"Also of Interest" and "Elementals" is an extension of our belief that engineers are interested in on-going tutorial on obviously relevant topics, as well as the serendipity of exploring topics which are not directly related to their jobs, but which will broaden their knowledge and sometimes spurs innovative and creative approaches. The first box highlights items of general interest to the engineer, while the second highlights basic and tutorial electronic-engineering material. Among the publications we check are IEEE Spectrum, Machine Design, Design News, Laser Focus World, EDN, Electronic Design, NASA Tech Briefs, Microwave Journal, RF & Microwaves, and Physics Today, plus others.

Consider these items as "online-only" extras, and worth a look. (Please note: there are also links to the previous weeks' editions, below this week's items.)

Also of Interest:

• The design process has changed over the past 15 years, and so have geometric dimensioning and tolerancing standards:
  "New ASME Y14.5 - 2009 Standards for GD&T,"
  Machine Design , October 19, 2009
• Small wind turbines don't use the same technology found on the megawatt-scale behemoths populating wind farms:
  "The Backyard Wind Turbine,"
  Machine Design, November 3, 2009
• The properties of optical fibers can be tailored to match specific operating conditions and enable fiber-optic systems to operate in a broad range of hostile settings:
  "Special fibers address environmental challenges,"
  Laser Focus World, October 2009
• 3D printing, new materials, and regenerative therapy are among advancements in the dental R&D crystal ball:
  "Dentistry Moves to the Future with EOS, Ex One,"
  Desktop Engineering, November 2009

• Using a transformer to generate a differential signal from a function generator or network analyzer is the least expensive approach:
  "Generate A Differential Signal Using A Transformer Plus Signal Splitter,"
  Electronic Design, September 10, 2009
• Use diodes to steer current in the right direction:
  "Connect two buttons with just two wires,"
  EDN, September 17, 2009
• Matlab/Simulink can be a useful tool in analyzing the effects of signal impairments, such as phase noise, on the modulation quality of single-carrier and multicarrier OFDM WiMAX transmitters:
  "Analyzing WiMAX Modulation Quality,"
  Microwaves & RF, October 22, 2009
• The key parameters of mixer performance assist in the selection of an appropriate device for wireless base station design:
  "Selecting High-Linearity Mixers for Wireless Base Stations,"
  High Frequency Electronics, October 2009

• November 30, 2009
• November 23, 2009
• November 16, 2009
• November 9, 2009

• December 2, 2009
• November 24, 2009
• November 18, 2009
• November 11, 2009