NDIA, Bangalore – July 13, 2017 – NI (Nasdaq: NATI), the provider of platform-based systems that enable engineers and scientists to solve the world’s greatest engineering challenges, announced a baseband model of the second-generation Vector Signal Transceiver (VST). The PXIe-5820 module is the industry’s first baseband VST with 1 GHz of complex I/Q bandwidth and is designed to address the most challenging RF front-end module and transceiver test applications, such as envelope tracking, digital pre-distortion and 5G test.

“In 2016, NI disrupted the industry by introducing the RF model of our second-generation VST with 1 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth,” said Charles Schroeder, vice president of RF and wireless at NI. “We’re continuing the disruption with the baseband model of our second-generation VST. Engineers can use the baseband VST with LabVIEW system design software to address the evolving and changing needs of transceiver test applications.

Engineers can take advantage of the software-designed architecture of NI’s VSTs to help accelerate the pace of design, reduce the cost of test and solve measurement problems previously unsolvable through traditional test approaches.”

The PXIe-5820 combines a wideband I/Q digitizer, wideband I/Q arbitrary waveform generator and high-performance user-programmable FPGA into a single 2-slot PXI Express module. With 1 GHz of complex I/Q bandwidth, the baseband VST suits a wide range of applications including baseband I/Q testing of wireless and cellular chipsets as well as envelope tracking of digitally pre-distorted waveforms for power amplifier, and generation and analysis of new wireless standards such as 5G, 802.11ax and LTE-Advanced Pro.

The PXIe-5820 combines a wideband I/Q digitizer, wideband I/Q arbitrary waveform generator and high-performance user-programmable FPGA into a single 2-slot PXI Express module. With 1 GHz of complex I/Q bandwidth, the baseband VST suits a wide range of applications including baseband I/Q testing of wireless and cellular chipsets as well as envelope tracking of digitally pre-distorted waveforms for power amplifier, and generation and analysis of new wireless standards such as 5G, 802.11ax and LTE-Advanced Pro.

Product Features:

· 1 GHz of complex I/Q instantaneous bandwidth for generation and analysis

· Measurement accuracy to measure 802.11ax error vector magnitude (EVM) performance of -54 dB

· Baseband 2-channel differential I/Q with 4 Vpp differential input and 2 Vpp differential output swing

· FPGA-based measurement acceleration for measurements up to 10X faster and highly optimized measurement software

· Compact size and tight synchronization of baseband and RF VSTs allowing for 2×2, 4×4, 8×8 or higher multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) configurations in the PXI form factor

· Excellent noise floor and spurious free dynamic range

· User-programmable FPGA that engineers can customize to add application-specific functionality

· Ease of programming with consistent software experience between RF and baseband VSTs

“The baseband VST is a deliberate evolution of our original software-designed architecture,” said Ruan Lourens, chief architect of R&D, RF at NI. “We have managed to optimize in every possible domain, from thermal and electrical to digital signal processing, to successfully deliver 1 GHz complex I/Q bandwidth in a small form factor. The baseband VST can be tightly synchronized with the PXIe-5840 RF VST to sub-nanosecond accuracy, to offer a complete solution for RF and baseband differential I/Q testing of wireless chipsets.”
The baseband VST is a vital part of the NI platform and ecosystem that engineers can use to build smarter test systems. These test systems benefit from more than 600 PXI products ranging from DC to mmWave. They feature high-throughput data movement using PCI Express Gen 3 bus interfaces and sub-nanosecond synchronization with integrated timing and triggering. Users can take advantage of the productivity of the LabVIEW and TestStand software environments, along with a vibrant ecosystem of partners, add-on IP and applications engineers, to help dramatically lower the cost of test, reduce time to market and future-proof testers for tomorrow’s challenging requirements.

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The highest surge density of any Littelfuse TVS Diode Array

Beijing, China, July 12, 2017 —Littelfuse, Inc., the global leader in circuit protection, today introduced a series of TVS Diode Arrays (SPA® Diodes) optimized to protect DC powerlines for PoweredUSB interfaces from damaging electrostatic discharges (ESDs).

SP11xx Series TVS Diode Arrays employ Zener diodes fabricated in a proprietary silicon avalanche technology to protect each I/O pin in the interface. These robust devices offer high surge tolerance, with the highest surge density per square millimeter of any TVS Diode Array that Littelfuse offers, and extremely low dynamic resistance across all of the relevant voltage levels for PoweredUSB interfaces. They can safely absorb repetitive ESD strikes at ±30kV without performance degradation and safely dissipate 80A of 8/20μs surge current with very low clamping voltages.
SP11xx Series TVS Diode Arrays are designed to prevent premature failure or thermal issues related to fast-charging batteries, such as those used in tablets and smartphones, by limiting exposure to the fast transients associated with plugging into AC/DC converters that could introduce dirty power to the battery. They are also useful for protecting Vbus lines for USB 3.1 type C interfaces, which are increasingly common in handheld devices.
Additional applications for SP11xx TVS Diode Arrays include ESD protection for switches/buttons, test equipment/instrumentation, point-of-sale terminals, medical equipment, notebooks/desktops/servers, computer peripherals and automotive electronics.
“The SP11xx Series combines high surge tolerance for a higher level of ESD protection and extremely low dynamic resistance for faster response,” said Tim Micun, business development manager for TVS Diode Arrays at Littelfuse. “They offer designers the flexibility to choose what is most important for their application, whether that’s size, cost, or performance.”
SP11xx Series TVS Diode Arrays offer these key benefits:
• Extremely low dynamic resistance (RDYN) ensures a faster response to ESD transients for better performance.
• Discrete unidirectional design is the most appropriate solution for DC interfaces and provides the lowest dynamic resistance available.
• Flat surge performance across current profiles provides greater protection during extreme surge or ESD events.

