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12a.Cov2.NA.indd 2 11/14/11 9:01 AM volume 48 number 12 north american 12.11

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cover story 28 A Cloud 34 The Strange 38 When Will You Can Trust Birth and Long While cloud computing offers Life of Unix Software huge benefits to users, confidence Unix turned 40 last month. The in the cloud will continue to story of how it came to be, and Have the Right lag until providers address the reason it has aged so well, will security concerns. By Christian surprise you. By Warren Toomey Stuff? Cachin & Matthias Schunter 44 nanodynamite Although military robots 28 The next generation of have proved their flying chops, nanosystem technologies need commercial versions must clear very small sources of power, and carbon nanotubes might be up a higher bar. By Philip E. Ross to the task. By Michael S. Strano

COVER: sean mccba e & Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh This page, top: Northrop Grumman; bottom: quickhoney

s pectrum.ieee.org december 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 1

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12.p2.NA.indd 2 11/14/11 9:02 AM volume 48 number 12 north american 12.11

s pectrum.ieee.org available 1 december The World’s Most Powerful Patent Portfolios, Revealed Our annual Patent Power Scorecards, compiled and analyzed by the team at 1790 Analytics, show 11 that U.S. companies like Apple, Yahoo, Microsoft, U pdate departments and Google are inventing their way to dominance. 11 cracking down on 4 Back Story conflict minerals Our reporter wonders And Chinese companies the flow of patents from The electronics industry why ­military aircraft can like Huawei have started Japanese and German is bracing for tough new dispense with pilots but to make inroads, even as companies slows. rules. By Eliza Strickland civilian ones can’t. 13 Brazil Boosts its 6 Contributors chip industry 18 the big picture thein stitute.ieee.org available 6 december 14 a prettier pylon 3-D holographic movies deliver surround sound for making the jump IEEE Standards 15 photography’s audiences’ eyes and ears. into games new angle assocIation takes on In our special HANDS ON virtual worlds issue on gaming, 16 geothermal’s 20 Kids, robots, and gift These 3-D environments learn what it promise and peril giving—what could go wrong? are still considered by takes to enter this By David Schneider growing industry. some as best suited for opinion 22 A new book promises to games and entertainment. help you fix anything. help with Other people see them as getting your 10 spectral lines Reviewed by Paul Wallich a potential business tool— Remembering John game on if certain challenges can McCarthy, the man who tools & toys A variety of skills made Lisp. 23 Mathematica and Maple are needed to be overcome. The IEEE By Steven Cherry keep up with the times. make it as a game Standards Association By Kenneth R. Foster developer. IEEE recently gathered together 26 technically 24 Two new tools simplify offers several virtual-world experts and speaking music programming. products and users to foster cross- Data mining is so 2008. services that By Mark Anderson industry collaboration Today we mine patterns, can help, from videos, and even crowds. 76 THE Data continuing educa­ and reach a consensus By Paul McFedries New technologies don’t all get tion courses and on how best to address assimilated at the same rate. tutorials to webinars these challenges and set By Prachi Patel and journals. standards for the industry.

ONLINEW EBINARS & RESOURCES Available at http://spectrum.ieee.org/webinar

1 December: Better Simulation Accelerating Development of The Emerging Technology M odeling and Simulation of of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Smart Grid Power Electronics Forum Series: Reinventing HEV and EV Power Electronics Plasma Actuators Using VORPAL Control Systems With RCP Infrastructure for High Speed Rail and HIL Techniques 15 December: Fluid Structure Plasma Modeling With y images; y images; Interaction Simulation Getting More Benefits COMSOL Multiphysics New product release library: n tt With COMSOL From Modeling Vacuum http://spectrum.ieee.org/static/ Electronic Devices The IEEE Emerging Technology new-product-release-library Desig

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n IEEE SPECTRUM (ISSN 0018-9235) is published monthly by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. All rights reserved. © 2011 by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics t Engineers, Inc., 3 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5997, U.S.A. The e­ ditorial content of IEEE Spectrum magazine does not represent official positions of the IEEE or its organizational units. Canadian Post International Publications Mail (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 40013087. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department, IEEE Spectrum, Box 1051, Fort Erie, ON L2A 6C7. Cable address: ITRIPLEE. Fax: +1 212 419 7570. INTERNET: [email protected]. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS: IEEE Members: $21.40 included in dues. Libraries/

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12.Contents.NA.indd 3 11/16/11 4:40 PM back story ed itorial

Editor in chief Susan Hassler, [email protected]

Ex ecutive Editor Glenn Zorpette, [email protected]

Editorial director, digital Harry Goldstein, [email protected]

Manan gi g Editor Elizabeth A. Bretz, [email protected]

S enior Editors Jean Kumagai, [email protected]; Samuel K. Moore (News), [email protected]; Tekla S. Perry, t.perry@ ieee.org; Philip E. Ross, [email protected]; David Schneider, [email protected]

S enior Associate Editors Steven Cherry (Resources), [email protected]; Erico Guizzo, [email protected]

Ass ociate Editors R achel Courtland, [email protected]; Marisa Plumb, [email protected]; Joshua J. Romero (Online), [email protected]; Eliza Strickland, [email protected]

Ass istant Editor Willie D. Jones, [email protected]

S enior Copy Editor Joseph N. Levine, [email protected]

C opy Editor Michele Kogon, [email protected]

Editorial Researcher Alan Gardner, [email protected]

e xecutive producer, spectrum radio Sharon Basco

Ass istant producer, spectrum radio Francesco Ferorelli, [email protected]

A dministrative Assistants Ramona Foster, [email protected]; Nancy T. Hantman, [email protected]

Itnn er Katie M. Palmer, [email protected]

C ontributing Editors John Blau, Robert N. Charette, Peter Fairley, David Kushner, Robert W. Lucky, Paul McFedries, Prachi Patel, Carl Selinger, Flying the Robotic Skies Seema Singh, William Sweet, John Voelcker AT oR & Pr duction

S enior Art Director Mark Montgomery have so transformed the U.S. hat’s Senior Editor Dep uty Art Director Angela Howard

Philip E. Ross standing military that the Air Force is now Ass istant Art Director Brandon Palacio Tbeside an RQ-4 Global Hawk, training more ground controllers Photo Editor Randi Silberman Klett a Northrop Grumman unmanned than pilots. But what Ross wanted D irector, Periodicals Production Services Peter Tuohy aerial vehicle stationed for the to know was when, or whether, Editorial & Web Production Manager Roy Carubia moment at the Naval Air Station pilotless planes will start carrying se nior electronic layout specialist Bonnie Nani Patuxent River, in Maryland. people or cargo in civilian air Wb e Production Coordinator Jacqueline L. Parker m e ultim dia Production Specialist Michael Spector In this picture, the machine is space. After all, if automation can the only thing that knows how to fly. handle the rigors of combat, why E ditorial advisory Board Susan Hassler, Chair; Gerard A. Alphonse, Marc T. Apter, Sure, it needs a little supervision can’t it fly little air taxis from Francine D. Berman, Jan Brown, Raffaello D’Andrea, J. Roberto from ground controllers. But, as Podunk to a big-city airport? B. De Marca, Hiromichi Fujisawa, Kenneth Y. Goldberg, Susan Hackwood, Bin He, Erik Heijne, Charles H. House, Christopher Ross freely admits, he couldn’t land Plenty of people are afraid J. James, Ruby B. Lee, John P. Lewis, Tak Ming Mak, Carmen S. a kite even if he had a control tower of flying, and many others can Menoni, David A. Mindell, C. Mohan, Fritz Morgan, Andrew M. fly only with white knuckles Odlyzko, Larry L. Smarr, Harry L. Tredennick III, Sergio Verdú, full of pilots talking him through it. Jeffrey M. Voas, William Weihl, Kazuo Yano He traveled to Patuxent with and a stiff drink. Ross’s E ditorial Correspondence his coworker David Schneider, editor, upon reading the first I EEE Spectrum, 3 Park Ave., 17th Floor, New York, NY 10016-5997 also a senior editor, to see a few draft of the article, declared, Attn: Editorial Dept. Tel: +1 212 419 7555 Fax: +1 212 419 7570 robo-planes in action. But it didn’t “I’m never getting in a plane Bureau: Palo Alto, Calif.; Tekla S. Perry +1 650 328 7570 Responsibility for the substance of articles rests upon the happen that day. These things without a pilot.” This is the authors, not IEEE or its members. Articles published do not are very hush-hush. In fact, while human factor, and it poses represent official positions of IEEE. Letters to the editor may be excerpted for publication. snapping this photo, Schneider the last and highest obstacle was told to aim his lens toward to a civilian UAV industry. A dvertising Correspondence I EEE Spectrum, 3 Park Ave., 17th Floor, New York, NY 10016-5997 the tail of the plane so as to not Undeterred, Ross has already Attn: Advertising Dept. +1 212 419 7760 reveal any secret wiring that might volunteered for the maiden flight The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising. have been visible through an open of the first pilotless airliner. Put Re print Permission

port on the plane’s fuselage. him down for a ticket. And while L sibrarie : A rticles may be photocopied for private use As Ross reports in this month’s you’re at it, sell him another one, of patrons. A per-copy fee must be paid to the Copyright Clearance Center, 29 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970. cover story, autonomous planes to the moon. o For other copying or republication, contact Business Manager, IEEE Spectrum.

citi ng articles in IEEE Spectrum C opyrights and Trademarks: I EEE Spectrum is a registered r e IEEE Spectrum publishes two editions. In the international ­edition, the abbreviation INT appears at the trademark owned by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics d foot of each page. The North American edition is identified with the lettersN A. Both have the same Engineers Inc. Careers, EEs’ Tools & Toys, EV Watch, Progress,

­editorial content, but because of ­differences in advertising, page­n umbers may differ.I n citations, you Reflections, Spectral Lines, and Technically Speaking are should ­include the issue designation. For ­example, The Data is in IEEE Spectrum, Vol. 48, no. 12 (INT), trademarks of IEEE. d

December 2011, p. 60, or in IEEE Spectrum, Vol. 48, no. 12 (NA), December 2011, p. 76. Davi Schnei

4 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

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2784.indd 1 12/21/10 11:25:29 AM 12a.p5.NA.indd 5 11/14/11 9:02 AM I edEEE M ia Staff Director; Publisher, IEEE Spectrum James A. Vick, [email protected] Ass ociate Publisher, Sales & Advertising Director Marion Delaney, [email protected] R ecruitment Sales Development Manager Michael Buryk, [email protected] Christian Cachin and freelance journalist based in B susines Manager R obert T. Ross ieee media/spectrum group Marketing Manager Matthias Schunter, who São Paolo, Brazil. Prior to moving Blanche McGurr, [email protected] wrote “A Cloud You Can Trust” there in 2010, he covered politics, I nteractive Marketing Manager Ruchika Anand, [email protected] L ist sales & Recruitment services product/Marketing Manager [p. 28], are computer scientists economics, technology, and Ilia Rodriguez, [email protected] at IBM Research–Zurich. A entrepreneurship from Argentina RE PRint SALES +1 212 221 9595, ext. 319 cryptography expert concerned with and Venezuela for The New York marketing & Promotion specialist Faith H. Jeanty, [email protected] R ecruitment Sales Advisor L iza Reich +1 212 419 7578 cloud security, Cachin likes to start Times, The Miami Herald, and Advertising Sales +1 212 705 8939 the day with a 5 a.m. row on Lake Venturebeat. Sreeharsha says he Advertising Production Manager Felicia Spagnoli s enior Advertising Production Coordinator Nicole Evans Gyimah Zurich. Schunter, technical leader relocated to Brazil because it’s Adv ertising Production +1 732 562 6334 of the European Union–funded “a deeply complex nation—the more IEEE Staff Executive, Publications Anthony Durniak TClouds project, prefers bicycling you learn, the more you realize you IEEBE oard of Directors to all other forms of transportation. don’t know.” Pre sident & CEO Moshe Kam +1 732 562 3928 Fax: +1 732 465 6444 [email protected] Both say some of their best Pre sident-elect G ordon W. Day ideas about computer security Mi chael S. Strano and trea surer Harold Flescher Secretary Roger D. Pollard occur when they’re in transit. Kourosh Kalantar- Pa st President Pedro A. Ray zadeh, who wrote Vics e Pre idents T ariq S. Durrani, Educational Activities; Kenneth R. “Nanodynamite” [p. 44], share David A. Hodges, Publication Services & Products; Foster reviews an interest in extremely small Howard E. Michel, Member & Geographic Activities; Steve M. Mills, President, Standards Association; new versions of systems. While on sabbatical Donna L. Hudson, Technical Activities; Ronald G. Jensen, President, IEEE-USA Mathematica and from the Royal Melbourne Dio visi n Directors Maple [p. 23], Institute of Technology, in H iroshi Iwai (I); J. Keith Nelson (II); Nim K. Cheung (III); Peter N. Clout (IV); descendants of the early math Australia, Kalantar-zadeh Michael R. Williams (V); Jeffrey M. Voas (VI); program Macsyma, which he joined Strano’s nanotechnology Enrique A. Tejera M. (VII); Susan K. Land (VIII); Alfred O. Hero III (IX); Vincenzo Piuri (X) coveted as a physics doctoral research group at MIT. The Re gion Directors student in the late 1960s. “I would team was working on measuring Charles P. Rubenstein (1); Ralph M. Ford (2); Clarence L. Stogner (3); James N. Riess (4); have done anything for access to the acceleration of a chemical Sandra L. Robinson (5); Edward G. Perkins (6); Om P. Malik (7); Marko Delimar (8); that program,” Foster says, slightly reaction along a nanotube when Tania L. Quiel (9); Wai-Choong Wong (10) in awe of the ubiquity of today’s they made the serendipitous Directors Emeritus packages. An IEEE Fellow, Foster discovery that the reaction E ric Herz, Theodore W. Hissey is a professor of bioengineering at generated power. Now the IEEtE S aff the University of Pennsylvania. two researchers are using executive director & COO James Prendergast +1 732 502 5400, [email protected] their combined expertise in H uman Resources B etsy Davis, SPHR +1 732 465 6434, [email protected] vage

N eil Savage chemistry and nanomaterials Publications A nthony Durniak a S writes about camera to explore this phenomenon. +1 732 562 3998, [email protected] vin

Ed ucational Activities Douglas Gorham e technology that lets +1 732 562 5483, [email protected] K Standards Activities Judith Gorman

you focus after you Warren +1 732 562 3820, [email protected] illips; h P m ember & geographic Activities C ecelia Jankowski

snap in “A New Toomey teaches c +1 732 562 5504, [email protected] Angle on Imaging” [p. 15]. The at Bond University, G eneral Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer Eileen Lach +1 212 705 8990, [email protected] method could be used to create 3-D in Australia. He ; Domini h

Cr o porate Strategy & Communications Matthew Loeb, CAE t i

images with a single camera, but was bitten by the +1 732 562 5320, [email protected] m S chief marketing officer Patrick D. Mahoney Savage has another aspiration: the Unix bug in 1982 while still in +1 732 562 5596, [email protected] perfect candid photo. “As you wait high school, when he spent two C hief information officer Alexander J. Pasik, Ph.D. +1 732 562 6017, [email protected]

for your camera to focus, people stop weeks at the University of C hief Financial Officer T homas R. Siegert nne-Deanne y +1 732 562 6843, [email protected] L

and they want to pose,” he bemoans. Wollongong learning about r; T echnical Activities Mary Ward-Callan e Not having to focus would help catch computers. There he encountered +1 732 562 3850, [email protected] t Fos

Managing Director, IEEE-USA C hris Brantley . R subjects unawares. Based in Lowell, “an amazing system called Unix.” +1 202 530 8349, [email protected] h t Mass., Savage has also written for His later discovery of software IEEPE ublication Services & Products board nne

David A. Hodges, Chair; Tayfun Akgul, John Baillieul, Silvio E. e K

Technology Reviewand Nature. for simulating the computers that :

Barbin, Karen Bartleson, Maja E. Bystrom, Celia L. Desmond, t ran the earliest versions of Unix Tariq S. Durrani, Mohamed E. El-Hawary, David A. Grier, f Lajos Hanzo, Elizabeth T. Johnston, Hulya Kirkici, Russell J. Vinod got him collecting vintage copies Lefevre, Michael R. Lightner, Carmen S. Menoni, Pradeep Misra, William W. Moses, Jose M.F. Moura, Edward A. Rezek, Jon G. Sreeharsha, of this operating system. In Rokne, Gianluca Setti, Curtis A. Siller, Ravi M. Todi, Robert J. Trew, who wrote “Brazil “The Strange Birth and Long Life Karl R. Varian, Timothy T. Wong, Daniel S. Yeung, Jacek M. Zurada

I EEE Operations Center k

Starts a Chip of Unix” [p. 34], he explains why c 445 Hoes Lane, Box 1331, Piscataway, NJ 08854-1331 U.S.A.

Industry” [p. 13], is a Unix was so influential. Tel: +1 732 981 0060 Fax: +1 732 981 1721 Clo wise Fromle Top

6 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12.Contributors.NA.indd 6 11/16/11 4:31 PM Explore the EM simulation universe Y Get equipped with leading edge The extensive range of tools integrated in Y Get equipped with leading edge The extensive range of tools integrated in EM technology. CST’s tools enable you CST STUDIO SUITE enables numerous EM technology. CST’s tools enable you CST STUDIO SUITE enables numerous to characterize, design and optimize applications to be analyzed without leaving to characterize, design and optimize applications to be analyzed without leaving electromagnetic devices all before going into the familiar CST design environment. This electromagnetic devices all before going into the familiar CST design environment. This the lab or measurement chamber. This can complete technology approach enables the lab or measurement chamber. This can complete technology approach enables help save substantial costs especially for new unprecedented simulation reliability and help save substantial costs especially for new unprecedented simulation reliability and or cutting edge products, and also reduce additional security through cross verification. or cutting edge products, and also reduce additional security through cross verification. design risk and improve overall performance design risk and improve overall performance and profitability. Y Grab the latest in simulation technology. and profitability. Y Grab the latest in simulation technology. Simulation of cancer treatment Choose the accuracy and speed offered by Simulation of cancer treatment Choose the accuracy and speed offered by by RF thermoablation. Involved in biomedical applications? You CST STUDIO SUITE. by RF thermoablation. Involved in biomedical applications? You CST STUDIO SUITE. can read about how CST technology was can read about how CST technology was used to simulate biomedical devices at used to simulate biomedical devices at www.cst.com/biomed. If you’re more www.cst.com/biomed. If you’re more interested in filters, couplers, planar and interested in filters, couplers, planar and multilayer structures, we’ve a wide variety multilayer structures, we’ve a wide variety of worked application examples live on our of worked application examples live on our website at www.cst.com/apps. CHANGING THE STANDARDS website at www.cst.com/apps. CHANGING THE STANDARDS

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12a.p7.NA.indd 7 11/14/11 9:03 AM Capture the Concept. ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER: The tonpilz piezo transducer is used for low frequency, high power sound emission. The transducer consists of piezoceramic rings stacked between a head and a tail mass, which lower the resonance frequency of the device. The model shows the voltage distribution in the piezoceramic rings, the deformation in the massive ends, and the pressure fi eld underneath the transducer.

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12a.p8.NA.indd 8 11/14/11 9:03 AM Capture the Concept. ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER: The tonpilz piezo transducer is used for low frequency, high power sound emission. The transducer consists of piezoceramic rings stacked between a head and a tail mass, which lower the resonance frequency of the device. The model shows the voltage distribution in the piezoceramic rings, the deformation in the massive ends, and the pressure fi eld underneath the transducer.

With COMSOL Multiphysics® you are em- powered to build simulations that accurately replicate the important characteristics of your designs. The key is the ability to include all physical effects that exist in the real world. This multiphysics approach delivers results — tangible results that save precious develop- ment time and spark innovation.

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12a.p8.NA.indd 9 11/14/11 9:03 AM spectral lines

In between, he found time without the contributions of Lisp. to invent Lisp, one of the most Everything from conditionals, to influential programming recursion, to the idea of mutable languages ever created. McCarthy data structures—yes, before received computer science’s McCarthy introduced them, highest honor, the Turing Award, programming languages did in 1971, the Kyoto Prize in 1988, not even have the ‘if..., then...’ and the National Medal of Science statement. And pretty much in 1991. Just this year, he was everything—as [programmer] inducted into the IEEE Intelligent Paul Graham once mentioned— Systems’ AI Hall of Fame, along everything that we have been slowly with a fellow AIer, cognitive introducing into programming scientist Marvin Minsky. languages since then has been like McCarthy was probably the somebody set up this trust fund first person to seriously consider, of ideas, and we’re slowly able to in 1955, the question of self- take things off of there. We’ve still awareness in machines, both as a not taken everything out of there. computer science challenge and Even things like garbage collection as a social issue. He also seems came into mainstream commercial to have been the first to consider computing only in the mid-’90s. computation as a utility in the He had it back in the ’60s. And way that electricity is, an idea he came up with the specification, that first became time-sharing in and the beauty of the specification Remembering the 1960s and lately shows itself was that an entire programming in cloud computing [see “A Cloud language could be specified in half You Can Trust,” in this issue]. a page, and it was just stunning John McCarthy When others were focusing their in its beauty. And I remember machine-intelligence efforts on [pioneering computer scientist] his past October saw the chess, McCarthy was working on Alan Kay telling me, if you ever death of John McCarthy, natural language processing and create anything in your life, it needs Tone of the pioneers what we now call robotics. John to have the beauty of Lisp. The idea of computer science and a McCarthy was also an academic, of beauty in computer science was founder of the field of artificial writing dozens of papers in something that John McCarthy intelligence (AI), a phrase he computer science and more brought into the picture…. is credited with inventing. It than a few in mathematics, all “Being a student of John capped a sad month that also saw the while overseeing computer McCarthy was something like the passing of Apple cofounder science dissertations. being exposed to a supernova To hear Steven Steve Jobs and of Dennis Ritchie, One of John’s students, at close range. He really, really ntgomery o

Cherry’s entire the coinventor of Unix and the Ramanathan Guha, a former pushed the boundaries in terms M interview with C programming language. principal scientist at Apple who of thinking—people use the cliché Ramanathan John McCarthy was born currently works at Google, had ‘thinking outside the box.’ He didn’t Guha, go to in Boston in 1927, but he grew this to say about his thesis advisor understand the word box. To him http://spectrum. up near Caltech, where he got when I spoke with him for my there was no problem that was ieee.org/ his B.S. in mathematics. He weekly IEEE Spectrum podcast outside his scope.” guha1211. See detoured to Princeton for his “Techwise Conversations”: —Steven Cherry also Katie B. Ph.D. but ended up at MIT, Palmer’s blog where he cofounded its artificial- “The set of new things that Correction post at http:// intelligence lab, the world’s Lisp introduced into the world In “Transistor Wars” [November], we state spectrum. first, before going on to Stanford of programming is so large that that Intel is putting its new 3-D transistors into production in 2012. In fact, the first chips bear- ieee.org/ in 1962 to found its artificial- it’s almost impossible to think ing the devices are already in production and

mccarthy1211. intelligence lab. of programming languages will be commercially available in 2012. mark university; photo-montage: stanford photo:

10 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12.SpectralLines.NA.indd 10 11/16/11 12:41 PM more online at spectrum.ieee.org

dirty Job: Men and children work Cracking Down on Conflict Minerals at a gold mine in Mongbwalu, Electronics companies face new rules Democratic Republic of on minerals mined in war zones the Congo, in 2005. The mine is controlled n the jungles and mountains warlords of funds by cutting off report on whether the purchase of by one of the of the Democratic Republic of the sales from the mines they ­control. these minerals financed or bene- many warring Congo, battles are raging, part of It focuses on the ores that ­produce fited armed groups in that part of militias in the I area. Electronics a 13-year-long civil war. Most of the “three Ts”: tin, ­tantalum, and Africa. The SEC is expected to issue firms could face the world has paid little attention tungsten, as well as gold. Public final rules for implementing the law bad publicity for to the murder and rape that still companies that use these ­metals before the end of the year, and com- using gold from dominates life in the DRC’s eastern in their products will be required panies are scrambling to get ready. such mines. photo: Matt Moyer/ provinces. But U.S. electronics to investigate their supply chains, While the conflict minerals Getty Images companies like HP, Intel, and determine if they use metals law applies only to companies Apple recently became deeply that were mined in the DRC, and that are required to file annual interested, thanks to a provision disclose their findings to the reports in the United States, it’s on “conflict minerals” that was U.S. Securities and Exchange expected to have an international slipped into a 2010 financial Commission (SEC), in their annual impact. Since mineral suppliers reform law, the Dodd-Frank Act. reports, and on their websites. If its sell to electronics companies The minerals provision is minerals did originate in the DRC, around the world, any change intended to deprive the Congo’s a company must submit a larger in operations they make for

spectrum.ieee.org Dceme ber 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 11

12.News.NA.indd 11 11/16/11 3:53 PM P ercentage of respondents to a survey who approved of research into geoengineering or attempts to purposefully manipulate climate. A total of 72% 3105 people—from Canada, the U.K., and the United States—took part.

the U.S. market will have “Electronics companies are for one mine and says it may be ripple effects elsewhere. starting to ask questions all the difficult to scale up the program. The law doesn’t only affect the way down their supply chains,” The pilot programs should electronics industry. But the con- she says. “That certainly makes ­provide a framework to make flict mineral issue has been linked the buyers of the minerals very ­compliance easier. Still, ­companies in the public mind to ­electronics interested in being able to talk around the world are waiting for because the three Ts play ­crucial about their own due diligence.” the SEC’s final rules with some roles in smartphones, TVs, and There are concerns that the anxiety. And there may be some laptops. Tin is used in solder law may backfire. By making the efforts to block the rules’ enforce- and thus found on every circuit reporting requirements more ment through U.S. courts. The U.S. board, tantalum is used in capaci- onerous for companies that source Chamber of Commerce, for one, news tors, and tungsten is used in the minerals from the DRC, the has discussed the possibility of a vibrating motors of many phones. law may reduce demand from lawsuit. The chamber disagrees briefs Electronics companies all DRC mines, even those that with the SEC’s initial compliance Electric had been warned that they’d aren’t in conflict regions and cost estimate of US $71 million, Nanocar eventually have to account for don’t finance armed groups. saying that costs will instead be Scientists at the their use of these minerals. So These concerns about such counted in the billions of dollars. University of firms like HP and Intel asked the a de facto ban led Motorola One thing is already certain Brazil Starts a Chip Industry Groningen, in the Netherlands, and Electronic Industry Citizenship Solutions to initiate the Solutions about the SEC rules: There will An RFID for cattle is its first semiconductor manufacturing venture other institutions, Coalition (EICC) and the Global for Hope Project, in which be no fines for using conflict have constructed a e-Sustainability Initiative, two Motorola and several other minerals. Even so, activists molecule that looks trade groups, to investigate companies formed a relationship think it will have its intended n the coming decade, and seems to move like a four-wheeled the industry’s options. with a conflict-free tantalum mine effect, because companies will Brazil wants to be known car. When zapped The groups found that it’s in the DRC’s Katanga province. want to avoid bad publicity. Ifor integrated circuits, not with electrons extremely difficult to determine To establish the program, “For years we have been just Ipanema. The country from the tip of a the origin of the tantalum used in Michael Loch, Motorola’s director unknowing consumers of these hopes to produce silicon scanning tunneling microscope, the a certain batch of smartphones. of supply-chain corporate minerals because companies have chips alongside soybeans. Its chemical bonds But they also realized that only responsibility, visited the mine turned a blind eye,” says Sasha attempt to do so will begin change, rotating the about 45 smelters worldwide deal and accompanied a shipment Lezhnev, a policy consultant on in January, when production molecule’s “wheels” with the three Ts, buying the ores of ore along its export route. conflict minerals with the human is completed on the first so that it moves in from suppliers and turning them “This pilot allows our industry rights group Enough. “This batch of locally designed a straight path. It’s good only for short into pure metals. After several to stay engaged in the area,” will enable consumers to make and produced RFID chips trips: Each rotation years of research, the industry says Loch. “We didn’t want to choices on whether or not to buy at the government-run of the wheels moves groups came up with the Conflict- abandon the region.” But he products from companies that National Centre for Advanced it forward less than Free Smelter Program, which acknowledges that it took a lot of are sourcing from these mines.” Electronic Technology, 1 nanometer. is currently in the pilot phase effort to get the process in place —Eliza Strickland known by its Portuguese for its first metal, tantalum. acronym, Ceitec. The program asks each Working with X-Fab smelter to allow an annual The congo connection Semiconductor Foundries, independent audit of its mineral based in Erfurt, Germany, The Democratic Republic of the Congo supplies minerals used to produce procurement process. If the industrially important elements. Metals derived from “conflict minerals” Ceitec expects to have auditors are convinced that no play critical roles in modern electronics. With the exception of tantalum, approximately 1 million minerals are sourced from the the amounts are small compared to the available world supply. chips ready for market next Congo’s conflict mines, that World Tantalum used Tin used Tungsten used in Gold used in month. Dubbed the Chip

smelter is certified as “conflict supply in capacitors in solder vibrating motors switches, relays, elfs do Boi (“bull chip”), the low- o R connectors n free,” allowing companies to buy i frequency (134.2-kilohertz) its metals without worry. While RFID series will be used the program is voluntary, EICC in Brazil’s cattle industry d and Mart n spokeswoman Wendy Dittmer i to track roaming livestock says many smelting firms believe and gather data on the a

it’s in their interest to participate. S ource: united states geological survey R W ndy deforestation they cause in the

12 NA • iEEE Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.News.NA.indd 12 11/16/11 3:53 PM Percentage of respondents to a survey who approved of research into geoengineering or attempts to purposefully manipulate climate. A total of 72% 3105 people—from Canada, the U.K., and the United States—took part.

for one mine and says it may be cow counters: difficult to scale up the program. Brazilian-built RFID chips were tested The pilot programs should for tracking cows at ­provide a framework to make a ranch in southern ­compliance easier. Still, ­companies Brazil. PHOTO : Ceitec around the world are waiting for the SEC’s final rules with some anxiety. And there may be some efforts to block the rules’ enforce- ment through U.S. courts. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for one, has discussed the possibility of a lawsuit. The chamber disagrees with the SEC’s initial compliance cost estimate of US $71 million, saying that costs will instead be counted in the billions of dollars. One thing is already certain Brazil Starts a Chip Industry about the SEC rules: There will An RFID for cattle is its first semiconductor manufacturing venture be no fines for using conflict minerals. Even so, activists think it will have its intended n the coming decade, country’s vast Amazon region. study for the Brazilian do Boi, he says, “it’s not a effect, because companies will Brazil wants to be known The chip has been tested Development Bank (BNDES). breakthrough innovation, want to avoid bad publicity. Ifor integrated circuits, not over the past two years in the The push into but given the realities of the “For years we have been just Ipanema. The country predominantly agricultural semiconductors is part of Brazilian government and unknowing consumers of these hopes to produce silicon states of Mato Grosso do Sul a larger effort to diversify its hopes of developing [a minerals because companies have chips alongside soybeans. Its and Minas Gerais. Ceitec the Brazilian economy, technology sector], it can be turned a blind eye,” says Sasha attempt to do so will begin forecasts a demand for the something foreign investors viewed as a breakthrough Lezhnev, a policy consultant on in January, when production chip of 1.5 million units are beginning to notice. innovation.” He also believes conflict minerals with the human is completed on the first next year, with an expected Silicon Valley venture that looking for niche rights group Enough. “This batch of locally designed growth of 10 percent or more capital firms such as applications “is good strategy will enable consumers to make and produced RFID chips for the next decade. The cow Redpoint Ventures and Accel in the beginning” but that choices on whether or not to buy at the government-run tracker is the first in a series Partners have made multiple in the long term the chip products from companies that National Centre for Advanced of planned products that investments in Brazilian industry will have to diversify. are sourcing from these mines.” Electronic Technology, could include chips for digital Internet start-ups recently. Brazil began trying to —Eliza Strickland known by its Portuguese TV and WiMax systems. Suh, who is chief foster a semiconductor acronym, Ceitec. While the technology itself operating officer of HT industry in 2007 with Working with X-Fab is not cutting edge, this is Micron Semiconductors, a several measures, such as Semiconductor Foundries, an important development joint venture between South the National Microelectronic based in Erfurt, Germany, in a country still highly Korean semiconductor Program, which offered The Democratic Republic of the Congo supplies minerals used to produce industrially important elements. Metals derived from “conflict minerals” Ceitec expects to have dependent on exporting packager Hana Micron and semiconductor firms play critical roles in modern electronics. With the exception of tantalum, approximately 1 million commodities, and where Brazilian holding company tax breaks and other the amounts are small compared to the available world supply. chips ready for market next nearly all electronics are Parit Participações, has incentives. But the effort Gold used in month. Dubbed the Chip imported and exorbitantly closely followed the country’s was to little effect. switches, relays, elfs do Boi (“bull chip”), the low- expensive, says Kevin Suh, technology efforts. HT The government then o R connectors n i frequency (134.2-kilohertz) an executive familiar with Micron currently focuses created Ceitec in 2008 in RFID series will be used the country’s technology on packaging, but Suh Porto Alegre in the southern in Brazil’s cattle industry sector. Brazil imports all says that “long-term plans state of Rio Grande do Sul, d and Mart n i to track roaming livestock of its semiconductors— are to become a complete home to Brazilian president and gather data on the US $4.64 billion worth semiconductor company.” Dilma Rousseff, who had a a

R W ndy deforestation they cause in the in 2010, according to a Of Ceitec and the Chip hand in choosing its location. spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org december 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 13

12.News.NA.indd 13 11/16/11 3:53 PM Global investment needed in energy-supply infrastructure from U S $38 trillion 2011 to 2035, according to the International Energy Agency.

