Electronic Design UPDATE: March 9, 2005

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Electronic Design UPDATE e-Newsletter
Electronic Design Magazine
PlanetEE ==> www.planetee.com
March 9, 2005
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Today's Table Of Contents:
1. Editor's View
  *Personal Security Gets A Boost From Biometric Advances
2. Focus On DSP
  *ZSP Cores Now Offer aacPlus Audio Streams
3. News From The Editors
  *LED Series Works Blue
  *You're Invited To A Free Test Event
  *Multimedia Processor Delivers Dazzling Cell-Phone Images
4. Upcoming Industry Events
  *Symposium on Quality of Electronic Design
  *Portable Power Developer's Conference
  *SID International Symposium 2005
5. Magazine Highlights: March 3, 2005
  *Cover Story: Engineering Feature -- Technology At War
  *Leapfrog: First Look -- HCA Packs A Price/Performance Punch
  *Design View/Design Solution -- Speed Time-To-Insight Debugging For 
   High-Speed Memory Failures

Electronic Design UPDATE edited by Lisa Maliniak, eMedia Editor

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Free Webcast: Advances in Mixed-Signal Testing
March 9 at 2:00 p.m. EST

This webcast, sponsored by LeCroy, will present new technology that 
allows engineers to add 32 digital channels to existing four-channel 
oscilloscopes. It also will present easy-to-use techniques for testing a 
mixture of analog and digital signals. Emphasis will be placed on 
practical examples, including setup, triggering, decoding of digital 
buses, and making measurements on mixed analog-digital signals.

To register, go to:
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=46FA:1001CD

*****

Free Showcast: Embedded Systems Conference
March 10 at 4:00 p.m. EST

Embedded designers deal with a host of constraints: low power 
consumption, high performance, and reliability, to name just a few. Not 
surprisingly, these are the same issues being addressed by the trends 
expected at this year's Embedded System Conference (ESC). The show 
features tiny, low-power 8-bit MCUs side by side with the latest boards 
utilitzing high-speed interconnects such as PCI Express. Our ESC 
showcast, sponsored by Actel and Kontron, will track the latest products 
and prototypes at the show.

To register, go to:
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=46FC:1001CD

*****

THOUGHT YOU'D MISSED THEM? DON'T WORRY, THEY'RE ARCHIVED
Electronic Design's webcasts are available online:
COM Express -- Emerging Standard: Explore the new Computer-on-Module
standard from the PICMG.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=4700:1001CD

Next-Generation In-House PCB Prototyping: Produce your own PCB 
prototypes without the use of hazardous chemicals.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=46F9:1001CD

Selecting the Best ASIC Solution, I: Dave Bursky discusses the selection 
process with a panel of ASIC manufacturers.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=4700:1001CD

*****

BE SURE TO VISIT Electronic Design's Web site, where the power of 
Electronic Design is a mouse click away! Read our Web exclusives, enjoy 
our Quick Poll, discover Featured Vendors, access our archives, share 
viewpoints in our forums, explore our e-newsletters, and more.

TAKE OUR CURRENT QUICK POLL:

What's your favorite portable electronic device?
-- Cell phone 
-- Personal digital assistant (PDA)
-- Smart phone or PDA with e-mail capability
-- iPod or other MP3 player
-- Notebook computer with wireless connectivity

Vote at Electronic Design ==> http://www.elecdesign.com

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1. Editor's View -- Exclusive to Electronic Design UPDATE
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Personal Security Gets A Boost From Biometric Advances

