Taiwan Integrated Biomedical Industrial Center (TIBIC), a cross-discipline smart experiment field for medical care, has started operation, according to Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA)As a platform for dialogue between the medical care sector and various high-tech industries, TIBIC in the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park, allows new medical products to be trialed and tested, MOEA said.TIBIC can help developers of medical devices and materials obtain feedbacks from doctors, and integrate resources. The developers do not need to set up complete experiment fields on their own, MOEA indicated.TIBIC consists of three labs: human-machine interaction allowing doctors to give real-time feedback from using medical devices and materials; smart surgical robots for operation planning; and simulation of CT (computed tomography). There are four simulating clinical fields: general wards, surgical operation rooms, an intensive care unit and a CT room.CT lab at TIBICSmart surgical robot at TIBICPhotos: MOEA

Toshiba has maintained that it has not reached any "definitive decisions" to sell its two wafer fabs. But even if any of the pure-play foundries manage to buy Toshiba's fabs, the supply of 8-inch wafer fab capacity will remain short of demand. Global IC foundry output value is expected to go up by more than 20% in 2020 and ris further in 2021, accordig to Digitimes Research. In the IC design sector, Taiwan-based service and IP providers have seen many Chinese clients come knocking on their doors seeking support for development of CPUs in bids to unshackle themselves from reliance on US supply.Addition of Toshiba fabs unlikely to relieve 8-inch fab capacity shortage: Toshiba is reportedly seeking to sell its 8-inch fabs in the first quarter of 2021, but the global 8-inch foundry capacity shortages will still hardly be relieved even if the Japanese IDM's fabs are sold to pure-play foundry houses that look to increase their supply to clients, according to industry sources.Global IC foundry output value to rise over 20% in 2020: Output value for the global IC foundry industry is forecast to surge more than 20% in 2020, and will register another on-year growth but at a slower pace in 2021, according to Digitimes Research.China stepping up homegrown processor development: Taiwan-based IC design service and silicon IP providers continue to see strong demand particularly for high-margin CPUs from China, according to industry sources.

InnoCare Optoelectronics has disclosed its X-ray flat-panel detector has been integrated with expertise from College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, for medical care of pets.Spun off from LCD panel maker Innolux in 2019, InnoCare specializes in developing medical display panels focusing on X-ray imaging.The hardware/software integration of Mix V14C with the college's expertise in veterinary medicine can enable veterinarians to decide on optimal medical care plans for pets via diagnoses based on X-ray images, InnoCare said. InnoCare has improved processing of X-ray images and optimized operating procedures of interface for Mix V14C, the company noted.Mix V14C has obtained certification by US FDA, CE Marking and Taiwan's FDA and has been promoted for use in human and veterinary medicine, InnoCare indicated.The total number of pet dogs and cats in Taiwan will exceed the population aged below 15 years by year-end 2020, bringing an annual market value of over NT$21.7 billion (US$748 million) for pet medical care, InnoCare cited market forecast as indicating.

TSMC has held a ceremony marking the completion of the plant structure for its 3nm fab at the Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP). The foundry house is expected to kick off commerical production at the 3nm fab in 2022. In the semiconductor backend sector, quotes for processing memory applications have gone up to reflect rising material costs. For Taiwanese researchers, they will have free access to Arm IPs, thanks to an agreement signed between the vendor and the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI).TSMC 3nm fab nears completion: TSMC has held a topping-out ceremony for a new 3nm fab at its manufacturing base at the Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP), paving the way for the new facility to kick off commercial production in the second half of 2022.Memory backend houses raise quotes on rising gold costs: Taiwan-based memory backend houses have raised their quotes for wire bonding to reflect rising raw materials costs, according to industry sources.Arm offers Taiwan research institute free access to IP: The Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI) has signed an agreement with Arm, allowing related Taiwanese academic and research bodies to enjoy free access to the latter's processor IPs for research purposes.

