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Tuesday 28 July 2026
AI powers electronics growth from Edge AI to smart mobility
?From November 10 to 13, 2026, the international electronics industry will gather at electronica. This year, the world's leading trade fair for electronics will focus, among other topics, on Artificial Intelligence. From Edge AI to AIoT and machine learning—in Munich, a spirit of innovation, key technologies, and industry expertise will come together in one place to showcase, discuss, and further develop the technologies of tomorrow.?Today, Artificial Intelligence (AI) ranges from Edge and Cloud AI to AI-powered quality control in manufacturing and robotics to smart mobility. AI has long become a strategic competitive factor, helping companies make their processes faster, more precise, and more cost-effective. At the same time, however, the demands on data quality, IT security, and integration into processes and products are increasing. The electronics industry is systematically driving the transformation through AI and strengthening its international competitiveness as a result. "This transformation is visible at electronica, which brings together top decision-makers and developers from around the world, and showcases the entire electronics value chain," explains Caroline Pannier, Exhibition Director of electronica.?Semiconductor industry benefits from AI boom?Recent studies confirm the trend that AI is emerging as the key driver of growth and innovation in the industry. The Capgemini study The Semiconductor Industry in the AI Era, for example, shows that the widespread adoption of AI and generative AI is driving up demand for semiconductors. At the same time, downstream industries expect chip demand to rise by 29 percent by the end of 2026. A study by McKinsey also shows that semiconductor segments that produced components for AI applications grew by 21 percent annually from 2019 to 2023, while the industry as a whole achieved growth of just 6 percent.?Edge AI and AIoT are becoming key factors in the electronics industry?The trending topics of Edge AI and AIoT, in other words, the use of Artificial Intelligence directly on devices and in connected systems, are currently particularly relevant for the electronics industry. Both approaches enable data to be processed in real time where it is generated, such as in sensors, controllers, or embedded systems. That reduces latency, takes the load off the cloud, and improves data privacy, energy efficiency, and reliability.?At the same time, AI and robotics are becoming increasingly important in industrial automation, above all in the field of AI-based quality control. Automatic detection of the smallest deviations and defects on components, printed circuit boards, or in production processes helps reduce scrap, speeds up inspection processes, and ensures more stable operation of production lines. Another focus is on AI on microcontrollers: Advances in TinyML and optimized embedded AI models make it possible to provide intelligent AI functions even on hardware with limited resources.?Bringing hardware and software closer together through AI?At electronica 2026, Infineon, STMicroelectronics, and NXP Semiconductors rank among the particularly relevant exhibitors in the AI sector. Infineon is primarily driving the development of Edge AI and IoT solutions for smart, energy-efficient devices. STMicroelectronics combines embedded processing, Edge AI, and mobility-related applications. NXP Semiconductors demonstrates how solutions for automotive, industrial & IoT, and communications infrastructure can be integrated into embedded systems, microcontrollers, and microprocessors. In the automotive sector in particular, the focus is shifting toward the AI-Defined Vehicle (AIDV): a vehicle in which AI not only optimizes individual functions but also increasingly shapes perception, assistance, interaction, and driving behavior. Together, these companies demonstrate that AI is increasingly being integrated directly into sensors, embedded systems, and industrial applications.?This semiconductor environment is complemented by traditional embedded systems providers such as Advantech and Kontron, which are driving the practical application of AI. Advantech explicitly describes its portfolio as the foundation for AIoT solutions—from sensor nodes to embedded PCs, gateways, and IoT cloud platforms. With its expanded portfolio of IoT, and industrial control and communication solutions, Kontron covers the entire spectrum from modules to complete systems, including software. Both companies are thus creating infrastructural conditions needed to operate AI-based solutions in industrial environments in a reliable, connected, and scalable manner.?A platform that brings together embedded computing, edge technologies, and IoT—as well as developers, decision-makers, and system architects—is edge lab LIVE, which is making its debut at electronica this year. It combines the latest embedded technologies with practical applications and allows visitors to interactively experience edge environments.?Knowledge transfer and networking?At electronica 2026, about 3,500 exhibitors from around 60 countries will showcase their cutting-edge applications and solutions that are paving the way to the All Electric Society. Visitors can learn firsthand about all aspects of Edge AI, AIoT, and related topics across 18 halls at the Munich Trade Fair Center. In addition, a top-class supporting program, featuring an Executive Event with CEO roundtable, expert lectures, or networking events, will contribute to knowledge transfer. The numerous forums, such as the IIoT Forum and the Circular Economy Forum, will also encourage open discussion. SEMICON Europe, taking place in parallel across two and a half halls, will offer insights into the entire semiconductor industry value chain. 
