GSA Silicon Series Luncheon | Boston AbstractsKeynote Address: Expanding Medical Applications into Growing BRIC MarketsIn emerging countries, such as India, China, Africa, etc., many routine medical emergencies require immediate intervention otherwise they become fatal due to lack of infrastructure and poor rural connectivity. Thanks to the application of electronics, diagnostic techniques have become automated and affordable. Portable medical electronics are also being addressed for clinical diagnostics like CT, MRI, ultrasound and angiogram applications. In the US, home diagnostics like blood sugar, blood pressure, and ECG have also become popular due to wireless integration and low cost of ownership. These developments have become possible mainly due to the integration capabilities of wireless, reliability and low power technologies and semiconductor chips that have brought down the size and cost of these products while increasing their capabilities. In summary, despite the uncertainty of global macroeconomic challenges, opportunity for the semiconductor industry exists in many forms. How we choose to address these opportunities in expanding economies, particularly in areas where they maintain design strength, will portend the probabilities of future success. What role should this play in the global economy and how can we leverage design and manufacturing strengths to create a significant difference for our lives? Panel Discussion: Overcoming Barriers to Silicon Growth - The Future of Medical TechnologyChallenges to increasing medical technology advancement in conjunction with creating main-stream popularity may prohibit mainstream adoption and resulting silicon growth in this area. While the traditional consumer electronics market has driven the majority of semiconductor revenue, the medical industry faces a unique set of issues from governments agencies, insurance companies, a variety of inter-related medical specialists and over-all public willingness to accept new innovations. So while the industry has new drivers for increased silicon content over the next five years, technology alone may not be the answer to creating main-stream medical improvements. What changes need to be overcome and who has the power to enact these changes to allow for revenue growth in this market? This panel will discuss the silicon content growth challenges along with challenges within the medical industry such as:
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