A New Angle on Imaging But the firm’s development 100 000 Brazilian science Recife Center for Advanced has been trying to stimulate has been marred by manage­ and engineering students to Studies and Systems, the Brazilian semiconductor Capturing the direction of light beams can ment problems (the first CEO study and obtain additional company is developing a manufacturing since make for after-the-fact focusing was ousted) and by Brazil’s degrees overseas. The microchip to improve the 2006. In particular, he infamous government government says it will efficiency of photovoltaic says that the last few bureaucracy. What’s worse, fund 75 000 scholarships cells for cellphones and steps in manufacturing ll cameras capture the original silicon-wafer and the private sector other portable devices. Symetrix’s Trinion FeRAM the intensity of light as it processing equipment, will fund 25 000. Lima says SiliconReef chip, including adding Astrikes their imaging chips. donated by Motorola, was Another initiative, expects to start selling the the ferroelectric material, Color filters provide a second outdated: It was meant the government agency chip in the United States can be done in Brazil. set of data, sorting the rays into for 150-millimeter wafers Financiadora de Estudos e and Asia by March 2012. And while Symetrix is different wavelengths. But new instead of 200 or 300 mm. Projetos (FINEP), provides Whether the efforts of working with some semi- devices—including one produced Replacing it was a laborious seed-stage funding to the Brazilian government conductor design houses in commercially and others still in effort. And so the Chip do Boi Brazilian start-ups, as succeed or not remains Brazil, Paz de Araujo says the lab—are starting to capture a was set back by over a year. does the Fundo Criatec, an open question. But it that he has had a hard time third piece of information: angle. Ceitec is just one of which is run by BNDES. will likely need greater getting Brazilian government This allows cameras to go beyond several government And these efforts are participation from the private officials or Ceitec to under- focusing on a single plane to initiatives intended to make having some success. sector, says Carlos Paz de stand the opportunities that taking images at many different Brazil more competitive in The IC design start-up Araujo, a winner of the IEEE technologies like FeRAM depths of a scene at once. Cameras technology. Earlier this year SiliconReef is one company Daniel E. Noble Award. The offer. He says that with that capture both intensity and the government created the receiving funding from prolific Brazilian inventor some changes in mind‑set, angle will allow for refocusing Science Without Borders Fundo Criatec. Founded and founder of memory-chip “Brazil has an incredible already-snapped pictures, program, which will by Marília Lima and Tiago company Symetrix Corp., in chance to be state of the art.” lensless cameras, and the creation provide scholarships for Lins and incubated at the Colorado Springs, says he —Vinod Sreeharsha of 3-D images with a single camera, according to researchers in several competing groups. Alyosha Molnar, assistant pro- A Prettier Pylon fessor of electrical and computer There are more than 88 000 engineering at Cornell University, electrical transmission pylons in Ithaca, N.Y., has developed in the United Kingdom, and angle-sensitive pixels for CMOS imagers. Each pixel is made up of if the country is to meet its a photodiode beneath two layers of renewable energy goals, it’s diffraction grating, one of which is going to need a lot more. So back in May, the Royal Institute of British Architects launched a competition to invite architects and engineers to rethink the pylon. Bystrup Architecture Design and Engineering, of Copenhagen, took the £5000 (about US $8030) prize, beating essey essey P out 250 rival designs. At l

32 meters, the pylon stands S e m i 18 meters shorter than today’s c onductors variety, and at 20 metric tons, perfect pictures: Light-field imagers, such as a camera sold by start-up it’s lighter by a third, too. Lytro, use a combination of angle-sensitive pixels and computational trickery to

Bystrup Bystrup let you focus an image after you shoot it. PHOTOS: Lytro

14 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.News.NA.indd 14 11/16/11 3:53 PM Global investment needed in energy-supply infrastructure from uS $38 trillion 2011 to 2035, according to the International Energy Agency.

in the layers of wires that are A New Angle already built into the detector. A newer approach, which on Imaging Molnar is presenting this month has been trying to stimulate at the IEEE International Electron Brazilian semiconductor capturing the direction of light beams can Devices Meeting, would inscribe manufacturing since make for after-the-fact focusing the gratings in glass on the surface 2006. In particular, he of the detector, generating the says that the last few same diff raction patterns while steps in manufacturing ll cameras capture slightly out of alignment with the blocking less light, thus making Symetrix’s Trinion FeRAM the intensity of light as it other. The top grating creates an the device more sensitive. chip, including adding Astrikes their imaging chips. interference pattern on the grating Molnar says his approach news the ferroelectric material, Color fi lters provide a second beneath it. Depending on how that should be cheaper than a similar briefs can be done in Brazil. set of data, sorting the rays into pattern of light and darkness lines technology already hitting And while Symetrix is diff erent wavelengths. But new up with the second grating, light the market. Lytro, a start-up Heart Reader A new kind of electric working with some semi- devices—including one produced will either pass through to the in Mountain View, Calif., is potential sensor conductor design houses in commercially and others still in photodiode below or be blocked. taking orders for a consumer could allow for Brazil, Paz de Araujo says the lab—are starting to capture a So whether the diode sees bright camera that allows users to electrocardiogram that he has had a hard time third piece of information: angle. light or dim depends on the snap pictures fi rst and focus readings at a getting Brazilian government This allows cameras to go beyond angle the light is coming from. later; the company promises to distance, say British engineers. Invented offi cials or Ceitec to under- focusing on a single plane to Forming an image requires start shipping them in 2012. at the University stand the opportunities that taking images at many diff erent having a detector with pixels in The heart of the device is an of Sussex and technologies like FeRAM depths of a scene at once. Cameras many diff erent orientations and array of microlenses that lie over manufactured off er. He says that with that capture both intensity and gratings with diff erent amounts the detector. The microlenses focus by Plessey Semiconductors, the some changes in mind-set, angle will allow for refocusing of spacing between them. Taken light rays from diff erent angles electric potential “Brazil has an incredible already-snapped pictures, together, the pixels produce a on diff erent pixels in the detector, integrated circuit chance to be state of the art.” lensless cameras, and the creation series of measurements that can which yields images at many (EPIC) sensor could —Vinod Sreeharsha of 3-D images with a single be processed to create an image depths but leads to fairly low reso- make monitoring camera, according to researchers with any focus the user chooses. lution. “You lose a lot of resolution, patients in hospitals easier or even form in several competing groups. And because the camera can use but you get freedom of refocusing the basis of a brain- Alyosha Molnar, assistant pro- the same data to produce two afterwards,” says Ramesh Raskar, machine interface. A Prettier Pylon fessor of electrical and computer images at diff erent depths, it head of the Camera Culture group There are more than 88 000 engineering at Cornell University, can also generate a 3-D image. at the MIT Media Lab, who is electrical transmission pylons in Ithaca, N.Y., has developed According to Molnar, camera familiar with the technology in the United Kingdom, and angle-sensitive pixels for CMOS chips with angle-sensitive pixels— but not involved with Lytro. imagers. Each pixel is made up of known as light-fi eld imagers— Raskar has come up with a if the country is to meet its a photodiode beneath two layers of should be cheap to produce, diff erent approach. He places a renewable energy goals, it’s diff raction grating, one of which is because the gratings are inscribed patterned piece of glass between going to need a lot more. So the camera’s lens and the image back in May, the Royal Institute sensor chip. The screen attenuates of British Architects launched a the light rays entering the lens, with the amount of attenuation competition to invite architects depending on the angle of the and engineers to rethink the ray. He says his method is similar pylon. Bystrup Architecture to the microlens technique Design and Engineering, of but with no loss in resolution. Copenhagen, took the £5000 The Lytro approach, however, (about US $8030) prize, beating requires less computing power.

plessey seMIconductors plessey The three techniques are out 250 rival designs. At “redefi ning the notion of a camera,” 32 meters, the pylon stands says Molnar. With the angle- 18 meters shorter than today’s sensitive systems, “you will actually be able to go beyond variety, and at 20 metric tons, perfect pictures: Light-fi eld imagers, such as a camera sold by start-up it’s lighter by a third, too. Lytro, use a combination of angle-sensitive pixels and computational trickery to what a fi lm camera could do.”

Bystrup Bystrup let you focus an image after you shoot it. photos: lytro —Neil Savage

spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org DECEMbER 2011 • IEEE SpECTRuM • NA 15

12.News.NA.indd 15 11/16/11 3:53 PM Geothermal Energy’s Promise and Problems G oogle-funded research shows U.S. hot spots: The United States is boiling over with geothermal energy. I mage: SMU Geothermal Lab potential is huge, but extraction could The total installed electricity capacity thermal systems (EGS). That technique cause quakes from all energy sources in the country allows the use of lower-­temperature is right around 1 million megawatts. areas by fracturing the rock with high- So if all that geothermal energy pressure water, similar to the controver- eothermal energy is touted were harnessed, it could power sial fracking process in the natural gas as one of the few renewable the country three times over. industry. And there is ample evidence Gresources that could be used According to Colin Williams, a that EGS produces small earthquakes. for base-load (round-the-clock) power scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey “We know that creating these EGS generation: Earth’s heat is always on, and who has worked on similar geothermal reservoirs involves making earthquakes. it’s not dependent on the vagaries of wind resource estimates, the SMU work is That’s just going to happen,” Williams or sun. New research from Southern less about new discoveries than about says. “The question then becomes, Are Methodist University—sponsored by technological optimism. “It’s not like they we going to be able to control the ­process Google’s philanthropic arm—suggests discovered more thermal energy down of generating the microseismicity so that massive potential for geothermal power there, but they’re pushing the scenario we don’t generate earthquakes that are in the United States. But exploiting that that you could get more of it out,” he magnitude 3.5 or 4.0 or something like resource will be slowed by the cost of the says. His own calculations from a 2008 that?” The U.S. National Academy of technology—and the fact that it can cause study showed that even the most easily Sciences and the National Academy of small earthquakes. developed geothermal resources could Engineering have launched an investi- Researchers led by David Blackwell at bring 6500 MW online and that more gation; their report is expected in 2012. SMU’s Geothermal Laboratory set out to “unconventional” resources represented For the moment, cost is also a primary update existing maps of the heat beneath more than half a million megawatts of barrier to widespread adoption. USGS’s our feet, maps that Blackwell says had potential. That assessment differed from Williams says traditional geothermal significant gaps. The researchers doubled the SMU work in several ways, including electricity is “in the ballpark” in terms of the number of locations measured from stopping at a depth of 6 km instead competing with other electricity sources. previous efforts, and by sampling more of 6.5 km, as well as focusing almost A 2009 report by the investment bank than 35 000 sites, they found a “technical entirely on the western United States. Credit Suisse quoted a conventional potential” of almost 3 million megawatts. Blackwell also says the most geothermal cost of 3.6 U.S. cents per “The technical potential is our best notable improvements over previous kilowatt-­hour, below the 5.5 cents for estimate of what actually might be estimates are in the East—especially coal. EGS is costlier: A 2007 report by extracted,” says Blackwell. He says that under coal-rich West Virginia. The consulting firm GeothermEx estimated depths greater than 6.5 kilometers are energy is there, he says, but “the the best possible cost for EGS systems impractical to access, so his calculation question is, Do we have the will to go in the future at 5.4 cents per kilowatt- does not take into account a supply ahead and try to really develop it?” hour and suggested that the technology of power that’s more than 10 times Most existing geothermal projects won’t be truly cost competitive until as much at depths up to 10 km. are at hydrothermal reservoirs where 2050. “Until EGS is developed on a wide To put this in perspective, there hot water is brought up from below the scale, initially it probably wouldn’t be are only about 3000 MW of installed surface to produce electricity. But the competitive,” Williams says. “Right geothermal capacity in the United States new 3 million MW would almost all now we’re looking at sort of slow but today, and no other country has more. require what is known as enhanced geo- steady development.” —Dave Levitan

16 NA • iEEE Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12.News.NA.indd 16 11/16/11 3:53 PM 12.p17.NA.indd 17 11/14/11 10:53 AM 18 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011

12.BigPicture.NA.indd 18 11/16/11 11:19 AM the big picture

CENTER STAGE Now anyone can swim with the sharks. A film with a deep- sea exploration theme amazes audiences at the Haichang Backdrop Cinema, in Yantai, China. The theater shows films on a 360-degree holographic movie canopy that puts viewers at the center of the action. The fish you can (almost) reach out and touch are the result of 3-D simulation technology combined with an LED lattice and a surround-sound system that adds to the effect. Photo: Shen Jizhong/ Xinhua/Landov

12.BigPicture.NA.indd 19 11/16/11 11:19 AM hands on

Lego Mindstorms-NXT 2.0 language, NXT-G. National Robotics Kit US $240 Instruments helped to http://mindstorms.lego.com photo: Lego develop this user-friendly environment, which is based on NI’s well-known the Mindstorms-NXT 2.0 LabVIEW (Laboratory Robotics Kit ($240 from Virtual Instrumentation Amazon), released in 2009, Engineering Workbench) boosts the overall parts software. With some count to 619, contains a dragging and dropping, slightly different mix of you can quickly develop sensors (one ultrasonic range programs that with the click finder, one color sensor, of a mouse are compiled and two contact sensors), and then downloaded over and offers such niceties USB cable or Bluetooth as a built-in Bluetooth to the NXT brick. radio and the ability to do Lego’s NXT-G program­ floating-point calculations. ming environment is not I’d read about only easy to master, it’s Mindstorms many times, also very good at reporting including in this magazine, errors and pointing out but I hadn’t appreciated the source of the problem how well this system was (a common one was simply put together. Hats off to the that the brick had shut folks at Lego for producing itself off while I was busy something that works so arranging my next program). well at so many levels. Although the graphical Any child who can piece programming interface together Lego bricks should takes a little getting used have little trouble assembling to and has a few quirks, it A Droid for All Seasons My 8-year-old son, having the starter robot, a small provides a budding roboticist assembled countless Lego tracked vehicle described in with an ideal introduction T hese robotics kits can liven up the sets over the years, jumped the kit’s 62-page instruction to programming. My son, holidays—and give a kid a taste of right to the dinosaur and booklet. The heart of the whose computer experience robotics engineering had it walking around kit is its computer module, was mostly limited to playing the dining room table in the NXT “brick,” which obot playthings a plastic Erector Set, but no time. So for a bigger the starter robot holds have been charming the pieces are joined with challenge, I presented him at a convenient angle for Ryoungsters at least snap-together rivets with the paragon of robotics viewing the LCD screen and since the first tinplate robots instead of nuts and bolts. gadgetry for children: operating the four buttons. were mass-produced in the Manipulating the rivets still a Lego Mindstorms set. With just that simple user World War II era. Today’s takes fine motor skills, so I First released in 2001, interface, youngsters can robotic toys do a lot more wouldn’t recommend it for the Lego Mindstorms quickly get their creations than the windup automatons kids younger than about 7. Robotics Invention moving and doing various of yore. And if you choose An accompanying booklet System got a significant interesting things. wisely, your gift can also shows, with a sequence upgrade in 2006, with the But that’s just the starting help inculcate some of the of very clear pictures, how introduction of Mindstorms- point. The next step is to rudiments of engineering. to first assemble a simple NXT. Its 577 parts included install the accompanying For the smaller tyke, quadruped before moving on four different kinds of software on a computer and consider an Ollo Action to four motorized projects: sensors and three rather start programming your Kit (US $30 at Amazon or a windmill, a dog, an insect, sophisticated servomotors. robot du jour using Lego’s ThinkGeek). It resembles and finally a dinosaur. The most recent edition, graphical programming

20 NA • iEEE Spectrum • deceMber 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12U.Resources.NA.indd 20 11/16/11 9:35 AM Lego Mindstorms-NXT 2.0 language, NXT-G. National games, quickly constructed Robotics Kit US $240 Instruments helped to and programmed a four- http://mindstorms.lego.com photo: Lego develop this user-friendly wheeled robot that would environment, which is spin around until it sensed an based on NI’s well-known object in front of it, at which the Mindstorms-NXT 2.0 LabVIEW (Laboratory point it would announce Robotics Kit ($240 from Virtual Instrumentation “Object detected—good‑bye” Amazon), released in 2009, Engineering Workbench) and then shoot a small boosts the overall parts software. With some wooden ball at whatever Ollo Action Kit US $30 count to 619, contains a dragging and dropping, had come into its ultrasonic http://www.robotis.com photo: David Schneider slightly different mix of you can quickly develop sights. (You’ll want to keep sensors (one ultrasonic range programs that with the click an eye on things, especially finder, one color sensor, of a mouse are compiled if there are younger more appealing to technically Studio and set to work and two contact sensors), and then downloaded over siblings in the house.) advanced kids. figuring out how to simulate and offers such niceties USB cable or Bluetooth A determined Mind­ And if you’re worried a Create, which is one of as a built-in Bluetooth to the NXT brick. stormer could probably go that an adolescent might several robots this software radio and the ability to do Lego’s NXT-G program­ far using nothing other than feel he or she has outgrown supports out of the gate. floating-point calculations. ming environment is not NXT‑G, but you’re not limited Lego altogether, there I was using Microsoft’s I’d read about only easy to master, it’s to that. The Mindstorms are more substantial Visual Programming Mindstorms many times, also very good at reporting software ecosystem now robotics platforms, such Language (VPL), which including in this magazine, errors and pointing out includes dozens of other as the iRobot Create comes with Robotics but I hadn’t appreciated the source of the problem ways to program an NXT ($130 from iRobot). Developer Studio, so I figured how well this system was (a common one was simply brick, including Processing, The company, makers this would be easy enough. put together. Hats off to the that the brick had shut a C-like language and of the Roomba vacuum- After all, VPL is another folks at Lego for producing itself off while I was busy development environment cleaning robot and other drag-and-drop programming something that works so arranging my next program). that’s also used to program automated household environment—a bit like well at so many levels. Although the graphical the Arduino family of helpers, produced the Create NXT-G on steroids. Although Any child who can piece programming interface microcontrollers. You specifically for people who Robotics Developer Studio together Lego bricks should takes a little getting used can even control your wanted to experiment with comes with various have little trouble assembling to and has a few quirks, it Mindstorms creation robotics. It’s essentially a tutorial examples and the starter robot, a small provides a budding roboticist through a Bluetooth link Roomba without the vacuum Microsoft provides copious tracked vehicle described in with an ideal introduction using Microsoft Robotics cleaner. Instead, the disk- descriptions of this the kit’s 62-page instruction to programming. My son, Developer Studio. These shaped body of the robot software online, I found booklet. The heart of the whose computer experience alternate programming contains a large cargo bay. it all less than helpful and kit is its computer module, was mostly limited to playing environments should be On top are four threaded ultimately succeeded in the NXT “brick,” which hard points, so Create simulating a Create only the starter robot holds owners can easily add their when I stumbled on one at a convenient angle for own superstructures. blogger’s gentle description viewing the LCD screen and I decided I would control of how to set this up. operating the four buttons. the Create using Robotics When the package from With just that simple user Developer Studio, so I also iRobot arrived, I added the interface, youngsters can purchased a Bluetooth required 12 AA batteries, quickly get their creations adapter module ($63) along plugged the Bluetooth moving and doing various with a Bluetooth USB radio adapter module into the interesting things. ($40), both from iRobot. Create, and stuck the But that’s just the starting While waiting for everything Bluetooth USB Radio into my point. The next step is to to arrive, I downloaded and laptop (which lacks built-in install the accompanying installed Robotics Developer Bluetooth). After pairing software on a computer and the two radios, I tested the start programming your connection using a terminal- iRobot Create US $130 robot du jour using Lego’s http://irobot.com/create emulator program to send graphical programming photo: David Schneider numerical commands to spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org dMece ber 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 21

12U.Resources.NA.indd 21 11/16/11 9:35 AM tools & toys

the Create, just to turn on and other bits from each successive stage Mathematica some of its LED indicator of disassembly. He recommends having a lights. That worked straight books digital camera handy, to record how every- 8 and away, so I thought I’d soon thing was set up before you started fixing it. Maple 15 be driving my real-live The heart of the book is probably its Two venerable math Create around the house. Fix That Old chapter on electronic components: what programs keep up Alas, I was wrong. Ironing they’re used for, how they’re marked, what with the times out the wrinkles required Clock Radio! can kill them, and how to test them outside some surprisingly large the context of their circuits. Here’s where the orn in the adjustments to the controls, e don’t fix anything anymore, difference between building and rebuilding 1980s, Maple and which had been working fine more’s the pity. There’s an really shows itself. A designer might not care BMathematica antedate with the simulated Create. W old-world charm, an almost about what marks distinguish capacitors many readers of IEEE My difficulties romantic allure, to bringing once-useful from inductors, resistors, or diodes, but a Spectrum. Over time, both learning how to control a gadgets back to life. Repair can save a lot troubleshooter certainly does, especially programs have evolved into Create through Robotics of money, and it’s nowadays, when do-it-all math platforms, with Developer Studio were a terrific way to consumer electronics thousands of numerical and disconcerting, particularly make engineering are no longer sold symbolic math functions, after having such a accessible and with schematics. extensive capabilities for pleasurable experience attractive to kids. Geier’s decades graphics and documents, and using NXT-G. But some But trouble­ of repair work much more. With their latest young people might well shooting modern have given him an updates, Mathematica 8 and welcome the challenge of gadgets isn’t easy. arsenal of diagnostic Maple 15, the companies have puzzling out Microsoft’s And so, sensibly (if techniques ranging added many more goodies complex software. counterintuitively), from the obvious— to already very large and In any event, the proud Michael Jay Geier’s stage-by-stage polished packages. new owner of a Create robot entertaining book, checking of signals Trying to be all things to can choose other software How to Diagnose and incoming and all people, Mathematica has packages to run it and and Fix Everything outgoing power— long extended its reach far any number of hardware Electronic, pushes to the terrifying: beyond math into document accessories to embellish its an approach that attaching a circuit’s preparation and more. It now capabilities. Add a Kinect very nearly revels power-supply rails incorporates the specialized ranging camera and a in not knowing to a high-current search engine and laptop running the open- the details of how supply and seeing database Wolfram|Alpha. How to Diagnose and Fix Everything source Robotics Operating broken devices are which components Entering “IEEE Spectrum,” Electronic; By Michael Jay Geier; McGraw-Hill/ System, for example, and supposed to work. TAB Electronics, 2011; 336 pp.; US $25; ISBN 978-0- burn up. Through for example, returns you could turn a Create into As Geier explains, 07-174422-5 it all, he preaches a circulation data and some a TurtleBot or BiliBot, two the days when analog healthy skepticism other information for this rather advanced mobile parts drifted out and cautions against magazine. The results robots now gaining traction of tune due to wear, weather, or accident declaring a successful diagnosis too can be unpredictable: in the DIY community. are mostly gone, and circuit and system early. He gives plenty of examples of dead “US Magazine” finds a One thing is for sure: designers have spent the last 30 years components that aren’t culprits but rather small town in Arkansas. With some relatively working to stamp out the influence of fellow victims of the true cause of failure. This same facility allows inexpensive hardware to get individual component variations. When (Replacing those components without users to enter commands started, young people can modern devices fail, they fail hard. fixing the real problem will just waste in natural language (for explore robotics at every Geier starts with some useful advice time and money as they burn out again.) example, “Plot sin xy”), level, limited only by their about what’s probably worth repairing and Will I seize on this book as a good reason useful for quick calculations imaginations—or perhaps by what isn’t. Once you decide to take the plunge, to get a full set of troubleshooting toys? I don’t but probably not much more. their supply of AA batteries. he has a shopping list for your workbench— know. I love the idea of being able to fix all Even more significant, in —David Schneider a soldering iron, desoldering wick, multi- the dead electronic soldiers around the house, the summer of 2011 Wolfram meter, oscilloscope, and so on—but he also but there are also a lot of gadgets that I keep unveiled its Computable Prices are those paid at press reminds you to have stacks of plastic cups hoping will fail soon so I’ll have an excuse to Document Format for creat­ time. Current prices may vary. and trays on hand to hold all the screws, clips, get a shiny new model. —Paul Wallich ing interactive documents

22 NA • iEEE Spectrum • deceMber 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12U.Resources.NA.indd 22 11/16/11 9:35 AM tools & toys and other bits from each successive stage M a athem tica that can be distributed of disassembly. He recommends having a freely. Other users can digital camera handy, to record how every- 8 and open them and play around thing was set up before you started fixing it. Maple 15 with complex data sets or The heart of the book is probably its T wo venerable math manipulate math models, chapter on electronic components: what programs keep up thanks to a free browser they’re used for, how they’re marked, what with the times plug-in that installs a can kill them, and how to test them outside 400-megabyte utility on their the context of their circuits. Here’s where the orn in the computers. But if others difference between building and rebuilding 1980s, Maple and want to import data or enter really shows itself. A designer might not care BMathematica antedate text into the documents, about what marks distinguish capacitors many readers of IEEE they must purchase from inductors, resistors, or diodes, but a Spectrum. Over time, both additional software. troubleshooter certainly does, especially programs have evolved into Maple 15 and its nowadays, when do-it-all math platforms, with modeling and simulation consumer electronics thousands of numerical and companion, MapleSim5, are no longer sold symbolic math functions, have kept a sharper focus with schematics. extensive capabilities for on engineering. When Maple 15 US $1245 and up Geier’s decades graphics and documents, and speaking to the developers photo: Maplesoft of repair work much more. With their latest at Maple, I found them have given him an updates, Mathematica 8 and particularly proud of the arsenal of diagnostic Maple 15, the companies have program’s new support More modest changes differ in many particulars. techniques ranging added many more goodies for multicore processors, (but ones undoubtedly more In my own experience, from the obvious— to already very large and parallel programming noticeable to the average many calculations are easily stage-by-stage polished packages. for a cluster of local user) include a new variable done by following the help checking of signals Trying to be all things to computers, and multithread manager that allows users menus. But you have to live and incoming and all people, Mathematica has computing, each of which to inspect the definitions of with these programs for a outgoing power— long extended its reach far can dramatically speed variables and a facility that while to become proficient— to the terrifying: beyond math into document up large calculations. For allows users to view and not a small investment. attaching a circuit’s preparation and more. It now manipulate tables of data. All that aside, both power-supply rails incorporates the specialized A new finance package has products are major to a high-current search engine and dozens of commands, includ- achievements in computer supply and seeing database Wolfram|Alpha. ing one involving ­something science and have been game which components Entering “IEEE Spectrum,” called a Bermudan-style changers for many kinds burn up. Through for example, returns swaption. Next year’s of research. According to it all, he preaches a circulation data and some release will predict future Science Citation Index, each healthy skepticism other information for this stock prices (just kidding). has been cited by more than and cautions against magazine. The results Mathematica 8 was 1500 research papers, in such declaring a successful diagnosis too can be unpredictable: released November 2010, disparate fields as abstract early. He gives plenty of examples of dead “US Magazine” finds a Maple 15 in April. If you math and marine biology. components that aren’t culprits but rather small town in Arkansas. work at an institution They’re also sophisticated fellow victims of the true cause of failure. This same facility allows with a site license, you’ve and fun to use, and large Wolfram Mathematica 8 (Replacing those components without users to enter commands US $1095 and up probably already received user communities exist for fixing the real problem will just waste in natural language (for photo: Wolfram research these updates. If not, take a both. And unlike us, these time and money as they burn out again.) example, “Plot sin xy”), careful look before buying a venerable products show no Will I seize on this book as a good reason useful for quick calculations pricey upgrade. But for some signs of slowing down, even to get a full set of troubleshooting toys? I don’t but probably not much more. example, they described users, the new capabilities as they age and bulk up. know. I love the idea of being able to fix all Even more significant, in problems involving sparse may be deal makers. —Kenneth R. Foster the dead electronic soldiers around the house, the summer of 2011 Wolfram linear programming that Prospective users should but there are also a lot of gadgets that I keep unveiled its Computable were unfeasible in earlier examine both updates http://www.wolfram.com hoping will fail soon so I’ll have an excuse to Document Format for creat­ versions but can be easily carefully in light of their http://www.maplesoft.com get a shiny new model. —Paul Wallich ing interactive documents calculated in Maple 15. own needs; the programs http://www.wolframalpha.com spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org dMece ber 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 23

12U.Resources.NA.indd 23 11/16/11 9:35 AM geek life

Sing a Song systems and Linux as well.) Composers and record- of Code ing artists (including Björk New riffs on two and Radiohead), nonpro- venerable music pro- fessional musicians, and an gramming languages estimated 1800 universities around the world use Max, says David Zicarelli, CEO of he 18th ­century’s Max’s ­publisher, Cycling ’74. greatest hacker, Version 6, which launched TJohann Sebastian in November, is built around Bach, composed much a virtual canvas on which of his algorithmically boxes containing pieces inspired music on the of code (sound generators, sonic geek’s gadget of effects, video, algorithms) choice: the adjustable and are connected onscreen by reconfigurable pipe organ. patch cords. If you can plug The gadget of choice for your Gibson into a wah-wah Max 6; $399; Cycling ’74 today’s musical hackers is http://cycling74.com/products/max pedal, you can program in the personal computer. Max. But once you do, musi- “Bach would be all over The SuperCollider Book cal ideas can become con- this,” says David Cottle, Edited by Scott Wilson, David Cottle, nected to anything else associate professor at the and Nick Collins; MIT Press, 2011; 680 pp.; that has a digital form. University of Utah’s School US $45; ISBN 978-0-262-23269-2 Curtis Roads, professor of Music. “A computer is of music at the University of powerful and accurate and mouse, tablet devices, and California, Santa Barbara, ignorant. It’ll take your video-game controllers like has worked with a group at directions as you wouldn’t Nintendo’s WiiMote. It also his university’s AlloSphere have expected—which might devotes chapters to artificial new media collaborative to be interesting and fun.” intelligence applications, like use Max to translate MRI Unlike the pipe organ, the the smart sensing of real- brain images into music. computer needs software in composer from scratch, time musical cues that enable “You can send off agents the form of a programming entering into a database the an algorithm to “improvise.” into a brain generated from environment. As it happens, probabilities from existing But musicians had better real data,” Roads says. one of the two leading digitized scores of current be ready to geek up. Halfway “These agents come back and musical programming avant-garde composers. into Chapter 1 (“Beginner’s sing a song that tells you languages, Max, has recently Generating new music Tutorial”), the 680-page what the rate of blood flow in been retooled, while the based on those probabilities book is already nesting that part of the brain is.” The other, SuperCollider, finally could result in the next step commands to generate resulting sounds can be both has its own definitive in music evolution. I don’t 12-tone matrices with coding interesting compositions and programmer’s manual. know, but that’s the whole samples that look like also useful for neurologists Cottle brags that a musical point: You can ask that outtakes from a C++ manual. seeking subtleties in enor- algorithm can manipulate question and SuperCollider By contrast, Max 6 offers a mous and complex data sets. composers’ entire canons will take you there.” stable, intuitive, and graphical “It’s like looking at a beau- or styles of music. Cottle is one of three interface through which a user tiful clockwork ­mechanism,” “What SuperCollider coeditors of a new edition can quickly set up and start Roads says. “It’s so beauti- allows a composer to do is of The SuperCollider Book, doing interesting things. (If fully designed with all these pursue a progressive ethic of a manual for the free and that sounds like Mac versus interacting ­components. asking the question first, then open-source SuperCollider Linux, it sort of is—Max is There’s a fascination of discovering the outcome,” language. It details such available for Windows and ­looking at algorithms— he says. “For example, you procedures as collating the Mac, while SuperCollider and listening to ­algorithms.” might create a virtual input from a computer runs on those two operating —Mark Anderson

24 NA • iEEE Spectrum • deceMber 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12U.Resources.NA.indd 24 11/16/11 9:35 AM How can you get your idea to market fi rst?

