News Industry Focus In brief...
The launch of the European; e-BRAINS (Best-Reliable Ambient Intelligent Nano Sensor Systems) research project in September 2010 saw Infineon Technologies joining forces with 19 partners to conduct research into the integration of heterogeneous systems. Led by Infineon and Fraunhofer
EMFT (Fraunhofer Research Institute for Modular Solid State Technologies), for technical man agement, the project will run until the end of 2013.
Nano-sensors will be combined with other components such as ICs (Integrated Circuits), power semico nductors, batteries or wireless communication modules in such a way as to significantly enhance energy efficiency, cost effectiveness, service life and reliability in the operation of e-BRAINS applications.
www.infineon.com
Power semiconductor manufacturer Semikron has launched a mobile version of the company’s website - including English pages - at:
mobile.semikron.com, which provides fast and easy access to technical details, products, contact partners and jobs. The product and parameter search used on the main website, which can be used to select technical details on current, voltage, circuitry, case and semiconductor type, has been optimised for the small screen dimensions of mobile devices and hand-helds.
www.semikron.co.uk
A new Image Sensor Brochure has been released by ON Semi- conductor. The publication covers the company's full portfolio of standard CMOS image sensor products, with up to 5120 x 5129 pixel resolutions and speeds of 500 fps. These devices can be used in a broad spectrum of applications, such as digital photography, document scanning, machine vision, 2D barcode reading, high-end security systems, biometry, astronomy and medical imaging.
www.onsemi.com
Researchers from Aalborg University and antenna experts from Molex are conducting measurements in dense environments to ensure realistic results. The indoor experiments conducted in downtown Aalborg with prototypes of next generation LTE mobile phones will help give consumers better data connections to the portable devices of the future. “We are trying to see how much more we can get out of the next-generation mobile phones when we have several antennas in them. The location has a great influence on the performance and the most difficult scenario is indoors in the city with tall buildings around. So we tested those specific envi- ronments,” says Professor Gert Frølund Pedersen from Aalborg University’s Department of Electronic Systems.
In collaboration between Aalborg University and the Molex antenna research department located in Nørresundby, Denmark, the ongoing measurement campaign previously focused on outdoor reception on the streets of Aalborg. Testing in the antenna radio anechoic lab is suit- able for some types of applications, but the 4G tech- nology has to function in a different and tough reality. The measurements conducted in the city are an opportunity to test prototypes and measurement equipment in real-life environments.
“If you just take measurements in a lab you get misleading results. We know these devices have to
Molex’s antenna unit and Aalborg University collaborate to conduct 4G LTE measurements
be used in the real world, so we need to include all factors that affect this type of radio signal. With the next generation 4G and LTE systems, the influence of the radio propagation environment has an enor- mous impact on the performance you experience as a user of the product,” explains Morten Christensen, RF Research Manager, Molex.
The measurements being taken are some of the first in the world without traditional cables con- nected to the prototype phones. The challenge in using a copper coaxial cable is that it acts as an extra-long antenna. This can yield unrealistically good reception and thus impair measurement qual- ity. Aalborg University and Molex have developed a solution using fibre optics instead, thereby eliminat- ing an important source of error.
Results of the research are part of the four-year CAMMP project (Converged Advanced Mobile Media Platforms) with support from the Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation. The program is focused on the convergence of the Internet, digital television, radio and mobile com- munication networks. “We have produced several terabytes of data that have to be analysed, but we expect to have some conclusions during the next three months,” adds Morten Christensen.
The measurements generate an enormous amount of data that must be handled before the researchers and developers can judge the quality of the different types of antenna designs in the tested prototypes. Then it is up to the IT and mobile industry to deter- mine how quickly the results will benefit con- sumers. There may be devices on the market utilising the Aalborg test results within a year. “These are antennas that are expected to be in new devices that are already in the design phase. We are testing which of these are the best. The cycle is somewhat shorter now that we are beginning to see the standard for the new 4G system, so it may be only six months,” estimates Gert Frølund Pedersen. Molex Inc.
www.molex.com
Enter 198 WorldSkills London 2011 sponsorship announced
Fluke has announced its sponsorship of WorldSkills London 2011, which will be held over four days at the ExCeL London exhibition and conference centre in London's docklands from 5-8 October 2011. As a Global Industry Partner (GIP) of WorldSkills International since 2004, and a sponsor since 1999, Fluke Corporation uses WorldSkills as part of its international education programme. Working collectively with other GIPs, the
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company aims to develop best practices and stan- dards globally across industries, while producing a mobile workforce with portable skills. WorldSkills London 2011 is claimed to be the world's largest, international skills competition with young people from across the globe competing to be the 'best of the best' in their chosen skill. 150,000 vis- itors are expected and they will see 1,000 competi- tors from over 50 countries/regions competing in 45 skill areas over four exciting days of competition. The competition takes place in a different country every two years and brings together skills 'olympians' from across the globe to compete for Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.
Hundreds of colleges from across the UK will showcase their skills and talents at the event. WorldSkills London 2011
www.worldskillslondon2011.com Enter 199
JULY 2011 Electronics
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