Electronics News Byte: Google Pigweed for Embedded Dev, US Companies Lead IC Market, and More

Struggling to stay on top of all the electronics news ? Elektor has you covered. Here's a brief update on recent developments in the electronics sector.

The variety of process computer boards available for developing new applications is astonishing but if you want to write code using Visual Basic or C#, options start to drift away like sand between your fingers. The new Meadow F7 board stands out here. It uses an STM32F777 for executing the .NET runtime, while an ESP32 module takes care of Wi-Fi connectivity.

This is a submission from congatec on its Embedded World 2020 showcase. They will be covering the entire spectrum of embedded edge computing, ranging from high-end edge servers to headless systems for ultra-low-power edge logic.

The Computer-on-Module industry is about to launch a new product lifecycle that will create a new performance class after ETX/XTX and COM Express. Called COM-HPC, the new form factor standard is currently primed for PICMG certification by companies such as congatec. Ultra-fast real-time data exchange will be a major application field due to 5G network rollout. But users of preceding COM standards needn’t worry about the availability of their solutions, because every transition takes time and products based on existing standards will be on the market for many years to come.

Engineering teams are increasingly using specialist platforms to form the basis of their new product designs. This enables them to concentrate on perfecting their own application rather than spending time on the more fundamental elements of the technology. A Technology Solution Provider, such as Arrow Electronics, is able to provide support and guidance through the platform selection process, helping to ensure that the chosen solution meets the needs of the customer’s application and specification.

In this submission from Mouser Electronics, Mark Patrick gives seven key things to think about when looking at MCU options – that should help reveal which products in the catalogue will best meet your particular needs.

This free application note from National Instruments covers recommended best practices for powertrain HIL testing. In this guide, learn about the tools and insight you need to build an effective HIL tester that will ensure you can achieve maximum test coverage and future proof your system against future technology requirements.

The embedded world Exhibition & Conference is the world's leading meeting place for the embedded systems community. This is where experienced developers come to share their knowledge and help others to convert their ideas and inventions into real products.

Because several participants asked for it, here are the presentations from Avnet and EBV.

What do ships, factories and security services have in common? Several different and incompatible communication systems to control and secure one site. Indeed, VHF radios, telephones, intercom systems and more are all used together to communicate with the different services, rooms and departments in a building or on a site. Pollux provides a single front-end for all these communication systems.