Scaling Advanced Materials for the Future of Battery Manufacturing: An Interview with Joe Adiletta of Volexion

In this week’s podcast, we’re stepping onto the frontier of battery innovation! My guest is Volexion CEO Joe Adiletta. Joe and I discuss why some battery materials perform great in a lab but fail in real world production, what “designing backward from the factory” means in terms of battery design and the role that manufacturing plays … Read More → "Scaling Advanced Materials for the Future of Battery Manufacturing: An Interview with Joe Adiletta of Volexion"

In Memoriam: Tracy Kidder, author of Pulitzer Prize-Winning “The Soul of a New Machine”

Tracy Kidder, the author of the 1981 best-selling book “The Soul of a New Machine,” has passed away. Kidder wrote many non-fiction books including his first book, “The Road to Yuba City,” and “House,” “Strength in What Remains,” Mountains Beyond Mountains,” “Old Friends,” “Among Schoolchildren,” “Home Town,” and “Good Prose.” “The Soul of a New Machine” was only his second published book and his only book to win a Pulitzer … Read More → "In Memoriam: Tracy Kidder, author of Pulitzer Prize-Winning “The Soul of a New Machine”"

Solving the Memory Wall: A Deep Dive into AI Inference with Sandra Rivera

This week, I’m excited to welcome Sandra Rivera from VSORA! We dive into a discussion on why AI inference is essential for deployment at scale, specifically focusing on how VSORA’s patented software architecture addresses the “memory wall” by collapsing memory layers. We explore their recent tape-out,  the need for low latency and high determinism, future plans for OEM modules and MLPerf benchmarking, and even … Read More → "Solving the Memory Wall: A Deep Dive into AI Inference with Sandra Rivera"

April 21, 2026
Global EMC solutions provider EMIS announces the availability of the MF420-2CF-M MRI Filter, a specialised electrical filter for use in Magnetic Resonance Imaging rooms to block unwanted electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio-frequency interference (RFI) from entering or leaving the MRI environment. Designing or selecting an EMI filter for high-field MRI systems is very different from general electronics filtering as MRI environments are extremely sensitive to RF noise and require shielded-room integrity as well ultra-high attenuation across wide frequency bands. EMI filters are critical in MRI High-field systems which operate with very low-level RF signals in an environment featuring strong static magnetic fields. External EMI contamination can degrade signal-to-noise ratio, create artifacts in images and cause regulatory non-compliance. Even cables entering the MRI room can act as antennas and leak noise into the shielded enclosure. MRI EMC filters provide strong suppression of unwanted signals over a wide frequency range up to 10GHz, preventing external noise from affecting MRI signals and ensuring high-quality diagnostic images. These filters are typically installed at the point where power lines or signal cables enter an MRI shielded room, for example: 1. Power line filters – Main AC supply (single/three-phase), Gradient amplifiers, RF amplifiers. 2. Signal line filters – Ethernet / data lines, patient monitoring systems, fire alarms, intercoms, sensors. MRI filters are specially designed to meet the strict performance requirements of equipment manufacturers and ensure compatibility with high-field MRI systems and sensitive imaging processes. The filter components are enclosed in a shielded and sealed metallic housing that protects against dust, moisture, and corrosion ensuring long-lasting performance. Key features include: Connection via threaded conduit and flexible wire leads, allowing fast and secure installation in shielded MRI rooms. Designed with an internal discharge bleeder resistor that safely discharges stored electrical energy when power is turned off, reducing the risk of electric shock during maintenance. Designed with low leakage current, ensuring patient safety by minimising unintended current flow. EMIS aims to offer an end-to-end solution to meet industry’s ongoing EMI Challenges. With a robust global supply footprint across eight industry segments, EMIS is continuously investing in technology and skills to deliver its promise of efficiency with seamless customer support. EMI Solutions has been designing and manufacturing EMI filters for more than 40 years and is a global source for efficient EMI and EMC solutions across all industries, applications and the frequency spectrum. Products available include EMI/EMC Components, Feedthrough Components, Power Quality, Military Grade Filters and Surge Protection. Customers are supported by a very experienced consulting team, a fully equipped Pre-Compliance Lab and a huge safety certified standard product offering of over 2500 part-numbers produced in their own very efficient facility. For more information call +46 8 54 40 30 00, or email sales-eu@eu.emisglobal.com or visit https://emisglobal.com/ -ends- Editor’s note: The attached photograph shows the EMIS MF420-2CF-M MRI Filter About EMI Solutions (EMIS): Has been designing and manufacturing EMI filters for more than 40 years and is a global source for efficient EMI and EMC solutions across all industries, applications and the frequency spectrum. With a robust global supply footprint across eight industry segments, EMIS is continuously investing in technology and skills to deliver its promise of efficiency with seamless customer support.
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featured chalk talk

