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The author discusses aspects of the change and innovation in semiconductor industry until 2052. He says that the volume growth of semiconductor transistor has produced 35% per year cost reduction, historically. A chart is also presented which shows that the learning curve for transistor has been increasing exponentially for the last 50 years, although in 1960s and 1970s, the rate of unit increase was less stable.

The article reports that semiconductor companies in India are finding it more and more difficult to find a partner for a joint venture or technology transfer. One example is SemIndia Systems, which is looking for a new technology partner after Advanced Micro Devices shifted to a manufacturing-lite strategy.

The article reports on the planned reintroduction of the Wankel engine, which was rolled into the North American car market in the 1970s. According to sources, the design is fine-tuned and will be reintroduced to a broader market, including the U.S. military. This was the innovation introduced by Reg Technologies Inc. through the Radmax direct-charge engine based on the Wankel rotary design, which can deliver up to 3 times the power with half the weight of the true Wankel.

The article reports that integrators, the big companies that tackle huge technology projects like advanced aircraft and the U.S. space station, are targeting wireless telecommunications networks that require greater interoperability and security. Companies like Northrop Grumman Corp. and Bechtel are working wireless industry partners with specific expertise to help them identify the technologies needed to build new government networks.

Reports on the growing number of Chinese engineers, educated and trained in the United States, who have returned to China. Fear of the U.S. technology market about the level of technology transfer caused by the trend; Reason behind the trend.

Focuses on the problems of compression standards for digital cinema. Technological advances in digital cinema; Plan of the Moving Picture Experts Group to test a draft of silicon-intensive approaches; Digital cinema products introduced by several firms.

Reports that the United States (US) congressional report on alleged Chinese espionage may halt efforts to relax export controls on computers. Recommendation of the report for international controls on technology transfers; Preparation of the report by the US House Select Committee on US National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China; Comments from Dan Hoydysh of the Computer Coalition for Responsible Exports on the issue.

Reports that trade tensions between the United States (US) and China is chilling efforts by Chinese electronic companies to build modern fabrication facilities. Allegations that spurred the trade and security tensions; Comments from industry observers; Impediments to the transfer of technology from the US to China.

Reports on China's search for American banks and corporations willing to help create a home-grown version of California's Silicon Valley and North Carolina's Research Triangle Park. Need for venture capital to allow Chinese high-technology companies to go public in the United States; American reception of Chinese delegates; Number of high-technology firms in Beijing.

The article presents information on a new program under which the U.S. Commerce Department has validated four integrated circuit industry participants among five companies as end users of U.S. technology exports to China. Mario Mancuso, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, said that the end-user program will make U.S. exporters more competitive in China. He expects that other American firms operating in China to be added to the list soon.

The article reflects on the Taiwanese government's protectionism towards Taiwanese-owned businesses' operating in China. Allegedly, Taiwan's government might let Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. run wafers on 180-nanometer processes at the company's Shanghai facility and that it may grant Powerchip Semiconductor Corp. and Promos permission to build but its clamping on technology transfer towards the mainland.

The article focuses on the contribution made by engineer Holger Roeding at Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD), in bringing up a faster network to transfer mask data from throughout Europe to the Advanced Mask Technology Center, a joint venture among AMD, Infineon Technologies AG and Toppan Photomasks Inc. When Roeding began work at Zentrum Mikro Dresden (ZMD) in 1976, equipment was hard to come by, given the West's embargo against technology transfers to what was then East Germany. So the engineers at ZMD would take the occasional machine that found its way over the Berlin Wall and reverse-engineer it.

Editorial. Comments on the relationship between the U.S. and China with regards to the U.S. policy efforts to control the flow of advanced technology into China; Concern of the Pentagon with losing design and fabrication data; Possibility of the Chinese using the technology to build weapons that can support terrorism; Absence of signs on China's acceptance of intellectual property rights protection laws.

Reports on statements by Infineon Technologies' chief executive Ulrich Schumacher on exporting advanced semiconductor production technologies to China. Infineon's plan to foster ties with Chinese and Taiwanese chip makers; Refusal by most countries to export leading-edge equipment to China, as included in the Wassenaar Agreement.

Presents news briefs on the technologies developed by high technology companies as of January 15, 2001. Technology transfer agreement signed by Lucent Technologies Inc. with Physical Sciences Inc. to use its laser diodes in gas sensors; Joint venture formed by SAL Inc. and JMAR Research to build a scaled-down X-ray wafer stepper for the 1.3-to 0.7-micron feature range.

Presents the results of the survey made by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Japan Program on the industry and government attitudes about technology transfer between the United States and Japan. US Department of Defense Secretary William Perry's efforts to promote a balance in the technology transfer between the two countries; Factors affecting the technology transfer.

Reports on the agreement between NEC Corp. and Samsung Electronics to exchange information about 256-Mbit DRAM cell technologies. Impact of the agreement on the semiconductor-equipment materials industry; Benefits of the deal for both companies; Other Korea-Japan relationships.

Discusses different licensing agreements and technology transfers in the power electronics equipment industry. Sharing of resources; Zytec Corp.'s agreements with Ericsson and Digital Equipment Corp.; RO Associates' licensing of its technology; Sourcing of high-density converters and low-wattage products by Ericsson; Marketing of Interpoint Corp. products by Lambda Electronics; More.

Reports on United States Pentagon's offer to share military technologies with Japan in exchange for greater access to Japanese commercial electronics. Plan of broadening U.S. technological cooperation with Japan; Technologies being targeted; Defenses against North Korean missiles threat; Part of overall defense conversion strategy; Focus of cooperation in Systems and Technology Forum.

Reports that Toshiba Corp. will transfer its thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) production technology to Washin Lihwa Corp. in Taiwan. Expected start of production operation; Reason of the technical transfer; Terms under the agreement.

Opinion. Presents the author's views on how technology transfer can help an engineer keep up with fast pace of changes in the electronic and computer industry. Significance of becoming an agent of technology transfer between laboratories and companies; Principles that help ensure the success of technology transfer.