Cable backplanes have been a longtime feature of high-performance computing, undergoing several evolutions to keep up with speed and bandwidth requirements. However, as next-generation AI computing systems take hold, the practical limits of copper have been reached, pushing connector suppliers to create products that include optical solutions. Traditional backplane and daughtercard design has been aRead More

From data center interconnects and energy-efficient optical networks, this year’s show highlighted advances in coherent transmission systems, photonic integration for AI applications, and intelligent network automation that will reshape global connectivity. The 50th anniversary edition of the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition reflected the enormous growth and enthusiasm for the future of optical networkingRead More

Humanoid robots are a subset of general-purpose robots that include large and small robotic arms that have become an essential enabler of factory automation. The development of humanoids that utilize artificial intelligence is now in the process of blurring the line between man and machine. People have been fascinated for hundreds of years with theRead More

The interconnect industry’s biggest gathering celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. Technologist Bob Hult has attended every one of them. Here’s what captured his attention this year. DesignCon 2025 marked the 30th anniversary of this premier technical conference for designers of high-performance chips and printed circuit board systems. An increasing number of attendees are drawnRead More

Generative AI, with its massive training workloads, is having a huge impact on a broad range of technologies and related hardware supply chains. It is nearly impossible to avoid hearing about how artificial intelligence has begun impacting nearly every aspect of our lives. Already, AI is being applied to everything from medical diagnostics to judgingRead More

Standards related to electronic devices guarantee interoperability and expands market opportunity for high-volume production that reduces cost and encourages collaboration as well as competition to develop the most effective solution. A universe of standards plays a critical role in the complex world we live in. Imagine having different plugs on your toaster and coffee maker,Read More

It seems like the effects of climate change are appearing everywhere. Record levels of moisture, drought, and temperature extremes are being recorded nearly every day. Even skeptics are beginning to accept that our climate is changing in detrimental ways. The only issue remaining is if it is a result of a natural cycle or dueRead More

Heat has a direct effect on device reliability. As the internal temperature of a chip exceeds its maximum rating, reliability begins to drop off. This results in a shortened life or complete chip failure. Advancing the limits of computing performance has been a constant defining objective of system designers since the first commercial computers wereRead More

Computer-intensive applications have stimulated the growth of a large-scale purpose-built AI infrastructure. The connector industry will benefit from the AI evolution due to demands for exceptional speed, reduced latency, and energy efficiency. Artificial intelligence exploded into public awareness on November 30, 2022, with the release of ChatGPT and its influence has grown exponentially ever since. ThisRead More

Approaching the physical limits of traditional silicon chip technology, many predicted we would soon witness the death of Moore’s law. Multi-chip advanced packaging and the rise of silicon photonics offer a path to resuscitation. Not long ago, the consensus among many engineers was that the practical limits of shrinking semiconductor chip features had been reached,Read More

Engineers are rethinking system architecture to accommodate increasing data rates and performance demands. Emerging technologies like co-packaged optics and OSFP-XD pluggables promise higher bandwidth and improved efficiency. Unless you have spent the last two years living in a remote cave in the Himalayas, the emergence of artificial intelligence has likely caught your attention. There isRead More

Bob Hult shares the phenomenal advances in high-speed optical communications showcased at OFC 2024, including interconnects for 200G per lane optical transmission, liquid cooling, co-packaged optics, PAM6, and other technologies that take us far beyond the reach of copper. The 2024 Optical Networking and Communication Conference and Exposition March 24-April 3 in San Diego nearlyRead More