Agilent equipment enables research at Newcastle University

Newcastle University chancellor, The Right Honorable Chris Patten, and Agilent Technologies Inc. have officially opened a wireless research laboratory and two new 70-seat undergraduate teaching laboratories in which the U.K.'s future technology specialists will be educated in pervasive computing and microelectronics.

Combined government and public funding of over $5.4 million was used to construct the facilities, equipped with the latest Agilent electronic instruments and computer-aided design (CAD) software, valued at $2.7 million.

The new labs, developed using the latest ideas in interactive instruction, will help position the university as a leader in the development of "ambient intelligence" systems and enable new, low-power, multichip microcircuits to be fabricated and tested for future wireless communication systems, such as ultrawideband.

Over 100 research students will have access to state-of-the-art Agilent equipment, including Agilent's latest performance spectrum analyzer, a 20 GHz performance signal generator, a 10 GHz oscilloscope, a 67 GHz microwave network analyzer, a semiconductor parameter analyzer and 50 general-purpose kits made up of a two-channel 100 MHz oscilloscope, digital multimeters and power supplies.

Declaring the facilities officially open, Lord Patten said that Agilent Technologies' collaboration with higher education was setting an excellent example for others to follow. "By investing in these state-of-the-art facilities, Agilent has shown the generosity and vision that one might expect from a world leader," he said. "We are very grateful, and I believe that this exciting work will have enormous effects regionally. It is also very important nationally because leading-edge research and teaching will drive forward this dynamic technology to the benefit of all."