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March 30, 2012 — Movea, motion-sensing and motion-control technology provider, formed a technology partnership with fabless Nordic Semiconductor ASA (OSE:NOD) to develop motion-enabled 2.4GHz RF remote control reference designs.

Nordic’s ultra-low power RF semiconductor chips will work with Movea’s motion-processing technology, providing low-cost RF connectivity to support motion control for navigating complex multimedia user interfaces. Also read: Sensor fusion opens MEMS supply chain to sensor management players

The nRFready Smart Remote is a complete hardware and software reference design for advanced browsing control of Internet-/Web-2.0-enabled TVs and set-top boxes. The nRFready 2.4GHz RF Smart Remote reference design features a multi-touch-enabled TouchPad, a 6-axis motion sensing module (3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope) and ultra-low-power accelerometer, and a miniaturized QWERTY keyboard. RF connectivity is enabled by Nordic’s nRF24LE1 System-on-Chip (SoC) and Gazell 2.4GHz RF protocol stack. Movea’s SmartMotion firmware is ported to the SoC’s integrated microcontroller.

Nordic expects smart TVs to hit 800 million units by 2016.

Motion-control "smart" remotes must replace button-cluttered designs to keep up with the new applications, streaming capabilities, and other options on next-generation televisions, said Sam Guilaumé, CEO of Movea. "Motion control bundled with Movea’s gesture libraries delivers a more intuitive and efficient way to navigate the user interface." Pixel-accurate in-air pointing and advanced gesture recognition enable faster, easier user interface experiences, said Svenn-Tore Larsen, CEO, Nordic.

Movea provides motion processing software, firmware, and IP for the consumer electronics industry. Further information about Movea can be found at www.movea.com.
 
Nordic Semiconductor is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in ultra low power (ULP) short-range wireless communication in the license-free 2.4GHz and sub-1-GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands. Nordic is a Norwegian public company listed on the Oslo stock exchange (OSE:NOD). To learn more about Nordic, visit www.nordicsemi.com.

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March 29, 2012 — Tunability is a hot new topic for radio frequency (RF) front-end modules, shows Yole Développement’s report, "RF filters, PAs, Antenna Switches & Tunability for Cellular Handsets."

After years of development, antenna tuners were accepted in 2011, with gallium arsenide (GaAs) switches, ferroelectric capacitors, and micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) variable capacitors integrated into flagship products.

Also read: WiSpry RF MEMS enables major handset and RF MEMS tuned for growth, shows smartphone win

Antenna tuners will likely become an attracive market, now that the technologies are providing a significant value proposition in devices. New types of tuners, and massive deployment of LTE by 2014, will drive growth.

Leading the MEMS field, Wispry will be a key player to watch, while Sony and Peregrine also offer promising approaches based on alternative technologies. The acquisition of Paratek by RIM in March 2012 is also a sign that antenna tuners will be a strategic technology to be integrated in many cellphone platforms in the near future.

For more on the state of RF chip architectures, read CMOS power amplifiers grab market share from GaAs

Yole Développement is a group of companies providing market research, technology analysis, strategy consulting, media, and finance services. Learn more at www.yole.fr.

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March 29, 2012 — Microfluidic systems designer and maker Dolomite released Pico-Glide, a surface coating agent that facilitates advanced droplet microfluidics developed by Sphere Fluidics.

Pico-Glide is used to treat glass and PDMS microfluidic channels to create a uniform and dense fluorophilic layer optimized for droplet performance and stability.

8ul water drop on an untreated glass slide The same water drop on a Pico-Glide-treated glass slide

The product is available in 5ml, 10ml and 25ml. It can be used with Dolomite’s range of Droplet Junction Chips for biotechnology, DNA analysis and cell studies, and other applications.

Sphere Fluidics is commercializing lab-on-a-chip and picodroplet technology from Cambridge University. The technologies can perform thousands of simultaneous reactions on single cells and small populations of molecules contained within aqueous droplets, fractions of a millimeter in size. For more information please visit www.spherefluidics.com

Dolomite creates microfluidics for analytical, chemical, life sciences, clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, food and beverage, nuclear, agriculture, petrochemical, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other applications. For more information please visit www.dolomite-microfluidics.com.

