RSS
 

Archive for the ‘Embedded Systems’ Category

Atmel’s advanced capacitive touchscreen technology – maxTouch

02 Aug

Imagine a touchscreen so friendly, it feels like the extension of your own hands… This is what’s promised by the revolutionary new touchscreen technology by Atmel. Now, you’ll be able to use multiple gestures and multiple touch points at the same time. And the maxTouch technology claims to be equally effective with dry and wet hands and weather. So, it ought to behave whether if you are in a dusty desert or in the snow of tundra… The demonstration video looks very impressive.

The new maxTouch technology makes use of a capacitive sensing methodology and booasts the following benefits over the ordinary touch screens..

  • Unlimited touch
    Unlimited touch provides you maximum flexibility in the human interface including the use of fingers, nails and stylus pen.
  • Precise
    Excellent multiple touch adjacency and intuitive rejection of unintended touches.
  • Fast response
    Atmel’s touch optimized AVR microcontroller combined with our patented touch technology minimize acquisition time and enhance the user experience.
  • Ideal for broad range of touchscreen applications
    Supports a broad range of touchscreen applications including mobile handsets, netbooks, printers, GPS, digital cameras, portable media players and point of sale terminals.
  • Environmentally robust
    Robust and resilient under harsh climate (hot/cold temperature), dusty and humid/wet environment.
  • Low power consumption
    Atmel’s power-saving technology allows for extended battery life.

We’ll soon be seeing the maxTouch technology being used in new products, it is poised to be demontrated in September 2009. Well, I am waiting for the curtains to be drawn.

 

Zilog’s Crimzon Connects – Ultimate Home Automation

07 Oct

The ultimate in home automation has arrived. It comes with support for web based control of virtually all of your household appliances. I have always respected Zilog as the Z80 was the first microprocessor that I got to learn. Zilog has been quite actively working in the embedded domain for a long time. For example, the eZ80 was one of the first few microprocessors to offer a hardware TCP/IP stack.

Home automation systems need to be very user friendly, safe and energy efficient. Crimzon Connects from Zilog fulfills all these requirements. One has to see the Crimzon Connects Video to believe it. You can use an iPhone to control and command all the electronic appliances and lighting in your home connected via Crimzon Connects.

Yet another achievement by Zilog Corp. Hats Off to you !!