Abstract: The trend
of miniaturization of circuits and fusion of many subsystems
of different technologies into one have become cynosure
of the ongoing research and fast growing advancement
in the said field has opened the door of human consciousness
to a radically new and labyrinthine world within that
embedded chip that has certainly affected and are affecting
life of common mass making it simpler and easier. This
paper discusses about trend of the convergence of technology,
particularly networks based revolution and presents
the techno- commercial and socio-economic aspect for
the same.
Introduction
Convergence, As the name implies, means” Coming
Together” and The primary driver of convergence
of different forms of information is technological change,
primarily the rapid diffusion of digital technology
into an ever-wider array of information businesses.
Beyond digitization, dramatic changes in the computing
and telecommunications industries (primarily in faster
microprocessors and increasing bandwidth) are also driving
convergence.
The era of modern electronics started after 1947 when
transistor invented, miniaturization of the circuit
began, First small subsystem then micro-processors,
micro controllers, DSP Processors, Embedded chips, SOCs,
and many new comes into being and adding its presence
play significant in making your systems smart, efficient,
faster and more powerful than before. Technology wise,
a successful Journey from SSI (<12 Transistors into
chip of one cm2) to VLSI (millions of transistors into
one chip), micro technology to Nano technology and now
femto technology really affected and open gate for productive
areas of research and development.
Now the digital world is affecting mankind and has
developed numerous technologies to store and manipulate
digital data. Digital information is essentially distortion-free,
perfectly and infinitely replicable, instantly transportable
(given fiber, cable, and future communication bandwidths),
highly translatable, inherently editable, readily amenable
to various forms of processing, and compatible with
other forms of digital information.
Now gone are the days when information was created,
stored, manipulated, and transformed by its form. Textual
information existed mostly as hard copy or as metallic
templates used by printers to make copies. Audio information
existed mostly as analog waveforms, captured on vinyl
or magnetic tape. Still and moving images were rendered
in chemical form; later on, moving images shifted to
analog form through the development of videotape technology.
The trend in technology is growing very rapidly. Now
the different technology, subsystems, softwares combined
together become one system which economically viable
showing better performance with good processing speed,
consuming very less power (scientists are even thinking
about zero voltage) with less area.
Convergence factors
We are now in the phase of industrial based analog
economy to an information based digital economy. The
momentum for this transition is being fueled by no of
converging factors—
•Converging media: digitalization of voice, data,
video and communication is driving consumer products
convergence. Convergence is happenings in everybody
backyard with incredible computer power being embedded
within everyday consumer appliances. The digital revolution
be it from vinyl players changing to MP3 Players or
for analog TV to digital TV,is occurring very rapidly.
Data,voice and video can now be transmitted over the
same backbone due to digital revolution. The convergence
when used in the context of networking refers to the
ability to transfer data and voice and or video traffic
on a single network. VOIP (Voice over internet protocol)
is one of the example for the transmission of the voice
traffis in packets. It is also known as internet telephony,IP
Telephony, packet voice,packetized voice. In VOIP network,
the packetization of voice happens in real time. VOIP
also decrease the bandwidth utilized significantly,
since multiple packets can be transmitted simultaneously.
•Internet based lifestyle: Now a day, the use
of Internet has become widespread, without Internet
availability, email checking people feel some thing
awkward, which takes his away from the world. The internet
serves as technology platform that enables an entirely
new generation of consumer applications, including voice
and video communications, e- commerce solutions, personalized
news services, home security and automation, utilities
resource management and entertainment title distribution.
The availability of such a wide variety of application
is changing the way people relate to the Internet itself.
The Internet lifestyle is a new way of thinking that
has resulted in a formation of an organization called
the Internet home alliance. The principle behind this
new organization is that consumers want to enjoy the
benefits of the Internet lifestyles without worrying
about the technology that enables it to work. The alliance
is bringing new level of comfort, convenience and security
by creating the necessary infrastructure. Installation
and support from the various companies provide integrated
services, eliminating the need for multiple points of
consumer contact.
•Deregulation: There is a heavy deregulation of
the global infrastructure industries such as telecommunication,
utilities and cable. These companies are developing
new ways of improving their business by using the Internet
and increasing revenues through additional services
to the home.
•Digitalization of consumer products: a product
that is digital one, which is synonymous with higher
quality, greater accuracy, higher reliability, faster
speed, lower power and lower cost. Simply stating anything
digital is better. The digitization of the consumer
products has not only led to the improvements of existing
products but it has also lead to creation of whole new
class of products that has never existed before. The
PVR (personal Video recording) are revolutionizing the
way we watch TV, satellites. The camera, audio and video
features of mobile communication have certainly revolutionized
this industry and growing by leaps and bounds. Modems
are faster internet access to the home and MP3 has revolutions
other portable digital music
Home networking revolution
The Home networking is all about the convergence of
voice, video and data and their associated appliances.
