Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

31 Dec 22

Always Break Yolks: The Joy of Microwave Cooking

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

As I write this month’s article, my house is a noisy, dusty construction zone. I am renovating my kitchen, which was originally built in 1964. Although I’m happy to be rid of some of the disastrous 1960s design missteps—seriously, only one electrical receptacle in the entire kitchen?—I was sad to…

30 Dec 22

13 Intriguing Engineering Milestones to Look for in 2023

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

This story is part of our Top Tech 2023 special report. A Sea-Monster-Proof InternetThe initial segment of what will be the first underwater fiber-optic link to skirt the North Pole, connecting Japan and Europe, will light up in early 2023. This stretch, called Iris, will link Iceland to Ireland. In…

29 Dec 22

Electronic Warfare, Hackable 5G Networks, and Cell Towers on the Moon

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

2022, like every year, saw the arrival of countless new telecom technologies. But it’s those technologies that really swing for the fences that capture the imagination. That’s why this year, IEEE Spectrum‘s readers spent their time learning about proposals to bring something like 5G to the moon, to change how…

22 Dec 22

How to Use Adhesives for Your MEMs Packaging

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Metallurgy & Material Science

Does your MEMs packaging application have specific requirements? Epoxy adhesives are often capable of providing the necessary properties to ensure support and protection from thermal and mechanical shock, vibration, and other physical damage. These systems can be ideal for die attach, underfill and encapsulation.

21 Dec 22

Wi-Fi routers could be used to monitor breathing

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

Scientists at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have created BreatheSmart, an algorithm to determine whether someone is having trouble breathing using available Wi-Fi routers and devices. Wi-Fi routers continuously broadcast radio frequencies that phones, tablets and computers are able pick up. As the signals travel, they bounce…

16 Dec 22

Where now for the transistor?

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

The transistor celebrated its 75th birthday on Friday (16 December), just at the point where its future is in doubt, or at least its role in the future scaling of the chips that use this now ubiquitous device. Depending on who you ask, Moore’s Law is in various states of…

11 Dec 22

Two Startups Are Bringing Fiber to the Processor

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Metallurgy & Material Science

If a CPU in Seoul sends a byte of data to a processor in Prague, the information covers most of the distance as light, zipping along with no resistance. But put both those processors on the same motherboard, and they’ll need to communicate over energy-sapping copper, which slow the communication…

09 Dec 22

Laser-based communication system enables HD video from space probes

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

Researchers have reported new results from Nasa’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration project, which develops and tests new advanced laser sources for deep-space optical communication. Nasa currently relies on radio communication systems to communicate with Mars rovers and probes. However, this incurs average delays of around 20 minutes…

05 Dec 22

Intel’s Take on the Next Wave of Moore’s Law

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Metallurgy & Material Science

The next wave of Moore’s Law will rely on a developing concept called system technology co-optimization, said Ann B. Kelleher, general manager of technology development at Intel in an interview with IEEE Spectrum ahead of her plenary talk at the 2022 IEEE Electron Device Meeting (IEDM).“Moore’s Law is about increasing…

05 Dec 22

Electronic tattoos could help measure stress

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

Electronic tattoo (e-tattoo) technology could be the key to tracking a natural body response which makes the palms of someone's hands wet when they are excited or nervous, and helping people that suffer from mental health conditions. Although this bodily response - called electrodermal activity - has been known for…