DesignCon 2020 Showcases New Design Tools, Continuing Education, and Career Development
Five thousand industry professionals and more than 175 suppliers will be on hand to present their latest design tools, technologies, and new advancements.
DesignCon is upon us once again.
For its 25th anniversary, DesignCon is welcoming 5,000 industry leaders and more than 175 suppliers for North America’s largest semiconductor, board, and systems event.
DesignCon runs from January 28th through the 30th at Santa Clara Convention Center. Image used courtesy of DesignCon
Here are a few things to look forward to at the event.
Themes of DesignCon
The curriculum content will cover all aspects of electronic design, including:
- Signal and power integrity
- System co-design
- Test and measurement methodology
- IBIS-AMI model generation
- Materials and processing (PCBs, modules, and packages)
- AI, 5G, IoT, and machine-learning
- FPGA/ASIC
- Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and interference (EMI)
Networking Events and Activities
DesignCon was created as a learning platform for engineers to get a jumpstart on next-generation hardware. The 2020 educational and technology exhibition offers over 100 technical paper sessions, panels, and tutorials spanning 14 different tracks curated by the TPC (Technical Program Committee).
DesignCon 2020 will feature many networking events and activities over the three-day event. Many of these will occur in Chiphead Theater, where industry professionals offer presentations, demonstrations, and workshops highlighting their latest wares and what is on track for future developments.
DesignCon floor plan. Image used courtesy of the DesignCon
Notable sessions will include discussions on the building blocks of automated vehicles, device-less temperature sensing, and testing power supply noise rejection in differential oscillators.
The Keysight Education forum is another great platform where attendees can gain education and technical training with topics that range from DDR5/LPDDR5 to 5G and practical bit error rate to 112Gbps/lane designs.
There will also be discussions on a myriad of topics, including signal integrity simulation and measurement correlation, testing next-gen Type-C technologies (EUSB2, USB 3.2, and USB 4), and data center and optical network innovation, among several others.
Supplier Presence and Presentations
As mentioned earlier, attendees will have access to over 175 suppliers from industry giants to fledgling start-ups across the electronic design spectrum, including Amphenol, Cadence Design Systems, Keysight Technologies, Rambus, and Teledyne LeCroy. They will also be highlighting their latest products, providing a first-hand look at the latest hardware and software.
This year’s keynote presentations will cover topics such as power electronics, 5G, and impactful innovations for next-gen products. Chris Cole (Luminous Computing) will be discussing the future of fiber optic communications in data centers and mobile applications, while Warren Savage (University of Maryland) will offer insights on incorporating security measures in smart devices.
Ringing-out the keynote panel will be Zaheer Ali (NASA’s SOFIA observatory) who will discuss microchips in space and how device design enables the latest innovations in astronomy.
Career Development
New for this year is DesignCon’s Career Zone, where event-goers can get expert advice on résumé writing, personal branding, and free complimentary professional headshots. There will also be one-on-one consultants who will guide advancing careers as well as engineers who will provide expert advice on attendees’ next career moves.
One conference will address the challenges and opportunities women and minorities face in STEM fields.
Career Zone will include a conference on women and minorities in STEM. Image used courtesy of DesignCon
One of the most valuable aspects of DesignCon isn’t only the panels, discussions, and presentations that provide continuing education on upcoming advancements in technology, but networking with other engineers who are in attendance.
Functions such as the Booth Bar Crawl and Networking Lounge can open up a door to new partnerships or job opportunities through casual conversation while relaxing after the day’s events wind down.
DesignCon 2020 runs from January 28th through the 30th at Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California.
