===============================================================================
 SIGDA -- The Resource for EDA Professionals     http://www.sigda.org

 This newsletter is a free service for current SIGDA members
 and is added automatically with a new SIGDA membersip.
 Circulation: 2,700
===============================================================================

   1 January 2008       ACM/SIGDA E-NEWSLETTER       Vol. 38, No. 1

   Online archive: http://www.sigda.org/newsletter

===============================================================================

Contents of this E-NEWSLETTER:

(1) SIGDA News
      Contributing author: Lin Yuan 
      Contributing author: Matthew Guthaus 
      Contributing author: Marc Riedel 
      Contributing author: Qing Wu 

(2) What is I-Snake?
      From: BBC News

(3) Paper Submission Deadlines
      From: Hai Zhou 

(4) Upcoming Conferences and Symposia
      From: Hai Zhou 

(5) Upcoming Funding Opportunities
      From: Qinru Qiu 

===============================================================================

Dear ACM/SIGDA members,

  Happy New Year!

  In this issue, we have included a new "What Is I-Snake?" column, published
on BBS News. In addition, "SIGDA News" column contains a number of fresh
headlines. We have also updated the contents of other regular columns.

  As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions. If you would like to
participate or contribute to the content of the E-Newsletter, please feel free
to contact any of us.

Qing Wu, E-Newsletter Editor;
Matthew Guthaus, E-Newsletter Associate Editor;
Marc Riedel, E-Newsletter Associate Editor;
Qinru Qiu, E-Newsletter Associate Editor;
Lin Yuan, E-Newsletter Associate Editor;
Hai Zhou, E-Newsletter Associate Editor;

===============================================================================

SIGDA News
-----------------------

"Analog Cell Phone Network Going Off-Air Feb 18, 2008"
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/12/24/cellular.sunset.ap/
The FCC voted in 2002 to allow cell phone carriers to begin allowing their
analog networks to go offline beginning February 18, 2008.  As this date is
fast approaching, as many as 500,000 OnStar users will no longer have access
to emergency services.  It is believed as many as one million cell phone users
will be shut out, as will about 400,000 wireless home security systems.  Many
people are also completely unaware this shutdown is coming.

"Top 10 'How-To' Design Stories of 2007"
http://eetimes.com/news/design/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205200707
From MOSFETs to hybrid car systems--and back to MOSFETs--here's what
Automotive DesignLine readers found most interesting during the year, as voted
by their page views.

"2008 Economic Forecast: Fairly Unpredictable"
http://www.semiconductor.net/article/CA6515393.html
2008 will be a year when the industry's hopes and realities clash. Hopes are
for a strengthening expansion in 2008, a year that should have history,
speaking a lot of momentum, given the U.S. presidential election and Olympic
Games. However, these hopes are confronted by the market realities of
oversupply in the memory sector and the risk of slower end-user electronics
sales caused by a rising U.S. recession risk and macroeconomic woes in many
parts of the world.

"Top 10 Chip Stories to Watch in 2008"
http://eetimes.com/news/design/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205205933
This past year was an exciting one for processors and platforms. Next year
looks to be another one filled with technological innovation and oversold
hype, business rumors that don't pan out and surprises that shock us all, and
as always, winners and losers in the big game of chips. ChannelWeb assembled a
panel of industry experts comprising vendors, analysts and solution providers
to discuss what they think will be the most important chip stories to watch in
2008.

"Nanotechnology Aids Large-Area Solar Cell"
http://www.eetimes.com/news/design/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205205758
A scientist at Israel's Bar-Ilan University claims that he has managed to
create a solar cell 100 times bigger than a typical solar cell, using
nanotechnology methods. Professor Arie Zaban, head of Bar-Ilan University's
Nanotechnology Institute, is an expert in photovoltaics. In a recently
patented technique, Professor Zaban demonstrated how metallic wires mounted on
conductive glass can form the basis of solar cells with efficiency similar to
that of conventional, silicon-based cells, but that are much cheaper to
produce.

"Microfuel Cell Enables Ubiquitous Computing"
http://www.edn.com/article/CA6512155.html
This fall.s Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco included a section on
technologies that will help extend the computing time of laptop computers.
Medis Technologies demonstrated its fuel-cell-based, $19.95, 1W 24/7 Power
Pack for handheld devices, such as cell phones and MP3 players. The
3.8×2.7×1.4-in.  device provides approximately 20 Whrs of energy.enough to
power an iPod for at least 60 hours or provide approximately 30 hours of
cell-phone talk time. It comes with a standard connector and multiple adapter
tips. It complies with ROHS (restriction-of-hazardous-substances) directives,
and you can recycle; just mail it back in its original box to the
manufacturer. The company.s next-generation product will be a 20W device
capable of powering a laptop.

