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February 2015, Vol. 54, No. 2
C O NT E NT S
February 2015
I N S T R U M E N TAT I O N
Written by Engineers
...for Engineers
SPECIAL REPORT
Modular Instruments
8
Confident control, near or far
by Tom Lecklider, Senior Technical Editor
C O M M U N I C AT I O N S T E S T
SPECIAL REPORT
5G Test
12
Test to play key role in 5G rollout
by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor
2
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SPECIAL REPORTS
5G TEST
EMC TEST
Test to play key role in 5G rollout
Medical Test
The importance of what
you don’t know
Executive Insight
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of professional education
Electromagnetic Compatibility
18
Confident control, near or far
Components help contend with
EMI, RFI
by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor
www.evaluationengineering.com
On our cover
Designed by NP Communications
MEDICAL TEST
Electronic Health Records
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Editorial
EE Industry Update
EE Product Picks
Index of Advertisers
The importance of what you
don’t know
by Tom Lecklider, Senior Technical Editor
SOFTWARE
Executive Insight
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MIT celebrates 65 years of
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by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor
Written by Engineers
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EDITORIAL
Doing something about
the solar weather
4
n the morning of Thursday, Sept. 1, 1859, the English astronomer Richard
Carrington was engaged in his usual sunny-day activity—studying a projection
of the sun’s surface on a screen and recording his observations by drawing the patterns
he observed. At 11:18 a.m., he observed two beads of bright white light appearing
above a group of sunspots. The lights faded within five minutes.
Hours later, intense auroras surrounded the Earth. The Baltimore American and
Commercial Advertiser reported Sept. 3 on what observers out late Thursday evening
had witnessed: “The light appeared to cover the whole firmament, apparently like a
luminous cloud, through which the stars of the larger magnitude indistinctly shone….
Between 12 and 1 o’clock [early Friday morning], when the display was at its full
brilliancy, the quiet streets of the city resting under this strange light presented a
beautiful as well as singular appearance.”
The brilliant, strange, beautiful, and singular illumination resulted from the whitelight solar flare Carrington had observed. In addition to providing what the Baltimore
paper called a “magnificent display of the auroral lights,” the flare disrupted the key
high-tech communication system of the day—the telegraph—delivering shocks to
operators and setting telegraph paper on fire.
Today’s infrastructure is much more vulnerable. Doug Whiteley, a deputy director at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said at a
press conference in December that a large solar storm occurring today would have
the potential to cause $1 trillion to $2 trillion in damages with a four- to 10-year
recovery period.
But NOAA isn’t just talking about the solar weather—it’s doing something about
it. If all goes according to plan, by the time this issue rolls off the presses, NOAA’s
Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) spacecraft will be heading toward the
sun, destined to take up its position in an L1 orbit 1 million miles from Earth 110
days after launch. There, it will take over the monitoring duties of NASA’s 17-year
old Advanced Composition Explorer research satellite.
Douglas Biesecker, DSCOVR program scientist at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, said that starting in the fall, DSCOVR will begin serving the 44,000
individuals and organizations registered to receive timely, relevant, and actionable
solar-activity information via email.
Whiteley described the readying of DSCOVR as “quite a journey.” The satellite
was built over a decade ago for a project named Triana that was subsequently canceled, and it had been stored at NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt,
MD. It has taken a joint effort of NOAA, NASA, and the U.S. Air Force to manage
the project, refurbish the satellite, and ready DSCOVR for launch aboard a SpaceX
Falcon 9 v 1.1 launch vehicle.
In addition to carrying a plasma magnetometer for measuring solar-wind activity,
the satellite will carry two Earth-observing instruments. Richard Eckman, NASA
DSCOVR program scientist, said the instruments, constantly facing the solar-illuminated side of the Earth from L1, will provide a novel perspective, tracking volcanic
plumes and permitting the study of ozone distribution while giving better estimates
of aerosol properties and varying vegetation patterns due to drought, rain, and fire.
The multi-agency effort on the $340 million project illustrates the benefits of
cooperation—in which NOAA funding of the spacecraft boosts its solar weather
forecasting capability while NASA funding of the Earth-observation instruments
will facilitate the processing and distribution of Earth science data.
The program promises to be a success for all involved—including the private
SpaceX.
Rick Nelson
Executive Editor
Visit my blog: www.evaluationengineering.com/ricks-blog/
4 • EE • February 2015
EE201502-Editorial MECH dB.indd 4
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EE INDUSTRY UPDATE
For more on these and other news items, visit http://www.evaluationengineering.com/category/industry-update/
Averna completes DOCSIS 3.1
interoperability test
Murata completes acquisition
of Peregrine Semiconductor
Averna announced it has successfully participated in the first
interoperability test of DOCSIS 3.1 products organized by
CableLabs. In combination with other vendors’ DOCSIS 3.1
equipment, Averna’s DP-1000 DOCSIS protocol analyzer successfully performed OFDM downstream capture at the event.
This DOCSIS 3.1 interoperability event included providers
of early implementations of cable modems, CCAPs, and test
and measurement equipment. The goals of the event were to
test product interoperability and successfully demonstrate both
higher efficiency and wider channels, which combine to make
multi-Gb/s speeds possible.
Murata Electronics North America, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Murata Manufacturing Co., and Peregrine Semiconductor
have announced that Murata has acquired all outstanding shares
of Peregrine. The cash transaction paid the holders of Peregrine
common shares $12.50 per share.
Peregrine will continue to market its high-performance,
integrated RF solutions under the Peregrine brand as a wholly
owned subsidiary of Murata Electronics North America. Peregrine solutions leverage the UltraCMOS technology platform,
a patented, advanced form of silicon-on-insulator.
OCEASOFT harnesses SIGFOX
IoT network in Cobalt S3
OCEASOFT, a provider of sensor-based solutions for monitoring environmental parameters in the health, medical, life
science, and cold-chain/transport sectors, has announced a
partnership with Internet of Things (IoT) networking company SIGFOX along with a new line of Cobalt sensors that
can transmit data directly to cloud storage without the need
for traditional cellular or Wi-Fi service. The new Cobalt S3
line of smart wireless sensors is designed to take advantage of
SIGFOX’s global network that is dedicated to the IoT.
element14 Community selects
design challenge finalists
The element14 Community has named the 12 engineers from
around the world who will take part in its “Sudden Impact”
design competition, which is aimed at developing wearable
health solutions that can detect and even prevent sports-related
injuries. Finalists will have from now until March 20 to create
their devices and claim the top prize.
“Congratulations to all of the finalists selected to take part
in the Sudden Impact challenge,” said Dianne Kibbey, global
head of community at element14. “We are eager to see these
talented individuals bring their concepts to life and develop
solutions that are smarter and more responsive and have the
potential to prevent serious injuries and save lives.”
Thin-film hybrid oxide-organic
microprocessor realized
Holst Centre and imec plus their partner Evonik have realized
a general-purpose 8-bit microprocessor, manufactured using
complementary thin-film transistors (TFTs) processed at temperatures compatible with plastic foil substrates (250°C). The
new “hybrid” technology integrates two types of semiconductors (metal-oxide for n-type TFTs [iXsenic, Evonik] and organic
molecules for p-type TFTs) in a CMOS microprocessor circuit,
operating at unprecedented for TFT technologies speed—clock
frequency 2.1 kHz.
www.evaluationengineering.com
EE201502-IndustryUpdate MECH dB.indd 5
North American machinevision market could see record year
Total sales of machine vision components and systems increased 12% to $1.65 billion in the first nine months of 2014,
according to new statistics issued by AIA, the industry’s trade
group. This is the best nine-month start by the North American
machine-vision market since AIA began tracking quarterly
statistics in 2009.
Keysight donates software,
support, and training to Georgia Tech
Keysight Technologies has announced the largest in-kind software donation in its longstanding relationship with the Georgia
Institute of Technology.
