Research since the mid-1980s has brought about the development of high-performance systems such as powerful workstations, sophisticated computer graphics, and multimedia systems such as real-time video and speech recognition. A significant change in the attitude of users is the desire to have access to this computation at any location without the need to be connected to the wired power source. This has resulted in the growth of research and development in the area of wireless computing since the early-1990s. This text deals with several key technologies required for wireless computing. The topics covered include reliable wireless protocols, portable terminal design considerations, video coding, RF circuit design issues and tools, display technology, energy-efficient applications, specific and programmable design techniques, energy efficiency metrics, low-voltage process technology and circuit design considerations, and CAD tools for low-power design at the behavior, logic and physical design level. The book is an edited volume of original research comprising invited contributions by leading researchers.This research work has also been published as a special issue of the "Journal of VLSI Signal Processing Systems" (Volume 13, Numbers 2 & 3).
