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Microsemi Corporation (Nasdaq: MSCC), a provider of semiconductor solutions differentiated by power, security, reliability and performance, today announced it was named M2M Network Equipment Technology Company of the Year by the inaugural IoT Breakthrough Awards. The mission of the awards program is to honor excellence and recognize the creativity, hard work and success of Internet of Things (IoT) companies, technologies and products.

Microsemi was recognized for developing innovative products and solutions which enable both wired and wireless connectivity among devices in machine-to-machine (M2M) environments and enhance the ability of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to develop leading-edge solutions in emerging IoT markets. The company’s Ethernet and Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) products enable faster market adaptation of new IoT applications, and its systems product portfolio provides unique solutions to M2M network challenges while offering cost-efficient and simple upgrade procedures.

“Microsemi is honored to be recognized by the IoT Breakthrough Awards as the first M2M Network Equipment Technology Company of the Year recipient,” said Roger Holliday, senior vice president and general manager at Microsemi. “Our team prides itself on our ability to tackle the most difficult challenges facing those in the IoT market as the industry addresses growing demand for reliable, efficient, scalable and cost-effective infrastructure.”

The IoT Breakthrough Awards program, which drew over 2,000 entries this year, is solely dedicated to providing recognition for the best products, people, services, technologies and companies focused on the IoT. All entries were judged by an independent panel of experts representing a range of mid to senior level experienced professionals, with hands-on experience in IoT product management and development, engineering, sales and marketing and more.

“Microsemi is a leading developer of technology that provides significant power to the infrastructure of industrial IoT,” said James Johnson, managing director at IoT Breakthrough. “The judges were particularly impressed with the company’s indoor and outdoor PoE solutions and its contribution to the highly scalable deployment of wireless LANs, mesh access points, small cells, IP cameras and microwave point-to-point links that support today’s innovative M2M applications.”

Valencell, an innovator in performance biometric data sensor technology, and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) announced today the launch of a new, highly accurate and scalable development kit for biometric wearables that includes ST’s compact SensorTile turnkey multi-sensor module integrated with Valencell’s Benchmark(TM) biometric sensor system. Together, SensorTile and Benchmark deliver the most useful portfolio of sensors to support the most advanced wearable use cases.

The SensorTile is a tiny IoT (Internet of Things) module (13.5mm x 13.5mm) that packs on board a powerful STM32L4 microcontroller, a Bluetooth® Low Energy chipset, a wide spectrum of high-accuracy motion and environmental MEMS sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, pressure, temperature sensor), and a digital MEMS microphone.

Integrating ST’s SensorTile development kit with Valencell’s Benchmark sensor technology simplifies the prototyping, evaluation, and development of innovative wearable and IoT solutions by delivering a complete Valencell PerformTek technology package, ready for immediate integration and delivery into wearable devices. The collaboration with ST expands on previous work that incorporated the company’s STM32 MCUs and sensors into Valencell’s Benchmark sensor system.

“Valencell’s Benchmark solution leverages the high accuracy of ST’s MEMS sensor technology along with SensorTile’s miniature form factor, flexibility, and STM32 Open Development Environment-based ecosystem,” said Tony Keirouz, Vice President Marketing and Applications, Microcontrollers, Security, and Internet of Things, STMicroelectronics. “Combined, SensorTile and Benchmark enable wearable makers to quickly and easily develop the perfect product for any application that integrates highly accurate biometrics.”

“Working with ST has allowed us to bring together the best of all sensors required to support the most advanced wearable use cases through our groundbreaking Benchmark sensor system,” said Dr. Steven LeBoeuf, president and co-founder of Valencell. “What attracted us to the SensorTile was the flexibility of the platform and the ultra-low power consumption, which will enable our customers to create highly-accurate and powerful wearables and hearables in any form factor.”