“Georgia Tech is among the best research universities in the
world, offering the largest, most diverse electrical and computer
engineering program in the United States and regularly turning
out the largest number of engineers in America,” said Steven
W. McLaughlin, professor and the Steve W. Chaddick Chair of
Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “Maintaining that position requires the best teachers and
facilities and, increasingly, key partnerships with companies
like Keysight.”
Argonne, Convergent, and
Cummins team up on fuel injectors
In the swirling, churning fireball at the heart of every internal
combustion engine, complexity reigns supreme. Valves and
pistons lunge up and down, pressure spikes to peak levels in
an instant, and sprays of fuel spread throughout the maelstrom.
That complexity is daunting for anyone trying to understand
the interacting forces at work. But researchers at the U.S.
Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory—in
partnership with Cummins and Convergent Science—have
stepped up to the challenge by creating integrated modeling of
one element of that mechanical mayhem: the fluid dynamics
of fuel injectors in modern engines. The goal: cleaner, more
efficient engines simulated, designed, and optimized in virtual
space before production begins.
February 2015 • EE • 5
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Confident control, near or far
by Tom Lecklider, Senior Technical Editor
Test-system functionality obviously depends on the hardware modules that have been provided. Using a DMM to make
voltage measurements and a digitizer to measure and record
waveforms are two of the more common implementations.
However, the overall operation of the system is governed by
the associated software, and for modular systems, the software
runs on either an embedded or a remote controller.
Embedded
8
.
Among the reasons to choose an embedded controller are
compact size, which can facilitate portability, and special
features that may not be available in a standard PC. Keysight
Technologies’ Andrew Smail, product and solutions marketing
manager, software and modular solutions division, explained
some of the advantages of the company’s M9037A embedded
PXIe controller.
“The M9037A” he said, includes a high-performance,
extended-life CPU. The controller [directly] supports connection to multichassis and RAID storage… without using high
value instrument slots. The Intel i7 CPU’s Hyper Threading
and multicore technology provides performance required for
multithreaded applications. The CPU comes preloaded with
the operating system, drivers, and Keysight IO libraries for
reduced startup time.” He concluded, “The controller features
a removable solid-state drive (SSD) that offers faster boot time
and mechanical reliability. The SSD can be easily removed
from the front panel and secured when not in use.”
With its PCIe four- or two-link (up to x24) configuration,
the M9037A provides up to a 16-GB/s maximum bandwidth
from the CPU to the PXIe backplane switch. IO connections
on the front panel include two USB 3.0, four USB 2.0, two
10/100/1000 LAN, GPIB, two DisplayPort, and the PCIe x8
Figure 1a. Model PMX04 four-slot PXI-hybrid mainframe
8 • EE • February 2015
EE201502-SpecRep-Modular FINAL.indd 8
connection (vs. four USB 2.0, two LAN 10/100/1000, GPIB,
and DVI-I connections in the previous generation controller).
Smail commented on the execution of further applications,
in addition to RF measurements, that is significantly improved
because of the Intel Quad-Core i7-4700EQ CPU running at
2.4 GHz in combination with Windows 7 and up to 16 GB of
memory. “Measurement-intensive applications, such as power
amplifier manufacturing test, benefit from the increased data
throughput and computational speed of the latest controller.
Other applications, such as monitoring of satellite signals,
benefit from speed and multichassis improvements because
multiple satellite channels can be monitored at once and
multiple tests can be executed such as channel power monitoring and detailed modulation analysis. Support for multiple
high-resolution displays is useful as well, allowing… different
groups of measurements (for example, measurement type or
channels) [to be] displayed on different monitors.”
ADLINK Technology makes several embedded controllers
ranging from the PXI-3920 based on an Intel Pentium M 760
2.0 GHz processor to the newest PXIe-3985 with an Intel
Core i7-4700EQ Quad-Core processor. As described on the
company’s website, “…The PXIe-3985 utilizes four separate
computing engines on a single processor, enabling execution of
numerous independent tasks simultaneously in a multitasking
environment. With a configurable PCIe switch, the [controller]
can support four links x4 or two links x16 and x8 PXIe link
capability, with maximum system throughput of up to 8 GB/s.”
In addition, according to the company, the controller provides
“…two DisplayPort connectors, allowing connection to two
monitors; dual USB 3.0 connections for high-speed peripheral
devices; dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, with one for LAN connection and the other for controlling LXI instruments; four
Figure 1b. Model PMX04 view showing four internal modules
Courtesy of VTI Instruments
www.evaluationengineering.com
1/9/15 2:31 PM
RENT
USB 2.0 ports for peripheral devices and USB instrument
control; and a Micro-D GPIB connector for GPIB instrument
connection, for hybrid PXI-based testing systems control.”
Tom Sarfi, vice president product management at VTI
Instruments, described the company’s Model PMX04 fourslot PXI-hybrid mainframe with an embedded 1.7-GHz Intel
Core i7-based controller (Figure 1). He said, “There also
is an integrated touch screen that runs Windows 8.1. With
the touch screen and the capability to host turnkey software
applications like X-Modal, this product is best suited for the
portable data acquisition market.
[As an example,] “a large avionics customer recently selected the PMX04 for structural dynamics applications,” Sarfi
continued. “The company had already standardized on VTI’s
PXI Express digitizer modules for dynamic signal testing and
added the PMX04 to its facility to provide technicians the
ability to carry around a portable chassis with 48 channels
of digitizers (with turnkey software) and quickly setup and
take data in the field.”
The 16.5-inch x 2.6-inch x 11.2-inch, 15-lb unit boasts a
14-inch 1,366 x 768 pixel LCD display with tempered glass
for protection and an LED backlight and an Intel QM67 PCH
chipset to match the Core i7 CPU. The capacitive touch screen
recognizes up to five points in multitouch applications. As
well as a 10-MHz clock input, IO includes three USB 2.0, one
RJ-45 Ethernet, three eSATA, one HDMI, and a synchronous
trigger connection.
Adam Foster, product marketing manager-test and RF at
National Instruments, described the latest addition to the company’s range of more than 20 embedded PXI/PXIe controllers
based on Intel Core, Dual-Core, Quad-Core, Xeon, Celeron,
and Atom processors. The large number of individual units
results from having PXI or PXIe versions with or without
LabVIEW Real-Time for about nine base units.
Foster said, “NI’s new PXIe-8880 (Figure 2) brings the
power of Intel Xeon workstation CPUs to test engineering applications. The eight-core processing power of Intel Xeon and
PCIe Gen III technology give engineers twice the bandwidth
performance and three times the processing power, making it
a future-proof, zero-compromise investment for any test or
measurement application.”
He continued, “This embedded PXIe controller is [especially
useful] for high-performance, high-throughput, and computationally intensive test and measurement applications such
as 5G cellular research, semiconductor production test, and
RF record and playback as well as any application where test
time and time-to-market are of importance. Additionally, this
embedded controller is particularly useful when paired with
system design software that is optimized for parallel processing
such as NI LabVIEW due to the multicore nature of the CPU.
“The new PXIe-8880 is based on the Intel XeonE5 processor; features eight cores, a 2.3-GHz base frequency, and
up to 3.4 GHz single-core turbo frequency; and can sustain
24-GB/s data throughput…,” Foster concluded.
According to the NI website, “LabVIEW Real-Time applications running on PXI systems achieve millisecond loop
rates with only 3 µs to 4 µs of system jitter. These real-time
measurement and control systems capitalize on Intel processors combined with the advanced timing, triggering, and I/O
www.evaluationengineering.com
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Figure 2. NI PXIe-8880 Xeon-based controller
Courtesy of National Instruments
10
.
synchronization benefits of PXI. Furthermore, NI measurement
services software extends the timing capabilities of PXI to deliver tight integration with LabVIEW Real-Time applications
through operations such as hardware-timed software loops.”
