Highly Cited Journal to Feature Comprehensive Updates on Energy, Power and Data Processing Needs for Emerging Technologies

Piscataway, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/07/2013 -- Readers of Proceedings of the IEEE, the most highly cited general interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science, are certain to be inspired by the diverse subjects to be examined during this first year of the journal's second century.

Among the key subjects to be reviewed in the 12 issues of 2013 are Energy and Power Coverage, Data Handling and Processing Challenges, Electronic devices, the Smart Home and Informatics and Nanoscience.

Proceedings of the IEEE is a journal for today's important issues but with an eye always focused on the future. Journal readers can obtain a preview of special issue topics for 2013 at www.ieee.org/proceedings. Also, the winners of the journal's Centennial Future Technology Predictions competition have been announced and some of these breakthrough predictions will be published in upcoming Point of View articles in the journal.

2013 Special Issues
This year begins with a timely special issue in January entitled "Beyond HDTV" that considers technical areas and addresses demands of today and tomorrow. The issue investigates systems currently being developed that surpass high-definition television (HDTV) and are coming closer to being able to display large-screen video. Because cinemas have almost completed their transition from traditional film to electronic media, and movies have been restructured as fully digital entities, UHDTV and the digital cinema have a close relationship.

A special issue in February focuses on Electromagnetic Computation (CEM) and provides an overview and description of some potential applications areas, including computer chip design and circuit analysis, lasers and optoelectronics, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and microwave engineering.

Data Handling and Processing Challenges
Three special issues in 2013 will be devoted to the challenges of handling increasingly large amounts of data and processing this data so that it is useful to the tasks at hand. In March, the focus will be on resolution remote sensing information processing challenges. Two additional issues will cover speech information processing and perception-based media.

Energy and Power
Energy and power will continue to be an important focus of Proceedings of the IEEE in 2013. The April issue will consider the promises offered by marine energy technology as well as the innovations on the horizon as wireless power technology continues to develop in the future. Another issue will cover in detail the subject of state-of-the-art status and the future outlook of wireless power technology.

Electronic Devices
Two special issues during 2013 will focus on the important topic of electronic devices. The first will examine possibilities of new electronic devices based on Graphene and describe recent developments and advances likely to have a revolutionary impact on modern communications and information technologies. The second special issue focusing on electronic devices celebrates the 50th anniversary of the light-emitting diode (LED) by providing a historical perspective as well as current and future trends in LEDs and the associated enabling technologies that impact the realization of the LED as "an ultimate lamp."

Smart Home
Recent research and development in both industry and academia are driving the smart home story from vision to reality. A special issue scheduled for 2013 takes a comprehensive look at the technology required for a Smart Home to provide consumers with the freedom to enjoy advanced whole-home content and services when and where they want it while providing home services like energy management, home automation, security control and health monitoring, and all at the same time being ecologically friendly. The Smart Home potential for elderly living alone could also make an extraordinary difference in their lives.

Regular Papers
During 2013, there will be a continued emphasis on invited papers for this journal. The ultimate goal is to publish a wide selection of informative tutorial and survey papers in regular paper issues, which will provide insight into other technologies, both inside as well as outside readers' specialties. Each regular paper will continue to be highlighted by an introductory prolog to provide added informational value to Proceedings of the IEEE readers.

Centennial Year Celebration
During 2012, 13 issues of Proceedings were published instead of the usual 12. A special Centennial Retrospective Issue was published May 15, 2012, which reviewed the past and present and examined the future of technology over the next 20, 50 and even 100 years. IEEE's Future Technology Predictions Competition winners have been announced and will provide readers with exciting innovations in the future Point of View articles (see http://www.ieee.org/publications_standards/publications/proceedings/predictions_competition.html for list of winners).

About the Proceedings of the IEEE
Founded in 1912 and first published in early 1913, (originally as Proceedings of the IRE), Proceedings of the IEEE is the most highly cited general interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science. This journal provides the most in-depth tutorial and review coverage of the technical developments that shape our world, enlisting the help of guest editors and authors from the best research facilities, leading edge corporations and universities around the world. For more information on Proceedings of the IEEE and the latest ideas and innovative technologies, visit http://www.ieee.org/proceedings.

About IEEE
IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Learn more at http://www.ieee.org.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Cites Critical Future Role for Emergency Rescue Applications; ID’s Satellite as Key to Next Generation TV Services; New Broadband Frontier

Piscataway, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/07/2011 -- When disasters strike, aerospace communication will be the "go-to technology" to facilitate long-range connectivity, enable rapid response to emergency needs and let survivors communicate with the external world. This is just one of a plethora of critical future roles for Aerospace (Satellite) Communications described in 13 articles in the recent special issue of Proceedings of the IEEE on "Aerospace Communications and Networking," which covers the history, current trends as well as the future in the next two decades. Proceedings of the IEEE is the world's most highly-cited general-interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science.

