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  • These tiny holes could change how the world cleans water
    A new nature-inspired membrane uses perfectly uniform one-nanometer pores to filter molecules with remarkable precision. The technology could transform industries such as pharmaceuticals and textiles by reducing energy consumption, improving water reuse, and delivering separation performance far beyond current filters.
  • Scientists discover a hidden quantum world inside cobalt
    Scientists have uncovered unexpected quantum complexity inside cobalt, a metal long thought to be fully understood. Advanced measurements revealed a dense network of topological electronic states that remain robust at room temperature. These states enable extremely fast electron behavior and can be switched or controlled using magnetism. The discovery could open new paths toward next-generation […]
  • A 100-year-old piano mystery has finally been solved
    For more than a century, pianists and music teachers have argued over whether a performer’s touch can actually change the tone color of a piano note — and now scientists say the answer is yes. Using a cutting-edge sensor system that tracked piano key movements at 1,000 frames per second, researchers discovered that elite pianists […]
  • Ordinary WiFi can now identify people with near perfect accuracy
    Scientists in Germany have demonstrated a startling new form of surveillance: identifying people using nothing more than ordinary WiFi signals. By analyzing how radio waves bounce around a room, researchers can effectively “see” and recognize individuals — even if they are not carrying a device and even if their phone is turned off.
  • New quantum sensor could count individual photons and hunt dark matter
    Researchers have built an ultra-sensitive sensor capable of detecting unimaginably small amounts of energy — below one zeptojoule. The breakthrough relies on fragile superconducting materials that react to even the slightest temperature change. This level of precision could improve quantum computers, enable photon counting, and even help scientists detect elusive dark matter particles from space.
  • New quantum algorithm solves “impossible” materials problem in seconds
    A new quantum-inspired algorithm has cracked a problem so massive that conventional supercomputers struggle to even approach it. Researchers used the method to simulate extraordinarily complex quantum materials known as quasicrystals, opening the door to powerful new quantum devices and ultra-efficient electronics. The work could help scientists design advanced topological qubits and materials for future […]
Illustration of a 3-phase AC motor showing three sets of stator coils (U, V, W) around a rotor with north and south poles. A waveform graph of phase shifts for Phase 1, 2, and 3 is included. On the right, text reads "Types of AC motors – Working principle" with an MPLAB X IDE microcontroller chip visual at the bottom.

Types of AC Motors – Working Principles

Motors are primarily categorized as either AC or DC, with further classifcation based on their inherent rotation characteristics. In this article, we will commence by explaining the operation of the induction AC motor. The subsequent section delves into another type, specifically the synchronous AC motor. Finally we will provide an ...
Diagram showing SPI communication between PIC16F877A microcontroller (master) and a slave device using SCK, MOSI, MISO, and SS lines, with MPLAB X IDE branding.

SPI for microcontrollers

In this article we will take a closer look at Serial Peripheral Interface, also called SPI. This is the third and last serial communication module in the PIC16F877A. Previously we have seen UART and I2C, and we discussed how those modules operate. Here we focus solely on SPI; what it ...
Featured image of I2C for PIC microcontrollers

I2C for PIC Microcontrollers

In this article, we will take a closer look at the I2C serial communication protocol. This is the second in a series of three articles covering serial communication; the others focus on USART and SPI. In this post we will explain what I2C is, how it functions, and how you ...
Diagram showing USART communication between two microcontrollers labeled µC1 and µC2, with TX of µC1 connected to RX of µC2 and vice versa. Includes MPLAB X IDE logo and microcontroller image.

USART for PIC Microcontrollers

The USART module, also referred to as the Serial Communications Interface (SCI), is a crucial hardware module that enables a microcontroller to communicate with other devices via serial communication. This mode of communication transmits data one bit at a time. In this tutorial, we will discuss the two different modes of ...
Educational graphic showing the analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) process using the PIC16F877A microcontroller. On the left is a graph of a smooth analog voltage waveform sampled at discrete points (shown as red dots), and on the right is the PIC16F877A chip with MPLAB X IDE branding. The image illustrates how analog voltages are digitized for processing in microcontroller-based systems.

PIC16F877A Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)

The ADC module in microcontrollers indeed allows them to interface with the analog world by converting continuous analog signals into discrete digital values. This capability is crucial for various applications such as sensing, control systems, and communication. It is distinct from PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), which uses discrete pulses to ...
Graphical illustration of PWM signal showing narrow and wide pulses with varying duty cycles. Includes a 10V signal graph, labels for voltage levels, and mentions PIC16F877A microcontroller and MPLAB X IDE.

Using PWM in PIC16F877A

Digital signals (0 or 1) and analog signals (range of values) are both used in electronics. Analog inputs can be converted to digital through an ADC. To control analog devices with a microcontroller, DACs are used but they're costly and space-consuming. PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) is a cost-effective technique that ...
Educational slide introducing Timer2 of the PIC16F877A microcontroller. It includes a stopwatch icon with the phrase “Alarm, Timers, how does it work?” on the left, and an image of the PIC microcontroller with MPLAB X IDE branding on the right. The tutorial focuses on Timer2's use in generating precise delays and pulse-width modulation (PWM).

PIC16F877A Timer2 tutorial

The Timer2 module is an 8-bit timer/counter within most PIC MCU devices. Timer2 can increment up to a value of 255 before it overflows back to zero. Timer2 has other built-in features that make it very useful for many different applications.
Educational slide introducing the Timer1 module of the PIC16F877A microcontroller. The left side shows a stopwatch icon and the question “Alarm, Timers, how does it work?”, while the right side features the microcontroller image and MPLAB X IDE logo. The tutorial focuses on Timer1's role in timing, delays, and interrupts.

PIC16F877A Timer1 Tutorial

The Timer1 module is a 16-bit timer/counter within most PIC MCU devices. Timer1 can increment up to a value of 65535 before it overflows back to zero. Because the timer is built into an 8-bit device, the 16-bit timer register is broken into two 8-bit registers (TMR1L and TMR1H) and ...
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