Amelia's Weekly Fish Fry

These Silicon Times - They Are a Changin'

With Moore’s Law in our back pocket, we’re hitching a ride to 2015 and the next process nodes. We’re talking chip design in this week’s Fish Fry. From your silicon dreams to their verified reality, we’re looking at each step of the chip design process. My guest this Frank Schirrmeister from Cadence Design Systems and we’re gonna chat about some serious top to bottom design business and try to navigate our way forward.

Also this week, I’ve got a Freescale Freedom Development Kit to give away (courtesy of Mouser Electronics) and you can enter to win by commenting on this week’s Fish Fry page.

E Ticket To Ride

All Aboard! The train is leaving the station. This week we’re taking the EE express from EDA station through some twisty turns in the mountainous region of ethics in our fair semiconductor industry, and then it's on over the hill to some awesome energetic engineering. We're checking out the EDA goodness that is CDNLive including the seriously Sci-Fi movie in one of this year's keynotes. On our next stop, we're looking into the role that ethics plays (and should play) in the semiconductor industry with Xerxes Wania (CEO - Sidense), and we're also grooving to a whole new way to do The Harlem Shake - engineering style. Also this week, I'm giving away a Arduino Nano Board courtesy of Newark element14. Check out this week's broadcast to find out how to win. Click here to enter to win an Arduino Nano Board courtesy of Newark element14

Clearly You've Never Been to Singapore

Fish Fry is coming to you from the beautiful island nation of Singapore this week. We're checking out the best geeky hotpots this fine country has to offer including a visit to GLOBALFOUNDRIES - the second largest independent semiconductor company in the world, a tour of the Funan Digital Life Mall, and some serious LEGO action at the ScienceArt Museum. Also this week we're chatting with Tom Tranter (Avnet) and Wendy Lockhart (Microsemi)about their SpeedWay Design Workshops and we're giving away a ST Discovery Kit courtesy of Newark element14. Click here to enter to win a ST Discovery Kit courtesy of Newark element14

EDA All Around

In honor of DVCon this week, we're rounding up all the verification jokes we can muster. "I just finished verifying my multicores and boy are my ARMs tired." Or maybe: "How many verification engineers does it take to change a lightbulb?" "None, of course - but they will be able to confirm that the bulb has actually been changed." Or how about: "Seriously folks - take my dev-kit... Please!"

In Fish Fry this week, we're looking at the themes, parties, and verification technologies at DVCon 2013. Keeping with the EDA theme, I also chat with Dmitry Melnick (Aldec) about the details of Aldec's recent collaboration with Hitatchi and why he thinks traditional coding styles are no longer adequate for our multi-million gate FPGA designs.

I have a Microchip chipKIT Educational Starter Pack to give away (courtesy of Newark element14) to one lucky listener this week, but you'll need to listen to find out how you can enter to win.

The New Chip In Town

As the ‘70s rock band the Eagles put it so appropriately, “They will never forget you until somebody new comes along.” Hey Xilinx and Altera, there’s a new kid in town...and he’s got a big brother will a lot of money, power, and a hot new process technology. This week's Fish Fry is all about the hottest EE news to hit the streets, Achronix (with Intel) is now shipping their Speedster22i FPGAs and the programmable marketplace may never look the same again. My guest is Robert Blake (CEO - Achronix) and we’re gonna get into the details of this announcement and check out where Achronix is headed. Also this week, I’ve got a brand new nerdy giveaway - Microchip TCHIP003 chipKIT™ Starter Pak - courtesy of Mouser and Microchip Technology. If you want one for your very own, listen to this week’s broadcast to find out how you can enter to win.

Contests, Boards, and Pi! Oh My!

This week’s Fish Fry is brought to you by you. Yes, you. The DSP dude. The Coder chick. The Analog Grand Master. We’re celebrating engineers in all shapes, sizes and process nodes. With National Engineers Week just around the corner my guest this week is Tamara Jurgenson (Newark/element14), and we’re gonna chat about Element14’s month-long engineering party. I’m giving everyone the chance to win a LaunchPad Evaluation kit courtesy of Texas Instruments, but you’ll have to listen to find out how to enter to win.

MEMS and Candy

In honor of Valentine's Day next week, Fish Fry is all about love. From our love of sugary Death Star-shaped treats to our love of MEMS-enabled devices. This week my guest is Bryan Hoadley (President - Movea). Bryan and I get into to the nitty gritty details of the Movea Lab and Bryan gives me a special demonstration of their air signature technology. We're also delving into the world of specialized Valentine's Day treats this week, and pick our favorite gift for that special geeky someone in your life.

I’m giving everyone the chance to win a LaunchPad Evaluation kit courtesy of Texas Instruments, but you’ll have to listen to find out how to enter to win.

Warp Speed. Engage.

Fish Fry. The Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Fish Fry. Boldly going where no electrical engineering podcast has gone before. This week we’re voyaging to the land of vanishing electronics and design challenges at warp speed. My guest is Adrian Fernandez (Texas Instruments) and we’re chatting about the MCU BoosterPack Design Challenge, how you can enter, what you need to do to win, and what groovy prizes they are giving away. Also this week, I check out DARPA’s Vanishing Programmable Resources (VAPR) Program, how this agency plans to make disappearing electronics, and how Hollywood’s version of warp speed is all wrong. I’m giving everyone the chance to win an LaunchPad Evaluation kit courtesy of Texas Instruments, but you’ll have to listen to find out how to enter to win.

Learning The Language of Analog Design

It's never too late. Why not start today? I know you can. Yep, I'm talking about analog design.  This week we're giving everyone a little analog university refresher. We're getting down to some serious analog business with Bob Dobkin (Linear Technology Co-Founder, CTO & VP of Engineering). Bob and I are going to investigate how analog design is like learning a language, why application notes are crucial to the study of analog design, and how you can update your analog circuit knowledge with just a couple clicks.

Also this week, I'm giving everyone another chance to win a copy of "FRAM For Dummies" but you will need to listen to find out how you can win.

From Cradle to Floor

Headlamp? Check. Spelunking gear? Check. Map of your next design from prototype to production? Well, hmmmm.  We’ve all been there at one time or another: "A nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there." This week we’re getting into the nitty gritty details of the prototyping phase of our designs. My guest is Bob Potock (Kozio) and we’re gonna chat about why you really should consider functional verification for your next embedded design project. Also this week, I’m checking out the newest innovation in thermoelectric energy harvesting from Perpetua Power Solution Technologies and giving everyone another chance to win a copy of “FRAM For Dummies.”