Embedded Design

Digital audio recording “you” with quality and ease

Instamic wants to do for microphones what the GoPro did for cameras.  Many analog years ago, digital recorded audio won the popularity contest. Nowadays, whether it’s from your mobile phone, infotainment system or personal audio device, every sound you hear is from digitally encoded bits. Digital audio has eliminated all of the analog audio’s distortions and noise-related problems. Quite simply,…

Are you designing for the latest automotive embedded system?

Eventually, self-driving cars will arrive. But not now, here’s what will happen…  The Next Arrow of Development is Set for Automotive We all have seen it. We all have read about it in your front-center technology news outlets. The next forefront for technology will take place in the vehicle. The growing market fitted with the feature deviation trend does not appeal to the vision of customizing…

1:1 interview with Jean Anne Booth of UnaliWear

“What really makes the Kanega Watch different is that it goes where you go, both inside your home and away. It is discreetly styled, so there’s no stigma from wearing an assistive device, and it speaks to you in words.”  In this interview, we feature Jean Anne Booth, a serial entrepreneur with a successful track record in hardware innovation, having previously launched and sold two large and…

Let’s transition your products from a ‘dumb’ to ‘smart’ thing.

Many enterprises, startups and organizations have already been exposed to the innovation land grab stemming from the rapidly evolving Internet of Things (IoT). What’s available in the product/market fit arena? This is the hunt to cease some segment of the multi-trillion dollar growth reported to gain from the IoT, enabling embedded…

Arduino in Research and Biotech

  Arduino’s acceptance into the biotech research community is evident from its increasing mentions in high profile journals in science and engineering including Nature Methods, Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences, Lab on a Chip, Cell, Analytical Chemistry, and the Public Library of Science (PLoS).   Mentions of Arduino in these journals alone have gone from zero to more than a…

The open source pedalSHIELD – designed by J Rodriguez – made its debut in late 2013. The device, which plugs directly into an Atmel-powered Arduino Due (SAM3X8E ARM Cortex-M3), allows users to learn about digital signal processing, effects and synthesizers without extensive knowledge of electronics or programming.

So, how does…

The Internet of Things (IoT) is forecast to reach 26 billion installed units by 2020, up from 0.9 billion just five years ago. According to Michael Burkett, managing vice president at Gartner, the IoT will impact the information available to supply chain leaders and how the supply chain operates, depending on industry.

“It’s important to put IoT maturity into perspective, because of the fast pace…

Building a modular infrared thermometer

Brian McEvoy has created a slick Arduino-based modular infrared thermometer.

According to McEvoy, ESPeri.IRBud allows users to “associate an audible tone with a temperature from an infrared, contactless thermometer.”

Key project components include:

Arduino Pro Mini (ATmega168)

USB FTDI interface adapter

Melexis thermometer

4.7K pull-up resistors

Cord from a stereo headphone with microphone

3.5mm…

After a successful Tech on Tour (ToT) stop in California’s sunny Napa Valley (ECEDHA), the Atmel Mobile Training Center is heading to EE Live! in San Jose.

We’ll be at the McEnery Convention Center on 150 W San Carlos on Tuesday, April 1 – Thursday, April 3, showcasing a wide variety of tech across a number of spaces 
including touch, security, microcontrollers (MCUs), wireless, lighting and aut…

Video: This vuvuzela is also a (soccer) remote

beIN has introduced a fully-functioning (and loud) vuvuzela that can also be used as a remote control.

When the aptly-named GameChanger is blown, a mini microphone recognizes the vuvuzela sound signature, instructing the platform’s 8-bit, Atmel-based microcontroller (MCU) to respond. The MCU then sends IR LED signals to a cable box…

Agricultural monitoring with Atmel AVR

Calibit is a digital caliper equipped with an AVR-powered data logger that allows the device to efficiently monitor hectares of orchards.

The datalogger – based on an 8-bit Atmel microcontroller (MCU) – features 128Kb EEPROM memory, LCD display, USB/UART slots, watch/calendar, as well as a rechargeable lithium battery with integrated safety system and temperature control.

“[This] new technology…

How IoT is transforming the data center

The rapidly evolving Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to have a significant impact on the data center market, its customers, technology providers, technologies, as well as sales and marketing models. 

Indeed, Gartner analysts estimate the IoT will include 26 billion units installed by 2020, with IoT product and service suppliers generating incremental revenue exceeding $300 billion, mostly…

ARM 5 and 9 MPUs, Atmel’s big iron microprocessors

Atmel is rightly famous for its AVR line of 8-bit Flash microcontrollers. But we also have “big iron” chips like the SAMA5 and SAM9 ARM-core microprocessors. A microcontroller has its own internal Flash memory. A microprocessor uses external memory, as much or as little as your application might need.

Hardware engineers have two big worries with any “big iron” microprocessor. First, they are in…

Passing CE immunity testing

When I was working on semiconductor machinery, we used TUV to get CE certification so we could sell the machines in Europe. We got through emissions alright, it’s similar to the FCC testing we already did, but immunity testing was brutal. When we broadcast RF at a machine, the wafer elevators went nuts and started breaking wafers. We had managed to convince the TUV guy that the speckles and snow…

How far can you take the ATtiny 10?

Atmel’s stalwart tinyAVR lineup has been a Maker favorite for years, with the microcontrollers (MCUs) powering a wide-range of devices and platforms.

Recently, Tim (aka cpldcpu) decided to find out just how far he could take the versatile ATtiny10 with his µ-Wire project.

“I previously used the ATtiny10 in the TinyTouchbutton, a touchbutton controlled light with WS2812 LEDs. This time I aimed…

AVR Design Contest

Back in September 2013, Atmel kicked off the first stage of its AVR Hero Maker Faire Contest, which challenged Makers, designers and engineers to develop new AVR-powered devices and platforms with commercial potential. 

Winners for the first stage of the contest included Sumit Grover and Rahul Kar (two runner up prizes) from India and Juan Luis Gonzalez from Mexico.

The grand prize winner?…

EasyPlug is an Arduino sensor shield

EasyPlug – designed by InXus Interactive – is a versatile sensor shield for Arduino boards. According to a company rep, the EasyPlug allows Makers to connect a plethora of sensors to their board in just seconds.

Key shield specs include:



6 analog sensor inputs

Compatible with VERVE sensors

Supports standard “analogRead(pin#)” command

Uses any 3.5mm stereo cable

Equipped with mounting holes

Inc…