Microsystems are an important factor that contribute to an automobile model's success. To meet the customers's desire for safety, convenience and vehicle economy, and to satisfy environmental standards, microsystems are the critical factor. Microsystems applications (MST) have already resulted in improved performance and better value for money. But the advances implemented reveal only the beginning of a revolution in the vehicle sector, which aims at a complete transition from the mechanically driven automobile system to a mechanically based but ICT-driven system. The selected contributions from AMAA 2003 treat safety (both preventive and protective), powertrain (online measurement and control of engine and transmission subsystems), comfort and HMI (systems to enhance the comfort of passengers and human machine interface issues), and networked Vehicle (all aspects of intra car systems and ambient communication networks). Selected proceedings for the seventh conference on microsystems in the automotive sector, a regular event now with an increasing number of participants on a modern and promising field taking place in Berlin in May 2003.

How fast and powerful can computers become? Will it be possible someday to create artificial brains that have intellectual capabilities comparable to those of human beings? The answers to these questions depend to a very great extent on a single factor: how small and dense we can make computer circuits. Very recently, scientists have achieved revolutionary advances that may very well radically change the future of computing.

This book is the result of a long friendship, of a broad international co­ operation, and of a bold dream. It is the summary of work carried out by the authors, and several other wonderful people, during more than 15 years, across 3 continents, in the course of countless meetings, workshops and discus­ sions. It shows that neither language nor distance can be an obstacle to close scientific cooperation, when there is unity of goals and true collaboration. When we started, we had very different approaches to handling the mys­ terious, almost magical world of asynchronous circuits. Some were more theo­ retical, some were closer to physical reality, some were driven mostly by design needs. In the end, we all shared the same belief that true Electronic Design Automation research must be solidly grounded in formal models, practically minded to avoid excessive complexity, and tested "in the field" in the form of experimental tools. The results are this book, and the CAD tool petrify.

The book presents the best contributions, extracted from the theses written by the students who have attended the second edition of the Master in Microelectronics and Systems that has been organized by the Universita degli Studi di Catania and that has been held at the STMicroelectronics Company (Catania Site) from May 2000 to January 2001. In particular, the mentioned Master has been organized among the various ac­ tivities of the "Istituto Superiore di Catania per la Formazione di Eccellenza". The Institute is one of the Italian network of universities selected by MURST (Ministry University Research Scientific Technology). The first aim of tl;te Master in Microelectronics and Systems is to increase the skills of the students with the Laurea Degree in Physics or Electrical Engineering in the more advanced areas as VLSI system design, high-speed low-voltage low-power circuitS and RF systems. The second aim has been to involve in the educational program companies like STMicroelectronics, ACCENT and ITEL, interested in emergent microelectronics topics, to cooperate with the University in developing high-level research projects. Besides the tutorial activity during the teaching hours, provided by national and international researchers, a significant part of the School has been dedicated to the presentation of specific CAD tools and experiments in order to prepare the students to solve specific problems during the stage period and in the thesis work.

Un ordre pour lequel les vies palestiniennes sont sacrifiables, comme celles de nombreuses victimes de l’inaction climatique à travers le monde : détruire la Palestine c’est détruire la Terre.