Embedded learning: Logic analyzers, design contest, robot brains

Attend a free Webcast about logic analyzers, join a PIC32 design challenge, or ponder robots that use a compact board-level form factor for brains. Details include....

By Control Engineering Staff August 29, 2008

Coming up this month, you can attend a free Webcast about logic analyzers, join in the Microchip PIC32 Design Challenge, or ponder the variety of robots from the recent Taipei International Robot Show that use a compact board-level form factor for brains. Also read more about

expanding role of single board computers for control applications

, according to a Control Engineering June 2008 article. Why and how logic analyzers can help debug digital designs, webcast : Agilent Technologies engineer Joel Birch’s complimentary one-hour Webcast, on Sept. 23, 2008, at 9 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST), will explain why logic analyzers are an essential piece of test equipment for debugging digital designs.The seminar will cover the fundamentals of logic analyzers, from key questions like “when would I use a logic analyzer?” to “what is a timing/state analyzer and how does it work?” The seminar will also address areas such as probing and cross correlation between oscilloscopes and logic analyzers.Those who can benefit include digital designers, hardware engineers, software engineers, and FPGA developers who are new to logic analyzers, or engineers who may just want a refresher. Attendees can register online using the link above. Submit your PIC32 design ; Express Logic Inc . sponsors the Microchip PIC32 Design Challenge , a full-year, four-phase challenge to foster a social community where contestants can build, test, and display their designs, based on the PIC32 Starter Kit, to the community. Three judges and community member peers will vote on who survives each phase. The contestant that makes it through the four phases and is voted 2008 PIC32 Design Challenge’s Ultimate Embedded Designer will win a high-end home theatre system (or cash equivalent) worth more than $8,000. Community members are eligible for prizes.Building on Microchip ‘s 8- and 16-bit PIC microcontrollers, the PIC32 MCU family has 32-bit performance with more memory to solve complex embedded designs. PIC32 is supported by Microchip’s MPLAB development environment and well-known industry tools and software, including Express Logic’s ThreadX RTOS.Express Logic is contributing four HP Photosmart digital cameras and printers that retail just under $200 each for community members who will decide the contest winner. The camera-printer combinations, which run ThreadX RTOS, FileX file system and PEGX graphics package, can snap and print six megapixel photos without a PC by docking the camera.Organizers expect exciting designs, Systems Conference 2009 in San Jose, CA. VIA Pico-ITX showcased its EPIA Pico-ITX -based robots for entertainment at the Taipei International Robot Show (TIROS), in late August at the World Trade Center in Taipei, Taiwan.VIA says its commitment to extremely compact form factors, robust performance, extensive feature sets, and extremely low power consumption has led to use of its off-the-shelf EPIA boards for academic, hobbyist, and commercial robot developers.On display were three compact robots provided by PlayRobot , a Taiwan-based developer and distributor of educational, scientific, and entertainment robots for government, academic, and research institutes, as well as robot kits for enthusiasts. One, the Johnny 5 robot, was fitted for the show with theUseful attributes for robotic versatility and mobility include–  Control Engineering News Desk Register here and scroll down to select your choice of eNewsletters free .