fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
I Am The Electronic Device You Were So Excited To Get
By: Bev Potter
Tags: Electronics, Family, Humor

Whew, I’m finally out of that box. The last thing I remember was being assembled by a 12-year-old Chinese kid in knockoff Air Jordans. I mean, sure, he was barely paying attention and I think he was listening to Swedish death metal on his knockoff Airpods, but he seemed to know what he was doing in the 30 seconds it took to put me together. I’m absolutely, totally positive I was assembled 100% correctly and will work exactly as promised with no glitches.

See, the box says EASY SET-UP. Let’s just keep believing that for right now, okay?

Step one: put in the batteries, which are included. They don’t actually work, but they are, indeed, included. I saw the kid grab a couple from the Old Battery Bin that’s in the corner of the warehouse. Some of the batteries have been in there since 1975. Betamax, Commodore 64. They’ve seen it all.

Of course the batteries don’t work, moron. Are you insane? Now, they might blow up or ooze some toxic, corrosive substance that will linger in a landfill for the next thousand years, but they definitely don’t work.

Drive to the store and buy fresh batteries. Okay, that’s done. Everything is fine. Your blood pressure has almost returned to normal. You’ve only lost 30 precious minutes out of your life that you can never get back.

Let’s take a quick look at the instructions. They’re printed in microscopic type in 15 languages, some of which you didn’t even know existed. Is that hieroglyphics? Possibly.

Oh, isn’t that cute! Your toddler is stuffing the instructions down his full diaper. He “help daddy.” Nevermind. Instructions are for losers.

Point the remote with the super fresh batteries at the device and hold down whatever button looks like it’s the most important. It’s probably bigger than the other buttons or exactly the same size with some arcane symbol printed on it that means nothing to you. A circle with three lines through it? A triangle that looks angry?

These are meant to be completely intuitive symbols that any idiot can understand. The problem is you, boss. In fact, your wife is telling you that right now. Let her try.

See, the remote paired immediately in her capable and possibly alien hands.

Whatever you do, do not begin stating loudly and emphatically that that’s exactly what you were doing and it was probably just ready to pair finally and it has nothing to do with her superior intellect.

If you close your eyes, you can’t see the smug look on her face.

Breathe. Ignore how much fun your toddler and the cat are having with the empty box.

Let’s download some apps! Do you remember all of your passwords? No? Do you enjoy entering your email (probably wrong) and password (even wronger) using an onscreen keyboard in a process that will take the next five hours? Also no?

This is going to be fun.
Arduino Function Generator: Square Wave with Variable Duty Cycle
By: Andy Kong
Tags: Embedded Systems, Electronics, Function Generators, Arduino

A beautiful but expensive piece of electronic test equipment

Hi! Not everyone can afford the $2000 for a beautiful function generator like this Agilent 33210A, but everyone deserves to have basic function generation capabilities. So, today I’m going to show you how to make a basic function generator using everyone’s favorite microcontroller: an Arduino Uno!

In this post I’m going to go over some basic code, and how to set up an LED to test it out.

Hardware setup

Set up the LED+resistor with positive lead in pin 9 and the negative plugged into ground. Plug the Arduino into your computer.

Yes, I have a genuine Arduino, but knockoffs are fine too! Preferable, even, cause you can break them without feeling bad.

We’ll start with the basics:

Square Wave Generator, 50% Duty Cycle

To use this, just change blinkrate to whatever frequency you’d like the pin to output.

If we just changed after 1 sec/blinkrate , we’d get a square wave of blinkrate/2 Hz. So without using delay, we change the LED after 1 sec/blinkrate/2 , since we need to account for both an on and off period. Using LED_state , we track whether the LED is on or off, so we don’t have to worry about if statements and all that jazz.

However, this code is limited, since it only has a duty cycle of 50%. What if we want the LED to be on more than half the time during a cycle?

Duty Cycle

From Wikimedia Commons

Duty cycle is the ratio of on-time to off-time during one cycle of a wave. In the past, it was also called the light-dark ratio, which is a little more intuitive.

To make a wave of n% duty cycle, we can split each cycle of our original function into 100 little pieces, then keep the wave on for the first n of them and off for the remaining 100-n pieces. And that’s just what we’ll do!

Square Wave Generator, Any Duty Cycle you like!

To use this, change the blinkrate or dutyCycle variable. Voila! This code uses the same approach as described in the above section.

Future investigations

Finer duty cycles than whole percentages
Write For Vacatronics
By: Fernando Souza
Tags: Writing, Programming, Tech, Electronics, Tutorial

Write For Vacatronics

Photo by RetroSupply on Unsplash.

Vacatronics is a publication to share content and knowledge about programming, electronic, and technology in general. We’re always looking for great content that make us grow as a community.

Topics

Some topics we like and are interested in that you can write about:
Best Cyber Monday tech deals at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Newegg, and more
Tags: Mobile Accessories, Music, Electronics, Mobile

You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great (Zig Ziglar)
Should you get an Apple Pencil?
By: Aamer Seth
Tags: Apple, Apple Pencil, Electronics, iPad, Technology

Photo by Dose Media on Unsplash

Let's face it. Buying a $100 pencil sucks. Why buy the Apple Pencil if you can go to the nearby Dollar store and spend about $5 for a pack of pens and a notebook?

