Microelectronics world news

A new system-on-chip (SoC) demonstrated at CES 2024 in Las Vegas claims to run multi-modal large language models (LLMs) at a fraction of the power-per-inference of leading GPU solutions. Ambarella is targeting this SoC to bring generative AI to edge endpoint devices and on-premise hardware in video security analysis, robotics, and a multitude of industrial applications.

According to the Santa Clara, California-based chip developer, its N1 series SoCs are up to 3x more power-efficient per generated token than GPUs and standalone AI accelerators. Ambarella will initially offer optimized generative AI processing capabilities on its mid to high-end SoCs for on-device performance under 5W. It’ll also release a server-grade SoC under 50 W in its N1 series.

Generative AI will be a step function for computer vision processing that brings context and scene understanding to a variety of devices such as security installations and autonomous robots. Source: Ambarella

Ambarella claims that its SoC architecture is natively suited to process video and AI simultaneously at very low power. So, unlike a standalone AI accelerator, they carry out highly efficient processing of multi-modal LLMs while still performing all system functions. Examples of the on-device LLM and multi-modal processing enabled by these SoCs include smart contextual searches of security footage, robots that can be controlled with natural language commands, and different AI helpers that can perform anything from code generation to text and image generation.

Les Kohn, CTO and co-founder of Ambarella, says that generative AI networks are enabling new functions across applications that were just not possible before. “All edge devices are about to get a lot smarter with chips enabling multi-modal LLM processing in a very attractive power/price envelope.”

Alexander Harrowell, principal analyst for advanced computing at Omdia, agrees with the above notion and sees virtually every edge application getting enhanced by generative AI in the next 18 months. “When moving generative AI workloads to the edge, the game becomes all about performance per watt and integration with the rest of the edge ecosystem, not just raw throughput,” he added.

The AI chips are supported by the company’s Cooper Developer Platform, where Ambarella has pre-ported and optimized popular LLMs. That includes Llama-2 as well as the Large Language and Video Assistant (LLava) model running on N1 SoCs for multi-modal vision analysis of up to 32 camera sources. These pre-trained and fine-tuned models will be available for chip developers to download from the Cooper Model Garden.

Ambarella also claims that its N1 SoCs are highly suitable for application-specific LLMs, which are typically fine-tuned on the edge for each scenario. That’s unlike the classical server approach of using bigger and more power-hungry LLMs to cater to every use case.

With these features, Ambarella is confident that its chips can help OEMs quickly deploy generative AI into any power-sensitive application ranging from an on-premise AI box to a delivery robot. The company will demonstrate its SoC solutions for AI applications at CES in Las Vegas on 9-12 January 2024.

Related Content

• Getting a Grasp on AI at the Edge
• How to Make Generative AI Greener
• Putting AI into the Edge Is a No-Brainer; Here’s Why
• How generative AI puts the magic back in hardware design
• Edge AI accelerators are just sand without future-ready software

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In a significant leap forward in the realm of high-performance storage solutions, Team Group Inc. has introduced its latest innovation, the T-FORCE GE PRO PCIe 5.0 SSD. Positioned at the forefront of storage technology, this cutting-edge product exemplifies the brand’s unwavering commitment to excellence in product research and development.

Designed to revolutionize the gaming and performance-driven user experience, the T-FORCE GE PRO harnesses the power of the PCIe Gen 5 x4 interface and the NVMe 2.0 standard, delivering unparalleled storage speeds. With a focus on meeting the demands of gamers and users seeking peak performance from their storage devices, this next-generation SSD brings several key features to the forefront.

Key Features:

• SSD Core: InnoGrit’s 12nm IG5666 controller
• Controller Features: Multi-core and energy-efficient
• NAND Flash Type: High-performance 2,400MT/s NAND flash
• NAND Flash Capabilities: Supports DRAM and SLC (Single-level cell flash) caching
• SSD Read Speeds: Impressive up to 14,000MB/s

Beyond raw performance, the T-FORCE GE PRO PCIe 5.0 SSD incorporates smart thermal regulation technology, ensuring optimal performance and longevity. This technology automatically adjusts performance based on internal temperature sensors. Additionally, the inclusion of 4K LDPC technology guarantees impeccable data transfer accuracy, enhancing the SSD’s reliability and stability. Team Group’s patented S.M.A.R.T. monitoring software allows users to easily monitor the health of their SSD, ensuring peace of mind and prolonged usage.

Recognizing the pivotal role of cooling in maintaining peak SSD performance, Team Group has developed a range of cooling solutions tailored to the demands of Gen 5 SSDs. Options include advanced graphene heat sinks, copper tube aluminium fin SSD air coolers, and even all-in-one liquid coolers exclusively designed for SSDs. These cooling solutions ensure that the T-FORCE GE PRO PCIe 5.0 SSD remains at optimal temperatures, enabling users to enjoy sustained high-speed performance without compromise.

