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  • A strange quantum effect could power future electronics
    Rice University physicists confirmed that flat electronic bands in kagome superconductors aren’t just theoretical, they actively shape superconductivity and magnetism. This breakthrough could guide the design of next-generation quantum materials and technologies.
  • Room-temperature quantum breakthrough freezes motion without cooling
    ETH Zurich scientists have levitated a tower of three nano glass spheres using optical tweezers, suppressing almost all classical motion to observe quantum zero-point fluctuations with unprecedented precision. Achieving 92% quantum purity at room temperature, a feat usually requiring near absolute zero, they have opened the door to advanced quantum sensors without costly cooling.
  • Tiny gold “super atoms” could spark a quantum revolution
    Scientists have found that microscopic gold clusters can act like the world’s most accurate quantum systems, while being far easier to scale up. With tunable spin properties and mass production potential, they could transform quantum computing and sensing.
  • Scientists unveil bioplastic that degrades at room temperature, and outperforms petroplastics
    Plastic pollution is a mounting global issue, but scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have taken a bold step forward by creating a new bioplastic inspired by the structure of leaves. Their innovation, LEAFF, enhances strength, functionality, and biodegradability by utilizing cellulose nanofibers, outperforming even traditional plastics. It degrades at room temperature, can be […]
  • Building electronics that don’t die: Columbia's breakthrough at CERN
    Deep beneath the Swiss-French border, the Large Hadron Collider unleashes staggering amounts of energy and radiation—enough to fry most electronics. Enter a team of Columbia engineers, who built ultra-rugged, radiation-resistant chips that now play a pivotal role in capturing data from subatomic particle collisions. These custom-designed ADCs not only survive the hostile environment inside CERN […]
  • Digital twins are reinventing clean energy — but there’s a catch
    Researchers are exploring AI-powered digital twins as a game-changing tool to accelerate the clean energy transition. These digital models simulate and optimize real-world energy systems like wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, and biomass. But while they hold immense promise for improving efficiency and sustainability, the technology is still riddled with challenges—from environmental variability and degraded equipment […]

Category

Featured image of how to use interrupts in the PIC16F877A
How to use interrupts in microcontrollers
In this tutorial we will learn how to use external interrupts in PIC microcontrollers. We will go in depth on how to set it up...
Educational graphic showing how to interface 4x3 matrix keypads with a PIC16F877A microcontroller. The image includes two physical keypads, a schematic layout of the 4x3 keypad connections, the PIC16F877A chip, and the MPLAB X IDE logo. Text reads "Interfacing PIC16F877A with 4x3 keypads."
Interfacing 4×3 keypads with PIC16F877A
In this tutorial, we will provide an overview of the 4x3 membrane keypad. The keypad serves as a reliable and budget-friendly tool for having inputs...
Featured image of the PIC16F877A - Transistors and beyond part 3
Control Possibilities with PIC16F877A: Relays, Optos, H Bridges (Part 3 of 3)
Most microcontrollers have limited current sink or current source on their pins, including the PIC16F877A. However, certain projects may require larger currents than the maximum...
Educational graphic showing the interface of a PIC16F877A microcontroller with N-channel MOSFETs. It includes a circuit symbol and cross-sectional diagram of a MOSFET, the microcontroller chip, and MPLAB X IDE logo. The title reads “PIC16F877A and MOSFETs Part 2.”
Interfacing PIC16F877A with MOSFETS (Part 2 of 3)
Most microcontrollers have a limited current sink or current source on the pins, the PIC16F877A is no exception. However, for certain projects you may want...
Educational graphic explaining how to interface the PIC16F877A microcontroller with BJT transistors. It shows the circuit symbols and current equations for both NPN and PNP transistors, alongside the microcontroller and MPLAB X IDE logo. The image is titled “PIC16F877A and BJT transistors Part 1.”
Interfacing PIC16F877A with transistors (Part 1 of 3)
Most microcontrollers have a limited current sink or current source on the pins, the PIC16F877A is no exception. However, for certain projects you may want...
Featured image of connecting PIC16F877A with LCD screen
Connecting PIC16F877A with an LCD screen
In this tutorial we will see what an LCD-screen is, how it works and how it is used. We will continue by connecting it to...

Prerequisits

To make it easier, I assume you have a basic knowledge of the following:

  • Basic circuitry knowledge; such as resistors, transistors, diodes, relays.
  • Basic programming knowledge in C; understand what are functions, operators, data types, and more.
  • Digital electronics, such as logic gates.

On some occasions I will explain it from scratch, but to understand everything, it is best to brush up on the basics so that you can follow the tutorials.

Required Software

For these tutorials we use Microchip’s own software package that includes:

  • MPLAB X IDE
  • XC8 Compiler
  • PICKIT3 programmer/debugger

All the tools can be downloaded at the official website of Microchip Technology

Required Hardware

The full tutorial consists of many different types of electrical components, sensors and actuators. It depends completely on your own project what you need. However, in all cases you will need a Pickit3 tool to install the software and you need at least 1 PIC16F877A microcontroller to install it on.