"Aerospace Communications have been addressed in issues of Proceedings of the IEEE in every decade since the 1970's, shortly after the start of the satellite age," explains Claudio Sacchi, Senior Member of IEEE and one of several guest editors of this issue. "This issue, however, takes a longer range look at the technology and addresses many important forecasts for the future of this technology."

According to the article, "Aerospace Communications for Emergency Applications," disasters like Tsunamis in Indonesia (2004) and Japan (2011), Hurricane Katrina along the U.S. Gulf Coast (2005) and earthquakes in Italy (2009), Haiti (2010) and Chile (2010) underscore the urgent necessity to immediately restore a minimal level of connectivity. This is done by the integration of the aerospace segment with terrestrial backbones and ad hoc terrestrial networks for both data connections and assisted localization. Authors Matteo Berioli, Antonella Molinaro and Simone Morosi, Members IEEE, and Sandro Scalise, Senior Member of IEEE, make a strong case that whether a disaster is natural or manmade (massive terrorist attacks belong to this last category), terrestrial wireless and wired network infrastructures could be severely damaged and become completely unusable. In such scenarios, communication satellites and high altitude platforms (HAPs) can be the emergency backbone of choice for long-range connectivity.

Satellites are going to have to play a key component in next-generation TV services, "to provide the breadth of entertainment and information choices consumers will demand," predicts the article "The Future of Satellite TV: The Wide Range of Applications of the DVB-S2 Standard and Perspectives." Authors Vittoria Mignone, Maria Angeles Vazquez-Castro and Thomas Stockhammer, Senior Members IEEE, discuss many perspectives of digital TV and HDTV broadcasting and ongoing and future standardization activities as well as satellite hybrid and Internet Protocol TV.

According to the authors, "Standardization will provide the bridge for mass market adoption and new standardization efforts are expected and will be necessary to fulfill the daily rising user demands and expectations. Satellite distribution is looking into a bright future as quality will matter more and more in emerging TV services."

Satellites are also spotlighted as the new broadband frontier in a paper by Ernestina Cianca, Member IEEE, Tommaso Rossi, Asher Yahalom, Yosef Pinhasi, John Farserotu and Claudio Sacchi, Senior Members IEEE. Not only is the current state of research and technology in EHF satellite communications discussed but the authors also review related future perspectives on applications and services. Entitled "EHF for Satellite Communications: The New Broadband Frontier," the paper makes a strong case for the potential advantages from the transmission of satellite data in the millimeter-wave domain that have been known for years and also acknowledges that, as usual, the passage from theoretical appraisement to technological development is not so straightforward.

For those seeking to brush up on satellite history, the first paper in the issue "1945-2010: 65 Years of Satellite History from Early Visions to Latest Missions" by B.G. Evans, P.T. Thompson, G.E. Corazza, A. Vanelli-Coralli and E.A. Candreva provides a comprehensive history of satellite communications and broadcasting along with a picture of the future of satellite communications.

Topics and titles of the other papers in this issue are:

- "Satellite Radio Localization from GPS to GNSS and Beyond: Novel Technologies and Applications for Civil Mass Market" by: Carles Fernandez-Prades, Letizia Lo Presti and Emanuela Falletti.

- "The Role of High Altitude Platforms (HAPs) in The Global Wireless Connectivity" by: Abbas Mohammed, Asad Mehmood, Fotini-Niovi Pavlidou, and Mihael Mohorcic.

- "Energy Efficiency and Satellite Networking: A Holistic Overview" by: Faith Alagoz and Gurkan Gur.

- "Delay- And Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN): An Alternative Solution for Future Satellite Networking Applications" by: Carlo Caini, Haitham Cruickshank, Stephen Farrell and Mario Marchese.

- "Load Balancing and Qos Provisioning Based on Congestion Prediction for GEO/LEO Hybrid Satellite Networks" by: Hiroshi Nishiyama, Daigo Kudoh, Nei Kato and Naoto Kadowaki.

- "Design of Flower Constellations for Telecommunication Services" by: Daniele Mortari, Mauro De Sanctis and Marco Lucente.

- "Deep-Space Optical Communications: Future Perspectives and Applications" by: Hamid Hemmati, Abhijit Biswas, and Ivan B. Djordjevic.

- "Future E-Enabled Aircraft Communications and Security: The Next 20 Years and Beyond" by: Krishna Sampigethaya, Radha Poovendran, Sudhakar Shetty, Terry Davis and Chuck Royalty.

