The Hot 100 products of 2006

Built by and for electronics engineers, this list distills the most innovative and significant products of the year, including process technologies, power sources, processor cores, communication controllers, test instruments, embedded boards, EDA tools, and more.

By Staff -- EDN, December 15, 2006

Categories: Analog ICs ASICs, IP, and process technology Communications Components Computers and Peripherals Digital and programmable ICs EDA Multimedia Power Processors Test and Measurement Ongoing product coverage: Past Hot 100 lists: 2005 2004 2003

As the calendar nears January, popular culture inevitably begins to cough up countless "best-of" lists, covering frivolous topics from reality TV to celebrity hairstyles. In an effort to counteract this tide of inanity, we at EDN proudly offer you something of substance: A Hot 100 list built by and for electronics engineers.

Our editors mercilessly cull the herd of new-product announcements they see during the year, resulting in this distillation of the most innovative and significant offerings. You'll find process technologies, power sources, storage devices, processors, IP (intellectual-property) cores, communication controllers, test instruments, embedded boards, EDA tools, and more. If they advanced the state of the art in electronics, they're here. And not a movie star in sight.

Analog ICs

Allegro Microsystems
ACS760 series Hall-effect hot-swap controller
More information: Hall-effect hot-swap controller debuts

Analog Devices
ADA4899-1 ultralow-noise amplifier
More information: Ultralow-noise amplifier is unity-gain-stable

Cirrus Logic
CS3003 chopper amplifier
More information: Chopper amplifier features a 150-dB gain

Intersil
ISL29001 and ISL29002 light-to-digital output sensors
More information: Light-to-digital sensor uses a 50/60 Hz rejection filter

Linear Technology
LT6244 low-noise CMOS amplifiers
More information: Low-noise CMOS amplifier runs input pairs at higher currents

Maxim
MAX9982 800- to 1000-MHz mixer
More information: 800 to 1000-MHz mixer features a 2-dB conversion gain

Microchip
MCP6G01 and MCP6G02 gain-selectable amplifiers
More information: Gain-selectable amps compensate for bandwidth roll-off

National Semiconductor
LM4562 audiophile amplifier
More information: Audiophile amplifier offers 0.00003% THD+N

NEC
PC835 JFET amplifier
More information: JFET amplifier drives 4000 pF

Texas Instruments
OPA365 rail-to-rail input amplifier
More information: Rail-to-rail input amplifier has no crossover distortion

Texas Instruments
TPA203xD1 Class D audio power amplifier
More information: Class D audio-power amplifier provides a low A-weighted noise floor

ASICs, IP, and Process Technology

Certicom
Production Control Core intellectual-property core
More information: IP protects chips from unauthorized manufacture

Infineon Technologies
Disk read-channel intellectual-property core
More information: Fast read-channel IP challenges integration methodology

Key ASIC
ASIC service
More information: Fabless-ASIC company tries new model

NEC Electronics
55-nm CMOS process
More information: NEC surprises with aggressive 55-nm process

Sonics
LX interconnect intellectual property for systems on chips
More information: Light version of IP interconnects hardware blocks

Texas Instruments
45-nm CMOS process
More information: TI lifts curtain on 45-nm process

Communications

Cswitch Corp
Configurable switch array
More information: Radical FPGA takes on packet processing

DS2
DSS9001 power-line-networking IC
More information: Powerline Followup: Is DS2 For You?

Enigma Semiconductor
EN6100 family packet-switching chip set
More information: Packet switching comes to backplanes

Infrant
NSP IT310x network-storage processor
More information: Next-Gen NAS

Integrated Device Technology
Serial RapidIO preprocessing switch
More information: IDT adds preprocessing to SRIO switch for base stations

SiConnect
POEM power-line-transceiver chip
More information: Power-line networking demands holistic design

SMSC
LAN9131 network multimedia coprocessor
More information: Network coprocessor serves as multimedia implant

Texas Instruments
UR8 Universal DSL chip family
More information: Texas Instruments and Ikanos rev DSL chip offerings: Is anyone buying?

