The official definition of wireless 4G technology is not scheduled until the 2008-2009 timeframe when the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) releases its IMT-Advanced requirements, yet the high-tech market research firm In-Stat reports that there are clear contenders for the designation. Primary 4G technologies of the future are expected to be Long Term Evolution (LTE), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) and IEEE 802.16m WiMAX. Wireless technologies continue to migrate to controls and automation.

New orders to North American robotics companies increased 39% the first half of this year, according to the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the industry’s trade group. North American manufacturers ordered 9,208 robots through June 2007, at a value of $525.2 million, which represents a gain of 40% in units and 12% in revenue; growth differed by industry.

The trade association AIM Global announced the Public Review Draft of the International Symbology Specification-Ultracode, developed by AIM Global’s Technical Symbology Committee. Opportunity for “public review” ended Sept. 19. Non-members paid $140 to see the draft, which describes what the committee calls a first-of-its-kind, “next generation linear” symbology incorporating the features of linear and 2D bar codes.

PAS recently opened its center of excellence for the power industry in St. Louis, MO. The new center is intended to expand the company’s expertise for power industry customers world-wide in the solution areas of alarm management and automation configuration management.

The top three professional affiliations of automation system integrators listed in the Control Engineering Automation Integrator Guide are ISA (29%), IEEE (21%), and CSIA at (15%). Visit www.controleng.com/integrators to search on other relevant criteria.