The Apple Pencil shocked many with its large price tag when it initially came out and even today, it upsets customers. And with the second-generation Apple Pencil’s that work on the latest iPad Pro’s and iPad Air, the price has increased once again. But, a lot of customers will still buy it for their iPad.

Should you?

Well, answer the question: What are you going to use your iPad for?

For many, the iPad is a simple tablet that is used to go on social media, check the news, maybe do a little shopping online and watch some videos. This was how the iPad was used for many years when it first came out in 2010. It was the perfect device that allowed people to do everything that they loved on the computer, but it was portable and could be used anywhere in the house or even on trips.

However, slowly, the iPad becomes more powerful and more capable of doing lots more things such as educational use, presenting, editing photos and more. Its got more power than some laptops.

Enter Apple Pencil

I believe that the Apple Pencil was made for those who want to do more with their iPad than just watching videos and browsing the internet. More specifically, Apple Pencil is perfect for students and digital artists.
Why Can’t I Change A Lightbulb?
By: Jl Matthews
Tags: Home Improvement, Lighting, Electronics, Life, Blog

Blog

Why Can’t I Change A Lightbulb?

I’ve always disliked the odd-jobs that come with owning a house.

Why?

Well, for a start, I’m not at all handy. Sure, I know the basics. Hammers. Nails. Screws. Those are pretty self-explanatory.

But beyond that? Nothing.

I don’t know anything about drywall. Wiring? No clue. Plumbing? Please.

If something even remotely complicated breaks or does something odd, it’s time to call a professional.

I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t want to learn how to fix it. I just want it fixed — by someone who knows what they’re doing.

That’s why my recent run-in with lightbulbs has left me stunned — and a bit demoralized.

You see, I thought I understood lightbulbs. They were simple. Screw one in, and you had light.

Sometimes, they would die. No problem, just buy a new one. Screw that one in, and you had light again.

Recently, I’ve come to realize this process is now too complicated for me. I had several lightbulbs stop working on a dimmable light fixture. So I ordered new *dimmable* LED bulbs from Amazon.

They arrived. I unscrewed the old bulbs. I screwed in the new bulbs — six in all. Four worked, two didn’t.

So I looked up why that would happen. Here are some of the possible problems I was told to investigate:

“Check that your bulb wattage (adjusted for LED to Halogen to Incandescent conversion) matches the fixture wattage.”

“Check your fixture for wiring anomalies — loose wires, short circuits, wiring component mismatches.”

“Are any heavy-duty appliances running on the same circuit as the fixture in question?”

“Check the Wi-Fi connectivity of your bulbs to ascertain whether they are communicating with your (or your neighbor’s) smart-home functionality.”

Ok, for the first one, I have no idea. I never really understood wattage to begin with. But throw in a request for me to do a ‘conversion’? Nope, not happening. Now I just assume everything is a 60-watt bulb and hope for the best.

Numbers two and three are waaay beyond my abilities.

Number four is absurd. I have enough problems connecting my laptop to Wi-Fi. Forget connecting lightbulbs.

So, I am forced to draw a very unpleasant conclusion: I now need an electrician to change a lightbulb.
Best Buy says goodbye to Mexico Due to Covid.
By: Conner Stifel
Tags: Mexico, Best Buy, Electronics, Closing, News

Best Buy closes all stores in Mexico December 31st 2020

Covid-19 continues to strike unexpectedly. Today on November 24th 2020, Best Buy in Mexico decided to soon be closing their doors for good after a 13 year long run in the country.

Best Buy will officially close it’s total of 41 stores in Mexico as of December 31st 2020. Due to the effects of Covid-19.

According to El Financiero, a very reliable newspaper publishing. They ensure the public that the company would formally announce it’s departure from the country investors. According to the paper, Best Buy will order the closings and provide support to it’s collaborators so that terminations are made according to law.

As of today (Tuesday) Best buy has a meeting call with the investors to give the results of the last quarter of it’s fiscal year. Which will clearly show that Covid-19 impacted it’s operations. The company’s decision to leave is to improve it’s organizational structure and strategic focus.

Best Buy Revenues

The quarterly report has stated that it is apart of $111 Million restructuring in the third quarter of it’s fiscal year.

“Despite it’s extraordinary work of our collaborators, the effects of the pandemic have been severe, and it is not viable for us to maintain our business in Mexico.” Stated Fernando Silva, President of Best Buy Mexico.

Silva then assured the public that this decision does not reflect the efforts buy his team of collaborators.

Best Buy has said they would offer helpful workshops to the employees being effected. They will have use of different job searching platforms, resume creations and job interview simulations to better help one to find a job.

