April 2020

Volume 11 Issue 2

• • From the Chair
  • From the Editor
  • Free IEEE eBooks and Audio Books
  • Call For Papers
  • Women in Engineering
  • CSEF 2020 Wrap
  • Advice for Working at Home
  • Covid 19 Resource Guid
  • IEEE Future Networks
  • 2021 IEEE Standardards Association Call for Participation
  • IEEE Denver Social Media
  • Upcoming Events

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  Section Officers

  ◊ Chair:  Jason Rupe ◊ Vice-Chair:               ◊ Treasurer:  James Sipes ◊ Secretary:  Santosh Veda

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Excom Meetings

3rd Tuesdays of the Month*

• 6:00 pm: Supper and Networking

• 6:30 pm: Excom meeting

Original Brooklyn’s

2644 West Colfax Ave.

Denver, CO 80204 

*Except July & December

• 2019 Budget approved
• 2018 Elections completed
• 2018 New Officers Training Seminar

 Try Something New!

Whether you are active in IEEE ExCom, are a chair of a technical society, or just a paying member, we thank you for being a part of something that we think is pretty great. If you want to get more involved, you know where to find us! And if you just want to enjoy the hard (and not-so-hard) work of our volunteers by attending our events we would love that even more! Take advantage of the monthly volunteering efforts we have put together for you. Try something new, meet some new people, and learn something new by listening to a distinguished lecturer. Oh, and thank you for being a reader of our newsletter!

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Editors:

Ernest Worthman

Going Virtual

A lot has changed since the last newsletter. Many of us are working from home if we are working at all. Those that are not are working under some very challenging conditio

ns quite different from what we are used to. And, we are working harder.

However, we are working differently as well. New tools, new methods, and, certainly, new spaces quite different from where we were before Covid 19. And, just as we have adjusted our lives, the IEEE is adjusting too.

Many may align the IEEE with meetings, conferences, and other professional events that, often, spur world-class publications. But worldwide, those meetings, conferences, and events are no longer an option for the immediate future. Such events, as are many other in person events are shifting to online. While not always ideal, it does partially fill the gap.

The IEEE is no exception. Some conferences are shifting to on-line. Other are simply being pushed out in the hope that by the time fall arrives, things may be different. For better or worse, those shifting to on-line are often reducing their conference fees to attendees. I have even seen one conference charge a nominal fee to attendees, and a much higher fee to presenters because information has value. This means we are in a unique time where you can have access to more conference content from your home than ever before, and much of it is highly valuable. Now is a great time to expand your horizons professionally, without the need and expense of travel.

Locally, we are shifting too. Denver Section ExCom meetings have been held online since March and will be for the foreseeable future. Likewise, our Dine and Learn meetings are going on-line; you’ll have to bring your own dine, but we’ll supply the learn. And our blockchain group just held a joint, online meeting with the Austin section on telecommunications and blockchain technology and applications.

We may be restricted in our ability to travel, but we can still meet. For those who have not been able to travel to section or chapter meetings due to distance or time, you can now take better advantage to the online meetings and events we are holding.

This is a great time to think about involvement in the IEEE. Please consider joining, and getting involved remotely. As we all shift our operations, we will gain more value from this shift and be able to take the best from this experience and apply what we have learned, once we return to a more normal condition. .We look forward to returning to a more normal state, but meanwhile we hope to see you on-line too. Jason W. Rupe, PhD., Denver Section Chair, etc. 

From the Editor

Washington’s China Hawk Effect on the Semi Biz

I have been involved in semiconductor industry for a number of years, now. I have many contacts there and do regular checkups with them on the health and welfare of the industry.

It is no secret that the last couple of years have not been particularly good for this industry. And, the Trump administration’s spat with China is not helping.

The industry is complex, and competition is stiff. This led to a freefall in DRAM and NAND memory pricing that started in late 2018 due to an oversupply of components. That, in turn, led to nearly a 13 percent decline in revenue.

There was a somewhat promising, rosier picture for 2020 but Covid 19 has put the kibosh on that. And, considering we are heading for a recession, there is a great void of unknows once we pass the pandemic. All that has caused the industry to take a 15 percent hit for Q1. The chart gives an overview of the numbers and it is not particularly promising.

From a theoretical perspective, and wishful thinking among the players, there is a fairly wide window of opportunity available. However, nobody is placing bets on when or how fast the recovery will occur once all is said and done. And, my sources are reticent to make anything other than vague predictions about what to expect.

The window of opportunity focuses, largely, on emerging technologies. A “what’s what” of platforms includes the Internet of Anything/Everything (IoX), autonomous vehicles, 5G, smart devices, AI and machine intelligence (MI), and several other emerging and expanding platforms (such as multi-gate semiconductors) that could jump-start the industry. That depends on a number of existing conditions improving and when that will occur, to the point of some semblance of normalcy.

However, there is worry here in the U.S. about this government’s actions, going forward, with China. Many of this country’s semiconductor manufacturers are heavily invested with fabs in China.

And, this government’s position has them concerned. As well, a significant percentage of sales from the same goes to China. There is a real set of serious challenges facing the U.S. from this anti-Chinese, in particular, and pro-isolationist, in general position the U.S. is taking. A report by Boston Consulting Group (bcg.com): (https://media-publications.bcg.com/flash/2020-03-07-How-Restrictions-to-Trade-with-China-Could-End-US-Semiconductor-Leadership.pdf) does a very good job of identifying the choke points and their implications on the U.S. semiconductor industry. And, the report is neutral, not trying to spin anything. The following are some observations from the report.

First of all, if the frictions between China and the U.S. continue unablated, U.S. semiconductor companies’ business status in China will be compromised.

