Lithium Pillow

See? It looks like a pillow. I think puffing or swelling are other terms in use, but I prefer pillowing. You might not want to lay your head on this one though. This issue is described pretty well (and humorously) here and here.

This particular battery was in a mouse I was using today. The battery was originally 5.0mm thick, but it has swelled to 6.5mm. This swelling indicates trouble inside, perhaps poor quality control by the battery manufacturer but more likely poor charging circuitry from the mouse manufacturer.

Fortunately for me, my mouse had a built-in emergency warning system. Remember that 1.5mm of additional thickness? It caused the mouse's outer enclosure to fall apart!

So, as you're going about your day, take note of all the lithium-powered devices around you (smartphones, laptops, power tools, etc.) which are NOT puffing up, falling apart, or bursting into flames. It's seldom glamorous, but we embedded electronics engineers are looking out for you!

Gathering tools

So... it turns out that 43 Folders is more of a conversation/mindset than it is a tool. I'll check back there periodically for inspiration/motivation, kind of like how I visit hackaday. Meanwhile, Jira costs at least $10. So, that leaves me with Rally as the free opportunity to get organized while learning a bit about Agile development along the way. Thus far, I have four Bugs, three Stories (1 completed!), two Milestones, and one Project. Tonight: spousal training on workflow: bugs, grooming, etc.

Meanwhile, on the life side of things, I found these three blog posts semi-related and impactful:

Cranking by Merlin Mann.
Penelope Trunk's latest. Note: this contains full-tilt speculation about current events which I can't endorse. But, the underlying themes are no less relevant: what lies are we telling to ourselves? to others?
Arianna Huffington on Burnout.

In the context of getting organized and prioritizing tasks, I think these three pieces pull together some important threads. Why get organized? Why become more efficient/productive? For more money or prestige? Yesterday, David Brooks was on public radio talking about character. I like how he discussed our societal shift toward "resume virtues" and away from "eulogy virtues". I think it's time to set aside the climber resume polishing mindset and accept that we can't "have it all". I love solving problems and designing new products with a professional team. But, I also want to be an excellent spouse, parent, and friend. The path I'm aiming for is: effective prioritization leads to less stress/more energy which leads to more product design breakthroughs and a circle of family/friends with whom to celebrate.

What we need here is...

When I was working full-time at an office, a to-do list was not really necessary. By the time work, kids, sleeping, and bathing were accomplished, there was very little time left over for projects at home. I think that this can reasonably be categorized as a crisis/triage approach to tasks.

But, on my first day consulting from home, my head was full of ways I COULD spend the day... fix that clunk from the front passenger tire? mow the lawn for the first time this season? work on the treehouse? update my LinkedIn profile? catch up on paperwork and shred old receipts? get pricing for that CAD package I'll need, or maybe just a nice long bike ride... I think this is a common problem for engineers - we possess the skills to do many tasks, but each one of them takes time and focus - where to begin? At the office, project managers are assigned to keep us on task. At home, I usually start the morning with one high priority task, one fun task, and maybe some soup for supper. Suddenly, it's 7pm, the kids are hungry, the dining room table is covered with a project, and the soup is only half complete. Where did the time go?

If this consulting gig is going to work, I need to make sure that my weekdays don't devolve like so many Saturdays of the past; it's time for some prioritization! I'm sure that this could be done with Post-It notes or a whiteboard, but this is 2015, and everything needs a web interface! So, on the top of my priority list: choose a work/issue tracking tool: I've used Jira in the past, had some brief exposure to Rally, and heard good things about 43 Folders. Stay tuned for a decision.

Cool EV Retrofit

Just watched a cool video of an EV retrofit kit. Cool because it's "as easy as changing your brake pads" with a target cost of "$3,000 out-the-door".
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jfU1CddhgM
Fact Sheet: http://www.mtsu.edu/research/docs/Wheel_Hub.pdf
More Coverage: http://www.hybridcars.com/news/tennessee-college-plug-hybrid-concept-seeking-commercial-backing-49303.html

DSL is down

I woke up this morning and noticed that internet connectivity was down. After power cycling the DSL modem, I waited for the blinky lights to indicate a successful link. But, I was interrupted by the dog barking; I went to the back door to let her in and...

