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OCTOBER 2024 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 71 Moving Toward Collaboration I like the idea of a collaborative approach between U.S. and Chinese PCB manufactur- ers. I strongly believe that instead of view- ing each other as competitors, there should be a focus on partnership and mutual benefit. By combining the U.S.'s innovative capabili- ties and high standards with China's cost-effi- ciency and scalability, the global PCB industry can achieve greater heights. is collaboration could lead to the development of new technol- ogies, improved global supply chains, and bet- ter products for consumers worldwide. My vision for the future of the PCB industry is one where differences are not just acknowl- edged but leveraged for mutual growth. By understanding and addressing the cultural, technological, and economic differences, U.S. and Chinese PCB shops can work together to create a more integrated and resilient global industry. is perspective is particularly relevant in today's globalized world, where the intercon- nectedness of industries requires a more coop- erative approach to manufacturing. e global PCB industry, with its critical role in the elec- tronics supply chain, stands to benefit signifi- cantly from such collaboration. SMT007 Tom Yang is CEO of CEE PCB. To read past columns, click here. In a breakthrough for green energy, researchers demonstrated a novel technique to efficiently con- vert ambient radiofrequency signals into DC volt- age that can power electronic devices and sensors, enabling battery-free operation. Ubiquitous wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, Blue- tooth, and 5G rely on radio frequency (RF) signals to send and receive data. A new prototype of an energy harvesting module—developed by a team led by scientists from the National University of Sin- gapore (NUS)—can now convert ambient or "waste" RF signals into direct current (DC) volt- age. This can be used to power small electronic devices without the use of bat- teries. RF energy harvesting technologies, such as this, are essential as they reduce battery dependency, extend device life- times, minimise environmental impact, and enhance the feasibility of wire- less sensor networks and IoT devices in remote areas where frequent battery replacement is impractical. However, RF energy harvesting technologies face challenges due to low ambient RF signal power (typically less than -20 dBm), where current rectifier technology either fails to operate or exhib- its a low RF-to-DC conversion efficiency. To address these challenges, a team of NUS researchers, working in collaboration with scien- tists from Tohoku University (TU) in Japan and Uni- versity of Messina (UNIME) in Italy, has developed a compact and sensitive rectifier technology that uses nanoscale spin-rectifiers (SR) to convert ambi- ent wireless radio frequency signals at power less than -20 dBm to a DC voltage. (Source: NUS) New Battery-free Technology Using Ambient Radiofrequency Signals