PCB Design, Electronic Design, Printed circuit boards, PCB Layout

Osmotic Power Plant

Norwegian company Statkraft, have opened the world’s first Osmotic Power Plant. This renewal energy plant, will make use of a thin membrane separating fresh water and sea water. The pressure of the fresh water going through the membrane by osmosis, will create electricity by driving a turbine.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think this is a practical solution to renewable energy problems?

Blog Article by Peter Walsh

Information & Change Management Webinar

Our sister company Quantum EDS is hosting Information and Change Management Webinar on 
Wednesday 2nd Decemeber 2009 at 2PM.

Have you ever asked or been asked where is the latest file?

Does your change control process work efficently?

Can you instantly determine the status of a task or change?

Without control of your information, you are vulnerable to manufacturing disasters.

CXInsight can help! Contact them to book your place.  Limited Spaces.

Altium Webinar

Altium is hosting a free Webinar demonstrating how electronics designers can bring the MCAD and ECAD worlds together in 3-D and in real-time. The Webinar takes place on December 9, 2009, at 11:00 a.m. PDT, 2:00 p.m. EDT, 7:00 p.m. GMT.

Foldable Pocket Light

Yes a pocket-sized torch would do the same, but with much less envy from others. 

Technabob has created the Pocket the "Pocket Light" for portable lighting.  The wallet-sized light’s clever shape allows the “flat bulb” to pop up light as needed. 

Great stocking stuff for the holiday season but unfortunately not a commercial product yet.

Blog by H.Norbury

Specialist Electronics Product Design

Looking for Specialist Electronics Product Design Service? We can help.

Perhaps you have a concept for a new product but lack the necessary in-house skills to execute the full product design processes? Our designers can take your ideas and through a collaboration process, design everything from the ground up and continue right through to producing the final product if required. Both the hardware design and the software/firmware development aspects can be handled by us allowing tighter controls over specification changes, budget and decrease time to market.

Click here to see our previous work.

WAM – It’s Wireless Aided Medication

As healthcare continues to be a growing global issue, Medimax has just made life a little simpler. 

Pill boxes have been around for many years.  Caregivers load the box with the patient’s weekly dosage of medication to help them know which tablets are required each day.  Medimax has taken this basic product a step further by equipping the pill boxes with wireless technology, thus creating the Maya.

Daily dosage activities are stored in Medimax’s central computer system and the information is available to caregivers via the internet, direct emails or text messages.

There is no need for the patient to have a computer, phone line or any form of Internet access at home as the Maya communicates directly with the central computer through a wireless network.

This update to the pill box should make a major change to the quality of life for patients and caregivers.  This lessens the burden for caregivers when monitoring patient’s usage and gives greater peace of mind knowing they are following the medication schedule as prescribed.  

Blog by: H Norbury

Semi-autonomous Cars in Ten Years

Image a daily commute that allows you to enjoy the paper, talk on the phone or watch the morning news while your car drives for you!  This dream may become a reality within the next 10 years.

The EU has just launched SARTE (Safe Road Trains for Environment) to create autonomous driving cars for motorway commuting.

The SARTRE technology could improve traffic flow and fuel consumption and reduce accidents and journey times.

In 2011 test cars equipped with this technology will fill the lanes of test tracks.  Equipment will include a navigation system and a transmitter/receiver unit that communicates with the lead vehicle.  The built-in system allows for travel on the existing road network.

How is works

The idea is that a lead vehicle (driven by an experienced driver like a taxi or bus driver) will be the head of each road train, consisting of six or eight vehicles.   As the driver enters the motorway, they meet up with a road train and lets their car do the work from there. 

As you are ready to exit the motorway, simply resume control of your vehicle and leave the convoy by exiting to the side.  The other vehicles will close the gap and resume their trip.

For more information visit: Engineering & Technology Blog by: H Norbury

Universal Mobile Charger

Major mobile phone manufacturers, including Sony Ericsson, have signed up to a new mobile phone charger that will work with any handset. The concept that has been approved by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is aimed at cutting down the waste produced when people change mobile phones. GSMA approximate that 51,000 tonnes of waste chargers are generated each year.

Blog by Peter Walsh

Fuel Cell Technology

Toshiba have released the Dynario fuel cell. This is a mobile fuel cell that runs on methanol and water, and can be used to charge mobile phones and small devices. It is currently only on sale in Japan. Methanol fuel needs to be bought to refill the device.

How would you like to be able to charge your mobile phone while on the go? Would you like to see this technology available in the UK?

Blog by Peter Walsh

Cadence Design

Cadence Design Systems introduced version 16.3 of the Allegro and OrCAD printed circuit board (PCB) software. The latest release includes new features and functionality designed to boost productivity and performance for PCB engineers.At Quantum we have IPC designers that have years of experience in Cadence Allegro and OrCAD design. 

Contact us for more information on our Allegro design experience.