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: Growth through inclusivity
Technews Publishing
News
As the engineering fields in South Africa continue to make progress toward gender equality, we are finally starting to see the presence and contribution of women in engineering and industrial roles.
Read more...
KITE 2025 proves its value
News
The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition (KITE) 2025 confirmed its place as KwaZulu-Natal’s must-attend industrial event, drawing thousands of industry professionals.
Read more...
Otto Wireless Solutions announces promotion of Miyelani Kubayi to technical director
Otto Wireless Solutions
News
Otto Wireless Solutions is proud to announce the promotion of Miyelani Kubayi to the position of technical director, effective 1 August 2025.
Read more...
DMASS experiences continued slowdown
News
The European electronic components distribution market continued its downward trajectory in the second quarter of 2025, according to new figures released by DMASS.
Read more...
World-first zero second grid-to-backup power switch
News
JSE-listed cable manufacturer, South Ocean Electric Wire, has completed a solar installation it says marks a global first: a seamless switch from grid to backup power in zero seconds.
Read more...
News
OMC deploys cobots to improve throughput 10x, while maintaining quality and ensuring consistency of fibre optic production.
Read more...
Cobots for opto production line
News
OMC deploys cobots to improve throughput 10x, while maintaining quality and ensuring consistency of fibre optic production.
Read more...
SACEEC celebrates standout industrial innovation on the KITE 2025 show floor
News
Exhibitor innovation took the spotlight at the KITE 2025 as the South African Capital Equipment Export Council announced the winners of its prestigious New Product & Innovation Awards.
Read more...
SA team for International Olympiad in Informatics
News
The Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa has named the team that will represent South Africa at this year’s International Olympiad in Informatics.
Read more...
Anritsu and Bluetest to support OTA measurement
News
Anritsu Company and Sweden-based Bluetest AB have jointly developed an Over-The-Air measurement solution to evaluate the performance of 5G IoT devices compliant with the RedCap specification.
Read more...
printer friendly version