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12a.p25.NA.indd 25 11/14/11 11:33 AM technically speaking By Paul McFedries

that knowledge is to the turning to crowd mining, organization. Nonobvious where they try to unearth patterns represent new useful knowledge from opportunities, be it for large databases of social research, productivity, information. On a more marketing, or whatever. general level, Web mining This is best illustrated by refers to the harvesting of the legendary diapers and useful patterns from data sets beer connection, where data of Web content, Web usage miners allegedly noticed (such as server logs), and Web that retail sales of diapers structure (such as hyperlinks). and beer would often spike If a data set is just too in tandem. Why? Because large to probe efficiently, new dads asked to pick up data miners can often diapers on the way home get away with sampling from work would also pick portions of it, a technique up beer. When retailers variously known as data stocked the products next dredging, data fishing, to one another, sales of both or data snooping. were said to skyrocket. Data mining sounds Another term for innocent enough on the finding previously unseen surface, but privacy connections in a data set, advocates warn that it can especially when there are be used for nonbenign The Data more than two variables, purposes. When Internet is pattern mining, and service providers and Gold Rush the quarried patterns are companies such as Google called association rules. hoard massive data sets that I ntelligence about baseball had become equated in the public Many data sets consist detail the online activities mind with the ability to recite arcane baseball stats. What of large amounts of text, of hundreds of millions [baseball statistician Bill] James’s wider audience had failed to understand was that the statistics were beside the point. The such as e-mail, so data- of people, automated point was understanding; the point was to make life on earth just mining projects typically use data mining methods can a bit more intelligible. —Michael Lewis in Moneyball (2003) textual analysis to dredge analyze that data to look up connections within that for patterns of suspicious data, a process known as text activity. As computer rganizations of the gathering of the raw mining. Another promising scientist Jonathan Zittrain all sizes are sitting data, which is stored in a avenue is audio mining has pointed out, “When Oon mountains of data warehouse or data (also called audio indexing), governments begin to suspect data; what they really need mart. It continues with data which is the process of people because of where are knowledge engineers cleansing, which removes extracting and indexing the they were at a certain time, who can excavate nuggets of unrelated or unnecessary words in an audio file and it can get very worrying.” ­valuable information from data (called dirty data then using that index as data Whether it’s a boon that data. Earlier this year (in or noise) and looks for to be otherwise mined. It or a bane, informative or “The Coming Data Deluge,” missing information. will come as no surprise that intrusive, you’ve seen here IEEE Spectrum, February As the quote from Michael engineers have also come that the field of data mining 2011), I mentioned the concept Lewis suggests, the point of up with ingenious methods is a rich source of new words of data mining, which uses data mining is knowledge for indexing other types and phrases. As I see it, my sophisticated software and discovery—the extraction of media, including image job here at IEEE Spectrum is to database tools to extract non- of nonobvious or surprising mining and video mining. sift through the raw material obvious patterns, correlations, information hidden in a data If the data set consists of of articles, papers, blogs, and and useful information from set. In data-mining circles, geographical information, it is books to uncover new lexical large and complex data sets. it’s axiomatic that the less called spatial (or geospatial) gems and then present them Data mining begins obvious the knowledge mining. In this increasingly to you in this column. Call it

with data preprocessing: extracted, the more valuable social world, researchers are word mining. o brian stauffer

26 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

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12.p27.NA.indd 27 11/14/11 9:04 AM A Cloud You Can Trust

how to ensure that cloud computing’s problems— data breaches, leaks, service outages— don’t obscure its virtues

b y CHRISTIAN CACHIN & MATTHIAS SCHUNTER

This past April, Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud service crashed during a system upgrade, knocking customers’ websites off -line for anywhere from several hours to several days. That same month, hackers broke into the Sony PlayStation Network, exposing the personal information of 77 million people around the world. And in June a software glitch at cloud-storage provider Dropbox temporarily allowed visitors to log in to any of its 25 million customers’ accounts using any password—or none at all. As a company blogger drily noted: “This should never have happened.” And yet it did, and it does, with astonishing regularity. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse has logged 175 data breaches this year in the United States alone, involving more than 13 million records.

28 NA • Ieee Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.CloudSecurity.NA.indd 28 11/16/11 3:46 PM spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org december 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 29

12.CloudSecurity.NA.indd 29 11/16/11 3:46 PM Such statistics should give you pause, especially if you plan to entrust information that used to exist only The on your own computer to an online Proof-of- The Ownership Proof-of- provider’s machines. And yet it’s very Solution 3 The file does not exist on the Ownership servers, so Joe is instructed to Solution hard these days to avoid that. Whenever Joe wants to store upload his file. you update your status on Facebook, music fi le A in the Kim pretends she cloud. He sends the owns fi le A. She check your e-mail via Gmail, post your hash value of the sends hash value #A vacation photos on Flickr, or shop, fi le (#A) to his cloud to the cloud provider. provider, which then Kim is then asked bank, or play games online, you are verifi es whether to send random or not Joe owns 2.5 excerpts from fi le A, relying on somebody else’s computers to fi le A by asking him but she cannot safeguard your stuff . Many businesses, to send random supply them. The excerpts from the cloud provider too, are buying into the promise of using fi le. Joe sends the informs her that the computers they don’t own or operate, excerpts. storage attempt has failed. Kim cannot because it gives them aff ordable and gain access to fi le A. 2 The hash value is compared convenient access to computing resources, with hashes already stored by the cloud provider. storage, and networking, as well as sophisticated software and services, that they might not otherwise be able to aff ord. Regardless of how exactly they use such Internet-based computing services in “the cloud,” these businesses stand to benefi t. They gain in particular from the FIRST Joe wants 1 Software running on Joe’s com- SECOND Once Joe has cloud’s ability to pool equipment, allowing to store music fi le A puter calculates the hash value uploaded his fi les, Kim them to pay only for the resources they in the cloud. of the file (#A) and sends the obtains hash value #A hash to his cloud provider. use and to scale their operations up or but not the actual fi le. down almost instantaneously. Need more capacity? Just lease it from the doesn’t upload the redundant burgeoning number of cloud providers, The Problem With file; instead, it creates a link including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, (and How between the user’s account and Deduplication to Fix It) the existing file. The example or the company we work for, IBM. Cloud shown here illustrates one services also provide their customers MANY CLOUD STORAGE pro- Whenever a user tries to upload problem with deduplication: viders use a technique known a file that has previously been Cloud customer Kim can with detailed metrics that track just how as deduplication to minimize stored, whether by that user or surreptitiously download Joe’s they use their cloud resources. And the amount of data they store. someone else, the cloud provider stored files, thereby exploiting customers no longer have to wait around

for the tech-support guy; their interactions with the But this transformation of the IT landscape brings with it pected things can and do happen, even when you’re dealing cloud provider are almost entirely automated. So rather some new problems stemming from the very nature of out- with well-established and presumably well-run companies. So than being burdened with the expense and effort of sourcing and from sharing resources with others. These prob- it’s no wonder that many IT managers remain jittery. If busi- procuring and maintaining an in-house computer net- lems include service disruptions and the inability of cloud nesses are going to reap the full benefi ts of cloud computing, work, even the smallest business can operate as if it had providers to accommodate customized networks. But the top cloud providers will need to do much more to address security a world-class IT system. concern that businesses have with cloud computing, repeated concerns. Here’s an overview of how we think they could start. More and more companies are doing just that. That’s surveys have found, is security—with good reason. By moving why, according to analysts at the technology -research its data and computation to the cloud, a company runs the risk aLthough “cLouD coMputing” is the current buzz phrase, the fi rm Gartner, by next year 20 percent of all businesses that the cloud-service provider, one of the provider’s other cus- concept has been around for half a century. In 1961, the late John will no longer own their own servers. That percentage tomers, or a hacker might inappropriately gain access to sen- McCarthy, an artifi cial-intelligence pioneer, proposed a diff erent is likely to grow in the coming years. In short, cloud sitive or proprietary information. Customers just have to trust term for what is essentially the same thing: utility computing.

computing is here to stay. the cloud-service provider to safeguard their data. But unex- QUICKHONEYALL ILLUSTRATIONS: “Computing may someday be organized as a public utility, just

30 NA • Ieee Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.CloudSecurity.NA.indd 30 11/16/11 3:46 PM as the telephone system is a public utility,” McCarthy said. “The computer utility could become the basis of a new and important industry.” But at the time, and for several decades afterward, The computer hardware and software weren’t up to the Proof-of- task. Only in the past few years, with the advent of The file does not exist on the Ownership 6 Kim downloads file A. servers, so Joe is instructed to Solution high-bandwidth networking, Web-based applica- upload his file. tions, and powerful and cheap server technology , has Kim pretends she owns fi le A. She McCarthy’s vision fi nally been realized. sends hash value #A In many ways, cloud computing is just another form to the cloud provider. of outsourcing. But traditional outsourcing arrange- Kim is then asked ments—contract manufacturing, say—come with legal, to send random organizational, and technical controls. Cloud comput- excerpts from fi le A, but she cannot ing hasn’t yet developed such protections. Nobody even supply them. The agrees on what the best practices should be. Typical cloud provider cloud-service agreements guarantee only that the pro- informs her that the vider will make its “best effort” to deliver services. storage attempt has 5 Kim sends hash value #A to the failed. Kim cannot cloud provider, which informs Rarely do these providers pay any penalties should The hash value is compared gain access to fi le A. her that the file already exists their services suff er an outage, breach, or failure. with hashes already stored by on its servers. The provider now What’s more, many cloud providers do not consider the cloud provider. believes that Kim, like Joe, has security a top priority, according to a report released in stored file A. April by CA Technologies and the Ponemon Institute. The study, which surveyed 103 providers in the United 4.5 States and 24 in Europe, found that the majority “do not consider computing security as one of their most important responsibilities and do not believe their products or services substantially protect and secure the confi dential or sensitive information of their cus- tomers.” They also stated that it is “their customer’s

Software running on Joe’s com- SECOND Once Joe has 4 Kim pretends she owns file A responsibility to secure the cloud” and that “their sys- puter calculates the hash value uploaded his fi les, Kim when in fact she has only the tems and applications are not always evaluated for of the file (#A) and sends the obtains hash value #A hash value (#A). security threats prior to deployment to customers.” hash to his cloud provider. but not the actual fi le. If you want a higher level of security, you may be hard-pressed to find a provider that will customize its services to satisfy your concerns. Right now, cloud doesn’t upload the redundant the cloud service for unapproved providers favor one-size-fi ts-all services: By off ering The Problem With file; instead, it creates a link content distribution. The proof- a single and fully standardized cloud service, they can (and How between the user’s account and of -ownership solution, shown in maximize economies of scale and thus lower costs. The Deduplication to Fix It) the existing file. The example steps 2.5 and 4.5, thwarts Kim’s downside, however, is that the cloud services they pro- shown here illustrates one attempt to access Joe’s files. vide meet only the most basic requirements for secu- Whenever a user tries to upload problem with deduplication: The solution was developed by rity. That’s fine for many of their customers, to be a file that has previously been Cloud customer Kim can Shai Halevi and his colleagues stored, whether by that user or surreptitiously download Joe’s at IBM Research and Bar-Ilan sure, but certainly not for all. Today’s cloud is like the someone else, the cloud provider stored files, thereby exploiting University, in Israel. Model T Ford circa 1914: You can have any color cloud you want, as long as it’s black. Ironically, the greatest risk in cloud computing stems from its greatest advantage: resource sharing. Let’s say you’ve developed an online game, and rather But this transformation of the IT landscape brings with it pected things can and do happen, even when you’re dealing than buy your own servers, you lease computing time some new problems stemming from the very nature of out- with well-established and presumably well-run companies. So from a service like Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud, sourcing and from sharing resources with others. These prob- it’s no wonder that many IT managers remain jittery. If busi- also known as EC2. That way, if your game becomes lems include service disruptions and the inability of cloud nesses are going to reap the full benefi ts of cloud computing, an overnight hit, you won’t have to worry about thou- providers to accommodate customized networks. But the top cloud providers will need to do much more to address security sands of players crashing your servers. concern that businesses have with cloud computing, repeated concerns. Here’s an overview of how we think they could start. To run your code, you create what are called vir- surveys have found, is security—with good reason. By moving tual machine images on the Amazon EC2 servers. its data and computation to the cloud, a company runs the risk aLthough “cLouD coMputing” is the current buzz phrase, the Each VMI is the software equivalent of a stand-alone that the cloud-service provider, one of the provider’s other cus- concept has been around for half a century. In 1961, the late John computer running its own operating system. In addi- tomers, or a hacker might inappropriately gain access to sen- McCarthy, an artifi cial-intelligence pioneer, proposed a diff erent tion to specifying the number and type of VMIs you sitive or proprietary information. Customers just have to trust term for what is essentially the same thing: utility computing. want, you can select where you’d like each one to

the cloud-service provider to safeguard their data. But unex- QUICKHONEYALL ILLUSTRATIONS: “Computing may someday be organized as a public utility, just reside. Amazon lets you choose among six geographic

spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org december 2011 • Ieee Spectrum • NA 31

12.CloudSecurity.NA.indd 31 11/16/11 3:46 PM regions, each having one or more data What Is Cloud ple upload to the cloud end up being centers. You can even spread out your Comp uting? duplicates—identical copies of software virtual machines within a region by user manuals, say, or MP3s of Lady There are many informal understandings putting them in different availability of what cloud computing is and isn’t. Gaga’s “Telephone.” Deduplication zones. Each VMI will then be assigned Those of us in the fi eld tend to use the allows a data-storage cloud to keep to a physical server in a data center and defi nition outlined by the U.S. National only one copy of each fi le. Any time a will remain there as long as it is active. Institute of Standards and Technology, customer attempts to upload a fi le, the which describes it as services that Amazon promises that your virtual are accessed over a standardized contents of the fi le are fi rst compared machines will be kept “virtually iso- network and that satisfy the following with other stored fi les. The new fi le is lated” from those of other customers. characteristics: uploaded only if it doesn’t already exist But virtual isolation is not good enough. in the cloud; otherwise the customer’s Research by Thomas Ristenpart account is linked to the stored fi le. and his colleagues at the University on-de mand In a paper they presented at the of California, San Diego, and MIT self-serv ice Usenix Security Symposium in August, showed that a determined outsider A customer can Martin Mulazzani and his colleagues stood a very good chance of putting his unilaterally order at SBA Research, in Vienna, described virtual machine onto the same server computing capabilities, several ways in which deduplication such as server time and as another customer’s VMI and then network storage, as needed and could be used to access fi les uploaded launching attacks from it. automatically, without any human to Dropbox. One way to do this involves Being located on the same server interaction with the cloud provider. hash values, which are short, unique would give the attacker access to infor- digests assigned by an algorithm to a mation about the target, such as cache stored fi le. When a customer attempts usage and data traffi c rates. And what Broad network to upload a fi le, the Dropbox software could be done with that kind of infor- access running on his computer first calcu- mation? Let’s say the EC2 server is run- Capabilities are available over the lates the hash values of the chunks ning encryption for one customer’s Internet and can be accessed from of data in the file. The hash values various platforms, such as mobile VMI. To allow its CPU to run more phones, laptops, and PDAs. are then compared with hash values effi ciently, the server does a lot of cach- already stored by Dropbox. If the fi le ing; in this case, information about the does not yet exist, it gets uploaded. encryption key might be available re source pool ing But if customer Joe inadvertently through the cache. And because the The cloud provider’s resources are shares the hash values for his stored server cache is shared by the custom- pooled to serve multiple customers, files with customer Kim, or if Kim ers, the attacker might be able to access with physical and virtual resources— steals them from Joe, she will be able information about the key and thereby including storage, processing, memory, to freely download those fi les without network bandwidth, and gain entry to the other customer’s virtual machines—dynamically Joe’s permission or even his knowl- encrypted data. assigned and reassigned edge. Mulazzani and his colleagues More recently, Sven Bugiel and his according to customer worked with Dropbox to plug this and colleagues at the Darmstadt Research demand. The customer other security holes they had identi- Center for Advanced Security, in generally has no control fi ed before going public with them. over or knowledge of Germany, looked at a practice that the exact location of the allows Amazon cloud customers to provided resources but may be able to cLearLY, isoLating custoMers from publish their VMIs for others to use. specify location at a higher level (such one another is, or should be, a major Of the 1100 Amazon Machine Images as country, state, or data center). concern for cloud providers. No data (AMIs) the researchers looked at, about from one customer should be exposed 30 percent contained private data to any other, nor should one custom- that the creators had unintentionally rapid elasticity er’s behavior aff ect another. With tradi- published. These data included cryp- To quickly scale up or down, capabilities tional outsourcing, isolation is achieved can be rapidly ordered or released, tographic keys, passwords, and secu- in some cases automatically. To the by maintaining dedicated physical rity certifi cates, which attackers could customer, the capabilities available infrastructure—separate production extract and then use to gain illegal may appear to be unlimited and can be lines at a contract manufacturer, for access to services that were built around purchased in any quantity at any time. instance—for each customer and by the AMIs. And while both of these stud- wiping clean all shared computers ies looked at Amazon’s cloud services, (such as workstations storing customer such vulnerabilities aren’t unique to Meas ured service designs) before reuse. them—they probably also exist on pop- Cloud systems control and optimize To plug known security holes, cloud resource use by measuring how each ular cloud services such as Microsoft’s customer uses their services (such as providers sometimes off er add-on ser- Azure and the Rackspace Cloud. storage, processing, and bandwidth). vices. For instance, Amazon Virtual Data-storage clouds are also vul- Monitoring, controlling, and reporting Private Cloud allows the customer to nerable. One class of attacks exploits a resource usage provides transparency specify a set of virtual machines that for the provider and its customers. space-saving technique known as data may communicate only through an deduplication. Many files that peo- encrypted virtual Continued on page 50

32 NA • Ieee Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12.CloudSecurity.NA.indd 32 11/16/11 3:46 PM Where the next big thing meets the light of day.

Somewhere a back room conversation has caused a burst of inspiration. And it will be unveiled here. Come see a bright idea light the way to tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 10–Friday, January 13, 2012 Las Vegas, Nevada | CESweb.org REgiSTER Now

12a.p33.NA.indd 33 11/14/11 9:04 AM KEY FIGURES: Ken Thompson [seated] types as Dennis Ritchie looks on in 1972, shortly after they and their Bell Labs colleagues invented Unix. PHOTO: ALCATEL-LUCENT

34 NA • IEEE SPECTRUM • DECEMBER 2011 Spectrum.Ieee.OrG

12.UnixAt40.NA.indd 34 11/16/11 12:26 PM KEY FIGURES: Ken Thompson [seated] types as Dennis Ritchie main( ) { looks on in 1972, shortly after they and their Bell Labs colleagues invented Unix. PHOTO: ALCATEL-LUCENT the strange Birth and Long Life of Unix

/* the classic operating system turns 40, and its progeny abound */

by Warren toomey }

{ they say that when one door closes on you, another opens. People generally offer this bit of wisdom just to lend some solace after a misfortune. But sometimes it’s actually true. it certainly was for Ken thompson and the late Dennis ritchie, two of the greats of 20th-century information technology, when they created the Unix operating system, now considered one of the most inspiring and influential Spectrum.Ieee.OrG pieces of software ever written.

12.UnixAt40.NA.indd 35 11/16/11 12:26 PM a DOOr HaD sLaMMeD shut for Thompson and Ritchie in March of 1969, when their employer, the American Telephone & Telegraph Co., withdrew from a collaborative project with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and General Electric to create an inter- active time-sharing system called Multics, which stood for “Multiplexed Information and Computing Service.” Time-sharing, a technique that lets mul- tiple people use a single computer simul- taneously, had been invented only a decade earlier. Multics was to combine time-sharing with other technological advances of the era, allowing users to phone a computer from remote terminals and then read e-mail, edit documents, run calculations, and so forth. It was to be a great leap forward from the way computers were mostly being used, with people tediously preparing and submit- MAN MEN: thompson (ken) and ritchie (dmr) authored the fi rst unix manual or “man” pages, ting batch jobs on punch cards to be run one of which is shown here. the fi rst edition of the manual was released in November 1971. one by one. Over fi ve years, AT&T invested mil- lions in the Multics project, purchas- 40 years later, we should be thankful that for a circuit-analysis project. Thompson ing a GE-645 mainframe computer and these programmers ignored their bosses rewrote Space Travel to run on it. dedicating to the eff ort many of the top and continued their labor of love, which And with that little programming researchers at the company’s renowned gave the world Unix, one of the greatest exercise, a second door cracked ajar. Bell Telephone Laboratories— including computer operating systems of all time. It was to swing wide open during the Thompson and Ritchie, Joseph F. summer of 1969 when Thompson’s wife, Ossanna, Stuart Feldman, M. Douglas } Bonnie, spent a month visiting his par- McIlroy, and the late Robert Morris. But ents to show off their newborn son. the new system was too ambitious, and { Thompson took advantage of his tempo- it fell troublingly behind schedule. In the tHe rOgUe PrOJeCt began in rary bachelor existence to write a good end, AT&T’s corporate leaders decided earnest when Thompson, Ritchie, and a chunk of what would become the Unix to pull the plug. third Bell Labs colleague, Rudd Canaday, operating system for the discarded PDP-7. PROUD FATHER: After AT&T’s departure from the began to sketch out on paper the design The name Unix stems from a joke one of Ken thompson Multics project, managers at Bell Labs, for a fi le system. Thompson then wrote Thompson’s colleagues made: Because celebrates his in Murray Hill, N.J., became reluc- the basics of a new operating system for the new operating system supported brainchild, 40 years after its birth. tant to allow any further work on com- the lab’s GE-645 mainframe. But with only one user (Thompson), he saw it as PHOTO: GABRIELA HASBUN puter operating systems, leaving some the Multics project ended, so too was an emasculated version of Multics and researchers there very frustrated. the need for the GE-645. Thompson dubbed it “Un-multiplexed Information Although Multics hadn’t met many of its realized that any further programming and Computing Service,” or Unics. The So Thompson and Ritchie got crea- objectives, it had, as Ritchie later recalled, he did on it was likely to go nowhere, so name later morphed into Unix. tive. They formulated a proposal to their provided them with a “convenient inter- he dropped the eff ort. Initially, Thompson used the GE-645 bosses to buy one of DEC’s newer mini- active computing service, a good envi- Thompson had passed some of his to compose and compile the software, computers, a PDP-11, but couched the ronment in which to do programming, time after the demise of Multics writ- which he then downloaded to the PDP-7. request in especially palatable terms. [and] a system around which a fellow- ing a computer game called Space Travel, But he soon weaned himself from the They said they were aiming to create ship could form.” Suddenly, it was gone. which simulated all the major bodies in mainframe, and by the end of 1969 he tools for editing and formatting text, With heavy hearts, the researchers the solar system along with a spaceship was able to write operating-system code what you might call a word-processing returned to using their old batch system. that could fl y around them. Written for on the PDP-7 itself. That was a step in the system today. The fact that they would At such an inauspicious moment, with the GE-645, Space Travel was clunky to right direction. But Thompson and the also have to write an operating system for management dead set against the idea, play—and expensive: roughly US $75 others helping him knew that the PDP-7, the new machine to support the editor it surely would have seemed foolhardy a game for the CPU time. Hunting which was already obsolete, would not and text formatter was almost a footnote. to continue designing computer oper- around, Thompson came across a dusty be able to sustain their skunkworks for Management took the bait, and an ating systems. But that’s exactly what PDP-7, a minicomputer built by Digital long. They also knew that the lab’s man- order for a PDP-11 was placed in May Thompson, Ritchie, and many of their Equipment Corp. that some of his Bell agement wasn’t about to allow any more 1970. The machine itself arrived soon Bell Labs colleagues did. Now, some Labs colleagues had purchased earlier research on operating systems. after, although the disk drives for it took

36 NA • Ieee Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.UnixAt40.NA.indd 36 11/16/11 12:26 PM /* Unix was small, and you could go through it line by line and understand exactly how it worked */ —Ken thompson, Computer, may 1999

department adopted the system whole- heartedly, which gave the researchers enough credibility to convince manage- ment to purchase another machine— a newer and more powerful PDP-11 model—allowing their stealth work on Unix to continue. } { DUring its earLiest days, Unix MAN MEN: thompson (ken) and ritchie (dmr) authored the fi rst unix manual or “man” pages, evolved constantly, so the idea of issuing one of which is shown here. the fi rst edition of the manual was released in November 1971. named versions or releases seemed inap- propriate. But the researchers did issue new editions of the programmer’s man- for a circuit-analysis project. Thompson ual periodically, and the early Unix sys- rewrote Space Travel to run on it. tems were named after each such edition. And with that little programming The fi rst edition of the manual was com- exercise, a second door cracked ajar. pleted in November 1971. It was to swing wide open during the So what did the first edition of summer of 1969 when Thompson’s wife, Unix offer that made it so great? For Bonnie, spent a month visiting his par- one thing, the system provided a hier- ents to show off their newborn son. archical file system, which allowed Thompson took advantage of his tempo- something we all now take for granted: rary bachelor existence to write a good Files could be placed in directories— chunk of what would become the Unix or equivalently, folders—that in turn operating system for the discarded PDP-7. PROUD FATHER: could be put within other directories. The name Unix stems from a joke one of Ken thompson Each file could contain no more than Thompson’s colleagues made: Because celebrates his 64 kilobytes, and its name could be no the new operating system supported brainchild, 40 years more than six characters long. These after its birth. only one user (Thompson), he saw it as PHOTO: GABRIELA HASBUN restrictions seem awkwardly limiting an emasculated version of Multics and now, but at the time they appeared per- dubbed it “Un-multiplexed Information fectly adequate. and Computing Service,” or Unics. The So Thompson and Ritchie got crea- more than six months to appear. During Although Unix was ostensibly cre- name later morphed into Unix. tive. They formulated a proposal to their the interim, Thompson, Ritchie, and ated for word processing, the only edi- Initially, Thompson used the GE-645 bosses to buy one of DEC’s newer mini- others continued to develop Unix on the tor available in 1971 was the line- oriented to compose and compile the software, computers, a PDP-11, but couched the PDP-7. After the PDP-11’s disks were ed. Today, ed is still the only editor guar- which he then downloaded to the PDP-7. request in especially palatable terms. installed, the researchers moved their anteed to be present on all Unix systems. But he soon weaned himself from the They said they were aiming to create increasingly complex operating sys- Apart from the text- processing and gen- mainframe, and by the end of 1969 he tools for editing and formatting text, tem over to the new machine. Next they eral system applications, the fi rst edition was able to write operating-system code what you might call a word-processing brought over the roff text formatter writ- of Unix included games such as black- on the PDP-7 itself. That was a step in the system today. The fact that they would ten by Ossanna and derived from the jack, chess, and tic-tac-toe. For the sys- right direction. But Thompson and the also have to write an operating system for runoff program, which had been used tem administrator, there were tools to others helping him knew that the PDP-7, the new machine to support the editor in an earlier time-sharing system. dump and restore disk images to mag- which was already obsolete, would not and text formatter was almost a footnote. Unix was put to its first real-world netic tape, to read and write paper be able to sustain their skunkworks for Management took the bait, and an test within Bell Labs when three typists tapes, and to create, check, mount, and long. They also knew that the lab’s man- order for a PDP-11 was placed in May from AT&T’s patents department began unmount removable disk packs. agement wasn’t about to allow any more 1970. The machine itself arrived soon using it to write, edit, and format patent Most important, the system off ered an research on operating systems. after, although the disk drives for it took applications. It was a hit. The patent interactive environ- Continued on page 52

spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org december 2011 • Ieee Spectrum • NA 37

12.UnixAt40.NA.indd 37 11/16/11 12:26 PM when will software have the right stuff? Un maNNEd planes dominate the battlefield, yet airliners still have pilots— and copilots by philip e. ross

imws e a when a uniformed man would close a metal gate, throw a switch, and intone, “Second floor—men’s clothing, linens, power tools…” and the carload of people would glide upward. Now each passenger handles the job with a punch of a Tbutton and not a hint of white-knuckled hesitation. The first automatic elevator was installed by Otis Elevator Co. in 1924; the things became common in the 1950s. And back in the day, every train had an “engineer” in the cab of the locomotive. Then robo-trains took over intra-airport service, and in the past decade they have appeared on subway lines in Copenhagen, Detroit, Tokyo, and other cities. Quietly, automation has taken charge of many other life- and-death functions. It manages white-hot ribbons of steel that shoot through rolling mills. It guides lasers that sculpt the eye and scalpels that excise the prostate gland. It runs oceangoing freighters, the crews of which have shrunk by an order of mag- nitude in living memory. And, most obviously, it is mastering aerial warfare. Today, the U.S. military trains twice as many ground operators for its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as pilots for its military jets. Its UAVs started off by flying sur- veillance missions, then took on ground attack; now they are being readied to move cargo and evacuate wounded soldiers. In the sphere of commercial flight, too, automation has thinned the cockpit crew from five to just the pilot and copilot, whose jobs it has greatly simplified. Do we even need those two? Many aviation experts think not. “A pilotless airliner is going to come; it’s just a question of when,” said James Albaugh, the pres- ident and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airlines, in a talk he gave in August at the AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies cabe Conference, in Portland, Ore. “You’ll see it in freighters first, c

over water probably, landing very close to the shore.” sean m

38 NA • iEEE Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12.PilotlessPlanes.NA.indd 38 11/15/11 8:52 AM cabe c sean m spectrum.ieee.org

12.PilotlessPlanes.NA.indd 39 11/15/11 8:52 AM irst is the problem of “sense and avoid”—the requirement that every airplane be able to spot other air- Fcraft and obstacles and get out of their way. It’s a hard job for a machine. “Regulators always require that the pilot be able to look out the window and see if he’s about to have a collision,” says Rick Prosek, manager of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) unmanned aircraft pro- gram office, which handles the regulations governing where in the civilian airspace UAVs may fly. “There are times when the technology doesn’t give you the right answer,” he says, and a human should be there “to say, ‘Hey, I need to intervene.’ ” Even UAVs that are remotely piloted need some sense- and-avoid capability, because there isn’t enough bandwidth for sending lag-free, high-definition video to ground-based operators. Compare that with military UAVs, which have a network latency of less than half a second, because they link to their ground controllers half a world away via an owned- and-operated satellite system supplemented by other chan- nels, such as undersea cables. To go beyond remote control to truly autonomous flight, Later, when air-traffic control systems rise to the challenge, Stealth drone: tics and astronautics at MIT. “It’s what you’d need onboard software to interpret the data from the pilotless planes will carry stuff to your very doorstep. In the The U.S. Navy’s Navy pilots have over those in the Air aircraft’s cameras, radars, and other sensors and then to fullness of time, they’ll carry you. X-47B, designed to Force. And when I saw an F-18 land make good decisions. Autonomous planes would also need fly from carriers, had Still, UAVs have yet to find a place in even the humblest its maiden cruise itself on an aircraft carrier, I knew my to play nicely with piloted planes, keeping their distance in parts of the aviation business—surveying traffic jams, say, flight in 2011. job was soon going to be over.” That the air, hewing to air-traffic controllers’ directives, and avoid- or snooping on celebrity weddings. Such work has not yet photo: Northrop Grumman was in 1994. Automation has gotten ing fender-benders on the ground. been approved for routine purposes, even when the aircraft rather better since then. Here again the military has lessons for the civilian sector. is small and controlled by a human on the ground—a man- In fact, the U.S. Army has now decided that if you can Northrop Grumman has built some sense-and-avoid savvy machine meld that keeps a pilot in the loop. Why is it taking trust the life of a pilot to software, you can trust the life of a into the unmanned helicopters and other UAVs it’s ­developing so long for the pilot to go the way of the elevator man? wounded soldier, too. It’s funding R&D into robotic medi- for the U.S. Navy. The automation does, in three dimensions, cal evacuation vehicles. One such system, being developed pretty much what radar-enabled crash-avoidance systems ehcc ni al obstacles can be cited: Fully auto- by Piasecki Aircraft Corp. of Essington, Pa., and Carnegie now do in a few models of luxury cars (see IEEE Spectrum, mated planes can’t yet visually identify nearby planes, Mellon University, is being designed around a system of sen- “A Driver’s Sixth Sense,” October 2011), and like those systems, tand as for the remotely piloted ones, the civilian vari- sors and software meant to launch and land a full-size helicop- it keeps a human being in the loop. The company’s upcoming ety can’t communicate with ground stations, because they ter on cluttered, unmapped ground and also fly the vehicle at X-47B, a fighter-size unmanned combat air system (UCAS), haven’t got enough bandwidth. “The name of your maga- low altitudes. Similar systems are under development in other will take autonomous flight one step further. The test will zine is the underbelly of all the problems,” says Doug Davis, countries. Israel’s Urban Aeronautics is experimenting with a involve taking off from an aircraft carrier, using GPS to fly a director of the unmanned aircraft program at New Mexico ­pilotless medevac that uses four rotors shielded by cowling so predetermined route, and landing on the carrier under light State University, in Las Cruces. “There’s not enough fre- that they won’t get tangled in shrubbery. ­supervision—a minder, somewhere onboard the ship, who quency spectrum. We have to compete for it with all these Given such advances, pilotless commercial flight is over- stands ready to take control if necessary. mobile phones and other demands.” due, argues Cummings. Civilian UAVs could easily and prof- But that’s not quite the same thing as flying in crowded But technical problems are hardly the entire explanation. itably be deployed to survey infrastructure and carry cargo, airspace, where even a 1 percent error rate would be intoler- The military has proved this point time and again, by trust- she points out. And there’s no reason why software, alone or ably high. Even a tiny civil- ing automation to do things that few human pilots could do on perhaps in conjunction with a quickly mobilized ground con- ian UAV will need some sort a fair day and with a following wind. In a stealth aircraft, for troller, couldn’t take over a piloted plane should something of sense-and-avoid capabil- instance, software fiddles from moment to moment with the happen to both the pilot and the copilot. Already, she notes, ity before regulators will let it flight-control surfaces; otherwise, the radar-eluding design an airliner’s software typically takes over flight seconds after share the air with passenger would make the plane fall like a brick. takeoff, handles the landing—and most of what happens in planes. In this case, at least, And for nearly two decades, automatic landing systems between. The pilot just “babysits,” she says. the danger is small enough have been able to drop and stop a jet on the fog-shrouded deck Of course, software that can meet only “most” of avia- and the potential payoff of an aircraft carrier that’s barely twice as wide and three tion’s challenges would hardly satisfy the afraid-of-flying great enough that agencies times as long as the jet’s wingspan—and the ship is moving. landlubber. That’s why the pilot is still there, babysitting, like the FAA seem ready to Meanwhile, the pilot sits in the cockpit, hands folded. until all the remaining kinks have been worked out. None allow such small UAVs to fly “Look, there’s no harder job for a pilot than landing on an of the problems are so bad as to prevent civilian pilotless within carefully delineated aircraft carrier,” says Missy Cummings, a former jet jockey planes from ever happening, but they are real, and they will spaces. “In 2013 we anticipate for the U.S. Navy and now an associate professor of aeronau- have to be solved. we’ll publish a final rule that

