What's New @ IEEE in Circuits

June 2006 Volume 7, Number 6

IN THIS ISSUE:
1. "Proceedings of the IEEE" Unveils New Look and Features
2. Call for Papers: Embedded Multimedia
3. New NOR Flash Memory At 0.13 Microns
4. Printable Chips, Fuel Cells, PC Components Come of Age
5. Oldest IEEE Circuits and Systems Symposium Coming to Puerto Rico
6. New Issue of "IEEE Potentials" Online for IEEE Members
7. Robots on Mars: Special Issue of "IEEE Robotics & Automation"
8. Share Your Photos of IEEE Events
9. IBM Exploring Liquid Cooled Chips
10. Foldable Electronics?
11. Finalists Selected in Computer Society Design Competition
12. IEEE Teams with IBM to Launch TryEngineering.org
13. Death By DMCA: "IEEE Spectrum" Reports

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1. "PROCEEDINGS OF THE IEEE" UNVEILS NEW LOOK AND FEATURES
Readers of this month's issue of "Proceedings of the IEEE" (v. 94, no. 5) may notice a few changes, as the flagship journal of the IEEE unveils a new design and several new features. The journal has expanded its table of contents to aid readability, increased its use of color and photographs, added a section for reader comments, and modernized the design throughout. Subscribers can check out these changes (as well as the issue's focus on next-generation optical networks) through the IEEE Xplore digital library: ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jsp?isnumber=34274

2. CALL FOR PAPERS: EMBEDDED MULTIMEDIA
The 2006 IEEE/ACM/IFIP Workshop on Embedded Systems for Real-Time Multimedia (ESTIMedia) is now soliciting paper submissions. Authors are encouraged to submit papers on topics a variety of topics including circuits and architectures for embedded multimedia architectures, Software optimization and compiler techniques, Multimedia systems design methodologies and case studies and others. Submission deadline is 30 September 2006. The conference tales place in Seoul, Korea from 26 to 27 October. For more: peace.snu.ac.kr/ESTIMedia/

3. NEW NOR FLASH MEMORY AT 0.13 MICRONS
A new NOR flash memory chip based on a 0.13-micron process technology has been developed by South Korean semiconductor foundry, Dongbu Electronics, in conjunction with Taiwanese memory designer Eon Silicon Solution. The chip, which supports 32-, 64-, and 128-megabits as well as 3.3 voltage operations, has a smaller cell-size than chips made by Intel, which allows for higher productivity. Additionally, Dongbu claims the smaller-sized chip will be more price-competitive. Dognbu says they will begin making the chips for Eon beginning in September. Dongbu expects to then extend its 130nm NOR Flash processing capability to support lower-voltage devices, such as mobile handsets, by next year. Read more: www.eet.com/news/design/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=188702909

4. PRINTABLE CHIPS, FUEL CELLS, PC COMPONENTS COME OF AGE
Fuel cells, chip packages, and PC components can now be created with industrial printers through a new technique that piles slim, patterned layers of ceramics, metals, and other materials on top of each other and preserves the individual layers as the structure begins to form. According to a CNET article, the technique is more cost-effective than conventional manufacturing processes and has been drawing other companies to the possibility of using printers to produce parts. Read more: news.com.com/How+do+you+make+a+fuel+cell+Print+it/2100-1008_3-6078124.html

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
"Learning is the discovery that something is possible." ~ Fritz Perls

5. OLDEST IEEE CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS SYMPOSIUM COMING TO PUERTO RICO
The IEEE Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems (MWSCAS), the oldest IEEE circuits and systems symposium, will be taking place in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The conference will include technical presentations, a seminar titled "Getting the Lead Out of Electronics," as well as two plenary sessions. The conference will be held from 6 to 9 August. To register, or for more information, visit: www.mwscas06.ece.uprm.edu/

6. NEW ISSUE OF "IEEE POTENTIALS" ONLINE FOR IEEE MEMBERS
"IEEE Potentials," the magazine for high-tech innovators, has released its latest issue (v. 25, no. 1); all IEEE members may read the full text of the magazine online as a benefit of their membership. This issue features a cover story entitled "Paradigm shift – an introduction to fuzzy logic" that readily explains the timeline and importance of fuzzy logic for future innovators. "IEEE Potentials" provides theories to practical applications and highlighting technology's global impact. Visit: ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jsp?isnumber=34290

