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Hardware

What is computer hardware?

Computer hardware is a collectiv e term used to describe any of the physical components of an analog or digital computer. The term hardware distinguishes the tangible aspects of a computing device from software, which consists of written, machine-readable instructions or programs that tell physical components what to do and when to execute the instructions.

Hardware and software are complementary. A computing device can function efficiently and produce useful output only when both hardware and software work together appropriately.

Computer hardware can be categorized as being either internal or external components. Generally, internal hardware components are those necessary for the proper functioning of the computer, while external hardware components are attached to the computer to add or enhance functionality.

Software

System Software

The system software is a collection of programs designed to operate, control, and extend the processing capabilities of the computer itself. System software is generally prepared by the computer manufacturers. These software products comprise of programs written in low-level languages, which interact with the hardware at a very basic level. System software serves as the interface between the hardware and the end users.

Green Energy

What Is Green Energy?

Green energy is any energy type that is generated from natural resources, such as sunlight, wind or water. It often comes from renewable energy sources although there are some differences between renewable and green energy, which we will explore, below.
The key with these energy resources are that they don’t harm the environment through factors such as releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

What Does it Mean?

In order to be deemed green energy, a resource cannot produce pollution, such as is found with fossil fuels. This means that not all sources used by the renewable energy industry are green. For example, power generation that burns organic material from sustainable forests may be renewable, but it is not necessarily green, due to the CO2 produced by the burning process itself.
Green energy sources are usually naturally replenished, as opposed to fossil fuel sources like natural gas or coal, which can take millions of years to develop. Green sources also often avoid mining or drilling operations that can be damaging to eco-systems.

PCBs

What is a printed circuit board?

Before we get into the details of the different and most common components that circuit boards are made of, it is essential to first establish what a printed circuit board (PCB) is and explain its functionality.
A PCB is a circuit board that connects the electrical components of a device. In order for an electronic device like your mobile phone, computer or even light switch, to function, there must be a level of interconnectivity between the electrical components, which is what the PCB provides with layers of copper circuitry.

So what components are printed circuit boards made of?

PCBs are made up of a variety of different electrical components, each vital to the functionality of the device to which it will belong. These PCB components include transistors, fuses, resistors and capacitors, which all play their part to ensure we have a smooth-running device – if one of these components fails, the entire PCB will fail to work and thus affect the functionality of the product itself.
But what are the most common components, and what do they do? In this article we will outline seven of the most important and common PCB assembly components and look at why they are so important.

1. Resistors
Resistors are one of the most crucial and common components in a PCB. They transmit an electric current in order to produce a voltage and dissipate electric power as heat. They can come in a range of different materials and are colour coded in order to determine their resistance value.
2. Transistors
A transistor is simply an amplifier used to switch or control the electronic signals in a board. Transistors have several different variations but the most common is the bipolar transistor, which consists of three pins – the base, the collector and the emitter.
3. Capacitors
Capacitors are the second most common component after resistors. Capacitors hold electrical charge within the board and release it whenever more power is needed elsewhere in the circuit, typically by collecting opposite charges on two conductive layers, separated by an insulating material.
4. Inductors
Inductors are similar in their nature to capacitors, in that they store energy in the form of a magnetic field when current flows through them. They are often used to block signals within the board, such as interference from another electronic device or piece of equipment.
5. Transformers
Transformers are commonly used in order to transfer the electrical energy from one circuit to another by an increase, or decrease, in voltage.
6. Diodes
A diode is a device in the circuit that allows the electrical current to flow in one direction, but not the other. This can be used in order to block current from flowing in the wrong direction, which could damage the board and the device. The most popular diode is the LED (Light Emitting Diode), which is of course used to emit light.
7. Sensors
These are devices that detect changes in environmental conditions and generate an electrical signal that corresponds to the change it has detected, which is then sent on to the other components in the circuit board. Sensors convert a physical element such as light motion, air quality, or sound into electrical energy like a transducer.

IoT

What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?

The term IoT, or Internet of Things, refers to the collective network of connected devices and the technology that facilitates communication between devices and the cloud, as well as between the devices themselves. Thanks to the advent of inexpensive computer chips and high bandwidth telecommunication, we now have billions of devices connected to the internet. This means everyday devices like toothbrushes, vacuums, cars, and machines can use sensors to collect data and respond intelligently to users.
The Internet of Things integrates everyday “things” with the internet. Computer Engineers have been adding sensors and processors to everyday objects since the 90s. However, progress was initially slow because the chips were big and bulky. Low power computer chips called RFID tags were first used to track expensive equipment. As computing devices shrank in size, these chips also became smaller, faster, and smarter over time.
The cost of integrating computing power into small objects has now dropped considerably. For example, you can add connectivity with Alexa voice services capabilities to MCUs with less than 1MB embedded RAM, such as for light switches. A whole industry has sprung up with a focus on filling our homes, businesses, and offices with IoT devices. These smart objects can automatically transmit data to and from the Internet. All these “invisible computing devices” and the technology associated with them are collectively referred to as the Internet of Things.

How does IoT work?

A typical IoT system works through the real-time collection and exchange of data. An IoT system has three components:
Smart devices
This is a device, like a television, security camera, or exercise equipment that has been given computing capabilities. It collects data from its environment, user inputs, or usage patterns and communicates data over the internet to and from its IoT application.
IoT application
An IoT application is a collection of services and software that integrates data received from various IoT devices. It uses machine learning or artificial intelligence (AI) technology to analyze this data and make informed decisions. These decisions are communicated back to the IoT device and the IoT device then responds intelligently to inputs.
A graphical user interface
The IoT device or fleet of devices can be managed through a graphical user interface. Common examples include a mobile application or website that can be used to register and control smart devices.

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