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Information
Technology
NIST Research
Seeks Advances in Pervasive Computing
NIST
has launched a pervasive computing initiative to investigate the
technical and standards roadblocks that impede integration of
a host of emerging and existing technologies.
NIST’s
Information Technology Laboratory is exploring ways to link
computers and a variety of sensors and actuators to provide mobile
users with advanced adaptive information services. The pervasive
computing initiative involves working with industry to identify
technical roadblocks and develop tests and standards that will
catalyze advancements in fields ranging from wireless devices
through embedded, portable and wearable computers.
NIST
scientists and engineers believe four trends are shaping the future
of the information technology industry: the growing number of
computers per person in homes and offices, advances in miniaturization
technology, the phenomenal growth of the Internet, and the projected
growth in wireless communications technology. The convergence
of these trends will produce an era of pervasive computing.
Computers,
actuators and sensors will be embedded in virtually every device,
appliance and piece of equipment, and even clothing. Many devices
will be connected to the Internet.
While
many technologies that will contribute to pervasive computing
are still new, others are maturer.
One
field that is ready for advanced research is “smart spaces.” These
are workspaces that have many built-in computers, sensors, actuators
and communications devices, such as voice/image recognition systems
and computer-controlled audio-visual equipment.
As
a first step in its pervasive computing initiative, NIST is currently
developing prototypes of several experimental smart spaces. One
focuses on advanced forms of human-computer interaction. Another
focuses on integrating pico-cellular wireless with other technologies.
A third focuses on software infrastructures required to successfully
program pervasive computing applications. Future plans envision
interconnecting these prototypes to explore the technical issues
associated with distributed smart spaces.
For
more information, contact Martin
Herman, NIST, 100 Bureau Dr., Stop 8940, Gaithersburg, Md.
20899-8940; (301) 975-4495.
Media
Contact:
Philip
Bulman, (301) 975-5661
Standards
NIST Leads
the Way in Optical Fiber Measurements
Persons
interested in the metrology of optical fibers will want to get
a new technical paper from NIST that explains the variety of artifact
standards that NIST offers to industry. The NIST standards, known
as Standard Reference Materials, fall into two categories for
optical fibers: geometrical properties and propagation characteristics.
These standards allow a fiber to be described based either on
its physical dimensions or the way in which light propagates within
it.
In
the area of physical dimensions, NIST offers SRMs for fiber cladding
diameter, fiber coating diameter, connector ferrule (both inner
and outer diameter), and mode-field diameter. In the field of
propagation characteristics, NIST offers SRMs for chromatic dispersion,
polarization-mode dispersion, and polarization-dependent loss.
NIST’s web site provides information on other SRMs and calibration
services which support the optical communications industry at
http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/230/232/232.htm.
Copies
of the paper, “NIST Artifact Standards for Fiber Optic Metrology,”
(no. 03-00) can be obtained from Sarabeth
Harris, NIST, MC 104, Boulder, Colo. 80303-3337; (303) 497-3237.
For more information on the optical fiber artifacts and other
SRMs, contact Lee Best,
NIST, 100 Bureau Dr., Stop 2320, Gaithersburg, Md. 20899-2320;
(301) 975-2027.
Media
Contact:
Fred
McGehan (Boulder), (303) 497-3246
MEP
Louisiana
Center Helps Package Success for Gift Company
Toland
Enterprises Inc., a Mandeville, La., manufacturer of gift products
for home and garden such as welcome mats, mouse pads and decorative
pillows, likes to brag on its web site about its laid-back Southern
surroundings (“Egrets really do catch fish in the waterways in
front of our property”). But the living was anything but easy
for the family-owned-and-operated, 160-employee company in recent
years.
In
a losing effort to keep up with growing sales, Toland managers
were running three shifts, five days a week. Backlog was overwhelming,
and the plant floor was chaotic. Several consulting firms evaluated
the situation and devised plans for improvement. Only one, the
Manufacturing Extension Partnership
of Louisiana, a NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership affiliate,
recommended that Toland implement lean manufacturing techniques
instead of just automating the plant.
MEPoL
experts knew that automation alone would not eliminate the multiple
bottlenecks in the firm’s manufacturing processes. MEPoL evaluators
identified 52 problem areas, including the order-filling area
which experienced 28 percent downtime. Among the solutions adopted
by the MEPoL and Toland team were reducing handling time, eliminating
processing delays, creating an ergonomic and efficient work area,
improving interdepartmental communications and assigning accountability
for quality assurance to individual employees.