The integration and inter-operation of different electronics
appliances, entertainment devices, PC hardware, and
telecommunication devices in general revolutionized
the industry and has been projected as one of the fast
growing industry in the world.
The ultimate goal of the home network is to provide
access to the information such as audio, voice, data
and entertainment between different digital devices
around the house. This technology allows users to communicate
and interact at anywhere at anytime and bringing the
Internet to the hands of the consumers, to every appliance
in the house and help interconnect people across the
globe. It allows access to homes via Internet when one
is away, enabling security and energy management.
With the expansion of Internet application, more homes
are moving towards using multiple PCs and other types
of network appliances. The demand for bandwidth is bringing
broadband connectivity to the houses. Homes today are
having following facilities:
a. PC centric eco system that comprise of modems, scanners,
digital cameras, and printers connected to a localized
network.
b. Multimedia centric ecosystems that comprise of set
up boxes ,digital television, digital video recorders,
spaeakers,stereos and DVD players.
c. Wireless centric ecosystems that comprise of Personal
Digital Assistant(PDA)and mobile phone sets.
It is presumed that in the near future homes will have
single broadband connection bringing information to
and from the houses. The ecosystem within the home will
be connected enabling internet access to a multitude
of digital devices.
Xilinx, the VLSI Based chip design company believes
that the evolution of fully integrated digital home
will take place in above mentioned graph in three separate
stages. The stage 3 (in the fig 1), will be the stage
of pure digital home with complex technologies but simple
and easy handling of the system. This company is giving
complete chip solution of all the technology involved
in it.
Home Network Technologies
Home networking is basically a three-part equation
offering entertainment, information and automation services
that are distributed between appliances in the home.
It has four aspects which include, broad band access,
residential gateways, a vast range of information appliances
and the technologies that bind them all.—interconnectivity
and home networking technologies. Table 1 shows the
aspects of different home networking technologies as
per their market requirements and the available solutions.
Market Analysis Data
Home networking is projected to be extremely fast growing
sector and the following figure 2 presents the overview
of the types of companies and organization involved
in managing this change and developing the global home
networking industry. Cahners In-stat predicted that
the worldwide home networking and residential gateway
market will exceed $ 5 billion by 2004.
The fig 3 and 4 shows the real picture about the growth
of home networking technology from 1999 to 2004 and
applications driving home networking technologies. The
gradual exponential increase from 5 million household
to 25 million household ,an increase of 500 % within
5 years and at the same time applications driving home
networking technologies shows how people are now making
their Home as Digital Home with all networking technologies
features.
Sociology of Convergence
The primary focus of convergence industries to date
has been on the technologies that make it possible to
combine different forms of information. Growing market
and reach to the every house hold with every kind of
data transfer has opened the door for its sociological
implications.
Though, the sociological implications of an interactive
broadband communications infrastructure are not yet
fully understood but will undoubtedly be profound. This
interactive broadband technology cause the most dramatic
shift in behavioral patterns of even common human being
since the introduction of the automobile, mobile communication,
video conferencing that has affected even people shopkeepers,
hotels etc… in terms of socialize, entertained,
conduct business, and handle finances.
Critical to such adoption is nature of the interface
particularly dehumanizing and Internet based crime,
personal privacy cynosure the world to make some laws.
Increasing crime based on sex videotape and uploading
into different sex related websites for the clear views
to all is really a bad part of it, many instances has
already come out and made public, this is certainly
against the humanity need to be stopped.
Concluding remarks: As we are crossing
centuries, growth in all sectors can be visualized and
that must be. The recent technological advancement in
the convergence of technologies and digitization certainly
made us feel into one global family and easy access
of global knowledge and information. We can expect many
more advancements in the near future. Can we design
our dream also? Yes it is possible now. Two years before,
made chip for that, means if you insert this chip into
your nerves, it will control your whole nervous system
and the status of mind and in that way you can design
your dream. Let us see how much more technological advancement
this century has stored in for us..
Figure 1
Table 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
(About the author:
The author is R&D Engineer in Seoul (south Korea)
based company working in the field of image processing
based chip design and technology having exp of over
6.5 years in the Electronic Industry. Formerly he worked
with Pune based Indian Chip Design Company as Project
Manger also. He is associated with Science for society,
under NCSTC Network, Dept of Science & Technology,
Govt.Of India. He started one organization called "BiharBrains
(www.biharbrains.org)
in Oct 4, 2004 for the certain objectives, goal and
mission. For more details please visit (www.bibhutibikramaditya.com)