- "Reliability Options for Data Communications in Future Deep-Space Missions" by: Tommaso De Cola, Enrico Paolini, Gianluigi Liva and Gian Paolo Calzolari.

About The Proceedings of the IEEE
Founded in 1913, (originally as Proceedings of the IRE), Proceedings of the IEEE is the most highly-cited general-interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science. This journal provides the most in-depth tutorial and review coverage of the technical developments that shape our world, enlisting the help of guest editors and authors from the best research facilities, leading edge corporations and universities around the world.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

First-Ever Holistic Approach Cites Innovative Application Concepts to Improve MRI Readability; Increase Computer Speed; Expand Bandwidth; Enhance Mobile Phone Performance

Piscataway, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/17/2011 -- The future of the metamaterials field shows great promise for achieving exotic new functions according to October's Proceedings of the IEEE, the most highly-cited general-interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science, approaching its 100th year of publication in 2012. Entitled "Metamaterials: Fundamentals and Applications in the Microwave and Optical Regimes," the 16-article issue, written by internationally renowned leaders in the field is packed with innovative research reports on potential new functions and insights that could impact many aspects of life from enhancing readability of MRIs to increasing computer speed and improving bandwidth and cell phone performance.

Upgrading MRI Readability
While practical applications of bulk metamaterials are still far from being developed, research suggests that healthcare could benefit from new metamaterials applications. The paper by Ricardo Marque's, Lukas Jelinek, Manuel J. Freire, Juan Domingo Baena and Mikhail Lapine, "Bulk Metamaterials Made of Resonant Rings," references the potential of a metamaterials application that could improve diagnostic accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) by making reports clearer to read. The paper also makes use of a rigorous homogenization treatment of these metamaterials and discusses an exciting application of such magnetic metamaterials for enhancing the resolution of surface coils in magnetic resonance imaging.

Improving Cell Phones
Improving cell phone performance by reducing the size of antennas is addressed in three papers in the issue. A variety of antennas have already been engineered with metamaterials (MTMs) and metamaterials-inspired constructs to improve their performance characteristics. But, right now, inside our phones, we still have one antenna dedicated to a given voice or data transmission. In the next couple of years, instead of one antenna, the research examines using metamaterials to enable packing the phones with several small antennas in order to dramatically increase capacity for applications such as video streaming and multimedia combined with improve quality of service.

The paper "Metamaterials-Inspired Engineering of Antennas" by Richard W. Ziolkowski, Fellow IEEE, Peng Jin, Member IEEE, and Chia-Ching Lin, Student Member IEEE, covers faster data loading times and higher performance streaming. The focus is on the realization of electrically small but efficient antennas using metamaterial loading. Multiband and multi-frequency antennas are also discussed. According to the paper, "At the heart of any wireless system is an antenna. MTMs whether explicitly introduced into an antenna system as physical constructs or implicitly introduced using their often exotic properties to guide specifics of a design provide exciting new opportunities for antenna engineers to meet the needs of a continually increasing demand for wireless products."

Also on the topic of phone antennas, the paper by John L. Volakis, Fellow IEEE, and Kubilay Sertel, Senior Member IEEE, "Narrowband and Wideband Metamaterial Antennas Based on Degenerate Band Edge and Magnetic Photonic Crystals", describes electrical small antennas based on unique anisotropic metamaterial structures. While the authors present several new antenna elements of much smaller size, they explain that this was done by exploiting wave slow-down techniques afforded by emulating in-plane anisotropy using simple coupled transmission line concepts. Of importance was the utilization of these elements within an antenna array to realize much smaller conformal and thin apertures achieving remarkable band-widths as much as 10:1.

Transformation Optics
In "Electromagnetic Design With Transformation Optics", the first of four optics articles presents Transformation Optics (TO) as a powerful technique for designing metamagnetic and discusses several novel electromagnetic examples. According to authors Nathan B. Kundtz and David R. Smith, Members IEEE, and John B. Pendry Fellow IEEE, TO provides a design tool that is to wave optics what ray tracing is to geometrical optics. While the media required by the transformation optical approach are often complex and possibly unrealistic, the extreme flexibility in the transforms suggests that entire new classes of devices will be feasible using the developing approaches.

Michael Zedler and George V. Eleftheriades Fellow IEEE address synthesizing TO in the paper entitled "Anisotropic Transmission-Line Metamaterials for 2-D Transformation Optics Applications." The authors identify a method for synthesizing transformation optics metamaterials at microwaves and examples of microwave devices such as invisibility cloaks and flat retro-reflectors are described. Specifically the authors propose a transmission-line approach, which leads to large bandwidths of the order of 50% with small losses.