"Palm-Sized 'Pico-Projector' Enabled by MEMS"
http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205205958
Digital projectors revolutionized mobile presentations by harnessing mass-
produced liquid-crystal display (LCD) technology to stand-in for viewgraphs-
enabling high-output light bulbs to shine through the LCD instead of through
plastic sheets. While digital-projector companies progressively downsize their
LCDs, making units smaller and lower power, digital micro-mirror technology
stands poised to leap-frog digital projectors down to cell-phone size.

"Micromem Readies MRAM Cell Designs"
http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205200307
Micromem Technologies Inc (Toronto, Canada) together with development partner
Strategic Solutions and foundry Global Communication Services (GCS) has
manufactured foundry grade fully functioning MRAM cells. The three year R&D
project has now concluded the proof of concept phase followed by a foundry
phase, to be finished next month, focused on manufacturability and scalability
of MRAMs that are targeted at the fast growing sensitive magnetic sensors
sector.

"ICs Address Speedy Ethernet Devices. Need for EMI, ESD Protection"
http://www.edn.com/article/CA6512570.html?industryid=47042
The Ethernet communication standard is morphing into 10/100/1000-Mbps versions
and gaining inherent power-delivery capability in POE (power-over-Ethernet)
designs. System designers are responding with feature-packed products, such as
VOIP (voice-over-Internet Protocol) phones and IP cameras. However, it is
becoming increasingly difficult to protect these devices from EMI
(electromagnetic-interference) noise and ESD (electrostatic discharge) without
degrading system performance. Passive devices, including TVS
(transient-voltage-suppression) diodes for ESD protection and external chokes
for EMI, offer some protection but often at the expense of system performance.
Addressing these problems, Akros Silicon has introduced two devices that it
claims are the first active devices for suppressing EMI and ESD and promoting
EMC (electromagnetic compatibility).

"Hybrid ASIC Claimed to Slash Cost of SoCs"
http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=204806042
Hybrid ASIC from ChipX is said to combine the performance and cost benefits of
standard cell devices with the NRE and time-to-market benefits of Structured
ASICs.  The folks at mixed-signal ASIC company ChipX have just introduced a
new class of device that they refer to as a Hybrid ASIC, which involves the
implementation of a structured ASIC as IP on a Standard Cell device. This
development approach is claimed to facilitate rapid and economical product
line development, saving companies an average of three-to-five hundred
thousand dollars in non-recurring engineering (NRE) and tooling costs and
enabling them to introduce derivative products two-to-three months faster than
today's methodologies allow.

"Scientists Model a Genome's Every Move"
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/12/scientists-crea.html
Programmers have long known that with computers, garbage in equals garbage
out, but predicting life's responses to inputs has remained far less certain.
Now, scientists working to improve toxic waste eating microbes have taken one
more step towards understanding how to program cells into biological machines.
Researchers have created a model for an organism that accurately predicts the
bacterium's genetic responses to environmental stresses like radiation and
heat, or garbage.

"New Computational Technique Can Predict Drug Side Effects"
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232919.htm
Early identification of adverse effects of drugs before they are tested in
humans is crucial in developing new therapeutics, as unexpected effects
account for a third of all drug failures during the development process. Now
researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have developed a
novel technique using computer modeling to identify potential side effects of
pharmaceuticals, and have used the technique to study a class of drugs that
includes tamoxifen, the most prescribed drug in the treatment of breast
cancer. Their study is currently available on line at PLoS Computational
Biology.

"Electronics Manufacturing Capacity to See Global Rebalancing"
http://www.edn.com/article/CA6515027.html?industryid=47037 Electronics
contract manufacturers will begin focusing on other factors beyond labor cost
when it comes to selecting a location for production in the coming years,
iSuppli Corp. has reported. The firm reminded that in the early parts of this
decade, manufacturing capacity shifted from high-cost regions in North America
and Western Europe to the low-cost nation of mainland China. However, in the
second half of the decade, iSuppli believes contract manufacturing will
undergo a global rebalancing that will more lead to a more distributed market.

"Hybrid Hard Drives Stalled by Software, Firm Says"
http://www.edn.com/article/CA6514932.html?industryid=47037
The highly-promoted hybrid hard drive will not make a big splash in 2008,
according to Los Gatos, Calif.-based market research firm Objective Analysis,
but once all the kinks are ironed out, hybrid drives and their counterparts
should sweep the market.