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March 29, 2012 – Marketwire — ODIS Inc., a company of OPEL Technologies Inc. (TSXVENTURE:OPL), has developed an optical interface chip that is the first step in achieving a single device capable of interconnecting multiple processors by waveguide and/or fiber to transport ultra-high speed signals.

ODIS’s optical interface chip will integrate a Laser, Optical Modulator, Modulator Driver, Detector, Receiver Amplifiers, SerDes, CDR and PLL circuits monolithically on a single chip. The device is built on III-V gallium arsenide (GaAs) semiconductor technology.

This advancement simplifies chip packaging while the optical interface chip bandwidth supports the very large data rates (>100Gb/s) for CMOS processor interconnect without the additional power otherwise required with conventional electrical I/O.

The semiconductor POET process enables the monolithic fabrication of integrated circuits containing both electronic and optical elements, with potential high-speed and power-efficient applications in devices such as servers, tablet computers and smartphones. ODIS’ achievement will be added to the POET platform under development, making it possible to implement an optical interface as a single chip to connect existing CMOS processors.

The new POET roadmap will outline the process for speed-to-market devices, capital requirements and monetization opportunities in the commercial and defense technology markets.

ODIS Inc., a U.S. company of OPEL Technologies Inc., designs III-V semiconductor devices for military, industrial and commercial applications, including infrared sensor arrays and ultra-low-power random access memory. OPEL’s common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol OPL. For more information, visit www.odisinc.com.

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March 28, 2012 — Digital micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) microphones see widespread use in mass-market consumer electronics (tablets, smartphones, etc), pushing revenues high enough to overtake the analog segment by 2013. Revenue for digital MEMS microphones will hit $315 million in 2013, compared to $261 million for the analog MEMS mics, according to an IHS iSuppli MEMS Special Report.

Figure. Worldwide forecast of analog and digital MEMS microphone market revenue. SOURCE: IHS iSuppli Research March 2012. (Millions of USD.)

  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Analog  177.0 268.4 267.4 261.0 261.7 268.4
Digital  50.7 104.8 226.1 315.1 366.8 398.5

In 2011, analog MEMS microphones will hold onto a slight lead, with $267.4 million in revenue over digital MEMS microphones’ $226.1 million. Also read: MEMS microphones make noise in 2012

Apple established a market for MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes, and is now "setting the pace" for MEMS microphone adoption, said Jérémie Bouchaud, director and senior principal analyst for MEMS & sensors at IHS. Apple is using digital MEMS microphones in its iPad 2 and the new iPad. The IHS iSuppli Teardown Analysis of the new iPad 3 indicates that the tablet uses a single MEMS-based digital microphone from AAC Acoustic Technologies Holdings Inc. The iPad 2 uses a digital MEMS microphone from Analog Devices Inc.
 
MEMS microphones replaced conventional electret condenser microphones (ECM) in half of mobile handsets last year. Since 2010, new acoustic applications requiring multiple microphones have been driving the further penetration of MEMS. Superior temperature stability, better matching and smaller form factors afforded by MEMS are key advantages.

While analog MEMS microphones are less expensive and still are very much used for the acoustic function in handsets, they require adaptation for resistors, capacitoes, and speakers in each design iteration. New digital alternatives are gaining greater utilization because of their design flexibility and lower sensitivity to electromagnetic interference (EMI), and their increased Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR). Large liquid crystal displays (LCDs) found on laptops create a great deal of EMI. Digital MEMS mics offer easier to process signals when 3 or more mics are used, as for noise suppression.

Digital MEMS microphones have been available since 2006, when Fujitsu integrated digital MEMS mics from Akustica (now part of Bosch) into laptops. The following year, Knowles and Sonion (now part of TDK-EPC) started shipments.

Overall, however, the penetration of digital MEMS microphones remained relatively modest because of the lack of a credible alternative source beyond Knowles, and their high price—typically 50% more expensive than analog MEMS.

Knowles had managed to keep the price high because of the lack of viable competitors. All this changed in 2011 with the arrival of new players. STMicroelectronics entered the market and focused exclusively on digital MEMS microphones, allowing them to emerge as strong alternative volume suppliers in 2011, with more aggressive pricing policies.

