Why are opto, MEMS and nanotech devices languishing? They aren't, it's the economy. When high tech picks up, the opto group will provide enabling technologies. Opto and MEMS devices still have a very bright future although it is somewhat dimmed at the moment. The reason belongs to some mind-boggling shortsightedness in fiberoptic deployment strategies, assuming there was a plan in the first place-other than to pocket investor's money.
More than 'Shortsighted Deployment' Actually, describing what the big-buck telecom executives did as "shortsighted deployment" is too kind; "stupid" is a more accurate term. Stupid also accurately describes the Wall Street con persons who pushed investors in the wrong direction with both telecom stocks and dot-coms. Why does anyone pay attention people who make investment suggestions based on the rumor de jour with little, if any, understanding of technology in general? Stupid is installing enormous amounts of long-haul fiber capacity without also connecting the fiber to potential paying customers-that last mile, few hundred yards or whatever. That is the problem and it did not require a business or engineering degree to explain it to anyone. The irony is that there was and is strong customer demand for fiber in homes, offices and factories. Yet few companies are installing it now due to "bad economic conditions" that they brought about themselves.
Now, as the big telecoms all declare bankruptcy to bail themselves out, they might have some cash to finally connect fiber to paying customers. Long-haul fiber was installed because telecoms knew how to do it. The final fiber connections were not made for several reasons: One was high opto component cost. Another was the difficulty in installing fiber in the field. Take opto butterfly packages (please)! Would it be asking too much to have standard PWB/backplane mounting and interconnect patterns? Or maybe a standard height above the PWB for opto I/O ports? Apparently yes. They need high-volume manufacturing expertise and that will come from the electronics industry at all levels. Innovation Continues One intriguing tiny innovation comes from IBM and Motorola: a single chip SiGe GPS device (see photo). This invention goes a long way toward adding accurate location sensing to virtually any portable electronics product. We're not talking a separate device; rather this is a BGA package that fits inside a product. IBM will make the chips for Motorola. Called Motorola Instant GPS, this product is a self-contained, single-chip, assisted global positioning system (A-GPS) receiver small enough to fit inside a wristwatch. It is expected to enable new generations of portable electronic products such as cameras, PDAs with maps and real time navigation and E-911 compliant cellular phones that can find friends and others. Instant GPS is able to withstand the demands of increasing miniaturization and reductions in operating voltage. It's capable of supporting 1.8 to 3.3V interfaces, it allows flexibility in processor selection and requires no redesign demands in the event of a die shrink in the host processor. Maybe we'll finally get real Dick Tracy watches soon. Check back with me later!
|
Copyright © 2002