Jack Browne
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ED Online ID #16517 |
August 23, 2007
Microwaves & RF UPDATE | August 23, 2007
Jack Browne, Technical Director
Try the Agilent 89600 VSA Software - FREE!
Try the industry's leading Vector Signal Analysis (VSA) software FREE and speed your signal
troubleshooting and evaluation tasks. The CD includes everything you need: recorded signals,
help text, brochures and getting started videos.
Software of all kinds plays increasingly important roles in everyday life. On an engineering level,
of course, software circuit and electromagnetic (EM) simulators have made it possible to analyze
structures that were once designed solely by trial and error. Design times have been shaved
dramatically as a result of these simulation tools, and system-level simulations have made it
possible to combine complex arrays of components and circuits with a fairly good understand of
the final system's performance.
On a consumer level, most people would be lost without the operating system in their personal
computer (PC), or in their cell phone, or their personal digital assistant (PDA). Software has
taken over some of our thought processes and some of our organic "memory space" that we once
dedicated to remembering key facts, such as names, addresses, and phone numbers.
The inevitable use of software is to replace humanoids all together, through the use of intelligent
robotics systems. Curiously, LabVIEW software, which is perhaps most associated with
automatic test equipment (ATE), has successfully been applied to a humanoid robot to study
locomotion. Robotics technology is still in its infancy, but it is possible that robots may take
over some of the tasks now performed by humans, within the lifetimes of many readers. Whether
that is a good thing, only time, and our readers, can tell.
New Agilent USB Power Sensor Brings Mobility To Power Measurements
Agilent's U2000 Series USB power sensors measure true average power from RF and microwave
devices and make setup fast and simple by providing plug-and-play USB connectivity, and by
eliminating the need for a separate power meter. The U2000 Series is an affordable solution that
doesn't compromise on performance in multi-channel power measurements. Get what you need:
simple set up, beyond just a sensor.
The RapidIO® Trade Association, the organization devoted to the proliferation of the high-
speed interface after which it is named, has developed a series of online webcasts designed to
educate engineering managers, system designers, and embedded product developers on how to
include RapidIO technology into their next-generation products. Scheduled for September
through November, the webcasts cover defense and military applications (September 12),
RapidIO for ATCA, microTCA, and custom form-factor systems (October 10), RapidIO for
ATCA and microTCA (October 22), and RapidIO for next-generation storage systems
(November, date to be determined). Sponsors include Mercury Computer Systems, Tundra
Semiconductor, and Curtiss Wright. According to Tom Cox, Executive Director of the RapidIO
Trade Association, "Bringing this level of expertise
together in four unique webcasts is unprecedented, and will provide
OEMs with unparalleled insights into RapidIO design methodologies." For more information,
visit the link below.
QUALCOMM, well known for its communications technologies, has ascended to the ranks of
the top 10 in global semiconductor producers according to a report from iSuppli Corp. This
marks the first time that a company without its own foundry has achieved this landmark.
QUALCOMM rose to ninth place among global semiconductor suppliers in the second quarter
of 2007, up from 13th place in the previous quarter. The firm achieved revenue of $1.4 billion in
the second quarter, up 8.6 percent from the $1.3 billion reported in the first quarter. This
milestone has QUALCOMM passing several well-respected suppliers, including Freescale
Semiconductor, NEC Electronics, and Infineon Technologies AG.
Comparing and Using LXI and PXI in Test Systems Webcast Series
This three-part webcast series presented by Agilent Technologies will explore a comparison of
LXI and PXI measurement platforms, journey into maximizing the usefulness of each platform,
and then look at optimizing system performance using smart instruments in LXI.
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