Akustica introduced a new and more competitive digital MEMS microphone in early 2011 with a 30% die size reduction, leading to a 4 percentage point increase in Akustica’s share of the laptop business from 2010 to 2011 (15% in 2011). Akustica just introduced its first analog MEMS microphone.

STMicroelectronics — already Nokia’s No. 1 supplier of accelerometers — started to deliver MEMS microphones to Nokia in 2011 and became the top source within one year, besting Knowles. As a result, Knowles‘ share of digital MEMS microphone market revenue fell to 59% in 2011, down from 81% in 2010.

Overall, the arrival of new suppliers with more aggressive pricing boosted the penetration of digital MEMS microphones in laptops in 2011 from 18% in 2010 to 40% in 2011.

Top suppliers in 2011 for digital MEMS microphones:

  • Knowles, for laptops, tablets and handsets;
  • Analog Devices, for the iPad 2;
  • Bosch (Akustica), for laptops;
  • STMicroelectronics, to Nokia and also for laptops;
  • Goertek, to Lenovo;
  • AAC; 
  • BSE.

IHS (NYSE: IHS) provides information, insight and analytics in critical areas that shape today’s business landscape. Learn more at www.ihs.com.

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March 22, 2012 — Strong demand for micro electro mechanical system (MEMS)-based sensors, CMOS image sensors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), fiber-optic laser transmitters, and power transistors enabled the optoelectronic, sensor/actuator, and discrete (OSD) semiconductors market to grow by 8% in 2011, hitting a new record revenue of $57.4 billion, according to IC Insights’ 2012 Optoelectronics, Sensors/Actuators, and Discretes (O-S-D) Report.

Collective sales growth of OSD devices (8.4%) surpassed IC growth (0.4%) in 2011, and has in 3 of past 4 years. OSDs will grow faster than the IC market in 2012 as well, for the third straight year. Collectively, OSD devices accounted for 17.9% of the world’s $320.8 billion in semiconductor sales in 2011 compared to 14.7% of total revenues in 2001. OSD products are expected to represent about 18.2% of the world’s $339.0 billion semiconductor market in 2012, based on IC Insights’ forecast. OSD revenues will grow at a 2011-2016 CAGR of 10.6%, while IC sales are expected to rise by an annual average of 9.4%.

OSD growth was not steady throughout 2011 — most product categories saw "a substantial pullback" toward the end of the year. In 2012, expect 7% growth in total OSD sales to $61.6 billion, with nearly all product categories experiencing modest growth.

Figure. Optoelectronics, sensors, and discretes (OSD) market growth. SOURCE: IC Insights.

 
2012 growth rates by segment:
Acceleration/yaw sensors +21%
laser transmitters +18%
pressure sensors +15%
magnetic-field sensors +14%
actuators (+11%)

The sensor/actuator market is projected to grow at the highest rate among the semiconductor segments in the forecast period with its CAGR being 16.4% between 2011 and 2016.  IC Insights anticipates stronger and more consistent growth in the sensor/actuator market due to higher volume shipments of these devices in consumer electronics and portable systems.  In addition, the automotive industry continues to gain strength after the 2008-2009 recession, and that is adding additional stability and growth momentum to the sensor/actuator market segment.

Solid-state lamps grew 16% in 2011, driven by high-brightness LED (HB-LED) adoption. This application will grow another 10% in 2012, hampered by price erosion from a buildup of inventories, slow LED-backlit display applications growth, and slow adoption of room-lighting products worldwide. Expect relatively slow sales growth in high-brightness white LEDs until 2014, when solid-state lights finally price in the same range as conventional lighting products in mainstream end-user markets, says IC Insights.
 
Motion-activated user interfaces, embedded automatic controls, and location-aware features in cellphones and portable electronics will continue to drive up sales of sensors built with MEMS technology. MEMS products like accelerometers and gyroscopes will products hit the $6 billion revenue mark in the next 5 years.

