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We have so much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving, particularly those of us who work in the RF industry. Brent Dietz took some time to reflect on these blessings and was so moved, he wrote new lyrics to a classic hymn.

Even the longstanding button is being overtaken by technology. It's about time.

It isn’t news to any professional in the electronics industry, or virtually any other, that almost any technology, process, or service that can be internet or intranet connected is being connected. If it is a wired connection or a wireless connection, the fundamental way most people are interacting with their world or data is being done with, or enhanced by, connected devices. The heart of innovation is effective and accessible communication. The Internet of Things (IoT) has made it possible for devices to relay information one to another, but intrinsically relies on an analog backbone to operate.

The IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS) took place in-person in Atlanta, Georgia from 6-9 June followed by a virtual version two weeks later. The in-person technical program and exhibition were shortened due to the limited number of attendees, with the total attendance near 1500 with about 200 exhibiting companies.

In Part 1 of the 2-part blog series “5G in 2021 & The Rise of the Machines”, a high-level discussion of the wireless connectivity trends is provided, along with a glimpse into how wireless standard convergence is a likely outcome to the drive toward unbridled wireless connectivity. This blog will close the loop and finish the discussion of these trends, with highlights on the progress and potential impact of the Industrial Internet-of-Things (IIoT), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications, connecting everything else, and how we can seize the opportunity of a new paradigm of connectivity.

5G has been heralded not only as a new frontier of cellular telecommunications, but an enabling technology for a new paradigm of interconnectivity and intelligence in devices deployed throughout the world. Advances in smart manufacturing, cities, transportation, and our homes, is part of an overhaul that will further enhance, automate, and generally “augment” people’s lives and our interactions with the machine realm.

The emergence and rapid development of active antenna systems for terrestrial communications has also spurred development of highly integrated and capable digital beamforming (DBF) solutions for satellite applications. Read about this new development.