The world will have its first glimpse of the T-FORCE GE PRO PCIe 5.0 SSD during CES 2024 at ASUS’ new product showcase. Pre-orders are set to open on February 9, 2024, with availability on Amazon and Newegg in North America and Amazon Japan.

Team Group’s latest innovation marks a significant stride in redefining the landscape of high-performance storage, promising a transformative experience for gamers and performance enthusiasts alike.

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A robot is a programmable machine capable of carrying out tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously. They are a combination of sensors, actuators, controllers, and mechanical structures that enable them to interact with their environment. Robotics is a multidisciplinary field that involves the designing, development, operation, and use of robots.  

Top 10 Robotics Companies in India 

We have curated a list of top companies working in the robotics and automation sector in India. 

DiFACTO Robotics

Difacto Robotics and Automation is among the leading robot solution providers in the manufacturing sector. Headquartered in Bengaluru, they serve diverse fields with their competitive automation services. Their products and services serve the following fields- automotive, metal forming, transportation, energy, electronics, white goods, yellow goods, and consumer goods. 

DiFacto provides customized robotics solutions per customers’ requirements. Their product portfolio includes the following – 

• Smart Loader
• Smart Robo Loader – DUO
• Servo Track
• Smart Conveyors
• Linear Gantry
• Mobile Machine Tender 

Novus Hi-Tech

 

 

Novus Hi-Tech is a well-known company providing advanced automation solutions for varied industries like – automotive, paints and chemical, construction and farm equipment, solar, food and beverage, consumer electronics, cell and battery, e-commerce, 3PL, retail, express delivery, construction and mining, and oil and gas. Novus’ product catalogue includes- 

• Autonomous Mobile Robots
• Autonomous Battery Operated Pallet Truck
• Video Telematics for Fleet operations
• ADAS for OEMs

Gridbots Robotics

Working aggressively in Robotics – AI and machine vision, Gridbots is a major player in developing ultra-high performance systems that are effectively utilized in industries for dimension measurement, sorting applications, grading applications, etc. Their product catalogue segment is as follows-

• Automation – Self-driving Robots, Robotic Manipulators, Fully Integrated Robotic Systems
• Defence – Minehawks, Zeus, Humming Bird, Humming Bird Climber, Brute, Hawk, Katana, Sentinel, Bat
• Robotics Services – Stinger Pipeline Robot, Magnetic crawlers, Inspection Robot, Boiler Tubes Inspection Robot, Pipe Climber robot, Fir Fighter Robot
• Machine Vision – Glass Inspection Systems, Vision-based measurement, Fully Integrated Vision System

Systemantics Robotics

Systemantics have developed ASYSTR Collaborative Robots for automation that are flexible, affordable, and safe for business demands. They are among the first Cobots to be indigenously designed and manufactured in India. The 6-axis robotics arm- Cobots family comes in three payload options – ASYSTR 10C (Payload – 10kg), ASYSTR 3C (Payload – 3 kg), and ASYSTR 5C (Payload – 5 kg). Systemantics enables services in automation in sectors like- automotive, industrial, e-commerce & retail, academic & research, pharmaceutical, electronics, and food and beverage. 

Invento Robotics

Invento has developed a Robotic avatar- MITRA for senior living facilities, with purposeful AI-powered conversations (video calls, news, jokes, cognitive games, etc.). 

MITRA’s features include fall prevention and detection, monitoring and alerts, curated videos, health and wellness, conversations, exercise tracking, cognitive games, and family connections. Invento works with cutting-edge technologies like AI computer vision, deep learning models, speech synthesis, laser-guided navigation, etc. Accenture and Wipro are among its key partners. 

ASIMOV Robotics

ASIMOV is among the best in providing engineering solutions in robotic simulation and control, machine vision, virtual reality, and autonomous navigation. The primary areas it caters to are- medical, space, defence, sports, hospitality, space, banking, and retail, with a special focus on medical and healthcare. 

The Product catalogue includes – 

• Karmi Bot 
• Sevabot
• Chhaya
• Sayabot

Wipro PARI Robotics

Innovation leader in automation and robotics technology, Wipro PARI designs state-of-the-art equipment. PARI works on competitive technologies including- Precision handling position, assembly and joining, measurement and testing, machine vision and sensors, flexible manufacturing, large interlinked system software, etc. Their turnkey solutions include- automated welding, machining, and assembly, automated warehouses and In-plant logistics, and automated car parking systems with over 2000+ installations. 

Sastra Robotics 

Sastra makes rigorous testing that is beyond human capabilities possible. They develop robotic solutions for human-like automated functional testing of physical devices. Sastra caters to industries like – automotive, banking and fintech, mobile, aviation, and medical. 

