RTC Magazine

The Incredible Shrinking Blade Server: New Possibilities beyond the Data Center

While blade servers have grown in popularity as a high-density, cost-efficient and space-saving alternative to rackmount servers in data centers and server farms, newer computingRead More...

Interoperability Scores a Victory with Plug and Play COM Spec

Computer-on-module (COM) manufacturers are delighted that their pluggable module alternatives to conventional single board computers (SBCs) are getting attention beyond the high-volumeRead More...

Newest Embedded Technology Used by Industry Leaders

Industrial USB to Four RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485 Serial Communication Ports A new serial communication adapter offers users the choice of four field selectable RS-232, RS-422, orRead More...

USB I/O for the Embedded OEM

With the advent of the serial interconnect such as PCI Express and USB, the most obvious reaction and approach for designing new I/O has been to continue with just offering a connectorRead More...

RTOS - The Heart of Good Power Management

Low power consumption is an essential requirement in many embedded applications. The growing importance of battery-powered applications for portable electronics, home automation andRead More...

Digitally Controlled Power Supplies Meet Medical Specs

Designed specifically with medical applications in mind, a digitally controlled 300 watt DC power supply meets the rigorous international safety standards of IEC 60601-1 for medicalRead More...

Industry Insider

Over $25 Billion: Total Size of the Embedded Software Engineering Market A series of Embedded Systems Market Statistics reports from Venture Development Corporation ResearchRead More...

CompactPCI Plus from PICMG Advances Future of CompactPCI

Even the most profound technological developments will evolve over time, as market needs and computing demands change. So it’s no surprise that CompactPCI, originally developed in theRead More...

100-150W External Power Supplies Meet New Energy Efficiency Standards

A new range of AC-DC external power supplies with models rated from 100 to 150 watts meets the latest Energy Star, EISA and CEC standards. The DT100-C and DT150-C series fromRead More...

Expansion Modules Add SUMIT Connection and Flexibility to PC/104-Form Factor Designs

Two new expansion modules feature the Stackable Unified Module Interconnect Technology (SUMIT) interface scheme developed by the Small Form Factor Special Interest Group (SFF-SIG).Read More...

“Tree Power”—Bio-Energy for Forest Service’s Climate Sensor Network

Voltree Power has announced its first contract with the USDA Forest Service, following a rigorous and successful test in June of its Climate Sensor Network. The Climate Sensor NetworkRead More...

Products & Technology

Radio-via-Ethernet Board for Streaming Audio without a PC A ready-to-go answer for integrating an Internet radio solution that will play streaming audio without the need for aRead More...

Low-Power in Small Systems Made Simple

Developing a power management plan is a critical step in embedded systems design. Consumers and manufacturers alike value long battery life, and engineers must focus on the same endRead More...

Energy Management in Multicore Designs with Embedded Virtualization

Energy conservation is increasingly an important requirement in the design of computer systems. In the desktop and server space the main driver is the cost of electricity and airRead More...

Solid-State Power Controller Sports 8KW over 16 channels

Solid-State Power Controller Sports 8 KW over 16 channels A third-generation solid-state power controller provides reliable solid-state protection and control for sixteenRead More...

Sleep Can be Deadly

Back in the old days, when people used the word “control” after embedded, there weren’t a lot of options for powering an embedded system. Power was distributed to all systemRead More...

3-Phase Models Join Line of High-Power Intelligent Power Supplies

Two new 3-phase models of digitally configurable AC-DC power supplies are rated for up to 4920W of high-density output power (12W per cubic inch). The iVS power supplies fromRead More...

Spare the Juice—SWaP is a Hot Topic

Over the past couple of years there has been a marked growth in the concern for minimizing power consumption in all kinds of devices as well ast in life in general. This has notRead More...

Battery-Free Energy Modules Back-Up Critical Data During Power Loss

A new battery-free intelligent power subsystem prevents the loss of critical data due to a power interruption. The PowerGEM (Green Energy Module) power subsystem from Agiga Tech usesRead More...

3U Power Supply with 60ms Hold-Up Capacitance

A new 3U PICMG 2.11 power supply solution takes in MIL-STD-704 28V-DC input voltage and provides up to 300W on 3.3V, 5V and 12V at 90% efficiency. The XPm2010 from Extreme EngineeringRead More...

Energy Harvesting for Self-powered Distributed Sensors and Sensor Networks

A new thermoelectric power generator converts waste heat into electrical energy for a variety of self-powered applications in the wireless sensor, automotive, aerospace, industrial andRead More...

Power Supply Card for Embedded Systems in Aircraft and Ground Vehicles

A rugged DC/DC converter card is designed for extended temperature operation (-40° to +85°C), high shock and vibration levels, and demanding voltage transient conditions experienced byRead More...

Compact 300 Watt 3 x 5" Switcher Comes in Five Models

A new Series of 300 watt High-Density / High-Efficiency switching power supplies in a compact 3.00 x 5.00 x 1.34” open-frame package comes in five models. The VHD300 Series fromRead More...

RF Energy Harvesting Kit for Wireless Battery Charging

An RF energy harvesting kit from Powercast makes it easy to prototype and develop rechargeable battery-based micro-power systems such as wireless sensor networks that are reliably andRead More...

Power Debugging the Software: Optimizing the Power Consumption of an Embedded System

Power debugging is a methodology that provides software developers with information about how the software implementation in an embedded system affects system-level power consumption.Read More...

Compact 60 Watt Convection-Cooled Power Supplies Feature Medical and IT Safety Approvals

Two new convection-cooled open-frame AC/DC power supplies are each capable of delivering 60W. Offered by Emerson Network Power, the new NPS62-M has a 5 VDC output and can deliver up toRead More...

Zero Power Wireless Sensors Using Energy Harvesting

Sensor networks are gaining widespread use in factories, industrial complexes, commercial and residential buildings, agricultural settings and urban areas, serving to improve energyRead More...

Energy Harvesting Power Conversion ICs Point to Easier, More Efficient Designs

With the necessary expertise in short supply around the globe, it has been difficult to design effective energy harvesting systems. The primary hurdle has been the power managementRead More...

Energy Harvesting Applications are Everywhere

The concept of energy harvesting has been around for over a decade; however, the implementation of ambient energy-powered systems in the real-world environment has been cumbersome,Read More...

Compact 60 Watt Convection-Cooled Power Supplies Feature Medical and IT Safety Approvals

Two new convection-cooled open-frame AC/DC power supplies are each capable of delivering 60W. Offered by Emerson Network Power, the new NPS62-M has a 5 VDC output and can deliver up toRead More...

Conduction Cooled Rugged Armored Portable UPS Chassis

Combining the latest uninterruptible power supply developments in UPS power and Lithium iron phosphate (Li-FePO4) battery technology, the DesertGecko UPS 1000 from PCI Systems deliversRead More...

15W I2C Power Manager Charges Li-Ion Cells at 3.5A

A high-power, I2C controlled, high-efficiency PowerPath manager acts as a diode controller and lithium-ion battery charger for single-cell portable devices such as tablet PCs,Read More...

Compact Fuel Gauge Increases Li+ Battery Runtime

A fuel gauge for single-cell Li+ battery packs features a new proprietary ModelGauge m3 algorithm. The MAX17047 from Maxim Integrated Products is a coulomb-counting fuel gauge thatRead More...

150 Watt 2 x 4” Power Supplies with Level V Efficiency Compliance

A series of 150 watt switching power supplies (120W convection cooled) is built in a high-density 4.00 x 2.00 x 1.28” open-frame package featuring high efficiency operation, lowRead More...

Re-focusing the SoC for Energy Optimization

Power consumption has become a major concern to users of system-on-chip (SoC) devices. Although they offer excellent cost-performance features thanks to the use ofRead More...

Software Considerations to Manage and Optimize System Power

A pervasive trend in the embedded space today is the constant and unrelenting demand for end-device functionality. The advent of 32-bit micro-controllers (MCUs) such as those basedRead More...

MEMS Energy Harvester Suitable for Shock-Induced Energy Harvesting

A micromachined harvester for vibration energy boasts an output power of 489µW. Measurements and simulation show that the harvester developed by Imec is also suited for shock-inducedRead More...

Tiny 1.5W Isolated Low Noise DC/DC µModule Converters Include Transformer

Two 1.5W output DC/DC µModule converters with 725VDC galvanic isolation are each packaged in a 9 mm x 11.25 mm x 4.92 mm BGA (ball grid array) package. All components, including theRead More...