• Continuation of the bilateral conflict could jeopardize US semiconductor companies’ ability to conduct business in China on an equal footing with their competitors, both Chinese and from other regions. That could pose a direct risk to the estimated $49 billion of revenue (22 percent of its total revenue) that the U.S. semiconductor industry derived from Chinese device manufacturers. The magnitude of the revenue at risk threatens the scale that the U.S. industry needs to sustain its virtuous circle of innovation and global leadership.

In the worst case, there will be decoupling the U.S. and Chinese tech industries.

• If U.S, semiconductor companies are effectively banned from selling to all Chinese customers —not just those on the current Entity List. The ban will encompass all semiconductor components sold to Chinese device manufacturers or to non-Chinese manufacturers that assemble their products in China. The ban will also apply to other technologies and products used in the semiconductor value chain—such as design tools and manufacturing equipment—for which U.S. companies are global leaders.

This will be devastating for the U.S. and it will, likely, slip behind some other countries in cutting-edge technologies since a significant percentage of semiconductor earnings are reinvested in R&D. Loss of income translates directly into less $$ for R&D.

As well, the shift from purchasing U.S. semiconductor products will put Chinese dollars into U.S. competitors. That will make the competition even stiffer for U.S. suppliers around the globe because other countries will have more choices. That will also put pressure on prices.

For example, if 5G chip development accelerates in places like Korea, India, Vietnam, and others with Chinese investments, the market will have many more, often less expensive, choices other than QUALCOMM. From the report:

• Chinese suppliers would capture approximately half of the revenue forgone by the U.S. industry, enabling China to increase its global market share to around 7 percent and raise its semiconductor design self-sufficiency from 14 to 25 percent. The other half of the revenue lost by U.S. semiconductor companies would flow to alternative suppliers from Europe or Asia.

If total decoupling were to occur, the results would be much more damaging. For example, China would also ban U.S. software and devices such as smartphones, PCs, and data-center equipment. In that case, U.S. semiconductor revenue would decline by 37 percent when all is said and done. From the report:

• U.S. semiconductor companies would likely lose their technology and product advantages over global competitors, leading inevitably to further market share erosion. We estimate that, in the medium to long term, the global share of U.S. semiconductor companies would drop from 48 to approximately 30 percent. The U.S. would also lose its long-standing global leadership position in the industry.

There is, of course, the specter that some U.S technologies are so advanced that if China were to lose access to them, Chinese PCs, servers, and other ICT infrastructure devices might no longer be as competitive in international markets. The same for Chinese smartphones and other consumer electronics products, particularly in high-income economies.

However, that would put Chinese technology in place of U.S. Technology in China, which is a huge market. That, in turn, would generate revenue for Chinse R&D, both in China and elsewhere and they would, eventually, be on par.

There are many more interesting details in this report. Unless the U.S. realizes that its current path will do more damage to U.S. semiconductor companies than to China, the future for our semiconductor companies will be difficult. The report notes that:

• From a U.S. perspective, our analysis shows that imposing broad unilateral restrictions on US semiconductor companies that prevent them from serving Chinese customers may backfire and risk endangering the U.S.’s long-standing global leadership in semiconductors. Ultimately, this could result in significant U.S. dependence on foreign semiconductor suppliers to serve the needs of the U.S. technology industry. Similarly, a dramatically scaled-down US semiconductor industry that no longer functioned as a global leader would not be able to fund the level of R&D investment required to fulfill needs for advanced semiconductors for critical defense and national security capabilities.

In the end, continuation down this path will have devastating effects on the U.S. semiconductor segment. How much and how devastating is unknown. And, couple that with the current and near-future economic downturn and the result could be an unrecoverable scenario for U.S. semiconductor players. That will not only hurt them but a wide array of segments from national security to consumer devices. It will also affect a wide array of both existing and emerging technologies.

The report implies some dire consequences for the semiconductor sector if the China hawks have their way. It goes as far as saying if the worst scenario comes to pass, the U.S. semiconductor segment will suffer irreparable damage to the point it may never recover.

Without a doubt it is in trouble. My main worry is that this government will not understand the ramifications of pursuing the anti-China vector, and thinking the results of decoupling can  be made up with alternative vendors. That scenario will not come to pass.

The U.S. and China need to come up with a win-win strategy. The blame game, whether it is Covid 19 or backdoors, is not helping either side to move forward. On the backside of all of this, let us hope our government has undergone some changes that will remove the vindictiveness and ignorance we are currently witnessing. Ernest Worthman

For Members Only: All IEEE-USA eBooks and Audio Books Now Free to All IEEE Members!

All IEEE members can now access for free titles on careers, skill development, professional development, and other topics from industry veterans such as, Caring for Your Project Team, by Harry T. Roman; The In’s and Out’s of Mentoring, by Peggy Hutcheson; and Critical Thinking Skills for Engineers–Book 1: Analytical Skills, by Sridhar Ramanathan. Members can also now get free IEEE-USA’s first comic book, complete with new engineering superheroes, The Slate Twins: Caught in the Currents, Vol. 1, by cartoonist Jeff Knurek.

Browse the full collection of IEEE-USA eBooks and audio books from the IEEE-USA Online Shop. Log in with your IEEE account to download more than 150 titles for free!  You can get titles currently available, as well as future IEEE-USA eBooks and audio books. A limited number of reports, such as the annual IEEE-USA Employment Survey, and other surveys, are not included among the free eBook titles.  IEEE Members can purchase these reports for a discounted rate.

