Digital Signal Processing Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
The concept: methods - content - objectives
Microelectronics is already the key industry (see Illustration 9:). In the view of experts in
this field it has changed our lives more than any other technology and will continue to do
so. It is probably impossible for us to imagine the social, political and economic impact
of this technology.
Professional mobility will probably be virtually synonymous with the qualified and
responsible application of microelectronics in the widest sense. It is likely to influence
education and science more profoundly and change them more rapidly than ever before.
Microelectronics has long been characterised by confusing variety and increasingly rapid
innovation. The question of a concept for university degree courses, training, further
education and advanced training in the field of microelectronics is becoming more and
more urgent. In view of the tendency arising from this apparent complexity to regard the
"engineer as the skilled worker of tomorrow" (VDI-Nachrichten - news bulletin of the
German Association of Engineers) the question inevitably arises - What is to become of
today's army of skilled workers?
Automobil and transport
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Energy and environment
•
Offices and trade
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Air traffic control
Solar technology
Word processing
•
•
•
Traffic control systems
Heat pumps
Voice output
•
•
•
Automotive diagnosis
systems
Lighting control
Voice recognition
•
Heating control
•
Bar-code scanners
•
Anti-blocking system
•
•
Air conditioning
Character recognition
•
Radar distance control
•
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Air/water surveillance
Copiers
•
On-board computers
•
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Optimisation of
combustion
processes
Office computers
•
Traffic light control system
•
Printers
•
•
Motor control
Recycling
•
Optical recognition of
patterns
•
•
Weather forecast
Global positioning system
Entertainment/leisure
•
Industry
•
Musical instruments
Machine-tool control
Applications
•
•
Games
Measuring instruments
•
•
Radio/hifi
Process controls
of
•
•
Cameras
CAD/CAM /CIM
•
•
Camcorders
Robots
microelectronics
•
•
Personal computers
Safety appliances
•
Digital video
•
Transport installations
Household/
private consumption
•
Communications
•
Medical applications
•
Telephone systems
Patient monitoring
•
•
Cookers/stoves
Data networks
Optical aids
•
•
•
Clocks and watches
Satellite communications
Pace-makers
•
•
•
Dishwashers
Broadband
communications
Laboratory instruments
•
•
Washing machines
Anaesthetic apparatus
•
Telemonitoring/locating
•
Pocket calculator
•
Hearing aids
•
Encoding and decoding
•
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Alarm system
Prostheses
•
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Mobile telephony
•
Systems for apportioning
heating costs
Sonography
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Notebooks/PDA
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NMR tomography
Illustration 9:
Key industry microelectronics
