Startup Funding: January 2024


Big rounds marked January, with three companies raising over $100 million. Quantum computing topped the list, with the company that resulted from the merger of Cambridge Quantum Computing and Honeywell's quantum division raking in the third-largest round for a quantum computing company ever. Another chart-topper was an advanced packaging company that began mass production in its first factor... » read more

Software-Defined Vehicles Ready To Roll


Software-defined vehicles are driving a swell of activity across the automotive ecosystem, including new methodologies and technology approaches that could significantly reduce costs and shorten time to market for advanced features. The SDV approach encompasses more than a single concept. It helps to think of it more as a modeling approach that connects EVs, driver assistance technology, and... » read more

Dealing With Noise In Image Sensors


The expanding use and importance of image sensors in safety-critical applications such as automotive and medical devices has transformed noise from an annoyance into a life-threatening problem that requires a real-time solution. In consumer cameras, noise typically results in grainy images, often associated with poor lighting, the speed at which an image is captured, or a faulty sensor. Typi... » read more

Role For ICs Expands In Humanoid Robots


Semiconductors play a crucial role in the development and functionality of humanoid robots. Humanoid robots are advanced machines designed to resemble and perform tasks similar to humans. The integration of semiconductors in humanoid robots contributes to their sensory perception, processing capabilities, and overall functionality. Robots are used in everything from security and defense, to ... » read more

Preparing For An AI-Driven Future In Chips


Experts at the Table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss the impact of AI on semiconductor architectures, tools, and security, with Michael Kurniawan, business strategy manager at Accenture; Kaushal Vora, senior director and head of business acceleration and ecosystem at Renesas Electronics; Paul Karazuba, vice president of marketing at Expedera; and Chowdary Yanamadala, technology s... » read more

Visa Shakeup On Tap To Help Solve Worker Shortage


Governments around the world are racing to train workers to design, manufacture, and package chips, but they are facing a talent shortfall that is expected to continue despite their best efforts — particularly for those engineers capable of designing and producing the most advanced chips. The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) predicts a U.S. chip worker shortfall of 67,000 by 2030, ... » read more

How Secure Are FPGAs?


The unique hybrid software/hardware nature of FPGAs makes them tempting targets for cyberattacks, while also enabling them to rebuff attacks and change the attack surface before significant damage can be done. But it's becoming increasingly challenging to address all the potential vulnerabilities. FPGAs are often included in larger systems, each with their own unique attack vectors as well a... » read more

Trendspotting: Automotive IC Startup Funding In 2023


Consumers expect a lot from the electronics in their cars. The parts in the safety-critical systems need to be reliable for up to 18 years, able to handle a range of temperatures, voltages, and vibrations — and all the while be fault-tolerant and make zero errors. On top of those basic requirements, automakers trying to appeal to consumers are adding in more features that communicate with the... » read more

A New Approach For Sensor Design


Pawel Malinowski, program manager at imec, sat down with Semiconductor Engineering to discuss what's changing in sensor technology and why. What follows are excerpts of that discussion. SE: What's next for sensor technology? Malinowski: We are trying to find a new way of making image sensors because we want to get out of the limitations of silicon photodiodes. Silicon is a perfect materi... » read more

Security Becoming Core Part Of Chip Design — Finally


Security is shifting both left and right in the design flow as chipmakers wrestle with how to build devices that are both secure by design and resilient enough to remain secure throughout their lifetimes. As increasingly complex devices are connected to the internet and to each other, IP vendors, chipmakers, and systems companies are racing to address existing and potential threats across a ... » read more

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