"Optical Metamaterials Based on Optical Nanocircuits" is the title of a third article in the optics area by Andrea Alu`, Member IEEE, and Nader Engheta, IEEE Fellow, and puts forward possible scenarios for the design of metamaterials in the optical regime by applying the nanocircuit concepts based on suitably arranged collections of nanoparticles. According to the authors, "Our article contains an overview and a thorough discussion of the benefits of the optical nanocircuit paradigm to the design and realization of
Improving computers speed with faster data and video, which could also be a benefit from the work being done in the optics metamaterials field. While it is still a theoretical concept, a method has been developed for using optical metamaterials structures to help decrease data loss and improve computer speed computer, which ultimately means faster data and video.

The metamaterials research field is vibrant, bright and is progressing steadily and strongly into various exciting forefronts which include quantum metamaterials, superconducting metamaterials, tunable and reconfigurable metamaterials, photonic metamaterials, infra-red metamaterials, and THz metamaterials to name a few. Given less than a decade of experience with the engineering applications of MTMs, there is great hope that they will provide additional degrees of freedom for the design of many different forms of electromagnetic applications.

About The Proceedings of the IEEE
Founded in 1913, (originally as Proceedings of the IRE), Proceedings of the IEEE is the most highly-cited general-interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science. This journal provides the most in-depth tutorial and review coverage of the technical developments that shape our world, enlisting the help of guest editors and authors from the best research facilities, leading edge corporations and universities around the world. For more information on Proceedings of the IEEE and the latest ideas and innovative technologies, visit http://www.ieee.org/proceedings.

About IEEE
IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly-cited publications, conferences, technology standards and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Learn more at http://www.ieee.org.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Cites Electric Drive Vehicles as “Best Way” to Reduce Fossil Fuel Dependence: Analyzes: Driver Hesitation; Addresses Need to Intensify Smart Grid Security Effort; Improve Wireless Network Reliability

Piscataway, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/22/2011 -- To convert a critical mass of drivers to electric vehicle (EVs), we must first drive market penetration by establishing policies to reduce ownership cost of (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). This is according to an update on the challenges to Smart Grid in a new issue of Proceedings of the IEEE. Electric vehicles (EVs), essential to Smart Grid's future, are considered one of the most promising ways to reduce fossil fuel dependence.

This Smart Grid special issue, "The Electric Energy System of the Future," published in the Proceedings of the IEEE which is the world's most highly-cited general-interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science since 1913, is one of the most comprehensive assessments of this topic to date.

According to authors of this 13-article report, the overall driving forces for Smart Grid, a fundamentally different energy system from the present one, are the new needs of more energy knowledgeable, computer savvy and environmentally conscious customers combined with regulatory changes, availability of more intelligent technologies and ever greater demands for enough energy to drive the global economy.

The report focuses on technological progress and acknowledges that, while much has been achieved to move Smart Grid forward, there is still a lot to be accomplished in three dominant areas: governmental policies at both federal and state levels, customer efficiency needs and new intelligent computer software and hardware technologies.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE UPDATE

In an article on (EVs), "Vehicle Electrification: Status and Issues," authors Albert G. Boulanger,
Andrew C. Chu, Suzanne Maxx and David L. Waltz concede while automakers recognize that electric vehicles are critical to the future of the industry, widespread consumer adoption of

EVs is inhibited not only by actual costs but perception of costs. For example, consumers must grasp that although the current initial price for EV's is higher than internal combustion vehicles, their operating costs are lower.

Other EV issues which need to be addressed to jump-start a transition to EVs include best practices for extraction and mining of rare earths and lithium; development and deployment of EV technologies; standardization of industry protocols of plugs and chargers; deployment of charging infrastructure; public education and national and global political will for the adoption of smart grid technology and renewable energy sources.

WIRELESS NETWORK CONCERNS
One of the most important challenges in Smart Grid is providing reliable last mile network communication, according to the paper "Multigate Communication Network for Smart Grid" by Hamid Gharavi, Fellow IEEE and Bin Hu, Member IEEE. The paper describes various techniques such as multigate, multi channel routing as well as a packet scheduling technique to enhance the network performance in terms of reliability, latency and throughput. According to the authors, "The results indicate that a combination of multipath routing and the backpressure-based packet-scheduling scheme can show a significant improvement in the network reliability, latency, and throughput performance."

CYBER SECURITY
Cyber security of the Smart Grid is another major priority, as noted in two papers in this special issue: "Challenges and Opportunities in Smart Grid: A Position Article" and "High Assurance Smart Grid: A Three-Part Model for Smart Grid Control Systems."

