FROM
THE EDITOR
As engineers, we're always working to improve our process - to simplify design and make new
product development faster and easier. Did you ever wonder what would happen if we succeeded? Completely? This
week's new editorial feature takes a look at the commoditization of engineering itself, and speculates on the
likely outcome.
Our second new feature is a contributed article that examines new advances in ceramic packaging
technology. While ceramics have historically been an exotic and somewhat specialized high-performance
technology, new advances are making them a realistic option for mainstream design.
Our Journal Jobs website is sporting new features, new jobs, and a host of new opportunities for
employers and job seekers alike. If you haven't visited
www.journaljobs.com lately, stop by and see what's cooking in the world of technology employment.
Thanks for reading! If there's anything we can do to make our publications more useful to you, please let us know at: comments@embeddedtechjournal.com
Kevin
Morris – Editor
Embedded Technology Journal
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Nallatech – The World Leader in FPGA Computing Solutions is recruiting now.
Nallatech is the world’s leading supplier of high-performance COTS FPGA Solutions. Nallatech designs and manufactures high-performance FPGA embedded products for the Defense and Security Market. We are currently recruiting Hardware Engineers in our UK locations.
 Take that big step to success with Nallatech.
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NEC Electronics. ASIC solutions you can count on.
For over 20 years, we've been providing high-quality
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and services - from gate arrays to structured and
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 See what we can do for you.
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FPGA AND STRUCTURED ASIC JOURNAL
A weekly e-mail newsletter from techfocus media (publishers of Embedded Technology Journal) dedicated to the design and application of FPGA and structured ASIC technology.
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JOURNAL WEBCASTS
UPCOMING:
"Optimizing Verilog Coding for More Efficient FPGA Synthesis" sponsored by Lattice Semiconductor
Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Time: 11 a.m. Pacific / 2 p.m. Eastern
 Click to register
ON DEMAND:
"Designing 2Gbps Parallel I/O with the LatticeSC FPGA" sponsored by Lattice Semiconductor
 Click here to watch!
Lattice's new 90nm LatticeSC family--general introduction, sponsored by Lattice Semiconductor.
 Click here to watch! |
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System Design by Swarm
Natural Selection in Embedded Design
The advent of the programmable embedded platform has created a
revolution in electronic hardware design. Before high-performance embedded computers, most
features of any product had to be custom designed in physical hardware. This fact slowed
technology progress, creating a barrier to entry into any worthwhile market and protecting
the position and investment of those who had developed working systems.
Once the embedded computer came on the scene, however, the game changed rapidly. Because
most product-specific features could now be implemented in hardware, the physical
difference between products began to diminish. Block diagrams of almost every type of
product from mobile phones to GPS receivers to digital cameras to high-end washing machines
started to look surprisingly similar. In today’s typical system, there’s a
processor or two, a few peripherals, the least memory we can get away with, and a bus or
switch fabric stitching it all together. The secret sauce is no longer contained in the
physical part of the system, but instead, in the embedded device software that makes it all
go. [more]
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Ceramic Injection Molding Produces Complex Parts With Tight Tolerances
by Paul Manison, Morgan Advanced Ceramics
Recent advances in ceramic injection molding (CIM) make it technically feasible and economical to
produce medium to large volumes of complex, ultra-high precision ceramic components. Engineers can now
combine the intricate geometry, which has long been the domain of plastic and metal parts, with the
superior performance characteristics of ceramics.
The well-known benefits of ceramic material include: high hardness and mechanical strength; wear and
corrosion resistance; dimensional stability over a wide range of temperatures; ability to withstand
high working temperatures; good electrical insulation and excellent dielectric properties. However,
until recent advances in CIM technology, production engineers and product designers did not view
ceramics as a viable option for complex parts requiring tight dimensional tolerances.
[more]
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