By Dave Bursky, Digital ICs/DSP Editor

As we worry more about identity theft and ponder what we would do if 
someone gained access to the personal and business data we keep on our 
computers, PDAs, and even cell phones, data security is fast becoming a 
critical aspect of everyday life. Nowhere was this more clearly pointed 
out than at last month's RSA Data Security conference, held in San 
Francisco ( http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=4706:1001CD ). On display were hundreds of 
solutions ranging from personal biometric-based devices using fingerprint
sensors to high-performance subsystems that protect large enterprise networks.
   For personal security, the cost to implement fingerprint matching has 
been dropping over the last few years thanks to advances in sensor 
technology and improved computer horsepower. As a result, today you 
can purchase cell phones, PDAs, laptop computers, keyboards, and even 
disk drives and USB flash memory drives with built-in fingerprint 
sensors. A few new players showed their biometric solutions at this 
year's conference, too. 
   A spinoff from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Beyond LSI Inc., 
demonstated a new fingerprint authentication technology based on 
ridge information extracted from the captured fingerprint rather than 
on the more commonly used Minutiae feature points. Beyond's scheme 
requires just 64 data bytes per fingerprint, which the company claims 
is the industry's smallest data footprint. In addition to the smaller 
data requirements, the company also has developed a high-speed 
processing algorithm that authenticates a fingerprint in just 40 ms. 
The short computation time and small data requirement are a good fit 
for next-generation smart cards that will incorporate fingerprint 
authentication. Check out the company at http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=4708:1001CD
   Another vendor, Precise Biometrics Inc., employs a proprietary scheme 
that stores multiple small images of a fingerprint as a template. To 
verify an individual's identity, the reader captures the fingerprint 
using three critera: pattern, curvature, and depth. It then compares 
the captured data to the stored template. The company uses this 
approach, called Precise BioMatch, for storing templates on 
SmartCards or for use with fingerprint capture devices. For details, 
go to http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=4701:1001CD
   Privaris Inc. has put biometrics into a wireless keyfob. The company 
merges RFID, Bluetooth connectivity, and fingerprint sensing to 
provide wireless physical and logical security in a single device. 
The BPID Model LFBT security device functions both in locally and 
remotely stored credential environments. All fingerprint processing, 
encoding, storage, and matching are performed in the device. Based on 
an ARM7 66-MHz RISC processor, the unit packs in 512 kbytes of flash 
storage and a biometric sensor with 250-dpi resolution. For more, go 
to http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=4709:1001CD
   Embedding biometrics in a portable hard drive or a flash-memory 
drive, Memory Experts International protects data for users on the 
go. The Outbacker drive is a USB 2.0 low-power hard-disk drive 
available in 20- or 40-Gbyte capacities. A fingerprint touchsensor 
built into the drive housing and integrated management software 
stores up to 10 different fingerprints so multiple users can access 
the data. The ClipDrive Bio is a flash-based USB drive available in 
capacities from 64 Mbytes to 4 Gbytes. Based on a TruPrint sensor 
from AuthenTec, it includes a four- to 40-character password that can 
be used as a backup to the biometric access control feature. For 
further information, go to http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=4702:1001CD
   There also are plenty of aftermarket biometic sensors available, some 
as standalone devices that can be added to a computer or other 
system, and others incoporated into peripherals such as keyboards and 
mice. Zvetco Biometrics offers its Verifi family, which includes the 
P4000 waterproof fingerprint reader, the K4000 PC keyboard with 
built-in fingerprint sensor, and the P3400 standalone fingerprint 
sensor. All are based on the AuthenTec TruPrint sensor and connect to 
systems via USB ports. For more, go to http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=470A:1001CD

To comment on this Editor's View, go to Reader Comments at the foot of 
the Web page:

Electronic Design UPDATE ==>
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=46F7:1001CD

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**********************
2. Focus On DSP
**********************

***ZSP Cores Now Offer aacPlus Audio Streams
Thanks to a collaboration between LSI Logic's ZSP division, Coding 
Technologies Inc., and ESPICO Ltd., MPEG-4 aacPlus decoding is now 
available for use on all ZSP digital signal processor (DSP) cores 
offered by LSI Logic and its licensees. The software module is 
performance-optimized for use with the ZSP400 core so customers can 
quickly enable advanced mobile products. Already standardized by MPEG 
and 3GPP, aacPlus v2 combines advanced audio coding (AAC) with Coding 
Technologies' spectral band replication (SBR) and parametric stereo 
technologies. SBR is a unique bandwidth extension technique that enables 
audio codecs to deliver the same quality at half the bit rate, and 
parametric stereo enhances the codec efficiency a second time for 
low-bit-rate stereo signals. The result is that aacPlus delivers 
streaming and downloadable 5.1 multichannel audio at 128 kbits/s, near 
CD-quality stereo at 32 kbits/s, excellent quality stereo at 24 kbits/s, 
and mixed content down to 16 kbits/s and below. The ZSP cores are 
available as synthesizable cores and hard macros, as well as 
off-the-shelf general-purpose voice processors and application-specific 
standard products from LSI Logic and ZSP licensees. 
     LSI Logic ZSP division ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=470F:1001CD
     Coding Technologies Inc. ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=46FF:1001CD
     ESPICO Ltd. ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=470C:1001CD