The
results? The company has increased production in its order-filling
department by 248 percent, increased monthly sales by 33 percent,
increased on-time deliveries by 11 percent, reduced scrap by 74
percent and decreased labor costs by 18 percent.
The
NIST MEP centers network serves smaller manufacturers in all 50
states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. For more information,
call (800) MEP-4-MFG (637-4634). To learn more about MEPoL, contact
Danielle Pontiff, (318) 482-6767, dcp1759@louisiana.edu;
or visit the center’s World Wide Web site at http://www.mepol.org/site.php.
Media
Contacts:
Jan
Kosko, (301) 975-2767
Optoelectronics
Optical Fiber
Power Measurements Explained
To
meet the needs of the optoelectronics industry, NIST offers measurement
services for the calibration of optical fiber power meters. A
new paper from NIST explains these services and their traceability
to primary standards. The services consist of absolute power calibrations
using either parallel-beam or optical fiber/connector configurations.
In addition, NIST provides measurements of non-linearity, spectral
responsivity (based both on tunable lasers and white-light sources)
and uniformity. Calibrations are available at the three principal
wavelength regions used by the optical fiber telecommunications
industry—850, 1300 and 1550 nanometers. Other optical power meter
users, such as compact-disc player manufacturers and users of
erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, are interested in wavelengths at
670, 780 and 980 nanometers. These wavelengths have been incorporated
into NIST’s absolute power calibration program as well.
The
paper discusses a new laser power and energy measurement system
based on a commercial cryogenic radiometer designated the Laser
Optimized Cryogenic Radiometer. It provides laser power measurements
with a combined standard uncertainty of 0.02 percent or less.
Copies
of paper no. 55-99, “Optical Fiber Power Measurements,” are available
from Sarabeth Harris,
NIST, MC 104, Boulder, Colo. 80303-3337; (303) 497-3237.
Media
Contact:
Fred
McGehan (Boulder), (303) 497-3246
Technology
Partnerships
NIST Passes
900 CRADA Mark, Releases FY 99 Stats
A
milestone in NIST partnerships
with U.S. industry was reached last November when the agency entered
into its 900th cooperative research and development agreement
since the CRADA mechanism was established by Congress in 1988.
At the end of 1999, the CRADA total was 911.
Fiscal
year 1999 (Oct. 1, 1998-Sept. 30, 1999) saw NIST enter into 62
CRADAs, bringing the institute’s 11-year total at that time to
896. The 62 partnerships included 31 with small businesses, or
50 percent of the agreements. During the fiscal year, there were
261 CRADAs still active.
Along
with CRADAs, NIST’s
Office of Technology Partnerships also was busy with inventions,
patents and licenses in FY 1999. NIST submitted 35 invention disclosures
and filed 42 patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office during the year. Twenty-six NIST patents were issued by
USPTO, and five were allowed (to be issued in FY 2000). Fifty-six
licenses were executed in FY 1999, with an additional two being
negotiated.
For
information on establishing a CRADA partnership with NIST or to
learn more about NIST inventions, patents or licenses, contact
Bruce E. Mattson,
NIST, 100 Bureau Dr., Stop 2200, Gaithersburg, Md. 20899-2200;
(301) 975-3084.
Media
Contact:
Michael
E. Newman, (301) 975-3025
Administration
New Members
Named to Visiting Committee; Manuel Becomes Chair
NIST
Director Ray Kammer has tapped two distinguished technology experts
from industry and academia to serve on the Visiting
Committee on Advanced Technology, the agency’s primary private-sector
policy adviser. The new VCAT members—both of whom will serve three-year
terms until Jan. 31, 2003—bring the body’s number to 14.
Starting
their service on the VCAT are: Juan Sanchez, vice president for
research at the University of Texas at Austin, and April M. Schweighart,
director of customer programs, Imaging Systems Division, Semiconductor
Products Sector, Motorola Inc.
Thomas
A. Manuel, retired vice president of technology, Chemical Group,
Air Products and Chemicals Inc., has begun serving as the new
chairperson of the VCAT. He takes over for James C. McGroddy,
retired senior vice president, IBM, who continues to serve on
the committee.
The
VCAT was established by Congress in 1988 to review and make recommendations
on NIST’s policies, organization, budget and programs.
Media
Contact:
Michael
E. Newman, (301) 975-3025
Editor:
Michael Newman
HTML conversion: Crissy
Robinson
Last updated: Feb. 4, 2000
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