Thankfully, Best Buy has even assured it’s employees effected that they will cover life insurance throughout 2021. They will also extend all major medical insurance to workers who have it for the same term.
Simple robot car anyone can make
By: Ilknur Eren
Tags: Dc Motor, Hardware, Engineering, Electronics, Robotics

The above lists the supplies needed for this project. The “alternative project” only has the link for the DC Motor and wheel while the “Original Project” has a link to a Robotic Kit I used for this project. The Robotic Kit came with pre-drilled mounting plates. You do not have to get the Robotic Kit to complete this project, the most important part of the project is to make a DC Motor work.

DC Motor

DC Motor or a direct current motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. For this project, we will use 4 AA battery to power each of the wheels for the car. All we need is DC Motor, battery holder, and electrical tape.

The simplest circuit for a DC motor, with a switch

Assembly

The Robotic Kit comes with pre-drilled mounting plates and screws that are easy to assemble.

The kit didn’t come with a battery holder or an Arduino. There are a lot of tutorials on how to power the wheels with Arduino or raspberry pi. I choose to power with a battery since it was the easiest in my opinion to get it working.

DC motor with Wheel

Attach the wheel to the DC motor. DC motor has 2 wires, one red and one black. Those wires are the positive and negative ends to power the motor.

Our battery holder also comes with red and black wires. What we need to do is to intertwine the ends of both the DC motor and the battery holder then tape them together with electrical tape.

Intertwine both DC motor and battery holders positive and negative ends

Tape the ends of the battery holder and DC motor in place.

Turn the power on both battery holders and voila! The DC motor should turn on and the wheels should go round.

One thing to note is that I used 2 battery holders and wired each wheel separately. In the finished product, I found the wheels going the opposite way which made the car go round instead of forward. One easy fix is to switch one wheel’s wire and intertwine opposite color wires, (red with black). That will fix this problem and the car will go forward.

Finished Project:

20 percent knowledge

The knowledge of the DC motors can be used in other projects. Hopefully, this small project gave you 20 percent knowledge you can use for future 80 percent projects!
I Made a Switch & Didn’t Electrocute Myself
By: Leigh Fisher
Tags: Electronics, Creativity, Art, Technology, Physical Computing

“Electricity is really just organized lightning.”

― George Carlin

Photo by Author

I was simultaneously excited and intimidated to get my hands on an electronics kit and an Arduino board.

I tend to accidentally shock myself on the most ridiculous things and I’m a regular, casual victim of static, so I was a bit hesitant to start working with circuits and physical electronics.

Regardless, the realm of physical computing creates incredible art installations.

Learning to manipulate LEDs and things like that is very interesting to me, so I’m eager to leap into this world.

For this first experiment, my goal was just to make a switch to activate the LED in a unique way.

I’m excited to see how this can lead to creative projects in the near future.

For this first challenge to make a switch with a unique interface and unusual affordance, I decided to be ironic.

“Enthusiasm is the electricity of life. How do you get it? You act enthusiastic until you make it a habit.”

― Gordon Parks

I took two very small wooden plaques that I had leftover from a different project; I’m using these pieces of wood and engraving poetry on them, but since it’s a natural made item rather than a manufactured product, many of the pieces of wood are of nonstandard sizes. I had a few that were too small to print poems on, so I decided to repurpose them with some fun, thematically appropriate text.

In my infinite wisdom as a writer, I was very scholarly and proper with the words I selected. I made one say “Zap!” and the other say “Bzzt!” My main focus here was to create something that would function for this little test and still be fun, ironic, and unique to me.

After a bit of assembly and tin foil, the apparatus worked.

“So many lights you’d think we were living in a constellation.”

― Jodi Lynn Anderson, Midnight at the Electric

Which is how I feel when I’m in the city at night sometimes, but in reality, I’m just working with one humble little LED going into my breadboard.

Once I finished the engraving on these two wooden pieces on the Epilog Mini laser cutter at the NYU Makerspace, I recorded this little demo video showing my sole LED lighting up. This was a fun little task and I’m pleasantly surprised that I got everything working on the first try. I never pictured myself experimenting with electronics like this, but it’s fun to jump into.
Selecting an HD TV Antenna
By: Jim Abbett
Tags: Shopping, Television, Cord Cutting, Electronics, Amazon

Millions of Americans are firing their cable and satellite TV providers. Monthly fees keep going up and customer satisfaction keeps declining. Netflix, Hulu and Amazon’s Prime Video are good alternatives but don’t provide live sports and local news.

Many people don’t realize that you can you can receive FREE high definition television programming using a low cost and easy to install antenna. Thankfully, The Federal Communications Commission’s OTARD Rules protect homeowners from overbearing homeowner’s associations who try to prevent homeowners from installing outdoor TV antennas.

What Features To Look For

An amplified antenna will normally provide better reception. A non-amplified antenna might be all you need depending on your location. Every situation is different though. Distance from the broadcast towers, variation in terrain and ground clutter can affect signal strength. Non-amplified antennas work well for those living within 15 miles of the broadcast towers. Amplified antennas can generally pull in broadcast signals up to 50 miles from the broadcast towers.