Friday 24 July 2026
Corning Scores Key ITC Win in Display Glass IP Defense Against Irico
Corning's long-running intellectual property (IP) dispute with China-based IRICO has entered a new phase after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issued what Corning views as a fair and critical Initial Determination in the company's trade secret case.The ruling marks a critical legal moment in Corning's broader effort to defend its display glass compositions and fusion manufacturing technology against IRICO's unauthorized use of Corning's patented technology, the misappropriation of trade secrets, like engineering drawings, and the deployment of Corning's proprietary technology across its manufacturing lines.For Corning, the dispute is not merely a matter of one product line or one regional market. It is a direct defense of research, process expertise, and IP that underpin its position in high-precision display glass. "This latest decision from the International Trade Commission is clearly affirms our unwavering commitment to innovation," said Brendan Mosher, International Vice President and General Manager, Corning Display Technologies."We believe strong intellectual property protection, fair competition, and trusted partnerships are fundamental to a healthy innovation ecosystem. As a 175-year-old company, Corning is continuously advancing and protecting innovation so our customers across Asia can collaborate with confidence and compete successfully in global markets."April Wins Set the StageThe July 24 outcome follows two important legal wins for Corning in April. On April 7, an Administrative Law Judge at the ITC issued an Initial Determination in a separate glass-composition patent case, finding that IRICO infringed both asserted Corning patents and that the patents are valid.The determination also recommended a Limited Exclusion Order against IRICO, including certification requirements and a prohibition on importing IRICO-manufactured LCD glass substrates that fall within Corning's proprietary composition space, as well as products, such as LCD TVs and monitors, containing such glass.Corning stated that it sought the ruling to protect its proprietary display glass substrates and technology and enforce its intellectual property against infringing products imported into the United States.Corning secured another favorable result in Europe. On April 16, a judge at the Unified Patent Court in Germany ruled in a composition patent case that IRICO infringed Corning's patent and further confirmed the patent's validity. The ruling allows Corning to seek damages and enforcement of an order that could block televisions using IRICO's infringing glass from entering Germany.Together, the April rulings gave Corning added legal momentum ahead of the July 24 trade secret determination and reinforced its stated position that its display glass IP portfolio remains valid, enforceable, and strategically important.Trade Secrets Case Expands the StakesThe trade secret case carries broader significance because it goes beyond a single glass composition. According to Corning, the company had expected a favorable result based on what it described as clear evidence that IRICO stole engineering drawings and improperly used Corning's proprietary technology across its manufacturing footprint.Corning also stated that the trade secret case is important because it could restrict imports of all IRICO glass compositions manufactured using Corning technology, including the 616 composition that closely mirrors Irico's 615 composition found to violate Corning's patents.With the latest ITC ruling now in place, the dispute moves from a composition-patent fight toward a broader question of manufacturing know-how.In advanced materials, this distinction matters. The value of a technology platform is rarely limited to a formula or a finished product; it is embedded in process control, equipment engineering, production discipline, and accumulated know-how developed over decades.A favorable trade secret determination therefore strengthens Corning's ability to argue that the dispute concerns the core of display glass manufacturing, not merely the outer boundary of one patent claim.IP Protection as an Industrial DisciplineCorning's robust legal defense reflects a broader IP philosophy. The company states that invention and innovation have been central to its success for 175 years, and that its leadership in the LCD industry is built on investment, innovation, collaboration, and trusted customer relationships.It also emphasizes that IP protection is not only about safeguarding invention; it is about defending the long-term R&D investment that enables