Power transistors and related discrete semiconductors are climbing steadily to record sales levels, shows the OSD report’s 5-year forecast, with drivers in the spread of battery-operated electronics, renewable energy systems, hybrid and electric vehicles, and the global emphasis on reductions in electricity consumption. The discretes segment, which is composed of low-priced commodity devices, actually outperformed the market growth of ICs in 2006-2011. The discretes sales volume grew at a 5-year CAGR of 5.6% compared to 3.3% CAGR in IC revenues. By 2016, power transistors are expected to account for 60% of total discrete sales.

CMOS image sensors shook off excess inventories and pushed beyond $6 billion in sales with 29% growth in 2011. CMOS image sensors are also expected to see another wave of strong growth from new imaging applications and machine-vision designs, which will include automotive safety systems and intelligent surveillance networks.

The 2012 edition of the O-S-D Report includes detailed analysis of trends and growth rates in the optoelectronics, sensors/actuators, and discretes market segments. The seventh annual edition of the report contains a detailed forecast of sales, unit shipments, and selling prices for more than 30 individual product types and categories through 2016. View http://www.icinsights.com/services/osd-report/ for more information.

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March 28, 2012 — Akustica, known for its monolithic single-chip digital micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) devices, introduced its first analog MEMS microphone for mobile handsets, the AKU340.

The analog, 2-chip MEMS design enables more flexibility in product design, said Marcie Weinstein, PhD,  marketing strategist at Akustica. It uses a metal-lid design instead of an LCP substrate seen on Akustica’s digital MEMS. An acoustic port is available on the bottom of the package. The 2-chip design has larger silicon areas, but actually comes in a smaller package than their current single-chip product.

The AKU340 boasts a 63dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and good low-frequency recording with a reduction in sensitivity of less than 5dB at 50Hz. It offers sensitivity matching of -38dBV/Pa +/- 2dB between microphones.

Akustica designs its own MEMS and ASIC die to maintain low power consumption, a smaller package size, and low noise interference between the chips. Akustica uses established surface-micromachining MEMS technology from its parent company Bosch for the device. MEMS components are fully designed and manufactured in-house at Bosch. The metal lid enables RF and EM immunity, and the package is designed for the higher performance requirements of mobile electronics.

While the single-chip digital CMOS MEMS (monolithic ASIC + MEMS) products are primarily used in laptops, the new design targets mobile handsets with faster new product introductions and more price sensitivity. The pin count and footprint (3.35 x 2.5 x 1.0mm) are compatible with second sourcing for the high-volume applications into which Akustica will sell the devices. Akustica foresees using both these technologies in the future — expanding its range in the MEMS market.

The AKU340 will be in mass production in Q3 2012.

Akustica is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bosch Group and a top supplier of silicon microphone products. The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. Learn more about Akustica at www.akustica.com.

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March 27, 2012 — Micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) company InvenSense Inc. (NYSE:INVN) announced dual-source capability for its CMOS-MEMS supply from semiconductor foundries Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and GLOBALFOUNDRIES.

TSMC has more than doubled its CMOS-MEMS capacity for InvenSense in the past year and has been its primary high-volume supplier to date.

GLOBALFOUNDRIES has now completed the installation of InvenSense’s patented and proprietary fabrication platform on their 8" CMOS production line and is fully qualified for high-volume shipments.

InvenSense says it is the first high-volume MEMS company to use a fabless approach common in the semiconductor industry. The fabless MEMS model allows InvenSense to leverage excess available capacity in many 8” wafer fabs that are fully depreciated and can produce enormous capacity to fulfill all of the market needs for inertial sensors at very competitive prices and little to no cost of capital to InvenSense.

InvenSense’s Nasiri-Fabrication Platform allows the integration of MEMS wafers with standard CMOS wafers using a patented wafer-to-wafer bonding process. These CMOS-MEMS wafers are packaged and tested in fairly standard operations.

InvenSense Inc. (NYSE:INVN) provides MotionTracking solutions for consumer electronic devices using its patented Nasiri-Fabrication platform and patent-pending MotionFusion technology. More information can be found at www.invensense.com.

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March 26, 2012 — Hillcrest Labs made its Freespace motion control technology available to smartphone and tablet manufacturers, extending the product’s reach beyond Smart TV, video game, and PC industries. Sensor Platforms Inc. debuted its sensor fusion software, FreeMotion, for this sector as well. Recently, Xsens made its sensor fusion software available for motion sensing in consumer devices.