In the "Position" article by George W. Arnold, National Coordinator for Smart Grid Interoperability at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), it is noted that "If Smart Grid is to become the electric system of the future, we must deal today with the challenges it faces in terms of reliability and security… in both wired and wireless communication environments."

Arnold also advises that security must be designed at the architectural level, not added later on. And, while the author grants that many people have been working for some time on cyber security guidelines for Smart Grid at both private and public levels, ongoing research must continue to be a top priority to ensure security of the grid and to detect and mitigate threats and vulnerabilities that will continually surface.

In "High Assurance Smart Grid: A Three-Part Model For Smart Grid Control Systems", the authors admit that there is no single solution to Smart Grid Cyber-security. "Rather, it's only through a combined approach can grid control systems be sufficiently engineered."

According to authors Brad S. Cohen and IEEE members Thomas M. Overman, Ronald W. Sackman and Terry L. Davis, the electric service reliability that defines a multi-level framework and for architecture to be used throughout the electrical system, a High-Assurance Smart Grid architecture that is both an architectural approach and an aspirational goal is required.

The core attributes of this high assurance smart grid are: categorizing cyber-security requirements based on a multi-tier determination of a subsystem's potential impact on the overall system, implementing a robust defense-in-depth cyber-security architecture and implementing a distributed rather than hierarchical control system architecture.

The article concludes there is still significant research and development needed in autonomous robotics and multi-agent coordination, which provide examples for how grid devices can work with limited individual capability and, yet together, manage more complex operations than any individual device could do on their own. Further research is also needed in intrusion-tolerant systems, evolution of grid controls and grid security for installed base and newly installed systems, AR load control and transformation of grid control architecture

Wind power energy system delivery also factors heavily into Smart Grid and is addressed in "Advances in Wind Energy Technologies in the Context of Smart Grid." The paper discusses how interconnection of large wind farms with the power grid can add a new degree of control to the power system. However, there is also more work to be done here, according to authors Mietek Glinkowski and Senior IEEE Members Jonathan Hou and Gary Rackliffe, who cite new technology solutions being investigated and implemented, particularly in power inter-connection and wind farm protection and controls. The paper also illustrates examples of what the future might bring and how these technological advances will contribute to a power system that enables more wind power energy to be delivered more efficiently, consistently and smarter.

Among other Smart Grid topics evaluated in this issue are Photovoltaic Generators, Microgrids, Stochastic Control and Energy Storage.

Smart Grid integrates 21st century technology with the 20th century power grid. Modernization of the electric grid is a significant long-term undertaking that will span decades. It is quite possible that future generations will look upon the work now underway to develop the Smart Grid as the first great engineering achievement of the 21st century.

About IEEE
IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Learn more at http://www.ieee.org.

About The Proceedings of the IEEE
Founded in 1913, (originally as Proceedings of the IRE), Proceedings of the IEEE is the most highly-cited general-interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science. This journal provides the most in-depth tutorial and review coverage of the technical developments that shape our world, enlisting the help of guest editors and authors from the best research facilities, leading edge corporations and universities around the world. For more information on Proceedings of the IEEE and the latest ideas and innovative technologies, visit http://www.ieee.org/proceedings.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Industry Complexity Cited as Key Roadblock to Energy Progress

Piscataway, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/26/2011 -- Our nation's power industry is too complex to hope for major resource innovations according to a special January update on Network Systems Engineering in Proceedings of the IEEE, the world's leading journal in electrical engineering and computer science since 1913. Because new energy resources are unlikely, the issue takes on the challenge of demonstrating how efficiencies as high as 25 percent are achievable with no increases in capacity or resources just by using and delivering existing power more efficiently.

Published by the IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, this issue of Proceedings of the IEEE tackles the tough topics of why we need new operating paradigms to determine how we can more efficiently deliver and utilize power and also describes the information and the software needed to collect critical data.

Several papers address a related topic, the future of Electric Vehicles (EV). One entitled "Integration of Electric Vehicles in the Electric Power System" by J.A. Pecas Lopes, F.J. Soares and P.M.Rocha Almeida illustrates the tremendous challenges that large deployments of EVs will impose on the operation and management of electric power systems of the future and provides a framework for testing EV fleets (taxis, transportation services, commercial vehicles and municipal services) before extending to the general public.

New Data To Facilitate Efficiencies; Cost Savings
Among the proposed solutions to achieving increased efficiencies in usage and delivery of our existing power supplies addressed in this issue is the identification of much-needed embedded intelligence and new software that will enable us to obtain this intelligence.

