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Technology Report
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1920 results found for Technology Report, displaying items 1 - 20
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July 24, 2008
MEMS And 3D Packaging
As microelectromechanical-systems (MEMS) ICs satisfy more functions and proliferate, packaging them into high-density form factors like 3D becomes more of a challenge than conventional ICs. To suppress costs and make them more competitive in the market, they need high-density packaging. MEMS devices are essentially “machines” that involve motion, not transistors. This means they must be effectively protected from the environments they operate in, which often can be very...
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Roger Allan
July 24, 2008
Shrinking ICs Need High Density In A Package Deal
The push is on for IC packages in smaller form factors, not only length- and width-wise, but also height-wise. Hence, the term “3D ICs.” Smaller form factors require greater density, and that means stacking chips and boards on top of each other in a 3D form. As ICs downsize from quad flat packs (QFPs) to ball-grid arrays (BGAs) and further down the line, fewer stacks and external I/Os are needed (Fig....
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Roger Allan
July 10, 2008
MEMS The Word... In Consumer Electronics
Demand for devices that can sense motion, orientation, and location is surging, and it runs the gamut from the hottest video games to critical medical technology. With accelerometers and gyroscopes based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) rapidly maturing, that demand is being met. Many of the latest consumer products include one or more MEMS IC functions that measure and control factors like movement, position, force, and even temperature. As a...
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Roger Allan
June 26, 2008
FPGAs Pushing MCUs As The Platform Of Choice
Falling FPGA prices and ever-improving tools make FPGA development more palatable to designers who aren’t well versed in this arena. Likewise, the increased number of choices and improved sophistication of soft processor cores for FPGAs create new options for developers who would otherwise look only at stock, offthe- shelf microcontrollers. There are many reasons why designers should consider FPGAs as a development and deployment platform. Processors ...
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William Wong
June 19, 2008
Robots Finally Have That Personal Touch
Extending from the factory floor and into your living room, the personal robot’s time has arrived. These devices have pushed past uses as expensive and cute toys like Sony’s Aibo and into sophisticated and affordable products that perform a number of functions in and around the home. Allied Business Intelligence Research says that the personal robotics market, which includes robotic toys, educational robots, and task-based robots, will reach $15...
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Roger Allan
June 19, 2008
In Search Of The Next Disruptive Technology
Megatrends donâ??t simply happen on their own. They start with disruptive technologies that completely change the status quo, like gunpowder, the airplane, and the microprocessor. The trick lies in identifying potential disruptive technologies early on and then predicting where they might lead. Back in 1976, I was part of a group at Tektronix tasked with retraining oscilloscope sales and field engineers to sell microprocessor development...
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Don Tuite
June 19, 2008
Get Ready For The Multimedia Mess
The setting sun is a pleasant sight while driving home. I’m listening to satellite radio and a call comes in. At my verbal request, the car’s media system switches off the music and answers the phone. I continue the conversation as I pull into the garage and switch the call to my home line as I exit the car. Continuing to chat, I move into a room with an HDTV and switch to video conferencing. The call ends and the radio program resumes from the point of...
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William Wong
June 19, 2008
Four-Wheeled Supercomputers
Smart phones. MP3 players. Notebooks. We can’t live without our portable gadgets. However, we probably drive our most computeintensive mobile electronics to work everyday. Today’s automobiles use a variety of networks, sensors, and computer platforms to deliver safer and more pleasant travel than ever. Most companies concentrate their development efforts on safety, efficiency, and performance. These features rank high with consumers, and the...
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William Wong
June 19, 2008
Wending Our Way From Wired To Wireless
Over the past century, we’ve wired and rewired the world countless times, evolving from copper cable to fiber optics and beyond. But this cycle will soon come to an end as rapid-fire wireless innovations consistently deliver faster, cheaper, and more reliable communication. ONE TREND AT A TIME The telephone business is still mostly wired, but the cell-phone phenomenon continues to chip it away. The...
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Louis E. Frenzel
June 19, 2008
Megatrends Of The Future Will Feed Off Industry Hype
Afaltering economy hasn’t slowed the electronics industry. According to many independent market research organizations and other sources, most market sectors will experience strong growth over the next five to 10 years. In fact, what has become a digital universe is expanding more rapidly than any original estimates. Updated projections based on research by IDC suggests that with a compound annual growth rate of almost 60%, the digital...
