Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto


Internet of Things Second-tier cities in the U.S. that can’t attract projects like the Amazon HQ2 are welcoming the testing of autonomous vehicles, smart city technology, and advanced surveillance techniques, this analysis notes. What do they get in return? Much of the time, little or nothing. And bad things can happen. People have been throwing objects at Waymo vehicles in Chandler, Ariz., ... » read more

Generation 10+ Fabs Enable Bigger, Brighter, Better TV Displays


Consumers are moving to larger and larger televisions, attracted by the chance to have a more immersive experience and the ability to see what is on the screen from farther away. TV sizes continue to grow by 1 to 1.5 inches per year, and sales of TVs with 65” or larger screens—so-called Gen10+ flat panel displays (FPDs)—are growing exponentially (figure 1). Figure 1. Television shi... » read more

Gaps In 5G Test


Add one more industry to the long list that analysts expect 5G technology to disrupt—test. While the initial versions of this wireless technology will be little more than a faster version of 4G, concern is growing about exactly how to test the second phase of this technology, which will be based upon millimeter wave. A number of fundamental problems need to be addressed. Among them: T... » read more

System Bits: March 19


Nanomesh material could find use in sustainable applications Imec collaborated with KU Leuven to develop a nanomesh material made of a 3D structure with nanowires. This material could prove to make batteries more energy-efficient, while also improving catalytic converters and fuel cells, and making hydrogen production easier. The research team is touting the 3D nanometer-scale metal grid st... » read more

Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto


Internet of Things Apple purchased a portfolio of eight granted and pending patents that belonged to Lighthouse AI, a smart home security camera startup that ceased operations near the end of 2018. The portfolio was acquired at about the same time, according to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office; financial terms weren’t revealed. Also not disclosed, as usual, is what Apple will do with t... » read more

New Battleground In The Data Race


For the past couple years, giant commercial data centers have been grabbing as much data as possible. The big question now is whether that investment will pay off. Companies such as AWS, Google, Microsoft, Alibaba and Baidu are not necessarily the best equipped to leverage that data—or at least not yet. In fact, most of what they've been focusing on is a narrow slice of the data being coll... » read more

MIMO And Phased-Array Antennas For 5G


Evolving communication systems are driving developments in the RF/microwave industry. The large umbrella of 5G focuses on supporting three main technologies: enhanced mobile broadband, which is the natural development of long-term evolution (LTE), massive machine-type communications, also known as the industrial internet of things (IIoT), and ultra-reliable, low-latency communications providing... » read more

Domain Expertise Becoming Essential For Analytics


Sensors are being added into everything, from end devices to the equipment used to make those sensors, but the data being generated has limited or no value unless it's accompanied by domain expertise. There are two main problems. One is how and where to process the vast amount of data being generated. Chip and system architectures are being revamped to pre-process more of that data closer to... » read more

Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto


Internet of Things Dialog Semiconductor is shifting its product portfolio away from smartphones following its pending $600 million deal with Apple. The chip company is looking toward connected-health products and video-game consoles for future growth. The connected-health devices, developed in collaboration with pharmaceutical firms, would monitor blood pressure and check glucose levels, accor... » read more

A Comprehensive Approach To System-Level ESD


The performance and reliability of an electronics system largely depend on the system’s immunity from an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event. Because the components, custom chips and package come from various sources — and often from different companies — they are usually designed by separate teams working in silos and in accordance with predefined margins. The ESD Association estimates t... » read more

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