IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON COMPONENTS AND PACKAGING TECHNOLOGIES , VOL. 28, NO. 2, JUNE 2005
371
Open Form Editorial
A
NUMBER of professional associations and industry trade groups publish technology roadmaps for their industry sectors. The purpose of these roadmaps is to coordinate future product developments, infrastructure investments, and research funding prioritization. In this open forum, representatives from the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI), Freescale Semiconductor (a major developer of sensors), and academia present a sensor technology roadmap. The roadmap identifies microelectronic fabrication technologies, product design changes, and materials developments which are needed to meet anticipated requirements for sensor-based products in the next decade. The authors also identify technology gaps as well as potentially disruptive technologies which may determine the success with which industry reaps the opportunities offered by sensor technologies. In addition to the technological challenges to sensor technology development, there are significant non-technical barriers. These include obstacles to cross-disciplinary collabo-
ration, a deficient supply of qualified personnel, and the lack of adequate standardization, especially with respect to communication protocols. Ultimately, these non-technical barriers can be best addressed through more intimate cooperation between industry and academia, in order to cultivate a technical workforce capable of developing and communicating innovative ideas which cross traditional disciplinary and national boundaries. The partnership which produced the accompanying roadmap exemplifies this model. For development of the next sensor technology roadmap in 2006, iNEMI welcomes the participation of industrial or academic professionals with insight into sensor trends and needs in a wide range of application areas. Individuals interested in contributing to this effort in the future are encouraged to participate.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TCAPT.2005.847782
MICHAEL G. PECHT, Open Forum Editor CALCE Electronics Products and Systems Center Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 USA
[email protected]
Michael G. Pecht (F’92) received the B.S. degree in acoustics, the M.S. degree in engineering, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in engineering mechanics, all from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He is the Founder and Director of the CALCE Electronic Products and Systems Center, University of Maryland, College Park, and a Chair Professor in mechanical engineering. He is Chief Editor for Microelectronics Reliability. He has written 18 books on electronic products development, use, and supply chain management. He has also edited a series of books on the Asian electronics industry including The Chinese Electronics Industry (2004). He has consulted for over 50 major international electronics companies, providing expertise in strategic planning, design, test, IP, and risk assessment of electronic products and systems. Dr. Pecht received the 3M Research Award, the IEEE Undergraduate Teaching Award, and the IMAPS William D. Ashman Memorial Achievement Award for his contributions. He is an ASME Fellow. He served as Chief Editor of the IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON RELIABILITY for eight years and on the advisory board of IEEE SPECTRUM. He is an Associate Editor for the IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON COMPONENTS AND PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY.
1521-3331/$20.00 © 2005 IEEE
