The Internet of Things might also be thought of as the internet of interoperable things. A systematic testing regime can help uncover problems when devices work in concert. DELMAR HOWARD, INTERTEK GROUP PLC The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing at an exponential rate. In three years, the number of IoT-enabled products is expected to […]
FAQ
Understanding magnetic resonance technology
Various electronics circuits and human-made or natural phenomena and atomic configurations spontaneously exhibit or can be configured to exhibit resonance. What this means is that when they oscillate, the associated waveform is at a stable fundamental frequency. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) takes place when the isotope of an atom is located within a magnetic field. […]
Megohmmeter measurements and instrumentation for insulation testing
Megohmmeter measurements can now be more accurate, rapid and safer than ever before. JEFF JOWETT, MEGGER A considerable number of electronics personnel working throughout the electrical industry are military trained. And many of them learned on a simple hand-cranked analog meter, properly termed a megohmmeter, or insulation tester. These testers were typically 500-V units that […]
You passed: Getting products through EMC/EMI compliance tests
Pre-compliance tests run in your own lab can avoid bad news when products go into formal conformity checks. DYLAN STINSON, TEKTRONIX INC. EMI regulations are in place to ensure reliability and safety for users of electrical and electronic equipment. With few exceptions, any product emitting or susceptible to electromagnetic interference must be certified for EMI […]
Tips on buying a new oscilloscope
Answers to a few basic questions can help clarify what kind of scope makes sense for your workbench. JAMES MCGREGOR, NEWARK ELEMENT14 For many engineers, the oscilloscope is the most useful and versatile tool on the bench. So when it’s time to buy a new one, it’s important to make sure the scope meets your […]
Why 5G is going to over-the-air testing
Cables and connectors may become artifacts of the past for communication electronics as the world moves to 5G standards. SHERI DETOMASI, KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 5G is rapidly approaching and there is a lot of talk about over-the-air (OTA) testing – that is, testing without the DUT physically connected to the test equipment. I’ve seen test […]
Infrared cameras for PCB development and diagnosis
Infrared cameras can help size up the surface temperatures of electronic components, PCBs, and other objects to reveal unseen problems. ALAN J. LOWNE, SAELIG CO. INC. Thermal imagers, also called infrared cameras, capture a 2-D representation of objects in front of their germanium optics (ordinary optical glass impedes IR wavelengths). They present a visible version […]
Understanding fiber optic measurements
Optical fiber is a highly efficient transmission medium for light. Slightly thicker than a human hair, optical fiber is manufactured by drawing out transparent plastic or glass into long strands. It is flexible, capable of bending around obstacles and being fished through small wall cavities. Light travels along straight paths unless influenced by an outside […]
How To Measure Entropy
It was once widely taught that entropy is a measure of disorder. Educators increasingly feel that the concept of entropy as the disorder can be confusing. So increasingly the “disorder” explanation is giving way to the idea that entropy describes energy spreading out or dispersing. The usual ways energy spreads out is when the system […]
Measuring earth’s magnetic field
Earth’s magnetic field is far stronger than that of Venus or Mars, and this single fact explains why life on earth is abundant while its nearest neighboring planets do not at present support life. Earth’s magnetic field extends from its outer core (where swirling molten iron produces a dynamo effect) up through the magnetosphere, extending […]