RS Components has launched its DesignSpark #ActivistEngineering programme, further strengthening the company’s commitment to engage and inspire design engineers across the globe to ‘make amazing happen for a better world’.
Hardware for air quality pilot project.
The programme gets underway with a pilot project addressing the challenges of rising air pollution, particularly pollution indoors caused by airborne particles, household odours and gases, carbon dioxide and others. The ‘Air Quality’ project urges the more than one million registered members of the DesignSpark engineering community to help design, build and deploy a global network of portable indoor air quality monitors for the home, workplace or other public indoor spaces and share the data collected with the community.
To support the project, RS has unveiled a new cloud-enabled open-source prototyping platform that consists of open-source hardware and code developed in collaboration with DesignSpark partners. The DesignSpark Environmental Sensor Development Platform is based on a Raspberry Pi single-board computer with wireless connectivity to connect to the cloud. The kit comprises a set of air quality sensor modules that plug into a Raspberry Pi-compatible board with touchscreen. The platform and 3D printed enclosures are optimised for the Raspberry Pi model 3B+, though any model can be used. It is also compatible with peripheral modules (PMOD), allowing connection to an extensive range of PMOD add-on boards.
The Air Quality project will roll out over three phases for six months from November 2021, with a small group of first-phase participants selected to alpha-test the sensor development platform. These users will create and share inspirational projects with the DesignSpark community, paving the way for phase two of the project which will be extended to all DesignSpark members with an opportunity to win one of 50 sensor kits. Commercial availability will follow in the final phase.
Chip capacitors for high-voltage applications RS South Africa
Passive Components
TDK Corporation has expanded its line of CeraLink capacitor series B58043 in the EIA 2220 footprint by adding two new 900 V types.
Read more...New VelocityDRIVE Software Platform RS South Africa
DSP, Micros & Memory
The VelocityDRIVE Software Platform for software-defined vehicles enables switch-management communication based on standardised YANG models.
Read more...IO Ninja debugging tool RF Design
News
Tibbo has released a major update to IO Ninja, its versatile communications debugging tool for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Read more...Young SA robotics team takes world title
News
In a demonstration of innovation and teamwork, Texpand, a South African youth robotics team based in Cape Town, recently made history by winning the 2024 FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) World Championships.
Read more...The key to seamless functioning of supply chains RS South Africa
Editor's Choice
Maintenance, repair, and operations is key to the seamless functioning of supply chains across a range of industries, from equipment and machinery to the processes essential for a company’s daily operations.
Read more...From the editor's desk: A brave new world Technews Publishing
News
The technology Tesla currently uses in its cars from the batteries, power electronics, controllers, through to the mechanics, gearboxes, and the AI inference computer and software have are incorporated in the development of Optimus, allowing the development of the robot to gain impressive features in a relatively short time span.
Read more...Matter-over-Thread smart locks RS South Africa
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Austrian smart lock manufacturer Nuki is using Silicon Labs solutions in the fourth-generation Nuki Smart Lock, the world’s first smart lock with native Matter-over-Thread support.
Read more...Digital accelerometer for high dynamics applications RS South Africa
Test & Measurement
TDK extends its Tronics portfolio with the AXO314, a high-performance digital MEMS accelerometer with ±14 g input range for industrial applications operating under shock and vibration.
Read more...Raspberry Pi loses a few pounds RS South Africa
DSP, Micros & Memory
The new budget-friendly option halves the existing lowest entry point in terms of RAM, while shaving R240 off the selling price locally.