high-performance interfaces using analog-digital circuits

The Ishikuro Lab is studying the design of interfaces for high-performance sensing. Such interfaces can rapidly exchange a large amount of information with the outside world, using a small surface area.
Q. Originally, analog circuits played a very important role in interface technology. But nowadays, rather than using old-fashioned analog technology, we can put both analog and digital circuits on one chip. A feature of our research is that we dont use analog only; we build interface circuits with extremely high performance by using the advantages of digital technology as well.
The Ishikuro Lab is looking at wireless communication, which continues to develop as public infrastructure. Here, the Labs aim is to utilize new ways of controlling analog circuits using digital technology. The wireless technology developed so far was finally achieved after building lots of analog circuits into boards. But recent micro-fabrication technology has enabled communication using very small modules for wireless LAN and Bluetooth. In this field as well, technology for digital control of analog circuits is widely used.
Q. For example, a mobile phone signal is only a few microvolts at the receiving antenna. Its impossible to handle such weak signals using digital technology alone. Digital technology cant process signals unless theres a swing of about one volt. To amplify a signal that much, you need very high-performance amps. So analog circuits arent going to disappear. Intermediate signal processing, which doesnt belong to either category, is becoming extremely important.
In chips with only digital circuits, limitations on the number of interconnects have started to emerge. But by combining analog and digital circuits on one chip, over a thousand signal channels can be used. By building interface circuits into one chip, the Ishikuro Lab has developed modules that have high performance, but are extremely small. Because these modules eliminate various restrictions that were faced by other researchers, theyre also being used to develop one-chip transceivers and IC cards. Understanding both analog and digital circuits will be essential for future engineers; it will also lead to increasing opportunities.
Q. For example, nowadays, everybody has a mobile phone. If wireless capabilities take up just a bit less space, therell be a chip in everything. And if development continues further, well enter the currently topical field called sensor nets, where 100 or 1,000 wireless chips per room would be installed. These would sense the surrounding environment and transmit that information wirelessly to a server, where it could be centrally managed. This would enable great savings in electricity, for example, by managing air-con and lighting. I think a lot of interesting applications could be achieved by sending that kind of information to people. Wed like to develop chips that can be used for this.

[@paritoshgoyal7025]

this is a great concept and nice implementation