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Electronix Express Newsletter
April 2006 Issue
Welcome to the April 2006 Issue of the Electronix Express Newsletter
1. Mobile TV-A Growing Trend?
RadioScape has won contracts to supply Digital Multimedia Broadcast (DMB) infrastructure systems that will provide mobile TV services in China.
RadioScape is to supply a further five multiplexers to Chinese broadcasters bringing the current total number of multiplexers to nine, some of which are already broadcasting DMB Mobile TV and DAB audio. The company has systems that are broadcasting or shortly coming on stream at Beijing Jolon Digital Media Broadcasting, Shanghai Oriental Pearl (Group), Guangdong Yue Guang Digital Multimedia Broadcasting, with others soon to be announced.
RadioScape has also supplied more than 20 DAB/DMB research and test systems to Korea. Currently, Korea is leading the world in mobile TV. According to the CEO of RadioScape, "They have recognized that DMB provides a means of delivering mobile TV now as it is based on proven working technology and spectrum is already available in most countries unlike rival technologies. Other countries using the company's broadcast multiplexes, trial systems, and test equipment are Netherlands, Germany, France, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, the U.K. and Slovenia.
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2. Interfacing Electronics To People
As electronic embedded systems are finding their way into and replacing more mechanical control systems, it is reasonable to expect to see them finding their way into organic systems, such as the human body. Electronic embedded systems are interfacing with the human body in more ways each day to perform a variety of functions. Some of these functions range from health monitoring, managing and maintaining the function of systems such as the heart, replacing failed organs by controlling the insertion of drugs or enzymes into the body, and even restoring the use of limbs and senses. A growing market is emerging for implantable neurostimulation, or spinal-cord-stimulation, devices with control units outside the patient's body for the treatment of chronic pain or for managing epileptic seizures. Electronics subsystems are also enabling medical practitioners and some devices to perform their functions less intrusively than previously. Laparoscopic surgery is an area in which electronics are enabling surgeons to perform procedures in a minimally invasive fashion that results in less stress on a patient's body.
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3. Reducing Speed to Cool Memory
Now that the architects at AMD, IBM, Intel, and many other companies have launched multicore chips, performance promises to rise via parallel processing. Microprocessors will run cooler, and on-die power density will be lowered, but the power-hungry monster has not been altogether vanquished. Any change in a well-balanced system will impact its other components. The next system component to worry about is memory.
Without protection mechanisms to keep its case temperature within specs, memory is likely to fail because of high temperature. Bit failure is likely to occur, leading to memory corruption. Memory bandwidth may have to be reduced to allow the chips to cool before they can be asked to function again at full speed.
Running ahead of many others in performance, Intel is working to meet this challenge. Developers at Intel's 2005 Fall IDF were provided with a glimpse at the means Intel and some of its customers used to keep mobile memory temperature in check. A roadmap for future development was also drawn, dealing with temperature management from the viewpoint of the die. The thrust for higher performance has taken chip designers deeper into the physics of semiconductors. It is now taking the industry into the thermodynamics of system memory.
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4. Doppler Effect Enables Portable Vein Finder
Despite all the expensive technology at their disposal, doctors find that treatment often grinds to a halt due to difficulty inserting an intravenous line. A task that becomes more difficult or especially tricky when the patient is dehydrated, obese, or a young child. To solve this problem researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta) are developing a portable device that will help medical personnel quickly and accurately locate veins, eliminating repeated needle sticks and speeding the delivery of needed medicines.
As a medic moves the device along a patient's arm or leg, a transducer emits a pencil-lead-thin ultrasound beam, which a reflector directs into the skin. Signal-processing circuits then use the Doppler effect to distinguish arteries from veins based on the direction of blood flow. The device emits an alert when it locates a vein, and a needle guide ensures accurate insertion. Supported by a medical device manufacturer, the researchers are concentrating on delivering a low-cost design and expect that miniaturization will eventually lead to a unit the size of a large fountain pen.
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5. Networking Technology Brings Intelligence Into Today's Smart Home
The premise behind the smart home is to use networking technology to integrate appliances, devices, and services within the home in an effort to control and monitor the entire living space from a remote location, as well as from within the home. While the smart home seems to be a valuable and convenient concept in theory, there has yet to be widespread consumer demand for products found in a smart home. This is because consumers have high expectations for both performance and ease of use. In addition, expectations for price are disproportionately low.
However, several factors such as pervasive Internet access, home network growth and the acceleration of broadband access to many homes are driving consumer awareness of smart homes and smart home products. As a result, the market for Smart Homes will be interesting to watch over the next few years
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6. Microsoft Makes IPTV Move in Germany
Deutsche Telekom is working with Microsoft to provide the software platform for its proposed Internet Protocol television (IPTV) services in Germany.
The German phone operator will use the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform to offer IPTV services. This is Microsoft's largest IPTV contract in Europe and its second largest anywhere in the world.
Deutsche Telekom plans to offer regular TV programs, as well as advanced television services including standard and high-definition programs, interactive TV, digital video recording and video on demand.
IPTV services will be delivered through the new VDSL network, which is currently being extended by T-Com. This network is expected to permit bandwidth of up to 50Mbit/sec. and is planned for launch starting mid-2006 in 10 major German cities including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich. Microsoft's IPTV software will support pay-TV programs and personal video capabilities.
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7. As Consumers Continue to Take Legal Route, Online Music Market to Experience Healthy Growth
Healthy growth in the online music market will continue for the rest of the decade, with worldwide sales growing from $1.5 billion in 2005 to $10.7 billion in 2010. Revenue from downloaded music will outpace revenue from physical media bought online by 2007. This is evidence that the Internet is now a key distribution channel for legitimate digital music sales. Additionally, the mobile phone is also evolving into an important channel for digital music. Consumers are clearly opting for legal ways to purchase music, and more legitimate music sites are available. However, vendors still face significant obstacles including Internet piracy, interoperability concerns, and the unlicensed use of digital streams. A consumer survey found that nearly half of the survey respondents admitted to downloading music from the Internet; and 64% of these respondents have paid for the music. In addition, the largest percentage of respondents who have purchased music online spent between $10 and $20 in the last 12 months. Finally, the most popular site used was iTunes, with 53% of music purchasers having used the site. Also not to be ignored, mobile music represents competition for both traditional CD sales, as well as digital singles and albums downloaded to a PC or portable audio player.
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