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3. News -- From The Editors
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***LED Series Works Blue
The Cotco TBL Blue Series LEDs utilize the most recent advances in 
InGaN/SiC technology for enhanced luminous intensity and performance. 
The die process combines highly efficient indium-gallium-nitride (InGaN) 
materials with a silicon-carbide (SiC) substrate in a geometrically 
enhanced Epi-down chip structure design to maximize light extraction 
efficiency. The material also incorporates a current distribution layer 
that requires only a single wire bond for increased LED reliability. The 
vertically structured LED chips are approximately 115 microns in height 
and require a low forward voltage. Luminous intensities range up to 
12,000 mcd. TBL Blue LEDs are available in 5-mm round and elliptical 
package styles with a variety of viewing angles. Pricing starts at $0.38 
in 5000-unit lots. Cotco TBL Series LEDs are only available through 
Marktech Optoelectronics.
     Marktech Optoelectronics ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=4707:1001CD

***You're Invited To A Free Test Event
National Instruments will join Tektronix, Virginia Panel, Thermotron, 
and other companies to bring the Automated Test Summit 2005 to 14 cities 
across North America from April to June. Host cities include San Jose, 
Irvine, Boston, Chicago, and Phoenix. Attendees of this free, full-day 
event can learn about emerging trends and techniques in design 
validation and manufacturing test and see the latest automated test 
innovations in action. Event keynotes, technical sessions, and case 
studies will address product quality and test platforms, as well as new 
technologies such as PCI Express, synchronization and calibration 
strategies, software autoscheduling, and appropriate bus selections for 
your system.
     National Instruments ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=4705:1001CD

***Multimedia Processor Delivers Dazzling Cell-Phone Images 
Upgrade the multimedia performance on mobile phones and other wireless 
handhelds with the GoForce 3D 4800 wireless media processor (WMP) from 
Nvidia Corp. This WMP delivers realistic 3D graphics, megapixel still 
imaging, and high-quality video capture and playback. For game 
performance, a programmable pixel shader, four- and eight-bit texture 
palettes, and support for up to six simultaneous textures enable the 
graphics engine to depict virtual worlds in realistic detail. To catch 
high-quality photos, the processor includes a JPEG hardware encoder 
capable of capturing images with up to 3-Mpixel resolution. In addition, 
an embedded hardware MPEG-4 codec supports VGA-resolution video at up to 
30 frames/s. Pricing for the GoForce 3D 4800 wireless WMPs is 
approximately $25 each in small quantities and much less in large 
production quantities. Sampling now, the chips will be available in 
mobile phones by the end of this year.
     NVIDIA Corp. ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=470B:1001CD

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4. Upcoming Industry Events
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March 28-30, IEEE International Symposium on Quality of Electronic 
Design (ISQED 2005)
San Jose, Calif.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=470D:1001CD

April 18-20, Portable Power Developer's Conference (PPDC '05)
San Jose, Calif.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=4703:1001CD

May 22-27, Society for Information Displays (SID) International 
Symposium 2005
Boston, Mass.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=470E:1001CD

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5. Magazine Highlights
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In case you missed them, here are some of the high points of our most 
recent issue.

March 3, 2005:

* Cover Story: Engineering Feature -- Technology At War
On the front lines: Today's soldier takes aim via advanced electronics.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=46F5:1001CD

* Leapfrog: First Look -- HCA Packs A Price/Performance Punch
This single-chip, 10-Gbit/s InfiniBand host channel adapter costs under 
$70 and consumes less than 2 W.
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=46F6:1001CD

* Design View/Design Solution -- Speed Time-To-Insight Debugging For 
High-Speed Memory Failures
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=46F4:1001CD

For the complete Table of Contents, go to Electronic Design ==>
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=46F8:1001CD

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CONTACTS: Electronic Design UPDATE e-NEWSLETTER
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Editorial: Mark David, Editor-in-Chief
mailto:[email protected]

Advertising/Sponsorship Opportunities: Bill Baumann, Publisher:
mailto:[email protected]
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