Are you protecting your intellectual capital? A primer on the most common types of intellectual property: trademarks, trade dress, trade secrets, copyrights and patents.

For more than a century, science-fiction authors have played a major role in helping to shape technology innovations. What can we learn from writers of science fiction that will allow us to be more innovative in the real world?

Attitudes and values differ around the globe, and an unintentional mistake can not only reflect badly on you, but could also submarine your business deals abroad. Terry Malkinson reviews Terry Morrison and Wayne Conway's cultural guide to Latin America.

RFID has been a rapidly-adopted technology, largely on the basis of its potential for saving costs and improving productivity in distribution and consumer transactions. The market is estimated at $5 billion now, growing to over $25 billion by 2017.

Plug-in-Hybrids: Accelerating Progress Symposium — Part 1 is now available as IEEE-USA’s latest e-book. Bill Williams, a senior IEEE-USA legislative representative on the IEEE-USA Government Relations staff, compiled “Part I: Electrification, Fuel Economy and the Environment” from an exciting IEEE-USA co-sponsored symposium held in the Fall of 2007.

With a global push to find viable alternatives to coveted — and finite — fossil fuel reserves, renewable and sustainable resources, such as solar energy, are enjoying a resurgence of interest from the engineering and political communities.

The nation's elderly are wealthier, healthier and more numerous than ever before. However, the positive population and financial trends among the elderly population are contrasted by negative trends in the their transportation options.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the Broadcast Flag regulation — beyond the MPAA’s influence, the disregard for fair use, and muzzled innovations — was the way the FCC overreached its authority. Despite its repeal, the regulation has had long-lasting consequences.

A recap of news and notable developments in electrical engineering and computer or information technology emerging from the federal government during April-May 2008.