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This article shows you how to build a small radio station at home and share music with others. The station can also be used for making announcements in colleges, industries, hospitals, schools and other places using a condenser mic amplifier circuit.

In this project an FM transmitter V2.0 module is used, as shown in Fig. 1. It is available on www.ebay.com and www.amazon.in. The module can modulate your voice or music on FM radio. If you have a radio receiver, you can receive and listen to it.

This module communicates with Arduino Uno R3 or another microcontroller through I2C interface. All commands are sent through I2C interface. Here, Arduino Uno R3 along with Arduino library file is used for giving commands to control and vary different frequencies within 88MHz – 108MHz FM band.

Circuit and working

The FM transmitter V2.0 module has the following four pins:
1. Vcc (5V)
2. GND
3. SDA (serial data I2C pin)
4. SCK (serial clock I2C pin)

A standard 3.5mm male-to-male audio cable (Fig. 2) is used for connecting with the MP3 player, mobile or computer.

Block diagram of the short-range FM station is shown in Fig. 3 and its circuit diagram in Fig. 4. It is built around Arduino Uno R3 (BOARD1), FM transmitter V2.0 module (TX1) and a few other components.

A simple fmtx library is used. It is an open source library, available here

Setting up input in FM band

Step 1. Download fmtx.cpp and fmtx.h libraries, and save these on your PC under, say, fxtx folder. Copy this folder to Arduino\libraries folder.

Step 2. Open fmtx_demo.ino code from Arduino IDE. Compile it and upload the program/sketch to Arduino board.

Step 3. Connect Arduino board to an audio source like mobile phone or MP3 player. You can also use a mic to transmit your voice.

Step 4. Turn on your FM receiver and set it to 90.1MHZ frequency. Enjoy the music.

Step 5. Open Serial Monitor window from Arduino IDE to change the frequency, as shown in Fig. 5.

Step 6. You can change or set a different frequency from Serial Monitor by simply entering the frequency using & symbol. For example, to change frequency to 99MHz type &0990 in the Serial Monitor and press Enter key.

Similarly, to change frequency to 99.5MHz type &0995 (for frequency 101MHz type &1010 and for 102.5MHz type &1025) in the Serial Monitor.

Software

Circuit operation is done using the software (fmtx_demo.ino) loaded into the internal memory of Arduino Uno R3. The program implements all required functionalities including handling user inputs with the help of serial port interface. The program is written in Arduino programming language.

Arduino IDE 1.6.4 is used to compile and upload the program to Arduino board. The important thing is to set any frequency (within FM band), as shown in Fig. 5. In the program, default frequency is set to 90.1MHz, as given below:

float fm_freq = 90.1;

When you apply 9V power supply to Arduino board, it starts broadcasting the audio signal at 90.1MHz frequency.

You can simply tune to the same frequency in the FM receiver or mobile phone. You can now listen to music or message announcements from up to a distance of 50 metres.
Note that, an external antenna is required for FM transmitter module. Connect any metal wire to the pad that could serve as an antenna. Theoretically, the ideal antenna length for 100MHz is around 75cm.

Construction and testing

You do not need a PCB for this project. Connect GND, 5V, A4 and A5 pins of Arduino board to GND, Vcc, SDA and SLA pins of FM transmitter module, respectively, using external wires/jumpers.

Connect a USB cable to Arduino Uno R3 for compiling and uploading the program. Remove the cable after uploading it. Connect a 9V battery/adaptor as power supply to Arduino Uno R3.

Connect FM transmitter V2.0 module to any audio source like MP3 player/mobile phone/computer using a 3.5mm audio cable. Your circuit will transmit at 90.1MHz frequency, which can be received by any FM radio by tuning to the same frequency. The author’s prototype is shown in Fig. 6.

Download source code

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INDIA, Bangalore – July 13, 2017 – NI (Nasdaq: NATI), the provider of platform-based systems that enable engineers and scientists to solve the world’s greatest engineering challenges, announced a pre-5G waveform generation and measurement technology demonstration at the 2017 International Microwave Symposium (IMS) in Honolulu, Hawaii. The demonstration features signal generation and analysis of waveforms representative of both the Verizon 5G Technical Forum(5GTF) and 3GPP’s proposed New Radio (NR) physical layers.

The technology demonstration combines the 1 GHz bandwidth of the PXIe-5840 second-generation Vector Signal Transceiver (VST) with pre-5G software for waveform modulation and demodulation. Key features of waveform modulation include support of both Discrete Fourier Transform Spread Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM) and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) along with flexible sub-carrier spacing and component carrier configurations supporting 3GPP 5G NR and Verizon 5GTF specifications up to a combined total bandwidth of 1 GHz. The demonstration supports modulation types up to 256-QAM, and measurement results including power, adjacent channel power and error vector magnitude. Typical applications for this demonstration include testing RFICs such as RF power amplifiers, front end modules and transceivers.

“NI’s software-centric approach to test and measurement allows us to evolve PXI test systems at the speed of software,” said Charles Schroeder, VP of wireless design and test at NI. “Because of this approach, engineers can use the same VST-based test systems currently testing LTE-A and LTE-A Pro products today, to test 5G products in the future.”

NI’s new technology for 5G test supplements a comprehensive product portfolio for RF and wireless test, and the new software complements existing solutions testing 802.11a/b/g/j/n/p/ac/ax, Bluetooth, GSM, UMTS, LTE/LTE-A, FM/RDS, GNSS and more.

