The Tek Pulse: The latest and greatest engineering and science posts

Informative, innovative and interesting articles from our favorite blogs and websites

1. Plug-N-Play Access and Control of Embedded IP, Jan 17 2013 – Ron Press, TestTimes -- Today’s IC designs contain so many different features that a single chip can house hundreds, if not thousands of functions. Until now, there has been no established industry standard for how to integrate these instruments. In his latest TestTimes post, Ron Press explains the new IJTAG, an IEEE p1687-proposed standard, and how it will simplify discrete instrument integration.

2. What the Devil Is an EMP and Should You Be Afraid?, Jan 16 2013 – Lou Frenzel, Communiqué -- Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) – have you heard of it? It’s a phenomenon typically associated with a nuclear explosion where a short-term burst of electromagnetic energy can disable or destroy nearby electronic grids or equipment. In his latest blog post for Electronic Design, Lou Frenzel takes a look at why EMP is a credible threat we should all be aware of.

3. 5 Engineers: Why Is it That Engineers Haven’t Taken Over the World by Now?, Jan 11 2013, Suzanne Deffree, Voice of the Engineer -- In a recent Voice of the Engineer blog post, one reader asks the question, “Why is it that engineers haven’t taken over the world by now? Clearly we have the advantage in intellect. Does our stereotypical lack of social skills keep us from advancement?” What do you think? Join in on the discussion!

4. Romper Suit Could Protect Against SIDS, Jan 15 2013, Rick Nelson, Evaluation Engineering -- A high-tech romper might be the key to preventing sudden infant deaths (SIDs). Rick Nelson, Executive Editor of Evaluation Engineering explains in his latest blog post how researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration in Berlin integrated breathing sensors into a stretchable printed-circuit board. The circuit board is then fitted into infant clothing so breathing can be monitored in the chest and stomach areas.

5. Would You Steal Energy?, Jan 18 2013, Kasey Panetta, ECN Magazine -- While stealing anything is generally frowned upon, there’s a new type of thievery occurring that might benefit everyone. Kasey Panetta from ECN Magazine reports that a digital media student from the University of the Arts in Germany recently designed a harvester that takes advantage of unused energy in electromagnetic fields.

Do you have a great article, blog or idea that you’d like to see featured in our series? Please be sure to share in the comments below. Stay tuned next week for another installment of The Tek Pulse, featuring more trending articles from the engineering, technology and science worlds.