Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that matters. Here’s a roundup of some recent news items which may not have grabbed headlines but are nevertheless important components of the electronics test and measurement landscape.
Collaboration to advance NTN device testing
Telecommunications testing pioneer Anritsu and over-the-air (OTA) performance testing solutions provider ETS-Lundgren have announced testing support for devices using Narrowband Non-terrestrial Networks (NB-NTN), the wireless communications systems that operate above the surface of the Earth via satellites and other airborne components. Standardized as part of the 3GPP’s Release 17 in Q1 2022, NB-NTN complements terrestrial networks with the goal of realizing seamless global coverage.
The partnership leverages Anritsu’s MT8821C Radio Communication Analyzer, a solution for RF verification and functional tests of mobile devices, with ETS-Lindgren’s EMQuest suite of antenna measurement software and wireless test solutions. In a press release, the companies state that the collaboration is “not just about technology. It's a significant step toward the realization of a prosperous network society, especially in remote and underserved areas where delivering terrestrial cell network coverage is challenging.”
Keysight joins AI-RAN Alliance
Electronics360 reported recently on Rohde & Schwarz joining the AI-RAN Alliance, a new initiative that aims to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into wireless communications to advance radio access network (RAN) performance and mobile network capabilities.
Now, Keysight Technologies has followed suit. Acknowledging the transformative power of AI and its expected role in shaping the building and testing of future communications systems, Keysight notes that it is currently active in a variety of early research projects ranging from optimizing wireless performance to advancing AI learning in wireless communications testing. Keysight is also part of the National Institute of Safety and Technology’s AI Safety Consortium and is engaged in multiple standards and research initiatives related to the nascent field of validation of AI systems.
Strategic designation ensures automotive compliance
Semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporation announced that its SmarTest 8 system software, used to develop complex test programs for the company’s flagship V93000 SoC test platform, has been assessed Automotive SPICE Capability Level 2 compliant by Kugler Maag Cie of UL Solutions. The Automotive Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination (ASPICE) standard was developed by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) to address the software development needs of the automotive industry. Vehicle OEMs use ASPICE to assess the quality of their suppliers’ processes, making ASPICE compliance vital to establishing and enforcing quality best practices.
Advantest customer Qualcomm Technologies Inc., whose software-based Snapdragon Cockpit platform is utilized by nearly all major automakers worldwide, was a chief proponent of Advantest’s efforts to secure ASPICE compliance as part of its software quality-improvement initiatives. The strategic designation, achieved following an intensive assessment process completed in February 2024, assures customers entering the automotive market of SmarTest 8’s reliability for embedded automotive applications.
