    |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|
  Headlines and summaries from the pages of Electronic Engineering Times. Previous editions are available from the 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 News Archives.
Friday, December 5, 1997Altec Lansing and RF-Link jump into home networksIn the quest for a low-cost home network, two companies are leveraging their wired and wireless technologies to turn home PCs into home servers. Speaker maker Altec Lansing Technologies Inc., based here, is working with system and semiconductor partners to bring its Hybrid Home Entertainment System to market next year, and RF-Link Technology Inc. (Torrance, Calif.) has launched its own system, which it plans to re-spin within the next few weeks.
Pentagon looks to harness advanced nets, sensorsThe Defense Department has unveiled a series of technology demonstrations designed to speed the introduction of emerging network and sensor technologies into the field. Nine advanced-concept technology demonstrations will be launched in fiscal 1998. The projects include an information-warfare program, a precision-weapon program that uses laser radar and forward-looking infrared sensors to locate and identify targets, and a precision-strike system that coordinates fire on enemy targets.
Microchip spies opportunity in RF ID circuitsScouting a new application for its high-yield E2PROM process, Microchip Technology Inc. has set its sights on a little-noticed but potentially fast-growing area of communications: RF identification tags. The tags, powered by the electromagnetic field of a proximity reader, switch a resonant circuit on and off to modulate the reader's field. That process, known as backscatter modulation, lets a nearly passive device send a small amount of data to the reader over a distance of a few inches or feet.
Kodak adjusts digital focusEastman Kodak Co.'s disclosure that it is still losing money on digital cameras and other digital-imaging products after investing hundreds of millions of dollars over the last three years has raised questions about the company's ability to make the transition from silver-halide film to digital photography while remaining a leading imaging company.
Moore donates $1.5M to Oregon Grad InstituteIntel chairman emeritus Gordon Moore and his wife recently offered a private donation of $1.5 million to the Oregon Graduate Institute (OGI). The circumstances behind the grant are indicative of the new realpolitik of public/private collaboration in developing education programs.
Thursday, December 4, 1997Minc expands mission with SynarioUnderlying a major strategy shift for both companies, Minc Inc. has purchased most of the assets of the Synario Design Automation division of Data I/O Corp. (Redmond, Wash.). The purchase boosts Minc's existing programmable-logic tool set with the Abel language compiler, ECS schematic-entry package, and Synario project manager and design-tool framework.
Silicon-opto integration nears realityInsights into how photons and electrons interact with silicon are stimulating new directions in optoelectronic research that could lead to a fully integrated optical technology within a few years. But getting there will require additional basic research along with mastering some difficult fabrication techniques. That view of the field emerged from a symposium on materials for silicon optoelectronics at the fall meeting of the Materials Research Society.
Universal Serial Bus living up to its nameBlessed by Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp., the Universal Serial Bus (USB) has become a no-brainer for PC vendors and peripheral vendors alike. Upward of 40 companies gathered at the USB Pavilion at Comdex in Las Vegas last month to proclaimtheir support for USB and to show a host of products that support it, ranging from microcontrollers, device drivers and synthesizable cores to scanners, speakers and digital cameras.
Fairchild ready to move as industry narrows its viewThe dismantling of larger, older electronics firms seeking to focus on "core competencies" could turn into a windfall for Fairchild Semiconductor Corp., which hopes such streamlining will sprinkle the semiconductor industry with available product divisions. Fairchild made the first move in its acquisition strategy just before Thanksgiving.
Diamond field emitter seen for LCD backlightContract research company CRL Ltd. here is working with Cambridge University to develop field-emitter technology based on a tetrahedral amorphous (TA) carbon cathode for use as a backlight in liquid-crystal displays.
Wednesday, December 3, 1997Minc expands mission with SynarioUnderlying a major strategy shift for both companies, Minc Inc. has purchased most of the assets of the Synario Design Automation division of Data I/O Corp. (Redmond, Wash.). The purchase boosts Minc's existing programmable-logic tool set with the Abel language compiler, ECS schematic-entry package, and Synario project manager and design-tool framework.
PC industry endorses "V-chip"A computer-industry group is backing proposed federal rules for using blocking technology for computers equipped with TV tuner cards. In comments to the Federal Communications Commission, the Washington-based Information Technology Industry Association (ITI) said it agrees with an FCC proposal to include so-called "V-chip" technology in PCs with tuner cards.
PMC-Sierra unveils Exact bus, switching fabricPMC-Sierra Inc. is following up its Smart-Path RISC controller for Ethernet switches with a new bus architecture and switching-fabric design. The bus and switching fabric let switched LAN networks scale from Layer 2 bridging to complex Layer 3 routing, with packet-prioritization features added as necessary.
Siemens embeds DRAM on scan-converter ICSiemens Semiconductor came to an international forum on multifunction TVs here with something that none of the Asian memory powerhouses has yet to accomplish: a scan-rate converter IC with embedded DRAM. Higher performance scan-rate converters are required as more televisions display Web pages and computer functions.
National overhauls LabWindows/CVINational Instruments has given a major facelift to LabWindows/CVI, its popular virtual instrument development environment. Version 5.0 concentrates on new capabilities in building instrument drivers, application tools, a user interface and connectivity--including ActiveX automation.
Motorola aims Flex at portable comm systemsHoping to broaden the use of pagers as the base technology for next-generation communications products, Motorola's Platform Software Division (PSD) has unveiled an operating system that handles many basic functions for compact portable communicators.
Tuesday December 2, 1997SIA road map sees gap in IC research at 100 nmDespite some of the highest levels of research spending of any U.S. industry, the domestic semiconductor industry could face a shortfall of funding as chip makers pursue new technologies to improve performance and reduce feature sizes to 100 nanometers and below, according to a revised technology road map that will be released today by the Semiconductor Industry Association (San Jose, Calif.).
Cadence drops Synergy tool in synthesis strategy shiftAfter a long, hard battle with Synopsys Inc., Cadence Design Systems is pulling the plug on its Synergy synthesis tool. But Cadence's strategy is pulling it in two directions: It will resell Ambit Design Systems' BuildGates tool to Synergy users, while adopting Synopsys' Design Compiler as its "tool of choice" for its own services work.
Cabletron buys Digital's network products businessCabletron Systems Inc. last week wrapped up perhaps the most widely anticipated internetworking deal of the fall: the acquisition of Digital Equipment Corp.'s network-products business unit (Maynard, Mass.). All assets and technology, including hardware products and network-management software, will go to Cabletron in a mix of cash, stock and product credits worth about $430 million.
Consortium targets MPEG-4 systems-on-siliconA European research organization and several Japanese companies are preparing to launch a collaborative development program that will design a processor architecture around the MPEG-4 multimedia standard.
Cadence codesign initiative takes commercial tackSeeking a breakthrough in hardware/software codesign, Cadence Design Systems' Alta business unit this week will launch Felix, an initiative including industrial and academic partners. The effort is similar to the Co-Design Consortium launched last month by Mentor Graphics, but Felix relies more on commercial development and less on academic research.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
RSS
 |
Home | About | Editorial Calendar | Feedback | Subscriptions | Newsletter | Media Kit | Contact | Reprints|  RSS| 
Digital|  Mobile |
|
| Network Websites |
|
|
International |
|
|
Network Features |
|
|
|
All materials on this site Copyright © 2009 TechInsights, a Division of United Business Media LLC All rights reserved. Privacy Statement | Terms of Service | About |