40 NA • iEEE Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.PilotlessPlanes.NA.indd 40 11/15/11 8:52 AM THREE ’S A CROWD: A 1950s cockpit held three to five people; automation has pared the number to two—so far. photo: Tom Hollyman/Getty Images

ir st is the problem of “sense and avoid”—the requirement that every airplane be able to spot other air- Fcraft and obstacles and get out of their way. It’s a hard job for a machine. “Regulators always require that the pilot be able to look out the window and see if he’s about to have a collision,” says Rick Prosek, manager of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) unmanned aircraft pro- gram office, which handles the regulations governing where in the civilian airspace UAVs may fly. “There are times when the technology doesn’t give you the right answer,” he says, and a human should be there “to say, ‘Hey, I need to intervene.’ ” Even UAVs that are remotely piloted need some sense- and-avoid capability, because there isn’t enough bandwidth for sending lag-free, high-definition video to ground-based operators. Compare that with military UAVs, which have a network latency of less than half a second, because they link to their ground controllers half a world away via an owned- and-operated satellite system supplemented by other chan- nels, such as undersea cables. To go beyond remote control to truly autonomous flight, would allow small UAVs to fly in certain parts of the national tics and astronautics at MIT. “It’s what you’d need onboard software to interpret the data from the air space,” says the FAA’s Prosek. “Then we could benefit Navy pilots have over those in the Air aircraft’s cameras, radars, and other sensors and then to from the data they’d collect for us.” Force. And when I saw an F-18 land make good decisions. Autonomous planes would also need Having negotiated a sense-and-avoid situation, a pilotless itself on an aircraft carrier, I knew my to play nicely with piloted planes, keeping their distance in plane would also need enough brains to maneuver away from job was soon going to be over.” That the air, hewing to air-traffic controllers’ directives, and avoid- an uncomfortably close vehicle, notify air-traffic control of was in 1994. Automation has gotten ing fender-benders on the ground. what was happening, and then land safely. These challenges, rather better since then. Here again the military has lessons for the civilian sector. however, are more like flying by the book than by the seat of In fact, the U.S. Army has now decided that if you can Northrop Grumman has built some sense-and-avoid savvy your pants, and flying by the book is what computers do best. trust the life of a pilot to software, you can trust the life of a into the unmanned helicopters and other UAVs it’s ­developing Take the Global Hawk, a UAV developed by Northrop wounded soldier, too. It’s funding R&D into robotic medi- for the U.S. Navy. The automation does, in three dimensions, Grumman for maritime surveillance operations. It’s able to fly cal evacuation vehicles. One such system, being developed pretty much what radar-enabled crash-avoidance systems itself home and land on its own if it loses its satellite link with its by Piasecki Aircraft Corp. of Essington, Pa., and Carnegie now do in a few models of luxury cars (see IEEE Spectrum, ground station. “The plane ‘pings’ the ground station to main- Mellon University, is being designed around a system of sen- “A Driver’s Sixth Sense,” October 2011), and like those systems, tain communications, called a heartbeat,” Cummings explains. sors and software meant to launch and land a full-size helicop- it keeps a human being in the loop. The company’s upcoming “If the heartbeat’s lost, the aircraft ‘knows’ and goes to self-repair ter on cluttered, unmapped ground and also fly the vehicle at X-47B, a fighter-size unmanned combat air system (UCAS), mode, trying a second radio, checking circuit breakers, and so low altitudes. Similar systems are under development in other will take autonomous flight one step further. The test will on. Then, if nothing works, the aircraft goes to its known profile, countries. Israel’s Urban Aeronautics is experimenting with a involve taking off from an aircraft carrier, using GPS to fly a follows waypoints, and lands itself with GPS and radar.” ­pilotless medevac that uses four rotors shielded by cowling so predetermined route, and landing on the carrier under light Such planes weren’t designed to have the parts-per-­million that they won’t get tangled in shrubbery. ­supervision—a minder, somewhere onboard the ship, who defect rate that you’d expect in a passenger plane. (Indeed, Given such advances, pilotless commercial flight is over- stands ready to take control if necessary. the Global Hawk still hasn’t fully met the Pentagon’s specs, due, argues Cummings. Civilian UAVs could easily and prof- But that’s not quite the same thing as flying in crowded which require that a tag team of several planes provide “near-­ itably be deployed to survey infrastructure and carry cargo, airspace, where even a 1 percent error rate would be intoler- continuous” surveillance over a particular place for up to she points out. And there’s no reason why software, alone or ably high. Even a tiny civil- 30 days.) But even the Global Hawk’s level of autonomy would perhaps in conjunction with a quickly mobilized ground con- ian UAV will need some sort surely be welcome in an airliner as a last-ditch way of saving it troller, couldn’t take over a piloted plane should something of sense-and-avoid capabil- “ When I saw if the pilot and copilot were killed or incapacitated. happen to both the pilot and the copilot. Already, she notes, ity before regulators will let it an F-18 land an airliner’s software typically takes over flight seconds after share the air with passenger sg si nificant as the technical hurdles are, how- takeoff, handles the landing—and most of what happens in planes. In this case, at least, itself on ever, by far the biggest impediment to pilotless flight between. The pilot just “babysits,” she says. the danger is small enough an aircraft Alies in the mind. People who otherwise retain a friendly Of course, software that can meet only “most” of avia- and the potential payoff carrier, outlook toward futuristic technologies are quick to declare tion’s challenges would hardly satisfy the afraid-of-flying great enough that agencies I knew that they’d never board a plane run by software, which they landlubber. That’s why the pilot is still there, babysitting, like the FAA seem ready to my job was know as the kludgy mess that makes their laptops freeze. But until all the remaining kinks have been worked out. None allow such small UAVs to fly minds can be changed. of the problems are so bad as to prevent civilian pilotless within carefully delineated soon going Each semester, Cummings asks her students at MIT planes from ever happening, but they are real, and they will spaces. “In 2013 we anticipate to be over” whether they’d fly in a pilotless plane from Boston to Los have to be solved. we’ll publish a final rule that –s Mis y Cummings Angeles. Two or three hands go up. Then she asks them how spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org dbecem er 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 41

12.PilotlessPlanes.NA.indd 41 11/15/11 8:52 AM they’d feel if the fare was just 50 bucks. More than half the seems to have held the plane’s nose up, causing the very stall Walker’s team, however, continues to work on his more hands go up. Cummings’s little experiment suggests that peo- he was trying to prevent. The French report proposed that immediately useful project—to use pilotless planes to survey ple’s reservations about robo-flight aren’t set in stone. pilots get more experience in flying by the seat of their pants. power lines and find early signs of encroaching brush that One factor that’s often cited for keeping a pilot in charge is But it isn’t easy for an airliner pilot to practice flying by might take the lines down in a storm. (It was apparently a what’s known as “shared fate.” That’s the reassurance passen- the seat of his pants. Simulators hardly satisfy—isn’t it the wayward branch in Ohio that triggered the 2003 blackout in gers get from knowing that the human in the cockpit wants to SimFlight world we’re trying to get away from?—and even North America.) The idea is perfect for the empty parts of live just as much as they do. But shared fate is not the only way, the occasional intervention in the plane’s workings can’t Queensland, a province with nearly three times the space and or even the normal way, to ensure safe service. After all, restau- instill an intuitive feel for flying. And such interventions just a fifth of the population of Texas. rants don’t employ food tasters to reassure diners, nor do losing really are becoming occasional. Airliners—the Boeing 747, “Our energy distributors are desperately looking for new defense lawyers join their clients in jail. It’s usually enough for a for instance—allow even landing to proceed hands free, says ways to surveil power lines,” Walker told IEEE Spectrum in professional to demonstrate sheer competence—the “right stuff” Davis, of New Mexico State. We are clearly in a particularly June. “They’re taking the automated system we developed, but of aviator lore. And it’s clear that automatic pilots—like those uneasy stage of the man-machine meld. as a flight-assist system, and putting it into piloted aircraft for that land F-18s—now have a goodly amount of it. two to three years to prove the guidance and the automation. Even Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who o win over the public, the autopilots of The pilot is largely hands off, but his presence allows us to deftly ditched his Airbus 320 airliner in New York City’s tomorrow will have to start today by exploiting niches meet regulations.” He added that it would probably take no Hudson River after its jet engines swallowed some geese, twhere civilian pilots can’t or won’t work—just as was more than a decade to dispense with the pilot and fly the plane, owed much to his onboard software—among other things, it the case in the military. With time, the systems will improve perhaps autonomously and “certainly by remote control.” managed the plane’s angle of descent so as to avoid a stall. and eventually fan out to conquer additional segments of the Even then, such UAVs wouldn’t be able to save little Johnny, But trusting software to safely shepherd hundreds of pas- broader market. but you could send out scores of them to sweep the seas for the sengers across thousands of kilometers? A suspicious pub- Look for the following order of events. Today, small tyke and then call in a piloted plane to pull him from the water. lic isn’t likely to buy into that vision, because safety is one government­-run UAVs are plying ocean routes, looking for Such baby steps in automation will eventually collide with of those things you can’t have enough of. And how could a pirates and lost sailors; next, companies will send the craft another trend in aviation: the decades-long “decrewing” of machine ever be as safe as a man-machine combo? into the back country, along routes cleared for their passage airliners. Back in the day, the standard cockpit contained a Yet the counterargument is also worth considering: Could by civilian regulators, to check on the state of pipelines and full cast of characters, including the flight engineer, the navi- the very collaboration of man and machine be causing human power lines. After that, UAVs will ferry valuable medical gator, and the radio operator. Technology has replaced those skills to wither? The FAA seems to think so. In a draft report samples and packages. A doctor might, for example, put a functions, and those people, one after the other. cited by the Associated Press in July, the agency stated that vial of blood into a UAV and send it to the nearest teaching The copilot is next in line. “Instead of a two-person cock- pilots sometimes “abdicate too much responsibility to auto- hospital for analysis; a courier service such as FedEx might pit, we’ll see one person only, and software would serve as a mated systems.” Automation encumbers pilots with too much fly important packages from Japan to California, using ded- backup,” says New Mexico State’s Davis. “And it’ll come only help, and at some point the babysitter becomes the baby, hin- icated airfields on each country’s shoreline, thus avoiding after a certain period of performance, when the insurance dering the software rather than helping it. This is the problem civilian air traffic altogether. Once they’re demonstrated on industry is willing to accept the risk.” of “de-skilling,” and it is an argument for either using humans the battlefield, robotic medevacs will graduate to civilian alone, or machines alone, but not putting them together (see duty, rescuing people stranded by flood or fire. Maybe then, f course, money is the necessary fuel for any IEEE Spectrum, “Automated to Death,” December 2009). after seeing such rescues on television, the flying public will pilotless air business, and so far, nobody in the indus- Consider the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447 off the finally start to warm to the cold machine. Otry has spied a huge pile of it waiting to be made. The coast of Brazil. A report from the French investigators, released “We often talk about the ‘save little Johnny’ scenario, field still needs a killer application to motivate moneyed inter- this summer, argued that the pilots hadn’t been properly where no human-operated aircraft wants to go out in a ter- ests to lobby the government and win over the flying public. trained to handle a malfunction of the airspeed sensors sys- rible storm, so you send out robotic aircraft to save little “The FAA isn’t jumping ahead of things, because there tem, the apparent proximate cause of the crash. Thanks to auto- Johnny, alone in the ocean,” said Rodney Walker, in an inter- hasn’t been an extreme business case for doing so,” says Davis. mation, which had taken over many of their routine tasks, some view conducted last summer. Regrettably, Walker, a profes- “No killer biz application has stood up and said, ‘Here I am.’ ” of their skills had atrophied. The report suggested that had the sor of electrical and electronic engineering and of aerospace Cutting pilots’ and copilots’ salaries won’t save much copilot (apparently the one in charge at the time) kept the plane engineering at the Queensland University of Technology, in money: They matter little when spread over a jumbo jet’s level while trying to figure out what was going on with the air- Brisbane, Australia, died as this article was being prepared worth of passengers. Perhaps more significant, though hardly speed, he could have mastered the situation. Instead, the copilot for publication. overwhelming, are the indirect costs of having to schedule

42 NA • iEEE Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.PilotlessPlanes.NA.indd 42 11/15/11 8:52 AM L ook Ma, no pilot: The U.S. Navy’s Fire Scout [left] can land on a carrier in a stiff wind;P iasecki Aircraft is testing this autonomous helicopter [center]; the Global Hawk [right] is a kind of pilotless version of the old U-2 spy plane. photos, from left: Kelly Schindler/U.S. Navy; Piasecki Aircraft Corp.; Senior Airman Nichelle Anderson/U.S. Air Force

seems to have held the plane’s nose up, causing the very stall Walker’s team, however, continues to work on his more flights so that fresh, rested crew members are available. Here he was trying to prevent. The French report proposed that immediately useful project—to use pilotless planes to survey the savings would be greater because you’d be able to mini- pilots get more experience in flying by the seat of their pants. power lines and find early signs of encroaching brush that mize an airliner’s downtime. But it isn’t easy for an airliner pilot to practice flying by might take the lines down in a storm. (It was apparently a However, any true killer app would probably dispense the seat of his pants. Simulators hardly satisfy—isn’t it the wayward branch in Ohio that triggered the 2003 blackout in with the existing business model altogether and replace it SimFlight world we’re trying to get away from?—and even North America.) The idea is perfect for the empty parts of with an entirely new model, one that might start in a small the occasional intervention in the plane’s workings can’t Queensland, a province with nearly three times the space and niche and grow to take over commer- instill an intuitive feel for flying. And such interventions just a fifth of the population of Texas. cial aviation. That’s how the PC made really are becoming occasional. Airliners—the Boeing 747, “Our energy distributors are desperately looking for new post your its way from a glorified word proces- for instance—allow even landing to proceed hands free, says ways to surveil power lines,” Walker told IEEE Spectrum in comments sor to a general-purpose tool for small Davis, of New Mexico State. We are clearly in a particularly June. “They’re taking the automated system we developed, but online at http://­ businesses and, later, for medium-size uneasy stage of the man-machine meld. as a flight-assist system, and putting it into piloted aircraft for spectrum.ieee. corporations. At some point it began org/pilotless1211 two to three years to prove the guidance and the automation. to eat at the bottom of the mainframe o win over the public, the autopilots of The pilot is largely hands off, but his presence allows us to market, in classic “disruptive” fashion. tomorrow will have to start today by exploiting niches meet regulations.” He added that it would probably take no For robo-flight, the killer app could twhere civilian pilots can’t or won’t work—just as was more than a decade to dispense with the pilot and fly the plane, start off with local air service. In many places just getting to the case in the military. With time, the systems will improve perhaps autonomously and “certainly by remote control.” the airport or to the main airport hub is the hardest leg of the and eventually fan out to conquer additional segments of the Even then, such UAVs wouldn’t be able to save little Johnny, trip. If small robo-planes could get you there, air travel would broader market. but you could send out scores of them to sweep the seas for the become vastly more attractive. Look for the following order of events. Today, small tyke and then call in a piloted plane to pull him from the water. “Look at five-seat airplanes,” says David Vos, senior direc- government­-run UAVs are plying ocean routes, looking for Such baby steps in automation will eventually collide with tor of unmanned aircraft systems and control technologies for pirates and lost sailors; next, companies will send the craft another trend in aviation: the decades-long “decrewing” of Rockwell Collins, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “You could make a into the back country, along routes cleared for their passage airliners. Back in the day, the standard cockpit contained a business out of a [pilotless] taxi service from one small air- by civilian regulators, to check on the state of pipelines and full cast of characters, including the flight engineer, the navi- port to another, and it’d be a whole new world.” power lines. After that, UAVs will ferry valuable medical gator, and the radio operator. Technology has replaced those samples and packages. A doctor might, for example, put a functions, and those people, one after the other. u nst whe we might see that world is still the great vial of blood into a UAV and send it to the nearest teaching The copilot is next in line. “Instead of a two-person cock- question. Back in 2002, two illustrious technogeeks bet hospital for analysis; a courier service such as FedEx might pit, we’ll see one person only, and software would serve as a JUS $2000 on whether full-fledged pilotless airliners would fly important packages from Japan to California, using ded- backup,” says New Mexico State’s Davis. “And it’ll come only fly routinely by 2030. And they placed the bet (on the website icated airfields on each country’s shoreline, thus avoiding after a certain period of performance, when the insurance Longbets.org) before much of the huge progress in military civilian air traffic altogether. Once they’re demonstrated on industry is willing to accept the risk.” UAVs had even been demonstrated. the battlefield, robotic medevacs will graduate to civilian Craig Mundie, chief research and strategy officer at duty, rescuing people stranded by flood or fire. Maybe then, fe cours , money is the necessary fuel for any Microsoft, thought such an outcome likely. He imag- after seeing such rescues on television, the flying public will pilotless air business, and so far, nobody in the indus- ined “arriving at a methodology for system design that finally start to warm to the cold machine. Otry has spied a huge pile of it waiting to be made. The yields as much dependability, on an everyday basis, as the “We often talk about the ‘save little Johnny’ scenario, field still needs a killer application to motivate moneyed inter- ­triple-redundant computer that flew guys to the moon.” Eric where no human-operated aircraft wants to go out in a ter- ests to lobby the government and win over the flying public. Schmidt, now the executive chairman of Google, argued that rible storm, so you send out robotic aircraft to save little “The FAA isn’t jumping ahead of things, because there “the FAA changes so slowly that if this were even all possible, Johnny, alone in the ocean,” said Rodney Walker, in an inter- hasn’t been an extreme business case for doing so,” says Davis. the adoption and certification would all take at least 50 years.” view conducted last summer. Regrettably, Walker, a profes- “No killer biz application has stood up and said, ‘Here I am.’ ” That would be true, perhaps, if the United States were the sor of electrical and electronic engineering and of aerospace Cutting pilots’ and copilots’ salaries won’t save much only force in civilian aviation. But some other country, with engineering at the Queensland University of Technology, in money: They matter little when spread over a jumbo jet’s lots of space and fewer people, may very well decide that Brisbane, Australia, died as this article was being prepared worth of passengers. Perhaps more significant, though hardly commercial pilotless flight makes sense now. Australia, are for publication. overwhelming, are the indirect costs of having to schedule you listening? ❏ spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org dbecem er 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 43

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12.CarbonNanotubes.NA.indd 44 11/15/11 4:15 PM NanoDYNAMITE Fuel-coated nanotubes could provide bursts of power to the smallest systems

by Michael S. Strano & Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh Illustrations by Emily Cooper

spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org dEcEmbEr 2011 • iEEE SpEctrum • NA 45

12.CarbonNanotubes.NA.indd 45 11/15/11 4:15 PM e l e c t r o d e c a r b o n n a n o t u b e a t e l e va t e d temperature

p r o pa g a t i o n d i r e c t i o n

tion wave along it and learned that a nanotube, a hollow, submicroscopic One of the greatest challenges nanotube is an excellent conductor of tube made of a chicken-wire-like lat- the heat from the burning fuel. Even tice of carbon atoms. A single nano- in all of technology right now better, the combustion wave creates a tube has an average diameter of 5 or strong electric current. 6 nanometers, but some have diam- is improving energy storage. eters as small as 1 nm. Their lengths before we explain how our vary: A nanotube can be as short as It’s an enormous challenge on many fronts and on many nanotube-­based power source works, tens of nanometers, but researchers scales, with examples ranging from utility-scale batteries it is worth considering the alterna- have grown some that are many mil- as big as a trailer down to the button-size cells that keep our tives. For instance, why not just keep lions of times as long—up to tens of scaling down chemical batteries? The centimeters. Nanotubes are extremely quartz wristwatches ticking. And while we know how to simple reason is that battery perfor- strong and have a high density of elec- make batteries bigger—add more cells—we are up against mance begins to degrade when engi- trical carriers—electrons and electron fundamental limits as we try to scale down rechargeable neers reduce a battery’s size to several deficiencies, or holes—which enable energy sources into the micro realm and beyond. tens of micrometers. The flow of ions the nanotubes to conduct both elec- is disrupted, sharply reducing the bat- tricity and heat very well. tery’s power density—the amount of Researchers have been studying power it produces per unit of mass. carbon nanotubes for decades. But It’s probably not a challenge trol heart arrhythmias. Also, micro- What about other energy-storage new advances over the past few years you’ve thought much about, unless size systems could one day attack can- technologies, such as rocket engines, have made them easier to produce you’re designing the next genera- cerous cells with localized pulses of which convert chemical energy to and use experimentally. These fac- tion of nanoscale memory-storage energy inside the body. Another pos- mechanical work? They don’t typi- tors prompted us to look for ways to devices, circuits, magnets, or biosen- sible application for these puny power­ cally scale to the sizes needed for the use carbon nanotubes to harness ther- sors, which all need extremely small houses is in “smart dust”—sensors that next generation of technologies, either. mal energy in a previously undiscov- and rechargeable power sources. Most float in the air, collecting information To date, scaled-down rocket engines ered way. Basically, we wanted to take of the many researchers working on about temperature, airborne pollut- can sustain power densities of only advantage of their shape and strength rechargeable power sources these ants, and other characteristics. around 0.1 watt per kilogram—a min- to propagate an explosive chemical days are trying to wring a few more We think that a solution to this ute fraction of the 200 W/kg that aver- reaction along the outside of the tube. kilometers out of an electric-car bat- long-standing problem is finally age lithium­-ion batteries achieve. If we could use the tube to harness the tery pack or a few more minutes out of within reach. Working at MIT’s A few newer technologies have the energy of such strong reactions, we rea- a cellphone charge. But the challenges Strano Laboratory, along with col- potential to power future micro- and soned, we would have a small system of the micro realm are just as fascinat- leagues from the Royal Melbourne nanoscale systems. Very small fuel cells, with exceptionally high power density. ing, even if they’re not of commercial Institute of Technology, in Australia, about the size of a peppercorn, might In 2009, we began coating carbon consequence yet. we have been pursuing a new yet make promising power sources. nanotubes with a highly energetic fuel. They may soon be. Researchers approach to energy storage and power But despite many years of research and When we ignited one end using either already envision tiny systems whose generation. Our experimental system, innovation, fuel cells of this size have a laser beam or a hot wire, we found realization is blocked by the lack of suf- based on one of the new materials that yet to produce sufficiently high levels that the chemical reaction set off a ficiently small power sources. These have come from nanotechnology—­ of power per unit of mass. Fuel cells wave of heat that propagated along the future systems include cardioverter- carbon nanotubes—generates power designed to work with microscale sys- nanotube’s walls like a flame along the defibrillators the size of apple seeds, in a way that has no macroscopic anal- tems produce only 100 W/kg. length of a lit fuse. The resulting com- implanted relatively unobtrusively in ogy. By coating a nanotube in fuel and To understand how our tiny power bustion wave traveled down the nano- a heart patient to automatically con- igniting one end, we set off a combus- sources work, first consider the carbon tube at speeds 10 000 times as fast

46 NA • iEEE Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.CarbonNanotubes.NA.indd 46 11/15/11 4:15 PM c a r b o n n a n o t u b e e l e c t r o d e c o a t e d w i t h h i g h ly energetic fuel

r e a c t i o n f r o n t

p r o pa g a t i o n f r e e d i r e c t i o n c a r r i e r s o u t

tion wave along it and learned that a nanotube, a hollow, submicroscopic as the fuel would burn in open air— nanotube is an excellent conductor of tube made of a chicken-wire-like lat- from 0.01 up to 2 meters per second. the heat from the burning fuel. Even tice of carbon atoms. A single nano- That’s because the core of the system— How to Catch a better, the combustion wave creates a tube has an average diameter of 5 or the nanotube—conducts heat so well. THERMOPOWER Wave strong electric current. 6 nanometers, but some have diam- The heat entering the carbon nano- A SINGLE CARBON NANOTUBE eters as small as 1 nm. Their lengths tube propagates much faster than becomes a thermopower wave generator before we explain how our vary: A nanotube can be as short as within the fuel itself, allowing the when it’s coated in fuel and ignited on one nanotube- based power source works, tens of nanometers, but researchers heat to ignite more fuel as it travels. end, which sets off a chemical reaction. The reaction starts moving along the it is worth considering the alterna- have grown some that are many mil- The nanotube guides the decomposi- nanotube’s walls even faster than the fuel tives. For instance, why not just keep lions of times as long—up to tens of tion of the fuel on the surface while itself is consumed. This results in a high- scaling down chemical batteries? The centimeters. Nanotubes are extremely keeping the reaction moving in one speed thermopower wave, in which heat simple reason is that battery perfor- strong and have a high density of elec- direction, thus serving as a guide for from the reaction feeds back to the fuel. As this wave travels, it pushes electrical mance begins to degrade when engi- trical carriers—electrons and electron the wave and allowing a large current carriers to the end of the nanotube, neers reduce a battery’s size to several deficiencies, or holes—which enable to fl ow unimpeded. thus creating the electric current. tens of micrometers. The fl ow of ions the nanotubes to conduct both elec- We call this combustion wave a is disrupted, sharply reducing the bat- tricity and heat very well. thermopower wave because as it trans- tery’s power density—the amount of Researchers have been studying mits energy from one place to another, power it produces per unit of mass. carbon nanotubes for decades. But it couples with the nanotube’s electri- What about other energy-storage new advances over the past few years cal carriers, setting them in motion thermoelectric eff ect—the voltage that technologies, such as rocket engines, have made them easier to produce along the conducting tube. The mov- results from a steady temperature dif- which convert chemical energy to and use experimentally. These fac- ing heat source sweeps the coupled ference across a wire. Depending on the mechanical work? They don’t typi- tors prompted us to look for ways to electrical carriers along, an eff ect we nanomaterial, either electrons or holes cally scale to the sizes needed for the use carbon nanotubes to harness ther- call electron entrainment. The carri- fl ow from the hot side to the cold side; next generation of technologies, either. mal energy in a previously undiscov- ers all move together in a single direc- their density determines the current. To date, scaled-down rocket engines ered way. Basically, we wanted to take tion, creating an electric current that The main challenge with any can sustain power densities of only advantage of their shape and strength is extremely large relative to the mass power generator is, of course, to maxi- around 0.1 watt per kilogram—a min- to propagate an explosive chemical of the system. In some of our latest mize its output. One way to accom- ute fraction of the 200 W/kg that aver- reaction along the outside of the tube. experiments, the power generated plish this is by choosing materials age lithium -ion batteries achieve. If we could use the tube to harness the exceeded 7 kilowatts per kilogram, or with good thermoelectric properties. A few newer technologies have the energy of such strong reactions, we rea- about three to four times what is pos- To understand what makes a good potential to power future micro- and soned, we would have a small system sible with the best lithium-ion batter- thermoelectric material, recall that nanoscale systems. Very small fuel cells, with exceptionally high power density. ies currently available. power equals voltage times current. about the size of a peppercorn, might In 2009, we began coating carbon For a thermoelectric power genera- yet make promising power sources. nanotubes with a highly energetic fuel. as far as we know, we are the fi rst tor, this translates to the voltage dif- But despite many years of research and When we ignited one end using either to harness these thermopower waves ferential across the wire multiplied innovation, fuel cells of this size have a laser beam or a hot wire, we found to convert chemical energy to electric by its induced current. That means yet to produce suffi ciently high levels that the chemical reaction set off a power, and we’re still trying to under- there are only two ways to increase of power per unit of mass. Fuel cells wave of heat that propagated along the stand some of the fi ne points of how power output—increase the voltage by designed to work with microscale sys- nanotube’s walls like a fl ame along the these waves propagate heat and electri- increasing the temperature differen- tems produce only 100 W/kg. length of a lit fuse. The resulting com- cal carriers to produce electricity. What tial between the two ends of the wire To understand how our tiny power bustion wave traveled down the nano- we do know is that the propagation of or increase the current by decreasing sources work, fi rst consider the carbon tube at speeds 10 000 times as fast the charge carriers depends on the the wire’s resistance. So in choosing

spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org dEcEmbEr 2011 • iEEE SpEctrum • NA 47