To facilitate greater efficiencies, functionality information is needed that can enable orderly power performance based on real time information about power needs. Called "just-in-time (JIT), just-in-place (JIP)"energy delivery referenced in a paper entitled "Dynamic Monitoring and Decision Systems for Enabling Sustainable Energy Services" by M. D. Ilic' JIT is similar to Just-in-time (JIT) inventory strategies used by manufacturers to reduce in-process inventory and associated carrying costs. With (JIT) and (JIP) in the management of our power supplies, with the right information, we can deliver power to users when it is needed based on accurate usage projections, leaving power available at times for others with greater need.

Also addressed is how to facilitate demand response by households to enable them to change their electricity net-consumption in response to real-time prices. In the paper "Demand Response With Micro-CHP Systems" by Michiel Houwing, Rudy R. Negenborn and Bart De Schutter, the authors explain how greater flexibility in power generation can lead to energy cost savings with the application of micro-CHP in households that simultaneously generates heat and power and thereby improves energy efficiency and reduces carbon emissions. One objective to which intelligent control with micro-CHP can be directed is demand response, in this paper, the ability of households to change their electricity needs based on changes in fuel costs.

Aging Infrastructure Demands New Approach
According to the research, no single technology, hardware and/or software is likely to meet the huge future needs for energy. The producers of primary energy have entered the race for making traditional energy resources cleaner and safer and for coming up with scientific breakthroughs for entirely new energy resources. There has also been an increasing awareness that traditionally passive energy consumers have a larger role to play than in the past. However we lack the infrastructure to integrate and transport these new energy resources effectively because the infrastructure for converting primary energy and delivering it in a form required by the end users was designed with qualitatively different objectives in mind from the functionalities which are likely to be needed even in the near future. This infrastructure is also aging and far from what it should and could become given technological advances.

"Simply building hardware for renewable generators and the smart grid, but using the same operating paradigm of the grid, will not realize the full potential for overall system efficiency and carbon reduction" cautions authors Pravin Varaiya, Felix F. Wu, and Janusz W. Bialek in the paper "Smart Operation of Smart Grid: Risk-Limiting Dispatch," one of 13 papers in this issue. "Rather we must create a new operating paradigm called risk limiting dispatch that uses information and control to design hedging techniques to manage the risk of uncertainty." And according to the authors, "Once the paradigm shift becomes clear, the design of supporting tools will take place."

Although this issue coincides with exciting times when energy and the environment are on everyone's mind, the conditions in today's industry combined with various technological, economic and regulatory driving forces, have led to unprecedented industry complexity.

Recently investments have been made by governments worldwide to demonstrate proof-of-concept and the feasibility of deploying some of the new infrastructure technologies. Unfortunately, it cannot be assumed that large-scale penetration of the most promising solutions would take place once the feasibility of these technologies has been demonstrated on relatively small pilot projects. On the contrary, the initial conditions in today's industry, combined with various technological, economic and regulatory driving forces, have led to unprecedented industry complexity.

"It has therefore become increasingly complex to meet energy, environmental and social goals by attempting to deploy hardware and software innovations within today's industry in accordance with its practice, policies and standards. In this issue a case is made for new practices based on dynamic multi-layered and interactive decision-making and information exchange. This enables integration of distributed technical and financial choices by different industry participants with the social objectives at value. The implementation will require a wholesale redesign of communications, control, computing and policies within the industry," points out Dr. Marija D. Ilic, guest editor of the January Proceedings of the IEEE issue and Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Engineering & Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University.

To receive a copy of this Proceedings of the IEEE Network Systems Engineering for Meeting the Energy and Environmental Dream Issue, to read a specific paper or to coordinate an interview with a guest editor, please contact Lauren Russ at lauren@connectcomsinc.com or visit the website at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org or the journal's web site at http://www.ieee.org/proceedings.

About The IEEE
IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Learn more at http://www.ieee.org.

About Proceedings of the IEEE
Founded in 1913, (originally as Proceedings of the IRE), Proceedings of the IEEE is the most highly-cited general –interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science. This journal provides the most in-depth tutorial and review coverage of the technical developments that shape our world, using guest authors and editors from the best research facilities, leading edge corporations and enlightened universities around the world. For more information on Proceedings of the IEEE and the latest ideas and innovative technologies, visit http://www.ieee.org/proceedings.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Proceedings of the IEEE Cites Potential for Spin-Based Technology to Replace Static RAM

Piscataway, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/04/2011 -- According to research reported in the special issue update of Proceedins of the IEEE (http://www.ieee.org/proceedings) on Nanoelectronics applications, computer users will be elated to learn that efficient new systems to process information and sustain memory function are on the horizon. Many of these are new devices and forward-thinking technologies proposed to perform either the processor function or the memory function, and in some instances a universal device to perform both functions. Proceedings of the IEEE is the world's most highly-cited general-interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science since 1913.