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Ron Schneiderman
June 19, 2008
Wired Won't Go Down Without A FIght
The trend toward a wireless world will forge on, but don’t expect to see the demise of wires. We could even see some new wires, virtually all of which will be glass or plastic rather than copper. The well-entrenched plain-old telephone systems (POTS) or public switched telephone network (PSTN) aren’t going away. Major phone carriers AT&T and Verizon, as well as smaller carriers, will continue to maintain these systems despite the declining number of wired subscribers. They...
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Louis E. Frenzel
June 19, 2008
Some Interesting Wireless Trends
The emergence of the femtocell: A femtocell is essentially a small cell-phone basestation for the home. It’s designed to improve or, in some cases, even enable good at-home cell-phone service, which is something many consumers don’t actually have. The femtocell connects to your broadband cable TV or DSL service as the backhaul. Improved data services at higher speeds will be easier to access. Femtocell tests are being conducted nationwide. Services are expected to begin later...
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Louis E. Frenzel
June 19, 2008
Motion Blur Distorts Digital Video's Future
Back in the dark ages, watching TV was a challenge. If you were on the fringes of the broadcast networks’ ranges, you and your siblings had to take turns holding the TV set’s rabbit ears to improve its reception. And if the set stopped working, you were in for a trip to the local drug store with a bag full of vacuum tubes. These days, if you’re talking about a TV not functioning, you’re likely referring to the shift from analog to digital...
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Daniel Harris
June 19, 2008
Move Over, Couch—The Cell Potato Is Here
It’s hard to keep up with today’s cell-phone functionality, with voice calls, text messaging, e-mail, Web surfing, GPS navigation, cameras, FM radios, and MP3 music. Now television has jumped headlong into the mix. A few carriers already offer TV programming over their networks, and new broadcast services have come online. Expect an even bigger push for mobile TV later this year and next year. BIG CONTENT, LITTLE...
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Louis E. Frenzel
June 19, 2008
Robotics Give Doctors A Helping Hand
Advances in robotics technology are completely transforming today’s hospital operating rooms. With robot control and assistance, surgery for any kind of injury or ailment is faster, more accurate, and less invasive than ever before. Because robots help accelerate procedures, operations become safer. With conventional surgery, a surgeon performing an operation lasting several hours can become exhausted. As a result, the surgeon’s hand can be subject...
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Roger Allan
June 19, 2008
The Rats, Snakes, Insects, And Lobsters Of War
They run, crawl, slither, fly, and jump. They’re also robots. Fueled by funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and other public and private organizations, researchers at labs nationwide are developing a new generation of military robots. Inspired by designs already perfected by nature, these robots are helping military units accomplish missions with less risk to soldiers and civilians. Joseph Ayers, principal...
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John Edwards
June 19, 2008
Biometrics Looks To Solve Identity Crisis
You see them in blockbuster movies and high-tech TV shows—biometric systems that rely on fingerprints, facial recognition, and other physical and behavioral data to provide identification. But these technologies have moved past the sci-fi genre, and even beyond the high-security arena. They’re hitting the mainstream now. In fact, you may even be using some of them already. Of course, companies in this segment are working hard to keep one step...
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Roger Allan
June 19, 2008
From The Typewriter To The PC And Beyond
Patented in 1869 by Milwaukee newspaper editor Christopher Sholes with partners S.W. Soule and G. Glidden, the first typewriters went into production at Remington Arms Co. in 1873. Essentially, they were word processors without a display or memory. They also were unforgiving in terms of user-input errors, since they lacked spellcheck or even correctable tape. Yet the typewriter is notable for its alphanumeric layout (...
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Mat Dirjish
June 19, 2008
Home Networking Hits The Market
The number of standards and their potential for incompatibility may seem to doom the market. But alliances and companies alike are charging ahead, and they’re already enjoying significant success. According to HDMI Licensing LLC, more than 750 consumer electronics and PC manufacturers have adopted HDMI. More than 229 million devices incorporating HDMI are expected to ship in 2008, with an installed base of nearly 1.2 billion...
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Richard Gawel
June 12, 2008
Complex Wireless Standards Put Instruments To The Test
Once upon a time, RF testing was relatively simple. You would measure power output in a transmitter and look for spurious signals with a spectrum analyzer. At the receiver, you measured noise and sensitivity. Unfortunately, those halcyon days are gone forever. Radio complexity has intensified dramatically with advanced digital modulation schemes, softwaredefined radio architectures featuring digital signal processing, I/Q signal chains,...
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Louis E. Frenzel
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