Task Manager
Design Inspiration, by C. J. Abate

Priority Interrupt
Mobile Metamorphosis, by Steve Ciarcia

New Product News, edited by John Gorsky

FEATURE ARTICLES
Precision Temperature Control Circuitry by David Ludington (USA)
This precision temperature controller was designed for a calorimeter. The unique system controls the temperature of an outer metal box surrounding an inner calorimeter base plate. It maintains the box’s temperature and controls temperature variations around the setpoint with an STD of less than 0.01°C.

Mesh Telephony System
The Mesh Potato Project from an Embedded Designer’s POV by David Rowe (Australia)
You might have heard about The Mesh Potato, a key component in The Village Telco project aimed at giving people in developing countries a low-cost alternative to mobile phones. This article focuses on the “embedded development” aspects of the project, such as the Wi-Fi SoC and interface design.

NXP mbed Design Challenge 2010 Primer
Rapid Prototyping
Build a Scrolling LED Message Board with an mbed/NXP LPC Platform by Clemens Valens (France)
Embedded development is becoming easier. With an mbed/NXP MCU development kit, you’ll be prototyping an exciting new design in no time. For instance, you can build an LED message board in just one day.

COLUMNS

THE CONSUMMATE ENGINEER
Is the Door Closed?
Why Every Safety-Critical Decision Matters by George Novacek (Canada)
Part of developing a “robust” system involves ensuring your design is safe and secure. Whether you’re building a small embedded app or a complicated door-opening control system for a plane’s landing gear bay, you must protect both your design and the end users by choosing the proper parts and design techniques.

LESSONS FROM THE TRENCHES
State Machines Revisited
Real-World Word Problems by George Martin (USA)
If you aren’t using a real-time operating system (RTOS) but want to, take some time to revisit the topic of state machines. It’s the perfect foundation for the complex applications you’ll build in the near future.

FROM THE BENCH
Transmit and Decode Data
Design and Implement a Keyfob Decoder by Jeff Bachiochi (USA)
Data transmission technology has come a long way during the past few decades. Today, wireless technology is everywhere. In this article you learn how to design and implement a keyfob decoder.

SILICON UPDATE
Once More, With Feeling
An MCU + FPGA Without the Compromises by Tom Cantrell (USA)
The idea of combining an MCU and FPGA on the same chip isn’t new. Although it looks good on paper, there have been as many misses as hits. What’s the difference that separates winners from losers? Now, Actel is taking a shot at it. Do they have the answer?

Test Your EQ

Crossword