This Nanoelectronics update issue, published by the IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, presents 16 research papers reflecting a two-phased approach to bringing about change in both processing information and sustaining memory function. Phase one papers address extending chip functionality beyond what is thought possible today, while phase two explores ways to create a new, multifunctional and scalable platform technology such as an all spin-based logic for both processor and memory tasks.

An exciting albeit still controversial aspect of the idea of employing spin-based technology to replace RAM is described in "Spin-transistor Electronics: An Overview and Outlook" by S. Sugahara and J. Nitta, which makes a strong case for using spin instead of charge as a building block for novel integrated circuits that never need refreshing.

"Spin devices could also be used to realize non-volatile memory and reconfigurable output characteristics that are very useful and offer suitable functionalities for new integrated circuit architectures that are inaccessible to ordinary transistor circuits," explains James Hutchby, guest editor for the Nanotechnology Special Issue, as he recently commented on the current status and outlook for spin transistors.

In "In Quest of the Next Switch" by T. Theis and P. Solomon, an exploration is presented of options for reducing energy dissipation characteristic of semiconductors. The article also provides important insight into the search to replace the silicon Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) and Complementary (CMOS) gate as the basic unit logic device. The potential for Graphene to play an important role in processor and memory functions for new "beyond CMOS devices" is also addressed in this issue.

In "Graphene for CMOS and Beyond CMOS Applications" by S.K. Banerjee et al., several unique properties of graphene are summarized including its very high mobility and linear band structure while also demonstrating that the unique properties of graphene can lead to discovery and development of important and new "Beyond CMOS" devices.

"While it could be many years before we see any of these graphene applications fully realized, the discovery of graphene and now the potential we see for it and have illustrated in this article offers an unparalleled opportunity for scientists to investigate these possibilities," says Hutchby.

"The overriding opportunity these research papers offer to the Nanoelectronics research community is a chance to develop a new concept and its enabling technology capable of sustaining information processing (including memory) functional scaling beyond that which is attainable with scaled Complimentary Metal Oxide Semi-conductor (CMOS)," further explains Hutchby. "And this new concept could be based on use of a new 'token'(e.g. electronic spin) to replace charge as the means to represent a bit of information."

To receive a copy of this Proceedings of the IEEE Nanoelectronics Network Applications issue, to read a specific paper or to coordinate an interview with a guest editor please contact Lauren Russ at lauren@connectcomsinc.com or visit the website at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org or the journal's web site at http://www.ieee.org/proceedings.

About The IEEE
IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.

Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Learn more at http://www.ieee.org.

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Founded in 1913, (originally as Proceedings of the IRE), Proceedings of the IEEE is the most highly-cited general –interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science. This journal provides the most in-depth tutorial and review coverage of the technical developments that shape our world, using guest authors and editors from the best research facilities, leading edge corporations and enlightened universities around the world. For more information on Proceedings of the IEEE and the latest ideas and innovative technologies, visit http://www.ieee.org/proceedings.

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Leading Research Journal Foretells a Network More Powerful Than the Internet; Medical, Environmental Innovations Also Cited

Piscataway, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/04/2011 -- A network more powerful than the Internet, while perhaps inconceivable right now, is just one of many potentially life-changing applications for wireless sensor networks (WSN) highlighted in a special November update issue about Sensor Networks and Applications in Proceedings of the IEEE, the world's most highly-cited general interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science since 1913.

Published by the IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, additional topics of this Proceedings issue include a look at forward-thinking healthcare applications for WSN that could greatly improve electronic triage at large disasters by monitoring the injured as well as medical personnel; a conservation approach for utilizing sensor networks to conserve natural resources like electricity, gas and water, and the emerging trend of publishing real-time sensor data on the Web that opens up a wide variety of novel application scenarios.

"Sensor network research has grown dramatically in the seven years since Proceedings of the IEEE first published a special research issue on 'Sensor Networks and Applications' in August, 2003," explains Neal Patwari, guest editor for the Sensor Networks and Applications edition. "The visions for sensor networks and their applications have changed as research perspectives have shifted, so as we move forward it is important to pause at this crossroad and 'look both ways' to better understand how these perspectives came to be and have evolved over time."

Sensor network research of the past decade is enabling a new tier of the Internet to emerge. As presented in "IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)in Low-Power Wireless Networks" by Jonathan Hui and David Culler, developments of the past decade in low-power networking technology as well as the Internet Protocol will allow the Internet to extend into the physical world.

