ARLINGTON, Va., 10 Jan. 2007. The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's (DARPA) is sponsoring the Microsystems Technology Symposium to investigate the future of microsystems technology in electronics, photonics, and MEMS components from 5-7 March at the Fairmont San Jose hotel in San Jose, Calif.
Sponsoring the event is the DARPA Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) in Arlington, Va., which develops beyond-leading-edge microsystems technology for military systems.
The symposium will explore directions for future microsystems technology that will enable new capabilities for military platforms ranging from nanotechnology-enabled chemical and biological detectors, to handheld wireless assistants, to intelligent imaging systems, to adaptable sensors, and unmanned vehicles.
Microsystems technology has been the engine for innovation over the past 50 years, DARPA officials explain. By driving down the size, weight, and power of ever-higher-performance components, microsystems technology has enabled a revolution in macro-system capability by delivering new capabilities in sensing, communications, energy management, actuation, and processing.
Presenters at the symposium will discuss new challenges and opportunities such as the development of a new class of adaptable components, exploitation of unique quantum phenomena, exploitation of new sensing modalities, and the heterogeneous integration of several technologies at the chip-scale.
The goal of the symposium is to convene experts from across all aspects of microsystems technology to discuss future research directions. The symposium will consist of a series of keynote and invited talks, panel sessions, and posters session.
Attendance is targeted at those actively involved in microsystems research and development with demonstrated knowledge of emerging microsystems directions. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from MTO program managers who are directing novel microsystems research, listen to leading researchers who are opening new microsystems frontiers, and contribute to poster presentations or panel discussions, to assist in defining the next generation of microsystems opportunities and challenges.
More information is online at www.mtosymposium.org.