Signal Integrity Journal

The Impact of AI at the Singularity

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 23:00:00 -0500

As Ray Kurzweil’s predictions edge closer to reality, AI continues to transform engineering, education, and daily life. Follow along as Signal Integrity Journal Technical Editor Eric Bogatin examines the risks and rewards of technological evolution while reflecting on the role of humans in an AI-driven future.

The Wisdom of Grace Hopper, Relevant Today

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Eric Bogatin explores the enduring insights of Grace Hopper, one of the founders of modern computer systems.

Four Power Integrity Webinars Worth Your Time

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 00:00:34 -0400

Eric Bogatin shares four webinars that provide valuable insights into PDN design for PCBs.

The Need for Speed and the Cost in Power

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

The need for speed will be the driving force behind energy production and efforts to make increasingly efficient use of available energy. Eric Bogatin reflects upon the evolution of power resources from the Industrial Revolution to today’s generation of AI and network processors.

Lifelong Learning: Resources for SIJ Readers

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:19 -0500

Eric Bogatin shares a selection of free resources with high-value content to related to SI/PI/EMI. Check out these resources to learn new engineering principles, migrate to new fields, and keep up with the latest technology solutions and best design practices.

A JWST Christmas Story

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

John McCloskey spent almost half of his career working on the JWST. Along the way, he recorded his experiences, bringing the rest of the world along on a whirlwind journey to witness the thrills, tensions, and feats of engineering that went into his success.

Don't Blow Up the Universe

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 23:00:00 -0500

Ideal circuit elements are a powerful tool that enables us to explore the real world in virtual prototypes. Engineers can often gain insights and reach an optimized design faster using a virtual prototype than would be possible when building a real physical prototype.

Four Free SI Animation Tools for Lifelong Learners

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Eric Bogatin shares four useful tools that illustrate the dynamic nature of propagating signals, promoting the understanding that is imperative to the design of high-performance products.

Generative AI is in Your Future

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In just two generations, six different technological revolutions have transformed our economy, our careers, and our quality of life, for better or for worse. Eric Bogatin reflects upon industry progress and explores the potential impact of the latest development in technological innovation, generative AI.

I Kissed a Lot of Frogs, Here Are Seven Princes

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

With summer upon us, it’s time to catch up on the webinars we might have missed in the last year. Here is a viewing list of the high value video content I will be reviewing in this column over the summer.

A National Security Crisis the Industry Can Address

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 01:00:00 -0400

Eric Bogatin takes a closer look at the potential consequences of the widening gap between industry demand and the supply of engineers with signal integrity design skills, and poses potential solutions to inspire future generations of signal integrity engineers.

Why Do Experts Disagree About Power Integrity Solutions?

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In this article, Eric Bogatin uses the issue of power integrity to illustrate why dialog between experts is crucial.

The Reports of Copper’s Death May Be Exaggerated

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

About 150 years ago the first stable transatlantic cable was laid and messages were sent between Ireland and Newfoundland over copper. The data rate on this cable was not even 1 bit/sec, it was 0.1 bit/sec. Concerns over the cable reliability and the slow data rate led some to believe copper was doomed as a communication media for these long cables.

Book Review: Signal Integrity in Practice by Don Telian

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

If you’ve just started on the path of designing high-speed serial links or have designed dozens of your own, Don Telian’s Signal Integrity in Practice is the book that will accelerate your engineering judgment and possibly save you from multiple design spins. Eric Bogatin takes a closer look at what he considers a must-have book for new and experienced engineers.

Sierra Circuits Releases a Free, Online, 2D Field Solver

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Who doesn’t love an easy-to-use 2D field solver to calculate the single-ended or differential impedance of PCB transmission lines? Eric Bogatin takes this one from Sierra Circuits for a test drive.

A Free Impedance Analyzer on your Desktop

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Impedance is the most fundamental and important electrical property of any component. With a very simple technique, anyone can simulate the impedance of any circuit in seconds using any version of SPICE, for free. Read on to learn more.

