Industry News
How Wireless Charging Will Make Life Simpler (And Greener)
July 24, 2012 10:19 am | News | CommentsAnyone with a dying cellphone has wondered in frustration when our so-called “wireless” phones will be able to do without that umbilical cord of modern life — the power cable. After years of speculation, the solution may finally be at hand: Samsung is expected release a wireless charging kit for its Galaxy S3 phone this fall.
America Invents Act Is A Game Changer
July 24, 2012 6:00 am | by The new act, signed by President Obama on Sep. 16, 2011, contains twenty different statutory provisions and steps for the USPTO to implement in a variety of ways. Public input is valued and welcomed at stops along the way to final implementation. | News | CommentsIn an article published in the current issue of Technology and Innovation- Proceedings of the National Academy of Inventors ® ( https://www.cognizantcommunication.com/journal-titles/technology-a-innov... ), Janet Gongola, Patent Reform Coordinator for the U.
Printed Photonic Crystal Mirrors Shrink On-chip Lasers Down to Size
July 24, 2012 5:54 am | News | CommentsElectrical engineers at The University of Texas at Arlington and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have devised a new laser for on-chip optical connections that could give computers a huge boost in speed and energy efficiency. The team published its findings on July 22, 2012 in Nature Photonics .
World's First Violet Nonpolar Vertical-Cavity Laser Technology
July 24, 2012 5:34 am | News | CommentsUC Santa Barbara solid state lighting team develops the first m-plane nitride based nonpolar vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) In a leap forward for laser technology, a team at University of California, Santa Barbara, has developed the first violet nonpolar vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) based on m-plane gallium nitride semiconductors.
Solar Charger Sticks To The Inside Of A Window To Soak Up the Sun
July 24, 2012 5:14 am | News | CommentsThe XDModo Window solar charger sticks to the inside of a glass window pane so that the PV panel gets maximum exposure to the sun. I guess I'm lucky that I now live in a part of the world blessed with long sunny days that are perfect for juicing up the battery on my solar device charger.
STMicroelectronics Leads the Move to Next-Generation Car Infotainment Systems
July 23, 2012 6:32 am | News | CommentsSTMicroelectronics has introduced the industry’s first digital radio chipset that enables simultaneous reception and processing of AM/FM and multiple digital-radio broadcasts (e.g. DAB+). Complete with full software stack and support for a number of different broadcasting standards, ST’s new digital radio chipset started volume production in Q2 2012.
IDT Acquires NXP's Data Converter Assets and Alvand Technologies
July 23, 2012 5:31 am | News | CommentsIntegrated Device Technology, Inc. today announced that it has acquired NXP’s high-speed data converter assets and Alvand Technologies, a leading analog IP company specializing in data converters. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. These transactions solidify IDT’s leading position as a comprehensive solutions provider for wireless infrastructure.
The 5 Greatest Failures in Car Tech
July 20, 2012 12:37 pm | News | CommentsThe 100-plus-year history of the automobile is checkered with failed technologies. Some of these features and functions are so bad that car manufacturers would rather you not recall them at all. To suss out the most spectacular tech mistakes of yesteryear, we spoke to car experts about their all-time favorites.
Radiation Damage Bigger Problem in Microelectronics Than Previously Thought
July 20, 2012 12:33 pm | News | CommentsThe amount of structural damage that radiation causes in electronic materials at the atomic level may be at least ten times greater than previously thought. That is the surprising result of a new characterization method that uses a combination of lasers and acoustic waves to provide scientists with a capability tantamount to X-ray vision: It allows them to peer through solid materials to pinpoint the size and location of detects buried deep inside with unprecedented precision.
UCLA Researchers Create Highly Transparent Solar Cells for Windows That Generate Electricity
July 20, 2012 12:32 pm | News | CommentsUCLA researchers have developed a new transparent solar cell that is an advance toward giving windows in homes and other buildings the ability to generate electricity while still allowing people to see outside. Their study appears in the journal ACS Nano . The UCLA team describes a new kind of polymer solar cell (PSC) that produces energy by absorbing mainly infrared light, not visible light, making the cells nearly 70% transparent to the human eye.
Scientists Bring Low Frequency, 'First Light' to the Jansky Very Large Array
July 20, 2012 12:30 pm | News | CommentsU.S. Naval Research Laboratory scientists from the Radio Astrophysics and Sensing Section of the Remote Sensing Division in conjunction with radio astronomers and engineers from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), Socorro, N.M., achieve "First Light" image, May 1, 2012, at frequencies below 1-gigahertz (GHz) on the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA).
Innovation Promises to Cut Massive Power Use at Big Data Companies in a Flash
July 20, 2012 12:26 pm | by Vivek Pai (above), an associate professor of computer science at Princeton, worked with graduate student Anirudh Badam to develop a software technique that could radically cut power use. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) | News | CommentsBig data needs big power. The server farms that undergird the Internet run on a vast tide of electricity. Even companies that have invested in upgrades to minimize their eco-footprint use tremendous amounts: The New York Times estimates that Google, for example, uses enough electricity in its data centers to power about 200,000 homes.
Google Acquires Sparrow, Team To Focus on ‘New Projects
July 20, 2012 12:23 pm | News | CommentsGoogle has acquired iOS and Mac email client Sparrow, with the team behind the popular app heading to Google to work with the Gmail team. “We care a lot about how people communicate, and we did our best to provide you with the most intuitive and pleasurable mailing experience,” Dom Leca, CEO of Sparrow, said in a statement on the company’s website .