Well, there's your problem.

One way or another, it appears that the demarcation box for the entire neighborhood's telephone service started on fire. Attempted copper theft?

Education Reform?

At home, we're busy considering various Kindergarten options for Hazel.
Meanwhile, I came across these two interesting diatribes on the educational system:

Last night, I watched Sir Ken Robinson discuss primary school education, and its detrimental effect on creativity: Especially note his brief commentary about the (over) diagnosis of ADHD.


Then, today, I noticed that Seth Godin had a manifesto on the same topic. I've read through section 26 thus far, and it's looking solid. http://www.stopstealingdreams.com

Instant tandem/tag-along? Or just for towing?

This post is 1/2 for you the reader and 1/2 note to myself. Over a year ago, I saw this cool rear bicycle rack which allowed another bicycle to be attached. I remember being impressed at the time, but moved on without much thought. Then, as I mentioned in the Yuba post, we spent much of the summer trying to figure out how to bike as a family. My mind kept wandering back to that rack I had seen. Where did I find that anyway? I searched, but couldn't track it down. Well, I finally found it!

Here are more views: View 1, View 2, View 3, View 4.
This "Very Custom Rack"" was made by Joseph Ahearn of Ahearn Cycles.
Sean recently gifted me a skewer + bracket which he won't need where he's headed. Perhaps the Yuba will grow even longer??? Stay tuned...

Cycling the SW Suburbs

As is our tradition this time of year, we spent the weekend on bicycles. In the past, we've driven 1-2 hours out of the cities and stayed at a campground. This year, the adventure started right in front of our house! We found excellent bike trails (and restaurants) all the way to Chanhassen and back. Thanks to Grandma Lori for making our trip possible by watching the kids. You can see our route by clicking here.

Struck funny on the web

Alright, maybe these are only funny to an engineer. Here are two items I came across in the course of work:

First, from a support chat:
---------------------------
Jordan: Please hold one moment
Jordan: let me get a tech to assist one moment please
Chat InformationPlease wait while I transfer you to 'Tech Tim'.
Chat InformationYou are now chatting with 'Tech Tim'
Tech Tim: Hello, I am a technical support representative. Please give me a moment while I review your request.

If I wanted to complain about my service, would I talk to "Manager Mike"?

Yesterday, from Transwiki:
-------------------------------------------
"The following information may have errors; It is not permissible to be read by anyone who has ever met a lawyer. Use is confined to Engineers with more than 370 course hours of electronic engineering for theoretical studies."

No Nothing

Storm Update

A tornado travelled down our block today...
We're all okay! The house is still standing, minus a couple of storm windows and a few shingles...

Over our roof line, you can see the billboard next door. I'm sure glad that didn't come down!

We won't be walking barefoot in the lawn for awhile...

Sadly, our tomato harvest may suffer as well:

Links:
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Electric_Fetus_Minneapolis_Tornado_Damage_Aug_19_2009

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/08/19/minneapolis-tornado-video

Electricity vs. Gasoline

Last fall, I was privileged to attend a talk about the history of the automobile. Ever since then, I've been meaning to document one of the more interesting comments made by the speaker; it was something to the effect of:
100 years ago, gas cost $3/gallon, and electric cars were considered cleaner and safer for short-range travel. In fact, Clara Ford drove an electric car (not manufactured by her husband).
When I repeat this trivia in subsequent conversations, many have asked me, "Is that true?" or "where did you hear that?". As the techie credo goes, it isn't true unless you can hyperlink it!

Detroit Electric:









Inflation Adjusted Fuel Prices:












Sources:
http://www.henryfordestate.org/claracar.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Electric
http://inflationdata.com/Inflation/Inflation_Rate/Gasoline_Inflation.asp

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Look carefully at the image below...
You may need to click on the image to see the full-size version.

Biking... with food!

So, I'm "ice biking" this winter. The coldest temp I've biked in thus far is +5°F. Today, my company is holding a holiday potluck, and I brought my fruit and veggie stew in a Crock Pot. Did I allow the need to safely transport tasty potluck goodness derail my commitment to biking? NO!

