CIP Technologies in Britain has released what is believed to be the first commercial reflective electro-absorption modulator.

Australian defence personnel may be able to generate enough electricity to power their gear via new solar technology embedded in their uniforms and equipment, now that ANU researchers have won a major defence contract.

The National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with BICSI South Pacific Region at the recent BICSI South Pacific 2008 conference in Melbourne.

Sigma-Aldrich has signed an agreement with Plextronics to distribute its organic semiconductors and conductive inks.

Advantech has received the Taiwan Excellence award for its intelligent audio and video controller, the UbiQ-350.

IMEC reports an improved performance for its planar CMOS using hafnium-based high-k dielectrics and tantalum-based metal gates for the 32 nm CMOS node.

NanoMarkets has released the first of four report modules from the firm's printed electronics materials database. The first report provides near-term outlook for the printed electronics materials business and concludes that printed electronics is evolving rapidly towards real commercial products and will need materials that perform well and are available in commercial quantities over the next year or so.

Richardson Electronics has signed a global distribution agreement with HVVi Semiconductors of Phoenix, AZ, to distribute its RF power transistors, based on HVVi’s HVVFET architecture.

A team of researchers has developed what it claims is one of the tiniest optical switches ever made — about one tenth of the size of a human hair.

Soanar has signed a distribution agreement with MeshNetics, a provider of ZigBee modules and embedded software for OEMs and system integrators.

CAP-XX has signed a contract with Murata to jointly develop and supply supercapacitors for mobile handsets and other power-hungry, space-constrained portable applications.

Erni has upgraded its hard metric universal power module connectors to include 5-, 6- and 7-pin versions that augment the existing 3-pin power modules and match their current carrying capacity of 18 A per contact (at 20°C).

The flame-retardant performance of cables was a major topic of discussion at the 8th AMI International Conference in Cologne, Germany.

Researchers at the University of Manchester in England have produced tiny liquid crystal devices with electrodes made from graphene — a development that could lead to computer and TV displays based on this technology.

According to a technical market research report, 'Microsensors: MEMs, Biosensors and Nanosensors (IAS027A)' from BCC Research, the market for microsensors is expected to be worth US$3.2 billion in 2008. This will increase to over US$8.4 billion by the end of 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 21.3%.