ADLINK also provides remote controllers, the most recent
being the PCIe-PXIe-8638 (Figure 3), which has sustained
throughput of 4 GB/s in each direction, even when the PC and
PXIe chassis are separated by up to 5 meters. As described in
the EE-Evaluation Engineering newsletter on Sept. 16, 2014,
“Fully software- and driver-transparent bandwidth up to 4
GB/s is available through PCIe Gen 2 x8 link capability. With
the PCIe-PXIe-8638, processor performance is maximized for
an industrial PC, server, or workstation, delivering dependable
remote control of the PXI/PXIe system, maximum flexibility,
and reduced hybrid-test application costs.”
NI has nine products that facilitate remote control, including rack-mount 1U controllers, ExpressCard links for use with
laptop computers, and MXI-based desktop PC links. The NI
PXIe-PCIe-8381 MXI-Express for PXIe kit features a fully
transparent, high-bandwidth, cabled PCIe link for which all PXI
and PXIe modules appear as PCI boards within the computer
itself. The NI PXIe-PCIe-8381 uses an x8 cabled PCIe 2.0 link
to connect a PXIe chassis to desktop PCs. This kit includes an
NI PCIe-8381 board in the PC that is connected via a x8 Gen
2 cabled PCIe copper cable to an NI PXIe-8381 module in slot
1 of a PXIe chassis. The NI PXIe-8384 supports multichassis
expansion.
Remote
The most common remote-controller technology allows you
to link a PC to your test system, using the PC as the controller.
Although embedded controllers facilitate compact test systems,
they have a number of often-cited drawbacks, as described by
Pickering Interfaces’ David Owen, business development manager at the company. He said, “Embedded controllers provide
the most compact solution but are often not the latest generation
of processors, which tend to arrive first on desktops. Remote
controllers also are the lowest cost as they are in an intensively
competitive business. So cost, compactness, and performance
are primary factors. [You] also need to consider if there are any
issues [in] attaching to a network, [as] all PCs on a network are
of interest to the IT department and their management (virus
checking, security patches, operating system updates). The use
of a desktop PC solves [many] of these issues.”
Owen continued, “The key issue with any remote PC interface is transparency, noticeable by the fact it is not noticeable.
If it works well, the PXI chassis is merely an extension of the
desktop PC. They should not affect operation as the bus speeds
are fixed, unlike the processor architecture.” He concluded,
“Most interfaces are not data intensive. Most test systems are
controller limited rather than backplane/interface limited.”
Owen said that remote interfaces are used for a variety of
reasons. These include the use of PCI/PCIe modules in test that
may not be available in PXI, access to more external ports than
may be on an embedded controller, and cost. A desktop PC and
remote PC interface often are lower in cost than an embedded
solution.
Pickering’s Model 41-924 PCIe-to-PXI remote control interface uses a single-lane PCIe connection to provide a seamless
connection between a PC’s PCIe slot and a PXI chassis. PXI
32-bit bus speeds of 33 MHz to 66 MHz are supported. The
41-924 kit includes both the 51-924 PCIe card that is inserted
in the PC and a 41-924 PXI module that mounts in slot 1 of the
PXI chassis. A 3-meter lead connects the two devices.
10 • EE • February 2015
EE201502-SpecRep-Modular MECH dB.indd 10
Figure 3. Model PCIe-PXIe-8638 remote controller
Courtesy of ADLINK Technology
The NI PCIe/PXIe-8375 kit provides an MXI-Express x4
PXIe link that allows up to 100 meters of fiber-optic cable
between an NI, Dell, or HP desktop computer, server, or
workstation and a PXIe chassis. The PCIe-8375 card fits in
the PC, and the PXIe-8375 card goes in slot 1 of the PXIe
chassis. NI’s PCIe-8371 and PXIe-8370 modules are similar
to the 8375 but with copper cabling instead of fiber optic. The
8360 series of modules also provides MXI Express x4 links,
but to PXI rather than PXIe systems. PXI link maximum speed
is approximately 100 MB/s, increasing to about 830 MB/s for
PXIe.
VTI’s Sarfi discussed the LXI-PXIe remote interface that
the company introduced a few years ago. He said, “This is a
module that plugs into the controller slot of a PXIe chassis and
provides a remote interface between VTI’s PXIe modules and a
host controller. These interfaces allow separation of the host and
PXIe chassis that is virtually limitless. This interface is popular
in mechanical test applications where multiple PXIe mainframes
are distributed across a test article. The Ethernet interface allows
the PXIe modules to be placed close to the device being tested,
greatly reducing the length of sensor cable required.
www.evaluationengineering.com
1/9/15 1:52 PM
“The challenge with distributing mainframes is maintaining
synchronization between measurements,” he continued. “We
incorporated IEEE 1588 to ensure that the measurements in
multiple mainframes are tightly synchronized. [Because] the
PXI standard and PXI module drivers do not anticipate a remote
communications interface between the PXI chassis and the host
controller, the VTI EMX-2500 currently only supports communication to VTI PXI Express modules.”
A VTI press release details how this type of interface was
employed by Virginia Tech in its Smart Infrastructure Lab. According to the release, “Goodwin Hall is the most instrumented
building in the world with more than 240 accelerometers distributed throughout the building. The facility will be extremely
valuable in the improvement of research in fields including
structural health monitoring, building dynamics, foot-pattern
tracking, behavioral science, and smart energy usage.
“By incorporating the VTI CMX09 PXIe chassis, the EMX4250 PXIe DSA, and the EMX-2500 PXIe LXI Ethernet controller, Virginia Tech was able to create a 288-channel modular,
scalable DAQ solution distributed throughout the building on
multiple floors. VTI’s incorporation of the IEEE 1588 Precision
Time Protocol via Ethernet allowed easy synchronization with no
additional synchronization cabling required. With all channels
synchronized, dynamic events can be tracked [and] analyzed,
and phasing can be maintained for modal analysis.”1
Keysight’s M9037A controller, although embedded, also
features a remote capability. The company’s Smail commented,
“The M9037A has a remote interface that is especially useful in
applications that require both AXIe and PXIe chassis. One such
application is active array antenna calibration. In this case, a PXIe
chassis is used for down conversion and signal-conditioning
modules, and an AXIe chassis is used with multiple phasecoherent digitizers. The embedded controller interfaces to both
chassis: direct access to the PXIe chassis and remote access to
the AXIe chassis.”
Summary
When you deliver your next PXI/PXIe/AXIe test system late and
over budget, don’t blame it on lack of a suitable controller. With
embedded models based on Intel processors ranging from Atom
to Xeon, almost any level of performance is available—at a price.
Just considering NI embedded controllers, the price ratio between
the low-end Atom and high-end Xeon models is about 7:1.
For remote controller applications, you also have a choice
of performance in the PCIe-PXI/PXIe link. Here, it may make
sense to buy a high-capacity link so that if a future test-system
upgrade demands a faster PC, the link won’t suddenly become
a communications bottleneck.
.
Reference
1. “Virginia Tech Partners with VTI Instruments to advance
education and research in infrastructure monitoring,” VTI
Instruments, November, 2014.
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EE201502-SpecRep-Modular MECH dB.indd 11
1/9/15 1:52 PM
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SPECIAL REPORT - 5G TEST
Test to play key role
in 5G rollout
by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor
12
.
The next generation of cellular communications technology, 5G, is emerging to handle ever-increasing demands for
mobile data—which will be exacerbated by the proliferation
of connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Right now, 5G
is undergoing research at organizations like the 5G Innovation
Centre (5GIC) at the University of Surrey.
A detailed definition of 5G has yet to emerge, but Professor Rahim Tafazolli, director of 5GIC and the Institute of
Communication Systems, describes it as follows on the 5GIC
website: “5G will intelligently understand the demands of
users in real time, dynamically allocating network resources
depending on whether the connected device needed voice or
data connectivity.”1 As for the 5G timeline, experts predict
5G will be in place by 2020.