Dying Drives, Data Recovery, and Lessons Learned

For the past year, I've been considering the purchase of a network attached storage device with mirrored RAID drives. The goal of this purchase would be to store all our long-term data (pictures etc.) in a location that's independent of any particular PC/laptop that we're currently using. Mirrored RAID would, I figured, provide some insurance against disk failure. But this would be EXPENSIVE I said, and so I delayed.
Then, last week, our external USB drive died. Whenever it was plugged into the computer, it would cause the whole machine to lock up. All our digital pictures were on that drive, and few of them were backed up anywhere else. What's the dollar value of 5 years of pictures? Hazel's birth, trips to Zambia and China, camping trips and vacations - all gone. Most professional data recovery companies want $200 just to get started, and if things get complicated - the cost can approach $2000. I didn't have $2k to spend, but it was sure going to be hard to say goodbye to all those memories.
Fortunately, with the help of a coworker, some magic was worked. The pics were all recovered, along with most of my other files. Now, I'm happy to spend $250 for that NAS device. Additionally, we're signing up for Mozy. Mozy backs up your files online - so they're safe even if your house is leveled by a tornado. The service is ~$4 per month. Now we can archive even more digital memories, and I can rest easy knowing they're safe.

New job, with a view

Did you hear that I started a new job downtown? I'm working at LogicPD. Logic has a fun artistic atmosphere, free pop, and I can easily walk or bike the two miles from home to the office. I tried taking some of my own photos of the new office, but it was too dim/cloudy. So, here's an image I stole from the company blog. I'm working on a 360° panoramic view from my cube... stay tuned. For now, check out the view:

Humor in Unexpected Places

I just read the following warning in an electronic product datasheet. I hope you're not overwhelmed by the highly technical language.

Note1: The power supply capacity should be more than the fusing current. If it is less than the fusing current, the fuse may not blow in a short time, and then nasty smell, smoke and so on may occur.

That's right folks: nasty smell, smoke, AND SO ON!!!

Workin' in a Winter Wonderland

It was a storybook scene outside my office yesterday as a coating of hoar frost lingered through the entire day. Enjoy the pics:

Engineering Links

Here are some websites about the engineering process. I'm blogging them so that I don't lose them, but it'd be great if others find them helpful too.

Methods & Tools is a free magazine with PDF and text issues with practical knowledge, information and resources on software development and software engineering. http://www.methodsandtools.com

IEEE: http://www.ieee.org

Twin Cities Section of the IEEE: http://www.tc-ieee.org

Jack Ganssle: http://www.ganssle.com

Space Claim: http://www.spaceclaim.com/

GreenPeak Tech: http://www.greenpeak.com

We're in China!

After 24 hours of travelling, we arrived in Tianjin, China. Jessica is presenting her math research here on Wednesday at the FPSAC Conference. We're staying at a nice 3-star hotel near Nankai University. Here's two shots of our hotel:

The hotel is right on a lake, which you can see below. The picture is a little fuzzy, which I thought was due to fog in the morning, but I now think it's smog which will always be there. In the distance is the Tianjin skyline. I'm curious whether it's possible to take any wide angle photograph in China without capturing a construction crane... You may not be able to see them well in this shot, but trust me - they're there.
Keep your fingers crossed for more photos. Our HUGE stash of batteries was in the piece of luggage which United Airlines can't find. I've been thrust into the Chinese shopping market experience a bit sooner than I'd planned since our toiletry bag was also in that suitcase :) I think the biggest oddity was: 35 RMB for a nice mid-sized backpack(to carry my other purchases) 45RMB for a bottle of contact solution. Deal of the day: 6.80RMB (under $1) for shoe polish. I knew there was a reason I kept putting that job off while I was back home.
Okay, one more note about the hotel. It took us about 10 minutes to figure out how to turn on any lights in our room beyond the entryway. It turns out, there's an electronic controller next to the bed which manages every light in the room! you can lay there and press the "Master Off" then turn on the night light if you're afraid of the dark - all from the comfort of your bed. In addition to lights, it controls the TV, Air Conditioning, and has a clock/radio. The only thing we can't figure out how to do is set an alarm clock! I may have to devote an entire additional post to the room control system, but that'll be later. Here's a picture of the controller: