Week In Review: Design, Low Power

AI
Mythic debuted its Analog Matrix Processor for edge AI applications such as smart home, AR/VR, drones, video surveillance, smart city, and industrial. The M1108 AMP combines 108 tiles made up of an array of flash cells and ADCs, a 32-bit RISC-V nano-processor, a SIMD vector engine, SRAM, and a high-throughput Network-on-Chip router. It uses 40nm technology and the company says typical power consumption while running complex AI models at peak throughput is approximately 4W.

Gyrfalcon Technology launched a full-stack solution for AI development targeted for small and medium enterprises and edge-AI vision devices, consumer electronics, AI-camera sensors and automotive. The AI-X solution uses the company’s AI accelerator chips and provides an efficient HW-SW design framework for developing CNN-based models.

Business
Sales for the top 15 semiconductor companies are forecast to increase by 13% in 2020 compared to 2019, collectively surpassing $355 billion, according to market research firm IC Insights. The expected total worldwide semiconductor industry is expected to see an increase of 6%.

LG will spin off five units into a new holding company in a bid to refocus on its core electronics, chemicals, and telecommunications businesses, reported Reuters. In May 2021 the new holding company will take over display chip maker Silicon Works Co Ltd. Other affiliates joining include the trading company LG International Corp, LG Hausys Ltd, maker of interior parts for housing and automobiles, and unlisted chemical manufacturer LG MMA Corp. Analysts expect the new holding company to eventually separate from parent LG Corp.

Several large Taiwanese companies are undergoing hiring surges for this and next year, according to Taiwan News. TSMC plans to add 3,000 jobs in 2021, in addition to 8,000 this year. The foundry isn’t alone: OSAT ASE plans to add 3,000 people for its new plant next year; MediaTek hired 1,000 people this year and plans a similar expansion next year; and NAND flash company Phison opened 400 R&D positions.

Check out more openings in the semiconductor industry at SE’s jobs page.

Events
Find a new conference or learning opportunity at our events page, or check out an upcoming webinar.

Mentor’s User2User Europe will be held Dec. 1. The RISC-V Summit 2020 will take place Dec. 8-10. The Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference 2021 will happen Jan. 18-21.