The product portfolio includes –

• Quaco Pro – complete test systems 
• Tacbot – portable test system
• Dimenzio Mini – Environment chamber testing
• Quaco Standard – standard speed testing
• Tafin – gyro sensor testing 
• Dimenzio MG – table-top high-speed testing
• Quaco Pro S
• Dimenzio BG
• Dimenzio Helium

H-Bots Robotics 

H-Bots specializes in developing world-class robotics solutions for industries like manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, etc. They are known for developing affordable state-of-the-art robotics solutions. Their Health Robot works miracles in serving the healthcare industry with its advanced functionalities. It helps doctors in their clinical workflow and improves patient experience. Their Warwick Robot is specially designed for research and development purposes with advanced cyber-security and real-time information features.  

Unbox Robotics

Unbox Robotics is a major supply chain robotics technology company working in robotics-based distribution technology. It caters to small to large e-commerce, retail, and logistics companies. Its UnboxSort bot serves multiple purposes including Parcel sortation and order consolidation. The bot specializes in scanning, sorting, and dispatching packages through a compact vertical sorting robotic solution.  

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Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA — which makes enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) and integrated circuits for power management applications — has introduced three evaluation boards (EPC9179, EPC9181 and EPC9180) featuring pulse current laser drivers of 75A, 125A and 231A, showcasing the firm’s AEC-Q101-qualified GaN FETs. These FETs (EPC2252, EPC2204A and EPC2218A) are 30% smaller and more cost-effective than their predecessors. Designed for both long- and short-range automotive light detection & ranging (LiDAR) systems, these boards expedite solution evaluation with varied input and output options...

Data analytics certainly has been the game-changer in the field of corporate planning. Optimizing enterprise performance is dependent upon the science of deriving insights from data for decision-making. It’s more important than ever to find economical and effective ways to handle, use, and convert the massive volumes of data that businesses are gathering into insights that can be used.

This article sheds light on ten powerhouse companies in India that stand at the forefront of the data analytics revolution.

1. Accenture: Shaping Transparent and Trustworthy Data

Formerly Andersen Consulting, Accenture is a Dublin-based IT services and consulting giant. Established in 1989, it boasts a global presence with more than 100 innovation hubs. Accenture’s analytical services focus on ensuring transparent, accessible, and trustworthy data. From data transformation to industrialized solutions, Accenture is a leader in harnessing the power of data.

2. Convergytics: Real-time Optimization for Competitive Edge

Founded in 2013, Convergytics Solutions in Bengaluru is a data-driven processing and analytics startup. Specializing in lifetime value modelling and real-time optimization, Convergytics assists companies in increasing customer satisfaction, marketing ROI, and innovation.

3. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS): Cognitive-Powered Solutions

TCS, established in 1968 and based in Mumbai, stands tall as an IT services, consulting, and data analytics company. With a Location Independent Agile delivery model, TCS provides services ranging from data management to visualization and offers generic and customized Big Data analytics solutions.

4. Phygital Insights: Bridging Growth and Innovation

A fast-growing player in Bangalore, Phygital Insights provides digital services and analytics solutions for businesses aiming to leverage data for growth and innovation. From data engineering to healthcare analytics, Phygital Insights covers a spectrum of services tailored to diverse business needs.

5. Capgemini India Pvt Ltd: Mastering Data with AI

Established in 1967, Capgemini is a multinational data analytics company that enhances customer experience, industry intelligence, and enterprise management. Through its Perform AI platform, Capgemini transforms data using artificial intelligence and promotes sustainability in data-powered organizations.

6. Gramener: Crafting Data Stories with a Design-Centric Approach

Founded in 2010, Gramener takes a unique design-centric approach to data science. Positioned as a “data storyteller,” Gramener solves complex business problems with its low-code analytics platform. Augmenting human intelligence, Gramener focuses on interactive visualization and insight generation services.

7. ITC Infotech: Future-Ready Solutions for Diverse Industries

Established in 2000, ITC Infotech is a technology services and solutions provider with a global presence. Offering end-to-end automation solutions and industry-specific models, ITC Infotech caters to diverse sectors, including consumer goods, healthcare, and banking.

8. Concentrix India: Redefining Consumer Experiences

Since its inception in 2006, Concentrix India has been at the forefront of data designing, consulting, and transformation. With services spanning digital transformation, marketing solutions, and experience design, Concentrix India reimagines consumer experiences.

9. Tredence: Bridging Gaps Between Insights and Value Realization

Founded in 2013, Tredence is a data science company providing actionable insights in marketing, sales, and operations. With a focus on AI-powered data sciences, Tredence envisions new possibilities for businesses across diverse industries.

10. Latentview Analytics: Engineering-First Analytics Approach

Latentview Analytics, based in New Jersey with Indian operations in Chennai and Mumbai, follows an engineering-first approach to analytics. Providing solutions to retail, consumer goods, and finance-related industries, Latentview Analytics leverages big data, machine learning, and AI technologies.

