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Features

Properly Selecting Electronic Components: Part 3 by Vaughn D. Martin
This time, investigate basic solid-state theory, diodes, rectifiers, transistor amplifiersm, and charaterize them.

Experiments with Alternative Energy by John Gavlik
This time, we’ll use these same microcontroller circuits and code to illustrate three primary conditions that affect solar panel operation in the real world: heat, shading, and tilt angle.

Projects

Magnetic Pendulum by Tony Gasparovic
Here’s a really fun project that will get a lot of attention. It’s an electronic pendulum that operates on the principle of magnetism.

Bicycle Gear Position Indicator by Dan Gravatt
Here’s a couple of simple circuits to tell you what gear your bicycle is in while you’re pedaling down the road. I usually check what gear I am in by looking down at the front and rear gears. I decided I needed a better way after I bought a good road bike with 30 (!) gear combinations (three gears in front and 10 in back).

The ReFUSEable Box by Ron Newton
This project was built for field troubleshooting and replaces blown fuses until the problem is solved. By dialing in the amperage, you can preset the drop-out point in the place of a fuse (200 mA – 5 amps). It is also known as a programmable relay. It displays the active AC or DC amperage being drawn when in the circuit.

Columns

Techknowledgey by Jeff Eckert
Techknowledgey 2009
Topics covered include the world’s smallest reed switch, lasers that create new forms of metal, a new all-in-one PC, plus other stuff you’ll find fascinating.

Smiley’s Workshop by Joe Pardue
Smileys Workshop: An AVR C Programming Series (Part 14)
Last month, we learned how to build a command interpreter and how to make beautiful music (okay, noise) on a piezo element. This month, we are going to look at components from the kit that sense light and temperature.

Getting Started With PICS by Chuck Hellebuyck
Programming the PICDEM 2 Plus Development Board
After getting everything set up — I used an MPLAB® ICD 2 for the programming tool because it is available bundled with the PICDEM 2 Plus board — I was ready to write some code.

Q&A by Russell Kincaid
Q&A | September 2009
Solar panel voltage regulator, op-amps and diodes, current sensing motor control, plus more.

Near Space by L. Paul Verhage
Near Space | September 2009
I’m always on the look-out for neat stuff to do. So, when Mike Manes of EOSS posted over the GPSL* email list that Harbor Freight had discounted a vacuum pump that might be suitable for near space testing, I couldn’t resist. My creation takes near space testing to new lows and represents a unique use for an air-tight flour container that the manufacturer surely hadn’t intended.

The Spin Zone by Jon Williams
LCDs & Things
It must have been 1994 when I discovered how much I enjoy character LCDs. Like so many others, I got started thanks to Scott Edwards and his articles here in Nuts & Volts.

The Design Cycle by Fred Eady
USB To Ethernet Using Microchip’s Free Stacks: Part 2
Now that we’ve had a taste of the free Microchip TCP/IP and USB stacks, it’s time to put the chocolate in the peanut butter. As promised, this month we’ll put a Microchip PIC18F14K50 Low Pin Count USB microcontroller in front of a PIC18F67J60 Ethernet microcontroller and put another RS-232 converter IC out to pasture.

Personal Robotics by Vern Graner
The Dungeon Keeper
So, how about we make an animatronic body for our talking skull and put him in a creepy coffin so he can beckon them forward with a flickering candle? Though this may sound like a pretty big project, it's actually rather straight-forward and, if you start now, you should be able to have your own Dungeon Keeper ready to thrill the kids and wow the parents for this Halloween!

Departments

Developing Perspectives by Bryan Bergeron
Please visit our Developing Perspectives blog to read the full article and comment.