BREAKTHROUGH TO BOOST DATA NETWORK SPEED - STMicroelectronics
plans to announce a breakthrough in light-emitting silicon that could lead to a new
generation of more powerful computing processors, as well as potentially higher-speed
optical data-transmission systems. The company has done this by increasing the
efficiency of light-emitting silicon 100-fold. The first products are expected to reach
the market later this year. The first application will be to build power control devices in
which the control circuitry is electrically isolated from the power switching devices,
resulting in significant advances in data network speed as well as lower costs. Much
of the research has been done in Catania, Sicily. (New York Times, 28 Oct 02)

PHYSICIANS GROUP LAUNCHES PDA INFO CLEARINGHOUSE - pdaMD, a
provider of handheld computing technology for physicians, said it would create a PDA
Center for the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine
(ACP-ASIM), the national organization of internal medicine specialists. The PDA
Center will provide physicians access to a library of medically oriented handheld
applications, advanced customization options to speed deployment, and dedicated
support personnel. Handheld technology has become increasingly important in today's
medical environment, providing improved access to critical information such as drug
prescribing data, treatment strategies, patient history, and reference material, all at the
point of care. According to a 2001 ACP-ASIM survey of 489 members, 47% were
found to use handheld computers, and usage among internists is expected to increase.
For more information, visit: http://www.acponline.org (Syllabus News, Resources,
Trends, 4 Oct 02)