NI’s RF and wireless smarter test systems are based on NI’s advanced VST technology to help engineers reduce their cost of test. These test systems benefit from more than 600 PXI products ranging from DC to mmWave, featuring high-throughput data movement using PCI Express Gen 3 bus interfaces and sub-nanosecond synchronization with integrated timing and triggering. Users can take advantage of the productivity of the LabVIEW and TestStand software environments, along with a vibrant ecosystem of partners, add-on IP and applications engineers to dramatically lower the cost of test, reduce time to market and future-proof testers for tomorrow’s challenging requirements.

The post Wideband 5G Waveform Generation and Measurement Technology for 5G Test Applications appeared first on Electronics For You.

In this video, the presenter will show you how to build three different capacitance meters with the Arduino. This is a really useful project for starting as a beginner. These three capacitance meters are accurate over the range of commonly used capacitors, from microFarads to picoFarads.

Courtesy: Circuit Basics

The post How to Make an Arduino Capacitance Meter appeared first on Electronics For You.

Hobbies are fascinating stuff. Be it listening to music, reading novels or going to the gym, the pleasure they give is what makes these tick. But if it is too much hard work, not many would pursue it. Those who enjoy electronics as a hobby are no different; putting together stuff and getting to see it in action is what draws them to it. In this article we introduce a tool that is tailored to suit the needs of electronics hobbyists.

Welcome to SimulIDE

SimulIDE is a real-time electronic circuit simulator. It is a simple tool intended for advance learning, and it lets you enjoy the experience as well. SimulIDE is designed to be fast and easy to use, and it works wonders for simple electronics. This is not your tool if your intention is to perform critical analysis or develop accurate models; it is ideal for trials and experimentation. Let us get down to the details of what this tool provides to you.

Readily-available controller models

Simple circuits are not just about putting together resistors, capacitors and inductors, of course. You often need a controlling section or an integrated circuit (IC). To aid easy development of such systems, SimulIDE provides support for simulation using microcontrollers.

SimulIDE provides AVR, Arduino and PIC microcontrollers that can be accessed just like other components. Features like gpsim and simavr allow you to use PIC and AVR microcontrollers, respectively. Make sure these add-ons are installed on your system, too. You can load and reload firmware as many times as you want, and watch the movement of data between registers on the screen. The kit also comes with a serial terminal that you can pair with your board.

Design with ease

On getting into the application, a window opens up with a huge space for the actual design. An all-powerful, right-click accessible context menu lets you select components and place these in the angle you want. You can even save the circuit as an image file at any instant easily from the same menu.

A column on the left-most corner shows three tabs. On opening any of these tabs; a column opens up between this and the design window. This acts as the user interface for the intricacies of the circuit. Take a look at the three available categories.

Components.

The components section lists out all available components for you to choose from. You just have to drag and drop each component and connect these together by wires, which are automatically laid out when you draw a line with the mouse. Components are grouped together like voltage, current, clock and ground; switch category that provides a switch or a push button; passive components like resistors, diodes, capacitors, inductors and potentiometer; and active components like op-amps.

You can connect probes, LEDs, etc and view the output of your circuit according to your requirement. Buffers and logic gates like AND, OR and XOR are available to connect anywhere in the circuit. The readily-available AVR or Arduino microcontrollers or 74HC series ICs also need no prior setup, and can simply be added and connected directly in the circuit.

RAM table.

This section comes in handy while working with microcontrollers. Once the firmware is loaded in, you can observe this section to observe data flow between internal registers. As shown in Fig. 4, you can see that RAM Table window displays the details of the various registers along with their location addresses, designated names and current values in decimal and binary number systems.

Properties.

Coming to actually creating your circuit, properties of every component can be viewed, set or modified easily. On clicking on a component, all its related parameters can be edited from Properties window.

For reactive components, the step length can be varied by changing ReactStep value. The longer this value, the faster the element will simulate; but keep in mind that accuracy is compromised. If the reactive component is used in a high-frequency circuit, be aware of the period length while handling this value. In general, circuit simulation speed is measured in steps per second.

Getting down to actual simulation

Simulating with SimulIDE is easy—a power button is your control key. Simply click on it and you will see the circuit getting into action. Observe the outputs you defined to learn how the changes you made to the schematic resulted in new results.

The post SimulIDE For Simulating Electronic Circuits appeared first on Electronics For You.

How to Make Our Smart Devices Safer

The biggest nightmare for any IoT provider is the attacks, which can effectively eradicate trust in the products or services of the company responsible for the compromised device. Relying on users to protect themselves with stronger, more complex passwords isn’t going to cut it. Numerous studies have shown that users continue to use weak passwords, even while acknowledging the associated risks.

In order to protect their users and maintain trust in their products, IoT device providers should look to two-factor authentication (2FA) to strengthen account security. There are three recommended steps businesses can take immediately.
Two-factor authentication is already known to be effective in deterring attacks on online accounts, and most 2FA requests happen through a user-friendly mobile interface, such as with a one-time passcode sent through a text message, phone call, or an approve/deny push notification request. (

Two-factor authentication is already known to be effective in deterring attacks on online accounts, and most 2FA requests happen through a user-friendly mobile interface, such as with a one-time passcode sent through a text message, phone call, or an approve/deny push notification request. (Read More)

10 IoT Threats Solution Providers Should Look Out For

Researchers are finding a plethora of security risks as more devices become connected to the Internet. In a recent report by Kaspersky Lab, the research company found that the number of new IoT malware samples this year has already doubled that of last year.