12.CarbonNanotubes.NA.indd 47 11/15/11 4:15 PM ductance and low thermal conductivity. extremely high thermal conductivity the thermoelectric eff ect. Researchers This meant it might be possible to because of their crystal-like molecu- at institutions such as Sungkyunkwan COMBUSTION on Camera maintain a large temperature gradient lar structure. And like bismuth tel- University, in South Korea; Texas in these materials. Early experiment- luride, they also have high electrical A&M; Wake Forest University and CANADIAN PHOTONICS LABS’ high-speed CCD digital camera, ers even dreamed of producing unlim- conductivity. Our discovery that a NanoTechLabs, in North Carolina; rigged to begin taking photos at ited amounts of power; they imagined thermopower wave works best across and Victoria University, in New the start of a thermopower wave very long wires and rods, with one end these tubes because of their dual con- Zealand, are now looking at why car- reaction, shows the waves in a generator in real time. The camera in a hot environment, such as a geyser ductivity turns conventional thermo- bon nanotubes can produce thermo- captured 4000 frames per second. or volcanic crater, and the other end in electricity on its head: It’s the first electric power and how to harness it a cool environment, perhaps several nanoscale approach to power gener- better. What we know so far is that meters underground. Free and ever- ation that exploits the thermo electric with thermal waves, the movement of lasting electric power! effect but sidesteps the feasibility a temperature gradient from one end Well, not quite. Although semi- issues associated with minimizing of a material to the other is what cre- the material for the wire, researchers conducting materials like bismuth thermal conductivity. ates voltage. And the faster it moves, strive to maximize both the tempera- telluride and antimony telluride have Here’s why: The thermoelectric the better: Higher thermal conductiv- ture diff erential—you want the great- lower thermal conductivity than any effect says that the more efficiently ity and higher temperatures mean a est possible diff erence between the hot metal except mercury, even a small a material can sustain a tempera- stronger electric current. end and the cold end—and minimize amount of conductivity is enough to ture differential across it, the more A thermopower-wave generator the resistance. prevent a material from sustaining a electric potential it has. So materi- produces up to 0.2 to 0.3 volts and It’s no small feat. That’s because temperature difference between its als with very little thermal conduc- 0.1 to 0.2 amperes of electric current. materials that are highly conductive two sides forever. Eventually, heat tivity but high electrical conductiv- The current is generated as a pulse, of electricity—metals, for example— moves from one side to another, and a ity can sustain high electric potential, typically several milliseconds long. are usually also good conductors of temperature balance is reached. which determines a material’s volt- We can also increase the capacity and heat. So in almost all materials with Researchers have tried for years age. The thermoelectric effect sug- current by arranging nanotubes in low electrical resistance, it is impossi- to exploit the thermoelectric eff ect by gests that the faster a material con- parallel or increase the voltage by put- ble to sustain a large temperature dif- manipulating materials with maxi- ducts heat, the more quickly it loses ting a number of nanotubes in series. ferential between two points on the mal electrical conductivity and mini- its electric potential. The current appears to scale up material—the high thermal conduc- mal thermal conductivity. But despite But if, as with our system, voltage or down with wave velocity. We ini- tivity precludes such a differential. extreme efforts, they have been sty- is related to how fast electrical carri- tially assumed that the true mecha- That’s exactly what French physicist mied by the difficulty of that pro- ers are moving—and the carriers are nism here wasn’t wave velocity but Jean-Charles Peltier and Estonian- cess. Ten years ago, scientists at the moving because of a high- temperature rather wave-front temperature, itself German physicist Thomas Johann Research Triangle Institute, in North reaction—then thermal conductiv- the eff ect of a stronger thermal reac- Seebeck quickly learned when they Carolina, were able to combine bis- ity isn’t a drawback at all. In fact, it’s tion that swept more electrical carri- independently discovered the thermo- muth telluride and antimony tellu- essential. It turns out that sustaining a ers along the tube. But after testing electric effect in the first half of the ride to make a material with almost no temperature diff erence across a mate- several fuels that reacted at diff erent 19th century—many metallic materi- thermal conductivity at all. However, rial isn’t really important: It’s all about speeds on a nanotube, we confi rmed als are weak when it comes to maxi- the fabrication process faced practi- how fast you can move electric poten- that wave velocity is in fact the more mizing thermoelectric properties. cal diffi culties, and it’s still far from tial down a wire. Our trick of using an important factor. We are still trying to The first real breakthrough in being cost-eff ective for power genera- explosive reaction exploits a carbon explain why this is the case in order designing materials for thermoelec- tion. Researchers at Boston College; nanotube’s thermal conductivity and to understand more about how ther- tric power generation came in 1958, Wayne State University, in Michigan; its high concentration of electrons to mal waves couple with electrons and when Tasmanian physicist H. Julian Nanjing University, in China; and speed up the chemical reaction. That holes. One of our future goals is to Goldsmid, now emeritus professor at the Korea Institute of Science and reaction—rather than the ends of the fi nd equations that help us calculate the University of New South Wales, Technology are also studying similar tube—is what provides the needed the relationship between the temper- noticed that certain semiconduct- synthesized structures, but none are temperature diff erence. ature, the voltage, and the wave-front ing materials—bismuth telluride and viable for everyday use yet. We’re not the only ones trying to behavior. So far, we’ve seen that the antimony telluride—have something That’s where carbon nanotubes better understand how carbon nano- fuel reaction needs to generate local-

unusual in common: high electric con- come in. Carbon nanotubes have tubes can generate power by means of Joel AbrAhAmson/sTrAno reseArch group ized temperatures around a thou-

48 NA • iEEE SpEctrum • dEcEmbEr 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.CarbonNanotubes.NA.indd 48 11/15/11 4:15 PM extremely high thermal conductivity the ­thermoelectric effect. Researchers sand degrees Celsius in order to start gies, and they have potential as nano- because of their crystal-like molecu- at institutions such as Sungkyunkwan a reaction that’s fast enough to kick generators. And they’re ­rechargeable— lar structure. And like bismuth tel- University, in South Korea; Texas off the thermal wave. reapplying the fuel is all it takes to luride, they also have high electrical A&M; Wake Forest University and While that might seem like an launch another thermopower wave. conductivity. Our discovery that a NanoTechLabs, in North Carolina; absurdly high temperature for use Carbon nanotubes are sturdy enough thermopower wave works best across and Victoria University, in New in any practical application, the high to remain intact after the reaction, these tubes because of their dual con- Zealand, are now looking at why car- heat is contained within an area even though reaction temperatures ductivity turns conventional thermo­ bon nanotubes can produce thermo- smaller than a cell. It’s so highly local- exceed 1000 °C around the nanotube, electricity on its head: It’s the first electric power and how to harness it ized and insulated by the nanotubes and the devices made from them oper- nanoscale approach to power gener- better. What we know so far is that that we think the high temperature ate in open air. ation that exploits the thermo­electric with thermal waves, the movement of would be safe in almost any device, Encouraging as some of these effect but sidesteps the feasibility a temperature gradient from one end even ones inside the human body. results have been, there is much we issues associated with minimizing of a material to the other is what cre- need to learn before we can turn car- thermal conductivity. ates voltage. And the faster it moves, early in our research, we began bon nanotube generators into a com- Here’s why: The thermoelectric the better: Higher thermal conductiv- to see ways that we could modify and mercially viable power source. For effect says that the more efficiently ity and higher temperatures mean a control carbon nanotubes, hoping to instance, the 200 to 300 millivolts our a material can sustain a tempera- stronger electric current. demonstrate their usefulness in future systems have been able to put out so ture differential across it, the more A thermopower-wave generator systems. Many electronics applications far isn’t enough for most applications. electric potential it has. So materi- produces up to 0.2 to 0.3 volts and require only the sorts of power pulses that We hope to find out whether differ- als with very little thermal conduc- 0.1 to 0.2 amperes of electric current. thermo­power wave generators provide. ent materials or mixtures of materi- tivity but high electrical conductiv- The current is generated as a pulse, Because the length of the nano- als could produce more voltage. We’d ity can sustain high electric potential, typically several milliseconds long. tube determines the duration of a reac- also like to try liquid and gaseous which determines a material’s volt- We can also increase the ­capacity and tion and how many charge carriers are fuels, which could work together with age. The ­thermoelectric effect sug- current by arranging nanotubes in entrained by the system, it therefore microfluidic systems. gests that the faster a material con- parallel or increase the voltage by put- determines the energy and duration On another front, we recently dis- ducts heat, the more quickly it loses ting a number of nanotubes in series. of the power pulse. By changing the covered that changing the conductiv- its electric potential. The current appears to scale up length and choosing a fuel that supplies ity of carbon nanotubes, by doping But if, as with our system, voltage or down with wave velocity. We ini- the right energy, we can effectively set or other means, alters the propaga- is related to how fast electrical carri- tially assumed that the true mecha- the system’s propagation velocity. tion velocity of the thermal waves ers are moving—and the ­carriers are nism here wasn’t wave velocity but During our experiments, we made along the tube. And by changing cer- moving because of a high-­temperature rather wave-front temperature, itself thermopower wave generators that tain properties of the fuel it should, in reaction—then thermal conductiv- the effect of a stronger thermal reac- had many different dimensions and theory, be possible to produce both ity isn’t a drawback at all. In fact, it’s tion that swept more electrical carri- properties and tested them in dif- alternating and direct current with essential. It turns out that sustaining a ers along the tube. But after testing ferent conditions. Interestingly, the a ­single reaction; we’ve already seen temperature difference across a mate- several fuels that reacted at different smallest generators produced the that the rate of a reaction can decrease rial isn’t really important: It’s all about speeds on a nanotube, we confirmed largest power densities. and increase as it travels. how fast you can move electric poten- that wave velocity is in fact the more Thermopower wave generators Right now, we’re trying to better tial down a wire. Our trick of using an important factor. We are still trying to are also remarkable in other ways. understand the physics of thermo- explosive reaction exploits a carbon explain why this is the case in order For instance, before the nanotubes power waves. Already there are mul- nanotube’s thermal conductivity and to understand more about how ther- are ignited, the chemical energy can tiple angles to explore when it comes ch group r its high concentration of electrons to a mal waves couple with electrons and be stored in the fuel coating indefi- to taming these exotic waves and, ulti- speed up the chemical reaction. That holes. One of our future goals is to nitely. Batteries can leak or erode over mately, finding out if they’re the wave o rese n reaction—rather than the ends of the a find equations that help us calculate time, but carbon nanotubes stay com- of the future. o r T tube—is what provides the needed S the relationship between the temper- pletely intact until lit, as well as after temperature difference. son/ ature, the voltage, and the wave‑front a reaction. Thermopower generators m a

h post your comments online at We’re not the only ones trying to a behavior. So far, we’ve seen that the also have simple designs, which can better understand how carbon nano- fuel reaction needs to generate local- take advantage of standard industrial http://­spectrum.ieee.org/ nanodynamite1211 tubes can generate power by means of Joel Abr ized temperatures around a thou- micro- and nanofabrication technolo-

spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org dbecem er 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 49

12.CarbonNanotubes.NA.indd 49 11/15/11 4:15 PM One such effort we are involved in aims to develop and A Cloud You Can Trust demonstrate a secure cloud infrastructure. With fund- Introducing Continued from page 32 ing from the European Union and others, the three-year, €10.5 million (US $14.9 million) Trustworthy Clouds, or private network. EC2 also allows its users to defi ne security TClouds, project is a collaboration that includes our group TryStandards groups, which operate like fi rewalls to control the incoming at IBM Research–Zurich, the security company Sirrix, the connections to a virtual machine. Portuguese power companies Energias de Portugal and Global Standards There are a few products and services on the market aimed Efacec, and San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, as well as a num- at enhancing cloud security. IBM’s Websphere Cast Iron and ber of universities and other companies. Education and Cisco IronPort, for instance, provide secure online messaging. TClouds is developing two secure cloud applications. The Informatica Corp. off ers businesses a way to protect sensitive fi rst will be a home health-care service that will remotely mon- Standards Search information by masking it as realistic-looking but nonsensitive itor, diagnose, and assist patients. Each patient’s medical fi le http://TryStandards.org data. Eventually, though, cloud security systems will need to can be stored securely in the cloud and be accessible to the be fully automated, so that customers can detect, analyze, and patient, doctors, and pharmacy staff . Because of the sensitive Free informational service providing respond to their own security issues, rather than rely on the nature of this information—not to mention the regu lations that opportunities worldwide to learn about cloud provider’s staff for support and troubleshooting. apply to patient privacy—TClouds will encrypt the data. The technical standards. Other cloud security offerings include e-mail scanning, goal is to show how in-home health care can be improved cost- which checks for malicious code embedded in messages, and effi ciently without sacrifi cing privacy. • Access searchable lists and links identity-management services, which control users’ access to The second application will be a smart street-lighting sys- to all known educational programs, resources and automate related tasks, like resetting passwords. tem for several Portuguese cities. Currently, the streetlights are courses and other resources The trick, though, is for cloud providers to integrate the cus- switched on and off by means of a box that sits in a power sta- tomer’s own security measures with their operations. tion. The TClouds system will allow workers to log into a Web offered worldwide to learn about That turns out to be hard to do, according to research by Burton portal and type in when the lights should turn on and off in a technical standards. S. Kaliski Jr. and Wayne Pauley of EMC Corp., in Hopkinton, Mass. given neighborhood; the use of smart meters will help control They argue that the very features that defi ne cloud computing— energy consumption. TClouds will show how such a system • Search for technical standards in IEEE’s automated transactions, resource pooling, and so on—make tradi- can run securely on a cloud provider’s computers even in the fields of interest by topic, keywords, tional security assessments diffi cult. Indeed, they noted in a paper face of hacker attacks and network outages. standards name or number. last year, these features off er opportunities for security breaches. TClouds will also build a “cloud of clouds” framework, to For example, cloud providers continuously monitor and measure back up data and applications in case one cloud provider suf- activity within their networks, to better allocate shared resources fers a failure or intrusion. Recently TClouds researchers at and keep their costs down. But the collection of that metering data the University of Lisbon and at IBM Research–Zurich dem- itself opens up a security hole, say Kaliski and Pauley. A devious onstrated one such cloud of clouds architecture. It used a customer could, for example, infer behavioral patterns of other data-replication protocol to store data among four commercial customers by analyzing her own usage. storage clouds—Amazon S3, Rackspace Files, Windows Azure Blob Service, and Nirvanix CDN—in such a way that the data Despite these anD other vulnerabilities, cloud customers can were kept confi dential and also stored effi ciently. do quite a bit to boost their security. Businesses typically oper- Although the technology is a major focus of TClouds, it is ate their in-house data networks according to the principle of also addressing the legal, business, and social aspects of cloud least privilege, conferring to a given user only those privileges computing. Many countries, for instance, have their own needed to do his or her job. A bank teller, for instance, doesn’t data-privacy laws, which will have to be considered carefully need full access to the bank’s mainframes. The same rule should in cases where data must cross national boundaries. apply when using a cloud service. Though that may seem obvi- Will everyone rush to adopt the kinds of improvements ous, many companies fail to take this simple step. we’re working on? Probably not. What we see happening Users can also do things to confi rm the integrity of the cloud down the road, though, is the diversification of today’s one- infrastructure they’re using. Amazon CloudWatch allows EC2 size-fits-all approach to cloud computing. The demand for users to do real-time monitoring of their CPU utilization, data basic, low-cost cloud services will remain, but providers will transfers, and disk usage. The CloudAudit working group, also offer services with quantifiable and guaranteed secu- Also new in IEEE Standards Education… a volunteer effort whose members include big cloud opera- rity levels. tors like Google, Microsoft, and Rackspace, is also explor- In the future, individual clouds will most likely give way The IEEE Standards Education eZine: ing methods for monitoring the cloud’s performance. In the to federations of clouds. That is, businesses will use multiple A publication for those who learn, future, trusted computing technology could make it possible cloud providers for storage, backup, archiving, computing, teach, use, deploy, develop and for a customer to verify that the code running remotely in the and so on, and those separate clouds will link their services. enjoy Standards! cloud matches certain guarantees made by the cloud provider (The social-networking sites Facebook and LinkedIn are or attested to by a third-party auditor. already doing this.) So even if one provider suffers an out- http://standardsmagazine.ieee-elearning.org/ Of course, the strongest protection you can give to the infor- age, customers will still enjoy continued service. mation you send off premises is to encrypt it. But it isn’t possi- Ultimately, we believe the cloud can ble to encrypt everything: Data used in remote computations, be made at least as secure as any com- for instance, cannot be encrypted easily. pany’s own IT system. Once that hap- pens, reaching out to a cloud provider is there such a thing as a totally secure cloud? No. But we, for your computing needs will be as along with many other cloud-security researchers around the commonplace as getting hooked up to world, are constantly striving toward that goal. the gas or electric company. o

50 NA • Ieee Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.CloudSecurity.NA.indd 50 11/16/11 3:46 PM One such effort we are involved in aims to develop and A Cloud You Can Trust demonstrate a secure cloud infrastructure. With fund- Continued from page 32 ing from the European Union and others, the three-year, €10.5 million (US $14.9 million) Trustworthy Clouds, or private network. EC2 also allows its users to define security TClouds, project is a collaboration that includes our group groups, which operate like firewalls to control the incoming at IBM Research–Zurich, the security company Sirrix, the connections to a virtual machine. Portuguese power companies Energias de Portugal and There are a few products and services on the market aimed Efacec, and San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, as well as a num- at enhancing cloud security. IBM’s Websphere Cast Iron and ber of universities and other companies. Cisco IronPort, for instance, provide secure online messaging. TClouds is developing two secure cloud applications. The Informatica Corp. offers businesses a way to protect sensitive first will be a home health-care service that will remotely mon- information by masking it as realistic-looking but nonsensitive itor, diagnose, and assist patients. Each patient’s medical file data. Eventually, though, cloud security systems will need to can be stored securely in the cloud and be accessible to the be fully automated, so that customers can detect, analyze, and patient, doctors, and pharmacy staff. Because of the sensitive respond to their own security issues, rather than rely on the nature of this information—not to mention the regu­lations that cloud provider’s staff for support and troubleshooting. apply to patient privacy—TClouds will encrypt the data. The Other cloud security offerings include e-mail scanning, goal is to show how in-home health care can be improved cost- which checks for malicious code embedded in messages, and efficiently without sacrificing privacy. identity-management services, which control users’ access to The second application will be a smart street-lighting sys- resources and automate related tasks, like resetting passwords. tem for several Portuguese cities. Currently, the streetlights are The trick, though, is for cloud providers to integrate the cus- switched on and off by means of a box that sits in a power sta- tomer’s own security measures with their operations. tion. The TClouds system will allow workers to log into a Web That turns out to be hard to do, according to research by Burton portal and type in when the lights should turn on and off in a S. Kaliski Jr. and Wayne Pauley of EMC Corp., in Hopkinton, Mass. given neighborhood; the use of smart meters will help control They argue that the very features that define cloud­computing— energy consumption. TClouds will show how such a system automated transactions, resource pooling, and so on—make tradi- can run securely on a cloud provider’s computers even in the tional security assessments difficult. Indeed, they noted in a paper face of hacker attacks and network outages. last year, these features offer opportunities for security breaches. TClouds will also build a “cloud of clouds” framework, to For example, cloud providers continuously monitor and measure back up data and applications in case one cloud provider suf- An IEEE Foundation Grant brings electricity and activity within their networks, to better allocate shared resources fers a failure or intrusion. Recently TClouds researchers at training to families surviving the Rwanda genocide. and keep their costs down. But the collection of that metering data the University of Lisbon and at IBM Research–Zurich dem- itself opens up a security hole, say Kaliski and Pauley. A devious onstrated one such cloud of clouds architecture. It used a customer could, for example, infer behavioral patterns of other data-replication protocol to store data among four commercial customers by analyzing her own usage. ­storage clouds—Amazon S3, Rackspace Files, Windows Azure Imagine a community Blob Service, and Nirvanix CDN—in such a way that the data Despite these and other vulnerabilities, cloud customers can were kept confidential and also stored efficiently. hopeful for the future do quite a bit to boost their security. Businesses typically oper- Although the technology is a major focus of TClouds, it is ate their in-house data networks according to the principle of also addressing the legal, business, and social aspects of cloud least privilege, conferring to a given user only those privileges computing. Many countries, for instance, have their own needed to do his or her job. A bank teller, for instance, doesn’t data‑privacy laws, which will have to be considered carefully need full access to the bank’s mainframes. The same rule should in cases where data must cross national boundaries. The IEEE Foundation relies on charitable apply when using a cloud service. Though that may seem obvi- Will everyone rush to adopt the kinds of improvements donations to advance education, ous, many companies fail to take this simple step. we’re working on? Probably not. What we see happening innovation and preservation. Users can also do things to confirm the integrity of the cloud down the road, though, is the diversification of today’s one- infrastructure they’re using. Amazon CloudWatch allows EC2 size-fits-all approach to cloud computing. The demand for users to do real-time monitoring of their CPU utilization, data basic, low-cost cloud services will remain, but providers will Make a gift to the IEEE Humanitarian transfers, and disk usage. The CloudAudit working group, also offer services with quantifiable and guaranteed secu- Technology Fund and show your a volunteer effort whose members include big cloud opera- rity levels. tors like Google, Microsoft, and Rackspace, is also explor- In the future, individual clouds will most likely give way commitment to a better world. ing methods for monitoring the cloud’s performance. In the to federations of clouds. That is, businesses will use multiple future, trusted computing technology could make it possible cloud providers for storage, backup, archiving, computing, Imagine the difference you can make for a customer to verify that the code running remotely in the and so on, and those separate clouds will link their ­services. cloud matches certain guarantees made by the cloud provider (The social-networking sites Facebook and LinkedIn are Donate today at or attested to by a third-party auditor. already doing this.) So even if one provider suffers an out- Of course, the strongest protection you can give to the infor- age, customers will still enjoy continued service. www.ieeefoundation.org mation you send off premises is to encrypt it. But it isn’t possi- Ultimately, we believe the cloud can ble to encrypt everything: Data used in remote computations, be made at least as secure as any com- for instance, cannot be encrypted easily. pany’s own IT system. Once that hap- post your pens, reaching out to a cloud provider comments Is there such a thing as a totally secure cloud? No. But we, for your computing needs will be as online at http://­ spectrum.ieee. along with many other cloud-security researchers around the commonplace as getting hooked up to org/cloud1211 world, are constantly striving toward that goal. the gas or electric company. o spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org december 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 51

09-FND-0320b-FoundationHumanitarian-HP-Spec-Ad-Final.indd 1 03 9 2010 2:09:25 PM

12.CloudSecurity.NA.indd 51 11/16/11 3:46 PM The Strange Birth and Long Life of Unix Continued from page 37

these system calls are still available—and still heavily used— in running the country’s long-distance phone service. So Unix on modern Unix and Linux systems four decades on. For could not be sold as a product. Instead, AT&T released the its time, first- edition Unix provided a remarkably powerful Unix source code under license to anyone who asked, charging environment for software development. Yet it contained just only a nominal fee. The critical wrinkle here was that the con- 4200 lines of code at its heart and occupied a measly 16 KB sent decree prevented AT&T from supporting Unix. Indeed, of main memory when it ran. for many years Bell Labs researchers proudly displayed their Unix policy at conferences with a slide that read, “No advertis- } ing, no support, no bug fi xes, payment in advance.” { With no other channels of support available to them, early Unix adopters banded together for mutual assistance, form- Unix’s great infl uence can be traced in part to its ele- ing a loose network of user groups all over the world. They gant design, simplicity, portability, and serendipitous timing. had the source code, which helped. And they didn’t view Unix But perhaps even more important was the devoted user com- as a standard software product, because nobody seemed to be UNIX ENGINE: early versions of unix ran on digital equipment corp.’s munity that soon grew up around it. And that came about only looking after it. So these early Unix users themselves set about pdp-11 minicomputers. PHOTO: MARK RICHARDS/COMPUTER HISTORY MUSEUM by an accident of its unique history. fi xing bugs, writing new tools, and generally improving the The story goes like this: For years Unix remained noth- system as they saw fi t. ment that by this time allowed time-sharing, so several people ing more than a Bell Labs research project, but by 1973 its The Usenix user group acted as a clearinghouse for the could use a single machine at once. Various programming lan- authors felt the system was mature enough for them to pres- exchange of Unix software in the United States. People could guages were available to them, including BASIC, Fortran, the ent a paper on its design and implementation at a symposium send in magnetic tapes with new software or fi xes to the system scripting of Unix commands, assembly language, and B. The last of the Association for Computing Machinery. That paper was and get back tapes with the software and fi xes that Usenix had of these, a descendant of a BCPL (Basic Combined Programming published in 1974 in the Communications of the ACM. Its appear- received from others. In Australia, the University of Sydney Language), ultimately evolved into the immensely popular C lan- ance brought a fl urry of requests for copies of the software. produced a more robust version of Unix, the Australian Unix guage, which Ritchie created while also working on Unix. This put AT&T in a bind. In 1956, AT&T had agreed to a Share Accounting Method, which could cope with larger num- The first edition of Unix let programmers call 34 differ- U.S government consent decree that prevented the company bers of concurrent users and off ered better performance. ent low-level routines built into the operating system. It’s a from selling products not directly related to telephones and By the mid-1970s, the environment of sharing that had sprung testament to the system’s enduring nature that nearly all of telecommunications, in return for its legal monopoly status up around Unix resembled the open-source movement so prev-

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12.UnixAt40.NA.indd 52 11/16/11 12:26 PM these system calls are still available—and still heavily used— in running the country’s long-distance phone service. So Unix alent today. Users far and wide were enthusiastically enhanc- on modern Unix and Linux systems four decades on. For could not be sold as a product. Instead, AT&T released the ing the system, and many of their improvements were being fed its time, first-­edition Unix provided a remarkably powerful Unix source code under license to anyone who asked, charging back to Bell Labs for incorporation in future releases. But as Unix environment for software development. Yet it contained just only a nominal fee. The critical wrinkle here was that the con- became more popular, AT&T’s lawyers began looking harder at 4200 lines of code at its heart and occupied a measly 16 KB sent decree prevented AT&T from supporting Unix. Indeed, what various licensees were doing with their systems. of main memory when it ran. for many years Bell Labs researchers proudly displayed their One person who caught their eye was John Lions, a com- Unix policy at conferences with a slide that read, “No advertis- puter scientist then teaching at the University of New South } ing, no support, no bug fixes, payment in advance.” Wales, in Australia. In 1977, he published what was probably { With no other channels of support available to them, early the most famous computing book of the time, A Commentary on Unix adopters banded together for mutual assistance, form- the Unix Operating System, which contained an annotated list- Unix’s great influence can be traced in part to its ele- ing a loose network of user groups all over the world. They ing of the central source code for Unix. gant design, simplicity, portability, and serendipitous timing. had the source code, which helped. And they didn’t view Unix Unix’s licensing conditions allowed for the exchange of But perhaps even more important was the devoted user com- as a standard software product, because nobody seemed to be source code, and initially, Lions’s book was sold to licensees. munity that soon grew up around it. And that came about only looking after it. So these early Unix users themselves set about But by 1979, AT&T’s lawyers had clamped down on the book’s by an accident of its unique history. ­fixing bugs, writing new tools, and generally improving the distribution and use in academic classes. The anti­authoritarian The story goes like this: For years Unix remained noth- system as they saw fit. Unix community reacted as you might expect, and samizdat ing more than a Bell Labs research project, but by 1973 its The Usenix user group acted as a clearinghouse for the copies of the book spread like wildfire. Many of us have nearly authors felt the system was mature enough for them to pres- exchange of Unix software in the United States. People could unreadable nth-­generation photocopies of the original book. ent a paper on its design and implementation at a symposium send in magnetic tapes with new software or fixes to the system End runs around AT&T’s lawyers indeed became the of the Association for Computing Machinery. That paper was and get back tapes with the software and fixes that Usenix had norm—even at Bell Labs. For example, between the release of published in 1974 in the Communications of the ACM. Its appear- received from others. In Australia, the University of Sydney the sixth edition of Unix in 1975 and the seventh edition in 1979, ance brought a flurry of requests for copies of the software. produced a more robust version of Unix, the Australian Unix Thompson collected dozens of important bug fixes to the system, This put AT&T in a bind. In 1956, AT&T had agreed to a Share Accounting Method, which could cope with larger num- coming both from within and outside of Bell Labs. He wanted U.S government consent decree that prevented the company bers of concurrent users and offered better performance. these to filter out to the existing Unix user base, but the com- from selling products not directly related to telephones and By the mid-1970s, the environment of sharing that had sprung pany’s lawyers felt that this would constitute a form of support telecommunications, in return for its legal monopoly status up around Unix resembled the open-source movement so prev- and balked at their release. Nevertheless, those bug fixes soon

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12.UnixAt40.NA.indd 53 11/16/11 12:26 PM source Unix-like operating system he developed from scratch /* Unix is indeed one for PCs in the early 1990s. Linux has carried the Unix baton for- of the most influential ward into the 21st century, powering a wide range of digital gad- gets including wireless routers, televisions, desktop PCs, and operating systems ever Android smartphones. It even runs some supercomputers. Although AT&T quickly settled its legal disputes with invented */ Berkeley Software Design and the University of California, legal wrangling over intellectual property claims to various parts of Unix and Linux have continued over the years, often ////////// involving byzantine corporate relations. By 2004, no fewer than fi ve major lawsuits had been fi led. Just this past August, became widely distributed through unofficial channels. For a software company called the TSG Group (formerly known instance, Lou Katz, the founding president of Usenix, received as the SCO Group), lost a bid in court to claim ownership of a phone call one day telling him that if he went down to a cer- Unix copyrights that Novell had acquired when it purchased tain spot on Mountain Avenue (where Bell Labs was located) the Unix System Laboratories from AT&T in 1993. at 2 p.m., he would find something of interest. Sure enough, As a programmer and Unix historian, I can’t help but fi nd Katz found a magnetic tape with the bug fi xes, which were rap- all this legal sparring a bit sad. From the very start, the authors Where today’stechnology gurus converge. idly in the hands of countless users. and users of Unix worked as best they could to build and share, The brightest minds discussing the biggest topics. By the end of the 1970s, Unix, which had started a decade even if that meant defying authority. That outpouring of self- earlier as a reaction against the loss of a comfortable program- lessness stands in sharp contrast to the greed that has driven Earn CEUs and PDHs by attending a Tech Insider Webinar! ming environment, was growing like a weed throughout aca- subsequent legal battles over the ownership of Unix. demia and the IT industry. Unix would fl ower in the early 1980s } UPCOMING DECEMBER WEBINARS before reaching the height of its popularity in the early 1990s. For many reasons, Unix has since given way to other commer- { Better Simulation of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma cial and noncommercial systems. But its legacy, that of an elegant, Actuators using VORPAL • 01 December well-designed, comfortable environment for software develop- tHe WOrLD of computer hardware and software moves This webinar will demonstrate a more accurate means of modeling ment, lives on. In recognition of their accomplishment, Thompson forward startlingly fast. For IT professionals, the rapid pace atmospheric pressure gas discharges using particle-in-cell (PIC) and Ritchie were given the Japan Prize earlier this year, adding of change is typically a wonderful thing. But it makes us sus- and hydrodynamic approaches in VORPAL software. to a collection of honors that includes the United States’ National ceptible to the loss of our own history, including important spectrum.ieee.org/webinar/1956726 Medal of Technology and Innovation and the Association of lessons from the past. To address this issue in a small way, Fluid Structure Interaction Simulation with COMSOL Computing Machinery’s Turing Award. Many other, often very in 1995 I started a mailing list of old-time Unix afi cionados. • 15 December personal, tributes to Ritchie and his enormous infl uence on com- That eff ort morphed into the Unix Heritage Society. Our goal This webinar explores, with examples, Fluid Structure Interaction in which the flow affects the structure and the resulting deformation in the structure puting were widely shared after his death this past October. is not only to save the history of Unix but also to collect and affects the flow. spectrum.ieee.org/webinar/1964552 curate these old systems and, where possible, bring them back } to life. With help from many talented members of this society, AVAILABLE ON DEMAND WEBINARS I was able to restore much of the old Unix software to working { order, including Ritchie’s fi rst C compiler from 1972 and the Electrostatic Actuation with COMSOL Multiphysics Unix is inDeeD one of the most infl uential operating fi rst Unix system to be written in C, dating from 1973. This webinar shows how to model electrostatic actuation, and subsequent analyses such as computing the AC electric response, the biased eigenvalues, systems ever invented. Its direct descendants now number in the One holy grail that eluded us for a long time was the fi rst and biased frequency response. spectrum.ieee.org/webinar/1927822 hundreds. On one side of the family tree are various versions of edition of Unix in any form, electronic or otherwise. Then, Big Demand Drives Small Solutions-Scalable Baseband Solutions Unix proper, which began to be commercialized in the 1980s after in 2006, Al Kossow from the Computer History Museum, in In this webinar, Freescale will review the challe nges engineers face while the Bell System monopoly was broken up, freeing AT&T from the Mountain View, Calif., unearthed a printed study of Unix trying to create the next generation of wireless networks and how smart stipulations of the 1956 consent decree. On the other side are vari- dated 1972, which not only covered the internal workings of silicon approaches can help to simplify the task. ous Unix-like operating systems derived from the version of Unix Unix but also included a complete assembly listing of the ker- spectrum.ieee.org/webinar/1942325 developed at the University of California, Berkeley, including the nel, the main component of this operating system. This was Accelerating Development of Smart Grid Power Electronics one Apple uses today on its computers, OS X. I say “Unix-like” an amazing fi nd—like discovering an old Model T Ford col- Control Systems with RCP and HIL Techniques Attend this webinar to see demonstrations of new hardware/software tools because the developers of the Berkeley Software Distribution lecting dust in a corner of a barn. But we didn’t just want under development and information on how you can b ecome a pioneer user (BSD) Unix on which these systems were based worked hard to to admire the chrome work from afar. We wanted to see the and collaborator in the effort. spectrum.ieee.org/webinar/1951624 remove all the original AT&T code so that their software and its thing run again. Getting More Benefits From Modeling Vacuum Electronic Devices descendants would be freely distributable. In 2008, Tim Newsham, an independent programmer in Learn about the modeling of vacuum electronics devices such as Magnetrons, The eff ectiveness of those eff orts were, however, called into Hawaii, and I assembled a team of like-minded Unix enthu- Klystrons, and Traveling Wave Tubes, using the VORPAL conformal-boundary question when the AT&T subsidiary Unix System Laboratories siasts and set out to bring this ancient system back from the particle-in-cell software. spectrum.ieee.org/webinar/1937415 fi led suit against Berkeley Software Design and the Regents of dead. The work was technically arduous and often frustrat- the University of California in 1992 over intellectual property ing, but in the end, we had a copy of the fi rst edition of Unix SPONSORS: rights to this software. The university in turn filed a coun- running on an emulated PDP-11/20. We sent out messages terclaim against AT&T for breaches to the license it provided announcing our success to all those we thought would be inter- AT&T for the use of code developed at Berkeley. The ensuing ested. Thompson, always succinct, simply replied, “Amazing.” legal quagmire slowed the development of free Unix-like clones, Indeed, his brainchild was Sign up today! including 386BSD, which was designed for the Intel 386 chip, amazing, and I’ve been www.spectrum.ieee.org/webinar the CPU then found in many IBM PCs. happy to do what I can Had this operating system been available at the time, Linus to make it, and the story Torvalds says he probably wouldn’t have created Linux, an open- behind it, better known. ❏