Antenna Costs

Indoor television antennas normally sell for $20 to $70 depending on the various features included. versions. There are certainly cheaper alternatives available but be wary of extremely inexpensive antennas. They tend to offer poor performance. Outdoor antennas can cost anywhere between $30 and $150. An outdoor antenna normally offers the best overall performance.

Choosing An Antenna

There are some resources available to make choosing an antenna easier. One of the best is AntennaWeb.org. This website allows you to generate a custom report showing all the broadcast channels you can receive based upon your location. The report also offer suggestions for the type of antenna you will likely need to receive signals.

Most Popular Antennas

Installation

Installation of an indoor antenna is fairly straightforward. Setting up an indoor antenna should take less than 15 minutes. Installing an outdoor antenna will take longer and requires good planning. The main concerns are line of sight towards the broadcast towers and install height. Use the information gained from the Antennaweb.org website to help you chose a location to mount your antenna. There are free cell phone apps that can assist you in accurately pointing your antenna. You’ll need some basic hand tools and possibly a drill to properly mount your antenna or mast.

Wrapping Up

Digital TV antenna prices have dropped dramatically in recent years. Antenna technology continues to get better and better. More and more high resolution programming is available. Digital TV antennas are a great way to save money and enjoy high quality television programming.
Electronics — Be Gone!. Deep work at play
Tags: Personal Development, Work Life Balance, Self Improvement, Personal Growth, Electronics

Today I had to turn my phone on, as I was taking our new addition to the pet family to the vets. My housemate’s cat in fact, so just in case she called for updates I had my phone with me.

I didn’t look at the news, I didn’t look at any emails, I just was with the kitten. She certainly appreciated that.

I’m now sitting at my desk, phone off, iPad off, and just being single-focused on this article.

Each interruption takes up to 25 minutes to bring me back to the workflow I’m in. It doesn’t take many interruptions to turn what could be a one-hour effort into three. And I want to get more done than that in my day.

When I go for a walk later, even though I’m in the habit of counting my steps with my iPhone, as well as making voice notes on it, I’m going to leave it at home and simply take my old Garmin GPS watch.

I will take a notepad and pen for any inspiration that comes to me, but I’m looking to see what a distraction-free walk feels like. And I truly have no idea! I’ve never done this before.

So this is my experiment. And for someone as gadget-reliant as I’ve been (always under that ‘weighty’ mantle of work, naturally), this will be a fascinating exercise in new habits.

Photo by Icons8 Team on Unsplash

Historically, I was always very impressed by others who seemed to be able to sit at their desk, computer screen off, and thinking. “How do they do that?” I’d ponder.

That was great for them perhaps, but not what I prided myself on. For this eager little worker-bee, that was time thinking instead of actually getting things done.

And yes, that was the way I thought. Action… All the time… Justify my existence… By deeds done.

I’m not even sure I had the ability back then to think deeply. So entrenched was I in micro-achievements on my to-do list, I couldn’t sit still enough long enough to enter a deeper state of focus.

There were goals, but they tended to be short term, not many steps ahead, and I certainly didn‘t apply any strategic thinking to my career.

I assumed I was hired for my actions, and less my thinking, so worked like I was that machine.

I would hear others in our department meetings with a more strategic mindset and was blown away that they had this sophistication and ability to pull back. Seeing that BIG picture, whereas I was scrabbling around in the weeds.

I was handcuffed to my devices, responding or sending emails, which in turn, garnered more emails.

But that was the bind I got myself in, and this work-style was part of my belief system, my raison d’etre.
My iPhone 12 Experiment — Which One Will I Keep?
By: Mark Ellis
Tags: Apple, Smartphones, Electronics, iPhone, Technology

Apple’s focus isn’t in line with my own

The other reason it’s so hard buying a new iPhone nowadays isn’t because of the colours (I went for the blue one, if you’re interested), or the new accessories you’ll inevitably have to buy.

It’s because Apple seems to be focusing on stuff which makes it incredibly tricky for me to justify a new phone. I suspect that’s the case for other people, too.

My XS Max is working perfectly fine. In truth, it doesn’t need upgrading, even after two years of heavy use. Alas, upgrade I must, partly because I review this stuff on my YouTube channel, but also because I want to keep up with what’s going on in iPhone land.

The problem lies with the headline features Apple focused on during the launch event:

Let’s take a look at each one.

I really, really don’t care about 5G. Over here in the UK, it means literally nothing and won’t for a few years to come. We still struggle to get decent 4G in some areas, and, regardless, WiFi does a perfect job everywhere else. The amount of focus placed on 5G by Apple was nothing more than a desire to be the first manufacturer to claim they’ve “nailed it”. That bores me to tears.

MagSafe? It looks cool, sure. But I already have two perfectly decent ways of charging my phone, and I have no desire to attach my credit cards to the back of it. Let’s see what third-parties do, but it didn’t get me quite as excited as some industry analysts.

Finally — the cameras. My XS Max has a shoddy camera. I have no idea what Apple did with that generation, but it’s grainy, dull and lacking in detail. But I’ve got used to it.