"A decade ago, the sensor networking community eschewed the use of IP for low-power networking because of a perception that IP was too resource-intensive and ill-suited to the needs of sensor network applications," explains Jonathan Hui of Cisco Systems. "Not being bound to particular network architecture allowed significant developments in low-power wireless networking, but it was difficult to incorporate such networks into an existing IP-based network infrastructure."

The paper demonstrates that it is possible to take the recent developments of low-power wireless networking and incorporate them into IP-based network architecture.

"IPv6, the next version of the Internet Protocol designed to supersede IPv4, provides the necessary scaling and autoconfiguration properties needed to handle the expected growth of the Internet," says Hui. "IPv6 also provides the flexibility to include sensor networking advancements in low-power communication and mesh routing within the IP framework."

With various standards bodies, such as the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), Z-Wave and ZigBee, adopting IP within low-power wireless networking standards, the stage has been set for the next tier of the Internet.

"With physically embedded devices, the Internet will grow far beyond its current scale with new and unforeseen applications," predicts Hui. "IP provides the necessary architecture and framework for continued innovation in the low-power wireless networking space."

Medical care will be a major beneficiary of the research outlined in "Wireless Sensor Networks for Healthcare" by JeongGil Ko, Chenyang Lu, Mani B. Srivastava, John A. Stankovic, Andreas Terzis and Matt Welsh, when these applications come to fruition. For example, according to the authors, the increased portability, scalability, and rapidly deployable nature of wireless sensing systems can be used to automatically report triage levels of numerous victims and continuously track the health status of first responders at the disaster scene more effectively.

While the paper acknowledges that triage protocols for monitoring the injured in mass-casualty disasters and other emergencies already exist, the problem currently is that their effectiveness can quickly degrade with increasing numbers of victims.

"There's a critical need to employ new WSN technology to improve how we monitor the health of first responders during mass-casualty disasters, because if the people on the ground cannot function at an optimal level due to exhaustion or health issues we must know this and intervene before they and the disaster victims suffer negative consequences," explains JeongGil Ko of Johns Hopkins University.

With the aging of America, the use of wireless sensor technology to foster an economical and efficient way to monitor age-related illnesses could be big news now and in the future. The paper explains how wireless networked sensors could be carried on a person or embedded in people's living spaces to collect data about personal, physical, physiological and behavioral states in real-time, everywhere.

"These 'living records' will help individuals increase self-awareness of their health situation and will also help caregivers obtain early intervention when problems are evident," explains Ko.

Also explained in this medical-focused article is the potential for a WSN monitoring application that provides aging and infirm patients with assistance for motor and sensory decline.

"When these sensors are worn by patients in declining health, the sensors deliver data that enable off-site medical support teams to attempt to help them retrain declining parts like arms and legs or provide some medical or mechanical supports so the patient can sustain a safe level of independence as long as feasible," explained Ko. "Ultimately the network sensors can help determine the right time for assistance devices like canes, crutches, walkers and wheel chairs."

It won't be long until "Smart Buildings" are helping us conserve both energy and money by employing WSNs that adjust instantly to optimum heating and cooling temperatures, according to a paper with environmental research ramifications. Entitled "Circuit Design Advances for Wireless Sensing Applications" by Dennis Sylvester, Gregory Chen, Scott Hanson and David Blaauw the paper provides a comprehensive review of recent work in ultra-low-power circuits with examples of specific applications for medical diagnosis, infrastructure monitoring and environmental sensing among others.

Another future-gazing example is the use of agricultural sensors implanted in the ground adjacent to where crops grow that can deliver finite measurements for water presence and help save this resource by reducing the amount of water necessary for healthy crop growth. This application is explained in the research paper "Measurement Scheduling for Soil Moisture Sensing: From Physical Models to Optimal Control" by David Shuman, Ashutosh Nayyar, Aditya Mahajan, Yuriy Goykhman, Ke Li and Mingyan Liu.

To receive a copy of Proceedings of the IEEE's Sensor Networks and Applications issue, read a specific paper or to coordinate an interview with a guest editor, please contact Lauren Russ at lauren@connectcomsinc.com or visit the website at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org or http://www.ieee.org.

About IEEE
IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Learn more at http://www.ieee.org.

About The Proceedings of the IEEE
Founded in 1913, (originally as Proceedings of the IRE), Proceedings of the IEEE is the most highly-cited journal in electrical engineering and computer science. This journal provides the most in-depth tutorial and review coverage of the technical developments that shape our world using guest authors and editors from the best research facilities, leading edge corporations and enlightened universities around the world. For more information on Proceedings of the IEEE and the latest ideas and innovative technologies, visit http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=5.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm