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Articles by Mark Patrick
Protecting the Cloud Demands Security at the Edge
The number of electronic devices that require network access is growing at a prodigious rate. Every device added to a network represents a potential security vulnerability, making it challenging to keep the cloud secure. Furthermore, emerging technological trends can also make it difficult to ensure the cloud remains secure. As an increasing number of new devices connect at the network edge, a growing percentage of them also need to operate as close to real time as possible.
The growing decentralisation of power grids
Electrical Power & Protection printer friendly version The growing decentralisation of power grids Over the last three decades, the rise of smaller renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and wind turbines, coupled with smart grid technology, has fundamentally altered how homes and businesses interact with the power grid, with both now consuming and generating electricity.
Establishing an Ethical Framework for Autonomous Vehicles
Driving can be a monotonous experience. Sometimes, we get into the car and drive, with just a rough estimate of when we should arrive. However routine the driving might be, we still need to be alert and attentive throughout the journey, watching out for potential accidents, particularly during adverse weather conditions and in busy urban areas.
How software-defined manufacturing can revolutionise production
The shift towards software-defined manufacturing (SDM) has begun to revolutionise how production lines are conceived, designed, and managed in today's fast-paced manufacturing landscape. By Mark Patrick, Director of Technical Content, EMEA, Mouser Electronics SDM replaces traditional hardware-based systems with software-driven processes that enable manufacturers to create highly adaptable and flexible production environments.
The role of Edge computing in medical IoT devices
With rising costs and resource shortages, particularly in personnel, more healthcare services are turning to scalable and efficiency-enhancing technologies. This impetus has given rise to the Medical Internet of Things (MIoT or IoMT) – an ecosystem of interconnected devices that promise enhanced patient care, real-time diagnostics, and streamlined operations, within and beyond a clinical setting.
Last-mile delivery vehicles targeted for electrification
Medium and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) represent only 4% of the total vehicles in circulation worldwide but are responsible for 40% of all emissions. This article originally appeared in the October'24 magazine issue of Electronic Specifier Design – see ES's Magazine Archives for more featured publications By Mark Patrick, Director of Technical Content, EMEA, Mouser Electronics The transportation sector is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The development tools you need
In the fast-paced world of electronics and innovation, having access to the right tools is essential for designers and engineers looking to bring their concepts to life quickly and efficiently. Development kits are a key resource in this process, offering pre-built solutions that allow for faster prototyping and testing of new ideas.
Robotics in unstructured environments
Many different technologies are initially perceived as threatening, unnatural, disruptive, and sometimes even dangerous. By Mark Patrick, Mouser Electronics This article originally appeared in the July'24 magazine issue of Electronic Specifier Design – see ES's Magazine Archives for more featured publications. Eventually, they become commonplace and even mundane as part of everyday life; historical examples include the motor car, aeroplanes, and mobile phones. Robots are another example.
8-Bit MCUs: Is the need for distributed intelligence increasing demand?
Figure 1: Smart devices now pushing beyond their typical realms and into our farms and cities (Source: Prathankarnpap/stock.adobe.com) When examining the multitude of thriving applications that exist for 8-bit microcontroller units (MCUs), certain recurring themes become apparent: low-power consumption, affordability, and simplicity. Whether we are talking about automotive, industrial, medical, or consumer electronic devices, these themes tend to be front and centre.
Harnessing Satellite Data for Sustainable Agriculture
As the global population continues to grow, the issue of food security becomes more pressing. Increasing agricultural production is a crucial challenge, especially considering its vulnerability to factors like extreme weather events, deforestation, resource scarcity, and urbanization, which further diminish the available workforce. This is where sustainable agriculture comes in.
Exploring the future of drones in logistics
The market for delivery drones is ready to take off. The potential benefits of using autonomous drones for delivery include alleviating road traffic, reducing carbon emissions (by using battery-powered delivery drones instead of gas-powered vehicles), faster delivery, and reduced delivery costs.
The importance of structural health monitoring and its supporting technology
It may have been around for over 30 years, but structural health monitoring (SHM) has been given a boost by recent advancements in Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. There is no doubt that the civil engineering industry has been quick to leverage the power of new technologies, and in this article, we look at how the size and scope of the SHM market have expanded with the evolution of the IoT.
8-Bit MCUs: The power behind the Internet of Medical Things
Constantly embracing new technologies and solutions, the medical industry remains at the forefront of innovation, striving to enhance the quality and accessibility of healthcare worldwide. One of the most important developments in this market in recent years is the rise of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). This network of connected devices allows for remote monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment, expanding patient care beyond medical facilities and into our daily routines.
