The Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium (EEMBC) announces plans to develop an industry-standard method to evaluate the energy efficiency of ultralow-power microcontrollers. The benchmark will give designers a much-needed way to test, validate and compare the real-world energy consumption of MCUs used in products with extended battery life. [ + ]

One market research company is expecting the BioMEMS sector to grow from $1.9 billion in 2012 to $6.6 billion in 2018 - offering good times for canny electronics developers. [ + ]

Renesas Electronics Corporation, a supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, and J-Devices Corporation have announced that they signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the transfer of the semiconductor back-end production business of three facilities. [ + ]

Navman Wireless, a provider of fleet and asset management technology used to optimise business and government fleets as well as heavy equipment operations, has announced its acquisition by Danaher Corporation. [ + ]

ams and Mouser Electronics have announced a new distribution partnership. [ + ]

RS Components, a leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products, has signed an EMEA and APAC-wide distribution agreement with Samtec, an industry-leading manufacturer of connectors and associated products. [ + ]

Industry representatives are to be placed at the heart of scientific innovation - or more specifically, where it all begins - in the laboratory, thanks to an eight-week fellowship program at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES). [ + ]

Australian governments have decided to pursue a voluntary code of practice for businesses that manage, handle or use products containing 11 chemicals identified as having the potential to be used to make homemade explosives. [ + ]

Tektronix has released three oscilloscope applications for use on Android smartphones. [ + ]

Australian scientists have unveiled a new theory which explains the mysterious phenomenon known as ball lightning. [ + ]

A high-voltage vacuum power switch for smart power grids has been developed by a group of Japanese researchers. In the future, this technology may contribute to a new energy strategy through offshore wind energy, efficient power transmission and more. [ + ]

element14 has announced the expansion of its circular connectors offering to over 160,000 for military, commercial and industrial applications. The range for Asia-Pacific comes from manufacturers like Amphenol, ITT Cannon, Cinch, Souriau and TE’s Deutsch brand of products. [ + ]

The University of South Australia’s Thin Film Coatings Group has entered into a strategic alliance with Swedish research and development company Arubedo AB to bring new electronic products to market. [ + ]

Premier Farnell has released guidelines for electronics companies to help them understand the new obligations of RoHS legislation, which comes into force on 2 January 2013. [ + ]

Researchers at RMIT University have created ‘liquid metal marbles’ - droplets of liquid metal coated in nanoparticles - in what is claimed to be a world-first breakthrough that advances research into soft electronics and industrial sensing technologies. [ + ]