At just over 180mm2, STMicroelectronics’ SensorTile is currently the smallest turnkey sensor board of its type, and it is jam-packed with a MEMS accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, pressure sensor, and a MEMS microphone. With the on-board low-power STM32L4 microcontroller, it can be used as a sensing and connectivity hub for developing firmware and shipping in products such as wearables, gaming accessories, and smart-home or IoT devices.

Adding to its features, SensorTile has a complete Bluetooth® Low Energy transceiver including a miniature single-chip balun on-board, as well as a broad set of system interfaces. It can be simply plugged to a host board, and when powered it immediately starts streaming inertial, audio, and environmental data to ST’s BlueMS smartphone app that can be downloaded free of charge from popular app stores.

The market leader, Valencell’s PerformTek sensor systems provide accurate, robust and flexible technology, powering more biometric hearables and wearables. The technology gives wearable and hearable devices the ability to continuously and accurately measure blood flow signals, even during extreme physical activity or when the optical signals are weak. These signals can be translated into biometric data, including continuous heart rate, VO2 and VO2 max, resting heart rate, heart rate response, heart rate recovery, continuous energy expenditure (calorie burn), cardiac efficiency and heart rate variability assessments.

STMicroelectronics and Valencell will showcase the new integrated development kit at CES in the Valencell Booth # 44330 and in a private STMicroelectronics suite.

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, design, and research, today announced worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $30.5 billion for the month of October 2016, an increase of 3.4 percent from last month’s total of $29.5 billion and 5.1 percent higher than the October 2015 total of $29.0 billion. All monthly sales numbers are compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization and represent a three-month moving average. Additionally, a new WSTS industry forecast projects roughly flat annual semiconductor sales in 2016, followed by slight market growth in 2017 and 2018.

“The global semiconductor market has rebounded in recent months, with October marking the largest year-to-year sales increase since March 2015,” said John Neuffer, president and CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association. “Sales increased compared to last month across all regional markets and nearly every major semiconductor product category. Meanwhile, the latest industry forecast has been revised upward and now calls for flat annual sales in 2016 and small increases in 2017 and 2018. All told, the industry is well-positioned for a strong close to 2016.

Regionally, year-to-year sales increased in China (14.0 percent), Japan (7.2 percent), Asia Pacific/All Other (1.9 percent), and the Americas (0.1 percent), but decreased in Europe (-3.0 percent). Compared with last month, sales were up across all regional markets: the Americas (6.5 percent), China (3.2 percent), Japan (3.0 percent), Europe (2.2 percent), and Asia Pacific/All Other (2.0 percent).

Additionally, SIA today endorsed the WSTS Autumn 2016 global semiconductor sales forecast, which projects the industry’s worldwide sales will be $335.0 billion in 2016, a 0.1 percent decrease from the 2015 sales total. WSTS projects a year-to-year increase in Japan (3.2 percent) and Asia Pacific (2.5 percent), with decreases expected in Europe (-4.9 percent) and the Americas (-6.5 percent). Among major semiconductor product categories, WSTS forecasts growth in 2016 for sensors (22.6 percent), discretes (4.2 percent), analog (4.8 percent) and MOS micro ICs (2.3 percent), which include microprocessors and microcontrollers.

Beyond 2016, the semiconductor market is expected to grow at a modest pace across all regions. WSTS forecasts 3.3 percent growth globally for 2017 ($346.1 billion in total sales) and 2.3 percent growth for 2018 ($354.0 billion). WSTS tabulates its semi-annual industry forecast by convening an extensive group of global semiconductor companies that provide accurate and timely indicators of semiconductor trends.

EV Group (EVG), a supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment, together with the Korea National NanoFab Center (President Jae Young Lee, NNFC), a nano-technology R&D infrastructure for academia, research institutes and the industry, announced preliminary results on improved transparent nanostructured anti-reflective coatings for next-generation displays. The ongoing work has been carried out within a joint-development program (JDP) established between the two partners in November 2015. This collaborative research has been partly funded by the Nano-Open-Innovation-Lab Project of the NNFC.

