We are happy to announce our new socialiSER embedded application using the Ambric Am2045 device (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambric) which has 336 32-bit RISC-DSP and is very suitable to correlate multiple audio streams of Farcebook and Goggle Talk phone calls and analyse the conversation contents of the users beyond just posts and tweets. Our test runs in major server farms of the World Health Organisation show very good results and we hope to contribute this way to a more social future in the world by increasing transparency in personal communication.

Atmel provides an 8 bit ATtiny with 8 or 16 kB flash and an integrated LIN controller.

It comes in three different packages, all included in this library: attiny87_167_automotive.lbr

Find out more about LIN in the Wikipedia or directly at the LIN administration page.

What’s the difference of a mainstream low-cost embedded device to a workstation? - There are no human interface devices (HID) implemented in embedded hardware. Although you might find USB more and more often, the main thing lacking still is always the GPU. Purists may say now: “Hey, a terminal is all right, what’s wrong with you?!” - But I ask, what is the big deal about a proper VGA port and a bit more RAM for window managers? - None (at least technically). Some people from Taiwan seem to agree, btw. This is what this post is about: Embedded VGA. With only a few components and a D-Sub socket you can have an RGB port in your own design.

Here’s a Library with the Xcore86 Module for Cadsoft’s Eagle (with kind permission of Michael Barnes). The module is featuring the XGI Z9s. More information can be found here.

After some sustained squeezing we got an IceWM/X server running on a tiny embedded device. The device has 64 MB RAM, plenty of Flash yet no generic graphics interface. The question was coming up, if on top of X the nomachine remote desktop server could be installed - mainly because NX clients are easily accessible for the few remaining people using this outdated and clumsy operating syph…err…system. Answer: It is possible indeed, effectively adding a 1024×768 remote graphics interface to the small computer.

Unfortunately, only these melodramatic black and white movies prior to approximately 1929 can be decoded due to lack of BogoMIPS for newer media

Another new part became available for hardware designs: The 25AA02E48 serial EEPROM is available in two SMD packages, being SOIC8 and SOT23-6. No more firmware MAC-patching EOL.

Below you can download the library including the SOIC-8 and the SOT-23-6 package for the Eagle PCB layout software.

25AA02E48.lbr

During preparations for a hardware project a new part needed to be added to our library: The Xmega A3 is available in the same SMD packages as its predecessor, the Mega128. However, it features a DMA Controller and an Event System - short: a well increased performance. Find out for yourself…below you can download the library including the 64-lead TQFP and MLF package for the Eagle PCB layout software.

xmega_a3.lbr

P.S.: The pinning was derived from the preliminary documentation available 08/08.

After getting an electronic circuit flashing a LED, the next task was to figure out how to enable automated structuring of the economically - and by the way also very ecologically - coated surface of that piece of cardboard. The structuring is needed to provide mutually isolated areas and tracks which will serve as the basis for subsequently mounted circuitry. Also, it seemed necessary to us to evaluate the usability of this cheap process in mass production scenarios this way. However, with the help of Michael Reuter, Semiconductors Engineer, we found a laser configuration which cuts through the conductive zinc layer, but not through the supporting cardboard. But see for yourself:

Here you can look at the structured cardboard’s back side.

Blogging - at last:

sipwerk presents the first SMD circuit on a structured zinc surface:

First, a everyday business card cardboard was coated with zinc by a thermal spraying process. Second step was a manual structuring of the surface. Finally a surface mounted NE555 integrated timer chip and it’s associating discrete circuitry was soldered onto the conducting structure. The whole arrangement is blinking a red LED.

You can watch it blink here (HighRes).