As a leader in test, measurement and monitoring systems, Tektronix is at the forefront of innovation, delivering world-class products and services that empower its customers all over the globe to push the bounds of technology. The blog entries included here have been developed by various Tektronix engineers along with our extended network of partners, customers and general test enthusiasts.

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

Fri, 2013-02-08 10:47 — Tektronix Experts

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

1. Custom EQing Headphones for Your Ears, Jan 30 2013 – Rich Pell, 20-20kHz -- Unlike a loudspeaker, the sound produced in a set of headphones is dependent on the user’s auditory canals, making accurate measurement and correction of sound reproduction difficult. While there are a variety of software programs available that can generate the sine wave tones needed for determining the perceived frequency peaks for any given headphone/ear canal combination, coming up with a playback equalization solution that has the appropriate parametric equalization capabilities is much trickier. Rich Pell reviews some suggestions for how to overcome the issue, and ultimately improve the quality of sound your headphones produce.

2. What Were They Thinking: Copyright in the Digital Age, Feb 1 2013, Brian Bailey, EE Times -- With technology developing at such a rapid pace, it’s not only the devices themselves that are quickly becoming outdated, so are the rules and laws governing the technology. In his latest blog post, Brian Bailey of the EE Times discusses what changes need to be made to copyright law in order to maintain pace with digital developments.

3. Engineers and Analysts are Paid to Think, Jan 29 2013, Alan Nicol, AlanNicolSolutions, ECN -- While engineers and analysts are paid to think, Alan Nicol thinks they could be flexing their brains a little more. In his article for ECN, Nicol explains why too many engineers are focusing on the wrong elements of projects, often resulting in poor decision-making. One way to combat this problem is to think more and do less. Nicol rounds out the article with a series of questions engineers and analysts can ask themselves to embody this advice and keep each project in the right perspective.

4. The Young and the Fearless (Engineers), Feb 1 2013, Brian Fuller, Silicon Valley Nation -- While manufacturing and technology companies alike are lamenting the lack of young engineers available to fill the shoes of their retiring employees, some people are looking on the bright side. In his most recent EE Times blog post, Brian Fuller writes about the unique energy he sees in the next generation of engineers.

5. The Robots are Coming, and They’re Looking for Jobs, Feb 4 2013, Rick Nelson, Evaluation Engineering -- Although some thought leaders argue that robotics will increase job opportunities, there are others, like Paul Krugman, who believe robots are a valid threat to both high- and low-skilled workers. In his latest blog post, Rick Nelson explores why several pundits predict that, “any job that can be reduced to an algorithm will be,” and why an education might be workers’ ticket to beating out the bots for decent paychecks.

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.