8-Bit MCUs: Accelerating industrial intelligence
As we continue our investigation into 8-bit microprocessors, this month’s column focuses on their integral role in driving innovation in industrial applications. Across the industrial sector, widespread electrification and digitisation are transforming a wide array of operations and processes. Traditional factories and production plants are a significant part of this segment, where automation and robotics play a crucial role in enhancing efficiency and productivity.
8-bit MCUs: Here to stay?
Many industry experts and even some electronics manufacturers make bold predictions that 8-bit microcontroller units (MCUs) will disappear; but, is this likely? On to 32-but MCUs? Since the 1970s, 8-bit MCUs have been widely used in consumer and industrial applications, and most analysts forecast that we will see their continuous growth well into the next decade.
Extending flight endurance
With the introduction of electric cars, we’ve come across something called “range anxiety” – will the car have enough power to reach its destination. This is even more alarming up in the air. Although this could be a no-go for personal flying vehicles, it is achievable for urban air taxi services, which will fly set routes, for which range is calculated, with added margin for safety.
Design Optimization Minimizes Battery Environmental Impact
For many of the essential green technologies, such as electric vehicles (EVs) and solar and wind power infrastructure, we rely on one vital component: batteries. But this comes at a cost to the earth, as raw materials must be mined. Alternative storage methods, such as more effective solid-state batteries and gravity batteries, are being developed. But for the time being, many applications—especially EVs—rely on lithium batteries.
Next-Generation Spatial Awareness: Driving the Future of Vehicle Safety
The rate of change in the automotive industry is incredibly high, driven by a relentless pursuit of innovation and advancement. At the forefront of this evolution is the shift towards sustainable fuels, a reflection of the industry's commitment to environmental sustainability. This transition is reshaping the very essence of automotive propulsion, marking a significant departure from traditional fuel sources.
Predicting the Direction of Next-Generation Vehicle Architectures
The automotive industry has not stopped evolving since the first Model T Fords rolled off production lines in 1908. The role of the automobile has changed a lot since then: from a device for simply moving people and goods from A to B, to an immersive experience focused on lifestyle and delivered through mass customization. The drivers for change are equally diverse, ranging from safety and environmental regulation to the need for brand differentiation.
SiFive RISC-V CPU to Power NASA’s Next Spaceflight Computer
Recently, NASA announced that the SiFive RISC-V CPU will be central to their next generation of spaceflight computers used to control spacecraft systems. What challenges does spaceflight present to electronics, what will the RISC-V platform provide, and what does this mean for RISC-V in general? What challenge does spaceflight present to electronics? When developing electronics for spaceflight, engineers are faced with an environment that is rather unique and difficult to design for.
Qualcomm to manufacture VR chipsets for Meta
Recently, Qualcomm announced that it has signed an agreement with Meta to be the manufacturer for the next-generation of mobile chips for Meta’s upcoming VR hardware. What engineering challenges does the Metaverse face, what will the agreement do, and is the Metaverse something that people really want? What engineering challenges does the Metaverse face?
Is the US CHIPS Act Flawed? It May Not Protect Supply Chains After All
While many US-based semiconductor foundries celebrate the passing of the US CHIPS act, some doubt whether its introduction will do any good and if it can even protect supply chains. What was the purpose of the CHIPS act, why it may fail to protect supply chains, and what needs to be done? What was the purpose of the CHIPS act? By far, the most important news story in the electronics industry this year has been the CHIPS act in the United States.
Energy Harvesting Makes IoT Adoption Easier » Electronicsmedia
The article looks at existing and newer energy harvesting techniques that can recharge a battery for devices used in IoT devices in remote locations. The number of potential applications for the IoT grows daily thanks to development in technology like low-power microcontrollers and edge-based machine learning. In addition, low power wide area networks (LPWANs) allow sensors to transmit readings from remote locations on a regular basis without the requirement for a fixed power supply.
China's Investment Corruption in Semiconductor Industry Funding
What do you get when you mix government money and communism? Answer, corruption and incompetence. Recently investments from the Chinese government into home-grown semiconductors have already seen multiple corruption charges filed against fund managers due to poor performance and potential illicit actions. What exactly has happened in China, why does this show that communist governments fail, and could this also be problematic for the US and its CHIPs act?
Researchers develop graphene foam sensors for improving touch capabilities in robotics
Recently, researchers have developed pressure sensors using graphene foam that can provide prosthetics and robotic systems with accurate haptic capabilities. What challenges do current robotics face, what did the researchers develop, and how could it improve future robotic systems? What challenges do current robotics face? Even though great strides in robotics have been made in the past few decades, numerous challenges still prevent robotics from being used in everyday life.
UK Gov to fund space-based solar power stations, but are they feasible?
Recently, the UK government has provided £3 million in funding for the development of space-based solar power stations, but while this may sound like an interesting path to renewable energy, it is not without many challenges. What is a space-based power station, what has the government announced, and are space-based systems really worth it? What is a space-based solar power station? A space-based solar power station, as the name suggests, is a solar power plant located in space.