CALL FOR AUTHORS

IEEE-USA eBOOKS seeks authors to write an individual eBook, or a series, on career guidance and development topics, and practical skills engineers at all levels can use to do their jobs better. If you have an idea you think will benefit members in a particular area of expertise, please email your proposal to IEEE-USA Publishing Manager, Georgia C. Stelluto, at g.stelluto@ieee.org.

IEEE-USA serves the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of nearly 190,000 engineering, computing and technology professionals who are U.S. members of IEEE. Web: https://ieeeusa.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ieeeusa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ieeeusa/ Join IEEE: https://www.ieee.org/join/

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS 

Every three years, the MGA William W. Middleton Distinguished Service Award is presented to an individual, who over a long and sustained period of leadership, contributed in an exemplary manner to the IEEE Member and Geographic Activities (MGA) Board, its activities and achievements, and the attainment of its goals and objectives. Selection criteria, the nomination form, and more information on the MGA awards process are available.

The deadline for nominations is 15 May 2020 (for completed nomination form and two letters of endorsement). https://mga.ieee.org/awards/mga-awards-and-recognition-program/mga-william-w-middleton-distinguished-service-award IEEE MGA mga-awards@ieee.org

BLOCKCHAIN FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS

As the third seminar covering Blockchain in Telecommunications, the IEEE Denver Blockchain Initiative recently hosted a webinar including how requirements for 5G, IoT, Ai and Blockchain can be extended to other use cases such as healthcare/tele-health, first responders/public safety and key building blocks of smart cities.

On April 28, 2020 Austin-Denver/Boulder IEEE ComSoc Chapters presented a special well attended VIRTUAL webinar on – https://comsoc.ieee-denver.org/2020/04/29/blockchain-for-telecommunications-comsoc-webinar-series/ The event was hosted by:

• IEEE Austin ComSoc & Signal Processing and Consumer Elec. Society Chapters (CH05005)
• IEEE Denver ComSoc & VTS Joint Chapters (CH05026)
• IEEE Austin Computer & EMBS Joint Chapters (CH05006)

and supported by IEEE Communications Society NA Regional Board – https://na.regions.comsoc.org/board/ The program and speakers were introduced and moderated by Tim Weil, CISSP/CCSP, CISA, PMP Chair – Denver Blockchain Initiative (IEEE) Topics/Speakers:

• “Blockchain Applied to Telecom”

 Claudio Lima, Ph.D., Co-Founder Blockchain Engineering Council, BEC

• Abstract

Blockchain distributed ledger technologies (DLT) in Telecommunications is a new concept that can tremendously improve telecom networking operations and customer-facing processes experience, adding a new layer of authentication, validation and security for all telecom assets and transactions.  This talk will introduce some basic concepts of Blockchain applied to Telecommunications.

• “Distributed Ledger use in Telecommunications for Certificate Management”

Chris Gorog, CTO Blockframe

•  Abstract

Distributed Ledger technology is unfolding rapidly and the potential for many use cases are being theorized and debated.  Our session explores the nature of current technologies for certificate management and global deficiencies in how Certificate Hierarchy and in particular Certificate Revocation is handled.

•  “5G and blockchain impact in shaping the future smart cities and telecommunications”

Fawzi Behmann, DL, MBA, M. Comp.Sc, President TelNet Management Consulting Inc.

• Abstract

 5G, IoT, AI and Blockchain are key disruptive technologies that could shape the future enablement of technology in telecommunications.

The talk will briefly show the explosive growth in the disruptive technologies, Describe a walkthrough use case of Telecom Network Management covering monitoring through sensors, communications, processing and control at the edge (International gateways) and analyzing data at the network end-to-end to deliver quality of services. We love to hear your feedback. Please email to Fawzi. Behmann, f.behmann@ieee.org   or Tim Weil,  trweil@ieee.org

Call for Papers (note some of these events may have cancelled or moved online. Check with the organization for details)

European Microwave Week 2020, the Premier Microwave, RF, Wireless and Radar Event in Europe CALL FOR PAPERS, Submission deadline 14th February, 2020, see www.eumweek.com (closed – Information is for attending only)

The conferences encompass a wide range of subject areas including: Microwave components, systems and subsystems for telecommunications, satellite and aerospace, defence/homeland security, radar, automotive, high frequency applications, emerging technologies.

The 23^rd European Microwave Week, being held in the historic city of Utrecht, The Netherlands features: A 6-day International Event Three Major Conferences Over Five Days Many Student and Young Professionals Activities Workshops, Short Courses and Special Sessions.

The Forum on Defense, Security and Space The Automotive Forum A 3-day European Microwave Exhibition Exhibitor Workshops and Seminars EuMW General chair: Frank van Vliet, TNO (general.chair@eumw2020.org) EuMW General co-chair: Bart Nauwelaers, KU Leuven (general.cochair@eumw2020.org) EuMW General TPC chair: Alexander Yarovoy, Delft University of Technology (tpc.chair@eumw2020.org) The European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference (EuMIC) The conference proceedings will be submitted to the IEEE Xplore digital library.

You may electronically submit scientific or application oriented papers for one or more of the conferences. For detailed information on submissions for conferences, workshops and special sessions please visit www.eumweek.com where you can also submit your paper on-line. Late submissions will not be considered. Looking forward to seeing you at the European Microwave Week 2020, EuMIC Chair: Francois Deborgies, ESA (eumic.chair@eumw2020.org) EuMIC TPC Chair: Domine Leenaerts, NXP (eumic.tpc@eumw2020.org)

The European Radar Conference (EuRAD) The conference proceedings will be submitted to the IEEE Xplore® digital library. You may electronically submit scientific or application oriented papers for one or more of the conferences. For detailed information on submissions for conferences, workshops and special sessions please visit www.eumweek.com where you can also submit your paper on-line. Late submissions will not be considered. Looking forward to seeing you at the European Microwave Week 2020, EuRAD Chair: Mayazzurra Ruggiano, Thales Nederland BV (eurad.chair@eumw2020.org) EuRAD TPC Chair: Jacco de Wit, TNO (eurad.tpc@eumw2020.org)

The IEEE International Microwave Biomedical Conference – May 25-28 Toulouse, France

Sponsored by IEEE MTT-S (Microwave Theory and Techniques Society), AP-S (Antenna and Propagation Society) and EMB-S (Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society), this conference will be held on May 25-28, 2020 in the Hotel Mercure Compans Cafarelli, Toulouse, France.