Conclusion 

These ten businesses serve as shining examples of innovation and change when navigating India’s data analytics scene. From open data practices to AI-driven solutions, every organization makes a distinct contribution to the future driven by data. The development of data analytics not only tackles the business problems of today but also sets a path for predicting and navigating the unknowns of the future. With insights from the complex realm of data analytics, these companies are both makers and builders of the future of business in this fast-paced era.

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News highlights:

• The industry’s first single-chip radar sensor designed for satellite architectures can increase vehicle sensing ranges beyond 200 meters and enable more accurate advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) decision-making.

• New driver chips support safe and efficient control of power flow in battery management or other powertrain systems with functional safety compliance and built-in diagnostics to reduce development time.

DALLAS (Jan. 9, 2024) – Texas Instruments (TI) (Nasdaq: TXN) today introduced new semiconductors designed to improve automotive safety and intelligence. The AWR2544 77GHz millimeter-wave radar sensor chip is the industry’s first for satellite radar architectures, enabling higher levels of autonomy by improving sensor fusion and decision-making in ADAS. TI’s new software-programmable driver chips, the DRV3946-Q1 integrated contactor driver and DRV3901-Q1 integrated squib driver for pyro fuses, offer built-in diagnostics and support functional safety for battery management and powertrain systems. TI is demonstrating these new products at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

For more information, see TI.com/AWR2544, TI.com/DRV3946-Q1 and TI.com/DRV3901-Q1.

“Semiconductor innovations like the ones we’re showcasing this year at CES are helping automotive systems continue to evolve and contribute to a safer driver experience,” said Fern Yoon, director of Automotive Systems at Texas Instruments. “From more advanced driver assistance systems to smarter electric vehicle powertrain systems, TI is working alongside automakers to reimagine how reliable and intelligent technology can enable safer vehicles.”

Increase radar performance for smarter ADAS decision-making

Many automakers are adding more sensors around the car to improve vehicle safety and autonomy. TI’s AWR2544 single-chip radar sensor is the industry’s first designed for satellite architectures. In satellite architectures, radar sensors output semi-processed data to a central processor for ADAS decision-making using sensor fusion algorithms, taking advantage of the 360-degree sensor coverage to achieve higher levels of vehicle safety.

The AWR2544 single-chip radar sensor is also the industry’s first with launch-on-package (LOP) technology. LOP technology helps reduce the size of the sensor by as much as 30% by mounting a 3D waveguide antenna on the opposite side of the printed circuit board. LOP technology also enables sensor ranges to extend beyond 200m with a single chip. In satellite architectures, these features enable automakers to increase ADAS intelligence for higher vehicle autonomy levels to make smarter decisions from farther away. The AWR2544 is the latest in TI’s radar sensor portfolio, which supports a wide range of ADAS applications and architectures with sensors developed for corner, front, imaging, side and rear radar systems.

To learn more about the benefits of the AWR2544 and satellite architectures, read the technical article, “Are you ready for the emerging automotive radar satellite architecture?”

Make electric powertrain systems smarter with integrated functionality and safety

Supporting the trend toward software-defined vehicles is challenging designers to develop smarter, more advanced battery management systems (BMS). Two new highly integrated, software-programmable driver chips from TI address requirements for safer and more efficient control of high-voltage disconnect circuits in a BMS or other powertrain system. Both drivers are International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 26262 functional safety-compliant and offer built-in diagnostics and protection to reduce automotive engineers’ development time.

For BMS and other powertrain systems, the DRV3946-Q1 is the industry’s first fully integrated contactor driver. It includes a peak-and-hold current controller that helps automakers increase system power efficiency. The device also implements safety diagnostics to monitor the condition of the contactor.

TI’s DRV3901-Q1 fully integrated squib driver enables an intelligent pyro fuse disconnect system by using built-in circuitry to monitor the pyro fuse and provide diagnostic information to the system microcontroller. This gives hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and EV BMS designers flexibility to use a pyro fuse instead of traditional melting fuse systems while minimizing design complexity.

To learn more about simplifying BMS and power distribution designs, read the technical article, “How squib and contactor drivers help improve safety and efficiency in HEV/EV battery disconnect systems.”

Enabling a safer, smarter and more sustainable future at CES 2024

TI is showcasing automotive innovations for smarter, safer vehicles, including the AWR2544, DRV3901-Q1 and DRV3946-Q1. Demonstrations will show system-level innovations for ADAS and BMS designs as well as other TI technologies across zone architectures, EV charging, energy storage and more.

• Thursday, Jan. 11 at 11 a.m. MST: TI General Manager of Grid Infrastructure Henrik Mannesson will participate in the CES 2024 panel, “Growth of the EV Marketplace: Innovations and Investments.” He will discuss how semiconductor innovation and engineering breakthroughs are accelerating the ability to manage energy from EVs to the grid through bidirectional charging and vehicle-to-grid systems.
• From Tuesday, Jan. 9 – Friday, Jan. 12: Visit TI in the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall, Meeting Room No. N116, and see com/CES for more information.

