Researchers at A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering have developed a manufacturing technique that offers precise control over the size and shape of hollow carbon nanospheres. [ + ]

Researchers at the A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics in Singapore have developed a device that could help computers reach light speed. The tiny mechanical system developed by A*STAR researchers can switch a light signal on or off extremely quickly, potentially enabling all-optical computing and simplifying the interface between electronic and optical networks. [ + ]

A new motion tracking technology could eliminate the lag that occurs in existing video game systems that use motion tracking. [ + ]

Australian electronics company Emotiv has developed a new system designed to reduce fatalities and improve road safety. The system communicates with the car and when the driver's level of attention drops the car safely slows down, alerting the driver to their lapse in concentration. [ + ]

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have developed a device that can help steady the electrical currents needed to power high-end electronics and stabilise the signals of high-quality lasers. [ + ]

Automotive electronic technologies are popularly applied for use in many and varied applications in electric, hybrid-electric and conventional vehicles. Isolated DC-DC converters are mainly used in automotive electronic systems for stable sampling and control signal isolation. This article indicates where DC-DC converters are commonly used in automotive applications. [ + ]

RS Components' DesignSpark Mechanical is a free 3D solid modelling and assembly tool. The software's simplicity of use means that engineers and others involved in product development can become fully conversant with the software within minutes, rather than weeks or months. [ + ]

Australian researchers are developing a wearable computer and augmented reality kit to aid Australia's bionic eye research. [ + ]

Agilent Technologies has announced plans to spin off its electronic measurement business into a separate public company. [ + ]

Over the past few years, the Australian electronics industry has endured tough times, but there are glimmers of hope. Last week, when industry professionals and electronics enthusiasts gathered in Melbourne for the annual ElectroneX conference they had wonderful success stories to share and some exciting products and services to sell. [ + ]

Capital expenditure for semiconductor fab equipment spending is expected to increase to US$39.8 billion in 2014, the highest on record, according to the SEMI World Fab Forecast. [ + ]

As products become more sophisticated, the probability they will experience electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) issues also increases; both as potential emitters of electrical interference and as victims of interference. In this article, EMC expert Martin O’Hara* provides insights on misconceptions and challenges regarding EMC. [ + ]

Graphene has the potential to change the world of electronics in much the same way that transistors and integrated circuits did last century. But use of this wonder material is still very much in the development stage in many laboratories and research centres around the world and, while promises are high, the widespread practical use of graphene is proving elusive. [ + ]

Increasing demand for reliability, continuing miniaturisation and the growing number of faults in electronic components manufactured in no-clean processes have put the focus back on cleaning in electronics manufacturing. This article looks at different solutions that help ensure optimal cleaning of components. [ + ]

Mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, have become a disruptive technology that is shaking up the norms of system architecture. Traditional methods of introducing power and managing I/O are undergoing changes that are having major implications for traditional connectors. Read on to find out how. [ + ]