RF & Microwave Summit

Title: RF & Microwave Summit: AI in RF

Date: May 20, 2026

Time: 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET

Sponsored by: Keysight, RapidRF AI, Inc., MathWorks, Cadence and DesignForge AI

Abstract:
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the RF and microwave landscape, enabling faster design cycles, improved system performance, and new levels of automation across the signal chain. This online summit explores how AI and machine learning are being applied to RF design, simulation, test, and system optimization—from component-level modeling to complex wireless and radar architectures. Industry experts will share real-world use cases, emerging techniques, and practical insights on integrating AI into existing workflows. Join us to learn how AI is reshaping RF engineering and unlocking new possibilities in communications, aerospace, defense, and beyond.

Moderator: Tim Rainear, Technical Editor, Microwave Journal^®
Panelist: Alexander Petr, Sr. Director and Portfolio Manager Electronic Design Automation (Keysight EDA), Keysight
Panelist: Eduard Heidebrecht, CTO and Co-founder, RapidRF AI, Inc.
Panelist: Dr. Houman Zarrinkoub, Principal Product Manager, MathWorks
Panelist: Michael Thompson, Distinguished Engineer in the Virtuoso R&D Group, Cadence Design Systems, Cadence
Panelist: Melroy Machado, Head of Product, DesignForge AI

Panel Participant Bios:

Moderator – Microwave Journal^®
Tim Rainear, Technical Editor

Tim Rainear is a veteran of the semiconductor industry with over 40 years in sales and business development. He began his sales career as an application engineer for Siemens Components (now Infineon), where he supported a wide range of devices, from LEDs and optocouplers to power MOSFETs and telecom ASICs. He spent the next decade in the digital domain working for LSI Logic and two FPGA start-ups. From there, he progressed to the RF world, holding Director of Sales positions at TriQuint and later Amplifier Research. For the last 15 years, Rainear has worked as Area Sales Director for CML Micro, supporting key accounts in the mil/aero and satcom industries with GaAs and GaN MMIC solutions.

Rainear has a BSEE from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from Temple University.

Keysight
Alexander Petr, Sr. Director and Portfolio Manager Electronic Design Automation (Keysight EDA)
Technical Talk - 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET: The Journey to Level 5 Agentic Solutions for RF Design

Alexander Petr has a M.Sc. in microelectronics from the Technical University of Dresden in Germany. He has built a decade long career in a specialized Analog Mixed Signal Foundry, progressing through diverse leadership roles and establishing a reputation as an industry technology leader. Alexander has a wide range of expertise in semiconductor design and technologies for high power and voltage, low leakage, analog mixed-signal, photonics, MEMS, and sensor applications. He has also developed groundbreaking system solutions in characterization, modeling, and Design Support/PDK domains, recognized as an expert in the field.

Alexander joined Keysight to lead Device Modelling products for the EDA Software department, has held numerous influential roles and responsibilities in Keysight EDA Software Solutions, spanning AI/ML, DevSecOps, and beyond. In his current role as Sr. Director and Portfolio Manager, he leads the RF & Microwave, Power Electronics, Device Modeling and AI/ML developments in Keysight EDA.

RapidRF AI, Inc.
Eduard Heidebrecht, CTO and Co-founder
Technical Talk - 10am PT / 1pm ET: Injecting Deep RF Intuition Into AI

Eduard Heidebrecht is CTO of RapidRF, where he leads the development of state-of-the-art solutions for the AI-driven design of RF integrated circuits. Prior to RapidRF, Eduard worked as an RFIC research engineer at RWTH Aachen University in Germany, where he also received his PhD. His research focused on novel RFIC architectures, including innovations in integrated Doherty power amplifiers and the automation of RF circuit design. At RapidRF, Eduard is driving the transformation of RFIC design to significantly reduce design time, lower cost, and increase reliability of manufactured circuits through AI-driven automation.

MathWorks
Dr. Houman Zarrinkoub, Principal Product Manager
Technical Talk - 10:30am PT / 1:30pm ET: Accelerating Antenna and Array Design with AI

Dr. Houman Zarrinkoub is a principal product manager at MathWorks responsible for wireless communications products. In his 30-year career in this field, he has obtained a PhD degree in Telecommunications, managed teams of software engineers, been awarded multiple patents on signal processing and authored a book on 4G LTE standard.

Cadence
Michael Thompson, Distinguished Engineer in the Virtuoso R&D Group, Cadence Design Systems
Technical Talk - 11am PT / 2pm ET: Agentic AI Improves RF Design Flow Productivity

Michael Thompson is a Distinguished Engineer in the Virtuoso R&D group at Cadence Design Systems. His current charter is the development of design solutions for Heterogenous Integration across digital, analog, and high-frequency domains. These solutions require complete flows allowing initial design concepts through detailed design and analysis, verification, manufacturability, and tape-out. He works closely with software developers, end-users, and foundries to implement complete deployable development flows.

Before joining Cadence, Michael had various roles in Keysight/Agilent/HP EEsof field organization from AE with specialties in EM, RFIC, and MMIC design, AE District Manager, and Enterprise Account Manager. Before joining HP, Michael was a Senior Specialist at Aerojet ElectroSystems, designing antennas and subsystems for radiometric sensors for the EOS and SSMIS satellite platforms and passive and active sensor antennas and transceivers for the SADARM and STAFF programs. Before Aerojet, he was a member of the technical staff of the Phased Array Antenna Lab at Hughes Aircraft. He was responsible for the design of active and passive beam steering modules. He has a BSECE and MSEE from Cal Poly and did Post-Grad work at USC.

DesignForge AI
Melroy Machado, Head of Product
Technical Talk - 11:30am PT / 2:30pm ET: Unlock the Engineering Expertise Trapped in Your Workflows with AI

Melroy is Head of Product at Design Forge AI, where he leads the development of AI-powered workflow tools that capture and scale the engineering expertise behind RF and microwave design.

Prior to Design Forge AI, Melroy was Founder and VP of Product at Pivotal Commware, where he led the development and commercialization of 5G mmWave products, including the Echo 5G CPE and the Fierce Network Award–winning Cyclops RF system. He also led deployments with U.S. and international carriers.

Prior to Pivotal, Melroy held RF engineering roles at Intellectual Ventures and Anaren Microwave. Melroy brings over 15 years of wireless product strategy experience across hardware, embedded software, and cloud systems, with a focus on taking products from concept through commercial launch. Melroy holds a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Buffalo and has been granted over 35 patents.

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