According to Kaspersky, connected devices running Linux have attracted 7,200 malware samples from last May, more than double last year’s sample total of 3,200.

Over the past few months, solution providers have seen an array of security attacks – from denial-of-service malware Brickerbot to IP camera-targeted Persirai – crop up in the IoT space.

One Online Security Breach Can Push Bank by $1.75 million: Cyber Security Report

An incident involving a bank’s online banking services could cost the organisation $1,754,000 (about ₹11.31 crore), a report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has found.

A study by the security firm showed that 61% of cybersecurity incidents affecting online banking came with additional costs for the institution targeted – including data loss, the loss of brand/company reputation and confidential information becoming leaked among others.

Banking institutions are also worried about the growing menace of cyber attacks. The top concerns for financial services included attacks on digital/online banking services (45%) and point-of-sale (POS) systems (40%), phishing/social engineering of customers (35%), along with attacks on core transactional/back—office systems (35%) and on ATMs (26%).(Read More)

The post Safe IoT Devices | Security Threats | Data Breaches appeared first on Electronics For You.

‘Biometric’ security for smart devices could stop cyber-attacks

New security technology that could stop cyber-attacks and protect the privacy of billions of smart device users worldwide could soon be available as a result of a partnership between the University of Kent and University of Essex.

Numerous high-profile organisations have recently fallen victim to cyber criminals who have deliberately infiltrated their computer networks and introduced viruses, with devastating consequences.

The route in is often through internet-connected smart devices that are insecure. The process of connecting these devices, allowing them to talk to each other and us, is known as the Internet of Things (IoT), but their insecurity can mean organisations are vulnerable to attack and individuals at risk of being spied on. (Read More)

Documents could link Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky to FSB spy agency

U.S. intelligence agencies have turned up the heat in recent days on Kaspersky Lab, the Moscow-based cybersecurity giant long suspected of ties to Russia’s spying apparatus. Now, official Kremlin documents reviewed by McClatchy could further inflame the debate about whether the company’s relationship with Russian Intelligence is more than rumor. The documents are certifications issued to the company by the Russian Security Service, the spy agency known as the FSB. Unlike the stamped approvals the FSB routinely issues to companies seeking to operate in Russia, Kaspersky’s include an unusual feature: a military intelligence unit number matching that of an FSB program.

For years, suspicions that Kaspersky is connected to Russia’s spying apparatus have dogged the company, a leading global seller of anti-virus programs. Founder and CEO Eugene Kaspersky studied cryptography, programming and mathematics at an academy operated by the KGB, the FSB’s Soviet-era predecessor, then worked for the Ministry of Defense.(Read More)

The Cyber Security Risks and How to Protect Against Them

While the IoT affords many advantages by connecting the world, security risks pertaining to IoT are growing and rapidly evolving. A recent report by Samsung shows that there is a need to safeguard every device by 2020. Samsung’s ‘Open Economy’ document argues, “There is a very clear danger that technology is running ahead of the game.” The complications involved with hundreds of detectors constantly collecting data within a single institution create innumerable complexities and technical challenges.

With no plan to analyse and protect such large amounts of data, issues of compatibility occur. Some organisations are slow to perform risk assessments due to fear of what they may find – the associated costs of addressing the vulnerabilities are often high. Once an organisation is made aware of a vulnerability, there is an increased pressure to mitigate.

It is critical to understand the progressive and sophisticated threats that cyberattacks represent to every aspect of a business. We must advance cyber threat detection capabilities and implement robust layered hardware and software protection for networks. (Read More)

The post Biometric IoT | Spying Appartatus | Protect Security Risks appeared first on Electronics For You.

In order to ease the efforts of building applications over Roof platform, a unified interfacing and functional model is required. This is where Roof Computing, also known as IEEE P1931.1, comes in. Syam Madanapalli, Director – IoT Delivery, NTT DATA, talks about this technology in a conversation with Dilin Anand from EFY

SYAM MADANAPALLI, DIRECTOR – IOT DELIVERY, NTT DATA

Q. What Is IEEE P1931.1?

A. IEEE P1931.1 is a federated net-working and computational paradigm for the Internet of Things (IoT). It is always available for real-time on-site operation facilitation including next-hop connectiv-ity for Things (IoT products), real-time context building and decision triggers. It provides efficient data connectivity to Cloud/service providers and always-‘on’ security for Things under Roof.

Q. How is it deployed?

A. Roof is implemented as a software platform on various devices that proxy IoT products and their IoT services to the rest of the world. The devices on which Roof is implemented include, but not limited to, mobile phones, home routers and other computing platforms. Roof is placed a few metres away from Things and far below Fog and Cloud.

Q. How does it help engineers working with the IoT?

A. Today, IoT ecosystem is vertically segmented, raising the entry for small players. Roof segments the IoT networks horizontally with standard interfaces between the physical and cyber-world. This enables the engineers and companies to play at their strengths and innovate. Device vendors, Cloud service providers and platform builders can focus on innovating with their products and services instead of working on end-to-end solutions.

Q. How does the technology work?

A. Roof is a platform for the edge and gateway devices and provides various application interfaces to interface with devices, cloud, service providers and users while preventing the intruders. The southbound interfaces allow the Things to be put under Roof in a secure manner and build trust with other Things under Roof. The northern interface helps in establishing a secure channel to Cloud and service providers to protect information and privacy, while feeding Cloud-based IoT applications. The horizontal interfaces help manage Things, and security and privacy. Security functions include authentication, authorisation and secure key establishment for exposing IoT services under Roof, while privacy function helps these manage access rights for data and IoT services.