Available today on TI.com

• Preproduction quantities of the AWR2544, DRV3901-Q1 and DRV3946-Q1 and evaluation modules are available for purchase now on TI.com.
• Multiple payment and shipping options are available.

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Intelligent power and sensing technology firm onsemi of Scottsdale, AZ, USA has announced the availability of nine new EliteSiC power integrated modules (PIMs) enabling bidirectional charging capabilities for DC ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) chargers and energy storage systems (ESS)...

Today at CES 2024, Infineon Technologies AG  and Aurora Labs unveiled a new set of AI-based solutions to improve the long-term reliability and safety of critical automotive components, including steering, braking and airbags. The companies have teamed to offer solutions that implement Aurora Labs’ award-winning Line-of-Code Intelligence (LOCI) AI technology on Infineon’s 32-bit TriCore AURIX TC4x family of microcontrollers (MCUs) to enable automotive manufacturers to offer safer, more reliable vehicles and enhance performance over the lifetime of a vehicle.

“For car manufacturers, this new jointly offered solution promises a safer driving experience by using AI-driven automated processes throughout the software lifecycle of a vehicle. The solution supports real-time monitoring and response to software failures at the MCU- and ECU-level according to WP29 requirements. By protecting applications and over the air (OTA) updates, the joint solution helps prevent malicious attacks and hardware safety failure,” said Zohar Fox, CEO and Co-founder of Aurora Labs. “We have partnered with Infineon to ensure an improved driver experience based on predictive safety maintenance using AI capability. Our solution streamlines OEM software development at lines-of-code and hardware peripheral resolution to enable them to develop safer systems in accordance with ASIL-D.”

“As a leader in automotive semiconductors, we are very happy to team up with Aurora Labs to bring a new level of safety to predictive maintenance applications for vehicles,” said Thomas Schneid, Senior Director Software, Partner and Ecosystem Management of Infineon. “With the combination of Infineon’s proven AURIX MCUs, along with Aurora Labs’ software to prevent silent data corruption and software misbehavior in chipsets, our new solution gives car manufacturers and drivers an extended level of safety confidence for critical automotive applications such as steering, braking and airbags.”

The new solution leverages Infineon’s proven AURIX TC4x family of MCUs with real-time safety and security performance. The MCUs are designed for next-generation eMobility, advanced driver assistance (ADAS), automotive E/E architectures and affordable artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Aurora Labs’ AI- and ML-based features are implemented in the AURIX TC4x PPU (Parallel Processing Unit), a purpose-built AI accelerator, and do not share any resources with the OEM applications running on the CPU.

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The aerospace and military sector in the United States contributes significantly to the country’s economy. US-based aerospace and defence companies create and produce goods utilised by the military, as well as commercial aircraft, government organisations, space exploration and research projects, and several other industries. They create aeroplanes, missiles, space vehicles, satellites, communication systems, engines, and other technological and engineering marvels. Carbon fibres, composite materials, titanium alloys, and specialised coatings are also developed and manufactured by the sector. Manufacturers in the industry supply necessary services like aircraft maintenance and repair, avionics systems, and other equipment. The sector also manufactures spare components for existing aircraft, which are required to keep current fleets running. Furthermore, the sector provides sophisticated training and educational services to assist students in entering the profession. They play critical roles in the development and deployment of innovative technologies for defence and homeland security applications. These corporations frequently collaborate with the US government and its agencies to keep the country secure from possible threats or assaults.

1. RTX Corp

Based in the US, Raytheon Technologies is a company specialising in the design, development, and integration of cutting-edge technological systems, goods, and services for the aerospace and military industries. Raytheon Company and United Technologies Corporation combined in 2020 to become it. The company is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, and has offices all around the world. Its goods and services include aerospace systems, air traffic management, cybersecurity solutions, electronic warfare, intelligence systems, and missile defence. Their portfolio includes advanced radar systems, accurate guiding and navigation systems, communications networks, innovative materials and coatings, and a host of other items and services.

2. The Boeing Corp

As the largest aerospace corporation in the world, Boeing produces commercial jetliners, commercial aircraft, defence, space, and security technologies, as well as aftermarket support services. The corporation supplies airlines and government clients in the United States and its allies in over 150 countries, and it is the largest manufacturing exporter in America. A wide range of electronic and defence systems, weaponry, launch systems, sophisticated information and communication systems, commercial and military aeroplanes, satellites, performance-based logistics, and training are among the customised services and products offered by Boeing. 

3. General Dynamic Corp

Leading aerospace and defence corporation General Dynamics offers a wide range of commercial and military equipment in addition to land and sea systems, mission systems, and commercial and military aircraft. Business aviation, combat vehicles, surface ships, submarines, armaments and munitions, information technology, intelligence and security, and space systems are among the specialisations of General Dynamics’ divisions.