Eight Tips on Giving a Presentation

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Now that I am teaching full time and have a number of undergraduate and graduate students doing weekly project reviews, I listen to more presentations than I give. I find myself giving the same feedback over and over again. So, I thought I would share my eight most common comments and tips to engineers giving presentations.

Ansys Releases Free Electronics Desktop Student Product Download

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

In the January 2021 print issue and the April 2021 online issue of the Signal Integrity Journal, I wrote an editorial in which I threw down a gauntlet to tool vendors to offer low cost or free versions of their tools to help engineers accelerate up the learning curve. Ansys picked up that gauntlet and now offers a free version of their industry standard electromagnetic simulator suite, Electronics Desktop.

Multifunction instrument released by Liquid Instruments

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Fans of a single, multifunction instrument that replaces a dozen benchtop instruments will be excited with the release from Liquid Instruments. Here’s a closer look at this multi-function instrument that combines the features of a bench top full of instruments, like a scope, a DMM, a function generator, a frequency response analyzer, a spectrum analyzer, and even an impedance analyzer, all into one USB controlled instrument.

Your Next Must-Have Widget: the Electro Turbo Encabulator

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Eric Bogatin has a little fun with engineering in this tongue-in-cheek celebration of EE jargon; don’t forget your flux capacitor!

I kissed a Lot of Frogs in June 2021: Here are two Princes

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

SIJ Technical Editor Eric Bogatin reviews two webinars: one on additively manufactured electronic circuits and one on automotive circuits.

New Electroless Process Promises Finer PCB Features

Tue, 11 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The conventional PCB fabrication process for printed circuit boards is subtractive. Averatek recently introduced a new chemistry technology making semi additive circuit board fabrication more attractive for ultra fine line applications. SIJ’s technical editor, Eric Bogatin, takes a closer look.

Attention all Tool Vendors! Listen Up

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

There is an unsatisfied thirst by professional engineers to play with tools that give them a taste of the pro-level tools. Eric Bogatin makes his argument for low cost or “student level” equipment from tool vendors.

Worst Design Practices for Controlling EMC Problems

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Following best design practices for controlling EMI will increase your chance of success in your next design. But, sometimes knowing what not to do is just as important.

Nine Essential Principles of Signal Integrity

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

SIJ technical editor Eric Bogatin notes that there are some problems that occur over and over again across product families and applications. They have a handful of essential principles at their underlying root cause. In this blog, he explains that if we really understand these underlying principles, the root cause of the problems will be more apparent and their solutions closer to implement.

I Kissed a Lot of Frogs Lately, So You Don’t Have To

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

With more than three times more webinars offered in our Covid-19 era, we have more opportunities to accelerate up the learning curve or waste a lot of time. I sacrificed hours of my time watching dozens of webinars to identify these three princes. Check them out. They are well worth your time.

I Kissed a Lot of Frogs. Here are Three Princes for August 18, 2020

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

SIJ technical editor, Eric Bogatin, shares his picks for great watches or reads for this month.

What Does it Take to Be a Successful SI, PI, or EMC Engineer?

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The principles underlying SI, PI, and EMC are not magic, and they are not about mysterious energy flows in the space between conductors. They are firmly rooted in the fundamental properties of electromagnetic fields, with a 160 year long rich history. Embrace it!

Seriously Funny Science Worth Watching

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The Ig Noble Prizes are awarded every year for an individual or group who “did something that makes people laugh and then think.” In our time of increased stress what a perfect combination of activities for engineers to participate and experience: laughing and thinking.

I Kissed a Lot of Frogs. Here Are Two Princes for June 19, 2020

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

SIJ technical editor, Eric Bogatin, has spent many hours lately watching online training and webinars. He’s launching a regular column to share the ones he thinks are particularly worth watching. Here are his first two picks.