Q. What do you feel about compa-nies using IoT label for any Internet-connected device?

A. Most businesses depict the IoT and its value depending on the product or service they offer. The IoT deals with the physical world, and is deployed for a mission that requires it to function autonomously over a period of time, irrespective of what is happening elsewhere. For example, an IoT deployment in a factory should continue to function if there is a fibre cut outside the factory that disrupts Cloud connectivity. Things in the IoT should operate and cooperate in a secure and independent manner within the context of a local environment such as a home or factory. These need to connect to Fog or Cloud only for added value.

Q. What is Roof’s biggest benefit to an engineer building IoT systems?

A. Ability to provide autonomous operations, secure communications and privacy by design are the fundamentals of Roof architecture. Roof with standard interfaces harmonises the IoT ecosystem and allows building more generic IoT gateways and Cloud services so that one can choose devices from any vendor and get the services from another vendor.

Q. How can it be used to securely manage devices?

A. Roof avoids exposing IoT devices directly over the Internet. It provides multi-level security, analyses threats and requires two-factor authorisation for suspected activities. It also supports authentication for multiple service providers securely to manage data access and privacy.

Q. How does it reduce the implementation barrier?

A. Roof can harmonise the IoT ecosystem by allowing individual components of the IoT system to evolve independently. This allows development of devices and other solutions, and taking these to the market.

In addition, Roof enables rapid development of innovative services based on existing devices by allowing access to multiple service providers. It provides the ability to choose and switch to any equivalent service provider.

The post NTT Data: Roof computing with standard interfaces…IoT ecosystem appeared first on Electronics For You.

Adaptive Data-driven Cyber Security System to Prevent Cyber Attacks

Recognising the complexity of cyber attacks and the multi-stakeholder nature of tackling cyber security are the key components of a new data-driven cyber security system being developed by experts led by the University of Nottingham.

The aim is to support organisations of all sizes in maintaining adequate levels of cyber security through a semi-automatic, regularly updated, organisation-tailored security assessment of their digital infrastructures.

The post Adaptive Security System | Spying IoT Devices | Ransomware Attack appeared first on Electronics For You.

Now You Can Hack a Chip With a Wave of Your Hand

When You Think of a standard hacker toolkit, software vulnerabilities and malware come to mind. But a pair of researchers are testing a different type of instrument: a physical tool that can break into devices with a wave of your hand.

At the recent REcon computer security conference, Red Balloon Security founder Ang Cui and research scientist Rick Housley presented a new approach to hacking a processor that uses electromagnetic pulses to produce specific glitches in hardware. By disrupting normal activity at precise intervals, the technique can defeat the Secure Boot protection that keeps processors from running untrusted code. (Read More)

New Cybersecurity Plans at Air Force

The Air Force is now operationalizing several key elements in its comprehensive cybersecurity plan, designed to analyze and mitigate attacks while also building cyber resilience into new weapons systems and platforms early in the acquisition process, service leaders said.

The implementation is multi-faceted, including a wide range of initiatives now being accelerated into operations and weapons development. Some of these include engineering hardware such that it can quickly integrate new patches or security fixes as they emerge, using more computer automation to detect and track cyber intruders, standing up specific cyber squadrons, and identifying potential cyber vulnerabilities at the beginning of a weapons or technology development effort. (Read More)

Is Your Home Secure?

Everything is now connected via the Internet of Things (IoT), and for the most part, the out-of-the-box security embedded into them is weak, and easily hacked. This potentially allows hackers to exploit devices like Amazon’s Echo, as well as the Google Home device. By accessing a connected toy, for example, the ethical hackers used in the study were able to send commands to Amazon Echo – like voice purchasing. These devices, or similar devices, will eventually be used for the maintenance and security of the home.

“For those concerned about the security of smart home devices – start with basic home router or home gateway best practice: 1) Regularly check for router firmware updates 2) Change default password on router 3) Configure firewall policies 4) Enable MAC filtering 5) Use guest network for guest devices 6) Use guest network for home devices 7) Disable UPnP 8) Close all ports on your firewall.”(Read More)

The post Electromagnetic Hacking | Airforce Cybersecurity | Vulnerable Gadgets appeared first on Electronics For You.

HONG KONG [17 July, 2017] — Artesyn Embedded Technologies today announced that its CNS653-ME and LCM1500-Q AC-DC power supplies have received 80 PLUS certifications for 115 volt industrial units from Ecova, the total energy and sustainability management company. The 80 PLUS certification requires industrial power supplies to be 80 percent energy efficient or greater, which helps customers optimize power usage and reduce operational and energy costs. The certification recognizes the premium efficiency rating of these power supplies and gives customers confidence in the performance of these units.

According to Ecova, industrial power supplies typically operate at only 26 percent of their rated power, so these Artesyn units offer significant benefits to manufacturers of a wide range of industrial equipment, including medical and instrumentation, industrial and building controls and automation, and test and measurement applications.

• The LCM1500Q achieved 87 percent efficiency at 100 percent load and 89 percent at 50 percent load, earning a Silver 80 PLUS rating.

• The CNS653-ME achieved 90 percent efficiency at 100 percent load and 92 percent at 50 percent load, earning a Platinum 80 PLUS rating.

Artesyn was the first company to receive 80 PLUS certification for 115 V industrial power supplies, having achieved the Silver level certification for its, ADN20-24-1PM-C DIN rail unit, which is used for large-scale industrial applications, such as semiconductor fabrication and conveyer systems.