54 NA • Ieee Spectrum • december 2011 spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

12.UnixAt40.NA.indd 54 11/16/11 12:26 PM source Unix-like operating system he developed from scratch /* Unix is indeed one for PCs in the early 1990s. Linux has carried the Unix baton for- of the most influential ward into the 21st century, powering a wide range of digital gad- gets including wireless routers, televisions, desktop PCs, and operating systems ever Android smartphones. It even runs some supercomputers. Although AT&T quickly settled its legal disputes with invented */ Berkeley Software Design and the University of California, legal wrangling over intellectual property claims to various parts of Unix and Linux have continued over the years, often involving byzantine corporate relations. By 2004, no fewer than fi ve major lawsuits had been fi led. Just this past August, became widely distributed through unofficial channels. For a software company called the TSG Group (formerly known instance, Lou Katz, the founding president of Usenix, received as the SCO Group), lost a bid in court to claim ownership of a phone call one day telling him that if he went down to a cer- Unix copyrights that Novell had acquired when it purchased tain spot on Mountain Avenue (where Bell Labs was located) the Unix System Laboratories from AT&T in 1993. at 2 p.m., he would find something of interest. Sure enough, As a programmer and Unix historian, I can’t help but fi nd Explore the amazing world of Katz found a magnetic tape with the bug fi xes, which were rap- all this legal sparring a bit sad. From the very start, the authors idly in the hands of countless users. and users of Unix worked as best they could to build and share, engineers—all in one web site... By the end of the 1970s, Unix, which had started a decade even if that meant defying authority. That outpouring of self- earlier as a reaction against the loss of a comfortable program- lessness stands in sharp contrast to the greed that has driven ming environment, was growing like a weed throughout aca- subsequent legal battles over the ownership of Unix. demia and the IT industry. Unix would fl ower in the early 1980s before reaching the height of its popularity in the early 1990s. } For many reasons, Unix has since given way to other commer- { cial and noncommercial systems. But its legacy, that of an elegant, TryEngineering.org well-designed, comfortable environment for software develop- tHe WOrLD of computer hardware and software moves ment, lives on. In recognition of their accomplishment, Thompson forward startlingly fast. For IT professionals, the rapid pace and Ritchie were given the Japan Prize earlier this year, adding of change is typically a wonderful thing. But it makes us sus- ■ See the exciting work that engineers do to a collection of honors that includes the United States’ National ceptible to the loss of our own history, including important Medal of Technology and Innovation and the Association of lessons from the past. To address this issue in a small way, ■ Learn how engineers make a difference Computing Machinery’s Turing Award. Many other, often very in 1995 I started a mailing list of old-time Unix afi cionados. ■ Start now to prepare to be an engineer personal, tributes to Ritchie and his enormous infl uence on com- That eff ort morphed into the Unix Heritage Society. Our goal puting were widely shared after his death this past October. is not only to save the history of Unix but also to collect and ■ Play online games and challenges curate these old systems and, where possible, bring them back to life. With help from many talented members of this society, ■ Download free engineering lesson plans I was able to restore much of the old Unix software to working order, including Ritchie’s fi rst C compiler from 1972 and the ■ Explore the fascinating FAQ Unix is inDeeD one of the most infl uential operating fi rst Unix system to be written in C, dating from 1973. systems ever invented. Its direct descendants now number in the One holy grail that eluded us for a long time was the fi rst ■ Search for accredited engineering programs hundreds. On one side of the family tree are various versions of edition of Unix in any form, electronic or otherwise. Then, Unix proper, which began to be commercialized in the 1980s after in 2006, Al Kossow from the Computer History Museum, in ■ Find competitions and summer camps the Bell System monopoly was broken up, freeing AT&T from the Mountain View, Calif., unearthed a printed study of Unix stipulations of the 1956 consent decree. On the other side are vari- dated 1972, which not only covered the internal workings of ous Unix-like operating systems derived from the version of Unix Unix but also included a complete assembly listing of the ker- ngine developed at the University of California, Berkeley, including the nel, the main component of this operating system. This was E e y ri one Apple uses today on its computers, OS X. I say “Unix-like” an amazing fi nd—like discovering an old Model T Ford col- r n because the developers of the Berkeley Software Distribution lecting dust in a corner of a barn. But we didn’t just want T g

(BSD) Unix on which these systems were based worked hard to to admire the chrome work from afar. We wanted to see the remove all the original AT&T code so that their software and its thing run again. descendants would be freely distributable. In 2008, Tim Newsham, an independent programmer in The eff ectiveness of those eff orts were, however, called into Hawaii, and I assembled a team of like-minded Unix enthu- question when the AT&T subsidiary Unix System Laboratories siasts and set out to bring this ancient system back from the fi led suit against Berkeley Software Design and the Regents of dead. The work was technically arduous and often frustrat- the University of California in 1992 over intellectual property ing, but in the end, we had a copy of the fi rst edition of Unix rights to this software. The university in turn filed a coun- running on an emulated PDP-11/20. We sent out messages terclaim against AT&T for breaches to the license it provided announcing our success to all those we thought would be inter- AT&T for the use of code developed at Berkeley. The ensuing ested. Thompson, always succinct, simply replied, “Amazing.” legal quagmire slowed the development of free Unix-like clones, Indeed, his brainchild was Visit www.tryengineering.org today! including 386BSD, which was designed for the Intel 386 chip, amazing, and I’ve been POST YOUR COMMENTS the CPU then found in many IBM PCs. happy to do what I can Brought to you by IEEE, IBM and TryScience Had this operating system been available at the time, Linus to make it, and the story online at http:// spectrum. ieee.org/unix1211 Torvalds says he probably wouldn’t have created Linux, an open- behind it, better known. ❏

spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org december 2011 • Ieee Spectrum • NA 55 10-EA-0303b-Tryengineering-3.25x10-Final.indd 1 9/10/10 3:05 PM

12.UnixAt40.NA.indd 55 11/16/11 12:26 PM Head of the Computer Science Department We seek an individual who can provide strong, dynamic and innovative leadership to advance excellence in research, teaching and service to the professional community and who can communicate our advancements to a constituency that includes academia, government, industry, and alumni. In addition to a proven record of scholarly achievement, the candidate must also possess technical leadership, a commitment to computer science education, and effective management and interpersonal skills. The The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering candidate should have an earned doctorate in Computer Science or in a closely related field and be at the University of Toronto invites applications for faculty positions at the eligible for a tenured full professor appointment. Letters of application should include a full curriculum Assistant/Associate Professor rank, with a start date of July 1, 2012, in the vitae, a two-page statement summarizing the following four areas: candidate’s vision and goals for the CS Department and leadership philosophy, and the names and addresses of at least five references. Applications will 1. Electrical Power Systems be accepted until the position is filled; screening Outstanding candidates in all areas of Electrical Power Systems are encouraged to apply. Applications for will begin December 1, 2011. Applicants with this position should be addressed to Professor Reza Iravani, Chair of the Electrical Power Systems Search demonstrated experience and qualifications noted above are encouraged to apply online at Committee, and sent to: [email protected]. https://jobs.usu.edu (req. ID 052886). Applications must be submitted online. For questions, please 2. Electronic Circuits, Devices and Technologies contact Todd Moon, chair of the search committee at Applications are welcomed from outstanding candidates in all areas of Electronics including, but not [email protected] or (435) 797-2970. limited to, analog, mixed-signal, RF, and VLSI circuits, as well as beyond-CMOS technology and integrated Utah State University is an affirmative action/equal microsystems. Applications for this position should be addressed to Professor Tony Chan Carusone, Chair opportunity employer; prohibits discrimination on the of the Electronics Search Committee, and sent to: [email protected]. basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, or disability; and is sensitive to the needs of dual-career applicants. 3. Communication Systems Outstanding candidates in all areas of Communications are encouraged to apply. An area of particular interest is streaming and interactive communication systems design, including the study of fundamen- tal limits on the representation and transmission of delay-sensitive media, architectures for interactive streaming, real-time streaming in wireless networks, and distributed signal processing. Applications for this position should be addressed to Professor Raviraj Adve, Chair of the Communication Systems Search Committee, and sent to: [email protected]. 4. Software Systems Applications are welcomed from outstanding candidates in all areas of Software Systems, with particular interest in cloud computing and information storage systems. All areas of cloud computing will be considered, including architectures, operating systems, security, virtualization and resource management, mobile user support and applications. Areas of interest in storage systems include, but are not limited to, hierarchical storage systems, novel storage devices and technologies, mobility considerations, and energy optimizations. Applications for this position should be addressed to Professor Baochun Li, Chair of the Software Systems Search Committee, and sent to: [email protected]. The School of Electrical Engineering and Com- Successful candidates are expected to pursue excellence in research and teaching at both the graduate puter Science at Oregon State University invites and undergraduate levels, and must have (or be about to receive) a Ph.D. in the relevant area. applications for three tenure-track faculty positions in The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto Electrical and Computer Engineering. Exceptionally ranks among the top 10 in North America. It attracts outstanding students, has excellent facilities, and is strong candidates in all areas of ECE are encouraged to ideally located in the middle of a vibrant, artistic, and diverse cosmopolitan city. Additional information on apply. We are building research and teaching strengths in the department can be found at: www.ece.utoronto.ca. the areas of renewable energy and energy systems, RF to terahertz electronics, and network security and privacy. Applicants must submit their applications by email to one of the four email addresses given above. Candidates specializing in biosensors and bioelectronics Please submit only Adobe Acrobat PDF documents and include a curriculum vitae, a summary of previ- and the broader interdisciplinary area of cyber-physical ous research and proposed new directions, a statement of teaching philosophy and interests, and the systems will also be given strong consideration. Applicants names of three references. should demonstrate a strong commitment to collaboration with other research groups in the School of EECS, with Applications should be received by December 31, 2011. other departments at Oregon State University, and with The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially other universities. welcomes applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with The School of EECS is housed in the Kelley Engineering disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, and others who may contribute to the further diversifi ca- Center, a green building designed to support collaboration tion of ideas. among faculty and students across campus. The School All qualifi ed candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will emphasizes a culture of collegiality and quality in both be given priority. Rank and salary will be commensurate with qualifi cations and experience. education and research. With 40 tenure/tenure-track fac- ulty, we enroll 185 PhD, 125 MS and 1200 undergraduate students. Oregon State University is located in Corvallis, a UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO college town renowned for its high quality of life. The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering For more information, including full position an- 10 King’s College Road nouncement and instructions for application, visit: Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3G4 jobs.oregonstate.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=59555 OSU is an AAEOE.

56 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12a.p56.NA.indd 56 11/14/11 9:04 AM College of Engineering and Science

Applications and nominations Applications and Faculty Search are sought for the C. Tycho Faculty Search nominations are for the Howle Chair in Collaborative for the sought for the Warren Computing Environments. H. Owen Professor in C. Tycho The endowed position will Warren H. Electrical and Computer be fi lled by an individual who Engineering at Clemson Howle Chair in merits the rank of Professor Owen-Duke University. This endowed Collaborative with tenure and who has an Energy position will be fi lled by internationally recognized an individual who merits Computing record of outstanding Distinguished tenure and rank at the scholarship. Preferred Associate Professor Environments research expertise includes Professorship level or higher, and has high-performance computing, a strong research track networking, cybersecurity, record in the area of software/data-enabled science, and ubiquitous computing; power electronics; however, outstanding candidates in however, outstanding candidates in other areas of computing areas such as power systems (e.g., distribution, analysis, will be considered. The person fi lling the Chair will hold a transmission, protection, dynamics, etc.) and smart grid faculty position in the Holcombe Department of Electrical and technology (e.g., new devices/systems, grid integration Computer Engineering. A joint appointment with the School of renewables, grid security, etc.) will also be considered. of Computing may also be possible. The holder of the Chair is expected to maintain affi liation and close collaboration The Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer with computing researchers across the campus, including Engineering is one of the largest and most active at participation in the Clemson University CyberInstitute. Clemson, with over 40 faculty members, approximately 425 undergraduates and 175 graduate students. Many The CyberInstitute is a multi-disciplinary, university- members of the faculty are known internationally, and wide research initiative spanning topics that address or among our ranks are numerous IEEE Fellows, two utilize cyberinfrastructure. The Holcombe Department of endowed chairs, and seven named professorships. Electrical and Computer Engineering is one of the largest The ECE Department is taking an active role in energy and most active at Clemson, with over 40 faculty members, related initiatives across the campus such as Clemson’s approximately 425 undergraduates and 175 graduate students. net-zero campus initiative and a large scale grid The School of Computing includes 35 fac ulty members, simulator associated with Clemson’s wind-turbine approximately 340 undergraduates and 200 graduate students. drive-train test facility located in Charleston, SC.

Clemson University is the land-grant institution campuses and six research and education curriculum vita and a minimum of five for the State of South Carolina enrolling centers located throughout South Carolina. references with full contact information. approximately 15,000 undergraduates and Electronic submissions (PDF files) to 4,000 graduate students. Five interdisciplinary Today, Clemson University is ranked 25th [email protected] are colleges house strong programs in architecture, among national public universities by U.S. preferred, but applications and nominations engineering, science, agriculture, business, News & World Report, and remains true to can also be mailed to ECE Faculty Search, social sciences, arts and education. A faculty its roots as a science- and engineering- 105 Riggs Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, of 1,400 and staff of 3,000 support 84 oriented research university with a strong SC 29634, USA. Application material must undergraduate degree offerings, 73 master’s commit ment to teaching and student success. be received by February 1, 2012 to receive degree programs and 40 Ph.D. programs. An Clemson University is described by students full consideration, though the search will annual operating budget of approximately and faculty as an inclusive, student-centered remain open until the position is filled. $815 million and an endowment of $416 community characterized by high academic million fund programs and operations. standards, a culture of collaboration, school Clemson University is an Affi rmative Action/ The University’s research enterprise has spirit and a competitive drive to excel. Equal Opportunity employer and does not more than doubled over a 10-year period to discriminate against any individual or group its current level of $187 million in annual Applicants must have an earned doctorate of individuals on the basis of age, color, external awards. Research and economic in computer engineering, computer science, disability, gender, national origin, race, development activities are enhanced by electrical engineering, or a closely related religion, sexual religion, sexual orientation, public-private partnerships at three innovation field. Applicants should submit a current veteran status, or genetic information.

12a.p57.NA.indd 57 11/14/11 9:05 AM Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Applications are invited for:- Department, a recognized leader in undergraduate engineering education, invites Faculty of Engineering applications for tenure-track position(s) The Faculty of Engineering is vigorously seeking several faculty posts at Professor / Associate Professor / Assistant Professor levels with prospect for substantiation in the following interdisciplinary beginning Fall 2012. Applicants must have areas to pursue new strategic research initiatives, to fi ll up vacancies to complement current/planned a strong commitment to undergraduate strengths in its Departments and to teach in the new curriculum to be launched in the academic year 2012-2013. Successful candidates will be expected to develop a signifi cant independent research engineering education including laboratory programme with external funding, supervise postgraduate students, and teach both undergraduate instruction and life-long personal professional and postgraduate courses. development. Targeted areas of specialization Interdisciplinary Areas/Programmes comprise communications, signal processing, automotive motor drive power electronics, (Ref. 1112/076(370)/2) (1) Security or some aspect of computer engineering Security is identifi ed as one of the Faculty’s strategic research areas, to be developed in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Department of Information Engineering. Talented candidates that could interface with the Department of are sought to complement existing efforts and create new synergies. Candidates in cryptography and/ Computer Science and Software Engineering. or network/system security are welcome to apply. This area is supported by the University’s Focused Although we prefer to hire at the assistant Investment in Information Sciences. or associate professor level and in the (2) Biomedical Engineering Programme (Ref. 1112/077(370)/2) specializations listed, exceptional applicants in Biomedical Engineering is a new academic programme launched by the Faculty of Engineering in any area and at all levels will be considered. A 2010-2011 in close collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, and is targeted to become full-fl edged by 2012-13. The programme is administratively hosted in the Department of Electronic Engineering Ph.D. in electrical or computer engineering is with academic support from various disciplines. It is looking for excellent candidates for junior faculty required and industrial experience is desirable. openings. Joint appointments across relevant Departments will be considered with reference to the specifi c disciplines of the successful candidates. All applications must be submitted online at: https://jobs.rose-hulman.edu. Every Other Openings at the Departments in the Faculty application must include: 1) a CV/resume; (3) Department of Computer Science and Engineering (Ref. 1112/078(370)/2) 2) a cover letter; 3) a statement of teaching Computer Engineering that describes your teaching philosophy; and The Department is looking for a leader and a couple of young and aspiring professors for added 4) a statement of professional development/ momentum to its Computer Engineering programme, and in particular, talents in the areas of multi-core architecture and embedded systems. research. Additional information about Rose- Hulman’s ECE department is available at (4) Department of Electronic Engineering (Ref. 1112/079(370)/2) www.rose-hulman.edu/ece/. Screening will Nanotechnology begin January 2012. EEO/AA The Department is looking for excellent candidates in the area of nanotechnology. The Department aims to recruit a faculty member with expertise particularly in low-dimensional materials and devices. Specifi c research areas may be related to carbon based materials and devices (i.e. carbon nanotubes, graphene nanoelectronics/optoelectronics, molecular/polymeric electronics and photonics), nanomaterials for advanced energy technologies, etc. (5) Department of Information Engineering (Ref. 1112/080(370)/2) Internet Services and Applications The Department is looking for strong candidates in the area of Internet services and applications, e.g. online social networks and Web analytics. Faculty Positions (6) Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering (Ref. 1112/081(370)/2) in the Department of (i) Energy; (ii) MEMS; (iii) Nano System; (iv) Material Technology; (v) Advanced Manufacturing The Department is going to launch a new undergraduate programme of Energy Engineering in 2012-13 Electrical Engineering and is looking for candidates with excellent track records in the areas of renewable energy technologies, such as wind power, kinetic energy harvesting, smart metering and smart grid. Candidates in the areas of University of California, Riverside MEMs, nano system, materials technology and advanced manufacturing are also welcome to apply. (7) Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management (Ref. 1112/082(370)/2) The Department of Electrical Engineering at (i) Financial Engineering; (ii) Operation Research/Supply Chain Management/Service Engineering the University of California, Riverside, invites The Department welcomes candidates with expertise in fi nancial engineering, operations research/ applications for faculty position(s) in the areas supply chain management/service engineering. of: Sustainable Energy Storage and Distribution For posts (1) to (7): Applicants should have a PhD degree and a good scholarly record demonstrating potential for teaching and research excellence. Appointments will normally be made on contract basis Systems; Communications, Sensing, and for two to three years initially commencing August 2012, which, subject to performance and mutual Imaging; Computing Circuits and Systems; and agreement, may lead to longer-term appointment or substantiation later. Applications will be accepted until the posts are fi lled. Electronic Materials and Devices. The main search Salary and Fringe Benefi ts is at the Assistant Professor level, but senior Salary will be highly competitive, commensurate with qualifi cations and experience. The University candidates may be considered with an exceptional offers a comprehensive fringe benefi t package including medical care, a contract-end gratuity for appointments of two years or longer, and housing benefi ts for eligible appointees. Further research, teaching, and graduate student record. information about the University and the general terms of service for appointments is available at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/personnel. The terms mentioned herein are for reference only and are A doctoral degree in the relevant engineering subject to revision by the University. discipline or related fi eld is required. Details and Application Procedure application materials can be found at Please send full resume, copies of academic credentials, publication list with abstracts of selected published papers, details of courses taught and evaluation results (if any), a research plan, a teaching www.engr.ucr.edu/facultysearch. statement, together with names, addresses and fax numbers/e-mail addresses of three to fi ve referees to whom the applicants’ consent has been given for their providing references (unless otherwise The search committee will review applications specifi ed), to the Dean, Faculty of Engineering by e-mail to [email protected]. Applicants are asked to indicate the Department and area(s) in which they are interested. The Personal Information beginning on January 16, 2012, and continue to Collection Statement will be provided upon request. Please quote the reference number and mark receive applications until the positions are fi lled. ‘Application – Confi dential’ on cover. EEO/AA employer.

58 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12a.p58.NA.indd 58 11/14/11 9:05 AM The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Science (EECS) at The University of Tennessee, (UTK) is searching for candidates for multiple Knoxville (UTK) is seeking applications for multiple tenure-track junior-level faculty positions in the areas tenure-track junior-level faculty positions with strong of power electronics, smart grid, and electric power preference to the following three specialization areas: systems. Successful candidates will be expected to (1) High performance Computing, (2) Robotics and teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, to Control Systems, and (3) Cyber-physical Systems. establish a vigorous funded research program, and to Successful candidates will be expected to teach at have a willingness to collaborate with other faculty in both undergraduate and graduate levels, to establish research. The Department currently enrolls approximately a vigorous funded research program, and to have 400 undergraduate and 225 graduate students including a willingness to collaborate with other faculty. The more than 50 graduate students in the power area. Department currently enrolls approximately 400 Faculty research expenditures average $12 M per year. undergraduate and 225 graduate students, with annual faculty research expenditures averaging $12M. UTK has one of the largest power programs in the U.S. and is the lead institution in a NSF/DOE Engineering Research Center, the Center for The EECS Department is in the midst of a growth phase thanks to Ultra-wide-area Resilient Electric Energy Transmissions Networks gifts from alumnus Dr. Min Kao and other donors, in addition to (CURENT). Also, the department is in the midst of a growth phase state funding, totaling over $50M. These funds have been directed thanks to a combined $50 M in gifts from alumnus Dr. Min Kao, gifts to the construction of a new building which opens in Fall 2011, from other donors, and matching state funding. These gifts and funds as well as various endowments. The University of Tennessee and have gone toward a new building that opens in Fall 2011 and toward Battelle manage the nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which endowments for the department. The University of Tennessee and provides further research opportunities. Information about the Battelle manage the nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which EECS Department can be found at http://www.eecs.utk.edu. provides further opportunities for research . Information about the EECS Department can be found at http://www.eecs.utk.edu and about Applicants should have an earned Ph.D. in Computer Engineering, CURENT at http://curent.utk.edu. Computer Science or related fi eld. Previous industrial and/or academic experience is desirable. Applicants should have outstanding Applicants should have an earned Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or potential for establishing an independent research and teaching equivalent. Previous industrial and/or academic experience is desirable. Applicants should have outstanding potential for establishing an program in their fi eld and should be capable of working with other independent research and teaching program in their fi eld and will be faculty to further strengthen the department’s existing research expected to collaborate with faculty in CURENT. The Knoxville campus programs. The Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee is of the University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the seeking candidates who have the ability to contribute in meaningful ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the diversity and intercultural ways to the diversity and intercultural goals of the University. goals of the University. Interested candidates should apply through the departmental Interested candidates should apply through the departmental web site at web site at http://www.eecs.utk.edu and submit a letter http://www.eecs.utk.edu and submit a letter of application, a curriculum of application, a curriculum vitae, a statement of research vitae, a statement of research and teaching interests, and contact and teaching interests, and contact information for three information for three references. Consideration of applications will begin references. Consideration of applications will begin on January on January 15, 2012, and the positions will remain open until fi lled. 15, 2012, and the positions will remain open until fi lled.

The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Se ction 504/ADA/ADEA institution in The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualifi ed applicants in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, mental disability, or covered veteran status. gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status.

12a.p59.NA.indd 59 11/14/11 9:05 AM IEEE Spectrum

Faculty Positions: Open Rank KAUST is an international graduate-level, merit-based research university dedicated to advancing science and technology through bold and collaborative research and to addressing challenges of regional and global significance. Located on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, KAUST offers superb research facilities, generous assured research funding, and internationally competitive salaries. Further information can be obtained by visiting the following link: http://www.kaust.edu.sa. The EE program currently has 13 full-time faculty and is recognized for its vibrant research programs EPIC Position Descriptions and collaborative environment. EE research is strongly supported by KAUST’s international research collaboration networks and KAUST’s advanced research facilities, including the Nanofabrication, the Imaging and Characterization, and the Supercomputing Core Facilities. More information about the The Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) EE academic programs and research activities are available at http://ee.kaust.edu.sa. and the College of Engineering at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte The disciplines of EE critically support KAUST’s interdisciplinary research initiatives in energy, invite applications for several tenure-track faculty positions in the general pow- environment, food and water, especially by advancing green technology, and energy efficient computers er and energy fi eld. Preference will be given to candidates having backgrounds and communication systems through the use of novel nano, bio, info, and opto device technologies. To in both industry and university. Applicants must have a Ph.D. in Mechanical, accelerate these initiatives, the EE Program seeks to work with other Programs and Centers in KAUST to Civil, Industrial, Systems and / or Electrical Engineering, or equivalent, and aggressively strengthen research expertise in these integrative areas. Priority will be given to candidates with research interests in areas the following areas: will be expected to teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels in Mechani- cal, Electrical, Systems, Industrial, Engineering Management, Civil and Envi- • Circuits and Microsystems • Photonics devices ronmental Engineering, or a related energy fi eld. The successful candidates • Nano-semiconductor material growth using • Optical integrated systems MBE for photovoltaic will demonstrate an ability to build relationships with the power industry and • Communication networks • Nanoelectronics and photonics applications • Wireless sensor networks manufacturing partners and to develop a funded research program. • Spectroscopy • Energy harvesting • Nanoelectronics and nanoelectronics • Robotics/mechatronics UNC Charlotte is a public university with over 25,000 students in 92 bachelors, 62 integrated systems masters, and 19 doctoral programs. The campus is located in the suburbs of one of the fastest growing US cities named the New Energy Capital in the USA, and All candidates should have the ability to pursue a high impact research program and have a commitment to teaching at the graduate level. Applicants should submit, as a single PDF file to the Chair of the EE adjacent to a large research park. The College of Engineering has 3000 students. Search Committee ([email protected]) including, a complete curriculum vitae with a list of publications, a research plan, a statement of teaching interests, and the names and contact information for at least 3 EPIC (http://epic.uncc.edu/) is a university-industry partnership that meets references for an Assistant Professor position or a list with the names and affiliation of potential referees the education and research needs for a safe, reliable, and sustainable energy for Associate Professor and Full Professor positions. Applications received by Jan 30, 2012 will receive future. EPIC enhances the available technical workforce, advances technol- full consideration and positions will remain open until filled. Please identify the position in which you are ogy, and facilitates strategic industry-university collaboration for the global applying to in the subject heading of the email. energy industry while supporting the Carolinas’ economic and energy secu- rity development. EPIC is well funded in terms of facilities; faculty; chaired positions; operations; energy focused laboratories; student scholarships; educational and research programs in the order of $ 100 M. The main spon- sors are the State of North Carolina, Duke Energy, Siemens, AREVA, West- inghouse, URS, and others. The anticipated starting date for these positions is as soon as possible but preferably before August 2012. Review of applications will begin immediately Department Chair, Electrical Engineering and will continue until a selection has been made. For full consideration, please submit an online application/profi le at https://jobs.uncc.edu for the The Department of Electrical Engineering at Pohang University of Science and different position numbers. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Technology (POSTECH) invites nominations and applications for the position Candidates are requested to attach the following documents with their elec- of Chair. POSTECH is one of the top science and technology universities in Asia tronic submission: a vita, a statement of research and teaching interests, and was ranked 28th and 53rd in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 World University and full contact information for three references. Finalists will be asked to Rankings, respectively, conducted by The Times Higher Education (THE). It has forward offi cial transcripts and other supportive materials as requested by the search committee. For additional information, contact: Dr. Johan Enslin achieved this position in 25 years and is working on becoming a world-class ([email protected]), EPIC Director. university in the next 25 years. UNC Charlotte is an EOE/AA employer. In addition, UNC Charlotte welcomes all The EE department has currently 31 faculty members, around 180 undergradu- persons without regard to ability/disability, age, culture, ethnicity, gender, lan- ate students and 300 graduate students. It has very active industry research guage, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. Applicants and education programs with Samsung, LG, POSCO and others, and hosts the are subject to criminal background check. government supported research programs such as BK21, WCU, Creative IT The following energy related positions are invited at the Assistant / Associate / Convergence, ITRC and NCNT. Full Professor levels. More information about the positions are available on the More Details about the department can be found at http://ee.postech.ac.kr/. EPIC website (http://epic.uncc.edu/): Candidates must have an earned doctorate in electrical engineering or a related #4346 Power and Energy Systems Modeling fi eld. We expect the chair to have academic scholarship and administrative #4524 Building Information Systems experiences to provide innovative and stable leadership to move the depart- #4348 Large Power Structures Engineering ment to the next level of excellence in education and research, leveraging the #4549 Water Containment and Corrosion existing strengths, selecting strategic areas for future focus, and collaborating #4525 Power Infrastructure Design, Manufacturing and Construction actively with other academic units within and outside POSTECH. #4349 Quality Assurance, Standards and Regulatory Engineering We encourage nominations of qualifi ed candidates. Applications should #4341 Renewable Power Integration Engineering include a cover letter, curriculum vitae and the names of fi ve references, which #4438 Welding and Robotic Manufacturing Engineering can be sent via E-mail to [email protected]. The deadline is January 31st, 2012. Inquiries can be addressed to the search committee chair. #4250 Power Systems Operations, Protection and Control #4251 Power Electronics and Utility Applications Prof. Wan Kyun Chung, chair of search committee #4252 Energy Markets and Systems Engineering Tel: 82-10-5052-2172, 82-54-279-2172

60 NA • IEEE SPECTRUM • DECEMBER 2011 SPECTRUM.IEEE.ORG

12a.p60.NA.indd 60 11/16/11 10:01 AM Boost your international scientific career in Delft.

Unique fellowship for top female scientists You are a highly talented and motivated pioneer with a proven drive for scientific excellence and a The Delft Technology Fellowship offers high- few years of post-doctoral working experience in profile, tenure-track positions to top female various research groups in industry or academia. scientists in research fields in which Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is active. For further information on this fellowship opportunity, please refer to As a fellow you will be offered the unique chance www.jobsindelft.com/fellowship to establish your own research programme of international repute, including generous start-up The deadline for applications is the funding. The five-year fellowships are awarded at 15th of January 2012. the assistant, associate and full professor level.

Department of Electrical and Computer Chief Executive Officer Engineering Tyndall National Institute Tyndall National Institute is an internationally recognised ICT research The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Drexel University is institute based in University College Cork, Ireland. The Institute was first seeking outstanding candidates at any rank in all areas of computer engineering established in 1974 as the National Microelectronics Research Centre, to for tenure-track positions. Areas of special emphasis include high-performance undertake R&D and graduate training in support of Ireland’s growing computing, bio-informatics, computer and network security, embedded systems electronics industry. Expanded and reconstituted as Tyndall National and multimedia. Candidates must have a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering, Institute in 2004, the Institute now comprises almost 400 researchers, computer engineering or computer science with outstanding academic creden- engineers and postgraduate students working in the areas of tials that clearly demonstrate their ability to conduct independent and successful Micro/Nanoelectronics, Photonics and Microsystems for a wide range of research in their areas of expertise and develop a graduate research program applications in ICT and life sciences. Following recent investment, the leading to peer-reviewed publications and external funding. Candidates must facilities have been substantially expanded, incorporating outstanding have excellent communication skills with a commitment to engage in high-quality research laboratories, clean-room facilities and new incubation space to undergraduate and graduate education in areas of computer engineering. The support start-up companies. ECE department offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in computer Tyndall’s mission is to deliver new opportunities for Ireland’s economic engineering with several areas of specialization including computer networks, growth through excellent research, development and graduate computer architecture, computer-aided design, VLSI systems and operating sys- education, to deliver innovative ICT solutions and trained people to meet tems (see http://www.ece.drexel.edu). The department also has a very active society’s challenges in communications, health, energy, and the PhD program with many outstanding students enrolled in it. environment. As an organisation of international importance, Tyndall requires a CEO of Applications should include a cover letter, complete resume, research and teach- the highest calibre. The ideal candidate will combine vision, leadership ing statements and the names and addresses of three references. Copies of key and well-developed management skills with a strong track record of publications may also be submitted. All application materials should be submitted achievement in research and commerce. Experience in driving successful electronically as a single pdf document via e-mail to: Moshe Kam, Department research and development programmes at a senior level in industry and Head, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, at the following e-mail ad- academia is desired. dress: [email protected]. Only online applications will be accepted. Review For full details on the role and the application process please contact of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are fi lled. Ursula Gallagher, [email protected] +353 1 6675008 Drexel University is a private, urban university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA and is recognized for its traditionally strong technological focus and career-in- tegrated education. Eligibility to work in the United States at the time of appointment is required. Drexel University is an equal opportunity/affi rmative action employer.

spectrum.ieee.org December 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 61

12a.p61.NA.indd 61 11/14/11 9:06 AM Save some energy. Let us do some thinking for you.