Korea National NanoFab Center (NNFC)

Korea National NanoFab Center (NNFC)

The goal of the EVG-NNFC JDP is the development of optimized materials, the process technology for structure replication, and the industrial implementation of the AR coatings for large-area substrates. The NNFC research team under its director Dr. Jae Hong Park is responsible for the development of the materials and the “reversible nano-molding” process, which can be compatible with EVG’s proprietary SmartNIL UV-nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) technology. EVG is responsible for optimizing the UV-NIL replication process and transferring the technology from the R&D phase on current 200mm round substrates to large panel sizes.

Outstanding preliminary results

EVG and the NNFC have successfully demonstrated an anti-reflective coating with excellent structure replication that provides over 97-percent transmittance and a surface hardness of 3H, which is superior to most other polymeric coatings. By contrast, current commercial thin-film coatings only provide up to 92-percent transmittance. The JDP partners achieved these results by applying EVG’s SmartNIL technology on 200-mm round substrates using a polymer material developed by the NNFC. This material was developed for performing the reversible nano molding process at the NNFC, and is compliant with commercial standards for display coating.

In the next phase of the program, EVG and the NNFC plan to promote these promising results to initiate partnerships with end-users that are interested in joining the JDP to help commercialize the new AR coating. The goal of this next phase is the qualification of the novel anti-reflective coating technology for industrial use through the NNFC, and the implementation of the process by EVG to high-volume panel manufacturing on large screen sizes, such as Gen 2 (370 mm x 470 mm) panels and beyond. In addition to this specific project, EVG and the NNFC plan to investigate other application areas leveraging nanostructures and NIL technology.

“As part of our Triple-i philosophy of invent-innovate-implement, EV Group has a long history of engagements with groups across the nanotechnology value chain–from research institutes and materials suppliers to manufacturers–to develop new processes and devices, and bring them into production,” stated WeonSik Yang, general manager of EV Group Korea, Ltd. “We’re pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this level of cooperation with our partners in Korea, namely the NNFC, and see the efforts of our previous cooperation bearing fruit. On behalf of EVG, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to Dr. Jae Hong Park as well as NNFC President Jae Young Lee for their dedication and support for this project. We look forward to working with local industrial partners to commercialize this novel display coating technology and process to support large-area display manufacturing.”

EVG and the NNFC presented the results of this JDP at the recent NANO KOREA symposium and exhibition in Goyang, Korea. A copy of the poster summarizing the results can be downloaded at http://www.evgroup.com/en/about/news/2016_12_NNFC/.

 

The National NanoFab Center (NNFC) is a nanotechnology and semiconductors R&D center, located in Daejeon City, Korea.

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, the largest and most advanced foundry in mainland China, and The Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced the signing of a cooperation agreement for a MEMS R&D foundry platform to jointly develop MEMS sensor standard processes and build a complete MEMS supply chain.

According to the agreement, SMIC and IMECAS will work together closely to take advantage of IMECAS’s experiences in MEMS Sensor design and packaging technology design and SMIC’s standardized process technology platforms, industry and market influence. Starting with the development of a MEMS environmental sensor and combining the features of other types of MEMS Sensors, SMIC and IMECAS will collaborate to create a platform–based standard as well as mass production technologies to shorten the development cycle from design to production, thus helping the MEMS industry grow more effectively and efficiently.

“SMIC’s R&D team has made a lot of achievements in developing new sensor technology platforms and introducing new customers. SMIC is willing to open our platforms to support commercialized production and the R&D of universities and research institutions,” said Dr. Tzu-Yin Chiu, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of SMIC. “SMIC and IMECAS have cooperated in numerous logic process development projects. This time we will expand our collaboration and promote the R&D of complete standardized MEMS sensor technologies to help integrate and improve the MEMS supply chain.”