IMbioC 2020 focuses on presenting and advancing high-quality research on state-of-the-art in microwave and RF theory and techniques that bridge the science and engineering gap as applied to biological systems.

During the conference, some workshops and special sessions including Young Professionals (YP) and Women in Microwave (WiM) events will be organized, while an exhibition will be held simultaneously.

We invite abstracts for platform presentations and poster sessions in the following non-exclusive tracks: Biological and medical applications of microwave and RF systems

• Microwave imaging, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Radiometry, thermography, cellular and molecular spectroscopy
• Interaction of electromagnetic fields with biological materials and modeling
• Pathological, physiological and biochemical studies with EM waves Computational methods and models for bio-electromagnetics
• Electromagnetic safety studies and regulatory compliance Antennas and sensors for wireless implants Implantable and wearable diagnostic and therapeutic systems
• RF and microwave integrated circuits for biomedical applications
• Radar for remote or noninvasive monitoring and tracking Wireless communication and wireless power transfer for BAN
• Biomedical sensors, devices, and instrumentation utilizing EM waves Internet of Thing (IoT) for biomedical applications
• Other related topics

Paper submission: Authors are invited to submit 3-page manuscripts in PDF format. All papers must be written in English and clearly describe the concept and results. The template is available at https://imbioc-ieee.org/.

Papers submitted will be peer-reviewed. The conference proceedings will be submitted to the IEEE Xplore® digital library.

Best Student Paper contest: Best Student Paper awards will be presented to the winners at the conference. The awards committee will judge the papers on originality, significance, technical soundness, and presentation. To qualify for the award, the author must be a full-time student who presents the paper as the first author. Important dates: Paper submission: 01/13/ 2020 – Closed Paper notification: 02/17/2020 – Expired Final manuscript due: 03/ 09/2020 Special Issue in IEEE J-ERM: Authors presenting at IMBioC 2020 are invited to submit an expanded version of their papers to a special issue in the IEEE Journal of Electromagnetics, RF and Microwaves in Medicine and Biology (J-ERM): https://ieee-jerm.org. Contact email: ducrocq@laas.fr

IEEE MTT-S International Conference on Microwave Acoustics and Mechanics (IC-MAM) – Munich, Germany from 13th to 15th of July 2020

IC-MAM represents a unique and unprecedented opportunity to bring together researchers and practitioners of different background (materials scientists, physicists, microwave engineers and process technologists), to share the most recent advances in new materials and manufacturing processes as well as components and devices.

These represent the key for the development of future RF, microwave, mm-wave and THz devices, circuits and systems based on RF-MEMS and Acoustics.

You are cordially invited to submit your latest research results in the following areas:

• Acoustic/MEMS Device Applications
• Acoustic/MEMS Device Design
• Acoustic/MEMS Device Modeling
• Materials & Propagation
• Advances in Filter and Multiplexer Technology
• SAW and BAW Sensor Devices and Applications
• Multi-Band RF Modules for Multi-Standard/-Mode Systems
• Fusion of Major Transmit and Receive Functionality in Single Modules
• Tunable & Reconfigurable Devices, like Bulk and Thin-film Components and Devices, e.g., based on Ferroelectrics, Phase- Change Materials

Keydates: Paper Submission Deadline: April 13, 2020 Notification of Acceptance: May 11, 2020 Final Paper Submission: May 27, 2020 Conference Date: July 13-15, 2020

The conference proceedings will be submitted to the IEEE Xplore® digital library.

Link to the call for papers: https://www.icmam-ieee.org/files/CallForPaper_ICMAM20.pdf

Furthermore, authors are encouraged to submit an extended version of their conference paper for publication in a mini-special issue of the IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. We are looking forward to meet you in Munich. 2020 IEEE MTT-S IC-MAM Conference Committee.

The IoT Vertical and Topical Summit on Tourism (IoT-VTST’20) – Sardinia, Italy 8-9 September 2020

The IoT Vertical and Topical Summit on Tourism (IoT-VTST’20) will bring together global professionals from industry, public sector, and research community on the beautiful island of Sardinia, Italy.

The choice of the theme “Hospitality Industry 4.0” is motivated by the fact that the tourism sector is a major source of revenue for most countries. Notably, the Italian cultural heritage includes the largest number of sites declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.

However, more than one third of Italian institutions that belong to the cultural sector – which attracts tourist – do not use innovative technologies to enhance the visiting experience and best leverage touristic resources. Accordingly, the Summit is designed to foster dialogue amongst professionals from the industry, the public sector, and the research community from all over the world to improve the adoption of the IoT technologies in this Tourism sector.