Meanwhile, there is work to be done. For the United States,
the FCC has issued a Notice of Inquiry regarding the use of
the spectrum above 24 GHz for 5G. According to chairman
Tom Wheeler, “This Notice of Inquiry we adopt… explores
the possibility of facilitating the use of a huge amount of
spectrum that could be used strategically to help meet the
growing demand for wireless broadband.” He added, “By
using innovative technologies that can simultaneously track
and acquire multiple signals reflecting and ricocheting off
obstacles in the physical environment, future devices might
be able to leverage much higher frequency bands, those above
24 GHz, for mobile applications.”
Michael Barrick, business development manager at Anritsu, summarized the current state of 5G research: “While
many institutions, carriers, and even infrastructure vendors
have announced 5G projects, work to define 5G standards
has not begun. Generational improvements to the 4G LTE
standards continue, with work just being completed on Rel.
12 and starting on Rel. 13. The current industry thinking
is that the ‘jump’ in technology that will signal the change
from 4G to 5G will occur around the 2020 timeframe, and 5G
concepts like ‘massive MIMO,’ millimeter-wave wideband
channels, interference management, and support for IoT will
all be included.”
The 5G vision
Roger Nichols of Keysight Technologies said, “The development
of the fifth-generation of wireless will be across a broad range
of diverse technologies. Virtually every aspect of the network,
from the core network design, to the air-interface, to the UE/
terminal architecture itself, will need to be changed to address
the vision that has been painted.” Nichols leads Keysight’s 5G
program, established in 2013 when the company was Agilent
Technologies, and he reports to Keysight’s CTO Jay Alexander.
12 • EE • February 2015
EE201502-SpecRep-5gTest MECH dB.indd 12
According to Nichols, “Wireless communication presents
three significant areas that drive the need for testing. The
first is that it represents at least one part of the communication link over a very hostile interface (the air). To maintain
communication links, devices and systems have to operate
to rather exacting tolerances, and researchers, designers, and
manufacturers have to know that their approach will work
and will meet the customer expectation.”
The second area, he said, stems from most wireless communications systems operating over a spectrum and in a
manner regulated by most governments around the world.
“The designers of these systems need to know that what they
have done or will do is consistent with the constraints placed
by these regulatory bodies,” he said.
And third, he said, a usable communications system must
comply with accepted standards. “Designers and manufacturers must be confident that their work meets those standards,”
he said.
In each of these three cases, he added, “Measurement companies like Keysight create solutions that enable engineers to
see how their designs are working, ensure they meet regulatory
standards, and are consistent with the industry standards to
ensure compatibility around the world. 5G is no exception
to this process, and given the demands of the industry, test
solutions will have to provide even greater levels of insight
in record time.”
From models to physical systems
Bob Kersey, marketing director for wireless test solutions at
Anritsu, highlighted the key role test will play in 5G. “Test and
measurement equipment is always central in moving any proposed
new standard out of MATLAB models and into physical systems,”
he said. “As standards become more complex and increasingly
push the boundaries of technologies, test equipment must follow
suit.” Consequently, a trend has been established to include testequipment manufacturers in many of the early research initiatives.
Added Anritsu’s Barrick, “There is always a need for calibrated, traceable measurement systems in the development,
manufacturing, and deployment of any new technology. At
the physical layer, 5G will likely present extreme challenges
in simulation of massive MIMO in the lab, particularly if tens
or hundreds of independent and phase-coherent transceivers
operating at millimeter-wave frequencies are needed.”
Andreas Roessler, technology manager at Rohde &
Schwarz, elaborated on the challenges. 5G research, he
said, involves frequencies in the millimeter-wave range and
bandwidths of up to 2 GHz. Definition and standardization
of a 5G physical layer will require adequate channel models,
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1/9/15 11:51 AM
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he said, adding, “As of today there are
no detailed channel models available
that cover all discussed scenarios and
applications. These models especially
are required for outdoor usage of these
frequencies.” As for the role of instrumentation, he said, “Signal generation
and analysis capabilities are required
to design channel sounders and carry
out measurements—typically, channel
impulse response and amplitude and
phase variations.”
Leveraging design and test
14
.
Charles Schroeder, director of product
marketing for RF and wireless communications at National Instruments, said
his company is applying its expertise in
both embedded system design and test and
Figure 2. SystemVue design software platform
measurement to the discovery and explo- Courtesy of Keysight Technologies
ration phase of 5G as well as its design,
development, and test. He said, “Engineers typically use RF
signers can easily deploy their algorithms to processors and
test equipment, like a spectrum analyzer, to make performance
FPGAs, jump-start LTE and 802.11 applications, and drive
measurements on communications hardware. However, one of
innovation, all in a single integrated design environment.”
the first roles of instrumentation in defining 5G is not to test
Exploring 5G
the 5G hardware itself, but to validate new communications
For its part, Keysight offers the SystemVue design software
algorithms and approaches. For example, engineers are using
platform (Figure 2), and Nichols said the company is releasspectrum analyzers to validate the new digital filter designs used
ing the 5G Exploration Library for SystemVue in early 2015.
in 5G waveform research.”
“Our 5G Exploration Library is an excellent tool for reSchroeder added, “Given that customers are doing both
searchers working on new waveforms and complex MIMO
physical measurements and algorithm validation, the ideal intechniques, among many other things,” Nichols said. “Most
strumentation platform enables engineers to validate both their
already know that millimeter-wave (electromagnetic frequenalgorithm design and hardware implementations. NI customers
cies from 30 to 300 GHz) is getting a lot of attention due to
are using LabVIEW communications design software in comthe wide bandwidths available, which could yield ultrafast
bination with low-cost software-defined radio (SDR) hardware
link speeds. We have been producing millimeter-wave test
and PXI modular instrumentation to both prototype and test 5G
and measurement solutions since the 1980s and provided
solutions. For example, some of the world’s first millimeter
the first test solutions for WiGig and 802.11ad during the
wave and massive MIMO prototypes use the NI instrumentation
development of those standards.”
platform.”
He noted that Keysight offers network analysis, signal
One example is the
generation, and signal analysis solutions for fundamental
massive MIMO test
measurements at these frequencies as well as high-speed
bed at Lund Universiarbitrary waveform generators with waveform-creation
ty, which uses NI Labsoftware that allow researchers to explore complex and very
VIEW, USRP RIO,
broadband signals. “When these are coupled with our highand PXI instruments
speed digitizers that contain flexible FPGA functionality as
(Figure 1).
well as high-performance oscilloscopes plus our vector signal
He noted that NI
analysis software,” he said, “we provide extremely powerful
has recently released
tools to give engineers the insight they need.”
the LabVIEW ComAccording to Roessler at Rohde & Schwarz, “The standmunications System
ard method to reach these frequencies in the mid and high
Design Suite, which
gigahertz range is the up-conversion principle. Therefore,
offers a design envitypically external mixers with frequency multipliers are used.”
ronment closely inteThey not only multiply frequency, he said, but also the phase
grated with NI SDR
noise. Consequently, the signal generator providing the local
hardware for rapidly
oscillator (LO) frequency input and intermediate frequency
prototyping communi(IF) input needs to have an excellent phase noise performance.
cations systems. “With
Figure 1. Massive MIMO test bed at
“Rohde & Schwarz is known for its signal-generator solutions
LabVIEW,” he said,
Lund University
Courtesy of National Instruments
that have an outstanding phase noise performance,” he said.
“communications de14 • EE • February 2015
EE201502-SpecRep-5gTest MECH dB.indd 14
www.evaluationengineering.com
1/9/15 11:51 AM
“In some cases, this performance can even be improved with
additional hardware options.”
He specifically cited the SMW200A vector signal generator, a two-channel instrument for which both RF channels
can provide up to 20 GHz in frequencies. “With this solution,
it is possible to drive the LO and IF of an external mixer to
reach millimeter-wave frequencies,” he said.