4. Northrop Grumman Corp

One of the top suppliers of systems, services, and solutions for space, military, and security applications is Northrop Grumman. They are also working on developing hypersonic weaponry, cyber-security solutions, and sophisticated air and missile defence systems. Northrop Grumman was established in 1939 and is a company that specialises in the engineering, development, production, and integration of cutting-edge technological systems, goods, and services. Manned and unmanned aircraft, cybersecurity, missile defence, ground systems, intelligence, surveillance, command and control, space components, and other defence-related services are all part of Northrop Grumman’s portfolio.

5. Airbus

A European collaboration called Airbus Industrie was established in 1970 to meet the need for high-capacity, short- to medium-range jetliners. As one of the top two producers of commercial aircraft in the world today, it regularly dominates the jetliner industry in terms of orders, deliveries, and yearly income. The company’s main line of work is designing and building commercial aeroplanes. Additionally, the corporation includes distinct departments for helicopters, military, and space as well as commerce. In 2019, Airbus ranked first in the world for both helicopter production and aircraft production.

6. Lockheed Martin Corp

With a focus on producing military aircraft, satellites, and other defence technologies, Lockheed Martin is yet another significant participant in the US aerospace and defence sector. The F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-35 Lightning II, C-5 Galaxy, and Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles are some of the company’s well-known products. Furthermore, they are engaged in the advancement of many defence technologies, such as radar, sonar, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems.

7. GE Aviation

The origins of GE Aviation date back to 1917, more than a century ago. The federal government issued the business with a challenge to develop a turbosupercharger for piston-driven aircraft engines, which it accepted that year. Throughout World War II, GE was making turbosuperchargers for aeroplane engines. The business is credited for creating the first jet engine and the first high bypass turbofan jet engine in history, both of which are now commonplace in both military and commercial aircraft.

8. Textron

Textron Inc. is a global player in the aerospace, defence, industrial, and financial sectors. Textron Aviation, Bell, Textron Systems, Textron eAviation, and Finance are its operating segments. Business jets, turboprop and piston engine aircraft, military trainers, and defence aircraft are all produced, sold, and serviced by the Textron Aviation division. It also provides maintenance, inspection, and repair services in addition to selling commercial components. Its Bell division provides tiltrotor aircraft, military and commercial helicopters, and associated services and replacement parts. Textron Systems provides real military air-to-air and air-to-ship training, electronic systems and solutions, sophisticated marine crafts, piston aircraft engines, unmanned aircraft systems, armaments and related components, and armoured and specialist vehicles. The company’s headquarters are in Providence, Rhode Island, where it was established in 1923.

9. Honeywell International Inc.

Honeywell has a big, broad product range, even though most people may only be familiar with the brand from space heaters, home air purifiers and thermostats for HVAC systems. Since its establishment in 1906, the corporation has undergone constant change. Aerospace, safety and productivity solutions, performance materials, and other related fields are the areas of expertise for the American multinational corporation Honeywell International. The firm wants to facilitate more fuel efficiency, improved operations, safer, on-time flights, and ultimately happier travellers.

10. L3Harris Technologies

The firm, which was founded in 2019, unites eighteen heritage businesses that all share a dedication to innovation and quality. They provide a broad range of services and products, such as navigation and timing, night vision imaging, communications systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and space exploration, that are intended to give clients creative answers to their intricate problems.

 

All things considered, the USA’s aerospace and defence sector remains a crucial component of the country’s economy. It provides billions of dollars to the country’s GDP, thousands of well-paying employment, and significantly to national security. It is obvious that in 2023, the industry will remain more significant to the US economy and security. The sector stands to gain from the growing need for aircraft that are safer and more efficient, as well as from its capacity to create cutting-edge defence systems for military applications. Artificial intelligence, big data analytics, 5G connectivity, and autonomous systems will transform the A&D sector. In general, it is anticipated that the US A&D sector will continue to play a significant role in the country’s economy and job market in 2023.

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Launched during CES 2024, the new OP03050 LCOS panel displays high-resolution content for a truly immersive experience for consumer and B2B applications

OMNIVISION, a leading global developer of semiconductor solutions, including advanced digital imaging, analog, and touch & display technology, today announced the new OP03050, a low-power, small form factor liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel that integrates the LCOS array, driving circuit, framebuffer and interface in a single chip. The OP03050 provides a high-resolution, immersive experience for real-time video conferencing and streaming when used in augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR) and mixed reality (MR) glasses and head-mounted displays.

“Smart eyewear is the next mobile phone accessory consumers want, especially as they become more fashionable, smaller and lightweight,” said Devang Patel, marketing director for the IoT and emerging segment, OMNIVISION. “The high pixel pitch of the OP03050 results in better image quality and a more immersive viewing experience for the user. In fact, while the consumer market is a driving force behind the growing demand for smart glasses, the more immersive experience makes them useful for B2B applications as well, such as in the medical, engineering and aerospace fields.”

