High-growth applications in the automotive, wireless and embedded segments, as well as in micro- and nanotechnology, will be the focus of electronica 2006, a biennial trade show that provides an opportunity for the worldwide electronics community to discuss the entire spectrum of the industry. The event takes place Nov. 14-17 on the grounds of the New Munich Trade Fair Center.A view of the well-filled Hall A4 at electronica 2004. (Photo: AlexSchelbert.de) More than 3000 exhibitors will be presenting their advanced products and system solutions on 1.6 million square feet of floor space across 14 halls at electronica 2006. The organizer, Messe Muenchen International (MMI, Munich Trade Fairs International), is expecting more than 75,000 electronics professionals to attend. “electronica’s appeal lies in its diverse range of exhibits. It is no doubt the only electronics fair that shows its visitors the very latest developments from every sector of the industry. At no other trade show, for example, can visitors see such a concentration of semiconductor manufacturers, power supply companies and interconnection specialists -- not to mention display manufacturers and the producers of test and measurement equipment. In addition to this, we have special areas devoted to emerging technologies and high-growth applications,” said Klaus Dittrich, MMI managing director. electronica offers a strong international mix, a fact which is reflected in the number of exhibitors and attendees from outside Germany: At electronica 2004, the percentage of international exhibitors climbed to 57 percent, and the number of international attendees rose to 44 percent. For electronica 2006, MMI is expecting continued growth in the participation of international exhibitors and attendees. “The signs are very positive for this year’s trade show,” Dittrich said. “We are already recording rising demand among companies from outside Germany, and -- as always -- the industry’s major players have already reserved floor space for electronica.” Radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies and their applications are one of the central themes of electronica 2006 and the Wireless Congress 2006. Passive RFID tags, consisting of a memory chip and an antenna, can be read without physical contact and thus accelerate processes in production and logistics. (Photo: Informationsforum RFID e.V.) The industry platform for micro- and nanotechnology is called electronica MicroNanoWorld. It uses the exhibition and forum to spotlight components, systems and applications that are based on micro- and nanotechnology and is making its debut at electronica. MMI said it has finalized the program for MicroNanoWorld, which will consist of an exhibition area and the World of MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) user forum. With structures in the range of one millionth of a millimeter, nanosemiconductor technology in particular is considered to be one of the key technologies for the 21st century. MicroNanoWorld at electronica 2006 will showcase important factors leading to the proliferation of nanotechnology into end products over the next several years: i.e., the suppliers, products, applications, trends and technologies. MicroNanoWorld will showcase exhibits by industrial companies and research institutes, promoting the results of their developmental efforts and their products featuring the smallest sizes (and thus the highest commercial potential). Among other topics, this forum will cover: MEMS sensor technology, RF-MEMS/Wireless (radio frequency/high frequency), optical MEMS, MOEMS (micro-optoelectromechanical systems), bioMEMS, NMEMS (NanoMEMS), as well as packaging technology for MEMS and microsystems. The World of MEMS, being held for the third time, is the user forum within MicroNanoWorld that is dedicated to microelectromechanical systems. Companies from all over the world, including Panasonic Electric Works, Berliner Glas KGaA, Kyocera Fineceramics and Leister Process Technologies, will use this forum to present their systems and solutions in individual speaker presentations. In addition, a number of panel discussions will be held to address topics such as: "New Volume Markets for MEMS in Consumer Electronics", "MEMS in Automotive: What's Next?", "Who Earns Good Money with MEMS?", "Will RF MEMS Hold Their Promise?" and "Inertial MEMS on the Move". The electronica automotive conference will be presenting the latest developments, innovations and trends in automotive electronics. Carmakers, their suppliers and international manufacturers of automotive electronics components will be presenting the state of the art in the field of electronics for motor vehicles and will be outlining visions for the future. Hot topics from the world of embedded technology will be presented at the electronica embedded conference. The topic of software will play a much more significant role than has been the case in the past and the main focal points will be on embedded software engineering, embedded test and verification, small embedded systems (8- and 16-bit) and complex embedded systems, organizers said. With Wireless Congress 2006: Systems & Applications, electronica will be presenting the latest wireless technologies and applications. The congress will be examining all the technical aspects of current and future wireless technologies, with a special focus on those used in industrial applications. It also provides insight into the latest applications, security aspects, certification and approval problems, and measurement technology know-how as well standards and market opportunities. One congress highlight will be the keynote address by Bob Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance, an association of companies working together to establish an open global standard for low-power, wirelessly networked monitoring and control products. Heile will speak on Wednesday, Nov. 15 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The collocated Multicore Conference will be covering the topic of multicore technology. This is the first conference ever being held on this subject in Germany, event organizers said. A CEO roundtable discussion will be held Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to discuss "Driving Forces for Innovations in the Electronics Industry." Participating CEOs are: Carlo Bozotti, president and CEO, STMicroelectronics; Frans van Houten, president and chief officer, chairman of management board, XPP (founded by Philips); Satoru Ito, chairman & CEO, Renesas Technology Corp.; Michel Mayer, chairman of the board and CEO, Freescale Semiconductor; and Wolfgang Ziebart, president and CEO, Infineon Technologies AG. For more information about electronica 2006, visit: www.electronica.de