Tzero Technologies
TZ7110/7210 ultrawideband chip set
More information: UWB may yet serve whole-house video

Components

Celsia
Microspreader heat spreader with fluid core
More information: Ultrathin heat spreader uses fluid core to cool processors, displays

Nanoident
Photonics Solution Platform for designing image sensors combining LEDs, photosensors, and simple IC functions
More information: Organic semiconductors shine in LED/photosensor combinations

SiTime
SiT11xx MEMS oscillators
More information: MEMS-based oscillator threatens quartz; resonator could move on-chip

Computers and Peripherals

Allmotion
EZHR17EN stepper-motor controller
More information: Compact controller eases embedded-system motion

BittWare
Tetra-PMC+ analog-input board
More information: PMC board unites four ADC channels, FPGA

Cornice
Dragon series 1-in. hard-disk drives
More information: CES: The deluge begins

Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing
Champ-AV6 DSP engine
More information: Quad DSP engine features switched-fabric data streams

Dust Networks
SmartMesh-XT mesh-networking platform for industrial environments
More information: Rugged wireless-sensor networks suit harsh industrial environments

Extreme Engineering Solutions
XPedite6240 AMC computer
More information: Mezzanine module boosts telecom processing power

General Micro Systems
V469 Patriot computer
More information: Dual computers boost system performance

Gumstix
Netstix 200xm-cf computer
More information: Palm-sized computer features network connectivity

Inova Computers
Hercules CompactPCI system
More information: Embedded computer features conductive cooling

Kontron
ETXexpress-PM COM Express module
More information: Serial streams shrink embedded-system designs

Mercury Computer Systems
ECV4-RFT remote fiber transceiver
More information: Mixed-signal module boosts wideband performance

Mosaic Industries
Ethersmart Wildcard expansion board
More information: Tiny board delivers Web connectivity

Performance Motion Devices
Ion drive network-motion controller
More information: CANBus, serial networks distribute motion control

Rabbit Semiconductor
RabbitFlex custom computer
More information: Process yields custom boards in five days

Seagate
Barracuda 7200.10 series 3.5-in. perpendicular recording-based hard-disk drives
More information: Terabyte Flirtations

Seagate
ST1.3 series 1-in. perpendicular recording-based hard-disk drives
More information: Svelte HDDs: Simultaneously Stocky

Digital and Programmable ICs

Actel
IGLOO FPGA
More information: Global design & Actel's new sandman FPGA

Altera
Stratix 3 65-nm FPGA
More information: 65-nm FPGAs consume less power

Analog Devices
ADE7100 power-meter IC
More information: Mixed-signal integration takes more than glue

Andigilog
ThermalEdge aSC7512 thermal-management controller
More information: Thermal escalation drives need for controlled active cooling

Fujitsu Microelectronics
MBF 320 biometric sweep sensor
More information: Biometric sensor and preboot software lock down laptops

PLX Technology
PEX 8548 PCI Express switch
More information: Flexible switch has 48 lanes

Texas Instruments
SN65LVDS301 FlatLink 3G
More information: Serial links take on roles in clamshell-design connections

Xilinx
Virtex 5 65-nm FPGA
More information: FPGAs balance lower power, smaller nodes drip by drip

EDA

Apache Design Solutions
Sahara-PTE power/thermal/electrical analysis tool
More information: Apache hot on IC thermal analysis

Berkeley Design Automation
Analog FastSpice Spice simulator
More information: Speedy Spice-accurate simulator targets analog, RF

Blaze DFM
Blaze MO design-for-manufacturing tool
More information: DFM-tool start-up claims big power and yield gains

Cadence Design Systems
Space-based router (previously known as Precision)
More information: Cadence says 65nm users need CPR: new router to replace IC Craftsman

Ciranova
PCell Xtreme tool for PCell information
More information: Ciranova tool finds way around Cadence SKILL for analog design

Invarium
Dimension PPC (process- and proximity-correction) patterning-synthesis tool
More information: Startup targets mask-making with "patterning synthesis"

The MathWorks
Simulink HDL coder
More information: Tool generates HDLs directly from Simulink

Mentor Graphics
Calibre LFD (lithography-friendly design) design-for-manufacturing tool
More information: DFM tools help with "lithography-friendly" layouts

Novas Software
Siloti RTL debugging tool
More information: Novas introduces on-the-fly debugging

OneSpin Solutions
CVE (circuit-verification environment) formal-verification product
More information: Startup Brings Mature Property Checker to the Masses

Sierra Design Automation
Olympus-SOC IC router
More information: Lithography-savvy IC router circumvents third parties

Sigma-C (Synopsys acquired in June 2006)
Solid+ microlithography simulator for design and optical-proximity correction
More information: Sigma-C and Mentor make strides in DFM

Silistix
ChainWorks tool set for asynchronous design
More information: Silistix introduces tools to take asynchronous design mainstream

Synopsys
PrimeTime VX digital statistical-timing-analysis tool
More information: News analysis: Is Synopsys' statistical-timing tool ready for prime time?

