Dissemination activities within OMI technology networks

It is a fact that nowadays, microprocessors are a strategic area in the Electronics and Communication industries and, in many cases, a key factor in the development of new applications and high technology products world wide. The ASICs have taken a lot of relevance in the microelectronics world. The most relevant features of them can be summarised by the reduction of size, the lower cost and power dissipation, the increased system reliability, the improved functionality, the protection against copying, the prestige added value, to become internationally competitive, to get technical help, to reduce the number of faculty products, to increase productivity, to get design work more manageable and to get time advantage. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages that make it very difficult for the SMEs to use this technology. Some of these discouraging factors are the high ASIC cost in design and fabrication, the too long design cycles, the confidentiality factors, the mandatory fabrication volume and the higher redesign rates. This is the reason that OMI (Open Microprocessor Systems Initiative) decided to start its initiative based on the creation of technology transfer and development nodes. This paper describes the advances achieved within the OMI initiative. It introduces the two technology networks related to OMI (IUN (Inter University Network) and USN (User Support Nodes)). Finally it describes the way OMI and its entire infrastructure interacts with its members, which can be small and medium enterprises or universities and research centres.