However, the Pixel revealed to me just how far smartphone cameras have come; it knocks my iPhone into a cocked hat. I therefore want a daily carry phone which matches up to that performance, and have no doubt the iPhone 12 Pro will (the ultra-wide angle will certainly be a nice edition).

But the problem I have lies with one of the biggest features Apple revealed in the Pro line: 10‑bit HDR Dolby Vision video recording.

No one is going to use this. Ever.

And don’t get me wrong, it is so cool that a phone can do this. But it’s equally pointless. Professional videographers use cameras dedicated for the task, and ‘normal’ people simply choose ‘video’ in the camera app and shoot away, only to very rarely review the footage in future.

Why Apple chose to put this much effort into a feature which will be so widely ignored is beyond me. Why not, instead, give us a 120hz refresh rate display, for instance? Or invest some of that R&D time and money in removing the camera notch?

Sorry, Apple — I’m upgrading out of necessity and because of my job. I’m not upgrading because I’m overexcited about what this phone will do for me.

Although, something has got me excited.
E-Cycle: The Future of E-Waste Recycling
By: Jason Liu
Tags: Recycling, AI, Waste, Electronics, Technology

“With great power comes great responsibility.” — Uncle Ben, Spiderman

Who knew a comic book character could hold such wisdom? Yet, this maxim stays true even in reality. Although humanity’s latest innovation, electronics, has drastically improved our quality of life, it’s not dealt with responsibly.

Every single year, 50 million metric tons of electronic waste is thrown out, and only one-eighth of that is being properly recycled. The rest?

They sit in landfills gathering rust, destroying our planet, and harming people all at the same time.

Then why doesn’t someone do something about this?

Recycling e-waste is unpopular because it’s too inconvenient. Instead of just throwing it in the trash, consumers have to go out of their way to recycle.

This problem has been overlooked for far too long. The mountains of dilapidated computers, phones, and other consumer electronics have grown too massive to simply sweep under the rug.

This issue facing humanity requires a fix that is both efficient and cost-effective. By applying the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence with the global e-waste crisis, our long-term solution provides a sustainable system to recycle e-waste.

What is E-Waste?

E-waste is defined as any electronic equipment that’s been discarded, including home appliances (microwaves, fridges), consumer electronics (phones, computers), and electronic utilities (light bulbs, batteries).

Most electronics contain many toxic materials such as lead, cadmium, lithium, barium, mercury, and arsenic that can contaminate the soil, water, and air. This can cause significant harm to humans as well as wildlife.

If the toxic chemicals contained in e-waste contaminate local water sources (rivers, groundwater) or are released into the air, they can harm people. The health risks range from kidney disease and brain damage to genetic mutations and cancer.

Current “Solutions”

Most e-waste is not recycled. Instead, it is thrown in large pits or burned. Needless to say, both of those options are terrible for the environment as it releases toxic chemicals into the soil, waterways, and air.

Some recyclers ship collected e-waste to underdeveloped areas of the world under the guise of philanthropy. Claiming that their “donations” help bring technology to developing nations, they illegally dump the trash in inhabited areas.

One of these places is the city of Guiyu in rural China. Due to e-waste contaminating the drinking water there, it has the highest level of cancer-causing dioxins in the world. Scientists also found that 82% of the children living there had lead poisoning.

For the small percentage of e-waste that is recycled, the process is extremely inefficient. Though electronics often contain a variety of useful and expensive minerals and metals such as gold and platinum, most processes only salvage the steel, copper, and plastic due to the outdated technology employed.
Embrace New Technology
By: The Enterprise Sponge
Tags: Electronics, Theenterprisesponge, Technology, Emerging Technology

Are you the one that wants the latest phone, tablet, TV, etc. that hits the market? Are you always reading what technology is being worked on by your favorite brand? Do you ask yourself what will they come with next? All these questions and qualities are very good to have to embrace new technologies.

We are all impacted by technology in our daily lives, if we do not choose to embrace it, we may be missing out on valuable information. Technology has allowed us to be more successful in life these days. Not only does it help reduce costs, but it has also allowed to increase productivity (in some cases).

Now how does one embrace new technology, if one does not think they need these technologies? Think to yourself, how can this technology help me and make my life simpler. Why did I purchase this new technology? We are in a connected world, which means we can always ask someone for help to support our new technology. That is what is amazing about the world we live in now, we can literally talk to our devices and get information that we could not before. With Artificial Intelligence, it is becoming more apparent that the technology is understanding the human element of emotion and reacts accordingly.

Recent events of privacy bring concern to lots of people. Now you have to ask yourself, a computer needs to store information somewhere to collect data and adjust according to your patterns. If it does not have this data, it will not be able to do those calculations. Now you say it knows too much about me and it is showing up everywhere on my websites and searches. This is because of a technology called cookie tracking. You have allowed this to happen, there are cookie blockers out there, but they are not going to 100% block out everything.

Everything has always been shared, but the medium has changed through the years. Think to yourself, before technology existed people used rocks and drawings to communicate, now we have technology, people complain we have too much technology and people do not want to communicate with each other. We live in the world of instant communication now!