“A second, unique example,” he said, “is the Rohde &
Schwarz FSW signal and spectrum analyzer. It is the only
instrument on the market that supports frequencies up to 67
GHz in a single instrument while offering a built-in analysis
bandwidth of 500 MHz. With external harmonic mixers, the
frequency range can be extended up to 110 GHz. The 2-GHz
wideband IF output of the FSW in conjunction with a Rohde &
Schwarz RTO oscilloscope provides the required capabilities
to analyze signals of up to 2 GHz of bandwidth.”
5G at the early stage
Asked about specific products, Kersey at Anritsu said, “5G is
still at a very early stage, and much of the research is centered
on fundamentals such as the multiple access and modulation
schemes. Typically, research labs will use RF equipment, such
as our vector signal generators, signal analyzers, and spectrum
analyzers as part of their development of prototype and experimental systems. We have systems that integrate easily with
MATLAB, allowing researchers a simple route to bridge from
theory to physical realization.”
Barrick added, “Anritsu provides leading-edge 4G LTE
test solutions for development, conformance/carrier ac-
ceptance, manufacturing, and repair
of wireless devices.” He cited Anritsu’s capabilities
in LTE-Advanced
carrier aggregation
and the company’s
demonstration last
November of support for Category
9 LTE with three- Figure 3. MD8430A signaling tester
Courtesy of Anritsu
carrier aggregation
(450 MB/s) using
the MD8430A signaling tester (Figure 3). “Anritsu is on
the extreme leading edge,” he said, “but we consider that
we are still years away from 5G deployments, including
test applications and products.”
Other companies, too, will be pursuing 5G test business. Although Aeroflex hasn’t reported details on its
5G strategy, it is a founding member of the 5GIC. The
company’s website suggests that the TM500 family as
well as the SVA vector signal analyzer and SGD digital
signal generator will play a role.
Aeroflex’s current LTE product line includes a complete
range of end-to-end test systems that covers R&D, performance, service, and manufacturing test applications for
LTE-A TDD and FDD network equipment and terminals.
Aeroflex says it has engineers working in centers around
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16
.
As 5G evolves, engineers will want to take care in selecting
test products that will remain useful. Schroeder at NI said, “As
5G solutions, let alone standards, are still in exploration and
research, no one can describe with certainty how test-equipment
needs will evolve for 5G. This uncertainty reinforces the need
for a flexible test and measurement instrumentation platform
such as PXI that allows for changing I/O requirements, higher
bandwidths, and new waveform implementations. In contrast,
organizations invested in legacy vendor-defined box instruments
incur significant capital costs as they replace fleets of obsoleted
instruments with the arrival of each new generation of wireless
communication.”
According to Roessler, “The required hardware capabilities are already available from Rohde & Schwarz. Customers
that invest today in our solutions do not require expensive
hardware upgrades in the foreseeable future. As soon as 5G
standardization picks up in related standardization bodies
such as 3GPP, signal generation and analysis capabilities
will be provided via simple software updates.”
And Kersey at Anritsu points out, “Regardless of the final decisions on 5G technologies, we can be sure from past
experience that 5G will not replace legacy technologies.
As has been the case with all new technologies from 2.5G
onwards, 5G will need to co-exist and interwork seamlessly
with legacy networks, and it is likely that at least some parts
of the network infrastructure will be evolutions of existing
components. We also know from experience that evolution
of legacy networks does not stop when a new standard arrives. We can expect continued enhancement of 3G and 4G
as carriers strive for returns on the investments they made
in those networks.”
He added, “Even if 5G requires radically new hardware
approaches in test systems, customers should still continue
to see long-term returns on their investment in today’s test
equipment.”
Nichols at Keysight concluded, “There is no 5G standard
at this time, and we do not expect detailed 5G standards work
to begin for some time—perhaps not for at least another year.
Customers will make investments for measurement tools
that are flexible and powerful so that they remain useful for
many years to come.”
Reference
1. 5G Innovation Centre, University of Surrey, www.surrey.
ac.uk/5gic
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17
ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY
Components help contend
with EMI, RFI
by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor
A
18
.
variety of components including capacitors, inductors,
active filters, and cables and
connectors can help your products meet
EMC regulations and ensure your customers experience error-free operation.
Our December 1 and January 2 issues
covered test equipment that can help you
identify EMC problems and highlighted
some components that can help prevent
EMC problems or solve problems that
tests have identified. Since those issues
went to press, several capacitors, filters,
transformers, and even a touch-screen
controller have emerged to further contend with EMI and RFI issues.
For example, at electronica 2014 in
November, Würth Elektronik eiSos
rounded out its EMC offerings by adding
certified electrolyte, ceramic, and film
capacitors (Figure 1) to its portfolio.
X2 class (2,500-V peak) foil capacitors
released at the show work with the company’s line of filters. MLCC capacitors
are available in 0402-1812 sizes. The
company highlighted aluminum-poly-
Figure 1. WCAP-FTXX film capacitors
Courtesy of Würth Elektronik eiSos
18 • EE • February 2015
EE201502-EMC MECH dB.indd 18
mer capacitors in SMD and THT configurations, offering various advantages
including the longest specified working
life in their class.
The company also showcased the WEMAPI powder iron SMD inductor, which
features, according to the company, the
“world’s smallest metal alloy power inductor footprint.” The base of the device
is 1.6 x 1.6 mm; the height is 1 mm. The
magnetically shielded inductor offers
high conductivity with rated currents up
to 1.9 A, with saturation currents up to
4.9 A. In addition to the WE-MAPI, the
company presented numerous additional
families of inductors for power applications and switching controller designs.
Also at electronica, KEMET introduced automotive-grade film capacitors.
The F862 Metallized Polypropylene
Film Class X2 Series is specifically
designed for safety applications subject
to harsh environmental conditions such
as high humidity.
The F862 Series, available in capacitances up to 4.7 µF and rated voltages
up to 310 VAC, features fully approved
RFI X2 capacitors for noise filtering and
peak voltage protection when connected
parallel to the mains or in series such as
in a smart meter. New design enhancements resist traditional capacitance-loss
mechanisms, allowing for long-term
high stability. In addition, the F862
Series meets the Automotive Electronics Council’s AEC-Q200 qualification
requirements, passing 1,000 hours life
testing at 85°C with 85% relative humidity at rated voltage of 240 VAC.
Active filter modules
And in December, TDK introduced the
EPCOS LeaXield active filter module for
the minimization of earth leakage currents
in power drive systems with frequency
converters (Figure 2). Leakage current
can cause residual current devices (RCDs)
to trip. In some applications, this means
that RCDs with low thresholds such
as 30 mA cannot be used or only used
with substantial additional expense. The
LeaXield active filter module is connected
between the RCD and the EMC input filter
of the converter in standard three-phase
industrial power grids and does not require
an additional power supply.
LeaXield detects the common-mode
currents on the load side via a currentsensing transformer. An amplifier generates an inverse of the leakage currents
and feeds them to the power line via a
capacitor network, producing almost
complete cancellation of the leakage
currents. LeaXield now is designed for
rated currents up to 150 A for three-phase
grids at frequencies of 50 Hz to 60 Hz
and a rated voltage of 520 VAC. The
new active filter can be used in systems
with leakage currents up to 1000 mA.
In addition to minimizing earth leakage currents, LeaXield active filter
modules also can improve the EMC
performance of power drive systems in
the range to approximately 500 kHz. The
www.evaluationengineering.com
1/9/15 8:08 AM
new active filter module achieves typical
common-mode attenuation values of up
to 30 dB at 4 kHz, 40 dB at 10 kHz, and
15 dB at 150 kHz.
The EPCOS LeaXield module can be
retrofitted into existing converter-based
installations to improve the EMC and
RCD compatibility of the power drive
system. Moreover, LeaXield circuits
can be integrated into new EMC filter
solutions to downsize the expensive
current-compensated filter chokes.