CALL FOR PAPERS: The Summit is accepting proposals for Key Talks, Panels, and Technical Papers describing original research within, but not limited to, following areas:

• Personalizing the Tourism Experience: Context and situation aware services • Self-forming services • Affective IoT • Quality of Experience • Privacy • Smart museums/digital heritage
• Improving the Transport Services for Tourists:  Connected vehicles • Intelligent transport • Mobility as a Service • Ticketing • Vehicle sharing services
• IoT and Tourist Hospitality:  IoT multimedia and societal impacts • Energy efficiency and comfort management • Accommodation sharing services • Identity management
• Digital Tools for Tourism: Augmented/Virtual Reality • Cloud/edge computing • Crowdsensing/crowdsourcing • Artificial Intelligence/machine learning
• Enabling a More Accessible Tourism: Enabling barrier-free destinations • Developing assistive technologies • Inclusive tourism experience • User-aware services

Submission Deadline: 2 May, 2020 Visit https://sardinia2020.iot.ieee.org to learn more or contact Luigi Atzori, Professor of Telecommunications, University of Cagliari, Italy, l.atzori@diee.unica.it.

IMFW 2020 Conference date: Oct. 28-30, 2020

IMFW 2020 is the first International Microwave Workshop dedicated to the microwave/terahertz filter community, both academic and industrial segments. The event is organized by the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) with the technical co-sponsorship of the European Microwave Association (EuMA).

This Workshop represents a unique and unprecedented opportunity to bring together scientists from industry and academia around the world that specialize on filters, to share the most recent advances in filter theory, technology and manufacturing issues. There will be significant interaction between industrial expertise and academia, by intent.

After this first event, organized in Perugia in Italy, the Workshop will be held in other parts of the world, locations where microwave academia interacts strongly with the industrial microwave community. This event provides a good opportunity for the filter community to interact in a venue that is both academic and industrial, without the need for an expensive journey to a major multi-disciplinary event.

Authors of accepted papers will be encouraged to submit an extended paper for a mini-special issue in the IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. Don’t miss IMFW 2020. You won’t get a second chance to attend this very first event!!!

CONFERENCE TOPICS Perspective authors are cordially invited to submit papers in all areas of filter theory, technology and manufacturing, including but not limited to:

• Filter synthesis theory
• New filter technologies
• Planar filters & multiplexers
• Non-planar filters & multiplexers
• Reconfigurable filters
• 3D-printed filters
• Filters for 5G 
• Filtennas
• Filters for Space
• BAW and SAW filters
• Manufacturing problems and solutions

Submitted papers should be 3 pages in length. Authors must adhere to the format provided in the paper template available in the conference site.

IMPORTANT DATES Submission deadline: May 31, 2020; Notification of acceptance: July 1, 2020; Final paper submission: Aug. 1, 2020

Conference General Chair Cristiano Tomassoni University of Perugia, Italy cristiano.tomassoni@unipg.it

Conference General Co-Chair Richard V. Snyder RS microwave, NJ, USA rsnyder@rsmicro.com

Technical Program Chair Giuseppe Macchiarella Politecnico di Milano, Italy giuseppe.macchiarella@polimi.it

Technical Program Co-Chairs Simone Bastioli RS microwave, NJ, USA;Vicente E. Boria Univ. Politécnica deValencia, Spain;

Ming Yu Chinese University of Hong Kong

Conference Finance Chair Gian Guido Gentili Politecnico di Milano, Italy gianguido.gentili@polimi.it

Publication and Website Chair Roberto Gómez-García University of Alcala, Spain roberto.gomez.garcia@ieee.org Awards Committee Chairs Raafat Mansour University of Waterloo, Canada Miguel A. G. Laso Public University of Navarre, Spain

Industrial Liaison Roberto Sorrentino RF Microtech, Italy

Liaison to Space Activities Petronilo Martin Iglesias ESA/ESTEC, The Netherlands

VTC2020-Fall Deadline Approaching! 

VTC2020-Fall in Victoria will feature world-class technical sessions, workshops, and tutorials on, but not limited to, the following technical tracks. Prospective authors are invited to submit 5-page, original, and unpublished full papers:

1. Antenna Systems, Propagation, and RF Design
2. Signal Transmission and Reception
3. Spectrum Management, Radio Access Technology, Heterogeneous Networks
4. Multiple Antennas and Cooperative Communications
5. Vehicle Cooperation and Control, Assisted and Autonomous Driving
6. Airborne and Maritime Mobile Systems and Services
7. IoV, IoT, M2M, Sensor Networks, and Ad-Hoc Networking
8. Wireless Networks: Protocols, Services and Security
9. Positioning, Navigation, and Sensing
10. Machine Learning and AI for Communications
11. Electric Vehicles, Vehicular Electronics, and Intelligent Transportation
12. Future Trends and Emerging Technologies

Submission Deadline: 2 March 2020;  Acceptance notification: 18 May 2020; Final paper submission deadline; 22 June 2020

Submission requirements: 5-page paper ONLY. Up to 2 additional pages are allowed with the purchase of additional page charges in the amount of $100 USD per additional page at the time of registration and final paper submission.

Paper submission is open: https://vtc2020fall.trackchair.com/

Workshops – Open Workshops provide invaluable opportunities for researchers and industry practitioners to share their state-of-the-art research and development results in areas of particular interest. We invite submissions of cutting-edge workshop proposals to complement the technical program of VTC2020-Fall. Workshops will cover specific topics with a mix of regular papers, panel discussions, keynotes, and possibly poster presentations. We ask for proposals that deal with topics in emerging areas of mobile and vehicular technologies. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

1. Antenna Systems, Propagation, and RF Design
2. Signal Transmission and Reception
3. Spectrum Management, Radio Access Technology, Heterogeneous Networks
4. Multiple Antennas and Cooperative Communications
5. Vehicle Cooperation and Control, Assisted and Autonomous Driving
6. Airborne and Maritime Mobile Systems and Services
7. IoV, IoT, M2M, Sensor Networks, and Ad-Hoc Networking
8. Wireless Networks: Protocols, Services and Security
9. Positioning, Navigation, and Sensing
10. Machine Learning and AI for Communications
11. Electric Vehicles, Vehicular Electronics, and Intelligent Transportation
12. Future Trends and Emerging Technologies

For topics outside these focus areas, please, consult with the respective workshop chairs prior to a proposal submission.