Before you pick up the newest and latest device, ask yourself…why am I buying this? Make sure you understand the new technology behind it and how to use it. We are here to help you embrace it!
Soft Alert
By: Jessica Lee Mcmillan
Tags: Light, Music, Poetry, Electronics, Cities

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Telecommunication Intro
Tags: Engineering, Telecommunication, Electrical Engineering, Communication, Electronics

Modulation

Modulation is mixing the signal with some sinusoidal signal. We can divide modulation into two parts, analog and digital modulation. Analog modulations are amplitude modulation, frequency modulation and phase modulation. Some digital modulations are phase Shift Keying, frequency shift keying, pulse amplitude modulation, quadrature amplitude modulation etc.

Why do we use modulation? First of all the channel we want to transmit signal over may not be suitable for transmitting the source directly and we can reduce the noise which is pretty important because we generally don’t have control over the channels so we have to provide some requirements for noise immunity. And it allow multiplexing - sending or receiving multiple signal over the same channel.

In following articles I’ll be introducing modeling information source and measuring information, source coding theorem and algorithms like Huffman coding, Lempel Ziv coding etc.
Indoor Air Quality Monitoring with Metriful
By: Billy Z
Tags: Raspberry Pi, Electronics, Air Quality, DIY

On June 7 2020, I saw a Kickstarter campaign for an environmental sensor called metriful and decided to back it. Thanks to COVID-19, I figured I would be spending much more time at home and it would be nice to have an idea of what that environment is measurably like. I have a two-bedroom apartment, so I backed it with enough to get 3, one for each.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/metriful/sense-indoor-environment-monitor

At one point in the campaign, they announced that they would support the multiple particulate sensors. I opted for the SDS011 (https://aqicn.org/sensor/sds011/) because it was still within my budget and it seemed like a more accurate device.

I received the package in the mail on Wednesday 9/16/2020. I didn’t have time to look at it until the next day, at which point I decided to wire one up between afternoon zoom calls. The timing was amazing as we were experiencing some amazingly poor air quality here in SoCal due to the fires.

https://www.metriful.com/

https://github.com/metriful/sensor

The documentation to wire it up with the Raspberry Pi was complete, although I was kind of hoping for pictures as well. Looking up the pins of the Pi always feels a bit awkward for me for some reason.

I used a small breadboard for each. Sometimes, my mind mixes up anything that might be considered as having an opposite, like left/right or North/South. Today it was voltage/ground. When I wired up the second device to test it, the sample script for collecting sound hung. I quickly double checked the wires and they appeared to be correct. I was particularly concerned about mixing up the 3.3V and 5V for the different devices (metriful takes 3.3 and the SDS011 takes 5). I have destroyed some fun electronics in the past with that mistake. It all looked good though. I felt serious heat coming from the chip when I went to turn it off. It was extremely hot to touch. I immediately unplugged it and wondered if I had maybe gotten a bum chip. I quadruple checked my wiring. This time, things snapped into focus, like when a stereoscopic image suddenly becomes visible.

When you can see the emoji face above, you might understand how I sometimes see opposites.

I realized I had reversed 3.3V and Ground. I immediately assumed that I had just completely fried the chip, especially based on the temperature. I let it cool down for a few minutes and then powered it back up again and Woohoo it seemed to work just fine!
My DIY Screen Cover for the Yaesu FT-2DR
Tags: DIY, Ham Radio, Review, Amateur Radio, Electronics

My DIY Screen Cover for the Yaesu FT-2DR

I’ve always been paranoid about the screen getting scratched by keys or hitting a tabletop corner N2RAC Follow Sep 4, 2020 · 3 min read

Yaesu FT-2DR with SHC-24 vinyl case (photo credit: author)

I’ve grown fond of my Yaesu FT-2DR. While I prefer the ruggedness of the FT-60R and the light weight of the F-T70DR, one thing that got me hooked on the FT-2DR is APRS.

You see, I’m a bit of an introvert. That’s why I like the concept of a QSO via APRS messaging. You can message me at 4I1RAC-7 by the way.

I also think it’s a great idea to have two receivers on a single portable radio. It’s like having two radios on my belt everywhere I go (never mind that it weighs like two radios, too — but hey the FT60 is also heavy).

Anyway, one of my biggest concerns with the FT-2DR is its huge-ass touchscreen. Being resistive (meaning it has a plastic membrane that helps keep track of where you press), I think it’s very prone to getting scratched.

I’m also worried that I might ding the large protected screen against a tabletop corner whilst the radio is clipped to my belt.

When I still had my first FT-2DR three years ago, I promptly had it installed with one of those smartphone screen protectors. I don’t know if that would protect against breakage, but there was a lower likelihood of getting scratched.

That radio has since been sold. I got this used FT-2DR during one of the local lockdowns.

With cellphone stores closed during pandemic, I thought of doing my DIY screen cover for the FT-2DR.

It’s just made out of a piece of microwaveable plastic that I cut out from a food container. You’ll need an SHC-24 vinyl case for this to work.

Sure, I could get my hands on a clearer piece of plastic, but I could make do with something temporary while I wait for the world to normalize.