HDBaseT transformers
Also in December, Pulse Electronics introduced its HDBaseT transformers (Figure
3), which provide common-mode noise
reduction for improved EMI performance
and isolation for power over HDBaseT
(PoH) applications. Pulse Electronics’
HD8004FNL and HD8005FNL transformers are qualified for Valens chipsets
VS100/010/020/202.
Pulse Electronics is a member of the
HDBaseT alliance. HDBaseT technology enables the 5Play feature set,
which includes ultrahigh definition 4K
video, audio, 100BaseT Ethernet, various control signals, and up to 100 W of
power on a single 100-m/328-ft CAT5e/6
Ethernet cable.
“HDBaseT technology is a breakthrough for uncompressed HD video
transmission,” explained Muhammad
Khan, product manager at Pulse Electronics, in a press release. “Pulse transformers are an integral part for clear
signal transmission, especially when
teamed with a Valens chipset.”
Figure 2. LeaXield EMC filter
Courtesy of TDK
Pulse Electronics HD8004FNL and
HD8005FNL transformers are RoHS
compliant and meet IEEE 802.3af
standards. They come in a 13.72 x 14.99
x 5.72-mm, 24-pin SMT package and
are available in trays or tape and reel.
In related news, L-com Global Connectivity announced that it now is
manufacturing panel-mount USB cables
with ground wires. These USB 2.0
cables can be used inside a box or
enclosure. By adding a ground wire,
the user has the option to electrically
ground the USB female connector to a
panel or enclosure.
The molded panel-mountable construction is rugged—employing 20
AWG power conductors and 28 AWG
twisted-pair data conductors all under
a double shield for maximum EMI
resistance.
The new USB cables are available
in lengths from 0.3 to 3 meters. Each
assembly includes two 4-40 x 3/8-inch
Phillips pan head mounting screws.
The #6 spade lug attaches to a screw
or similar hardware. Common applications that use panel-mountable USB
cables include PC peripheral interconnects, test and measurement and data
acquisition instruments, and portable
data storage and printer interfaces.
And finally, Zytronic is addressing
EMI resistance with its ZXY110 touch
controller. The company says this
product’s key attribute is industryleading resilience to EMI. This capability to combat EMI comes from
the new touch controller’s smart frequency-scanning function in which
the operating frequency moves dynamically between 1.3 MHz and 2.5
MHz to avoid detected environmental
noise that otherwise would prevent the
detection of touch events.
References
Figure 3. HDBaseT transformers
Courtesy of Pulse Electronics
www.evaluationengineering.com
EE201502-EMC MECH dB.indd 19
1. Nelson, R., “Test and component
makers address ESD, EMI concerns,”
EE-Evaluation Engineering, December
2014, p. 22.
2. Nelson, R., “Vendors target conducted, radiated immunity,” EE-Evaluation
Engineering, January 2015, p. 27.
February 2015 • EE • 19
1/9/15 8:08 AM
.
19
MEDICAL TEST
The importance of
what you don’t know
by Tom Lecklider, Senior Technical Editor
E
20
.
lectronic health records (EHRs)
have become a hot topic since
passage of the Health Information Technology for Economic and
Clinical Health (HITECH) Act in 2009.
Although hospitals and many doctors’
practices had been using some form of
electronic patient records for several
years, HITECH was a carrot-and-stick
approach to speeding up and broadening
EHR adoption.
Incentive payments were the carrot,
but they were backed up by requirements for care-giving organizations to
demonstrate “meaningful use” (MU), the
stick. Three rules were established by the
Office of the National Coordinator for
Health Information Technology (ONC)
and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that determined
eligibility to receive payment for certified EHR purchase, implementation, and
utilization. The first rule defined meaningful use. The second rule established
the criteria against which EHR vendors
would be evaluated. The third and final
rule determined how MU certification
would occur.
Offsetting the often-cited big-data
opportunities for organizations such
as the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security that near-universal
EHR implementation may provide,
many doctors and nurses have expressed
concern that patient care could suffer in
the rush to certification. Indeed, in May
2014, the ONC and CMS issued a further
proposed rule “to change the meaningful
use timeline and the definition of certified
electronic health record technology.”
According to Mandi Bishop, president
of FloriDATA Foundation, quoted in
a related May 2014 article, “Vendors
aren’t ready; no subject matter experts
are available to implement upgrades.
Products aren’t fully baked. Providers
are frustrated.” The article also quoted
20 • EE • February 2015
EE201502-MedicalTest MECH dB.indd 20
Tom Leary, vice president of government relations at the Health Information
and Management Systems Society, who
explained, “The [ONC and CMS] agencies have proposed a new model for
the remainder of 2014 that should go a
long way toward relieving some of the
time crunch eligible professionals and
hospitals are experiencing.”1
During the years since 2009, several
studies have been conducted to determine the degree to which EHR technology has been accepted by various parts
of the medical community. One of these
studies examined more than 100 nurses’
perceptions of EHR in intensive care
units (ICUs). As the researchers noted,
“Because the use of EHR technology by
ICU nurses participating in our study is
mandatory, continued acceptance of the
technology is important…. In this study,
we assess ICU nurses’ perceptions of the
usefulness of three EHR functionalities:
CPOE [computerized physician order
entry], eMAR [electronic medication
administration record], and nursing
documentation flowsheets. Our research
question is: Do implementation method,
technology usability, and usefulness affect nurses’ acceptance of EHR?”2
Missing Data
For this study, data was collected at both
three months and 12 months after EHR
implementation. At three months, 121 of
the 237 eligible nurses participated (51%)
and at 12 months, 161 of 224 (72%).
The researchers attributed the higher
participation at 12 months to a more active recruitment of nurses for the study.
Very few questions were not answered
by all participants—the missing data
percentage at three months was 2.95%
and at 12 months 2.27%.
How missing data is treated can be
very important depending on its extent
and nature. In this study, the researchers used Little’s missing completely at
random (MCAR) test to determine that
the missing data most likely was random
and no further adjustments to the data
were required.
The MCAR terminology was coined
by Donald Rubin in 1976 “to describe
data where the complete cases are a random sample of the originally identified
set of cases. Since the complete cases are
representative of the originally identified sample, inferences based on only
the complete cases are applicable to the
larger sample and the target population.
Complete-case analysis for MCAR data
provides results that are generalizable
to the target population with one caveat—the estimates will be less precise
than initially planned by the researcher
since a smaller number of cases are used
for estimation.”3 Rubin currently is the
John L. Loeb Professor of Statistics at
Harvard University.
Had the data not been found to be
MCAR, then the nurses’ acceptance
study researchers could not have determined that “no inputation was required.”
That is, they didn’t need to input any data
to complete the incomplete sets. Several
schemes have been developed to create
data with which incomplete records can
be completed. Obviously, you cannot
know after the fact the input that a study
participant might have provided. So, the
best that can be done is to determine
the range of inputs that is most likely
based on the complete data records that
you do have.
For the nurses’ acceptance study, the
largest amount of missing data (nine
responses) occurred in the three-month
data for a question that asked participants
how many implementation activities they
had been involved in. Of the 112 actual
respondents, only two nurses had participated in two or more activities, 79 had
participated in none, and 23 had some
involvement in at least one discussion
prior to implementation.
www.evaluationengineering.com
1/9/15 8:13 AM
Perhaps the question was even less
relevant to these nine nurses than to the
102 that had very little or no involvement leading up to implementation, so
the nine nurses simply skipped it. At the
other extreme, it’s unlikely that each of
the nine nurses had participated in many
implementation activities. By assuming
that the missing data was MCAR, the
researchers could work only with complete records and assume the results were
representative of ICU nurses’ attitudes
toward EHRs.
