Electronic Design Weekly: May 4-8, 2026
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Editorial: Scoping Out Scopes
What’s one of the best pieces of test equipment? Oscilloscopes, of course.
An electronics lab bench may have a range of test equipment from multimeters to vector network analyzers (VNAs), but one of the most useful and flexible tools is the oscilloscope or, simply, “scope.” It's why our " Engineer's Guide Oscilloscope Techniques" TechXchange is one of our most popular destinations. It provides access to articles and videos highlighting the different types of scopes, probes, and test techniques that are useful to new and experienced electrical engineers.
Click to read the rest of this editorial
Engineer's Guide Oscilloscope Techniques
Oscilloscopes or "scopes" are one of the most use test tools and one found on almost any analog and digital test bench. These TechXchanges highlight different aspects of scope technology and application. Each includes articles and videos providing in depth coverage.
Editor's Choice: From the ElectronicDesign Archives
These articles were chosen by the editors at ElectronicDesign that complement the new articles above. They are included in our regular newsletters.
Bill Wong's Picks for the Week
3D printing is something developers can take advantage of for prototyping but it is being used in production as well. There are also advantages that are only availalbe when using this approach as noted here. Plant Services also had an interesting quiz that might challenge you.
The Industrial Science Report: 3D printing drives programmable industrial materials and new levels of process control
New additive manufacturing techniques give manufacturers control over material behavior with tunable properties and microstructure precision. @ Plant Services
Here at Electronic Design we tend to cover phyisical AI (i.e. robotics, etc.) from an implementation standpoint but how does it fare in the real world. Check this out.
Physical AI in manufacturing: Assistant, replacement or something in between?
The future likely isn’t one or the other, but rather a blend. If there’s good data, AI is replacing human input in certain processes. But people must stay in the loop for their creativity, critical and strategic thinking, and for ethical considerations. @ Smart Industry
Andy's Picks from Around the Web
FCC votes to ban all Chinese labs from certifying electronics sold in the US due to national security concerns — ruling would affect 75 percent of US-bound devices. Link
University of Michigan professor claims that AI models are choking on junk data. Link
Utah's Age-Verification Law Targets VPNs, Risks Ensnaring All Users. Link
Trump administration cites national security in stalling 165 wind farms. Onshore wind development in the United States is being brought to a standstill. Link
95% of China’s Stainless Steel Cutlery is claimed to be Fake. Video
It's Star Wars Day! Days, I suppose.
May the 4th be with you! And Revenge of the 5th!
I propose adding the 6th. Revenge of the 6th! Or maybe Attack of the 6th, since it's a clone of the 5th?
Here is my Star Wars Day hand-drawn cartoon for “Engineering on Friday.” Sick of AI generated images? I am. Celebrating the world's greatest science fiction creations and creators shouldn't have any AI anywhere near it.
Read about my inspiration for the 'toon. How would an engineer fare as a Jedi? Pretty efficiently, I would say.
- Cabe
We have a pretty healthy backlog of already created Inventors humor, but if you have an idea/concept for a cartoon, contact Andy by email with "toon idea" in the subject line and send a brief paragraph or so of the concept/joke. If used, we'll credit you by first name and last initial, though please note that Andy will be signing the cartoon - it's not the idea, it's the execution where all the work is. The cartoons are Andy's originals, the extensively and heavily prompted illustration is assisted by Gemini AI.
Visit the archive of andyT's prior Inventors cartoons, here
About the Author
William G. Wong
Senior Content Director - Electronic Design and Microwaves & RF
I am Editor of Electronic Design focusing on embedded, software, and systems. As Senior Content Director, I also manage Microwaves & RF and I work with a great team of editors to provide engineers, programmers, developers and technical managers with interesting and useful articles and videos on a regular basis. Check out our free newsletters to see the latest content.
You can send press releases for new products for possible coverage on the website. I am also interested in receiving contributed articles for publishing on our website. Use our template and send to me along with a signed release form.
Check out my blog, AltEmbedded on Electronic Design, as well as his latest articles on this site that are listed below.
You can visit my social media via these links:
- AltEmbedded on Electronic Design
- Bill Wong on Facebook
- @AltEmbedded on Twitter
- Bill Wong on LinkedIn
I earned a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Masters in Computer Science from Rutgers University. I still do a bit of programming using everything from C and C++ to Rust and Ada/SPARK. I do a bit of PHP programming for Drupal websites. I have posted a few Drupal modules.
I still get a hand on software and electronic hardware. Some of this can be found on our Kit Close-Up video series. You can also see me on many of our TechXchange Talk videos. I am interested in a range of projects from robotics to artificial intelligence.
Roger Engelke Jr.
Managing Editor - Electronic Design and Microwaves & RF
Roger manages the websites and print issues for Electronic Design and Microwaves &RF.
Andy Turudic
Technology Editor, Electronic Design
Andy Turudic is a Technology Editor for Electronic Design Magazine, primarily covering Analog and Mixed-Signal circuits and devices and also is Editor of ED's bi-weekly Automotive Electronics newsletter.
He holds a Bachelor's in EE from the University of Windsor (Ontario Canada) and has been involved in electronics, semiconductors, and gearhead stuff, for a bit over a half century. Andy also enjoys teaching his engineerlings at Portland Community College as a part-time professor in their EET program.
"AndyT" brings his multidisciplinary engineering experience from companies that include National Semiconductor (now Texas Instruments), Altera (Intel), Agere, Zarlink, TriQuint,(now Qorvo), SW Bell (managing a research team at Bellcore, Bell Labs and Rockwell Science Center), Bell-Northern Research, and Northern Telecom.
After hours, when he's not working on the latest invention to add to his portfolio of 16 issued US patents, or on his DARPA Challenge drone entry, he's lending advice and experience to the electric vehicle conversion community from his mountain lair in the Pacific Northwet[sic].
AndyT's engineering blog, "Nonlinearities," publishes the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. Andy's OpEd may appear at other times, with fair warning given by the Vu meter pic. His cartoon series, "Inventors", appears each week in Electronic Design Weekly.
Cabe Atwell
Technology Editor, Electronic Design
Cabe is a Technology Editor for Electronic Design.
Engineer, Machinist, Maker, Writer, Cartoonist. A graduate Electrical Engineer actively plying his expertise in the industry and at his company, Gunhead. When not designing/building, he creates a steady torrent of projects and content in the media world. Many of his projects and articles are online at element14 & SolidSmack, industry-focused work at EETimes & EDN, and offbeat articles at Make Magazine. Currently, you can find him hosting webinars and contributing to Electronic Design and Machine Design.
Cabe is an electrical engineer, design consultant and author with 25 years’ experience. His most recent book is “Essential 555 IC: Design, Configure, and Create Clever Circuits”
Cabe writes the Engineering on Friday blog on Electronic Design.
James Morra
Senior Editor
James Morra is the senior editor for Electronic Design, covering the semiconductor industry and new technology trends, with a focus on power electronics and power management. He also reports on the business behind electrical engineering, including the electronics supply chain. He joined Electronic Design in 2015 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.
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