Submission Procedure: Please submit workshop proposals using form shown below. All proposals will be independently reviewed and a decision on acceptance communicated by 9 March 2020 at the latest. After acceptance, workshop organizers are expected to set up a website and to actively promote their workshops, as well as submit details for promotion at the main VTC site.

The paper submission process will be arranged and handled by the online TrackChair system.

Deadlines : Workshop paper submission: 18 May 2020 Workshop paper acceptance notification: 8 June 2020 Final paper submission: 29 June 2020

Tutorials – Open Tutorials provide opportunities for researchers from the academia and the industry to learn about the state-of-the-art research and development from experts in a given field. The IEEE VTC2020-Fall Technical Program Committee invites submission of tutorial proposals for half-day presentation on topics of interest to the conference, such as (but not limited to):

1. Antenna Systems, Propagation, and RF Design
2. Signal Transmission and Reception
3. Spectrum Management, Radio Access Technology, Heterogeneous Networks
4. Multiple Antennas and Cooperative Communications
5. Vehicle Cooperation and Control, Assisted and Autonomous Driving
6. Airborne and Maritime Mobile Systems and Services
7. IoV, IoT, M2M, Sensor Networks, and Ad-Hoc Networking
8. Wireless Networks: Protocols, Services and Security
9. Positioning, Navigation, and Sensing
10. Machine Learning and AI for Communications
11. Electric Vehicles, Vehicular Electronics, and Intelligent Transportation
12. Future Trends and Emerging Technologies

For topics outside these focus areas, please, consult with the Tutorial Chair prior to a proposal submission. Please submit workshop proposals using form shown below. Deadlines Full proposals due: 6 April 2020 Acceptance notification: 20 April 2020 Tutorials to be presented on: 4 October 2020

IEEE Women in Engineering

St. Mary’s Academy strong in STEM support

In 2013, Morgan Wagner and Dave Gesler took a risk and founded the St. Mary’s Academy Robotics All-Girls Team, 5493 (“SMAbotics_AG”), in Englewood Colorado. They did it with the intent of creating a place where young women could develop their confidence and pursue their passions in STEM. S

MAbotics_AG works tirelessly to implement our mission statement: “We strive to ignite young women’s passion for STEM through Leadership, Collaboration & Creativity. Together, we can be the next generation of innovators in our increasingly globalized, technologically-driven world.”

Every day, we make an effort to build an environment where young women are excited to take on a challenge in STEM and know they will be successful with persistence and hard work. In each girl, we hope to instill the confidence and will to take risks, fail, and try again. Furthermore, SMAbotics aims to develop strong, resilient, and dedicated women leaders in STEM. SMAbotics_

AG aspires to grow through the years, passing down traditions and empowering the next generations of young women. For more information, to become a sponsor, or just support a great cause, here are a couple of websites for them. https://smabotics.com/ https://smabotics.com/our-story/

         Focusing on mid- to senior-level women in technology, IEEE WIE ILC provides professional leadership training, advice for career growth, and knowledge on disruptive tech. The connections you’ll make with international leaders in technology will last far beyond the event itself.

CSEF 2020 Wrap

The Colorado Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF) is THE state science fair for Colorado middle and high school students. Entrants are chosen by the thirteen regional science fairs that serve all of the counties in Colorado, and each is entered in one of twelve categories in each of two divisions by grade.

Categories range from Animal Science through Behavioral Science, Chemistry, Energy, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, and more. Entrants are also grouped by grade level, with 6^th – 8^th graders comprising the Junior Division, and 9^th – 12^th graders the Senior Division.

Best-of-CSEF winners from the Senior Division can then go on to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair to compete at an even broader level (Last year’s 1^st place Best-of-CSEF went on to take first place at the ISEF and received the $75,000 Gordon E. Moore Award).

The CSEF is normally held early in April on the campus at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. This year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the closure of the Colorado State University venue, the 2020 Colorado State Science Fair was held as a virtual event on April 2, 2020.

Over 300 individual GoToMeeting conference sessions were used by the over 150 Grand Award judges to review the 164 Junior Division and 131 Senior Division project entries in the twenty-four fair categories. During each session, the judges reviewed project abstracts, poster presentations, and interviewed the students. In addition, Special Awards were presented by eighteen industrial and professional organizations in separate reviews.

Poster Projects can be seen here:

Junior Division https://sites.google.com/view/csefgallerywalk-juniordivision/home

Senior Division https://sites.google.com/view/csefgallerywalk-seniordivision/home

Feedback from the judges, student participants, and parents was uniformly very positive. The virtual fair approach offered the opportunity to recognize the hard work of the students in spite of the adverse circumstances, and was viewed as a success. The IEEE Denver Section is a Silver Sponsor of CSEF.