industry-changing products, sustainable customer success, and technologies that enhance people's lives.With a global patent portfolio spanning more than 30 countries and decades of experience and investment in technology commercialization and compliance, Corning frames IP protection as a foundation for trusted innovation in high-standard global markets.This is also where Corning draws a hard line. Its IP philosophy states that when the company finds unauthorized use or misappropriation of its technology, it will take action and will not tolerate situations where its IP is compromised or infringed.And Corning's message to the industry is direct: advanced materials innovation depends on intellectual property protection and fair competition.From Fusion Process to Industry-Wide ImpactThe dispute ultimately points back to the technology at the center of Corning's display glass leadership: the fusion process. Developed more than 60 years ago, the process was created to solve one of the most difficult challenges in precision glassmaking — how to produce large, thin, exceptionally flat glass sheets at industrial scale without compromising surface quality.Unlike conventional glass-forming approaches that may require contact with forming surfaces or extensive post-processing, Corning's fusion process allows molten glass to flow over both sides of a forming structure, meet at the bottom, fuse in midair, and be drawn into a pristine sheet. Because the exterior surfaces remain untouched during formation, the process can deliver the surface quality, dimensional stability, and thickness control required for advanced display manufacturing.Over decades, this manufacturing platform became a key enabler of the flat-panel display industry. Fusion-formed glass helped support the transition from bulky cathode-ray tube (CRT) displays to thin, flat, high-resolution screens, while giving panel makers the precision substrate needed for increasingly complex LCD and TFT processes.Its impact was not limited to material performance. By enabling larger substrates, higher productivity, and more advanced panel architecture, the fusion process also helped change the economics of display manufacturing.For Corning, defending the IP behind fusion-based display glass is therefore not a peripheral legal exercise. It is a direct defense of the technological foundation that helped reshape the global display industry.
Friday 24 July 2026
TEEMA unveils three-part plan for Mexico technology park to help small exporters expand
Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (TEEMA) on July 21 held an investment briefing in Taiwan on its Mexico science park plan, bringing together representatives from Mexico and Sonora state as it advanced a project aimed at helping Taiwanese small- and medium-sized enterprises expand overseas. The initiative was highlighted as part of a broader push to give smaller suppliers a more direct path into foreign markets.TEEMA said the overseas science park concept took shape two to three years ago after executives identified a gap between the support available to large manufacturers and the barriers faced by smaller firms abroad. The association said local governments overseas also have limited resources when courting investment, since officials must approach companies one by one and can only match with a limited number of firms.As a result, TEEMA wants to act as an intermediary platform that connects small businesses with resources while also easing the workload for host governments. The association said Mexico responded faster than other countries and showed the strongest support, making it the first location selected for the overseas science park plan.TEEMA outlined three priorities for the park: giving large, medium and small tenants similar treatment; creating a single service window so companies can handle permits and local government coordination more easily; and building Taiwan-style living services, including familiar food and daily amenities, to reduce adjustment costs for staff posted overseas. The association said the park is designed to bring together large companies, small firms, governments, financial institutions, and overseas partners into an industrial cluster that can lower barriers to overseas investment.The association also said the effort comes as global industry is being reshaped by geopolitics, tariffs, supply chain restructuring, and the rapid rise of AI. TEEMA said competition is increasingly determined by the integration of supply chains, manufacturing, energy, logistics, talent, and services, and that Taiwanese companies need to expand overseas together rather than operate alone to preserve global competitiveness.