IEEE S.F. Bay Area Council e-GRID's
BayAreaTech

TUESDAY December 4
SCV Consumer Electronics Chapter
Speaker: Paolo Siccardo, President, Digital Keystone
Time: Refreshments at 6:30 PM; Presentation at 7:00 PM
Cost: $5 for IEEE members, and $10 for non-members
Place: Hewlett Packard Oak Room, 19447 Pruneridge Avenue (Building 48), Cupertino
RSVP: not required
Web: ewh.ieee.org/r6/scv/ce

Paolo Siccardo is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Digital Keystone, a world leader in digital entertainment solutions that bridge the personal computer, consumer electronics and content industries. Paolo Siccardo has over 20 years of experience (more…)

THURSDAY December 13
SCV Engineering Management Chapter
Time: 7:30 AM (no-host breakfast)
Cost: no cost
Place: DENNY’S, 311 S. Mathilda Avenue, Sunnyvale
RSVP: not needed
Web: www.ieee-scv-ems.org

Our objective, during this informal breakfast, is to network on technical management vs. leadership — where this discipline is going and what is available education-wise; have a discussion about what topics members would like for future local meetings;  (more…)

TUESDAY January 22
SF Industry Applications Chapter
Speaker: Daniel Bumblauskas, ABB Inc.
Time: Social at 5:30 PM, Presentation at 6:00 PM, Dinner at 7:00 PM
Cost: $20 for dinner
Place: Sinbad’s Restaurant, Pier 2 The Embarcadero, San Francisco
RSVP: by email to Jack Lin, jlin@sfwater.org to reserve and be entered in drawing
Web: www.e-grid.net/docs/0801-sf-ias.pdf

Our speaker will discuss the application of liquid and dry-type secondary unit substation transformers. He will compare the advantages and disadvantages of both types.  He will also describe various types of transformers (more…)

TUESDAY December 11
SCV Electromagnetic Compatibility Chapter
Speaker: Dr. Keith Hardin, Lexmark International, Inc.
Time: Social at 5:30 PM; presentation at 6:30 PM
Cost: none
Place: Applied Materials Bowers Cafeteria, 3090 Bowers Ave., Santa Clara
RSVP: not required
Web: www.scvemc.org

Radiated and conducted emissions contain spectral and time domain information that can be very helpful in determining the sources of the emissions and possible countermeasures for information technology products. This presentation will discuss a number of methods (more…)

It’s amazing how much computer performance can be bought at the “modest end” of the curve, for those willing to do some assembly!

I certainly wasn’t going to get up at 4 AM to shop the “Black Friday” sales, but I wasn’t above heading to Frys later in the day. I was shopping for the “pieces” for a new, moderate-speed PC. (more…)

Find out about all of IEEE’s upcoming SF Bay Area chapter meetings, and more! The December issue of the 23-page GRID.pdf is now available for download:
www.e-grid.net/docs/grid0712.pdf (1 MB).
It has quick-linked information (more…)

THURSDAY December 13
SCV Lasers and Electro Optics Chapter
Speaker: Prof. Cun-Zheng Ning, Arizona State University, and LEOS Distinguished Lecturer
Time: Networking and Food: 7:00 PM, Presentation: 8:00 PM
Cost: none
Place: National Semiconductor Building E Conference Center, 2900 Semiconductor Drive, Santa Clara
RSVP: by email to ieeescvleos-rsvp2007@yahoo.com
Web: www.ewh.ieee.org/r6/scv/leos

The pursuit of nanotechnology in general and miniaturization of electronic devices in particular have seriously challenged the optoelectronics community to develop ever smaller lasers and optoelectronic devices compatible with the trend in microelectronics. Vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers measured a few microns were once the smallest lasers.   (more…)

THURSDAY November 29
OEB Power Engineering Chapter
Speaker: B. Ben Banerjee, Power Quality Product & Application Engineer, Square D Company
Time: Presentation at 6:00 PM, with snacks and refreshments
Cost: none
Place: Square D Company 6160 Stoneridge Mall Road #200, Pleasanton
RSVP: with Diep Nguyen, Diep@ieee.org, 510-267-0441
Web: www.e-grid.net/docs/0711-oeb-pes.pdf

The vast majority of the total load connected to today’s industrial and commercial distribution systems is inductive in nature and generally has a poor operating power factor.  If properly selected and installed, Power Factor Correction Equipment including Capacitors (PFCCs) provides an economical and practical means (more…)

TUESDAY November 27
SCV Product Safety Engineering Chapter
Speaker: Ian McDonald, Underwriters Laboratories
Time: Dinner at 5:45 PM; Presentation at 7:00 PM
Cost: none for presentation
Place: Optional dinner at El Torito Mexican Restaurant, 2950 Lakeside Drive, Santa Clara; Presentation at Applied Materials, Bowers Cafe, 3090 Bowers Ave, Santa Clara
RSVP: not required
Web: www.ewh.ieee.org/r6/scv/pses

One of the most basic electrical components is the switch.  All it has to do is open and close, right?  What could be so difficult or interesting about that?  When you realize that everything from computers to circuit breakers depends on (more…)

TUESDAY November 27
SF Power Engineering
Subject: 
Speaker: Kevin Fine, Director of Product Development, GreenVolts
Time: Noon - 1:00 PM
Cost: $5 for non-members, free for IEEE members
Place: California PUC Building, Golden Gate Room, 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
RSVP: required for lunch count, to Ben Williams, bewilliams@ieee.org , 415-973-9473
Web: www.e-grid.net/docs/0711-sf-pes.pdf

It’s an exciting time for solar energy.  A confluence of events – technological developments, financing opportunities, political and consumer openness, climate concerns, and the rise in price of other fuel sources – makes solar energy particularly attractive (more…)