Researchers led by biomedical engineers at Tufts University invented a microfluidic chip containing cardiac cells that is capable of mimicking hypoxic conditions following a heart attack – specifically when an artery is blocked in the heart and then unblocked after treatment. The chip contains multiplexed arrays of electronic sensors placed outside and inside the cells that can detect the rise and fall of voltage across individual cell membranes, as well as voltage waves moving across the cell layer, which cause the cells to beat in unison in the chip, just as they do in the heart.
Double-Walled Nanotubes Have Electro-Optical Advantages
One nanotube could be great for electronics applications, but there’s new evidence that two could be tops. Rice University engineers already knew that size matters when using single-walled carbon nanotubes for their electrical properties. But until now, nobody had studied how electrons act when confronted with the Russian doll-like structure of multiwalled tubes.
ON Semiconductor Names Digi-Key Electronics Global High Service Distributor of the Year
Digi-Key Electronics, the leading global electronic components distributor, was named ON Semiconductor’s Global High Service Distributor for 2019. The Top 2019 High Service Distribution Partner Award honors the distributor that led the channel in digital marketing initiatives, increased customer breadth, and promotion and sales of ON Semiconductor’s latest innovative new products. Digi-Key was recognized for partnering in inventory management and scoring highly on overall process excellence in the evolving semiconductor market.
Worldwide Server and Enterprise Storage Systems Markets Will Decline in 2020, Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic, According to IDC
End user spending on IT infrastructure (server and enterprise storage systems) will decline in 2020 as a result of the widespread coronavirus pandemic. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker and Worldwide Quarterly Enterprise Storage Systems Tracker, under the current probable scenario server market revenues will decline 3.4% year over year to $88.6 billion and external enterprise storage systems (ESS) revenues will decline 5.5% to $28.7 billion in 2020.
New Fabrication Approach Paves Way to Low Cost Mid-Infrared Lasers Useful for Sensing
For the first time, researchers have fabricated high-performance mid-infrared laser diodes directly on microelectronics-compatible silicon substrates. The new lasers could enable the widespread development of low-cost sensors for real-time, accurate environmental sensing for applications such as air pollution monitoring, food safety analysis, and detecting leaks in pipes.
A Call for Ventilator Collaboration
Wouldn’t it be great if a SEMATECH-like group formed and provided a forum to enable manufacturers to collaborate to quickly get a world-best open source ventilator design approved and make it available to capable equipment manufacturers?
Juniper Research: Coronavirus to Cause $42 Billion Revenue Gap in Global Consumer Device Shipments over the Next 9 Months
New analysis from Juniper Research found that Coronavirus could cause around a $42 billion revenue gap over the next 9 months for smart device vendors. The analysis examined a number of key device verticals including smartphones, tablets, consumer robotics, smart speakers and smart wearables. Three impact scenarios, low, medium and high, illustrate a range of possible outcomes.
Samsung Announces Industry’s First EUV DRAM with Shipment of First Million Modules
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has successfully shipped one million of the industry’s first 10nm-class (D1x) DDR4 (Double Date Rate 4) DRAM modules based on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology. The new EUV-based DRAM modules have completed global customer evaluations, and will open the door to more cutting-edge EUV process nodes for use in premium PC, mobile, enterprise server and datacenter applications.
Shifting Dimensions: Exciting Excitons in Phosphorene
Since its discovery in 2014, phosphorene – a sheet of phosphorus atoms only a single atom thick – has intrigued scientists, due to its unique optoelectronic anisotropy. In other words, electrons interact with light and move in one direction only. This anisotropy means that despite being two dimensional (2D), phosphorene shows a mix of properties found in both one-dimensional (1D) and 2D materials. Scientists believe that the distinct quasi-1D nature of phosphorene could be exploited to develop new, innovative optoelectronic devices, from LEDs to solar cells.
Medtronic Continuing to Increase Ventilator Production to Address COVID-19 Pandemic
Medtronic has increased production by more than 40 percent to date and is on track to more than double its capacity to manufacture and supply ventilators.