7. ROBOTS ON MARS: SPECIAL ISSUE OF "IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION:
The June issue of the "IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine" (v. 13, no. 2) features nine articles on the recent Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission and its vehicles, "Spirit" and "Opportunity," which successfully landed on the red planet in early 2004. "I truly believe that this June issue is a blast!" writes Stefano Stramigioli, editor of the magazine. The issue, guest edited by Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu of the NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory, contains articles such as "Mars Exploration Rover Mobility Development" and "Working the Martian Night Shift." The table of contents and abstracts for all papers are available through the IEEE Xplore digital library, where subscribers may access the full text of the issue: ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jsp?isnumber=34338

8. SHARE YOUR PHOTOS OF IEEE EVENTS
Got IEEE photos? Share them with the world at the new IEEE photo group on Flickr.com. Check out the pictures posted so far at: www.flickr.com/groups/ieee/

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9. IBM EXPLORING LIQUID COOLED CHIPS
Liquid cooling of semiconductors using an array of tiny nozzles to spray water on the backs of chips is being developed by researchers at IBM Laboratories, who say the method is six times more effective than air cooling electronics. IBM says air cooling techniques offer cooling power densities of 60 watts per square centimeter, as opposed to 370 watts per square centimeter for liquid cooling, but that manufacturers will not shift to the new technology until its cost effectiveness has been proven. The technique uses parallel inlet and outlet manifolds that can scale up to 50,000 nozzles on an area of just four square centimeters, according to IBM, who will detail the research at the ITherma conference in California, in a seminar on chip cooling aligned to the IEEE organized Electronic Components and Technology Conference. Read more: www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=188101955

10. FOLDABLE ELECTRONICS?
Flexible handheld computers, phones and portable game consoles that fold up for carrying but become rigid for use could be on the way thanks to technology being developed by Sony's Tokyo laboratories. The body and screen of the folding devices would be made from a flexible polymer containing conductive rubber bracing struts filled with a gel of aluminosilicate particles suspended in silicone oil, researchers say. When current is passed through the struts, the particles clump together and harden the gel, making the gadget solid enough to use in milliseconds, according to the scientists, who say it would take very little power to make the device harden, reducing battery drain. Read more: www.newscientist.com/blog/invention/2006/06/origami-gadgets.html

11. FINALISTS SELECTED IN COMPUTER SOCIETY DESIGN COMPETITION
Ten teams of university students have been named finalists in the annual IEEE Computer Society International Design Competition. Finalists include three teams from the United States, two from China, two from Poland, one from India, one from Romania and one from Jordan. The teams, which designed and implemented computer-based solutions to real-world problems along the theme of "Preserving, Protecting and Enhancing the Environment," will travel to Washington, D.C. to present their projects in the competition's World Finals in July. For more information, visit: biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060516/dctu070.html?.v=36

12. IEEE TEAMS WITH IBM TO LAUNCH TRYENGINEERING.ORG
IEEE and IBM have collaborated to launch a new website that combines interactive activities with information on careers in engineering. Tryengineering.org is designed to educate a variety of audiences about the different engineering disciplines and the impact engineers have on society. Targeted toward teachers, school counselors, parents and students, site visitors can explore how to prepare for an engineering career, ask experts engineer-related questions and play interactive games. Tools for teachers include lesson plans and engineering projects as well as a list of student competitions and science and engineering-oriented summer camps. The site launched on 5 June with a searchable list of accredited engineering programs in the U.S. and Canada, and will be expanded to include programs in other English-speaking countries as well as Germany and France. Visit: www.tryengineering.org

13. DEATH BY DMCA: "IEEE SPECTRUM" REPORTS
A flood of legislation released by the passage of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) threatens to drown whole classes of consumer electronics according to an article in this month's issue of "IEEE Spectrum" (v. 43, no. 6). The DMCA was originally created in 1998 with the idea that is it wrong to break through technical "locks" that keep digital content from being stolen, or to market devices that do so. According to the author of the article, Fred Von Lohmann, senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, much of the legislation discussed in the article, "would lead to a world in which federal regulators, not creative engineers, would dictate many product features and design decisions." To learn more about the legislation passed by the DMCA and how it may affect you, visit: www.spectrum.ieee.org/jun06/3673

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WHAT'S NEW @ IEEE IN CIRCUITS
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.

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

Contributing Editors: Diana Fuksin, Robert J. Howe, Brian Pedersen, Ryan Thomas, Cari Wolfert

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