The post CNS653-ME & LCM1500-Q Achieves 80 PLUS Efficiency Ratings for 115 Volt Industrial Power Supplies appeared first on Electronics For You.

Device Authority Adds Key Features to KeyScaler for IoT Security

Device Authority, a global leader in Identity and Access Management (IAM) for the Internet of Things (IoT), today announces the latest update of its IoT security platform. One of the first products to deliver password management and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificates to devices without human intervention, KeyScaler™ version 5.5 is set to dramatically streamline and strengthen the ways in which organizations secure their connected devices.

KeyScaler is Device Authority’s flagship integrated IoT security platform that combines secure device registration and provisioning, credential management and end to end policy-driven encryption. This enables organizations to manage the security of the IoT ecosystems both at scale and through periods of rapid growth.

Version 5.5 introduces unique Automated Password Management (APM) technology to tackle the real-world challenges organisations are facing today with cyber attacks involving connected devices. In 2016, 63% of data breach incidents were related to weak credentials, and recent large scale attacks Mirai and BrickerBot used weak credentials as their exploit vector. Notably, the video surveillance market has experienced the consequences with cameras being compromised. KeyScaler’s APM reduces the headache and removes the associated human risks of manually updating credentials on hundreds or thousands of IoT devices. (Read More)

The NSA’s Inadvertent Role in the Major Cyberattack on Ukraine

One of the NSA’s beyond–top secret hacking tools has been stolen and while the ensuing damage falls far short of an unauthorized nuclear strike, the thieves have wreaked cybermayhem around the world.

The mayhem was committed by a group called the Shadow Brokers, which in April announced that it had acquired the NSA tool (known as Eternal Blue) and published its exploit code online for any and all hackers to copy. In May, some entity—widely believed to be North Koreans—used the the exploit code to develop some malware, which became known as WannaCry, and launched a massive ransomware attack, which shut down 200,000 computers, including those of many hospitals and other critical facilities.

The post IoT Security Platform | Hacking Tools | Cybersecurity Strategy appeared first on Electronics For You.

Building Security into IoT Products from the Ground Up

Security is too important to be an afterthought. No one wants to cobble together an aftermarket fix, and having to do so would not reflect well on your brand. While it is (relatively) easy to design and ship an IP camera, for example, the ease at which one can be hacked from factory settings makes installing one an unacceptable risk factor to the network – and your customer’s business.

IoT security-related issues are on the radar of regulators. In January, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a complaint against router giant D-Link, charging that the company had deceived users on the security of its products and failed to take steps to secure those products appropriately. This case has become a bellwether because the complaint was brought in response to the vulnerabilities themselves, not because of a breach exploiting those vulnerabilities. This is a sign that regulators are taking a more aggressive stance in demanding that connected device manufacturers take clear and sufficient steps to secure their products. (Read More)

Researchers find Gaps in IoT Security

IoT device designs are usually powered by microcontrollers, are less powerful and lack hardware security features compared to microprocessors. But they are well suited to IoT devices because applications do not require the computational capability of microprocessors, they consume much less power, and they cost a fraction of a microprocessor.

The simpler architecture of microcontroller hardware makes it challenging to implement established security methods. During fabrication, attackers with access to the design can inject analog components that can flip the microcontroller’s privilege bit to allow malware to be introduced. Many of these devices lack an accurate clock needed for network security. Algorithmic timekeeping methods still in an experimental stage could be a solution. (Read More)

Half of all Countries Lack Cybersecurity Strategy: UN Report

Only about half of all countries have a cybersecurity strategy or are in the process of developing one, and even the world’s most powerful countries show major gaps in their preparedness for cyberattacks, according to a latest UN report released on Wednesday.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) unveiled the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2017 on Wednesday, a continuation of the first version was issued in 2014. It measures ITU member states’ commitment to cybersecurity, hoping to motivate them to improve their cybersecurity and raise awareness for the need to start bilateral, multilateral and international cooperation.

The report said only about 38 percent of countries have a published cybersecurity strategy, while an additional 12 percent are in the process of developing one.

Singapore tops the index list for its long history of cybersecurity initiatives. It launched its first cybersecurity master plan back in 2005, and created a Cyber Security Agency in 2015 as a dedicated entity to oversee cybersecurity. In 2016 Singapore issued a comprehensive strategy to tackled online security issues. (Read More)

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Portable devices like personal computers, MP3 players, sound recorders, telephones and audible sensors are frequently in need of additional stereo amplifier to produce sufficient sound. These audio amplifiers should work with batteries (4.5V, 6V, 12V, etc) and USB interfaces (+5V). These should have low quiescent current and produce at least 2×0.5W of output power. This output power is enough for listening in a small room with several people.

Stereo amplifier circuit and working

Fig. 1 shows the circuit diagram of a simple stereo amplifier with two TDA7052 ICs (IC1 and IC2) that can be used for portable devices.

TDA7052 is a 1.2W mono audio power amplifier. It has a wide power supply range (3V to 18V) and can work from USB interfaces. Typical quiescent current of TDA7052 is 4mA, which makes it appropriate for battery operations. Gain of each channel of the circuit is 39dB (around 90). Typical input resistance of TDA7052 is 100-kilo-ohm, and the IC is suitable for a lot of high-impedance signal sources.

The circuit has six switches (S1 through S6). When S1 and S2 are open, input impedance of the circuit is more than 500-kilo-ohm and the amplifier can be used with electrical guitars, high-impedance sensors and signal sources.

When S3 and S4 are closed, input resistance is reduced and, at the same time, output noise is reduced.

