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Some of the earliest computers used for controlling processes featured analogue architectures because they were much more responsive than valve based logic circuits. But they needed to be custom designed and succumbed to the more flexible – and ultimately cheaper – digital computer.

However, advances in programmable analogue technology may see not just the resurgence of analogue computing in areas where digital works out to be more power hungry, but also a way of supporting analogue functions on increasingly dense but highly variable SoCs.

Although switched capacitor circuitry is a good match for CMOS, switching imposes a limit on the achievable bandwidth of the circuit. Continuous time architectures can, in principle, process higher frequency signals. Zetex' TRAC architecture achieved bandwidths more than an order of magnitude higher than its switched capacitor peers in the late 1990s and early 2000s. One architecture developed at the University of Freiburg in the last five years, has achieved unity gain of close to 200MHz. 



The recognition that most analogue circuitry now drives a digital core has led to the appearance of devices such as Cypress Semiconductor's PSoC and, more recently, Maxim Integrated's MAX11300. These put a series of analogue building blocks onto a digital chip. In the case of the PSoC, analogue functions are under the control of an on chip microcontroller. The Maxim part, meanwhile, is configured at design time to link different mixed signal elements such as A/D and D/A converters together directly.

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A ew argument has just been added to the growing case for graphene being bumped off its pedestal as the next big thing in the high-tech world by the two-dimensional semiconductors known as MX₂materials. An international collaboration of researchers led by a scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has reported the first experimental observation of ultrafast charge transfer in photo-excited MX₂ materials. The recorded charge transfer time clocked in at under 50 femtoseconds, comparable to the fastest times recorded for organic photovoltaics..

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The clock, powered by changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure, was invented in the early 17th century by a Dutch builder. Three centuries later, Swiss engineer Jean Leon Reutter built on that idea and created the Atmos mechanical clock that can run for years without needing to be wound manually.

Now, University of Washington researchers have taken inspiration from the clock's design and created a power harvester that uses natural fluctuations in temperature and pressure as its power source. The device harvests energy in any location where these temperature changes naturally occur, powering sensors that can check for water leaks or structural deficiencies in hard-to-reach places and alerting users by sending out a wireless signal.

"Pressure changes and temperature fluctuations happen around us all the time in the environment, which could provide another source of energy for certain applications," said Shwetak Patel, a UW associate professor of computer science and engineering and of electrical engineering.

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 An atomically thin, two-dimensional, ultrasensitive semiconductor material for biosensing developed by researchers at UC Santa Barbara promises to push the boundaries of biosensing technology in many fields, from health care to environmental protection to forensic industries.

Based on molybdenum disulfide or molybdenite (MoS₂), the biosensor material -- used commonly as a dry lubricant -- surpasses graphene's already high sensitivity, offers better scalability and lends itself to high-volume manufacturing. Results of the researchers' study have been published in ACS Nano.

"This invention has established the foundation for a new generation of ultrasensitive and low-cost biosensors that can eventually allow single-molecule detection -- the holy grail of diagnostics and bioengineering research," said Samir Mitragotri, co-author and professor of chemical engineering and director of the Center for Bioengineering at UCSB. "Detection and diagnostics are a key area of bioengineering research at UCSB and this study represents an excellent example of UCSB's multifaceted competencies in this exciting field."

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The scope of the companies’ collaboration will include grid-connected energy storage and microgrid applications.

“We are pleased to build on our achieved joint success and broaden our excellent cooperation with BYD. This next step will bring closer together two leading companies with highly complementary expertise and market access for electric energy storage,” said ABB’s chief executive officer Ulrich Spiesshofer.

“With this next step in our successful partnership, we live our promise: ‘Power and productivity for a better world’ in utilities, industries and transport & infrastructure.”

ABB added that it would like to use the partnership to develop renewables combined with energy storage in off-grid and on-grid solutions.

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The project, which is located on the Pentland Firth in Scotland, will generate energy from the strait between Orkney Islands and the Scottish mainland.

Phase I constitutes the demonstration phase and is expected to reach a capacity of 6 MW.

In an announcement made today, ABB confirmed that they would also be providing a transformer solution for the project, alongside the design, engineering, supply and commissioning of the power conversion and switchgear solutions. ABB will aim to provide

“We are pleased to facilitate this innovative project and tap the potential of marine energy,“ said Claudio Facchin, Head of ABB’s Power Systems division.

“It reaffirms the faith our customers have in ABB’s technology and proven capability to deliver safe, reliable and efficient grid connections which play a key role in integrating renewables, that are making an increasing contribution to the energy mix.”

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One substation will receive ABB’s gas-insulated switchgear, while the other will get air-insulated switchgear. Both with form part of the country’s plans to build new transmission lines to reinforce the Central Interconnected Grid, which serves over 90 percent of the population.

“These substations will help to extend and strengthen the grid, enhancing power supplies to meet the increasing demand for electricity and contributing to economic development,” said Oleg Aleinikov, head of ABB’s Substations business, a part of the company’s Power Systems division.

“ABB’s latest technologies such as the compact GIS will help reduce the substation’s footprint significantly, while ensuring efficiency and reliability.”