Relay and inductive loads

By martinm, in Electronics, february 15,2013.

You probably noticed that many manufacturers, such as Yoctopuce, advise against the use of electro-mechanical relays with inductive loads. Such use would lead to a quick aging of the relays. This week we will explain why and how to work around this issue.

Comparison of temperature sensors

By mvuilleu, in Measures, february 08,2013.

We often receive questions on the characteristics of our temperature sensors: their sampling rate, their accuracy, their adequacy for a particular scenario. We are going to give you a few hints to identify the sensor best suited for your needs.

Using the Raspberry Pi as home automation gateway

By mvuilleu, in Internet of Things and Tiny PC, february 01,2013.

Following last week's article, here is a small real-world application using HTTP callbacks to drive Yoctopuce modules through a NAT filter. We will use here a Raspberry Pi because it's cheap and we don't need too much out of it: only to run a VirtualHub to generate periodic callbacks.

Driving Yoctopuce modules through a NAT filter

By mvuilleu, in Programming, january 25,2013.

When you install a home automation system at home, a common problem is to control it from outside. Indeed, network connection through a DSL router usually protects the home network through an address translation mechanism (NAT). This renders local machines invisible from the outside. Today, we present a solution to work around this issue without lowering the security of your private network. A practical example in home automation will follow in the post of next week.

How to measure wind? (part 2)

By martinm, in DIY, january 18,2013.

Last week, we built an anemometer allowing you to measure wind speed by USB. This week, we describe the complementary tool: a wind vane allowing you to know the wind direction. With USB reading of course, otherwise it's not fun.