R&D system at Productronica sports touch-screen interface

MUNICH, GERMANY. After posting yesterday’s “Production show addresses lab and characterization applications,” I had a chance at Productronica to see a demo of Aeroflex’s 7000 Series VAG (vector analyzer generator), a single, fully integrated RF parametric test system for RF test of wireless components and subsystems.

That system, according to Bill Burrows, business development manager at Aeroflex, specifically targets R&D and compliance (but not production) applications. It optionally incorporates a second, or even third, generator, Burrows said. An interesting feature is that the instrument has no buttons, knobs, or dials at all. Users interact via a touch-screen interface. What do you think, do you prefer knobs and buttons?