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62 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

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12.p63.NA.indd 63 11/14/11 9:06 AM John R. Beaver Professorship ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING and Department Chair UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, ANN ARBOR The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University is pleased to announce the establishment of the John R. Beaver Endowed The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Division of the Electrical Professorship in Mechanical Engineering. The inaugural holder of this Engineering and Computer Science Department at the University of Michi- Professorship will also serve as Chair of the Department of Mechanical gan, Ann Arbor invites applications for junior or senior faculty positions. Engineering and lead the faculty in continuing to grow and strengthen Successful candidates will have a relevant doctorate or equivalent experi- a dynamic engineering program. We are seeking a forward-looking ence and an outstanding record of achievement and impactful research individual who is internationally recognized for the impact of his/her scholarship and is committed to interdisciplinary research and educa- in academics, industry and/or at national laboratories. They will have a tion. We expect to fi ll this position at the academic rank of full professor. strong record or commitment to teaching at undergraduate and graduate Primary evaluation criteria will include a demonstrated ability to build levels, and to providing service to the university and profession. Research and sustain cross-disciplinary research programs, leadership potential, areas of particular interest are networks and communications; electro- and a track record of successful and inclusive mentoring of graduate magnetics and remote sensing; and nanotechnology. and undergraduate students. Outstanding candidates from any subfi eld of mechanical engineering are encouraged to apply. It is anticipated that The ECE Division (www.eecs.umich.edu/ece) prides itself on the men- the successful candidate will contribute to one or more of the SOE’s toring of junior faculty towards successful careers. Ann Arbor is highly three strategic focal areas: Engineering for Sustainability, Engineering ranked as a best-place-to-live and for its family friendly atmosphere. for Human Health, and Engineering the Human/Technology Interface. Please see application instructions at www.eecs.umich.edu/eecs/jobs The past seven years have been a period of extraordinary growth for For full consideration applications must be received by January 6, 2012. Tufts’ School of Engineering, witnessing recruitment of over half of its current tenured and tenure-track faculty members and close to a three- The University of Michigan is an Affi rmative Action, Equal Oppor- fold increase in research expenditures. The SOE distinguishes itself by tunity Employer with an Active Dual-Career Assistance Program. the interdisciplinary and integrative nature of its engineering education The College of Engineering is especially interested in candidates and research programs within the environment of both a “Research who contribute, through their research, teaching, and/or service, Class 1” University and a top-ranked undergraduate institution. We to the diversity and excellence of the academic community. offer the best of a liberal arts college atmosphere, coupled with the intellectual and technological resources of a major research university. As home to seven graduate and professional schools across three campuses, Tufts University prides itself on its culture of cross-School partnerships. Located on Tufts’ Medford/Somerville campus, only six miles from historic downtown Boston, SOE faculty members have extensive opportunities for academic and industrial collaboration, as Senior Faculty Position well as participation in the rich intellectual life of the region. College of Engineering The Department of Mechanical Engineering currently consists of 13 www.engg.ksu.edu/jobs full-time faculty, and the new Chair will have the opportunity to recruit a number of new faculty members to its ranks in the next few years. The Kansas State University College of Engineering invites applicants for the Faculty scholarship spans a broad spectrum of interests including position of Full Professor in the area of engineering applied to human or animal health materials engineering, human factors, biomechanical systems, electro- care, starting in the Fall of 2012. The candidate will be expected to leverage existing mechanical systems, and sustainable energy. The Department offers an expertise and provide leadership to establish cross-department collaborations that ABET-accredited BSME, and MEng, MS, and PhD degrees in mechani- promote the College as a national leader in the biomedical arena. College of Engineering cal engineering, as well as undergraduate and graduate degrees in faculty already work in the areas of biomedical sensing, device development, and human factors. Recognized for its synthesis of theory and practice, the system integration and analysis. Application scenarios include pervasive care Department has an enrollment of approximately 200 undergraduate environments, epidemic modeling, space medicine, and veterinary applications. Given students and 90 graduate students. the anticipated arrival of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility and ongoing research at the KSU BRI, significant potential exists for interdisciplinary work related See http://engineering.tufts.edu/me/ for more information. to disease and its epidemiological spread.

Candidates should possess an earned doctorate in Mechanical The candidate must be a recognized leader in a technical area related to human or Engineering or a related discipline. Screening of applicants will animal health care and should have demonstrated a commitment to both research begin immediately and continue until the position is fi lled. Applicants and teaching. She or he should have an earned doctorate or equivalent in engineering, should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a vision for research science, or a health-related field and offer credentials to support appointment as a and education within the discipline of mechanical engineering, a Full Professor. statement of leadership style, and names and contact information for at least three references to Professor Jeffrey Hopwood, via email: Applicants should submit the following to [email protected]: a cover [email protected] with copies to [email protected]. letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of research vision, a statement of teaching interests and philosophy, contact information for three references, and copies of Tufts University is an Affi rmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, representative publications. Application review will begin January 30, 2012 and will committed to excellence in teaching and scholarship, and to building a continue until the position is filled. faculty that refl ects the diversity of both its students and the world for which it is preparing them. Members of underrepresented groups and Kansas State University is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer. The KSU women are strongly encouraged to apply and are invited to identify this College of Engineering is committed to diversity, and women and minority candidates status in their cover letters. are encouraged to apply. A background check will be required.

64 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12a.p64.NA.indd 64 11/16/11 10:03 AM The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Assistant Professor of Baylor University seeks senior faculty applicants in Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering all areas of electrical and computer engineering, with preference in the areas of cyber-physical systems The University of Texas at Austin (i.e., embedded systems, computer/network security, and sensor networks) as well as power and energy. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas Applicants must have an earned doctorate and a record Austin has two faculty openings at the assistant professor level with a start date of Fall 2012. Exceptional candidates in any area of electrical and computer en- of achievement in research and teaching at the rank of gineering will be considered for the fi rst position. We especially encourage ap- plicants whose research interests impact energy, cloud and mobile computing, associate or full professor including a demonstrated health care and informatics, synthetic biology, cyberphysical systems and security, record of research funding. The ECE department integrated man-machine interfaces and systems. The second position is specifi - cally targeted to candidates in the area of systems biology. offers B.S., M.S., M.E. and Ph.D. degrees and is Applicants should have received or expect to receive a doctoral degree in electrical poised for aggressive expansion of its faculty and engineering, computer engineering or a related discipline prior to September 2012. facilities, including access to the Baylor Research and Successful candidates are expected to supervise graduate students, teach under- graduate and graduate courses, develop a sponsored research program, collabo- Innovation Collaborative (BRIC), a newly-established rate with other faculty and be involved in service to the university and profession. research park minutes from the main campus. Applications must be submitted online at www.ece.utexas.edu. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas, Baylor Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, current vita, statement of re- search and teaching interests, and at least three references. University is the oldest university in Texas. Baylor Priority deadline is December 31st 2011. Early submission is strongly encouraged. has an enrollment of approximately 15,000 students A security sensitive background check will be conducted on the applicant selected. and is a member of the Big XII Conference. Baylor’s UT Austin is an en equal opportunity/ affi rmative action employer. mission is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community. The department seeks to hire faculty with an active Christian faith; applicants are encouraged to read about Baylor’s vision for the integration of Tenure-Track Position faith and learning at www.baylor.edu/about/vision. Cyber-Physical Systems and Software Applications are invited for a tenure-track position in the Department of Application reviews are ongoing and will continue Electrical and Computer Engineering at the rank of Assistant Professor to start in September 2012. the positions is fi lled. Applications must include: Qualifications: Candidates must have an earned doctorate in ECE, Computer Science, or related field at the time of appointment and 1) a letter of interest that identifi es the demonstrate potential for outstanding research in cyber-physical systems and software. The candidate will be expected to develop a strong applicant’s anticipated rank, externally funded research program. We are looking for candidates with enthusiasm for supervising graduate students and commitment to teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels. 2) a complete CV, The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UMass counts 11 Fellows of the IEEE and 6 NSF CAREER Awardees among its 3) a statement of teaching and research interests, 34 faculty members. The computer engineering program at UMass is internationally renowned for its strengths in computer and embedded systems, computer networks, nano- and micro-architectures, VLSI 4) the names and contact information for systems, and CAD. We seek a candidate who will complement our existing strengths in computer engineering in the areas of cyber-physical at least three professional references. systems and software. For more information about the ECE Department see www.ecs.umass.edu/ece Additional information is available at www.ecs.baylor. The search committee will begin reviewing applications on January 17, 2012. The search will continue until the position is filled (contingent on edu. Applications should be sent by email as a single approval and funding). Application materials may be submitted either online or via hard copy but not both, and applicants are strongly pdf fi le to [email protected], or mailed to encouraged to apply online at http://academicjobsonline.org or in print to Cyber-Physical Search, ECE Dept, University of Massachusetts, Dr. Robert Marks 100 Natural Resources Road, Amherst, MA 01003. The application should include a cover letter, CV with a list of publications, a research Baylor University statement, a teaching statement and a list of at least four referees with complete contact information. One Bear Place #97356 The University, College, and Department are committed to increasing diversity of the faculty, student body, and curriculum, and welcome Waco, TX 76798-7356 applications from women and other underrepresented groups. UMass Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

spectrum.ieee.org December 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 65

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PUBLICATION IEEE Spectrum SIZE 3.25” x 4.75” SCREEN 85 lpi WO # 136202 IO # 599662 NOTES USC Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering The Electrical Engineering Department at the University of Mississippi University of Southern California invites applications and nominations for the Chair position. Our ABET accredited, broad-based, undergraduate program offers a BS degree in Faculty Positions Electrical Engineering with four emphases: general, telecommunica- tions, RF/wireless, and computer engineering. The department has internationally recognized research programs in applied electromagnet- The Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering ics and communications and offers MS and Ph.D. degrees in these (http://ee.usc.edu) of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering areas. The Chair is expected to provide leadership and overall strategic (http://viterbi.usc.edu) seeks outstanding faculty candidates for planning for the department’s academic and research programs. The positions as tenure-track assistant professor, tenured associate candidate should demonstrate abilities to work with the faculty to professor or tenured professor. Specific areas of interest include: grow the undergraduate program, contribute intellectual energy to the research programs, and expand research collaborations with industry 1. Emerging signal processing techniques and interdisciplinary and government. applications such as biomedical sciences and informatics, medical systems, sensor networks, data mining, and complex system analysis. A Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or closely related area is required. The candidate should meet the requirements for appointment as a full 2. VLSI systems, nanosystems or VLSI/nano systems computer- professor. For more information, visit the department’s web page at aided design (CAD) for emerging technologies, and applications http://www.engineering.olemiss.edu/electrical/or contact Dr. Clint such as complex cyber-physical systems, embedded systems, Williford, Professor and Chair of the search committee, Department of bio-inspired systems, and other large-scale complex systems. Chemical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677. 3. Experimental quantum electronics, experimental or Applicants must apply online at www.jobs.olemiss.edu, supplying the theoretical nanoscience and technology, specifically: following documents: a letter of application; curriculum vitae; vision quantum electronic devices and components, and novel statement; goals for the department; and a list of fi ve references with devices based on nanoscience and nanotechnology. email addresses and phone numbers. Applications and nominations 4. Experimental power electronics and modern energy devices. will be accepted until the position is fi lled. Review of applications will We seek a senior faculty member to initiate and lead fundamental begin no later than January 16, 2012. The University of Mississippi is experimental research on power and/or energy devices and an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA employer. systems, applying physics to the development of new and innovative technologies. This might include efficient sensors for monitoring electric power grids, advanced high-power electronics, or novel power generation, storage and transmission. Faculty members are expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses, supervise undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral researchers, advise students, and develop a funded research Tenure-Track Faculty Position program. Applicants must have a Ph.D. or the equivalent in electrical engineering or a related field and a strong research and publication in Computer Engineering record. Applications must include a letter clearly indicating area(s) of specialization, a detailed curriculum vitae, a concise statement The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at University of of current and future research directions and funding, and contact Maine invites applications for a tenure track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin September, 2012. Candidates with specialization in systems, information for at least four professional references. This material high performance computing, networking, security, embedded design and other should be submitted electronically at http://ee.usc.edu/about/open_ areas of computer engineering will be considered. A Ph.D degree in Computer positions.htm. Early submission is strongly advised and encouraged. Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related fi eld is required by the date of The application review process will commence January 3, 2012. hire. The successful candidate will be qualifi ed and required to teach introductory courses in both Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering. The successful The USC Viterbi School of Engineering is among the top tier candidate is required to have a strong commitment to teaching at both the under- engineering schools in the world. It counts 170 full-time, tenure- graduate and graduate levels and develop an externally funded research program. track faculty members, and is home to the Information Sciences Candidates with interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary interests that complement Institute (ISI), two National Science Foundation Engineering Research existing Departmental capabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Centers, the Department of Homeland Security’s first University Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, a complete curriculum vitae, a Center of Excellence (CREATE), and an Energy Frontiers Research statement of teaching interests, a plan for developing his/her research program, Center (EFRC) supported by the Department of Energy. USC and names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of at least three Viterbi faculty conduct research in leading-edge technologies with references in a single PDF fi le to: annual research expenditures typically exceeding $160 million. http://www.eece.maine.edu/hr/jobs.php We encourage applications from transformative scholars — Full Description distinguished individuals whose accomplishments are transforming the field; and interdisciplinary scholars — outstanding individuals http://jobs.umaine.edu/ engaged in research aligned with the interests of the department Review of applications will begin on January 17, 2012 and continue until the posi- but whose research also cuts across other departments in the tion is fi lled. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. Appropriate back- School and University. USC values diversity and is committed to ground checks will be required. equal opportunity in employment. Women and men, and members The University of Maine is an Equal Employment of all racial and ethnic groups are encouraged to apply. Opportunity/Affi rmative Action Employer.

66 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12a.p66.NA.indd 66 11/14/11 9:07 AM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY Professor, Associate Professor, or Come Grow With Us... Assistant Professor Join The

Columbia Engineering’s Department of Electrical Engineering at Columbia Air Products Team! University in New York City invites applications for tenured or tenure- track faculty positions. One or more appointments at the assistant pro- fessor, associate professor, and full professor will be considered. The successful candidate is expected to establish multidisciplinary SENIOR ELECTRICAL research and educational collaborations with academic departments and ENGINEER units across Columbia University. The Department is especially interested in qualified candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., a Fortune 500 manufacturer of the academic community. of industrial gases and chemicals, has an immediate opening for Applications are specifically sought in any of the areas that fall under a Senior Electrical Engineer at our Corporate Headquarters in Allentown, Pennsylvania the umbrella of applications of electrical engineering principles to sys- . tems biology, with particular emphasis on, but not limited to, experi- This individual will support reliable operation of Industrial mental synthetic biology. Applicants whose work contributes to Electrical Equipment and Electrical Power Systems Analysis in CyberBioPhysical Systems, where the biological, physical, and digital company-owned and operated facilities in North America. worlds fuse, are also encouraged to apply. Responsibilities: Minimum Qualifications: Applicants should consult • Provide technical assistance to field personnel in the areas of http://www.ee.columbia.edu for more information about the department. high voltage distribution equipment and high voltage motors/ generators Candidates should apply online at, and submit electronically, the following: • Respond and provide technical assistance to electrical curriculum vitae, including a publications list, a description of research equipment problems within the company-owned facilities accomplishments, a statement of research/teaching interests and plans, • Direct and oversee vendor shop repairs on high voltage motors contact information for three people who can provide letters of recom- and equipment to ensure quality • Issue repair reports at the conclusion of critical jobs for proper mendation, and up to three pre/reprints of scholarly work. historical documentation Apply at: https://academicjobs.columbia.edu/ • Identify engineered resolutions to recurring electrical issues applicants/Central?quickFind=55523 • Improve plant/equipment reliability through historical trending The position will close no sooner than December 31, 2011, and improved maintenance procedures • Lead and participate in Failure Analysis and Vulnerability studies and will remain open until filled. • Execute equipment maintenance strategies (predictive and Columbia University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. preventive) • Ensure adherence to internal and national standards for specifying and maintaining equipment • Support training, coaching, and mentoring electrical field technicians and operations staff in the preventive maintenance and operation of electrical distribution and control systems • 100 % compliance with Safety and Environmental standards • Perform Electrical engineering power systems analysis calculations, including motor starting/voltage drop, short circuit, arc flash and load flow TEMASEK RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP (TRF) Qualifications/Requirements: The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National University • BS Electrical Engineering degree is a minimum of Singapore (NUS) invite outstanding young researchers with a PhD • Active PE license is preferred Degree in science or technology to apply for the prestigious TRF awards. • A minimum of 6 years electrical engineering experience in operations and maintenance of large industrial plants is required The TRF scheme provides selected young researchers an opportunity to • Working knowledge of SKM Power Tools for Windows conduct and lead research that is relevant to defence. It offers: engineering software is preferred • Previous experience specifying and working on HV substation • 3-year research grant that commensurate with the scope equipment, transformers, HV and LV motors and Generators, of work, with an option to extend up to a further 3 years. Motor control circuits, Variable frequency drives, Station Battery, • Possible tenure-track academic appointment with the and UPS systems university at the end of the TRF. • Travel in North America 15-20% level. • Attractive and competitive remuneration. Air Products offers a comprehensive benefits package including Fellows may lead and conduct research, and publish in these areas: paid holidays/vacation, affordable medical, dental, life insurance and retirement plans. 1. Advanced Protective Materials 2. Bio-mimetic Aerodynamics To apply for this position, please visit the Air Products Career 3. Cyber Security Center at www.airproducts.com/careers. Click on the link 4. Sensemaking Technology Search Job Openings from the left navigation bar. You can 5. Sensor Systems and Signal Processing apply specifically to Job Req #7901.

Other fundamental areas of science or technology, where a breakthrough We thank all applicants in advance for their interest; however, would be of interest to defence and security, will also be considered. only those who are being considered for an interview will be contacted. Singapore is a globally connected cosmopolitan city-state with a supportive environment and vibrant research culture. For more information and Air Products is an equal opportunity employer (M/F/D/V), where application procedure, please visit diversity matters.

NTU – http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/trf/index_trf.html NUS – http://www.nus.edu.sg/dpr/funding/trf.htm

Closing date: 10 February 2012 (Friday)

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to Singapore to present their research plans, meet local researchers and identify potential collaborators in May 2012.

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12a.p67.NA.indd 67 11/14/11 9:07 AM Solutions for the Real World

Researchers at the Georgia Tech detection and imaging, through- Electronic Warfare Research Research Institute interact with the-wall sensors, aerospace radar Engineer (Ground/Maritime/ The Department of Electrical and Computer colleagues across Georgia Tech and systems for ISR and/or fi re-control, Surface/Airborne EW) Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology national research and development tracking, and multi-source fusion, • Perform RF and EO Receiver invites applications for two tenure-track posi- communities to advance technology advanced concepts, radar payloads, Technology Development tions at the assistant professor level. Priority supporting national security. Our and technology prototyping (ESM, RWR, and MWR) will be given to candidates in (a) power electron- researchers work in a team-oriented • Develop RF and EO Electronic environment, developing innovative Electronic Attack/Protection (EA/ Attack Systems and Technologies ics and in (b) networks and communications solutions and taking their ideas from EP) Research Engineer • Perform modeling, simulation, with special emphasis on network and wireless • RF EA/EP techniques development, the white board through analysis, analysis and concept development security. The successful candidate will be ex- algorithm development and modeling and simulation, prototype, of RF electronic warfare systems pected to develop and sustain an internationally integration, and test and evaluation. evaluation, hardware development, utilizing expertise in threat systems GTRI is also involved in training test and evaluation, data analysis, analysis; familiarity with standard recognized research program, be an effective through extensive professional modeling and simulation models desirable (e.g., ESAMS, classroom teacher at both the undergraduate education programs. Missile Defense Radar Engineer/ Suppressor, Alarm, Brawler, etc.) and graduate levels, and engage in service to the Systems Engineer • Develop analytical tools using university and the profession. Candidates must Successful candidates should have MATLAB and similar programs a BS, MS, or PhD in a relevant • System of systems engineering, hold a doctorate in electrical engineering, com- radar systems engineering, phased to support analysis and engineering, mathematics, physics, development programs puter engineering, or a related field. or computer science discipline. array antenna systems analysis, Candidates are sought for the digital beamforming, electronic Applications will be reviewed immediately un- Candidates interested in the positions following technical areas: protection, track and sensor til the position is filled. The application should fusion algorithms, modeling and listed above should visit GTRI’s Real-Time Embedded Software/ simulation, test and evaluation of Careers web site (http://www.gtri. include: i) curriculum vitae, ii) up to three rep- Firmware Developer complex systems gatech.edu/careers/opportunities) resentative published research papers, iii) a • Develop application software/ and apply on-line. Questions research and teaching statement, and iv) con- Behavioral Modeling and fi rmware used for defensive and inquiries can be directed to tact information for at least three references. avionics and related testing, Computational Social Systems [email protected]. training, and instrumentation (C++, • Develop tools, systems and models Interested candidates are required to submit an Ada, VHDL, etc.) to forecast socio-cultural behavior Due to the unique nature of our application in a single PDF document via email • Integrate aircraft and ground at the strategic, operational, and work, U.S. citizenship is generally to ECE Search c/o Ms. Darnita Murphy, dmur- tactical level required for employment. systems using MIL-STD-1553, [email protected]. Ethernet, and Tactical Data Links • Perform research on the infl uence Current collateral or elevated of socio-cultural factors on security clearances are especially For more information please visit Algorithm Developer/Radar Systems behavior in military-relevant desirable. Georgia Tech is an equal • Algorithms for moving target contexts and environments opportunity employer. http://www.ece.iit.edu. IIT is an Equal Opportunity/ Georgia Tech Research Institute. www.GTRI.gatech.edu Affirmative Action employer.

areas that fall under the umbrella of Computer Systems, Software, Artifi cial Intelligence, Theory, and Computational Biology, with particular emphasis on, The Department of Biomedical Engineering but not limited to: Computer Graphics, Human-Com- in the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke puter Interaction, Simulation, and Animation. Ap- University invites applications for a tenure Department of Computer Science plicants whose work contributes to CyberBioPhysical track faculty position in medical imaging. The Open-rank Systems, where the biological, physical, and digital worlds fuse, are also encouraged to apply. assistant professor level is preferred but all Faculty Position in levels will be considered. Candidates should Candidates must have a Ph.D. or its professional hold a Ph.D. or equivalent in biomedical Computer Science equivalent by the starting date of the appointment. engineering or a related fi eld. Applications Applicants for this position at the Assistant Profes- Columbia Engineering’s Department of Computer are sought in the fi eld of medical ultrasound sor and Associate Professors without tenure must Science at Columbia University in New York City including signal processing, molecular imaging, have the potential to do pioneering research and invites applications for tenured or tenure-track faculty to teach effectively. Applicants for this position at transducers and ultrasound therapy. positions. One or more appointments at the assistant the tenured level (Associate or Full Professor) must professor, associate professor and full professor, will Applications are also sought in the fi elds of have a demonstrated record of outstanding research be considered. photo-acoustics and foundational medical accomplishments, excellent teaching credentials and image processing. Candidates should Columbia Engineering’s strategic theme areas established leadership in the fi eld have the necessary experience and skills to are Health, Information and Sustainability, and Candidates should apply online at: academicjobs. teach undergraduate courses in biomedical the successful candidate should contribute to the columbia.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=55402 advancement of the department in these areas by electronics and imaging. and should submit electronically the following: developing an externally funded research program, curriculum-vitae including a publication list, a de- Applicants should submit electronically being a thought leader in the profession, contributing scription of research accomplishments, a statement submit: a curriculum vitae, names and contact to the undergraduate and graduate educational mis- of research/teaching interests and plans, contact information for three references, a teaching sion of the Department and providing active service information for three people who can provide letters and research statement, and expected date of to professional societies The successful candidate of recommendation, and up to three pre/reprints of is expected to establish multidisciplinary research availability to the following website: scholarly work. The position will close no sooner and educational collaborations with academic https://academicjobsonline.org/ than 12/31/2011, and will remain open until fi lled. departments and units across Columbia University. ajo/jobs/1173 The Department is especially interested in qualifi ed Applicants can consult www.cs.columbia.edu for Duke University is an Affi rmative Action/ candidates who can contribute, through their re- more information about the department. Equal Opportunity Employer. search, teaching, and/or service, to the diversity and Columbia is an affi rmative action/equal opportunity excellence of the academic community. Applications received by December 31, 2011 employer with a strong commitment to the quality of will be given consideration. Applications are specifi cally sought in any of the faculty life.

68 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12a.p68.NA.indd 68 11/14/11 9:07 AM Quantitative Methods for Smart Grid Systems Lehigh University invites applications to fi ll two tenure-track assistant or associate professor positions whose research focuses on quantitative methods Faculty Positions for making decisions within and about advanced electricity systems. These faculty members will be part of a new university-sanctioned, smart grid-focused Department of Electrical research cluster consisting of engineering, computer science, economics, and mathematics faculty. The faculty members will be appointed to an appropriate department—for example, CSE, ECE, ISE, Mathematics, or MEM. & Computer Engineering

The candidate must have a proven research interest in applications related to The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at North smart grids, including: sensor networks, communications, estimation, survivable networks, visualization of electricity networks, real-time computational systems, Carolina State University seeks outstanding candidates for both junior and and dynamic control of power and information networks. senior tenure track/tenured faculty openings. The ECE department has a The candidate’s research may draw on methodological areas including: signal strong interest in multidisciplinary research along the themes of energy, processing and communications, dynamic control of large-scale interconnected human health, and national security. Opportunities exist in the areas of systems, optimization, high-performance computing, and real-time operating, antennas, radio frequency circuits and systems, nano-enhanced circuits embedded, and decision systems. and computing, design and fabrication of nanoelectronic and photonic Applicants must possess (1) an earned doctorate and outstanding academic devices, and electric power systems and smart grids. The power systems credentials, (2) excellent potential for interdisciplinary research, and position will be affi liated with the NSF Engineering Research Center on the (3) the commitment to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses. Future Renewable Electric Energy Distribution and Management (FREEDM). More information about the research cluster is available at Candidates must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent in electrical or computer http://www.lehigh.edu/grid. engineering or a related discipline at the time of appointment, and must Applications received by January 1, 2012 will receive full consideration, but have demonstrated the potential to build a strong research program and an earlier applications are encouraged. Applications should be submitted on-line at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/1182. Applications should include a excellent teaching record. Candidates should have a strong commitment to statement of interest, curriculum vita, list of publications, research and teaching human and intellectual diversity. statements, and the names and contact information for at least three references. Inquiries may be addressed to Profs. Larry Snyder ([email protected]) The ECE Department has 52 tenured/tenure-track faculty members, over or Garth Isaak ([email protected]). 900 undergraduate students, and over 600 graduate students. It offers BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering (EE) and Computer Engineering (CPE), and MS degrees in Computer Networking and Electric Power Systems. The department is located in state-of-the-art facilities on NC State’s new Centennial Campus.

The University is located in the technology-rich Research Triangle metro- Tenure-Track Position politan area, and ECE faculty members collaborate frequently with local industry. The Research Triangle area is routinely recognized in nationwide Embedded Security and Cryptographic Systems surveys as one of the best places to live in the U.S. We enjoy outstanding The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University public schools, affordable housing, and great weather, all in the proximity of Massachusetts Amherst invites applications from candidates for a of the mountains and the seashore. tenure-track position in Embedded Security and Cryptographic Systems at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level starting September 2012. We seek to aggressively grow our expertise in this area, which spans Embedded Systems, Computer Architecture, Communications, Networking and Micro/Nano-electronics. Information about the ECE Department can Candidates should submit the following online at be found at www.ecs.umass.edu/ece http://jobs.ncsu.edu (reference position number 00000581): cover letter, Qualifications: Candidates must have an earned doctorate at time of curriculum vitae, research statement, teaching statement, and names and appointment in ECE or related field, and should have demonstrated research experience in the areas of interest for this search, which include complete contact information of four references, including email addresses but are not limited to Applied Cryptography, Software Security, and phone numbers. To ensure full consideration, Candidates should Embedded Security, and Secure System Engineering. In addition, the candidate should have commitment to teaching at both the submit their application by February 1, 2012. Additional information about undergraduate and graduate levels. the department can be found at http://www.ece.ncsu.edu. Information At the Associate and Full Professor levels the candidate should also have a strong publication record, demonstrated leadership and vision in their about the NSF FREEDM ERC can be found at www.freedm.ncsu.edu. field, and a demonstrated ability to attract significant external research Inquiries may be sent via email to Faculty Search Committee Chair, at support. Rank and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The committee will begin reviewing applications on January [email protected]. 17, 2012, with the search continuing until the position is filled. Appointment is contingent upon funding. Interested applicants should AA/EOE. Women and members of other underrepresented groups are send a CV, statement of research and teaching interests, and the names and addresses of at least four references. Application materials may be encouraged to apply. In addition, NC State University welcomes all persons submitted either online or via hard copy but not both, and applicants are without regard to sexual orientation. Individuals with disabilities desiring strongly encouraged to apply online at http://academicjobsonline.org or in print to Embedded Security Search, ECE Dept, University of accommodations in the application process should contact Felicia Harris, Massachusetts, 151 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA 01003. voice: (919) 515-1944; email: [email protected]; fax: (919)515- The University, College, and Department are committed to increasing diversity of the faculty, student body, and curriculum, and 7591. We welcome the opportunity to work with candidates to identify welcome applications from women and other underrepresented groups. suitable employment opportunities for spouses or partners. UMass Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

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PUBLICATION IEEE Spectrum SIZE 3.25” x 4.75” SCREEN 85 lpi WO # 136072 IO # 599491 NOTES STANFORD UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF

AERONAUTICS TWO TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITIONS Ohio Northern University invites applications for two AND ASTRONAUTICS tenure-track positions at the rank of Assistant Professor The Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University invites applications for a tenure- in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering track faculty position at the Assistant or untenured Associate Professor level. Research advances in the and Computer Science to begin on August 15, 2012. fundamental areas of aerospace engineering are critical to meeting increases in demand for air transportation, Computer Engineering: improving technologies for increased autonomy, and achieving breakthroughs in space fl ight and satellite Applicants with expertise in the areas of embedded design, while ensuring safety and security, and protecting the environment. systems, computer architecture and/or VLSI are sought. We are seeking exceptional applicants who will develop a program of research and innovative new courses Electrical Engineering: at the frontier of areas such as space systems engineering, cyber-physical systems, autonomous systems, Applicants with expertise in the areas of control sys- control and navigation, aviation and the environment, system simulation and design, and aerospace structures tems or power/energy systems are sought. and materials. This is a broad-area search. We will place higher priority on the impact, originality, and promise An earned Ph.D. in the related discipline is required. of the candidate’s work than on the particular sub-area of specialization within Aeronautics and Astronautics. The applicant must have excellent verbal and written Evidence of the ability to pursue a program of innovative research and a strong commitment to graduate and communication skills and must be committed to undergraduate teaching are required. The successful candidate will be expected to teach courses at the gradu- excellence in engineering education. Commitment to ate and undergraduate levels and to build and lead a team of graduate students in Ph.D. research. scholarly activities and professional development is essential. Applicants whose research programs in Aeronautics and Astronautics will involve the development of sophis- ticated computational and/or mathematical methods may be considered for a joint appointment in the Institute Founded in 1871, Ohio Northern University takes pride for Computational and Mathematical Engineering (http://icme.stanford.edu). in being a student-centered, service-oriented, values- based institution. For further information, please visit Applicants should include a cover letter, their curriculum vitae, a list of publications, a one-page statement http://www.onu.edu. of research vision, a one-page statement of teaching interests, and the names of fi ve potential references. All application materials must be submitted online at Please submit these materials as a single PDF fi le labeled “AA_Search_LastName_FirstName.pdf” https://jobs.onu.edu and should include an application to [email protected]. For additional information, please contact Professor Juan J. Alonso letter, vita, statements of research and teaching experi- ([email protected]). Applications will be accepted until the position is fi lled; however the review of ence, transcripts, and the names and contact informa- applications will begin on January 3, 2012. tion of three professional references. The search will continue until the position is fi lled. Stanford University is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty. Questions concerning the positions should be referred It welcomes nominations of and applications from women and members of minority groups, as well as others to: Dr. Khalid Al-Olimat, P.E. Professor and Chair, who would bring additional dimensions to the university’s research and teaching missions. [email protected]. University of Pittsburgh Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Tenure Stream Faculty Position in Electric Power System Engineering Department of Electrical The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) (http://www.engineering.pitt.edu/ece/) and the and Biomedical Engineering University’s Center for Energy invites applications for a tenure stream faculty position at the assistant or associate professor level. We are seeking a candidate, with expertise in one or more of the following key areas: advanced University of Nevada, Reno T&D power electronics technologies (FACTS, HVDC, MVDC); power system modeling and analysis (including The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) Depart- proficiency in PSS®E and/or PSCAD); renewable energy integration and energy storage applications; power sys- ment of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering tem operation and control; or smart grid technologies and systems design. invites applications from outstanding candidates Successful candidates must have the ability to establish a high impact research program and must be committed for a position in Renewable Energy and Power to high quality teaching for a diverse student body at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The approxi- Systems at the full professor level. However, ex- mate start date will be Sept. 1, 2012. ceptional candidates at the associate professor ECE currently has 21 full time faculty members with approximately 360 undergraduates and 150 graduate stu- level will also be considered. Minimum require- dents. The department offers BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering and in Computer Engineering ments include a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (with Computer Science Dept.). The department offers undergraduate and graduate degree concentrations or a closely related fi eld, with a proven funded in Electric Power Engineering with approximately 30% of our undergraduates enrolled. We have an exciting research record in areas such as distributed- research program in various aspects of power electronics and control technologies, renewable energy sys- energy sources, smart grid applications, tems, smart grids, energy storage, and power system simulation. The program is supported through strong photovoltaic, and wind power systems. We seek industry partnerships and collaborations on individuals with demonstrated excellence in the education and research activities, along with To ensure consideration, applications must be received fi eld to develop a robust externally- funded re- funding from state and federal agencies and by January 31, 2012. Please submit a resume (or CV), search program. The selected candidate will also other key constituents. contact information for four references, plus a letter sum- be expected to teach graduate and undergradu- We highly encourage candidates who are fe- marizing your teaching and research interests to http:// ate courses, supervise M S and Ph.D. students male or from underrepresented US minority www.engineering.pitt.edu/ECE/PowerSystemsFaculty and engage in outreach activities. groups to apply for these positions. The Uni- Alternatively, applications may be sent to: versity of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action/ Interested individuals can visit Chair, ECE Search Committee – (specify Electric Power) https://www.unrsearch.com/postings/9831 equal opportunity employer and does not dis- 1140 Benedum Engineering Hall, University of Pittsburgh for further information and to apply. All ap- criminate on the basis of age, color, disability, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 plication materials should be electronically gender, gender identity, marital status, national Additionally, please have your references send their let- submitted to this website. AA/EEO Women and or ethnic origin, race, religion, sexual orienta- ters directly to the same address. tion or veteran status. Under-represented groups encouraged to apply.