Nexperia GaN Power Proliferating in All Things Motor Control/Drive
Sponsored by Mouser Electronics and Nexperia
In this episode of Chalk Talk, Art Gonsky from Nexperia and Amelia Dalton discuss the biggest challenges of electric motors and controllers and how GaN power solutions can help solve these issues. They  also investigate how silicon, silicon carbide and GaN power solutions compare and how Nexperia and NXP technologies can get your next motor control design up and running in no time!     
Mar 25, 2026
26,492 views

featured paper

Quickly and accurately identify inter-domain leakage issues in IC designs

Sponsored by Siemens Digital Industries Software

Power domain leakage is a major IC reliability issue, often missed by traditional tools. This white paper describes challenges of identifying leakage, types of false results, and presents Siemens EDA’s Insight Analyzer. The tool proactively finds true leakage paths, filters out false positives, and helps circuit designers quickly fix risks—enabling more robust, reliable chip designs. With detailed, context-aware analysis, designers save time and improve silicon quality.

Click to read more

discussion
Posted on Apr 15 at 8:48am by Steven Leibson
Thanks for the PALs, John. They were truly a contribution to the electronics world.
Posted on Apr 14 at 1:46pm by John Birkner
Hi Steve, it was truly remarkable that Tracy Kidder, a non-technical writer, could produce a work so insightful it inspired even veteran engineers like yourself to embrace new paradigms like programmable logic and PALs. At MMI, we were absolutely delighted by the book's release. Thanks for the memories.
Posted on Apr 14 at 6:49am by Max Maxfield
Hi Steve -- thanks for this remembrance. I remember how engrossed I was when reading “The Soul of a New Machine” back in the mists of time when I wore a much younger man's clothes -- Tracy brought the entire design process alive in a way few people have before ...
Posted on Apr 7 at 8:04am by Max Maxfield
Plumbing is one of those things you don't really think about... until it stops working. There's one thing about being a plumber... you'll never be short of "friends" who call you in the early hours of the morning :-)
Posted on Apr 6 at 4:05pm by Steven Pietrobon
Thanks! I'm glad you found the information useful. A small update. I found a schematic for the 958 RTL decade counter [11]. This shows only 12 components per register (two clock input resistors were deleted), 7 components for the clock buffer and 3 components for the AND gate, giving a total of 58 components, agreeing with ...
Posted on Apr 6 at 5:59am by Steven Leibson
Steven, thank you for this additional information!
Posted on Apr 6 at 5:53am by Steven Pietrobon
>Device #2: Fairchild µLogic Type G RTL IC, 7 components, circa 1962. This is a 3-input NOR gate, available in a TO-99 8-pin can, although you could buy a version where two of the pins were cut off (package code 5C). The die shown is the original non-epitaxial process where the base ...
Posted on Mar 16 at 9:54am by Max Maxfield
Thank you for this very detailed and thought-provoking comment. I must admit that I'm constantly amazed by how intricate and wonderful things are, and I'm not oblivious to Romans 1:20: "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being ...
Posted on Mar 14 at 6:02am by clixandru1
Great article. Thank you for writing it. I would add a few things. If you extend your right arm forward horizontally with palm facing up like holding a plate, you will notice your right thumb points laterally. If you rotate the palm normally towards your left side to the maximum, ...
Posted on Mar 10 at 7:49am by Max Maxfield
Hi Sandy — I only wish I were attending APEC this year — I'd love to see this in action!!!
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featured blogs
Apr 2, 2026
Build, code, and explore with your own AI-powered Mars rover kit, inspired by NASA's Perseverance mission....
GaN for Humanoid Robots
Sponsored by Mouser Electronics and Infineon
In this episode of Chalk Talk, Eric Persson and Amelia Dalton explore why power is the key driver for efficient and reliable robot movements and how GaN technologies can help motor control solutions be more compact, integrated and efficient. They also investigate the role of field-oriented control in humanoid robotic applications and why the choice of a GaN power transistor can make all the difference in your next humanoid robot project!
Apr 20, 2026
691 views
Connecting the World Through Space
Sponsored by Mouser Electronics and Qorvo
In this episode of Chalk Talk, Ryan Jennings from Qorvo and Amelia Dalton explore the critical components and design challenges inherent in LEO satellite infrastructure and how Qorvo’s solutions are enabling the next generation of space-based connectivity. 
Mar 30, 2026
22,782 views