Ye Tianchun, Director of IMECAS, visited SMIC’s middle-end production line of MEMS sensors and said, “Through the cooperation between SMIC and IMECAS, we can exploit our advantages and jointly build an open MEMS technology service platform and an electronic information integration platform for the MEMS supply chain. With the integration of design, manufacturing, packing, testing, public platform and venture investment, we can form a supply chain ecosystem and support the development of a global as well as domestic Chinese MEMS industry.”

MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS) and STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM) today announced that they plan to work together to develop, sell, and market Laser Beam Scanning (LBS) technology.

The companies anticipate cooperating closely on market development efforts that will include joint sales and marketing activities for LBS solutions. In addition to the pico projection and heads-up display (HUD) markets that both companies are currently addressing with their LBS solutions, ST and MicroVision anticipate targeting emerging markets and applications including virtual and augmented reality (VR, AR), 3D sensing and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

In addition, MicroVision and ST anticipate exploring options to collaborate on future technology development including a joint LBS product roadmap. This cooperation would combine the process design and manufacturing expertise of ST with the LBS systems and solutions expertise of MicroVision.

“Working with MicroVision, our goal is to build on our matched skills, shared vision, and commitment to grow LBS-enabled markets to open up many opportunities for both companies,” said Benedetto Vigna, Executive Vice President of the Analog and MEMS Group of ST. “This relationship will position ST to pursue all of the growth opportunities for LBS and the complementary power, sensing, and control components.”

“Teaming up with ST, a world leader in its field, is important for MicroVision both for ST’s expertise in semiconductor technology and its global customer reach,” said Alexander Tokman, president and CEO of MicroVision. “Combining ST’s expertise in the development and manufacture of key components for LBS scanning engines with MicroVision’s proprietary system, engine, and applications knowledge, and intellectual property can be highly advantageous for marketing LBS solutions to a wide array of companies for numerous applications.”

The companies have an existing working relationship on production of MicroVision components. ST manufactures MicroVision’s current-generation MEMS die based on MicroVision’s design. ST also manufactures one of the ASICs sold by MicroVision.

Nowadays, the number of enforceable patents dedicated to miniaturized gas sensors is increasing worldwide, and several companies already stand out by their strong IP position. According Yole Développement’s analysts, the market size of gas sensors for consumer applications should grow from US$12 million in 2015 to more than US$95 million in 2021, with an upside of US$60 million if massive adoption of the innovative technologies is confirmed. With a 33% CAGR between 2014 and 2020, this segment is poised to experience the highest grow rate of the gas sensor market. All of these signs suggest the market start.

gas sensors

“In such emerging market, a strong IP position on miniaturized gas sensors is thus essential for companies to enter in this promising business,” comments Dr Fleur Thissandier, at KnowMade. KnowMade, a Yole Group’s company, has investigated the patent landscape of miniaturized gas sensors that could be used in consumer applications. The Technology Intelligence & IP Strategy consulting player identified more than 1,050 patented inventions worldwide up to August 2016 by more than 440 patent applicants.

KnowMade patent analysis entitled “Miniaturized Gas Sensors Patent Landscape Analysis” is now available and proposes an overview of the patent landscape, the IP profile of key players with a detailed ranking and an analysis of the relative strength of the top patent holders derived from their portfolio size, patent citation networks, countries of patent filings and current legal status of patents.

Today, mobile applications aggregate more and more sensors such as pressure sensors, inertial sensors…, and gas sensors could be the next sensors to be integrated in smart phones and/or wearables devices. Consumer applications are driving new gas sensors development to reduce cost, power consumption and size, especially with MEMS technologies. Such gas sensors are thus referred as “MEMS gas sensors”.

Technical and business requirements have so opened the door to innovation and added a new dimension to the global competition between gas sensor suppliers. Recent mergers and acquisitions reflect this thriving sector in structuration. For example, KnowMade’s analysts identified two main mergers:

•  AMS, Applied Sensors, NXP and Cambridge CMOS
•  TDK and Micronas

First patents on MEMS gas sensors was filed by Japanese companies in the early 1980’s by NEC. However patent activity really emerged between 1985 and 1994 with the apparition of European and American companies: Siemens, Fraunhofer, CEA, SRI, SPX.