70 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12a.p70.NA.indd 70 11/14/11 10:46 AM Tenure Track Faculty Position www.ece.cmu.edu

The Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon have a joint tenure track faculty opening for an excep- tional candidate in the area of health informatics who has both technical and policy inter- The School of Electrical and Computer ests and skills. We seek a candidate who will build a program of collaborative resaearch Engineering at Georgia Tech has openings that applies information and communication technolgy to improve dramatically the efficacy for tenure track positions at all faculty and efficency of healthcare delivery. ranks. Applicants should have an earned Ph.D. or equivalent. Demonstrated potential The College of Engineering and the ECE and EPP Departments are ranked among the top for teaching and research is required. ten programs in the U.S. both at the undergraduate and graduate level. Our faculties have Related industry experience is desirable. strong ties with many multidisciplinary centers and institutes such as the Carnegie Mellon CyLab (including its Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory), Institute for Complex Engi- Candidates are sought in the following neered Systems, Software Engineering Institute, Human Computer Interaction Institute, areas: analog, digital, and mixed signal and Information Networking Institute. The departments are also home to several multidis- circuit and system design and simulation; ciplinary centers and laboratories such as the Data Storage Systems Center, Carnegie applications of nanotechnology and Mellon Electricity Industry Center, Center for Silicon System Implementation, the Parallel biotechnology to functional photonic Data Laboratory, and the Computer Architecture Lab at Carnegie Mellon. and electronic devices and systems; bioinformatics and biomedical applications, A moderate teaching load allows time for quality research and close involvement with communication systems, terrestrial students and other faculty. We expect candidates for a tenure track position to have a sensing and applied electromagnetics; strong commitment both to research and to teaching. The departments are primarily seek- systems & controls; robotics; and image & ing individuals for a position at the Assistant Professor rank; however, with appropriate video processing. qualifications, appointments may be made at a higher rank. Applications should include a comprehensive resume, a list of 3 to 5 professional references, a statement of research Interested candidates should send a and teaching interests (less than 2 pages), and copies of 2 research papers (journal or resume with letter of interest as a PDF fi le conference papers). The applicant is responsible for soliciting the reference letters to be via email to: sent to the address below. Send applications to: Douglas B. Williams, Interim Chair T. E. (Ed) Schlesinger [email protected] Professor and Head Carnegie Mellon is building a culturally diverse Electrical and Computer Engineerig faculty and encourages applications from female Georgia Tech is an equal opportunity, Carnegie Mellon University and minority candidates. Carnegie Mellon is an affi rmative action employer. Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 Equal Opportunity Emplloyer.

Energy Conversion Faculty Position members and 35 staff. The research activities Professor and Chair and educational programs include communica- tions and signal processing, computer engineer- Applications are invited for a tenure-track Department of Electrical faculty position in the Department of Electrical ing, controls, electrophysics, and microelec- Engineering, Penn State, University Park tronics. With more than 800 undergraduate Campus. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in and Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering or a related discipline, the students, 700 graduate students and annual ability to establish and maintain an externally research expenditures of more than $37 mil- funded research program, and the ability and desire to teach at both the undergraduate University of Maryland, lion, the department is a central education and and graduate levels. Areas of interest include research unit at the University of Maryland. At demonstrated expertise in modeling, analysis, College Park the undergraduate level, the department offers design, fabrication and integration of energy conversion systems. In particular, applications are degree programs in Computer Engineering (in sought from individuals with expertise in energy collaboration with the department of Computer harvesting, electric drives and grid interfaces for Applications and nominations are invited for Science) and Electrical Engineering. renewable energy sources and storage systems. the position of Professor and Chairperson of Application materials should include a cover the Department of Electrical and Computer For best consideration, applications should be letter, resume and teaching and research plans. Engineering. Responsibilities include leadership submitted to: https://jobs.umd.edu (Position Names, physical and email addresses, and phone numbers for at least three references should of a research-active academic department, number 105708) by January 17, 2012. Applica- also be included. Email submission is preferred program development with industrial partners, tions should include a cover letter, a complete and should be sent to ee-faculty-search@engr. psu.edu. Regular mail submissions should and stewardship of strong academic programs. curriculum vitae (resume), and list of names be sent to Electrical Engineering Faculty Applicants should have an earned doctorate including contact information for fi ve references. Search Committee, Penn State, 121 Electrical in electrical engineering, computer engineer- Engineering East, University Park, PA 16802, The University of Maryland, College Park, ing, or a closely related fi eld; strong leadership USA. Applications received by January 16, actively subscribes to a policy of equal employ- 2012 will receive full consideration; additional ability with proven interpersonal skills; a proven applications will be considered until the position ment opportunity, and will not discriminate research record with evidence of international is fi lled. against any employee or applicant because of recognition, and a commitment to engineer- race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical Penn State is committed to affi rmative action, equal ing education. Applications from women and opportunity and the diversity of its workforce. or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national minorities are strongly encouraged. origin, marital status, genetic information, or The Department of Electrical and Computer political affi liation. Minorities and women are Engineering has 84 regular and affi liate faculty strongly encouraged to apply.

spectrum.ieee.org December 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 71 © 2011 NAS (Media: delete copyright notice) IEEE Spectrum 2 3/16" x 4 3/4"

12a.p71.NA.inddB&W 71 11/14/11 9:08 AM The Department of Electrical Engineering and Com- puter Science at the University of California, Irvine UNIVERSITY invites applications for one tenure-track faculty po- OF CALIFORNIA, sition at the Assistant Professor Level in all areas of Computer Engineering and Computer Systems, in- IRVINE cluding but not limited to embedded systems, com- ENDOWED CHAIR IN puter networks, distributed computing, and high- MATERIALS ENGINEERING The Henry Samueli School performance computing. Applicants must have of Engineering a Ph.D. in a related area, have demonstrated an Tulane University invites applications for the Jung outstanding record of achievements in their fi eld of Chair in Materials Engineering, a chaired faculty Department of Electrical Engineering research, and have a strong commitment to teach- position in the Department of Physics and Engineer- ing at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The and Computer Science ing Physics. The successful candidate will lead and Emulex Career Development Chair is a prestigious expand the department’s research efforts in novel Emulex Career Development position that provides a fi xed annual scholarly al- lowance. The holder of the Emulex Career Develop- materials and related devices; develop an internation- Chair for Assistant Professor ment Chair will enjoy the benefi ts for three years, or ally recognized, externally funded research program; the achievement of tenure, whichever comes earlier. and collaborate with current research groups and other departments at Tulane. Applicants must possess More information about the department can be found at http://www.eng.uci.edu/dept/eecs. a doctorate in engineering, demonstrated excellence in research and teaching at the senior faculty level, The Henry Samueli School of Engineering at UC Irvine is one of the nation’s fastest growing engineering schools, and an outstanding record of research funding and attracting talented faculty and students from across the nation and abroad. Its mission is to provide outstanding scholarly publications. Application review will begin education to students through a combination of classroom learning and laboratory experience distinguishing on November 1, 2011. itself through an emphasis on cross-disciplinary research and education. Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, research Applications should include a detailed statement of research and teaching interests, a current CV, and the names plan, and contact information for fi ve references to: and addresses of three or more references. To submit your application to our on-line recruitment program, you Jung Chair Search, Dept. of Physics, Tulane Univer- will fi nd the URL link at our website at: http://www.eng.uci.edu/employment/eecs. sity, New Orleans, LA 70118. Further information can

Selection will begin December 1, 2011, and continue until the position is fi lled. More details can be found by be found at: http://tulane.edu/sse/pep/. contacting Professor Michael Green ([email protected]) Department Chair. Women and under represented minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Tulane is committed to UCI is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity and strongly providing a family friendly workplace. Inquiries may encourages applications from all qualifi ed applicants, including women and minorities. UCI is be directed to Prof. Fred Wietfeldt ([email protected]). responsive to the needs of dual career couples, is dedicated to work-life balance through an array of family-friendly policies, and is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE Award for gender equity. Tulane is an EO/AA employer.

Faculty Positions in Photon- IM FLASH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC UNITEDUNITED STATESSTATES ics Research at the National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan IM FLASH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, is seeking NAVAL ACADEMYACADEMY positions: in Chemical Engineering, Indus- The Department of Photonics at DEPARTMENT OF National Chiao Tung University, trial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, SSYSTEMSYSTEMS ENENGINEERINGGINEERING Taiwan (DoP, NCTU, Taiwan) invites Electronics Engineering, Precision Engineer- application for faculty positions at all the Assistant, Asso- ing, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical The United States Naval Academy invites applica- ciate, and Full Professor ranks. Positions are available to Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, tions for full-time, tenure-track faculty positions enhance the research framework of the department. The Materials Engineering, Computer Science, at the Assistant Professor level supporting the specifi c research areas include (but not restricted to): Computer Software Engineering, Architec- Systems Engineering major. We seek candidates • Theoretical/Computational Photonics who can contribute to a broad fi eld of study, which • Sensing and Optical Metrology at the Nanometer Scales tural Engineering, at their semiconductor includes robotics, dynamics and control, and em- • Functional Optical Metamaterials and Devices fabrication facility in Lehi, Utah bedded systems. Additional expertise in areas of • Lasers and Sub Cellular Single Molecular Biophysics bioengineering, human machine interface, engineer- • Green Photonics Please submit your resume on the web at: http://www.imftech.com/careers/search.html ing management, and military technology is highly The successful applicants will be expected to develop desirable. The Systems Engineering major empha- research programs and to contribute to undergraduate/ (EOE) sizes applied autonomous systems in a laboratory graduate teaching. intensive, ABET accredited curriculum. The Naval To apply: Academy is an undergraduate institution dedicated Interested applicants should send a single document Assistant Professor to teaching excellence. Class sizes are small and PDF containing curriculum vitae, statement of research Computer Engineering laboratories are generously equipped. In addition interests and goal, a full list of publications, teaching plan The Department of Electrical & Computer Engineer- to teaching, the successful candidate is expected to including at least 5 courses listed in the DoP website, and ing at the State University of New York at New Paltz publish scholarly work and advise student design the names and contact information of three references to: seeks a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor projects. An earned doctorate in engineering or a Prof . Gou-Chung Chi of computer engineering, to begin Fall 2012. related fi eld is required. Chair, Faculty Search Committee, Department of Ph.D. in Computer Engineering or a related fi eld re- Filling the position is contingent on availability of Photonics quired. Applicants with industrial or academic back- funding. The Naval Academy is an equal opportunity, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan 30010 ground in art to support a possible interdisciplinary affi rmative action employer, and provides reason- Tel: 886-3-5721126 Fax: (+886)-3-5735601 program initiative will be considered favorably. able accommodation to qualifi ed applicants with E-mail: [email protected] disabilities. Women and minority candidates are Website: http://www.ieo.nctu.edu.tw Applications accepted until position is fi lled; how- strongly encouraged to apply. Please also arrange to have at least three letters of ever, priority will be given to applications received by December 31, 2011. Send a cover letter and resume to: Search Committee, recommendation sent directly. c/o George A. Piper, Systems Engineering Depart- Deadline of submission: February 28, 2012. For position details and application procedures, ment, 105 Maryland Ave., Annapolis, MD 21402-5025. Earlier submission is encouraged and will be actively please see http://www.newpaltz.edu/hr/ http://www.usna.edu/WSE/ reviewed until the positions are fi lled. displayjobs.cfm?type=Faculty.

72 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12a.p72.NA.indd 72 11/15/11 4:30 PM University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at Ohio University The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering invites applications for faculty positions at (OU) is seeking a Director for its Avionics all levels and in all areas of electrical and computer engineering, particularly in the areas of control and com- Engineering Center (AEC). The AEC is a renowned leader in the research, development, munications, circuits, energy and power systems, nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, and computing. Applica- and fi eld engineering of electronic navigation, tions are encouraged from candidates whose research programs are in traditional as well as nontraditional and communication, and surveillance systems in the interdisciplinary areas of electrical and computer engineering. The department is engaged in exciting new National Airspace System (NAS). and expanding programs for research, education, and professional development, with strong ties to industry. The AEC — established in 1963 and the largest Applicants for positions at the assistant professor level must have an earned Ph.D. or equivalent degree, center at Ohio University — has a staff of 23 full- time technical and administrative personnel and excellent academic credentials, and an outstanding ability to teach effectively at both the graduate and under- 22 student interns. Associated faculty from EECS graduate levels. Successful candidates will be expected to initiate and carry out independent research and to also conduct research through the center. Staff perform academic duties associated with our B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. programs. Senior level appointments with and students are funded by grants and contracts tenure are available for persons of international stature. from state and local governments, federal sponsors such as FAA, NASA, DOD, and industrial fi rms. AEC Faculty in the department carry out research in a broad spectrum of areas and are supported by world-class research facilities include extensive laboratories, facilities and programs for international work, including the Coordinated Science Laboratory, the Information 14,500 square-feet of offi ce space, labs, and aircraft storage at the Ohio University airport, and several Trust Institute, the Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and single and multi-engine aircraft. The Ohio University Technology, and several industrial centers. The department has one of the leading programs in the United airport has a hard surfaced 5,600 foot runway States, granting approximately 350 B.S. degrees, 100 M.S. degrees, and 60 Ph.D. degrees annually. with commissioned ILS, GPS and NDB approach procedures, as well as experimental LAAS DGPS, In order to ensure full consideration by the Search Committee, applications must be received by December and MLS/DME ground facilities available to support 15, 2011. Salary will be commensurate with qualifi cations. Preferred starting date is August 16, 2012, but is research activities. See http://www.ohio.edu/ negotiable. Applications can be submitted by going to http://jobs.illinois.edu and uploading a cover letter, avionics/index.cfm for more details on the AEC. CV, research statement, and teaching statement, along with names of three references. For inquiry, please call Position will remain open until fi lled; for 217-333-2301 or email [email protected]. full consideration, apply by December 1st, 2011. For complete details, see http://www. Illinois is an Affi rmative Action /Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, ohiouniversityjobs.com/postings/1409. and ideas who embrace and value diversity and inclusivity (www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu).

Assistant Professor, A moderate teaching load allows time for quality research and close involvement with students and other faculty. Computer Engineering We expect candidates for a tenure track position to have The Department of Electrical and a strong commitment both to research and to teaching at Computer Engineering, in The the undergraduate and graduate levels while candidates Volgenau School of Engineering for research track faculty positions would focus primarily The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering on research. The department is primarily seeking individu- at George Mason University (http://ece.gmu.edu) at Carnegie Mellon has faculty (both research and tenure als for faculty positions at the Assistant Professor rank; has an open tenure-track position in computer track) openings. Exceptional candidates in all areas of however, under unusual circumstances and commensu- engineering at the rank of assistant professor. Electrical and Computer Engineering will be given serious rate with the qualifi cations of the individuals, appoint- Applicants must have an earned Ph.D., or be very consideration, but especially those in applied physics, ments may be made at the rank of Associate Professor near to completing such a degree, in an area nanotechnology, signal and image processing, controls or Professor. Applicants must have earned a doctorate in appropriate to the position. They should have and energy systems. a related area by the date of appointment. Applications evidence of strong research and teaching ability in should include a comprehensive resume, a list of three to one or more areas such as: computer architec- The College of Engineering and the Department of Electri- fi ve professional references, a statement of research and cal and Computer Engineering are both ranked among the tures, embedded systems, embedded micropro- teaching interests (less than 2 pages each), and copies of top programs in the United States both at the undergradu- cessors, low-power systems, reconfi gurable two research papers (journal or conference papers). The ate and graduate level. The faculty has strong ties with computing systems, hardware/software applicant is responsible for soliciting the reference letters many multidisciplinary centers and institutes such as the co-design, VLSI CAD tools and methodologies, to be sent directly to the address below. All application Institute for Complex Engineered Systems (graduated NSF and digital system design with hardware materials including letters of reference may be sent ERC), Software Engineering Institute, Human Computer description languages. electronically to [email protected] or to: Interaction Institute, The Robotics Institute, and the Successful candidates are expected to maintain Information Networking Institute. The department is home T.E. (Ed) Schlesinger an active research program and to teach courses to several multidisciplinary centers and laboratories such Department Head and at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. as the Data Storage Systems Center (Graduated NSF ERC), Schramm Professor Interested individuals should fi ll out the ap- Center for Silicon System Implementation, Microelectro- Electrical and Computer Engineering plication form, submit a CV, a letter of intent mechanical Systems Laboratory, SRC Smart Grid Research Hamerschlag Hall (including statements of research and teaching Center, the Parallel Data Laboratory, and the Computer Carnegie Mellon University interests and accomplishments), and names and Architecture Lab at Carnegie Mellon. Faculty members in Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 contacts of three references via e-Work at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Evaluation of applications will begin immediately and http://jobs.gmu.edu. Please enter position num- also have ties and collaborations with colleagues around continue throughout the academic year until available ber F9541Z. Questions about the position should the world through a number of formal research and positions are fi lled. Candidates are encouraged to apply be directed to: Professor Andre Manitius, Chair, educational programs. The department has extensive ex- early. Carnegie Mellon is building a culturally diverse Electrical and Computer Engineering Department perimental and computing infrastructure. The department faculty and encourages applications from female and at: [email protected]. currently maintains state of the art nanofabrication facilities and will be signifi cantly expanding these in both capability minority candidates. Carnegie Mellon is an Equal Op- George Mason University is an equal opportunity portunity Employer. employer encouraging diversity. and scale within the next few years.

spectrum.ieee.org December 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 73

12a.p73.NA.indd 73 11/14/11 9:09 AM algorithms and architectures. IDA/CCS research staff Positions at members have always been at the forefront of comput- ing, as evidenced by lasting, visible contributions to the Institute for areas as varied as multi-threaded architectures (e.g., Horizon), novel computing systems (e.g., FPGA-based According to CHE University Ranking 2010, the Technische Universität Dresden is ranked number one in electrical engineering in Germany. Defense Analyses Splash and Splash-2, Processing-In-Memory chips), Located along the picturesque Elbe River, Dresden is a very attractive design and implementation of operating systems (e.g., city with impressive baroque centre. Dresden is the largest microelec- tronic centre in Europe. Starting from February 2012, the Faculty Center for the Linux kernel), and programming language design of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Institute of Principles and implementation for high-performance computing of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Chair of Circuit Design and Network Theory, a position for up to 3,5 years (the period of Computing systems (e.g., Universal Parallel C and Cinquecento). employment is governed by the Fixed Term Research Contracts Act (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz - WissZeitVG)) as Sciences IDA/CCS research staff work on complex topics often Member of academic staff, engaging multidisciplinary teams; candidates should PhD student or Postdoc (E 13 TV-L) The Institute for Defense Analyses Center for demonstrate depth in a particular field as well as a in circuit design Computing Sciences (IDA/CCS) is looking for broad understanding of computational issues and in organic, flexible, roll-to-roll-printed & plastic-based technology. Because the problems of interest are semiconductor technologies outstanding researchers to address difficult comput- The position is in the frame of the FLEXIBILITY project funded by the ing problems vital to the nation’s security. IDA/CCS is continually evolving, IDA/CCS recruitment focuses on EU. The first wireless communication receiver fully integrated in a self-motivation, strength of background, and talent, piece of plastic foil will be developed. Further info see: http://www. an independent, applied research center sponsored by verw.tu-dresden.de/StellAus/einzelstelle.asp?id=1798&lang=en the National Security Agency (NSA). Emphasis areas rather than specific expertise. for IDA/CCS technical staff include high-performance Located in a modern research park in the Maryland computing, cryptography, and network security. Mem- suburbs of Washington, DC, IDA/CCS offers a com- bers of the technical staff come from a diverse variety petitive salary, an excellent benefits package, and a of backgrounds, including computer science, com- superior professional working environment. puter architecture, computer/electrical engineering, information processing, and the mathematical scienc- U.S. citizenship and a Department of Defense TSSI es; most have Ph.D.s. Special attention is paid to the clearance (with polygraph) are required. IDA/CCS will design, prototyping, evaluation, and effective use of sponsor this clearance for those selected. The Institute new computational algorithms, tools, paradigms, and for Defense Analyses is proud to be an equal opportu- Take advantage of hardware directly relevant to the NSA mission. Stable nity employer. your member benefits. funding provides for a vibrant research environment, Please send responses or inquiries to: and an atmosphere of intellectual inquiry free of ad- Dawn Porter The IEEE Job Site can help ministrative burdens. Administrative Manager you find your next ideal job. The center is equipped with a very large variety of IDA Center for Computing Sciences www.ieee.org/jobs hardware and software. The latest developments in 17100 Science Drive high-end computing are heavily used and projects Bowie, MD 20715-4300 routinely challenge the capability of the most advanced [email protected] ®

Software Engineering Faculty

THE MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING invites applications for a full- time faculty position in our Software Engineering program beginning in the fall of 2012. Rank will depend on qualifi cations and experience of the candi- date. Applicants must have an earned doctorate degree in software engineer- ing, computer engineering, computer science or closely related fi eld, as well as relevant experience in software engineering practice. The successful candidate must be able to contribute in several areas of soft- ware engineering process and practice while providing leadership in one of the following: software architecture and design, software requirements, or real-time systems. MSOE expects and rewards a strong primary commitment to excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level. Continued professional development is also expected. Our ABET-accredited undergraduate software engineering program had its fi rst graduates in spring 2002. Founded in 1903, MSOE is a private, appli- cation-oriented university with programs in engineering, business, and nurs- ing. MSOE’s 15+ acre campus is located in downtown Milwaukee, in close proximity to the Theatre District and Lake Michigan. Please visit our website at www.msoe.edu. Submit all application material via email in pdf format to [email protected]. Applicants should include a letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching interests, and names (with email and physical addresses) of at least three references. MSOE is an Equal Opportunity/Affi rmative Action Employer

74 NA • iEEE Spectrum • December 2011 spectrum.ieee.org

12a.p74.NA.indd 74 11/14/11 10:46 AM North Dakota The University of Texas at Dallas is situated in Richardson, Texas, one of the most attractive State University: suburbs of the Dallas metropolitan area with DEPARTMENT OF several hundred high-tech companies within a few Electrical and Computer MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING miles of the campus, including Texas Instruments, Engineering Department Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Samsung, Zyvex, ERIK JONSSON SCHOOL and Triquint. Opportunities for joint university- invites applications for of ENGINERING industry research projects are excellent. tenure-track positions and COMPUTER SCIENCE Qualifi ed candidates must have a strong commitment starting Fall 2012. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS to undergraduate and graduate education, and the potential to develop an externally funded research Details at: http://www. Faculty Positions program. Candidates for positions at the Associate ndsu.edu/ece/ in Materials Science Professor or Full Professor level must have a strong and Engineering record of scholarly and professional achievements. employment.htm. Candidates belonging to underrepresented The department of Materials Science and Engineering groups are particularly encouraged to apply. NDSU is an EO/AA employer. in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Texas at Applications should be uploaded electronically to Dallas is seeking outstanding candidates at both State University of http://provost.utdallas.edu/facultyjobs/welcome/ the junior and senior levels with interests and New York at Binghamton, jobdetail/pch111031 Department of Electrical expertise principally in the following area: and should include 1) a CV, 2) a detailed research vision and goals statement, 3) a one-page and Computer Engineering Device Fabrication and Characterization, teaching philosophy statement, 4) at least three invites applications for a tenure-track faculty including III-V and graphene device references with contact information, and 5) a cover position at the assistant professor level, with an processing, electrical characterization of letter describing the interest in this position. expected start date of September 2012. Highest devices, and modeling of device behavior. priority will be given to electrical or computer en- For more information, send e-mail to Dr. Robert M. Located in the new Natural Science and Engineering gineering applicants with interest and background Wallace, Search Chair, [email protected]. Research Laboratory at UT Dallas in a life-sciences-oriented area (including but not The search committee will begin evaluating (http://www.utdallas.edu/nserl ), with limited to: medical imaging, design of circuits/ applications as soon as possible and will new state-of-the-art facilities for synthesis, systems for biomedical applications, signal continue until the position is fi lled. nanofabrication and interface characterization, processing for biological problems, telemedicine, the MSE department is composed of highly etc.). To view department details visit http://www. The University of Texas at Dallas is an Equal ece.binghamton.edu. Go to http://binghamton. interactive, diverse faculty members carrying Opportunity Affi rmative Action employer interviewexchange.com to view qualifi cations and out nanoelectronics research programs in and strongly encourages applications from application details. Binghamton University is an collaboration with Physics, Chemistry, Electrical candidates who would enhance the diversity of equal opportunity/affi rmative action employer. Engineering and many external collaborators. the University’s faculty and administration.

University of Miami The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Electrical and Computer University of Utah, Salt Lake City, seeks Engineering Department at the applications to fi ll one or more tenure-track University of Miami, Coral Gables, positions at all levels. We are particularly Florida invites applications for a interested in candidates working in research areas that require expertise in analog and tenure-Track Faculty position with a mixed-signal circuits and RF/microwave start date of August 15, 2012. The electromagnetics. Exceptional applicants search spans all areas of Electrical in other ECE areas will also be considered. and Computer Engineering. Information on department research activities and curricula may be found on the web at For more details please visit www.ece.utah.edu. Faculty responsibilities include developing and maintaining an internationally recognized research program, effective classroom http://www.ece.miami.edu/ teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and professional service. people/opening.html Salt Lake City is surrounded by the beautiful Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains and located within a short driving distance from world-class ski resorts and world-renowned national parks (http://www.ece.utah.edu/slc_ut). The city is also a technological hub that is home to a large number of start-up companies. In 2010, faculty at the University of Utah founded or co-founded more companies than any other school in the US. Fueled in part by strong support from the State of Utah through the USTAR Initiative (http://www.ustar.utah.edu/), the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has experienced signifi cant growth in recent years and currently has 27 tenured and tenure-track faculty, ~$10M in annual research expenditures and ~80 doctoral stu- dents. An important component of the department’s strategic plan is to continue this growth in coming years. Villanova University Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. Tenure-track assistant or Applicants should apply online at http:utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/9550. Résumés with names and associate professor position in computer networking, contact information for at least three references, a statement of research, and a teaching statement should be computer security, or computer architecture. Required: included with the on-line application. Applications will be reviewed starting November 1, 2011, and will be ac- PhD in computer engineering. Villanova is a Catholic cepted until the positions are fi lled. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. by the time of appointment. University sponsored by the Augustinian order. An AA/ EEO employer, Villanova seeks a diverse faculty commit- The University of Utah is an Equal Opportunity/Affi rmative Action employer and educator. Minorities, women, ted to scholarship, service, and especially teaching, who and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Veterans preference. Reasonable accommoda- understand, respect and can contribute to the University’s tions provided. For additional information: http://www.regulations.utah.edu/humanResources/ 5-106.html. mission and values. Review of applications begins Dec. 1, The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students from diverse 2011 and continues until the position is filled. All applica- backgrounds and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education for historically under- tions must be submitted online at the following website: represented students. http://jobs.villanova.edu

spectrum.ieee.org December 2011 • IEEE Spectrum • NA 75

12a.p75.NA.indd 75 11/16/11 10:08 AM the data

Tech Is Invented Globally but Adopted One Country at a Time

VEN IN ANCIENT GREECE it was Rand chose a total of 29 countries lagging” countries, most from Africa a truism that “Nothing endures representing various geographical and the Middle East, will be able Ebut change,” but according to the regions, levels of social and economic to acquire only the five simplest experts at Rand Corp., the future impact development, and science and applications, and the four most of new inventions and innovations will technology capacity. A country’s sophisticated technologies might vary widely, depending on where you look technical capacity determines its prove too complicated for even the on the globe. ability to acquire a technology, either “proficient” countries. A new analysis of a 2006 Rand report through its domestic R&D e˜ orts, Five years later, the report’s lead titled The Global Technology Revolution international R&D collaboration, or author, Richard Silberglitt, says three 2020, In-Depth Analyses reveals that technology transfer, or simply by tech applications are moving along only a handful of countries will be able buying commercial systems from other more speedily than anticipated: rapid to surpass the limitations found in the countries. Of course, simply acquiring bioassays, pervasive sensors, and original report. a technology does not mean a country ubiquitous information access. What’s The 2006 study identifi ed 16 revolu- will be able to put it to use. That changing even more drastically, he tionary technologies that would be depends on factors such as fi nancial says, is the prowess of some of the widely available in a decade. However, resources, policies, social values, and “scientifi cally developing” countries. “not all countries will necessarily be able demand for the technology. Brazil, Chile, South Africa, and Turkey “are to acquire [a technology]—much less put Only seven of the countries will really developing fast,” he says. “They’re it widely to use—within that time frame,” have the capability to assimilate all not China and India yet but are emerging.” the study’s executive summary stated. 16 technologies. Eleven “scientifically —Prachi Patel

Technologies Australia Advanced Canada Brazil Profi cient Germany Chile Israel China Indonesia Developing but advancing Japan India Mexico rapidly into profi ciency South Korea Poland South Africa Developing United States Russia Turkey Colombia

CHEAP SOLAR ENERGY

RURAL WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS

RAPID BIOASSAYS

FILTERS AND CATALYSTS

CHEAP AUTONOMOUS HOUSING

GREEN MANUFACTURING

HYBRID VEHICLES

QUANTUM CRYPTOGRAPHY

UBIQUITOUS RFID TAGGING

IMPROVED DIAGNOSTIC AND SURGICAL METHODS

TARGETED DRUG DELIVERY

TISSUE ENGINEERING

UBIQUITOUS INFORMATION ACCESS

WEARABLE COMPUTERS

PERVASIVE SENSORS

SOURCES: THE GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION 2020 (RAND CORP. 2006); RICHARD SILBERGLITT

76 NA • IEEE SPECTRUM • DECEMBER 2011 SPECTRUM.IEEE.ORG

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