So just measure, cut, and slide in. With enough pressure, I can still use the touchscreen!

Some pictures

Yaesu FT-2DR with SHC-24 vinyl case (photo credit: author)

Yaesu FT-2DR with SHC-24 vinyl case (photo credit: author)

I need to find a clearer material, but this one seems sturdy enough to protect against scratches. Any suggestions?

Note: This article contains affiliate links. I will not be responsible for your XYL shaking her head over yet another ham radio purchase.
This ‘BB-8-Like’ Personal Assistant Follows You Around At Home
By: Varun Cheedalla
Tags: Samsung, AI, Tech, Electronics, Robotics

How Does It Work?

Ballie in a different color (Picture Credit: Homecrux)

We’ve seen many robots like this in the past, such as LG’s ball robot from 2016, Anki Vector, and Sphero, which have revolutionized technology education in schools.

However, how does it work? It’s actually very similar to other AI-integrated, commercial robots.

Ballie announcement at CES (Picture Credit: KL Gadget Guy)

According to Engadget, it has a “mobile interface” that uses built-in AI to look for ways to improve your life as your needs and habits change. Think about how you can set routines on your Alexa to do a series of actions at a certain time or command.

Additionally, it uses a camera to recognize its owners, navigate its environment, and avoid blockages and obstructions. It also has two ‘wheels’ on the left and the right side controlled by an axle to move without disrupting the middle section, where the camera is kept in place. The three lights on the front are most likely a battery indicator.

However, Ballie does more than just adjust to your habits. A demo video showed Ballie turning on the TV for a dog, calling a robot vacuum to clean up a spill, and opening smart curtains — Samsung even claims that it can call emergency services if it sees someone fall and not be able to get up! At the CES demonstration, it showed that it could follow H.S. Kim around.

In response to questions concerning the security of Ballie’s data storage, Samsung said it’s held to “stringent data protection and privacy standards.” “Of course we want Ballie to be fun, smart and helpful,” says Sebastian Seung, Samsung executive vice president and chief research scientist. “But we also want Ballie to keep our secrets. We want an AI we can trust.”
How to install Ubuntu Server on Raspberry Pi
By: Fernando Souza
Tags: Raspberry Pi, IoT, Makers, Electronics, Developer Tools

Passwordless SSH

Every time you have to access your RPi via SSH, you will need to type your password. To avoid this, you can configure a key and the login process will be done automatically.

If you already have generated keys on your computer, you can skip the next step. To check it, list the folder ~/.ssh for a .pub file:

ls ~/.ssh

Generating new key

If you don’t have any keys, or just want to generate a new one, type the following command:

ssh-keygen

After hit enter, you will be asked where you want to save the key. Let the default file ~/.ssh/id_rsa and hit Enter .

Leave the passphrase empty as well and hit Enter again. After a while, the key will be created. You can look in the folder ~/.ssh and these two files must be there:

id_rsa id_rsa.pub

The file id_rsa contains the private key and it must be only on your computer. The file id_rsa.pub contains the public key and it is this content that you’re going to share with the RPi.

Configuring

Open the file writable/etc/cloud/cloud.cfg .

Copy the content from the id_rsa.pub file and paste it in the field ssh_authorized_keys , in the system_info settings.

The content must be something like this:
How to Enjoy Online PVP Games Such As “Warzone” More.
By: Daniel Johnston
Tags: Online, Friends, Gaming, Electronics, PC

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, online gaming started becoming more mainstream with games like Call of Duty and Halo taking online gaming to new heights. Hackers and try-hard’s ruin the fun of casual gaming where most log on after a hard and stressful day to wind down or just do it as a hobby. This can ruin the fun of getting a nice rewarding victory and can get people angry and frustrated. Here are some ways to actually enjoy gaming online.

5. Drop Out The Server If You Spot a Hacker

Even though this can be an inconvenience to you and your friends, it will save you from getting angry and therefor enjoying the game more. It’s very unlikely that you will run into the same people again in the next game. Dropping out is easy, you just have to leave. But some games do have a penalty which can be unavoidable and frustrating.

(it’s best to report hackers that you can prove are hacking).

4. Don’t Play The Most Popular Games.

Even though the most popular games can be the best most of the time, they’re not. I’ve found that even the most unheard of games can be equally or more fun than the more popular games. This can keep you away from hackers and you could end up with a new crowd of friends as well.

3. Use The In Game Voice Chat

You can meet so many funny people using the in game chat. Games like VR Chat and Arma 3 are great games to meet funny people on. You can run into funny situations and meet really interesting people in these types of games. I thought I met an Indian man in voice chat and did an accent and asked for some curry. It ended up being a 6 year old kid and my federal prison speed run came to a quick close.

2. Play With Friends

Stating the obvious here, but playing with friends is really fun, so fun in fact I very rarely play without people I know. You can have chats about your friends days to begin with, but you guys all know you’ll be talking about stranger topics later into the night. If you have some really funny people in your party things can get hilarious. It can make stressful situations very funny and relaxing.