Multiple start-ups have been created on the basis of CEA R&D results. A first wave of patent publications occurred between 1994 and 2003 induced by the emergence of IDMs (STMicroelectronics, Micronas, Honeywell, NGK, Bosch), American R&D labs (Caltech, University of Florida) and pure play gas sensor companies (CCMOS Sensors, Applied Sensor). Since then, patent publications have increased thanks to a high patent activity of Chinese universities and European players. The last 3 years newcomers started to file patents on MEMS gas sensors including AMS, Sensirion, APIX, NXP.

Currently, more than 760 patents are granted, mainly in China, Europe and USA, and more than 510 patent applications are pending, mainly in Europe, China and USA. KnowMade believes the significant ratio of patents in force and the high number of patent applications still in the pipeline worldwide is an indication of the technology maturity heralding a future ramp-up of the market of miniaturized gas sensors that could be used in consumer applications.

The most surprising result highlighted by KnowMade is probably the discrepancies between the market leaders including Honeywell, MSA, NGK and Figaro and the “patent” leaders such as Bosch, Siemens, Micronas and Cambridge CMOS. “The market is about to change”, says Dr Nicolas Baron, CEO & Founder at KnowMade. “New patents and related devices are targeting new application, which may disrupt the market.”

STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) and WiTricity, an industry pioneer in wireless power transfer over distance, today announced their design collaboration to develop semiconductor solutions for magnetic-resonance-based wireless power transfer. The goal is to “cut the last cord,” bringing convenience to the powering and charging of consumer electronics, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, as well as medical, industrial, and automotive applications.

WiTricity and ST are developing semiconductor solutions that combine WiTricity’s foundational intellectual property and wireless power-transfer mixed-signal IC-design expertise, with ST’s leadership in power-semiconductor design, fabrication, and packaging capabilities and resources. For the consumer electronics and IoT markets, power transmit and receive systems built with these new semiconductors aim to deliver spatial freedom, as well as wireless fast charging of one or more devices at the same time. Dubbed “Wireless Charging 2.0,” the semiconductor solutions built with the magnetic resonance technology will also have unique advantages over current technology, including being able to efficiently charge metal-body smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches.

The contemplated semiconductor offerings include designs that comply with the AirFuel magnetic resonance specification as well as multi-mode solutions that incorporate both resonant and inductive charging. The AirFuel Alliance, a global organization dedicated to delivering the best wireless-charging experience for consumer electronics, is driving an interoperable ecosystem of wireless-charging Power Transfer Transmit Units (PTUs) and Power Receive Units (PRUs) that enable users to charge their devices everywhere; in their homes and offices to public spaces and even in their vehicles.

Beyond the consumer market, WiTricity is the global technology leader in wireless power for automotive, industrial and medical applications. ST and WiTricity demonstrated high-power wireless-transfer technology for electric vehicle charging at APEC 2016 in Long Beach California. For the automotive industry, WiTricity recently announced wireless “park-and-charge” development kits using their industry-leading 11kW solution for electric- and hybrid-vehicle charging. The solution has successfully been tested by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for inclusion in a new global standard.

“Combining the expertise of WiTricity, the innovator in wireless power-transfer and magnetic resonance technology with ST’s resources and key IP, including Smart Power technologies and RF Bluetooth low energy, allows us to deliver complete, efficient wireless-charging solutions that increase convenience and ease of use while delighting consumers and exceeding their expectations,” said Matteo Lo Presti, Vice President and General Manager, Analog, in the Analog and MEMS Group, STMicroelectronics. “Game-changing technology from this ST and WiTricity collaboration will enable product designers across the globe to rid the world of cumbersome wires and charging cables and allow us to promote a broader set of our own semiconductor offerings into these emerging markets.”