S6 works as an on/off switch. The power supply is applied to the circuit through S6.
S5 works as a stereo/mono selector switch. If S5 is closed, the circuit works as a dual-channel mono amplifier. Left and right audio signals coming from connector CON1 are shorted through S5. If S5 is open, the circuit works as a stereo amplifier with two different input signals.

Output power of TDA7052 is typically 1.2W over a load of 8-ohm and with power supply of 6V. The power supply can be increased but the load should have higher resistance, of say, 32-ohm.

The left and right audio channels have separate volume controls, VR1 and VR2, respectively. This avoids the usage of the balance-control potentiometer so that the two channels can also be used separately for the amplification of two mono signals.
Values of VR1 and VR2 should be minimum in order to reduce output noise. Value of C5 should be minimal for the circuit to operate from most USB interfaces.

Construction and testing

An actual-size PCB layout of the stereo amplifier with two TDA7052 amplifiers for portable devices is shown in Fig. 2 and its component layout in Fig. 3. After assembling the circuit on the PCB, enclose it in a suitable enclosure.

Download PCB and component layout PDFs: click here

The circuit does not need any adjustment and will work immediately after proper assembly. LED2 and LED3 are visual indicators for left-channel audio output, while LED4 and LED5 are for right-channel audio output.

More interesting projects available here.

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IoT Messaging Protocol is Big Security Risk

The insecure implementation of the MQTT (Message Queue Telemetry Transport) protocol, an Oasis standard for IoT communication, by many IoT product vendors is contributing to the high risk of IoT devices on enterprise and home networks.  Although TLS is recommended by the Cloud Security Alliance for secure communication with MQTT, most vendors appear to ignore transport security, making all communication open and available.  Further, authentication is often ignored.

An authentication issue, however, is the failure to implement any available device authentication.  An example of the risk was reported by Lucas Lundgren last year. Lundgren claimed he discovered around 60,000 IoT message brokers that allowed access without authentication (McAuley, 2017).  With the fast growth of IoT, we can assume that this number has significantly increased.  Lundgren demonstrated that he can quickly compromise hospital, prison, and satellite control systems because of insecure configuration of MQTT. (Read More)

To Achieve Security in IoT Devices, Remember the Fundamentals

Connectivity has created new th

reat landscapes, but iRobot CISO Ravi Thatavarthy says it’s important to remember fundamental IT security principles when it comes to security in IoT devices.

When it comes to security in IoT devices, it’s important to remember that fundamental IT security principles are still applicable, according to Ravi Thatavarthy, director of information security and CISO at Bedford, Mass.-based consumer robotics company iRobot. Thatavarthy spoke with SearchCIO at the recent CDM Media CIO Summit in Boston, where he discussed how IoT is affecting the cybersecurity threat landscape, suggested best practices for securing IoT devices and delineated th

e role that CISOs play in these processes. He also offered pointers on how CISOs can build a strategic relationship with their organization’s chief risk officers and shed light on the biggest challenge that CISOs face today.(Read More)

Multiple Vulnerabilities found in Connected IoT Home Security Device

Popular IoT home security device could allow hackers to turn burglar alarms on and off and switch on siren, says researcher who dissected it.Security researchers have discovered a number of vulnerabilities in an internet-enabled burglar alarm that could see the device being remotely switched off by an attacker.According to a blog post, Ilia Shnaidman, head of security research at Bullguard, said that the discovery of multiple flaws in iSmartAlarm is another example of a poorly engineered device that offers attackers an easy target.

The device, said Shnaidman, has flaws that can lead to full device compromise. The cube-shaped iSmartAlarm provides a fully integrated alarm system with siren, smart cameras and locks. It functions like any alarm system but with the benefits of a connected device: alerts pop up on your phone, offering you full remote control via mobile app wherever you are. (Read More)

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Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard invented by Ericsson in 1994 for exchanging data over short distances using short-wavelength UHF radio waves (Range: 2.4 to 2.485 GHz) from fixed and mobile devices. This is in the globally unlicensed (but not unregulated) Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) 2.4 GHz short-range radio frequency band.

The devices use a radio broadcast communications system, they do not have to be in visual line of sight of each other; however, a quasi optical wireless path must be viable.

Bluetooth Special Interest Group

Special Interest Group (SIG), which manages Bluetooth has more than 30,000 member companies in the areas of telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer electronics. SIG oversees development of the specification, manages the qualification program and protects the trademarks.

Upon completion of the presentation you will be able to understand the following:

• What is Bluetooth?
• History
• How it technology works?
• Transmission types and rates
• Error correction and security
• Connection protocol
• Usage Model
• Characteristics
• Advantages
• Applications

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This article takes a look at the causes, effects and control of air pollution in the urban environment. It also introduces easy-to-construct home and commercial air-purifier systems to effectively control air pollution, and release clean and safe-to-breathe air back into the environment.

Air pollution contains one or more contaminants like dust, harmful gases, smoke, pollen and other allergens.

Normal composition of air is:
Nitrogen – 78%
Oxygen – 21%
Argon – 0.9%
Carbon-dioxide – 0.037%
Ozone, helium and ammonia – Traces
Water vapour – Balance

Table I indicates the mix of pollutant gasses released from petrol and diesel based vehicles.

Table II summarises the source of major pollutants and their impact on the health of human beings.

We now introduce you to system designs for easy-to-construct air purifiers for home and commercial uses. (Note: A prototype of the air purifier for home use has already been tested successfully by the author.)