Sensor fusion software enables alternate sourcing of sensors from multiple manufacturers. Smartphones and tablets are using more sensors per device with each new product iteration. New smartphone/tablet applications include medical services, navigation, augmented reality, gaming, and more, noted Jérémie Bouchaud, director and senior principal analyst, MEMS and sensor for IHS, adding that "versatile software" provides a "common platform" across devices.

Also read: Solutions for MEMS sensor fusion and Sensor fusion opens MEMS supply chain to sensor management players

Hillcrest’s new Freespace MotionEngine for Mobile is an embedded software product to manage and enhance the combined performance of motion sensors — accelerometers, magnetometers, and gyroscopes — in smartphones and tablets. "Motion sensors are now standard in mobile devices, but today’s motion software implementations impose significant constraints that limit sensor choice, integration flexibility and performance," said Chad Lucien, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Hillcrest Labs. Using the sensor fusion software, manufacturers can specify sensors from any major supplier in the market. The mobile electronics industry specifically needs to be able to source from multiple chip suppliers, across multiple operating systems, Hillcrest asserts.

Freespace MotionEngine for Mobile is a sensor-fusion foundation for a variety of mobile applications, such as context awareness, pedestrian navigation, augmented reality, health and fitness, immersive gaming, gesture control, and more.

Hillcrest Labs provides multiplatform motion software and products. Additional information at www.hillcrestlabs.com.

Sensor Platforms Inc. released a library of software algorithms and middleware that combines and processes data from sensors in smartphones and tablets, as well. The FreeMotion Library enables devices to interpret users’ movements, context, and intent. A Software Development Kit (SDK) was also introduced.

Sensor Platforms’ FreeMotion Library takes raw data from accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes and barometers, combining them to conserve sensor power by up to 90%; maintain sensor calibration, and populate application programming interfaces (API) for innovative app development.

Sensor Platforms licenses algorithmic software and platforms that enable mobile consumer applications to better serve the users. Learn more at www.sensorplatforms.com.

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March 26, 2012 — Micronova Nanofabrication Centre selected a Vistec Lithography Inc. electron-beam lithography (e-beam litho) system for its nanotechnology laboratory in Finland. The litho tool will be used for nano/microelectronics, nano/micro-fabrication, and nanophotonics research in a multi-user environment.

More than 360 employees and students from different facilities carry out research in diverse nanotechnology fields at Micronova. The electron-beam lithography system from Vistec enabled the highest level of research with flexibility for different pursuits, said Dr. Veli-Matti Airaksinen, director of  Aalto Nanofab at Micronova.

The Vistec EBPG5000pES is equipped for 100kV/1mm performance under regular electron-optical conditions with a wide capability for high-throughput applications. The electron-optical column is rated for acceleration voltages of 50 and 100kV, enabling a spot size down to <2.2nm. Nano-lithography structures smaller than 8nm are easily generated, Vistec reports. An interactive graphical user interface (GUI) eases multi-user operation within a large research institute.

Vistec is increasingly working with advanced research institutes and universities installing electron-beam lithography systems. The environment enables Vistec to develop its technology for cutting edge applications, the company notes, eventually suiting a wider industry need. Also read: Vistec installs first e-beam lithography EBPG5000pES in Chinese university and Vistec brings nano-fab e-beam litho tool to UC San Diego

Micronova Nanofabrication Centre is Finland’s National Research Infrastructure for micro- and nanotechnology, jointly operated by Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Micronova’s activities extend from fundamental physics to device prototyping, applied research and small-scale manufacturing. Technologies developed at Micronova include nanoelectronic and photonic devices, MEMS sensors, particle and X-ray detectors and THz technology.

The Vistec Electron Beam Lithography Group is a global manufacturer and supplier of electron-beam lithography systems with applications ranging from nano and bio-technology to photonics and industrial environments like mask making or direct writing for fast prototype development and design evaluation. The Vistec Electron Beam Lithography Group combines Vistec Lithography and Vistec Electron Beam. Learn more at www.vistec-semi.com.

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