“STMicroelectronics is a global leader in semiconductor solutions for power electronics and a compelling choice to rapidly commercialize fast and efficient wireless-charging chipsets based on WiTricity’s silicon designs and magnetic-resonance technology,” said Alex Gruzen, CEO of WiTricity. “With ST’s vast experience in semiconductor design and fabrication, as well as its access to leaders in the consumer electronics, automotive, and industrial markets, this collaboration puts us in a strong position to accelerate the adoption of resonance-enabled wireless charging.

Leti, an institute of CEA Tech, and the Institute for Information Industry of Taiwan (III), a non-profit non-governmental technology development organization, today announced an agreement for mutual exploration of a wide range of information and communications technology (ICT) related to the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G wireless connectivity.

The five-year collaboration will include, but is not limited to, joint development and implementation of IoT and 5G based Smart ICT solutions for the EU and Taiwan, and scientific information exchanges.  Also envisioned are cross-invitations to scientific events, joint implementation of international collaborative projects and partnerships, and work on experimental platforms and test beds that can be used to provide real-world validation of solutions.

Leti’s background in IoT and 5G systems, including spectrum management, radio access technologies and protocols, as well as IoT open platforms for large-scale systems, will be a primary contribution, along with its technological roadmaps. In addition to its expertise in IoT systems, III will provide access to Taiwanese technology platforms, as well as industry-driven requirements and use cases.

“Our two organizations have very complementary skills and ecosystems, and it’s a pleasure to launch our collaboration. Together we have an excellent opportunity to pilot and demonstrate innovative 5G and IoT-related solutions that will be useful for industries and individuals in Taiwan and the EU,” said Leti CEO Marie Semeria at the official signing ceremony in Taipei, held during a Leti workshop event there.

“Taiwan is currently supporting and promoting IoT and smart city. The service and platform that based on IoT technology will be the key factor for industrial development. III and Leti’s collaboration will significantly enhance our ability to pursue our mission of promoting industrial applications, R&D technologies, and IoT infrastructures,” commented III Executive Vice President Pao-Chung Ho. “We look forward to our information exchange and collaboration, and to building a creative and effective long-term research partnership between our teams.”

SEMI, the global industry association representing more than 2,000 companies in the electronics manufacturing supply chain, announced that MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) will become a SEMI Strategic Association Partner effective January 1, 2017.

Through this strategic partnership, SEMI and MSIG members will benefit from stronger consolidated representation in the MEMS and sensors segments. Members will access SEMI’s global platforms, including its SEMICON expositions and International Standards program, and MSIG’s events, including MEMS & Sensors Executive Congresses, MEMS & Sensors Technical Congress and MSIG Conference Asia. MSIG also brings member-focused initiatives, such as the TSensors initiative, as well as industry Standards and community-building to the new partnership.

“SEMI members are increasingly engaged with MEMS and sensors manufacturing,” said Denny McGuirk, president and CEO of SEMI. “The convergence of IC technology, flexible hybrid electronics (FHE), and MEMS and sensors for consumer electronics and IoT applications makes this partnership a clear win for the combined membership. The synergies between our associations will result in increased member value, a unified voice for the MEMS and sensors sector, and a strong platform for global industry collaboration. Ultimately, it will accelerate our joint strategic objectives at a global level and provide greater opportunities to advance the growth and prosperity of members.”

“Our partnership with SEMI reflects our commitment to our members, who have supported us since MSIG’s inception in 2001,” notes Karen Lightman, executive director, MEMS & Sensors Industry Group. “MSIG members will benefit from this relationship with increased access to global resources and service offerings, the expertise of a complementary industry and fast-track entry to worldwide programs. Ultimately, MSIG members will gain broader reach as they pursue new business opportunities. We are delighted to have such a capable and accomplished partner and look forward to our strategic association partnership with SEMI.”