Supercon 2024: The Surprising Role of Analog Design in Modern Digital Devices
Europe, Wednesday, 7 May 2025.
At Supercon 2024, Nanik Adnani highlighted the critical role of analog circuits in contemporary digital technology, demonstrating their unexpected importance in seamlessly integrating and enhancing complex digital systems.
Bridging the Analog-Digital Divide
In his groundbreaking presentation at Supercon 2024, Nanik Adnani demonstrated how analog design remains fundamental to modern digital systems. As an analog mix signal design engineer, Adnani explained that analog circuits are essential for creating and manipulating continuously variable signals [1]. This expertise has become increasingly crucial as digital protocols like LoRa, USB, and CAN require specialized analog teams to design their physical interfaces [1][2].
Practical Applications in Modern Devices
To illustrate the real-world impact of analog design, Adnani showcased several innovative projects, including an RGB-equipped walker and a sophisticated car horn system requiring analog physical interfaces (PHY) for current management [1]. These examples demonstrate how analog components remain vital in an increasingly digital world, where ‘any hacker can master analog work’ with the right approach and tools [1]. The presentation emphasized the accessibility of analog design through simulation tools like LTspice and Ngspice, which enable testing before committing to physical production [1].
Quantum Computing’s Analog Renaissance
The significance of analog design extends into cutting-edge quantum computing applications. Recent developments in Digital-Analog Quantum Computing (DAQC) have revealed promising applications in drug discovery, optimization problems, and materials science [3]. Major technology companies including IBM, Google, and IonQ are actively exploring how DAQC can merge digital quantum gates with analog quantum computing to achieve greater flexibility and scalability [3].
Future Implications and Industry Impact
The convergence of analog and digital design is reshaping industry practices, with companies like NXP Semiconductors leading the way in developing advanced solutions for mobile robotics and software-defined vehicles [4]. This integration is particularly evident in new quantum circuit designs, where researchers are utilizing disordered superconductors with high kinetic inductance to enhance quantum computing capabilities [5]. These developments underscore Adnani’s assertion that analog design remains crucial as we continue to push the boundaries of digital systems [6].