I have been struggling to find any details of the MPLab Xpress Evaluation Board that Microchip is promoting alongside its new web-based version of its MPLAB integrated development environment. Apart from it having a PIC16F18855 on-board. But I did get sent a close-up photo of it, so I though I would stick it here. Done. By …

Microchip’s Xpress eval board

Vantablack, the world’s blackest material, from Surrey NanoSystems, no longer has to be placed by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) as it can now be sprayed on. It is based on carbon naontubes. “Called Vantablack S-VIS, the spray paint greatly widens the applications potential, making it possible to coat much larger and more complex shapes and structures, as …

Blackest coating now sprayable

EW called for volunteers who have never coded to run through the first exercise in the micro:bit guide for children – the Don’t steal… exercise. There are no children in Electronics Weekly Towers, so an adult bravely stepped up. She has experience writing web pages in HTML, but none in any programming language. And, having …

EW test – micro:bit might lead to frustration

Linear Technology has introduced a constant frequency peak current mode synchronous step-down DC-DC converter with temperature-compensated ultralow DCR current sensing and clock synchronisation. The LTC7130‘s architecture eases compensation and offers the ability to directly parallel multiple ICs for higher current capability, according to the company. It also enhances the signal-to-noise ratio of the current sense …

LTC launches 20V, 20A monolithic synchronous step-down regulator

Arrow Electronics is selling a hardware and software platform for developing IoT applications, which is based on the Renesas Synergy development framework. Arrow developed the ARIS board with the Italian design house Reloc. The Renesas Synergy Platform offers developers the benefit of qualified hardware and software, and Arrow said the aim with the ARIS board …

Arrow uses Renesas Synergy to speed IoT development

Canadian IP developer InventionShare has developed a number of digital IP blocks which process analogue signals. The company calls its IP ‘Circuit Seed’ and says they deliver ‘unprecedented precision without precision parts; ultra-linear operation over an extreme dynamic range (>106); low noise, ultrahigh speed (analog at logic speed) and extreme low voltage (down to ~0.1V …

Digital IP blocks process analogue signals

Ricoh has launched a voltage regulator, the RP155Z, with a special pin-selectable dual-voltage level output set within a range of 1.6V and 3.6V. The capability to shift voltage levels between one of the two preset output voltage levels makes it ideal for battery-powered applications with SD memory and SIM cards as well as devices requiring …

Ricoh voltage regulator has dual-voltage level output

The European Investment Bank Is to provide £500 million to reinforce electrical connections between wind, wave and tidal renewable energy schemes and the national power network. The transmission link will supply equivalent electricity to meet the needs of around 2 million Scots. The new investment is the largest investment in the electricity network in the …

Caithness gets £500m EIB transmission investment

Wuerth is adding to its Ethernet modules with LAN transformers for speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s. The transformers support Power over Ethernet (PoE) up to 100 W and currents up to 1 A per channel. Würth Elektronik eiSos says it is the only manufacturer to offer 10-Gbit LAN transformers with an extended temperature range …

Würth transformers operate up to 10Gb/s

The Linux Foundation, the organisation working on open source software initiatives, is offering developers an open source compliance course which is available for free. It is designed to provide software developers with knowledge about legal and licensing issues for building and using open source software. According to the Linux Foundation, complying with open source licences …

Linux developers offered free compliance and copyright training