1. Just Don’t Play PVP Games

It’s got to the point where gaming has got so competitive no one can have fun anymore so i recommend just playing PVE games like Stardew Valley, the Destiny Series’ PVE, Warframe, Portal 2, Terraria and many others are very good.

Thanks For Reading. A clap would be appreciated.
What are the Pros and Cons of Buying a Front Load Washing Machine
By: Aakash Garg
Tags: Knowledge, Web Development, Technical Writing, Electronics, News

Section 1 — What is Front Load Washing Machine [100 Words | 5 Min Read]

All Washing Machines done the same work that they are only used in washing the clothes. Front Load Washing Machines are loaded at the side of the machine. In Front Load Washing Machine, There are mainly two drums mounted on a horizontal axis. Inner Drum and Outer Drum. Outer drum is fixed, whereas Inner Drum is having small holes around its edge. Springs support the inner drum, and absorb vibration, when clothes spin, and cause the drum to shake violently.

The Inner Drum turns back and forth. After washing cycle is finished, the water is sucked by the pump and emptied out to drain.

The absence of Agitator in Front Load Washing Machine makes gentle washing and drying of clothes, keeping them safe from being stretched or knotted by the agitator. More clothes can be washed because there is no agitator in the center.[1]

The price is more than a Top Load Washing Machine. But, it is energy saver. Life is 15–20 years. Hence, it is justified in spending a little more. If we see it as the perspective of the cost, Front Load Washing Machine is more costly, around 15 thousands in India.

Top Front Load Watching Machines For You :

Here are the some Front Load Washing Machines that I think you should try and buy from these only…

By describing these, I am not doing any promotions of these companies, I am just telling you, what is best for you, as I researched over it a lot.

1. Whirlpool 7 Kg Fully Automatic Front Load Washing Machine.

2. Samsung 6.5 Kg Fully Automatic Front Load Washing Machine.

3. Bosch 8 Kg Fully Automatic Front Load Washing Machine.

4. Samsung 8 Kg Fully Automatic Front Load Washing Machine.

5. IFB 8 Kg Fully Automatic Front Load Washing Machine.
Scientists Have Created an Artificial Eye for the Visually Impaired
By: Nithil Krishnaraj
Tags: Medicine, Tech, Prosthetics, Eyes, Electronics

The human eye is a highly sophisticated and integral part of our body. It has a high field of view of 180 degrees, allows us to see things with an astoundingly high-resolution, known to be 576 megapixels, and can dynamically adjust to different types of lighting. For decades, there have been various attempts to replicate the human eye, but many have failed. A major reason for this is the mere shape of the human eye, a sphere. The shape of the human eye is what gives it its high field of view. This shape is difficult to work with, as currently, most advanced camera sensors are flat.

Recently, researchers and scientists led by Zhiyong Fan, a Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), engineered the Electrochemical Eye (EC-Eye), the world’s first biomimetic prosthetic eye. This eye could lead to the restoration of vision to the visually impaired, sharper robotic vision, and more. Current prosthetic technology isn’t very feasible in day-to-day life, as they often require external wiring and glasses, all to offer a poor, 2D vision. Luckily, the team at HKUST believes the artificial eye could offer advanced features like a sharper vision than the human eye and radiation detection in the dark.
Upgrading Your ATtiny85 Projects — An ATtiny412 Tutorial
By: Lesther B.
Tags: Embedded Systems, Programming, Hardware, Electronics, Tutorial

The project I wanted to build (which you can check out the story here) was ‘somewhat’ straightforward, I had a RN4020 Bluetooth LE module that needed some initialization via it’s UART interface, and was going to hand over the communication to a USB to UART IC once the configuration was done. Having used the ATtiny85 in the past I know first hand that I am in for a wild ride if I want to have full duplex UART communication as the chip does not have an built in peripheral, only that not so friendly to configure USI (Universal Serial Interface); and using any ATmega was out of the question since I had a target size for the PCB.

Block diagram of the mighty ATtiny85, no UART module to be found =(

I started to wonder what chip would fit my bill since most projects I've done in the past usually involve a 64 pin or higher packages, so I decided to visit Microchip’s website and search for parts they have available.

That’s too many results, let’s narrow it down

Luckily their parametric search engine was comprehensive. Since I was aiming to 1 UART module in the tiniest available package, I navigated through the columns to select the features I needed and was left with few results.

Success!

Two parts stood out, the ATtiny402, and ATtiny412; not that different in price and feature set I went ahead with the ATtiny412. Then I paid a visit to my favorite parts supplier Mouser to check on it’s availability, because there’s no use if that chip is right for us but we can’t buy it, right?

That’s some good availability. Awesome!

Before making the commitment, I went ahead and checked the chip’s datasheet.

We always need to check the fine print of each device we use, otherwise we might be in for a nasty surprise when your gadget is not doing what you expected

A very prominent hint staring right at us! Sure it must mean something, right?

My focus was on knowing how setup the UART interface and the digital IO as I wanted to read one of the RN4020’s outputs to know when ATtiny was ready to let go of the serial lines.