Advice for Working at Home

Our Chapter Chair, Tim Weil’s son, Page Weil, has taken the work at home bull by the horns with some advice on how to be successful and comfortable. For anyone who is working at home indefinitely, I recommend some version of this setup:

• Decent laptop (Windows or Mac, MIN $800, $1000-1500 can get you a very good machine, also you can put Windows on a Mac for VERY cheap now)
• Docking station that supports multiple monitors
• 2 Monitors in addition to the Laptop (Basic 21.5″ are pretty cheap)
• Keyboard (Wired or wireless)
• Mouse (Wireless)
• Laptop stand (keeps the laptop cool, organizes your cables)
• Wrist rests for mouse AND keyboard (carpal tunnel is real)

Where to buy these things: 2020 Laptop Buying guide (The Dell XPS 13 or XPS 15 are fantastic machines) Docking station depending on the ports on your laptop: – Have normal USB? Plugable USB Docking station – Have only USB-C? Plugable USB-C Docking station Decent, relatively cheap monitor options (if you get 2, you don’t need to get the fancy ones).

I have this keyboard, Cheap, simple, good typing feel, wired Basic Wireless Mouse, Cheap, wireless, does the trick, long battery life Laptop Stand, Cheap, organizes cables, does the trick Ergonomics, keep those wrists Hope this helps. Pictured is my “battlestation”; The messy room should show you that I mean business.

Covid 19 Resource Guide

These resources offer information and insight for Covid 19 How Control Theory Can Help Us Control COVID-19

Using feedback, a standard tool in control engineering, we can manage our response to the novel coronavirus pandemic for maximum survival while containing the damage to our economies

• COVID-19 AI Challenge: How Are Lockdowns Affecting the Most Vulnerable?
• Everybody in the Pool: Researchers Use Algorithms to Tackle the Coronavirus Test Shortage
• As Layoffs Mount, Sites Aim to Help People Find Tech Jobs
• New Consortium Mobilizes Roboticists to Help With COVID-19 and Future Crises
• How Engineers Kept the Power On in India
• Portable Ultrasound Proves a Potent Weapon in the Fight Against COVID-19
• The Pandemic Has Slowed Wireless Network Buildouts
• Group Aims to Test the Safety of DIY Medical Supplies for COVID-19
• AI Can Help Hospitals Triage COVID-19 Patients
• Engineering During the Coronavirus Pandemic
• Mainframes Are Having a Moment
• How Facebook and Google Track Public’s Movement in Effort to Fight COVID-19
• Ultraviolet-LED Maker Demonstrates 30-Second Coronavirus Kill
• Telepresence Robots Are Helping Take Pressure Off Hospital Staff
• Testing the Tests: Which COVID-19 Tests Are Most Accurate?
• Forget Video Conferencing—Host Your Next Meeting in VR
• Cobol Programmers Answer Call to Shore Up Unemployment Benefits Systems
• Can Quantum Computers Help Us Respond to the Coronavirus?
• A Sweat Sensing Patch Aimed at Athletes Takes on COVID-19
• AT&T Feud With FreeConferenceCall.com Heats Up
• The Predictable Pandemic: Whose Risk, Whose Responsibility?
• Waste Natural Gas Powers Computers Seeking Coronavirus Cure
• A Rapid Test for Covid-19 Arrives Via a 20-year-old Technology Already in Many Hospitals
• Zipline Wants to Bring Medical Drone Delivery to U.S. to Fight COVID-19
• How Do Coronavirus Tests Work?
• Coronavirus Pandemic Prompts Privacy-Conscious Europe to Collect Phone Data
• Privacy in the Time of COVID-19
• Robot Vehicles Make Contactless Deliveries Amid Coronavirus Quarantine
• Automakers Pivot to Produce Ventilators, Respirators, and Face Masks
• Startups Unveil Tech to Fight Coronavirus; the Challenge May Be Getting Enough Engineers
• Hospitals Deploy AI Tools to Detect COVID-19 on Chest Scans
• How Diligent’s Robots Are Making a Difference in Texas Hospitals
• The Coronavirus Outbreak Is Curbing China’s CO2 Emissions
• Lessons Learned by NYC Makers Producing Personal Protective Equipment for Medics
• IndieBio to Give 8 Coronavirus-Tech Startups at Least $250,000 Each
• To Answer Dire Shortages, This Healthcare Team Designed, 3D-Printed, and Tested Their Own COVID-19 Swabs in One Week
• IEEE’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
• COVID-19 Makes It Clear That Broadband Access Is a Human Right
• Scientists Use Stem Cells to Treat COVID-19 Patients in China
• Here’s What It’s Like Inside a Chip Foundry During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Halting COVID-19: The Benefits and Risks of Digital Contact Tracing
• “Brita Filter for Blood” Aims to Remove Harmful Cytokines for COVID-19 Patients
• Pop-Up Open Source Medical Hardware Projects Won’t Stop Coronavirus, but Might Be Useful Anyway. Here’s Why
• How the Internet Can Cope With the Explosion of Demand for “Right Now” Data During the Coronavirus Outbreak
• Video Friday: Robots Help Keep Medical Staff Safe at COVID-19 Hospital
• An Official WHO Coronavirus App Will Be a “Waze for COVID-19”
• Coronavirus Pandemic: A Call to Action for the Robotics Community
• 19 Suggestions for Bored Engineers
• Scientists Can Work From Home When the Lab Is in the Cloud
• Five Companies Using AI to Fight Coronavirus
• Could Supercomputers and Rapid Treatment Trials Slow Down Coronavirus?
• Is Coronavirus Speeding the Adoption of Driverless Technology?
• Biotech Pioneer Is Making a Home Test Kit for Coronavirus
• Wanted: Rapid, Portable Tests for Coronavirus
• Big Data Helps Taiwan Fight Coronavirus
• Autonomous Robots Are Helping Kill Coronavirus in Hospitals
• Satellites and AI Monitor Chinese Economy’s Reaction to Coronavirus
• Flight of the GermFalcon: How a Potential Coronavirus-Killing Airplane Sterilizer Was Born
• Coronavirus Is Triggering Fear of Going to Work
• Software and Genetic Sequencing Track the Coronavirus’s Path
• DARPA Races To Create a “Firebreak” Treatment for the Coronavirus
• How Computer Scientists Are Trying to Predict the Coronavirus’s Next Moves
• Video Friday: How Robots Are Helping to Fight the Coronavirus Outbreak