10 Most Popular Stay-at-Home Jobs
Stay-at-home jobs have become increasingly popular post-pandemic. Even though one could have performed the positions listed here at home before the pandemic, many have become more popular in recent years. Organizations have quickly pivoted to full-time remote work where you can stay at home to get the job done. Below is a list of jobs you can consider if you have the interest, skills, and qualifications to apply. Accountant On the surface, accounting may seem like a straightforward job.
Renesas foundry hit by power outage caused by lightning
It would seem that of all semiconductor companies, mother nature has an axe to grind against Renesas with first fire and now a lightning strike. What exactly happened at the Renesas facility, what else has Renesas struggled with, and how does this show the need for foundries to have better backup facilities? Renesas production temporarily halted by lightning Recently, Renesas announced that one of its facilities in Kawashiri experienced a major power loss caused by a lightning storm.
10 Most Popular Stay-at-Home Jobs
Stay-at-home jobs have become increasingly popular post-pandemic. Even though one could have performed the positions listed here at home before the pandemic, many have become more popular in recent years. Organizations have quickly pivoted to full-time remote work where you can stay at home to get the job done. Below is a list of jobs you can consider if you have the interest, skills, and qualifications to apply. Accountant On the surface, accounting may seem like a straightforward job.
10 Most Popular Stay-at-Home Jobs
Stay-at-home jobs have become increasingly popular post-pandemic. Even though one could have performed the positions listed here at home before the pandemic, many have become more popular in recent years. Organizations have quickly pivoted to full-time remote work where you can stay at home to get the job done. Below is a list of jobs you can consider if you have the interest, skills, and qualifications to apply. Accountant On the surface, accounting may seem like a straightforward job.
10 Most Popular Stay-at-Home Jobs
Stay-at-home jobs have become increasingly popular post-pandemic. Even though one could have performed the positions listed here at home before the pandemic, many have become more popular in recent years. Organizations have quickly pivoted to full-time remote work where you can stay at home to get the job done. Below is a list of jobs you can consider if you have the interest, skills, and qualifications to apply. Accountant On the surface, accounting may seem like a straightforward job.
Getting Started with TinyML - Exploring Evaluation Kits
While there are many potential applications for low power microcontrollers running TinyML, they are particularly suited for use in edge-based industry internet of things (IIoT) devices. A wireless battery-powered motor condition monitor or a long range crop supervision are good examples of where they can be deployed. There are many TinyML development kits available that can help you to get your first microcontroller-based machine learning application up and running.
Putting TinyML to Work Using Libraries, Platforms, and Workflows
Getting up to speed with new AI tools like TinyML can seem challenging. The process of choosing an appropriate neural network model, then training and and adjusting it for use in an application is not trivial but assistance is available in the form of the increasing number of TinyML resources which are continuously being created.
Investigating the power consumption of your embedded design
Author : Mark Patrick | EMEA Technical Marketing Manager | Mouser Electronics 01 April 2022 There is an increasing emphasis on understanding the power consumption profile of an embedded design. For example, IoT/IIoT sensors in the field may need to operate on batteries for years, so knowing how long a device can be in sleep mode, yet still able to respond quickly to an interrupt, is essential. This article was originally featured in the April 2022 issue of EPDT magazine [read the digital issue].
Mouser Electronics
Machine learning is now being applied in many areas of everyday life. Unlike financial and scientific applications, which require significant computing power for machine learning to deliver results, internet of things (IoT) and edge-based applications have limited computing and connectivity resources available for this purpose. In this article, we explore how machine learning can be implemented using less complex and lower power microcontrollers, an approach commonly referred to as TinyML.
How the Apple M2 demonstrates the success of SoM and custom silicon
The release of the Apple M1 took the world by storm, and since then, it has demonstrated that custom silicon-based on ARM cores can compete with mainstream CPU technologies. What made the Apple M1 so unique, what advantages do SoM and SoCs present, and why do the Apple M2 rumours demonstrate the success of SoM designs?
Vanguard vs. Blackrock Funds: Is One Better Than the Other
If you’re an owner of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) or index fund, chances are they are from either Vanguard or Blackrock. These two companies are the powerhouses in the industry. Vanguard has $7.9 trillion in assets under management, and Blackrock has $9.5 trillion. This post will take an in-depth look at Vanguard vs. Blackrock funds to share the pros and cons of each company. Background: Vanguard vs.
Vanguard vs. Blackrock Funds: Is One Better Than the Other
If you’re an owner of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) or index fund, chances are they are from either Vanguard or Blackrock. These two companies are the powerhouses in the industry. Vanguard has $7.9 trillion in assets under management, and Blackrock has $9.5 trillion. This post will take an in-depth look at Vanguard vs. Blackrock funds to share the pros and cons of each company. Background: Vanguard vs.