"Semi Execs Expect Moderate Revenue Growth to Negatively Impact Profitability,
KPMG Reports"
http://www.edn.com/article/CA6515012.html?industryid=47037
Semiconductor executives anticipate moderate revenue growth, below historical
averages, in the coming year with profitability expected to be volatile over
the next 5 years, according to a recent global survey of semiconductor company
executives conducted by Mountain View, Calif.-based U.S. audit, tax and
advisory firm KPMG LLP.

"Irradiated Carbon Makes for Better Electronics, Say Scientists"
http://eetimes.com/news/design/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=204805135
Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science, together with colleagues from
the U.S., have implemented doping using UV light and electron beams in the
field of molecular electronics. The research was done with particular
application to electronic devices made of single layers of organic
(carbon-based) molecules.

"Commentary: A Few Fabless Fables"
http://www.us.design-reuse.com/news/17362/fabless-business-model.html
This commentary was provided by Shankar Pennathur, vice president of
operations and manufacturing at Oxford Semiconductor Inc. (Milpitas, Calif.).
The semiconductor industry is commoditizing with opportunities to
differentiate being few and far between. As the fabless companies jostle and
compete for market positioning and market share, they are subject to the
larger trends that transact in the fabless supply-chain world.

"U.S. R&D Funding Faces Shortfall "
http://eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=204806079
The U.S. Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) blasted the U.S. government
over the lack of action taken to enhance America's competitiveness in the
global economy. The SIA also warned that without action this week, funding
for basic research at universities and the national laboratories will fall far
short of the levels promised by President Bush and Congress. 


==============================================================================

What is I-Snake?
----------------------------

BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7155635.stm


==============================================================================

Paper Submission Deadlines:
----------------------------

EWME'08 - European Workshop on Microelectronics Education
Budapest, Hungary
May 28-30, 2008
Deadline: Jan 10, 2008 (extended)
http://www.eet.bme.hu/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=129&Itemid=160

ACSD'08 - Int'l Conference on Application of Concurrency to System Design
(sponsored by SIGDA)
Xi.an, China
June 23-27, 2008
Deadline: Jan 4, 2008
http://ictt.xidian.edu.cn/acsd2008/Pages/ACSD_main.jsp

RSP'08 - Int'l Workshop on Rapid System Prototyping
Monterey, CA
Jun 2-5, 2008
Deadline: Jan 5, 2008
http://www.rsp-workshop.org/

CAV'08 - Int'l Conference on Computer Aided Verification
Princeton, PA
Jul 7-14, 2007
Deadline: Jan 28, 2008
http://www.princeton.edu/cav2008/

MEMOCODE'08 - Int'l Conference on Formal Methods and Models for Codesign
(sponsored by SIGDA)
Anaheim, CA
Jun 5-7, 2008
Deadline: Feb 1, 2008
http://svl1.cs.pdx.edu/memocode08/

ICICDT'08 - Int'l Conference on IC Design & Technology
Minatec in Grenoble, France
Jun 2-4, 2008
Deadline: Feb 29, 2008
http://www.icicdt.org/

MWSCAS'08 - Int'l Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems
Knoxville, TN
Aug 10-13, 2008
Deadline: Mar 12, 2008
http://www.eecs.utk.edu/mwscas/

PACT'08 - Int'l Conference on Parallel Architectures and Compilation
Techniques
Toronto, Canada
Oct 25-29, 2008
Deadline: Mar 28, 2008
http://www.pactconf.org/

==============================================================================

Upcoming Symposia, Conferences and Workshops:
---------------------------------------------

VLSI'08 - Int'l Conference on VLSI Design (sponsored by SIGDA)
ES'08 - Int'l Conference on Embedded Systems
Hyderabad, India
Jan 4-8, 2008
http://vlsiconference.com/vlsi2008/

ASP-DAC'08 - Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference
(sponsored by SIGDA)
Seoul, Korea
Jan 21-24, 2008
http://www.aspdac.com/aspdac2008/

HiPEAC'08: Int'l Conference on High Performance Embedded Architectures &
Compilers
Goteborg, Sweden
Jan 27-29, 2008
http://www.hipeac.net/hipeac2008/

ISSCC'08 - Int'l Solid-State Circuits Conference
San Francisco, CA
Feb 3-7, 2008
http://isscc.org/isscc/

