What's New @ IEEE in Circuits

VOLUME 5 NUMBER 3 MARCH 2004

CONTENTS:
1. So Small it Defies Measurement? Not to these Researchers!
2. Roving Spirit: IEEE Member Working On Mars Rover Project
3. Introducing Intelligent Transportation Systems
4. New Crystal Growth Process Yields Nanoring Structures
5. Web Site Offers Guidance in Selecting IEEE Online Collections
6. Author's New Book Continues Discussion of Digital Design with VHDL
7. Closing in on the Perfect Code: IEEE Spectrum Reports
8. Solid-State Circuit Proceedings Cover Money, Design Trends
9.Huge Upsurge in HB-LED Production Scene in China, S.Korea, Taiwan
10.ISCS Conference Theme Envisions 'World Prosperity'
11. Firm Announces New Platform for Analog, Digital Block Integration

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1. SO SMALL IT DEFIES MEASUREMENT? NOT TO THESE RESEARCHERS!
Physicists at Cornell University have used a nanoelectromechanical device to weigh small gold dots in quintillionths of a gram. They hope this could lead to the ability to measure impossibly small chemical and biological species such as viruses. Neither do they plan to rest on their laurels. Further refining and reducing the size of measurement device could allow them to make measurements in the zeptogram range. Read more: physicsweb.org/article/news/8/2/11

2. ROVING SPIRIT: IEEE MEMBER WORKING ON MARS ROVER PROJECT
IEEE Member Albert Haldemann is the deputy project scientist for NASA's Spirit and Opportunity vehicles, the rovers that landed on Mars in January. Since that time, Haldemann has been living like a Martian. As reported in The Institute, he goes to work on Mars every day, and lives on Martian time to coincide with the rovers' sleep and work cycles. As the project scientist, Haldemann makes sure that scientific information being transmitted back to Earth meets the project objectives and that the engineers who build the rovers are provided with accurate information about the Martian environment for design and planning purposes. Read more at: www.theinstitute.ieee.org/portal/index.jsp?pageID=institute_level1_article&TheCat=1016&article=tionline/legacy/inst2004/mar04/3w.profile.xml

For more information about the Mars rovers, visit: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html

3. INTRODUCING INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
As population continues to grow, increased traffic density on roads and highways is contributing to longer travel times, increased pollution and more accidents. One possible solution that is quickly gaining attention is Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), which integrates users, transportation systems and vehicles through state-of-the-art synergistic information and communications systems. Terrance Malkinson takes a look at where ITS is headed, in the latest edition of IEEE-USA Today's Engineer. www.todaysengineer.org/Feb04/intel-transport.asp

4. NEW CRYSTAL GROWTH PROCESS YIELDS NANORING STRUCTURES
Nanorings made of single-crystal zinc oxide are now possible thanks to the work of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology. These structures have implications in the development of sensors, resonators and transducers because they are piezoelectric and semi conducting. Team leader Zhong Lin Wang said the work involved a fundamentally new crystal growth process.

Read the entire article at: physicsweb.org/article/news/8/2/14

5. WEB SITE OFFERS GUIDANCE IN SELECTING IEEE ONLINE COLLECTIONS
Looking for access to IEEE online information, but not sure which option is right for you? A new Web site, Discover IEEE, offers guidance in selecting the right access options for individuals and organizations. Included are a Flash demo of IEEE Xplore, the IEEE online delivery platform, and easy links to request free trials. Visit the site today at: www.ieee.org/discover

6. AUTHOR'S NEW BOOK CONTINUES DISCUSSION OF DIGITAL DESIGN WITH VHDL
Author K.C. Chang continues to apply his experience as both designer and instructor with a new update to his Wiley-IEEE Computer Society Press book "Digital Systems Design with VHDL and Synthesis: An Integrated Approach." Efficient design once again is Chang's hallmark in this book. Chapters are devoted to VHDL and digital circuit "primitives," simulation, synthesis environment, design process, combinational circuits, basic binary arithmetic and sequential circuits, registers, clock and reset circuits, dual-port RAM, FIFO, and DRAM modeling. There are case studies and a discussion of error detection as well. For more information, or to purchase this book, visit: www.wiley.com/remtitleinternational.cgi?isbn=0769500234
***IEEE members: Receive a 15% discount on any Wiley-IEEE Press titles. Use code 18493 at checkout***

