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In This Issue
 Imec Unveils Innovative Technology for an ECG Patch, Combining an Ultralow-Power ECG SoC With Bluetooth Low Energy
Speedy Neutrino Mystery Likely Solved, Relativity Safe After All
Higher Automation Makes a Case for Modular Test Instruments
FPGA-Controlled Test (FCT): What It Is and Why Is It Needed?
CommScope Launches Global Energy Conservation Initiative for Wireless Industry
New Method of Growing High-Quality Graphene Promising for Next-Gen Technology
Imec Unveils Innovative Technology for an ECG Patch, Combining an Ultralow-Power ECG SoC With Bluetooth Low Energy
Imec and Holst Centre have announced a body patch that integrates an ultralow-power electrocardiogram (ECG) chip and a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio. This unique combination fuses power-efficient electronics and standardized communication, opening new perspectives for long-term monitoring in health, wellness, and medical applications.
The ECG patch measures up to three-lead ECG signals as well as tissue-contact impedance. It includes a 3-D accelerometer for physical activity monitoring. The data are processed and analyzed locally, and relevant events and information are transmitted through BLE. When computing and transmitting the heart rate, the entire system consumes a mere 280 µA at 2.1 V, running continuously for one month on a 200 mAh Li-Po battery. When transmitting accelerometer data (at 32 Hz) on top of the heart rate, the power consumption remains below 1 mA in continuous operation, giving about 1 week of autonomy.
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Speedy Neutrino Mystery Likely Solved, Relativity Safe After All
by Evan Ackerman
Those weird faster-than-light neutrinos that CERN thought they saw last month may have just gotten slowed down to a speed that'll keep them from completely destroying physics as we know it. In an ironic twist, the very theory that these neutrinos would have disproved may explain exactly what happened.
Back in September, physicists ran an experiment where they sent bunches of neutrinos from Switzerland to Italy and measured how long the particles took to make the trip. Over 15,000 experiments, the neutrinos consistently arrived about 60 nanoseconds early, which means 60 nanoseconds faster than the speed of light. Einstein's special theory of relativity says this should be impossible: nothing can travel faster than light.
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Higher Automation Makes a Case for Modular Test Instruments
In industries ranging from aerospace to white goods, the complexity of devices under test is rising, with the devices becoming faster, smaller, and cheaper. This greater product sophistication, along with the incorporation of RF in an increasing number of devices, is compelling engineers to change their test strategy and adopt modular tools that are flexible enough to be customized to their testing needs.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan finds that the modular instrument market earned revenue of $524.3 million in 2010 and estimates this to reach $1.17 billion in 2017. This is attributed to the greater customer focus on lowering the cost of test, the increasing capabilities of modular instruments, and the benefits of modular instruments over traditional instruments.
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FPGA-Controlled Test (FCT): What It Is and Why Is It Needed?
by Al Crouch
Functionally, the role that FPGAs have played in computer and communications systems has grown in parallel with the number of gates and the capabilities of these devices. Typically, FPGAs have been deployed by system designers for downstream, end-user functionality such as logic engines, peripheral I/O management, communications coordination, graphics and multimedia processing, as well as other types of functionality.
Now though, these versatile and flexible devices are emerging as a likely platform for next-generation embedded board test and measurement capabilities, which can be employed upstream during design, development and manufacturing, and/or in ancillary downstream applications in the field following product launch, such as ongoing continuing engineering, remote diagnostics, troubleshooting, and others.
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CommScope Launches Global Energy Conservation Initiative for Wireless Industry
As wireless networking companies push to become more environmentally friendly, CommScope has launched an energy conservation initiative that supports the industry’s global efforts in reducing power consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and operating costs.
Anil Trehan, vice president for energy solutions at CommScope, said, “As the demand for better, faster services increases, the industry must also focus on how to reduce its network power and fossil fuel consumption, greenhouse emissions, operating costs, and capital expenditures. Taking all these factors into consideration, CommScope’s new initiative helps wireless operators lower their energy costs and provides them with an innovative and reliable way of powering cell sites. It also helps operators lessen their impact on the environment.”
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New Method of Growing High-Quality Graphene Promising for Next-Gen Technology
Making waves as the material that will revolutionize electronics, graphene—composed of a single layer of Carbon atoms—has nonetheless been challenging to produce in a way that will be practical for innovative electronics applications. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have discovered a method to synthesize high quality graphene in a controlled manner that may pave the way for next-generation electronics application.
Kaustav Banerjee, a professor with the Electrical and Computer Engineering department and Director of the Nanoelectronics Research Lab at UCSB that has been studying carbon nanomaterials for more than seven years, led the research team to perfect methods of growing sheets of graphene. "For the electronics industry to effectively use graphene, it must first be grown selectively and in larger sheets. We have developed a synthesis technique that yields high-quality and high-uniformity graphene that can be translated into a scalable process for industry applications," Banerjee said.
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The New Era of Automated Test
The automated test scales have tipped and it's time for a faster, smaller, more cost-effective solution than classic rack-and-stack options. Read the white paper to learn how test engineers are switching to PXI-based test systems.
Click here to read the white paper >>>
Oscilloscope + Recorder = ScopeCorder
A ScopeCorder is a type of instrument used for testing electro-mechanical systems. It combines the benefits of an oscilloscope and a data acquisition recorder into a single, versatile measurement and analysis tool. Modular with high channel count, resolution, and isolation.
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Thermal Imager Model OSXL160
OMEGA's new OSXL160 infrared camera produces crisp thermal image and accurate temperature reading to help increase system maintenance quality and efficiency in many industries. The OSXL160 thermal imager is packed with advanced features, such as colored thermal image, voice annotation, sound and color alarm, FLASH memory storage, USB connection to PC, and analysis software.
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SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS)
The SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS) examines global economic, technology, market, business and geo-political developments influencing the semiconductor processing industry along with their implications for your strategic business decisions. January 15-18, 2012, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, CA
Register: SEMI ISS >>>
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