Resistors, Resistors, and More Resistors
I haven't posted much lately as I've been very focused on updating textbooks (I just did a major overhaul of the Digital Systems book, consider it a legit 2nd edition),…
Posted inMicrocontrollers
Skipped toggles using ATmega328P timer/counter 1 in CTC mode
What the heck is double buffering, and why should you care? While developing a new activity for my microcontrollers class, I learned the value of double buffering the hard way.…
Posted inDigital Systems Microcontrollers
Small bytes: Program counter
One of the current projects I'm tinkering with is an 8-bit computer. It's something I've wanted to build for several years, and now that I've finished so many other projects,…
Posted inCircuit Analysis Microcontrollers
Analog computation: solving simultaneous linear equations
Prior to the digital revolution, analog electrical computers were used to solve complicated mathematical equations (missile guiding, aerodynamics, stability, etc.). Many systems that can be modeled as a set of…
Posted inDigital Systems Microcontrollers
Implementing a Digital Design Project
In digital systems, I teach about a bunch of different hardware solutions that can be used to implement a project. I thought it would be fun (and not to mention,…
Posted inDigital Systems Microcontrollers
Creating Hobby Project PCBs
The purpose of this post is to make the design process of creating printed circuit boards (PCBs) a little less scary. Please note that, as with most of the hobby…
Posted inMicrocontrollers
How to Get Started with a Big Project
Frequently, I will come up with an idea for a project I’d like to do. Some of the projects are small in scope, like designing a PCB for some DIP…
Posted inMicrocontrollers
Troubleshooting a Microcontroller Project
It can be very difficult to convey to students sometimes just how much effort can go into diagnosing a circuit that isn’t working, and how much tenacity it takes. There…