Microsoft Reports First Loss in History
July 19, 2012 2:05 pm | News | CommentsAs expected, Microsoft reported a quarterly loss for the first time in its 26 years on the market on Thursday afternoon. The tech giant had warned previously that it would be taking a $6.19 billion write-down its 2007 acquisition of aQuantive, which Microsoft once hoped would help it break into the display market that continues to be dominated by Google.
RFID Market Reaches $7.67 Billion in 2012
July 17, 2012 9:59 am | News | CommentsThe latest RFID market research from IDTechEx finds that in 2012 the value of the entire RFID market will be $7.46 billion, up from $6.37 billion in 2011. This includes tags, readers and software/services for RFID cards, labels, fobs and all other form factors. It includes passive and active RFID. Detailed forecasts are now available in the recently updated RFID Forecasts, Players and Opportunities 2012-2022 .
Mobile Audio Solution Delivers Over 5 Times the Power to Micro Speakers
July 17, 2012 9:41 am | News | CommentsA revolutionary embedded algorithm in a new audio system from NXP Semiconductors N.V. boosts the output power of micro speakers by over 5 times, vastly improving the sound quality of mobile devices. By driving over 2.6 watts RMS into micro speakers that have previously been limited to 0.5 W, the NXP TFA9887 IC will give mobile phones, portable music players and tablets much louder sound, deeper bass, and higher sound quality – without risking speaker damage.
Symantec Advances Mobile Productivity with New Android and iOS Protection Capabilities
July 17, 2012 9:36 am | News | CommentsBuilding on its success of facilitating mobility initiatives for enterprise customers, Symantec Corp. today announced significant mobile portfolio updates to enable secure mobile email deployments, mobile application initiatives and Bring Your Own Device programs. With these updates, Symantec now offers the most comprehensive enterprise-grade platform with enhanced capabilities in device management, application management and threat protection.
Wi-Fi Blocking Wallpaper Could Improve Wireless Security
July 17, 2012 7:42 am | News | CommentsThe answer to better Wi-Fi security could lie on the surfaces of a wallpaper. A team of French researchers at Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble was able to develop a wallpaper that can allegedly block Wi-Fi signals. Working together with Centre Technique du Papier, the researchers claim that the wallpaper prevented Wi-Fi signals from being transmitted beyond the confines of an office or apartment.
Agilent Technologies Signs Agreement to Acquire AT4 Wireless' Test Systems Business
July 17, 2012 6:20 am | by The acquisition is expected to be completed by early August, subject to customary closing conditions. Financial details were not disclosed. | News | CommentsAgilent Technologies Inc. and AT4 wireless today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for Agilent to acquire the assets of AT4 wireless’ Test Systems business. Privately held AT4 wireless, based in Malaga, Spain, is a global provider of testing services and solutions for wireless communications.
Partnership to Extend Fast Write, Higher Density Memory to Standard RFID Readers
July 17, 2012 6:00 am | News | CommentsU.S. semiconductor maker Ramtron International and Module Technology announced that they have entered into a technology partnership. Under the partnership, Ramtron and Module Technology will enhance Module Technology’s standard RFID reader hardware to support the faster and higher memory array of the Ramtron MaxArias wireless memory.
Taking Lighting to the Next Level with Open, Standards-based Wireless Lighting Controls
July 17, 2012 5:55 am | News | CommentsDaintree Networks, Inc ., and Philips today announced an agreement to develop advanced lighting controls products for commercial buildings through the use of open standards such as ZigBee®, helping customers to avoid vendor lock-in and ensure that their lighting systems are interoperable today and well into the future.
Extracting Multiple Anodes from a Single Wafer for Lithium-Ion Batteries
July 17, 2012 5:49 am | News | CommentsResearchers at Rice University and Lockheed Martin reported this month that they’ve found a way to make multiple high-performance anodes from a single silicon wafer. The process uses simple silicon to replace graphite as an element in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries , laying the groundwork for longer-lasting, more powerful batteries for such applications as commercial electronics and electric vehicles.
Human Eye Inspires Clog-free Ink Jet Printer Invented by MU Researcher
July 17, 2012 5:42 am | by Clogged printer nozzles waste time and money while reducing print quality. University of Missouri engineers recently invented a clog-preventing nozzle cover by mimicking the human eye. | News | Comments“The nozzle cover we invented was inspired by the human eye,” said Jae Wan Kwon, associate professor in the College of Engineering. “The eye and an ink jet nozzle have a common problem: they must not be allowed to dry while, simultaneously, they must open. We used biomimicry, the imitation of nature, to solve human problems.
Researchers Almost Double Light Efficiency in LC Projectors
July 17, 2012 5:37 am | News | CommentsResearchers from North Carolina State University and ImagineOptix Corporation have developed new technology to convert unpolarized light into polarized light, which makes projectors that use liquid crystal (LC) technology almost twice as energy efficient. The new technology has resulted in smaller, lower cost and more efficient projectors, meaning longer battery life and significantly lower levels of heat.
Pioneering Self-Contained 'Smart Village' Offers World Model for Rural Poverty Relief
July 17, 2012 5:27 am | News | CommentsAn innovative, high-tech "smart village" built in Malaysia provides a potential global template for addressing rural poverty in a sustainable environment, say international experts meeting in California's Silicon Valley. Rimbunan Kaseh, a model community built north-east of Kuala Lumpur, consists of 100 affordable homes, high-tech educational, training and recreational facilities, and a creative, closed-loop agricultural system designed to provide both food and supplementary income for villagers.