IEEE Future Networks

2020 IEEE 3rd 5G World Forum Call for Papers and Proposals The 2020 IEEE 3rd 5G World Forum (5GWF’20) in Bangalore, India, seeks contributions on how to nurture and cultivate 5G technologies and applications for the benefit of society. 5G systems should unveil a novel mobile network architecture that not only improves physical data rate, but also creates a new ecosystem allowing the deployment of novel services and applications. A key target is to build a novel network architecture that should support not only classical mobile broadband applications and services but also vertical industry (e.g. Intelligent Transport,Industrial IoT, eHealth, etc.) and other 5G-based services.

Learn more at the conference website.

IEEE Future Networks Tech Focus September Issue now available The IEEE Future Networks Tech Focus is a content-driven online publication containing practical and timely technical information and forward-looking commentary on developments and deployments of current and future generations of networks around the world. The September issue of IEEE Future Networks Tech Focus eNewsletter includes:

• Advanced 5G Validation Trials across Multiple Vertical Industries
• 5G Communications Systems and Radiofrequency Exposure Limit
• Key New Fiber Wireless Access Technologies for 5G and Beyond
• Ultra-high Capacity Wireless Communication by Means of Infrared Optical Beams

Read past articles and learn how to submit an article IEEE Future Networks Podcasts with the Experts In the latest episode of IEEE Future Networks Podcasts with the Experts, titled “5G Connectivity Beyond the City – Agricultural Use Cases through 5G Rural First,” James Irvine talks with Karina Maksimiuk and Greig Paul about their work with 5G Rural First, a UK government test bed and trial project, which describes itself as a “call to action” to be sure the benefits of 5G go beyond the city. Podcasts are available on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or on the Future Networks portal Call for Participation: IEEE International Network Generation Roadmap (INGR) The Future Networks Initiative is looking for volunteers to contribute to the IEEE International Network Generation Roadmap whose objective is to guide and focus the industry and standards ecosystems to successfully evolve network generations (5G and beyond) from current to future state, including:

• Technology and business drivers and trends
• Technology assessments and future needs
• Key topic areas, enabling technologies, and capabilities
• Challenges and gaps for achieving needs
• Possible solutions and innovations

We have a variety of working groups that are looking for participants, such as Edge Automation Platform, Optics, Millimeter Wave, Satellite, and more. Learn more and consider volunteering. Contact information can be found here. In addition, an Industry Advisory Board meets regularly to ensure that industry needs, challenges, and expectations are addressed. Email 5Groadmapinfo@ieee.org if you are interested in participating on the INGR Industry Advisory Board. For more information contact: Ashutosh Dutta, Co-Chair IEEE Future Networks Initiative Tim Lee, Co-Chair IEEE Future Networks Initiative Gerhard Fettweis, Co-Chair IEEE Future Networks Initiative.

IEEE Future Directions

IEEE Blockchain Blockchain – More than Cryptocurrency, blockchain is a technological foundation to a new way of conducting transactions, securing networks, and recording the validity and origin of data. Blockchain will allow a new perspective on how humans interact to society’s challenges; touching upon everything from financial transactions, energy trading, carbon emission trading, protection and easy access to healthcare records, to the protection of the valued assets of corporations and nation states.

IEEE Brain Brain – This initiative is dedicated to advancing technologies that improve the understanding of brain function, revolutionizing current abilities to reverse engineer neural circuits in both the central and peripheral nervous systems, and developing new approaches to interface the brain with machines for augmenting human-machine interaction and mitigating effects of neurological disease and injury.

IEEE Digital Reality Digital Reality – This initiative serves to enable the coming Digital Transformation through collaboration among technologists, engineers, regulators, and ethicists. The Digital Transformation is fueled by advances in sensors and actuators, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). By leveraging these technologies and others, such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and Digital Twins, the line between the physical world and the digital world will be increasingly less distinct.

Participate in the IEEE Standards Association 

IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) invites your participation in the working group for IEEE P2855, Recommended Practice for the Electromagnetic Characterization of Cable/Connector Assembly Shielding Effectiveness in Frequency Range of Direct Current to 40 GHz.

WHY GET INVOLVED

Many standards for the electromagnetic characterization of cables and connectors were developed decades ago. The complexity of electronic equipment has significantly increased. Signal frequency has tremendously increased as well. The designs and applications of contemporary cable and connector assemblies have undergone big evolutions. Thus, characterization methods of their shielding effectiveness need to develop with time. In addition, there is a need to harmonize the existing methods for characterizing cable/connector assemblies in regard to their shielding effectiveness to facilitate the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) test.

PROJECT DETAILS This standard provides recommended measurement techniques for evaluating, and methods for specifying, the capabilities or effectiveness of shielding on cable/connector assemblies for the control of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) to allow product compliance to common government, regulatory, and customer requirements, and for achieving system EMC. This standard also provides measurement techniques to evaluate, and methods to specify, cable/connector assemblies shielding capabilities for reducing the coupling of electromagnetic energy between cable/connector assemblies.

Emphasis is placed on measurement techniques that have been adopted through incorporation into standards, both commercial and military, or that have been used extensively WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE Any electrical companies using or manufacturing cables and connectors for data, signal and power transmission. HOW TO PARTICIPATE If you would like to participate or learn more, please contact Huadong Li, Working Group Chair, at li_huadong@hotmail.com.

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