Multimedia

Akustica
AKU2000 MEMS microphone
More information: MEMS Microphones: More Motivations

Ambarella
A1 high-definition-video processor
More information: Tailored Entrant Tackles Tape's Troubles

Texas Instruments
DM6443/6 DaVinci video processors
More information: Platform simplifies video

Toshiba America Electronic Components
TC90400XBG/FG digital-video systems on chips
More information: SOCs support standard- and high-definition decoding

Power

Analog Devices
ADuM524X isoPower family of dual-channel isolators
More information: Device combines signal and power isolation

Enpirion
EP53x2Q 1A/3W buck converter
More information: Integrated buck converter targets low-power and portable applications

Freescale
MC34703 Quiccsupply 3 power-management IC
More information: Power-management IC suits advanced microprocessors’ power needs

International Rectifier
IR1167 SmartRectifier IC
More information: Chip improves efficiency of flyback-converter circuits

Intersil
ISL6326 and ISL6327 PWM controllers
More information: PWM controllers drive Intel dual-core processors

Maxim
DS2790 battery fuel gauge
More information: Chip offers authentication, protection to single-cell battery packs

Microchip
dsPIC30F1010/202X family of digital-signal controllers for switched-mode power supplies
More information: Digital power controllers offer digital and analog architecture

National Semiconductor
LM5071 power-over-Ethernet controller
More information: Chip enables POE convenience with auxiliary backup

Power Integrations
PeakSwitch power-conversion IC
More information: Power-conversion IC enables average parts to provide above-average power

Primarion
PX7510/20 digital-power-conversion and -management ICs
More information: Digital power controller is fast and software-configurable

XP Power
RCL175 ac/dc switching power supply
More information: Agency-approved power supply cuts cost, leadtimes

Zilker Labs
ZL2105 IC digital-power-conversion and -management IC
More information: Power-conversion/ management IC squeezes into embedded-system space

Processors

AMD
Turion 64 X2 mobile CPUs
More information: Turion 64 X2: A Credible Choice?

Altera
Nios II V6.0 and C2H (C-to-hardware-acceleration) compiler
More information: Upgrade adds floating-point support and a C2H compiler

Atmel
AT91SAM7SE512/256/32 ARM7-based microcontrollers
More information: Microcontrollers build in support for off-chip SDRAM and flash

Cavium Networks
CN31XX and CN30XX MIPS64-based processors
More information: Networking processors decrease cost, increase integration

Freescale
MSC8144 quad-core DSP
More information: Quad-core DSP packs performance and features

Intel
Core Microarchitecture CPUs (Merom, Conroe, Woodcrest)
More information: IDF debriefing: Pendulum swings from AMD to Intel

Intel
Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Quad-Core CPU
More information: Benchmarking a Quad-Core Beast

Luminary Micro
LM3S101/102 Stellaris 32-bit microcontrollers
More information: $1 microcontroller features ARM Cortex core

Microchip
PIC18F97J60 8-bit micro controllers
More information: PIC18 processor includes full Ethernet support

Ramtron
VRS51L2070 8051 microcontroller
More information: 8051 core sports hardware arithmetic extensions

Renesas
SH7785 microcontroller with multimedia support
More information: Microcontroller vendors further encroach on SOCs

STMicroelectronics
STR910F ARM9E-based microcontrollers
More information: ARM9 microcontroller sports connectivity, large on-chip memory

Tensilica
Diamond Standard family of Xtensa processors
More information: Cores lower entry cost for custom SOCs

Test and Measurement

Agilent
U1250 series handheld digital multimeters
More information: Two suppliers' handheld DMMs offer differing features

LeCroy
WaveSurfer and WaveRunner digital-storage oscilloscopes with WaveScan feature
More information: DSOs find and display anomalous waveforms before you can explain why they are unusual

National Instruments
LabView 8.20
More information: LabView celebrates 20th anniversary with new version, new features

Tektronix
RSA6100A real-time spectrum analyzer
More information: RF-signal-analysis instruments: now faster and smarter