Vanguard vs. Blackrock Funds: Is One Better Than the Other
If you’re an owner of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) or index fund, chances are they are from either Vanguard or Blackrock. These two companies are the powerhouses in the industry. Vanguard has $7.9 trillion in assets under management, and Blackrock has $9.5 trillion. This post will take an in-depth look at Vanguard vs. Blackrock funds to share the pros and cons of each company. Background: Vanguard vs.
Vanguard vs. Blackrock Funds: Is One Better Than the Other
If you're an owner of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) or index fund, chances are they are from either Vanguard or Blackrock. These two companies are the powerhouses in the industry. Vanguard has $7.9 trillion in assets under management, and Blackrock has $9.5 trillion. This post will take an in-depth look at Vanguard vs. Blackrock funds to share the pros and cons of each company. Background: Vanguard vs.
Trends in embedded development: A Mouser perspective
Article By : Mark Patrick A look at the trends in embedded systems design, including greater system integration , connected devices, and the 'virtual' revolution. The various trends in embedded systems design and development include greater system integration at both chip and board level, more connected devices, and a ‘virtual’ revolution. This article looks at some of those trends. Growing systems integration at both chip and board-level – what are some of the key aspects of this?
Trends in embedded development: a Mouser perspective
The various trends in embedded systems design and development include greater system integration at both chip and board level, more connected devices, and a ‘virtual’ revolution. This article looks at some of those trends. Growing systems integration at both chip and board-level – what are some of the key aspects of this? Any embedded design today is significantly different from those twenty years ago. Firstly, connectivity is paramount, which adds extra functionality and emphasizes security.
5G in your next design?
16 November 2021 Mark Patrick So far, the industry’s focus on 5G has been on basic infrastructure deployment, enabling a limited range of 5G services. The 5G market is currently dominated by smartphones and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE,) with demand for a wider range of devices suppressed by the narrow range of 5G services currently on offer.
The 'Connected Car' will drive the roll-out of 5G
08 November 2021 Mark Patrick The automotive sector is forecast to be at the leading edge of the 5G roll-out. The era of the connected car is still growing so the potential benefits of 5G connectivity are yet to achieve critical mass. Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything C-V2X infrastructure, vehicle telematics, and infotainment rely on reliable communication infrastructure but will 5G, with its initial focus on major cities and conurbation deployments attract users?
What are the benefits of 5G for industrial applications?
01 November 2021 Mark Patrick The industrial manufacturing sector has long been highlighted as a potential adopter and user of 5G technology. This is primarily based on its low latency attributes, which provide the level of network responsiveness needed for real-time automation and control applications. In this article we review 5G in the context of Industrial Automation, (IA), consider some emerging applications, and ask the question of whether the reality will match the hype?
The Promise and Reality of 5G
25 October 2021 In this, the first of a series of 4 weekly articles, Mark Patrick of Mouser Electronics examines the topic of 5G, the technologies that it will enable, how it will impact the industrial and automotive sectors, and how you can build 5G into your next design project. 5G has been with us now for nearly 3 years, with 5G-ready handsets appearing in stores and operators announcing coverage in larger cities. But what does it mean for consumers, and wider society?
Undersea power cable to connect the UK and Morocco - What challenges do undersea cables face?
A new solar and wind farm will be built in Morocco to provide to the UK, and the two will be connected via an undersea cable. What challenges does laying cables in the sea present, why is Morocco chosen as a UK power plant site, and how do undersea cables meet these challenges? Recently, Xlinks, which specialise in renewable energies, announced that they will be setting up a solar and wind farm in Morocco to provide power for the UK.
EU now working towards semiconductor sovereignty
The US and UK have announced their plans to become independent from other nations for the latest semiconductor devices, and the EU has just announced its plans to do the same. Why is chip sovereignty so important, what was said at the European Commission, and how could the industry change going forward. The COVID-19 pandemic that started almost 2 years ago has done significant damage to the world socially, politically, and financially.
Modern trends are shaping new power connectors
printer friendly version Modern trends are shaping new power connectors 25 August 2021 Editor's Choice Interconnection By Mark Patrick, Mouser Electronics. Power connectors do not need to be bulky and cumbersome. In fact, smaller connectors can hold the advantage in certain situations, so when looking for your next power connector, remember that bigger is not always better. Power connectors are big. It comes with the physics.
Intel wins’ deal with DoD for domestic chip production
Recently, Intel announced that it has won a contract with the DoD to launch a new program called RAMP-C. Why are countries worldwide aiming for chip independence, what will the new program do, and should countries be striving for chip independence? Any engineer who has been involved with news, product announcements, or product development will be well aware of the current semiconductor shortage.
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