CONTRACTS
Giga-tronics, Inc.—Has partnered with Equipment Management Technology (EMT) to offer lease and rental of Giga-tronics’ RF and microwave test and measurement equipment. Equipment Management has placed a $1M purchase order with Giga-tronics for RF and microwave test solutions including fast-switching microwave signal generators, high-accuracy power meters, and the 2-to-20-GHz high-power amplifier. The order allows the two companies to develop integrated promotion, advertising, and sales. EMT will have enhanced access to the US market through the Giga-tronics sales channel. In addition, Giga-tronics will be able to supply its products for rental, lease, and distribution through EMT.
Aperto Networks—Zing has chosen Aperto’s PacketMAX solution for a multi-state WiMAX network. Initially operating in the lightly licensed 3.65-GHz frequency and eventually in the license-exempt 5.8-GHz frequency, the network will provide wireless broadband voice and data services in Michigan, Washington, Colorado, Florida, and Tennessee. Zing will expand the network later next year to include California and Texas. The network will deploy two different Aperto base stations: the PacketMAX 5000 and PacketMAX 3000. It will also include hundreds of subscriber units including the PacketMAX 120 and PacketMAX 320. When completed, it will support symmetrical and asymmetrical connections with speeds up to 10 MB.
NXP—In collaboration with Phonak, NXP has announced a single-chip, ultra-low-power radio for use in hearing systems. The new ultra low-power radio is being integrated into Phonak’s portfolio of CORE-based hearing systems and wireless accessories.
SkyCross—Has announced that its antennas power the Samsung SWC-E100 ExpressCard, the first client device for the recent WiMAX launch in Baltimore. The WiMAX service, provided through the XOHM division of Sprint Nextel, delivers 4G mobile broadband service across the city.

FRESH STARTS
AWR—Has announced that its Finnish R&D facility will conduct research within the European Integrated Circuit/Electromagnetic Simulation and Design Technologies for Advanced Radio Systems-on-chip (ICESTARS) project. ICESTARS strives to enable the development of low-cost wireless chips that can operate at frequencies up to 100 GHz. AWR’s efforts will focus on frequency-domain simulation methods for next-generation wireless system-on-a-chip (SoC) devices. The ICESTARS project is funded by the European Commission within its Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7) and is led by NXP Semiconductors. The German semiconductor company Qimonda will develop advanced analog simulation techniques and MAGWEL of Belgium will focus on electromagnetic simulation. University partners include The Mathematical Institute of the University of Cologne (Germany), Upper Austria University of Applied Sciences, the University of Wuppertal (Germany), and the University of Oulu (Finland). The universities will concentrate on modeling, algorithmic problems, and simulation issues that must be solved to produce robust and accelerated automated testing of analog circuits with digital signal processing in the EHF region.
Mimix Asia—Has launched its web site, which highlights the company’s product offerings including high-power amplifiers, attenuators, phase shifters, and core chips. Datasheets are available online at www.mimixasia.com with supporting application notes.
Johanson Technology, Inc.—Has joined ONE-NET, an opensource wireless networking alliance. The ONE-NET wireless standard is a multi-vendor, open-source wireless control protocol that was optimized for home-control applications. It includes such features as integrated peer-to-peer operation, a high level of security, excellent range, and low power consumption.
Rice University—Two engineering alumni, John and Ann Doerr, have given their alma mater $15 million to transform the way that engineers are educated. The gift from the Benificus Foundation, a private charitable organization set up by alumni John and Ann Doerr, will fund the new Rice Center for Engineering Leadership and raise the bar for engineering educators nationwide.
CalAmp—Has teamed with CalAmp Corp. to enable ZigBee and IP-based wireless networks to work together for automated-meterreading, peak-energy-demand response, and other smart-grid applications. CalAmp has integrated Ember’s EM250 ZigBee SoC and EmberZNet PRO ZigBee networking software into its new WiMetry IP-based wireless communications platform.
Endicott Interconnect Technologies—Has received Trusted Accreditation by the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) as a trusted source to the Department of Defense and all other US government agencies. EI has been awarded Category 1A trusted foundry accreditation for integrated circuits for packaging/ assembly services at its Endicott, NY facility.
Azimuth Systems—Has joined the International Wireless Industry Consortium (IWPC), which is an international community of wireless and RF product OEMs and suppliers. The consortium was formed to facilitate communication across the entire supply chain in order to improve the performance of wireless and RF products, reduce costs, and slash time-to-market.
Elbit Systems—Has signed an agreement to purchase a minority interest in Azimuth Technologies Ltd. Under the purchase agreement, Elbit Systems will purchase 13,739,400 shares, representing approximately 19.48 percent of Azimuth’s voting shares on a non-fully diluted basis, for a price of US $0.25 per share.
Motorola, Inc.—Motorola Technology Sdn Bhd (Motorola Penang) has set up a new MMU-Motorola Wireless Broadband Technology Lab at Multimedia University (MMU), Cyberjaya. This lab provides a conducive wireless-network environment for students and faculty members to conduct applied research on the latest wireless-broadband technologies.
Richardson Electronics Ltd.—Will now sell W.L. Gore & Associates’ line of surface-mountable EMI shielding materials including the GORE-SHIELD Supersoft SMT EMI gaskets and grounding pads as well as the GORE snapSHOT board-level EMI shield.