EDITORS' PICK
The Sentry Project: A DIY Motion-Sensing System

David Penrose's "Sentry" project comprises an array of passive IR sensors placed throughout a building to track motion. The microcontroller-based system comprises an RF link to a processor along with an Ethernet module to unobtrusively monitor motion and activity levels. Penrose explains: 

"The system's hardware consists of a base unit and multiple sensor/reporting units. The base unit comprises a WIZ550io Ethernet interface, an inexpensive microprocessor, an RF receiver, a battery backed-up real-time clock, and a serial EEPROM. All of these pieces are integrated into a small form factor case and powered by a plug-in transformer. The remote units can be one of many different sensor/reporting devices depending on the needs of the resident. The basic sensor is the IR motion sensor, which is available from a number of different sources." Read More  
INDUSTRY NEWS
NXP Semiconductors has announced the availability of a new reference design for 5-V low-power Qi wireless charging transmitters, compliant with the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) 1.1 Qi specification. The design is based on NXPs single-chip 5-V wireless power transmitter IC-the NXQ1TXA5 ... Continue reading →...»
Microchip Technology has announced a new SST11CP22 5-GHz power amplifier module (PAM) for the IEEE 802.11ac ultra high data rate Wi-Fi standard. This PAM delivers 19-dBm linear output power at 1.8% dynamic Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) with MCS9 80-MHz bandwidth modulation. The ... Continue reading →...»

Infineon Technologies recently launched the OptiMOS 5 25- and 30-V product family, the next generation of Power MOSFETs in standard discrete packages, a new class of power stages named Power Block, and in an integrated power stage, DrMOS 5×5. Together with ... Continue reading →...»
Intersil Corp. recently announced the availability of the ISL8002B synchronous buck (step-down) switching regulator, which delivers up to 2 A of continuous output current from a 2.7- to 5.5-V input supply. Its 2-MHz switching frequency provides superior transient response, and ... Continue reading →...»
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING CHALLENGE
Sponsored by NetBurner, Administered by Circuit Cellar

 

Spot the CODE ERROR to win! Put your technical skills to test. The March Electrical Engineering Challenge (sponsored by NetBurner) is now live.

THE CHALLENGE
Find the error in the code provided on the EE Challenge webpage. Submit your answer via the online submission form by the deadline of March 20, 2015 (2 PM EST).

PRIZES
Circuit Cellar will randomly select 2 prize winners from the pool of respondents who submit the correct answer. One person will receive a NetBurner MOD54415 LC Development Kit ($129 value). A second person will receive a Circuit Cellar Digital Subscription (1 year).


CURRENT ISSUE

Circuit Cellar #296
March 2015

Q&A with Haptics Researcher | Plug-In Sweep Generator | How to Mimic IR Signals | The Sentry Monitoring System | Sensorless Maximum Power Point Tracking | Cooling Awareness for HPC | Achieve Electromagnetic Compliance | Handle Startup Transients | More Solid-State Lighting Tips | E-Compassing for Mobile Robots | The Future of Flex Circuits | And More 

   
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