LATW'08 - Latin-American Test Workshop
Puebla, Mexico
Feb 17-20, 2008
http://www-elec.inaoep.mx/latw2008/

FPGA'08 Int'l Symposium on Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (sponsored by SIGDA)
Monterey, California
February 24-26, 2008
http://www.isfpga.org

TAU'08 - Int'l Workshop on Timing Issues in the Specification
and Synthesis of Digital Systems (Sponsored by SIGDA)
Monterey, CA
Feb 25-26, 2008
http://www.tauworkshop.com/

DATE'08 - Design Automation and Test in Europe (sponsored by SIGDA)
Munich, Germany
Mar 10-14, 2008
http://www.date-conference.com/

ISQED'08 - Int'l Symposium on Quality Electronic Design
San Jose, CA
Mar 17-19, 2008
http://www.isqed.org/

SPL'08 - Southern Conference on Programmable Logic
Bariloche-Patagonia, Argentina
Mar 26-28, 2008
http://www.splconf.org/

ASYNC'08: Int'l Symposium on Asynchronous Circuits and Systems
Newcastle, UK
Apr 7-11, 2008
http://async.org.uk/async2008/

NOCS'08 - Int'l Symposium on Networks-on-Chips
Newcastle, UK
Apr 7-11, 2008
http://async.org.uk/nocs2008/

RCE'08 - Reconfigurable Computing Education
Montpellier, France
Apr 10, 2008
http://helios.informatik.uni-kl.de/RCeducation08/

ISPD'08 - Int'l Symposium on Physical Design (sponsored by SIGDA)
Portland, OR
Apr 13-16, 2008
http://www.ispd.cc/

RAW'08 - Reconfigurable Architectures Workshop
Miami, FL
Apr 14-15, 2008
http://www.ece.lsu.edu/vaidy/raw/

RFID'08 - Conference on RFID
Las Vegas, NV
Apr 16-17, 2008
http://www.ieee-rfid.org/

GLSVLSI'08 - Great Lakes Symposium on VLSI (Sponsored by SIGDA)
Orlando, FL
May 4-6, 2008
http://www.glsvlsi.org/

SLIP'08 - Int'l Workshop on System Level Interconnect Prediction
Newcastle, UK
Apr 5-6, 2008
http://www.sliponline.org/

ISVLSI'08 - Annual Symposium on VLSI
Montpellier, France
Apr 7-9, 2008
http://www.lirmm.fr/isvlsi2008/

ISCAS'08 - Int'l Symposium on Circuits and Systems
Seattle, WA
May 18-21, 2008
http://iscas2008.org/

ICAC'08 - Int'l Conference on Autonomic Computing
Chicago, IL
Jun 2-6, 2008
http://www.acis.ufl.edu/~icac2008/

DAC'08 - Design Automation Conference (sponsored by SIGDA)
Anaheim, CA
Jun 9-13, 2008
http://www.dac.com/


==============================================================================

Upcoming Funding Opportunities
-------------------------------

James S. McDonnell Foundation

Studying Complex Systems - 21st Century Science Collaborative Activity
Deadline: continuous
http://www.jsmf.org/programs/cs/


ETS

Postdoctoral Fellowship Award Program
Deadline: February 1, 2008
http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?vgnextoid=a7d6d635e06ed010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=0d03d635e06ed010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD

 
DOE

Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR)  (DE-PS02-08ER08-01)
Deadline: September 30, 2008
http://www.science.doe.gov/grants/FAPN08-01.html


NIH

NLM Knowledge Management & Applied Informatics Grants
Deadline:  January 25, 2008
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-07-236.html

Information Technologies and the Internet in Health Services and
Intervention Delivery (R03)
Deadline:  February 16, 2008
           June 16, 2008
           October 16, 2008
http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-225.html


DOD

Young Investigator Program (YIP)
January 12, 2008
http://www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/3t/corporate/yip.asp

Microsystems Technology Office-Wide BAA
Deadline: January 14, 2008
http://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/BAA07%2D18/SynopsisP.html

Homeland Security (2.2.1) - N61339-02-R-0071
Deadline: Continuous. This BAA expires on January 30, 2008
http://www1.fbo.gov/spg/DON/NAVAIR/N61339/N61339-02-R-0071/Attachments.html

Cognitive Technology Threat Warning System (CT2WS)
Deadline: April 11, 2008
http://fedbizopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=20070412a1

Modeling and Simulation for Information Systems Research
Deadline:   FY 09 should be submitted by June 1, 2008
            FY 10 should be submitted by June 1, 2009
http://fedbizopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=20061030a9

