Содержание номера:

Task Manager
Need-to-Know Info, by C. J. Abate

Priority Interrupt
A Matter of History, by Steve Ciarcia

New Product News, edited by John Gorsky

FEATURE ARTICLES
A Sensor System for Robotics Applications by Guido Ottaviani
If you’re developing an interactive robotics platform, you’ll have to incorporate a well-designed sensor system at some point. This article covers how to add “senses” to a robotics design, from sight to hearing to touch and more.

RFID-Based Liquid Control (Part 2)
Monitoring System Implementation by Brian Millier
This article series details how to build an RFID-based controller for monitoring dispensed liquid nitrogen from a tank in a laboratory setting. Here you learn about the circuitry, command structure, and system operation.

Serial Network Hub (Part 1)
Network Topology and Design Planning by Peter Montgomery
If you’re building a custom multipart animatronics or robotics system, consider adding a serial network hub to run the show. Here you learn why building a six-port RS-485 hub for a custom network packet system can simplify node wiring and more.

Design and Program a “Minirobot” by Marco Aiello
Control capability is at the heart of most robotics applications, particularly when object avoidance is a project requirement. This article details how to build a mobile “minirobot” and implement an autonomous navigation system.

Calibrated Decibel Meter Design by Larry Cicchinelli
You can build your own calibrated decibel meter with a little know-how and four main parts: an audio amplifier, a meter circuit, a display, and a power supply. With this design, you can accurately measure the output level of most audio systems.

COLUMNS

FROM THE BENCH
Sun Tracker (Part 2)
Power Up and Start Tracking by Jeff Bachiochi
The first part of this series detailed a custom time-keeping design called a “sun tracker.” Now it’s time to power up the tracker, start keeping time, and display the data on an LCD.

LESSONS FROM THE TRENCHES
Putting C Language to the Test (Part 1)
A Sudoku Puzzle-Solving Program by George Martin
You have a handle on C language. Now it’s time to write a complete program from start to finish. How about a program for solving a Sudoku puzzle? Read on to learn how it’s done.

SILICON UPDATE
Tales from the Crypto
A Look at Embedded Design Security by Tom Cantrell
The bad guys are out to steal your design, your code, your tools, your customers, and anything else that isn’t nailed down. Forget about trust, every designer needs to pay more attention to verification. Fortunately, you can use some silicon to help you keep your secrets safe.

BONUS FEATURE ARTICLE

The Arduino-Based “MiniEric” Robot by Titus Gabriel Petrut
The “MiniEric” is a general-purpose robot used for experimentation. It includes an Arduino board and several microcontrollers for the smaller modules. You can build a similar robot to experiment with at your workbench.