08 Aug, 2023 - Florisera

Daily tech news

Physicists just found the ‘ghost’ of superconductivity
Physicists have found striking evidence for an unusual form of superconducting behavior in uranium ditelluride, where electron pairs organize into rippling patterns called pair density waves. Even more surprisingly, these patterns appear to survive after ordinary superconductivity disappears, suggesting that the electron pairs responsible for superconductivity may begin forming before the material actually becomes superconducting.
Scientists finally see how nature moves energy so efficiently
Researchers have captured key steps in a chemical reaction that helps nature transfer energy with remarkable efficiency. Ultrafast X-rays revealed how changes involving electrons and protons are closely linked to the rearrangement of surrounding water molecules. Because similar reactions drive photosynthesis and other energy-conversion processes, the technique could help scientists develop better catalysts, fuel cells, […]
A new kind of magnetism could unlock faster, more efficient computers
Scientists have discovered evidence of altermagnetism in a thin, highly tunable material that could help electronics use electron spin instead of relying only on electrical charge. The unusual magnetic state may enable faster, more energy-efficient devices without the unwanted magnetic interference caused by conventional magnets.
A new process turns plastic waste into gasoline and diesel fuel
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a surprisingly simple way to turn polyethylene, the common plastic used in shopping bags and cutting boards, into gasoline and diesel-like fuels. The process uses inexpensive aluminum-based molten salts to break long plastic molecules into smaller hydrocarbons, producing about 60% gasoline under relatively mild conditions.
Billions in rare earth elements may be hiding in America’s coal ash
Scientists are looking to diatoms, sea sponges, and plants for a cleaner way to recover rare earth elements and other valuable minerals hidden inside coal ash, red mud, and mine tailings. The bio-inspired approach could turn massive industrial waste piles into useful materials while reducing energy use, harsh chemicals, and reliance on new mining.
Scientists turn seawater into fresh water without harmful brine
Scientists have developed a solar-powered desalination system that turns seawater into fresh water while removing nearly all of the leftover salt as a solid instead of producing harmful brine. The self-cleaning technology could also recover valuable minerals such as lithium, potentially turning desalination waste into a useful resource.

Display tutorial, Embedded systems

Connecting PIC16F877A with LEDs

In this tutorial we will explore the concept of connecting your microcontroller with LEDs. This exercise is ideal for beginners who want to gain insight into the practical application of a microcontroller. Throughout the tutorial, you will learn fundamental skills such as configuring GPIO and programming the MCU to blink ...

Core tutorial, Embedded systems

Port-based configuration and signal manipulation in PIC16F877A

We need to set certain pins to work as General Purpose Input and Output. To do this, we need to look at the 8-bit TRIS register in the PIC16F877A datasheet. An example of port A and B can be seen in the figure below. This data has been taken out ...

Illustration showing the 40-pin layout of the PIC16F877A microcontroller. Each pin is labeled with its corresponding port (e.g., RA0, RB7), alternate functions (such as ADC inputs, UART, SPI, I2C), and power supply pins (VDD, VSS). Used to guide hardware interfacing in MPLAB X IDE projects.

Core tutorial, Embedded systems

Pin diagram of the PIC16F877A microcontroller

For accurate and dependable information, referring to the datasheets provided by Microchip Technology is advisable; these documents can be accessed here. Additionally, a brief overview of the pin diagram is recommended, detailing their functionalities and locations.