What are the topics covered? There’s the UK’s historic ambivalence towards semiconductors, falling semi sales, industry figures speaking at Electronica 2022, a single board computer built around AMD Ryzen Embedded V2000 Series processors and Rohm’s 30mW AI IC with on-device learning capability for edge processing…
5. UK’s Semi Ambivalence [Mannerisms]
The report out today from the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee demonstrates the UK’s historic ambivalence towards semiconductors – are they an industry or a strategic resource? From Lord Arnold Weinstock closing Marconi Elliott Microelectronics and Elliott Automation in the downturn of 1971 to the sale of Arm to Japan in 2016, the UK has shown that money comes first, strategic resource comes second. When Intel fell on a bad patch in ‘82, the US government didn’t let it fail and didn’t sell it off abroad, instead IBM took a supportive stake which it sold, five years later, when Intel was back on its feet again…
4. 2023 semi sales to fall 5% says IC Insights
After record sales in 2022, semi sales are forecast to fall in 2023. Collapsing memory prices and uncertain global economy weigh on next year’s growth. Total semiconductor sales include the combined sales of ICs, optoelectronics, sensors and actuators, and discretes (O-S-D) components. After soaring 25% to $614.7 billion in 2021, worldwide semiconductor sales are expected to increase 3% in 2022 and to a new record sales level of $636.0 billion this year.
3. Let’s Talk Electronics: NeoCortec and Pickering @ Electronica 2022
At Electronica 2022 in Munich our Group Editor Clive Couldwell caught up with NeoCortec, the ultra low power wireless connectivity Danish company, and Pickering, the UK and Czech Single-in-Line (SIL) reed relay specialists. Thomas Steen Halkier, the CEO of NeoCortec, shares his thoughts on wireless mesh networking. Keith Moore, Director of the UK-based Pickering Group, talks of the company’s work with reed relays and switching modules, and how revenue feeds into R&D and plays its part in the companies high-mix, low-volume product range.
2. Embedded V2000 industrial single board computers
Display and embedded computer distributor Review Display Systems has introduced a single board computer built around AMD Ryzen Embedded V2000 Series processors with two simultaneous HDMI 1.4b 1080p display interfaces and 4K display support through an embedded DisplayPort (eDP). The computer, called ‘de next-V2K8’ and made by Aaeon, measures 86 x 55mm can accept up to 16Gbyte of LPDDR4x 3200. Fast connectivity is through two RJ45 Ethernet ports, two USB 3.2 Gen2 ports and four USB 2.0 slots.
1. AI at the edge for ‘a few tens of mW’
Rohm has developed a 30mW artificial intelligence IC with on-device learning capability for edge processing – 30mW here is an example power, dependent on algorithm running. “Until now it has been difficult to develop AI chips that can learn in the field consuming low power,” according to the company. This one is intended to use “artificial intelligence to predict failures in electronic devices equipped with motors and sensors in real-time”. The chip, called BD15035 and effectively a proof-of-concept, runs a three-layer neural network on a combination of Rohm’s ‘tinyMicon MatisseCore’ 8bit processor core sharing a die with a 20,000 gate AI accelerator.