The OP03050 LCOS panel has a 3.0-micron pixel pitch; it features 1560×1200 display resolution at 120 Hz with low-latency. It comes in a 0.23-inch optical format in a small FPCA package and supports a 4-channel MIPI-DSI interface. Samples are available now, and the OP03050 will be in mass production in 2H 2024. For more information, contact your OMNIVISION sales representative: www.ovt.com/contact-sales.

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Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) technology offers key advantages for a range of automotive applications. Learn how it works, how it compares to alternative approaches, and the types of GMR sensor solutions available.

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Epiwafer and substrate maker IQE plc of Cardiff, Wales, UK says that its North Carolina site has been qualified by US-based Raytheon, a business of aerospace & defense company RTX, for the manufacture of epitaxial wafers for use in advanced infrared sensing and imaging...

Riber S.A. of Bezons, France – which makes molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) systems as well as evaporation sources – says that, at the end of December, Innolume GmbH of Dortmund, Germany ordered a new MBE 49 production system (for delivery in 2024) to boost its production capacity for gallium arsenide (GaAs)-based quantum dot (QD) lasers and to support the expansion of its markets, in particular the cloud networking market...

At CES, AMD makes the case that next-generation cars could be a lot smarter by leveraging the company’s new embedded processor and adaptive SoCs.

While refurbishing an ageing audio mixer, I decided that the level meters needed special attention. Their rather horrible 100 µA edgewise movements had VU-type scales, the drive electronics being just a diode (germanium?) and a resistor. Something more like a PPM, with a logarithmic (or linear-in-dBs) scale and better dynamics, was needed. This is a good summary of the history and specifications of both PPMs and VU meters.

Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide

It occurred to me that since both peak detection and log conversion imply the use of diodes, it might be possible to combine those functions, at least partially.

Log conversion normally uses either a transistor in a feedback loop round an op-amp or a complex ladder using resistors and semiconductors. The first approach requires a special PTC resistor for temperature compensation and is very slow with low input levels; the second usually has a plethora of trimpots and is un-compensated. This new approach, sketched in Figure 1, shows the first pass at the idea, and avoids those disadvantages.

Figure 1 This basic peak log detector shows the principals involved and helps to highlight the problems. (Assume split, non-critical supply rails.)

As with all virtual-earth circuits, the input resistor feeds current into the summing point—the op-amp’s inverting input—which is balanced by current driven through the diodes by the op-amp’s output. Because the forward voltage across a diode (VF) is proportional to the logarithm of the current flowing through it (as described here), the op-amp’s output voltage now represents the log of the input signal. Positive input half-cycles cause it to clamp low at VF, which we ignore, as this is a half-wave design; for negative ones, it swings high by 2VF.

Driving that 2VF through another diode into the capacitor charges the latter to VF, losing a diode-drops’-worth in the process. (No, the VFs don’t match exactly, except momentarily, but no matter.) The meter now shows the log of negative-input half-cycle peaks, the needle falling back as the capacitor discharges through the meter.

As it stands, it works, with a very reasonable span of around 50 dB. Now for the problems:

1. The integration, or attack time, is slow at ~70 ms to within 2 dB of the final reading.
2. The return or decay time is rather fast, about a second for the full scale, and is exponential rather than linear.
3. It’s too temperature-sensitive, the indication changing by ~5 dB over a 20°C range.

While this isn’t bad for a basic, log-scaled VU-ish meter, something snappier would be good: time for the second pass.

Figure 2 This upgraded circuit has a faster response and much better temperature stability.

A1 buffers the input signal to avoid any significant load of the source. C1 and R1 roll off bass components (-3 dB at ~159 Hz) to avoid spurii from rumbling vinyl and woodling cassette tapes. Drive into A2 is now via thermistor Th1 (a common 10k part, with a ꞵ-value of 3977), which largely compensates for thermal effects. C2 blocks any offset from A1, if used. (Omit the buffer stage if you choose, but the input impedance and LF breakpoint will then vary with temperature, so then choose C2 with care.) Three diodes in the forward chain give a higher output and a greater span. A2 now feeds transistor Tr1, which subtracts its own VBE from the diodes’ signal while emitter-following that into C2, thus decreasing the attack time. R2 can now be higher, increasing the decay time. Figure 3 shows a composite plot of the actual electronic response times; the meter’s dynamics will affect what the user sees.

Figure 3 This shows the dynamic responses to a tone-burst, with an attack time of around 12 ms to within 2 dB of the final value, and the subsequent decay.  (The top trace is the ~5.2 kHz input, aliased by the ’scope.)

The attack time is now in line with the professional spec, and largely independent of the input level. While the decay time is OK in practice, it is exponential rather than linear. 