7. CLOSING IN ON THE PERFECT CODE: IEEE SPECTRUM REPORTS
Turbo codes have jumped to the forefront of communications research, with hundreds of groups working on them in companies and universities all over the world, according to a report in this month's issue of IEEE Spectrum magazine. Turbo codes can outperform all other existing coding technologies, providing virtually error-free communications at unprecedented data rates and transmitting power efficiencies. As turbo codes are incorporated into the next-generation mobile phone system, millions of people will soon have them literally in their hands. This coding scheme will let cell phones and other portable devices handle multimedia data such as video and graphics-rich imagery, over the noisy channels typical of cellular communications. And researchers are studying the use of turbo codes for digital and video broadcasting, as well as for increasing data speeds in enhanced versions of Wi-Fi technology. Read more: www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/publicfeature/mar04/0304code.html

8. SOLID-STATE CIRCUIT PROCEEDINGS COVER MONEY, DESIGN TRENDS
Ways to save money, use analog filters, and look ahead to the next wave of radio frequency technology are just three of the topics discussed in the new proceedings of the 2003 Custom Integrated Circuits IEEE Conference. Solid-state circuits engineers will find advice and information from peers on platforms, design, memory issues, nanotechnology and more in this 778-page volume. Visit the IEEE Online Catalog & Store to purchase or learn more: shop.ieee.org/store/product.asp?prodno=CH37448
***IEEE members save up to 60% off the list price for conference proceedings titles***

9. HUGE UPSURGE IN HB-LED PRODUCTION SCENE IN CHINA, S. KOREA, TAIWAN
Non-Japanese Asia appears to have the market cornered on high-brightness LEDs, according to a report cited on semiconductor.com. A market analysis report claims that companies in China, South Korea and Taiwan produced 16.8 billion HB-LED chips in 2003. These products are used in blue LED backlights in mobile phone keypads. The article also reports on the production levels in the region for nGaAlP-based LED and GaN-based LED chips. Visit: www.compoundsemiconductor.net/articles/news/8/3/2/1

10. ISCS CONFERENCE THEME ENVISIONS 'WORLD PROSPERITY'
World prosperity through better information management is the lofty theme of the 2004 International Symposium on Circuits and Systems. Sponsored by the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society, the conference is scheduled for 23 to 26 May 2004 in Vancouver, Canada. It features a plenary session with speaker Prof. P.P. Vaidyanathan, a faculty member at the California Institute of Technology. He will discuss how genomic data, available as never before, presents exciting opportunities for research in signal processing, computer technology and information theory. To preview the entire program, visit: www.iscas2004.org/images/index_01.png

Don't miss the next conference you need for your career. IEEE sponsors more than 300 technical conferences and workshops each year, highlighting the latest technological advances. Find events through the IEEE ConferenceSearch Web site at: www.ieee.org/conferencesearch/

11. FIRM ANNOUNCES NEW PLATFORM FOR ANALOG, DIGITAL BLOCK INTEGRATION
A U.S. firm has made good on its promise to deliver a new platform that can handle analog and digital blocks in the same design flow. Cadence Design Systems Inc. claims the new platform will cut physical-design integration time in half and improve productivity in typical advanced mixed-signal design involving more than 1.5 million transistors. To find out more: www.eedesign.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=18201244

WHAT'S NEW @ IEEE IN CIRCUITS is a monthly, opt-in email update designed to provide you with the latest news regarding IEEE activities, industry trends, career development tips, and new IEEE product releases. We welcome your feedback on this service.

Managing Editor: John Platt :j.platt@ieee.org
Editor: Peggy Gallos

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