Military Networking Technology for Global Information Exchange (GIE)
Deadline: Continuous until September, 2008
http://fedbizopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=20040909a11

Enabling Technologies for Modeling and Simulation (BAA-03-12-IFKA)
Deadline: September 30, 2008
http://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFRLRRS/BAA-03-12-IFKA/Modification%2005.html

SPINS in Semiconductors
Deadline: December 31, 2008
http://fundingopps.cos.com/alerts/57993

Artificial Intelligence Technologies
Deadline: December 31, 2008
http://heron.nrl.navy.mil/contracts/baa.htm

Quantum Information Science and Technology
Deadline: December 31, 2008
http://heron.nrl.navy.mil/contracts/0708baa/baa.htm

Microsystems Technology Office-Wide 
Deadline: January 14, 2009
http://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/BAA07-18/Attachments.html

Warrior Systems Technologies - Body-Worn Systems, Hand Held Devices, and
Smart-Lightweight Electronic Components/Modules for Soldier Protection,
Knowledge Management and Cognitive Improvement
Deadline: Continuous. (April 1, 2007 ~ March 31, 2009)
https://www3.natick.army.mil/ssbaa.htm

Joint National Training Capability Broad Agency Announcement
Deadline: May 14, 2009
http://www.ntsc.navy.mil/Ebusiness/BusOps/Acquisitions/Index.cfm?RND=220990

TRADOC FOC-03-06: Situational Understanding
Deadline: Continuous until August 26, 2009
https://abop.monmouth.army.mil/baas.nsf/1f6c118700adf19d85256d3d0051f9a2/31926e7d7d4b2e9285256f6d0056ce06?OpenDocument

BAA for Simulation and Training Technology R&D
Deadline: Continuous until December 31, 2010
http://www.ntsc.navy.mil/EBusiness/BusOps/Acquisitions/Index.cfm?RND=868451

Army Research Office (ARO) Broad Agency Announcement for Basic and Applied
Scientific Research (W911NF-07-R-0003)
Deadline: Continuous through September 30, 2011
http://www.arl.army.mil/www/default.cfm?Action=6&Page=8

ARL/ARO Core Broad Agency Announcement for Basic and Applied Scientific
Research for Fiscal Years 2007 through 2011 (W911NF-07-R-0001)
Deadline: Continuous through September 30, 2011
http://www.arl.army.mil/www/default.cfm?Action=6&Page=8

High Density Optical Memory
Deadline: Continuous
http://www.afosr.af.mil/pdfs/afosr_baa_2007_1.pdf

Quantum Electronic Solids
Deadline: Continuous
http://www.afosr.af.mil/pdfs/afosr_baa_2007_1.pdf

Distributed Intelligence
Deadline: Continuous
http://www.afosr.af.mil/pdfs/afosr_baa_2007_1.pdf

 
NSF

Software for Real-World Systems (SRS) - NSF 07-599
Deadline: January 17, 2008
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07599/nsf07599.htm

Scientific Computing Research Environments for the Mathematical Sciences
(SCREMS) - NSF 07-502
Deadline: January 24, 2008
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07502/nsf07502.htm

Broadening Participation Research Initiation Grants in Engineering (BRIGE) -
NSF 07-589
Deadline: February 8, 2008
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07589/nsf07589.htm

Strategic Technologies for Cyberinfrastructure (STCI)
Deadline :    February 14, 2008
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=500066&org=NSF&sel_org=NSF&from=fund

Engineering Design (ED)
Deadline :   February 15, 2008
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13340

Emerging Models and Technologies for Computation (EMT)
Deadline: March 13, 2008
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503220&org=CISE&from=home

Assembling the Tree of Life (ATOL)
Deadline: March 14, 2008
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5129&org=CISE&from=home

Theoretical Foundations 2008 (TF08)
Deadline: March 31, 2008
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=500026&org=CISE&from=home

Expeditions in Computing
Deadline: Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (required): 
    July 10, 2008
    July 10, Annually Thereafter
Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required): 
    September 10, 2008
    September 10, Annually Thereafter
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07592/nsf07592.htm

Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS)
Deadline: February 26, 2008
          October 30, 2008
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5147&org=CISE&from=home

High Performance Computing Acquisition: Towards a Petascale Computing
Environment for Science and Engineering - NSF 05-625
Deadline: November 28, 2008
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2005/nsf05625/nsf05625.htm


==============================================================================
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