IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - Cover2

volume 46 number 7 north american

07.09
update
13 Interplanetary Internet
weaving a different kind of web-
in space. By Elise Ackerman
14 of cows and power lInes
15 what's the poInt of Intel's
MobIle Internet devIce?
16 kIng coal eats Its veggIes
17 Is thIs the MoMent for
broadband over power lInes?
18 jordan's hIgh-tech
water plan
20 the bIg pIctUre
three robots in search of an author.

opinion

28

10 spectral lInes
our new Web site allows users to
explore the content-rich world of
IEEE Spectrum and Ieee.
12 forUM
Spectrum's May article on worldshaking microchips rakes in responses.
27 reflectIons
some engineering problems are
wicked hard. By Robert W. Lucky

departments
4 back story
Lasers aim for IcBMs but hit mosquitoes.
40

laser
FOCUseD:
Northrop
Grumman
research creates
a weaponsgrade laser;
Lawrence
roberts is
wired up; it's
all too quiet
on Germany's
green-energy
front.

COVER:
JOnathan
SpRaguE/
REdux
phOtOS, ClOCkwiSE
fROm tOp lEft:
nORthROp gRumman;
JOnathan SpRaguE/
REdux; pEtER faiRlEy

34

cover story

34 a radical
new router
Today's network routers are choking on streaming video and peer-topeer file sharing. A new router design that keeps track of individual
data flows promises a fix. By Lawrence G. Roberts

28 ray guns get real
For 50 years, the U.S. military has wanted a solid-state laser weapon
that can destroy targets at the speed of light without collateral damage.
The latest batch of contenders brings some new ideas to the hunt for
the ultimate weapon. By Jeff Hecht

40 germany's green-energy gap
The offshore wind farms that were to replace nuclear- and coal-fired
power plants aren't coming online quickly enough. By Peter Fairley

www.spectrum.ieee.org

6 contrIbUtors
geek lIfe
22 A dream phone turns out to be
only a dream. By Susan Karlin
24 Put 470 000 words in your pocket.
By Steven Cherry
23 careers
Art curators get help from signalprocessing researchers. By Susan Karlin
24 hands on
Add a virtual wristwatch to your other
DIy projects. By James Turner
25 books
179 mathematical teasers for
readers 11 to 88. By Clive Feather
26 tools & toys
Wiring your entire house for sound has
never been easier. By Tekla S. Perry
56 the data
telcos are laying as many underwater
cables as they did in the dot-com
heyday. By Steven Cherry
juLy 2009 * Ieee sPectruM * NA

1



http://www.spectrum.ieee.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Spectrum July, 2009

IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - Cover1
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - Cover2
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 1
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 2
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 3
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 4
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 5
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IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 8
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IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 25
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 26
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 27
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 28
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 29
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 30
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 31
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 32
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 33
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 34
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 35
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 36
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 37
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - 38
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - Cover3
IEEE Spectrum July, 2009 - Cover4
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