Chip Applications | SIA | Semiconductor Industry Association

The alarm clocks that wake us; the microwave ovens that heat our meals; the traffic lights, airbags and engine controls that make our travel safer; the computers and telephones that facilitate our work day; the televisions, games and MP3 players that entertain us; the security systems that protect us while we sleep - we all interact with semiconductors hundreds of times each day. But, chips touch us in so many ways we may never consider.

The service sector today constitutes 80 percent of the U.S. economy - up from less than 50 percent in 1959. Much of this rise is the result of the technologies made possible by semiconductor advancements. The information technology and communications revolutions have enabled the birth of a today's global service sector. Continuous advancement in the computing capacity and speed of chips will allow the U.S. service sector to continue to grow in productivity and reach. If services are the new driver of the U.S. economy, chips are the driver of the service sector. Communications, coordination, computing capacity - chips deliver for the American service sector.

Innovative uses of automation have allowed U.S. industry to continuously increase productivity at rates matched by few other economies while improving the health and safety of workers. Manufacturing control systems deliver the consistently high quality American products demanded the world over. And, sensitive environmental monitors and controls help our factories and power plants minimize their impact on the environment and respond to breaches quickly and effectively. All of these advances are dependent on chips. Productivity, safety and quality - chips deliver for American manufacturing.

Few rooms in the American home are "chip-free." The ovens, refrigerators, and coffee makers in our kitchens; the clocks and radios in our bedrooms; the televisions, dvd players and game systems in our living rooms; even the cars parked outside our front doors - all these now commonplace consumer products depend upon chip technology. We use chip-enabled devices to find our way when we drive or boat or hike. We take pictures with chip-driven cameras and create offices out of coffee houses and mountainsides with our laptops and wireless devices. Chips save us time by making our work more productive. They connect us to the world, help us travel or allow us to stay home. Convenience, comfort, pleasure - chips deliver for American consumers.

Computers capable of performing 1.5 trillion calculations per second were employed for months to complete the preliminary calculations for mapping the human genome. That's why Craig Venter, the geneticist whose research company put the effort to map the human genome on fast-forward, has said, "The future of biology now depends on the future of computing and math." But we need not look as deep as the human genome to find the medical benefits of the semiconductor. Chips are integral to technologies that allow us to diagnose disease without surgery. Chip-enabled miniature cameras make minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery possible and chips are in the systems that monitor our vital signs at the hospital. Chips enable telemedicine, which, in turn, grants us access to the most talented specialists, regardless of geography. And, chips are in the communications systems that alert first responders and allow them to begin to help us still miles from the hospital. Calculating, diagnosing, monitoring - chips deliver medical breakthroughs that promote healthy American lives.

A farmer collects soil samples from various places in his field, sends them for analysis then enters the information into a system that uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to direct his farm equipment to apply the proper mix of nutrients to each square yard to maximize yield while minimizing the impact on the environment. Chips are at work in the equipment that analyzes the samples, the computer that calculates the nutrient mix, and the GPS system that directs the farm equipment that delivers the products in the field. Similarly, chips allow ranchers and poultry farmers to monitor the health of their animals, give them the appropriate feed and supplements, and even track their through the food-processing chain. The same chip-enabled technologies allow scientists to monitor the environment and track wild animals so they can devise strategies to maintain and improve the health of our ecosystem. Analysis, precision, protection - chips deliver for American farmers and the environment.

Today's soldier carries a back-breaking load, usually 100-140 pounds, and still may have insufficient ballistic protection, little defense against chemical and biological weapons, and many pieces of equipment that may not work well together. Researchers at MIT and elsewhere are trying to transform today's soldier's cotton/nylon fatigues and bulky equipment belts to a sleek, lightweight battle-suit that provides everything from responsive armor to medical monitoring to communications - and more - in one integrated system. Their work could also help protect firefighters, police officers, and other emergency responders with self-administering tourniquets, lightweight body armor, and even artificial muscles to boost their strength and endurance. All of these advances to protect American soldiers and emergency personnel depend upon advances in technology, and most of them will likely be enabled by chips.

Semiconductors already play important roles in U.S. military equipment. Chips are used to guide highly targetable ballistics that effectively eliminate targets while minimizing casualties among non-combatants and allies. Chips are integral to the aircraft, ships and land vehicles used by our armed forces and the communications systems that support military, homeland security and first-responder networks throughout the country. Speed, effectiveness, security - chips deliver for American soldiers and emergency responders.

Once, exploration required the loss of many lives. Missions were launched knowing that many of the brave pioneers setting forth would never return. Today, measuring changes in the Antarctic ice mass to predict sea levels and climate change; monitoring shifts in the earth's core to better predict volcanic events, earthquakes, and tidal waves; and exploring the outer reaches of space don't require risking life. Through technology, science is diving deeper and reaching higher than ever before and doing so safely. More powerful, more reliable chips make it all possible. Sunk to the bottom of the sea or shot into space, chips are integral to the unmanned spacecraft, telescopes, and monitoring devices that feed data to today's scientists. Chips also enable the computers that turn the data these explorations supply into information we can use to extend our understanding of the universe and save lives on earth. Reach, power, reliability - chips deliver for the scientists who are extending our knowledge of our world.