Cats, grasshoppers & the challenges of ESD/EMI
Embedded
systems developers remind me of a cat in a field full of grasshoppers, faced as
they are with innumerable transient electrical problems in their designs. Early
on, before the numbers have gotten too large, the cat jumps from spot to spot,
munching away happily on an unexpected source of protein. But as the day
progresses and things heat up, there are so many insects that the cat is
immobile with indecision. With an insect under each paw and another in its
mouth, when it reaches for a nearby flying locust it loses one it already has.
Similarly, with complex system-on-chip designs of high density but
increasing transient electrical sensitivities, embedded developers are faced
with so many diverse transient system faults that I am surprised they are able
to cope. But in "A standards-based approach to capacitive-sensor EMC
problems," the authors remind us of the one thing that human
engineers have – each other – and their ability and desire to communicate with
each other about problems and potential solutions in the form of standards
organizations. In their article the Azoteq engineers describe how by following
basic principles based on industry standards, it is possible to implement
designs with high signal-to-noise ratios that will withstand a barrage of noisy
abuse.
Embedded developers also have online venues
where they can learn about how to deal with such challenges.
There are a number of useful recent tutorials and tip sheets on EMI/ESD
transient challenges published recently on Embedded.com. Topics include
EMC-aware PCB design, an ESD/EMC design guide, a series on EMC
basics, and an article on treating your IC as an ESD test chip. Also
included are a range of other useful columns, webinars, classes, and white
papers, of which my Editor's Top Picks are:
Improving the transient immunity of your MCU-based
design
Testing system design components for EMI
problems
Reduce EMI with spread spectrum clock generators
Does EMC stand for exasperating, magic or confusing?
Why EMC testing is insufficient, and what is
necessary
As devices get more complex and designs move into
consumer, home, and industrial environments as full of electrical transients as
a field full of grasshoppers, this topic deserves ongoing coverage and
discussion. I am continuing my search for more on such issues, but if you have
any ideas for blogs, columns, and articles you would like to read – or write -
keep in contact with me.
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