Air-purifier system for home and industrial use

Commercially, a large number of air purifiers are available for domestic use, but are quite expensive. You can make a simple air purifier for domestic use using easily available materials from the market. The same can be customised for use in hazardous industries as well, to improve the working conditions and health of the industrial labour.

An air-purifier system can be made using a 15.2cm (6-inch) fan from Rexnord. As shown in Fig. 1, the fan is fitted on one side of a plastic bend with 15.2cm (6-inch) dia that is normally used for sanitary work. The other end of the bend is covered with a plate having holes and is kept submerged in a plastic tray filled with water.

On switching on the fan the system clears the air of all suspended particulate matter and dissolves water-soluble gases. Bubbles coming out of the water contain fresh air. This air can be passed through a negative-ion generator. Negative ions clear the air of dust, pollens, pet dander, mold spores and other potential allergens. It can also significantly decrease airborne viruses and bacteria.

A negative-ion generator is easily available from online sites like Amazon.

Air-purifier system for roads

A commercial version of such a system for use in the open is illustrated in Fig. 2.
Polluted air is thrown by high-pressure blower A into tank B that is full of water, as shown in Fig 2. This air leaves most suspended particles in the water, which settle down with time in dust tank C. Normally, lever L1 is open and lever L2 is closed.

Water-soluble toxic gases like NOx, SO2 and NH3 get dissolved in water. Due to sucking of air from road, most particles of 2.5 and 10 microns move from the road into this system.
Submersible pump F is used to fill water in the tank whenever required.

Purified air is passed to chamber D that is fitted with a negative-ion generator. This clears the air of remaining dust particles, if any, including pollens, pet dander, mold, spores, germs and other allergens.

Air is forwarded to catalytic converter chamber E. This removes gases like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. Air coming out of this system is thus reasonably pure. When chamber C gets filled with dust, lever L1 is closed and lever L2 is opened to remove the dust into a dustbin.

Key benefits.

Major benefits of such an air purifier are:
• Gives clean air using a highly-effective system that progressively reduces suspended particles and gaseous pollutants from the vicinity
• Gives pure air using a system for the removal of germs, pollens and allergens
• By-products can be utilised for other commercial uses
• Easy to construct using commercially-available components
• Low-maintenance system having a filterless design

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Hype and “AI Washing” Is Creating Confusion, Obscuring the Real Benefits of the Technology

Mumbai, India, July 18, 2017 — Market hype and growing interest in artificial intelligence (AI) are pushing established software vendors to introduce AI into their product strategy, creating considerable confusion in the process, according to Gartner, Inc. Analysts predict that by 2020, AI technologies will be virtually pervasive in almost every new software product and service.

In January 2016, the term “artificial intelligence” was not in the top 100 search terms on gartner.com. By May 2017, the term ranked at No. 7, indicating the popularity of the topic and interest from Gartner clients in understanding how AI can and should be used as part of their digital business strategy. Gartner predicts that by 2020, AI will be a top five investment priority for more than 30 percent of CIOs.

“As AI accelerates up the Hype Cycle, many software providers are looking to stake their claim in the biggest gold rush in recent years,” said Jim Hare, research vice president at Gartner. “AI offers exciting possibilities, but unfortunately, most vendors are focused on the goal of simply building and marketing an AI-based product rather than first identifying needs, potential uses and the business value to customers.”

AI refers to systems that change behaviors without being explicitly programmed, based on data collected, usage analysis and other observations. While there is a widely held fear that AI will replace humans, the reality is that today’s AI and machine learning technologies can and do greatly augment human capabilities. Machines can actually do some things better and faster than humans, once trained; the combination of machines and humans can accomplish more together than separately.

To successfully exploit the AI opportunity, technology providers need to understand how to respond to three key issues:

1) Lack of differentiation is creating confusion and delaying purchase decisions

The huge increase in startups and established vendors all claiming to offer AI products without any real differentiation is confusing buyers. More than 1,000 vendors with applications and platforms describe themselves as AI vendors, or say they employ AI in their products.

Similar to greenwashing, in which companies exaggerate the environmental-friendliness of their products or practices for business benefit, many technology vendors are now “AI washing” by applying the AI label a little too indiscriminately, according to Gartner. This widespread use of “AI washing” is already having real consequences for investment in the technology.

To build trust with end-user organizations vendors should focus on building a collection of case studies with quantifiable results achieved using AI.

“Use the term ‘AI’ wisely in your sales and marketing materials,” Mr. Hare said. “Be clear what differentiates your AI offering and what problem it solves.”

2) Proven, less complex machine-learning capabilities can address many end-user needs

Advancements in AI, such as deep learning, are getting a lot of buzz but are obfuscating the value of more straightforward, proven approaches. Gartner recommends that vendors use the simplest approach that can do the job over cutting-edge AI techniques.

3) Organizations lack the skills to evaluate, build and deploy AI solutions

More than half the respondents to Gartner’s 2017 AI development strategies survey* indicated that the lack of necessary staff skills was the top challenge to adopting AI in their organization.

The survey found organizations are currently seeking AI solutions that can improve decision making and process automation. If they had a choice, most organizations would prefer to buy embedded or packaged AI solutions rather than trying to build a custom solution.

“Software vendors need to focus on offering solutions to business problems rather than just cutting-edge technology,” said Mr. Hare. “Highlight how your AI solution helps address the skills shortage and how it can deliver value faster than trying to build a custom AI solution in-house.”

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In this video, the presenter will teach you how to install Google Assistance also known as Google home on your Raspberry Pi Development board. The complete process along with the Python code is given in the video itself.

Courtesy: Novaspirit Tech

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