Conduction-Cooled 1000W Power Supplies Feature I²C Bus Communication

A new series of baseplate/conduction-cooled power supplies is capable of providing up to 1000 watts without fans or forced-air cooling, thereby providing audible-noise-free operation.Read More...

Series of Configurable Power Supplies up to 2500 Watts

Two series of multiple output configurable AC-DC power supplies suit high power medical and IT/industrial applications. The X15 series from XP Power complies with the internationalRead More...

Tiny USB Battery Charger Detectors Target a Universal Charging Experience

A pair of very small USB battery charger detectors is compliant with the USB Battery Charging Specification. These devices detect USB standard downstream ports (SDPs), USB chargingRead More...

Wake Up, COM

Congratulations! You just received your Computer-on-Module (COM) starter kit and you can’t wait to make it hum. Thank your boss for having enough smarts (and budget) to let you buy aRead More...

Energy Measurement Analog Front End Has Two 24-bit ADCs

As the global energy-metering infrastructure is being upgraded and the power-monitoring market is growing, designers of energy measurement and other signal acquisition applications areRead More...

Saving Money with Energy Monitoring for Industrial Installations

Owners, operators and maintenance professionals responsible for commercial buildings, industrial facilities and other large businesses realize that the simplest way to cut powerRead More...

Family of 12 Volt Integrated Power IC Solutions Delivers High Power Density

While many small embedded modules may integrate a range of devices with differing power input requirements, it is desirable to have one power input to the module itself. This, then,Read More...

Growth of Solar Power Rides on Embedded Intelligence

The growth of the solar photovoltaic renewable energy industry in the United States is looking to have positive news for the spread of embedded systems. This may seemRead More...

AC/DC Power in 3 x 5 x 1.6” with up to 360 Watts

A product family of high-density AC/DC power supplies offers up to 360W continuous operation. Its open frame version is in the industry standard 3 x 5 x 1.6” footprint with a fullyRead More...

Power Debugging—Minimizing Power Consumption by Tuning the Code

For a vast number of embedded, handheld and mobile devices—most of which are battery operated—minimizing power consumption is a goal of ever-increasing importance. Low-power CPUs nowRead More...

Use Power Debug to Optimize Software for Minimal Power Consumption

Long battery lifetime is an essential characteristic for embedded systems in market segments ranging from medical to consumer electronics. Traditionally, minimizing powerRead More...

Digital PWM Controllers Offer Ultra-Low Standby Power in 12W - 24W Power Supplies

Two new digital pulse width modulation (PWM) controllers offer extremely low standby power consumption to just 10 mW at up to 12W output power and 20 mW at up to 24W output power. TheRead More...

Design Basics for Energy Harvesting Systems

The widespread deployment of wireless sensors in our homes, offices, factories and infrastructure has opened the door for system designers to create novel approaches to poweringRead More...

Universal AC Input VITA 62 3U Power Supply Can be Air or Conduction Cooled

A universal AC input VITA 62-compliant 6-channel 3U OpenVPX power supplies up to 400 watts output for air or conduction-cooled systems. The VITA 62 power supply standard definesRead More...

150W Industrial ATX Power Supply for PC/104, EPIC and EBX SBCs

A 150W industrial power supply for ATX-compatible embedded single board computers (SBCs) supports ATX signals Power On/Off, Power Good and Power Fail, allowing ATX-compatible SBCs toRead More...

Compact Chassis Mount AC-DC Power Supplies Ease Installation in Challenging Environments

Five new series of encapsulated AC-DC power supplies range from 5W to 25W. The VSK-T family from CUI is housed in a potted and encapsulated chassis mount package, providing aRead More...

Power Supply Meets Increasing Need for Down-Hole Power in Oil and Gas Exploration

Ultra-reliable power supplies enable companies to power AC equipment up to five miles “down-hole” in even the most adverse field conditions. The Model BL1500 power supply fromRead More...

EN50155-Compliant DC-DC Converters for Railway Applications

A new family of board mount DC-DC converters has been developed for railway applications.  The VQB100R and VHB150R series modules from CUI are designed to comply with the EN50155Read More...

Improving Performance through Power Management and Workload Consolidation in Telecommunications

There were no surprises in a recent report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) announcing that energy consumption is steadily rising and will continue to do so in theRead More...

How Energy Harvesting Wireless Paves the Way to the Internet of Things