Changes to schematic capture and PCB layout tool Eagle have been announced by former owner Farnell.

Read full article: Eagle PCB gets first update since AutoDesk buy-out

A dual precision op amp from STMicroelectronics is designed to have a low and temperature-stable input-offset voltage. The TSZ182 op amp has a chopper-stabilised design and a 3MHz gain-bandwidth. The offset voltage of 25µV at 25°C is designed for high measurement resolution and accuracy without external trimming components. Offset drift is specified by the supplier …

Read full article: Op amp has very stable offset voltage, says STMicroelectronics

RS Components can now offer customers designing PCBs a full range of component schematic symbols and footprints which can be used with the most popular PCB layout tools.

Read full article: RS offers free PCB schematics from SamacSys

Leti, a research institute of CEA Tech, says it can produce micro-displays with the resolution needed for virtual reality headsets. The French research centre uses a proprietary self-aligned process the fabricate the blue or green GaN/InGaN µLED arrays at a 10-micron pitch and 873 x 500 resolution. Other techniques are used to provide good thermal dissipation and prevent voltage drops within the …

Read full article: Leti targets 10-micron pixel displays at VR

Virtualette V1 is an ARM-based embedded IoT computer from SRKH Designs in Sydney, designed to run Linux of Android. Intended applications are drones, robots, as peers or M2M nodes in distributed systems for security or information display. Powered by a dual-core Allwinner A20 SoC, it is a two-board stack with 8Gbyte of on-board NAND flash, …

Read full article: Dual ARM core embedded computer for Linux or Android

Linear Technology has introduced a dual channel mixer which has integrated programmable variable gain IF amplifiers. The LTC5566 dual mixer has a 300MHz to 6GHz input frequency range, and so covers the emerging 3.6GHz and 4.5GHz 5G mobile bands, as well as the established 4G bands. It supports bandwidths up to 400MHz to meet the …

Read full article: Channel mixer IC is tuned for 4G and 5G frequencies

50 years ago a young Brit joined Fairchild where he was to design one of the most famous ICs ever made – the 741 op amp. Dave Fullagar had been working for the RRE and answered a Transitron ad. Tom zlongo, then GM at Transitron, interviewed Fullagar in London snd offerd him a job. It …

Read full article: Designing The 741 Op Amp, By Dave Fullagar

A European project will adapt automotive obstacle detection to other uses, including guidance for the visually impaired and blind. Portable and wearable, multi-sensor and low-power spatial-exploration and obstacle-detection systems will be created for all-weather use, said French research lab Leti. Robotics, drones, smart manufacturing and distance measurement are other  potential uses. “It will be used for …

Read full article: Self-driving tech borrowed to help the blind

The SIA says the semiconductor industry had sales of  $338.9 billion in 2016, the industry’s highest-ever annual sales and an increase of 1.1% on 2015. Global sales for December reached $31bn , equaling the previous month’s total and bettering sales from December 2015 by 12.3%. Q4 sales of $93bnwere 12.3% higher than the total from Q4 …

Read full article: SIA puts 2016 IC market at $339bn

Trimble’s Telog® 41 Series of wireless, battery-powered sensors for water monitoring applications are Internet of Things sensors that use innovative, low-power, Long-Range (LoRa® technology) wireless communications to remotely measure and monitor water, wastewater and groundwater systems including water pressures, flows, levels and rainfall volumes.