Available data
What if more data is missing, and it cannot
be claimed to be MCAR? As discussed
in reference 3, such data falls into the
class of nonignorable missing data,
“for which the reasons for the missing
observations depend on the values of
those variables.” An example in reference 3 of data collected from asthmatic
8- to 14-year-old children had very large
amounts of missing data—only 19 of 154
records were complete. In this case, data
missing from the 135 incomplete records
could not realistically be termed MCAR.
When a portion of the data was presented as shown in the table, a number
of possible explanations became apparent. Perhaps data was missing because
the lower reading skills of the younger
respondents hampered their comprehension of the questions. Perhaps the
very condition that qualified a child for
inclusion in the study—suffering from
asthma and allergies—also hampered his
ability to consistently participate. Unless
these dependencies were anticipated and
incorporated in the data analysis method,
the results could be misleading.
Symsev
O
M
O
O
M
M
O
O
M
# Missing
13 (8.4%)
Reading
O
O
M
O
M
O
M
O
M
# Missing
75 (48.7%)
M = Missing
Age
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
M
O
# Missing
2 (1.3%)
Allergy
O
O
O
M
O
M
M
M
M
# Missing
71 (46.1%)
# of Cases
19
1
54
56
9
1
10
2
2
% of Cases
12.3
0.6
35.1
36.4
5.8
0.6
6.5
1.3
1.3
154
O = Observed
Analysis of missing data patterns across four asthma study questions
Source: A Review of Methods for Missing Data
One common way in which missing
data has been provided is to append to
incomplete records one or more data
points equal to the mean of the complete
records. This approach would have very
little effect on the nurses’ acceptance
study but has huge implications for
the asthma study. Even for the nurses’
acceptance study, although the mean
would remain unchanged, the standard
deviation would not reflect the true limits
of the data values.
Another approach is to use all of the
available data without attempting to
complete the incomplete records. In this
case, it is possible that different sets of
respondents are associated with different
questions. While analyzing the available
data for any one question is mathematically valid, comparing or combining
responses across multiple questions will
not be. In addition, statistics computed
on only a small number of responses
cannot always be extrapolated to the
total population even if the missing data
is MCAR.
As summarized in reference 3, “The
relative performance of complete-case
analysis and available-case analysis, with
MCAR data, depends on the correlation
between the variables; available-case
analysis will provide consistent estimates only when variables are weakly
correlated. The major difficulty with
available-case analysis lies in the fact that
one cannot predict when available-case
analysis will provide adequate results, and
is thus not useful as a general method.”
References
1. Sullivan, T., “Update: CMS, ONC
ease EHR certification requirements
for MU,” Government Health IT, May
2014.
2. Carayon, P., et al, “ICU nurses’ acceptance of electronic health records,”
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 2011.
3. Pigott, T. D., “A Review of Methods
for Missing Data,” Educational Research and Evaluation, 2001, Vol. 7,
No. 4, pp. 353-383.
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1/9/15 8:14 AM
.
21
EE PRODUCT PICKS
Scope with Capacitive
Touch Screen
22
.
InfiniiVision 3000T
X-Series digital-storage
and mixed-signal oscilloscopes with intuitive
graphical triggering
capability deliver capacitive touch screens and
zone triggering to the
mainstream oscilloscope
market. The scopes help
engineers overcome usability and triggering challenges
and improve their problem-solving capability and productivity.
The new oscilloscope series offers upgradable bandwidths from 100 MHz to 1.0 GHz and several benchmark
features in addition to the touch-screen interface and
graphical zone triggering capability. An update rate
of one million waveforms per second gives engineers
visibility into subtle signal details. The series integrates
oscilloscope functionality, digital channels (MSO), protocol analysis capability, a digital voltmeter, a WaveGen
function/arbitrary waveform generator, and an 8-digit
hardware counter/totalizer. The 3000T X-Series delivers
correlated frequency- and time-domain measurements
using the gated FFT function to address emerging measurement challenges. From $3,350 to $15,400.
Keysight Technologies, www.rsleads.com/502ee-199
Optical Connectors
XBEAM performance optical connectors reliably join
both single-mode and multimode optical fiber cables
in the vendor’s SCOUT, TITAN, and Series 64 mass-interconnect systems. Since there is no physical fiber-to-fiber
contact, there is no wear, cracking, or degrading of
contact performance.
The vendor’s expanded beam connection technology eliminates the need for cleaning. Typical insertion
loss is 1.2-dB single mode and 0.7-dB multimode. Typical
power-handling capability is 500 mW. MAC Panel,
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PXI Switches
Two new PXI high-power solidstate switch modules in the vendor’s
range of PXI switching solutions
include the Model 40-184 PXI 25-A
solid-state SPST switch, which offers
3- or 6-off SPST solid-state switches
capable of handling 25-A signals at
up to 100 V; and the Model 40-185
PXI 1.5-A solid-state SPST switch,
which provides 3- or 6-off SPST solidstate switches capable of handling 1.5-A signals at up
to 400 V.
Both of these new PXI switching modules use switch
designs based on isolated MOSFET technology to
provide solutions capable of switching very high-power
AC or DC signals without any lifetime degradation while
used within their ratings. Pickering Interfaces,
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22 • EE • February 2015
EE201502-ProductPicks MECH dB.indd 22
Passive Oscilloscope Probes
Models 702902
and 702906 are 10:1
passive oscilloscope
probes that operate
from -40oC to +85oC.
As a result, they are
suitable for use in accelerated testing and
validation applications
where temperature cycling is part of the test procedure.
The 702902 is designed for use with the isolated BNC
input modules in the vendor’s DL850E ScopeCorder family, whereas the 702906 is intended to be used with the
nonisolated BNC inputs in the DLM4000 and DLM2000
series of oscilloscopes. The probes are fitted with long
(2.5-m) cables, making it easy to keep the measuring
instrument away from the high-temperature measurement point. Longer probes also are required to connect
the measuring instrument to a temperature-controlled
chamber. Yokogawa, www.rsleads.com/502ee-202
Vector Network Analyzers
The ShockLine
family of vector
network analyzers (VNAs)
now includes
the MS46122A
Series. Incorporating the
vendor’s patented shock-line VNA-on-a-chip technology,
the MS46122A low-cost, full-reversing, two-port VNAs are
packaged in a compact 1U chassis and optimized for
cost-sensitive test applications in manufacturing, engineering, and education environments.
The MS46122A Series includes two compact VNAs
with frequency coverage up to 20 GHz and 40 GHz,
respectively. A third model in the new ShockLine series
covers 1 MHz to 8 GHz. The MS46122A ShockLine VNAs
minimize test times and maximize throughput, making the VNAs suited for testing passive devices such as
cables, connectors, filters, and antennas. Anritsu,
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Flying-Probe PCB Tester
The new A8a
bare-board test system from atg Luther
& Maelzer combines the flexibility of flying-probe
testers with high
throughput. The
A8a provides cost
advantages compared to fixture testers for small and medium batches.
It is equipped with eight test heads and four cameras
for optical alignment and can test pad sizes down to
35 μm. Designed to test high-density-interconnect (HDI)
PCBs for smart phones, tablets, and PC motherboards,
the system covers a test area of 18.0 x 12.0 inches.
www.evaluationengineering.com
1/9/15 2:34 PM
The A8a is prepared for lights-out operation. With the
feeder capacity of 390 mm, it is possible to test 650
boards with a thickness of 0.6 mm in one run overnight.
atg Luther & Maelzer, www.rsleads.com/502ee-204
Programmable Power Supplies
The 9200 Series multirange programmable
DC power supply line
includes four 200-W to
600-W models that can
deliver power in any
combination of the rated
voltage and current up to
the maximum output power of the supply. With voltage
and current ranges up to 150 V and 25 A, these programmable DC power supplies are suitable for a variety
of uses including electronics manufacturing, R&D, service and repair, and education.