The response to varying input levels is shown in Figure 4. I chose to use a full-scale reading of +10 dBu, the normal operating level being around -10 dBu with clipping starting at ~+16 dBu. For lower maximum readings, use a higher value for Th1 or just decrease R2, though the decay time will then be faster unless you also increase C3, impacting the attack time.

Figure 4 The simulated and actual response curves are combined here, showing good conformance to a log law with adequate temperature stability.

The simulation used a negative-going ramp (coupling capacitors “shorted”) while the live curve was for sine waves, with Th1 replaced by a 1% 10k resistor and R2 adjusted to give 100 µA drive for +10 dBu (6.6 Vpk-pk) input. I used LTspice here to verify the diodes’ performance and to experiment with the temperature compensation. (Whenever I see a diode other than a simple rectifier, I am tempted to reach for a thermistor. This is a good primer on implementing them in SPICE, with links to models that are easily tweakable. “Other compensation techniques are available.”) The meter coil has its own tempco of +3930 ppm/°C, which is also simulated here though it makes little practical difference. Just as well: might be tricky to keep it isothermal with the other temperature-sensitive stuff.

Simple though this circuit is, it works well and looks good in operation. (A variant has also proved useful in a fibre-optic power meter.) The original meters, rebuilt as in Figure 2, have been giving good service for a while now, so this is a plug-in breadboard rehash using a spare, similar, meter movement, with extra ’scoping and simulation. It’s possible to take this basic idea further, with still-faster attack, linear decay, adjustable span, better temperature compensation, and even full-wave detection—but that’s another story, and another DI.

—Nick Cornford built his first crystal set at 10, and since then has designed professional audio equipment, many datacomm products, and technical security kit. He has at last retired. Mostly. Sort of.

 Related Content

• Audio levels, dBu, dBV, and the gang: What you need to know
• Signal Chain Basics #73: Audio metering, enjoying the VU
• Volume-unit meter spans 60-dB dynamic range
• Squashed triangles: sines, but with teeth?
• Laser simulator helps avoid destroyed diodes
• Multi-decade current monitor the epitome of simplicity

The post Simple log-scale audio meter appeared first on EDN.

A research team led by associate professor Jianbo Liang and professor Naoteru Shigekawa of the Graduate School of Engineering at Japan’s Osaka Metropolitan University has fabricated gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) using diamond as a substrate (‘High Thermal Stability and Low Thermal Resistance of Large Area GaN/3C-SiC/Diamond Junctions for Practical Device Processes’, published in ‘Small’ DOI: 10.1002/smll.202305574). ..

Gallium nitride (GaN) power IC and silicon carbide (SiC) technology firm Navitas Semiconductor Corp of Torrance, CA, USA is participating in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2024) in Las Vegas (9-12 January), with meetings at Tech West/Venetian, #29-335...

In a strategic move to fortify its position in the electronics manufacturing sector, the government of Tamil Nadu is set to unveil the Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Policy at the upcoming third edition of the Global Investors Meet, taking place from January 7 to January 8. This announcement follows similar initiatives in Odisha and Gujarat, signalling a concerted effort to propel the state’s electronics manufacturing value chain.

M K Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, will officially launch the policy, which is meticulously designed to attract investments from companies specializing in sophisticated electronics design and cutting-edge manufacturing. The government has pledged to provide incentives and subsidies based on a predetermined percentage to entice prospective investors.

The Global Investors Meet, a prestigious event drawing attention from top economists and industry leaders, will be graced by luminaries such as Raghuram Rajan, former governor of the RBI; Arvind Subramanian, former Chief Economic Advisor; celebrated author Chris Miller; business tycoon Anand Mahindra; Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar; and Jeff Magioncalda, CEO of Coursera, among others.

Industry experts assert that this policy is a critical necessity as Tamil Nadu aspires to enhance the entire value chain within the sector. The focus extends from generating crucial jobs in component manufacturing to semiconductor design and electronics manufacturing services (EMS).

Speaking exclusively to the media, an unnamed senior government official emphasized Tamil Nadu’s advantageous position in attracting semiconductor investments, citing the presence of global giants like KLA and Qualcomm. The forthcoming policy is anticipated to reinforce the state’s commitment to achieving excellence in electronics manufacturing while extending lucrative subsidies and incentives to firms choosing to invest in Tamil Nadu.

The official also highlighted the dichotomy in job offerings within the sector, stating that while EMS provides a larger number of jobs, the pay scale is comparatively lower. On the contrary, electronics design offers high-paying jobs for highly skilled individuals. Over the past years, Tamil Nadu has successfully courted major players, including Apple’s contract manufacturers Pegatron and Foxconn, Tata Electronics from India, and Taiwan’s Delta Electronics, solidifying its position as the preferred destination for global electronics investments.

As the government positions Tamil Nadu at the forefront of electronics manufacturing, the Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Policy is poised to play a pivotal role in attracting top-tier talent and global investments, setting the stage for a transformative period in the state’s industrial landscape.

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