Premier Farnell’s semiconductor power management and wireless product ranges. Dialog Semiconductor products offer high-performance power saving solutions, particularly for smartphones, power adapters, solid state lighting and emerging IoT applications. They bring decades of experience to the rapid development of ICs […]
New heart rate sensor claims to cut power consumption of fitness watches
It’s said that nearly 80% of the battery power in smartwatches goes to running the heart-rate monitor. But a new generation of photodiodes able to function as heart-rate sensors consumes five times less energy than the devices now found in smartwatches. The new photodiodes were developed by a Swiss startup called ActLight in conjunction with […]
Batteries boost wireless connectivity to the IIoT
Self-powered electronic devices that define the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) have special needs that can be addressed through the judicious selection of battery chemistry. SOL JACOBS | TADIRAN BATTERIES Going ‘truly wireless’ typically necessitates the use of primary (non-rechargeable) or rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. Besides untethering applications from ac lines, use of rechargeable batteries […]
New Technology with MagJack(R) Single and Quad Port Integrate Circuit Modules (ICM)
Bel Magnetic Solutions, a Bel group company (NASDAQ: BELFA and BELFB) and global leader of MagJack® Integrated Connector Modules (ICM) for Networking and Telecommunications applications, announces a new technology, Single (1×1) and Quad (1×4) Port ICMs. The MagJack® ICMs can transmit/receive 0 to 60W of power per port over all 4 pairs within the Ethernet […]
Logic-level MOSFETs optimized for wireless charging apps
Infineon Technologies AG introduces a new logic level IR MOSFET™ family. It comprises three different voltage classes, 60 V, 80 V, and 100 V. The new devices are available in a 2 mm x 2 mm PQFN package which is perfect for form-factor critical wireless charging, adapter, and telecom applications. The small package size enables […]
AC-to-5 V converter chips hit 95% efficiency
Fabless power semiconductor company Helix Semiconductors has launched the first in a series of products designed to eliminate energy waste worldwide. The new eMpower HS100 is a two-chip set that brings unparalleled conversion efficiency of more than 95 percent when converting AC mains voltage to 5VDC — especially at light load, no load or standby operating conditions. […]
