Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1531663
JANUARY 2025 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 25 Innovation, Opportunity, and a Vision for the Future e collaboration among IPC, CARRI, and SFASU is an inspiring model of work- force development in action. By combin- ing academic rigor with hands-on industry training, these organizations are not only building job-ready skills but are also nur- turing a community that values and invests in its workforce. For those in education and industry alike, this initiative is a call to action—a compelling example of what's possible when commitment to workforce readiness, regional support, and academic excellence converge. As the project continues, it promises to create a ripple effect, strengthening the local economy, building sustainable career pathways, and providing employers with a skilled workforce ready to tackle the chal- lenges of a rapidly advancing manufactur- ing landscape. IPC, CARRI, and SFASU have lit the spark, and now it's up to other regions, educational institutions, and industry players to catch on and join the movement to forge the next generation of skilled professionals in electronics manu- facturing. PCB007 In space exploration, long-distance optical links can now be used to transmit images, films and data from space probes to Earth using light. But for the signals to reach all the way and not be disturbed along the way, hypersensitive receivers and noise- free amplifiers are required. Now, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have created a system that, with a silent amplifier and record-sensitive receiver, paves the way for faster and improved space communication. The researchers' communication system uses an optical amplifier in the receiver that amplifies the signal with the least possible noise so that its in- formation can be recycled. Just like the glow of a flashlight, the light from the transmitter widens and weakens with distance. Without amplification, the signal is so weak after the space flight that it is drowned out by the electronic noise of the receiv- er. After twenty years of struggling with disturbing noise that impaired the signals, the research team at Chalmers was able to demonstrate a noise-free optical amplifier a few years ago. Due to the limited resources and minimal space on board a space probe, it is important that the transmitter is as simple as possible. By allowing the receiver on Earth to generate two of the three light frequencies needed for noise-free amplifica- tion, and at the same time allowing the transmitter to generate only one frequency, the Chalmers re- searchers were able to implement the noise-free amplifier in an optical communication system for the first time. The results show an outstanding sensitivi- ty, while complexity at the transmitter is modest. (Source: Chalmers University of Technology) Faster Space Communication With Record-sensitive Receiver " For those in education and industry alike, this initiative is a call to action... "