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PCBD-May2017

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38 The PCB Design Magazine • May 2017 that in an interview no one else will blow your own horn; you have to do that yourself. And when you are looking for a job, you want your horn to be louder than all the rest that are out there. Recently I watched comedian Steve Martin in a promotional video for his upcoming online comedy class. In the video, he said, "Remember; you are a thought machine. Everything you see, hear, and experience is usable. Whatever makes you unique as a performer, do it. And know that there's room for you." That's not bad advice for us non-comedians as well, and it ties right into my point. Stand firm on those experiences and strengths that make you unique as designer, admin, techni- cian, or even as a manager. And while you're at it, stand firm with gusto and confidence. For years, when encouraging someone who is try- ing to accomplish a difficult task, I've used the expression, "You've got this! We've got our best person on the job!" I say that because I believe it, and I believe in them, and I want them to believe in themselves. You need to be the person in your life who be- lieves in yourself the most, especially when sit- ting across from the interviewer for that next big job. I started writing this column almost three months ago, intending to come back later and polish it up. However, in an ironic turn of events, in this last month I have suddenly found myself in the unexpected position of having to find a new job myself. Talk about life mimicking art! One of the first hiring managers I spoke with told me that I needed to learn a new skill set to get a job. Immediately, the panic began to set in and I became anxious trying to figure out how I was going to cram many years' worth of education and experience into just a few short weeks. And then it hit me like an Acme frying pan raising a Texas-sized lump on the head of Wile E. Coyote: I was doing EXACTLY what I had recommended in this column not to do. I had become so concerned about my perceived inabilities that I had completely forgotten the wealth of skills and experiences that I already have under my belt. Boy, did I feel foolish. Since then I have re- tooled my thinking in my job search to focus on my strengths instead of allowing my fears to distract me. And so if you know of anyone who is look- ing for a support/training/design manager with years and years of design experience in the PCB design industry, please send me a message. I would love to hear from you. I was going to end this column by saying the following to all job seekers, but now I am saying it to myself as well: "You've got this!" PCBDESIGN Tim Haag is a senior PCB designer with many years in the industry, supporting and training users, and managing various design groups. You can reach Tim at tim_haag@ comcast.net. PROPELLED BY PREPARATION A new generation of sensors developed by ActLight, a startup based in EPFL Innovation Park, can measure the wearer's pulse with the same precision while consuming only one-fifth of the energy. These sensors have been tested by Maher Kayal's laboratory as part of a CTI (Commission for Technology and Innovation) project and are now ready to be used in smartwatches. "The longer battery life certainly makes things easier for the user, but it also offers major savings in terms of electricity consumption," said Kayal. Thanks to this breakthrough, ActLight was named one of the best Swiss cleantech startups in 2015. Instead of converting the light into a current and then measuring the current's amplitude, ActLight's dynamic photodiode sensors turn the current into time. The sensors use the pulse of light to identify the moment at which the current is triggered. The result is a small reduction in energy consumption with ev- ery heartbeat, but repeated more than 50,000 times per day it adds up to considerable energy savings. ActLight is in talks with major semiconductor makers and is about to sell the rights to mass pro- duce its innovative sensors. A New Sensor Increases Smartwatch Battery Life Five Times

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