Local engineer wins international electronics design award
24 January 2007
News
Recognising innovation and excellence in ultra low power microcontroller (MCU) design, Texas Instruments awarded first, second and third place MSP430 eZ Design Contest prizes during the fifth annual MSP430 Advanced Technical Conference in Dallas.
First prize went to a shirt pocket-sized, two-channel digital storage oscilloscope designed by Shaun Parsons of Johannesburg, a field application engineer at Hi-Q Electronics. The second and third place prizes went to a tiny, battery-free temperature recorder and to a realtime clock temperature-compensating display watch.
Shaun Parsons
From July-October of 2006, over 100 contestants from around the globe submitted projects ranging from practical everyday devices to industry-specific solutions showcasing design skills.
Parson's winning 'pocket scope' design shrinks on size, not the features. The pocket scope features an eight-channel logic analyser, function generator, bode plotter, spectrum analyser and two-channel voltmeter with simultaneous AC/DC display and data logging functionality. The design was chosen for its ability to shrink the functionality of a much larger portable oscilloscope - which would weigh several kilograms and cost thousands - into a convenient, portable unit that could be sold for under $200.
Contestants in the Design Contest were invited to submit their original product designs along with elements including design schematics, MSP430 MCU firmware, technical diagrams, block diagrams, pictures of finished and incomplete designs or videos of running hardware.
Judges from TI, CMP Media and online votes determined the winner based on innovation and the use of on-chip MSP430 MCU features to determine the first, second and third winners. Prizes included 61", 50" and 42" Samsung DLP HDTVs along with free airfare and attendance to the ATC held in Dallas in November.
Further reading:
From the editor's desk: The art of measuring the truth
Technews Publishing
Editor's Choice News
All electronic measurements are a lie. The trick is making the lie as small as possible.
Read more...
TSE has relocated
News
The Technology Station in Electronics (TSE) has entered a new chapter with its relocation from the CSIR campus to TUT-owned building at Ditsela Place in Hatfield.
Read more...
Innovative MyLegrand app
RS South Africa
News
Legrand SA is set to launch the MyLegrand mobile application, a digital platform designed to strengthen engagement across its professional network.
Read more...
Kulani Energy acquires critical assets from Optipower
News
Kulani Energy preserves engineering, procurement, and construction capability and positions a wholly women-owned firm at the forefront of South Africa’s grid expansion.
Read more...
From Cape Town to Johannesburg
News
Würth Elektronik South Africa has taken a significant step forward with its recent relocation from Cape Town to Johannesburg, marking a new phase of growth and ambition for the company.
Read more...
Lesley Havenga: Building partnerships for Africa’s electronics future
Editor's Choice News
As Würth Electronik expands its footprint across South Africa and the broader sub-Saharan region, Havenga’s blend of manufacturing expertise, supply chain knowledge, and people-centred leadership appears well suited to the task.
Read more...
Tackling e-waste with help from international partners
News
Every year millions of electrical and electronic devices and appliances, including mobile phones and computers, are thrown away and these items are now the fastest growing waste stream in the world.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: Pricing surge reshapes engineering reality
Technews Publishing
News
The recent and continuing surge in memory prices has become more than a supply-chain story confined to global semiconductor markets. We have watched in disbelief as the ASP of memory has risen by over
...
Read more...
Siemens democratises EDA software access
News
This collaboration will provide streamlined access to advanced electronic design automation software for European semiconductor innovation.
Read more...
Components distribution: A promising trend
News
The European electronic components market returned to solid growth in Q1, gaining 16,9%, with broad, but uneven, momentum across the region.
Read more...
printer friendly version