Sometimes also referred to as autoranging, multirange power supplies provide users greater flexibility
than traditional power supplies by extending the operating range beyond a single maximum power point. The
supplies can support any combination of higher voltage or higher current along a maximum power curve.
This design helps save both bench space and cost by
eliminating the need for having multiple power supplies
on the bench or buying more power than necessary.
B&K Precision, www.rsleads.com/502ee-205
PXI Semiconductor Test System
The TS-960 PXI semiconductor test platform and
GX5296 digital subsystem bring the performance and
features of high-end systems to customers at a fraction
of the footprint and cost compared with traditional ATE.
The TS-960 platform has a 20-slot, 3U PXI chassis accommodating up to 512 125-MHz digital I/O channels
with PMUs per pin, yet has a small footprint and modular structure, allowing users to address a range of test
applications. Available as a benchtop system, with an
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TS-960 platform takes advantage of the PXI architecture
to achieve a full-featured test solution for device, SoC,
and SiP test applications. Marvin Test Solutions,
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CAN FD Oscilloscope Option
RTE and RTO oscilloscopes now offer analysis solutions
for the CAN flexible data (CAN FD) interface protocol.
CAN FD is seeing increased use in automotive and industry applications due to rising data rate requirements.
Introduced in 2012, the CAN FD serial bus protocol with
a maximum data rate of up to 15 Mb/s boosts controller area network (CAN) performance, thereby benefiting, for example, the automotive industry in developing
modern motor management solutions.
The RTx-K9 option now enables RTE and RTO oscilloscope users to analyze interfaces of this type. Hardware-based decoding makes finding errors with the
oscilloscopes fast; this accelerates the design verification and commissioning processes for chipsets with
CAN FD interfaces. Rohde & Schwarz,
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www.evaluationengineering.com
EE201502-ProductPicks FINAL.indd 23
Prewired DC Power Rack
The prewired N8900 Series rack
system reduces system complexity and saves time for engineers
designing and implementing
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90 kW. When engineers design
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The new rack system allows users to install up to six
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up to 3,060 A. Autoranging capability enables customers to get full-power output at a wide range of voltages.
The 400-VAC rack models will begin shipping in February, and the 208-VAC rack models will be available in
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Bluetooth Transmitter
The UWBT Series of Bluetooth transmitters combines
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The free app has many features including the capability to
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Advertiser
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
Page
Advanced Test Equipment Rentals..........www.atecorp.com/EE .............................................9
CertifiGroup .............................................www.CertifiGroup.com .........................................21
Copper Mountain Technologies...............www.coppermountaintech.com .............................1
Educated Design & Development. Inc.....www.ProductSafet.com........................................21
JTAG Technologies ..................................www.jtag.com..................................................... IBC
Keysight Technologies.............................www.keysight.com/find/LTE-A-Insight............... 6-7
Keysight Technologies.............................www.testequity.com/Keysight_DAQ.....................13
Keysight Technologies.............................www.keysight.com/find/triggerchallenge......... CVR
Marvin Test Solutions ..............................marvintest.com/wemaketesteasy ....................... BC
MILMEGA, div of AMETEK CTS ................www.cts.ametek.com...........................................15
National Instruments...............................ni.com/automated-test-platform............................3
Pickering Interfaces Inc. .........................www.pickeringtest.com/1000modules ................17
TDK-Lambda ...........................................www.us.tdk-lambda.com/lp/................................11
Virginia Panel Corp. .................................www.vpc.com/speed ............................................16
W L Gore ..................................................www.gore.com/test .............................................IFC
This index is provided as a service. The publisher does not assume liability for errors or omissions.
February 2015 • EE • 23
1/9/15 5:00 PM
.
23
EXECUTIVE INSIGHT
MIT celebrates 65 years
of professional education
by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor
24
.
Big data is a current focus for MIT’s
outreach to technology-driven enterprises and nondegree students, according to
Clara Piloto, Director, Global Programs,
MIT Professional Education. In a recent
telephone interview, she said MIT completed its initial two Online X programs,
titled “Tackling the Challenges of Big
Data,” in 2014. An additional session
will run from Feb. 3 to March 17.
Online X programs represent only
part of what MIT Professional Education offers, having just completed its
65th year of Short Programs. In 1949,
then President James Rhyne Killian Jr.
initiated those programs, held summers,
to serve working professionals including
returning veterans from World War II.
Piloto said one of the longest running
Short Programs covers fermentation
technology and is widely known as
“Danny Wang’s Fermentation Technology Class” after Professor Daniel
I. C. Wang, who began teaching it in
the mid-1960s and continues to direct
the class. Short Programs introduced
last summer covered smart cities, engineering leadership, understanding and
predicting technical innovation, and
additive manufacturing.
MIT Professional Education also
offers its Advanced Engineering Study
Program, initiated by MIT President
Julius Stratton in 1963 to serve postgraduate students. Under the program,
fellows each year from around the globe
are hosted by MIT Professional Education as “special students” and get to enjoy
the benefits associated with being part
of the MIT community. The program
pioneered distance learning, contributing to the introduction last year of the
Online X Program. Other initiatives
include Custom Programs, developed
for technical employees that take place
on campus or company sites, and International Programs, which propel MIT’s
lifelong learning initiatives worldwide.
24 • EE • February 2015
EE201502-ExecInsight MECH dB.indd 24
Clara Piloto
Director
Global Programs
MIT Professional
Education
Digital leaning has taken a huge jump
over the last two or three years, Piloto
said, with universities like Harvard and
MIT offering free courses powered by
edX. Fee-based Online X Programs
provide enhanced interaction with faculty and other students plus the ability
to earn a Certificate of Completion and
continuing education units (CEUs)—all
at a reasonable price of $545.
“MIT Professional Education chose
the big-data topic for its initial Online
X Program because of market demand
for the topic and because of big-data
initiatives happening on campus,” Piloto
said. She noted that faculty members at
the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory were very
excited about the topic, and 12 MIT
faculty members agreed to be part of
the course, including the two faculty codirectors, Daniela Rus and Sam Madden,
both professors of electrical engineering
and computer science, and Andrew Lo,
a professor at the MIT Sloan School of
Management.
The course incorporates five modules
covering 18 topic areas with 20 hours of
video. Topics include data collection,
data storage and processing, extracting
structured data from unstructured data,
systems issues (such as security and exploiting multicore processing), analytics,
visualization, and applications ranging
from medicine to finance.
Piloto said that students should have
a computer-science background, but for
the first session, the majority of students
were big-data novices. Only 35% identified themselves as proficient in the topic,
and only 3% claimed to be experts.
Piloto said, “It’s a challenging course
that keeps you on your toes,” but it’s
online so you can readily review the
curriculum. Participants who successfully complete the course are eligible
to receive a Certificate of Completion
and two CEUs. Piloto said that for the
first session in the spring of 2014, 83%
of participants earned the Certificate of
Completion while 63% earned the CEUs.
That course drew approximately 3,500
professionals from 88 countries and more
than 2,000 organizations worldwide,
including companies such as Boeing,
Booz Allen Hamilton, Cisco, IBM, and
Thomson Reuters.
Looking ahead, MIT Professional
Education is considering expanding the
capabilities of its online offerings. Piloto
cited one popular program in which students come to the MIT campus and build
a laptop-based synthetic aperture radar
system. She asked, “How could we put
that online?” One possibility would be
to send a kit to Africa, for example, to
complement an online course. Additive
manufacturing offers additional opportunities. The student in Africa could make
use of a 3-D printer at a nearby facility
to produce a prototype designed as part
of an online course, she said.
As MIT’s current president, Rafael
Reif, has stated, the MIT Professional
Education programs make the university
“…better connected to the front lines of
technology-driven enterprise and better
able to fulfill our mission of disseminating knowledge and effecting positive
change.”1
Reference
1. “Celebrating 65 Years,” MIT Professional Education Newsletter, 2014.
www.evaluationengineering.com
1/9/15 2:47 PM
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