Breaktime, a startup operating an AI-based online publishing platform that integrates content for readers, will tap markets in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia in 2021, according to company chairman Eric Yeh.The platform focuses on content of words or texts currently and will extend to video and podcast, Yeh said.The platform uses technological tools to analyze reader behavior and perference for content creators, Yeh noted.By virtue of big data analysis and AI algorithms, the platform integrates various content for efficient publishing to hike browsing rates and matches content with appropriate advertising to bring in revenues, Yeh indicated.Breaktime is a subsidiary of Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai). Earlier in 2020, Breaktime became a Google Certified Publishing Partner.Breaktime chairman Eric YehPhoto: Ninelu Tu, Digitimes, November 2020

Tight capacity has already sent pure-play foundries raising quotes for the 8-inch segment by 10-15% in fourth-quarter 2020, and further rises are expected in 2021. Demand for 8-inch and smaller silicon wafers is also rebounding. Prices are also sharply rising for ABF substrates after a fire disrupted productiin at a major supplier, and now delivery time for ABF substrates could extend to as long as three quarters. Eight-inch foundry quotes to rise up to 40% in 2021: Pure-play foundries including Globalfoundries, United Microelectronics (UMC) and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) have raised their 8-inch foundry quotes by 10-15% in the fourth quarter, with the quotes set to rise by another 20-40% in 2021, according to industry sources.Demand for 8-inch and smaller silicon wafers rebounds: Semiconductor-grade silicon wafer makers, mainly GlobalWafers, Formosa Sumco Technology (FST) and Wafer Works, have seen demand for 8-inch and smaller models sharply rebound since mid-November 2020, according to industry sources.Tight ABF substrate supply pushing up prices, lead times: Tight ABF substrate supply has not only pushed up prices by 30-40% but also prolonged delivery lead time to a maximum of three quarters, according to industry sources.

Smart deliveries of components and materials to production lines will facilitate the entire manufacturing process and is therefore the first step to running smart factories, according to Kirin Chen, general manager for logistics equipment maker Axis-Group.If deliveries are not well organized, workers may have to spend much time waiting for the arrival of components and materials, leaving machines idle, and significantly reducing production efficiency, Chen said.There is large room for improving component/material delivery, Chen noted. For example, AGVs (automated guided vehicles) are adopted to replace manual delivery of components/materials and AGVs can be further combined with IoT technology to track the delivery progress, Chen indicated.When land availability is limited, it is usual for factories consist of two or more floors, Chen said. This will pose challenges to smart component/material delivery, as manufacturing processes are disrupted when components/materials have to be vertically transported between different floors, Chen indicated.

Supply has barely been able to ctach up with demand in the semiconductor manufacturing sector, sending prices up to reflect tight capacity at foundry and backend houses. ASE Technology reportedly has decided to raise backend services quotes by 5-10% in first-quarter 2021. Leadframe makers have seen a strong recover in demand from the 5G and automotive sectors, with clear order visibility extending to second-quarter 2021. Demand for 5G phones is also picking up momentum, and to boost shipments for entry-level 5G phones some handset brands are mulling using plastic back covers to cut costs for their devices. ASE Technology to raise backend service quotes by 5-10% in 1Q21: Taiwan's top OSAT firm ASE Technology will hike backend service quotes by 5-10% starting first-quarter 2021 to reflect increased cost and tight capacity supply for some products, according to industry sources.Leadframe orders visibility till 2Q21 on strong auto, 5G applications: Taiwan's leadframe makers including Jih Lin Technology and SDI have seen clear order visibility through the second quarter of 2021 due to a significant recovery in demand for discrete power modules for automotive and 5G base station applications, according to industry sources.Plastic handset cases may stage a comeback on entry-level 5G phones: Some handset brands are mulling using plastic back covers for their 5G-enabled entry-level phones to boost shipments, according to industry sources.

HTC has signed an MoU with National Dong Hwa University in eastern Taiwan for setting up a VR talent cultivation center.HTC will provide expertise in commercial application of VR, and the university's Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering will be responsible for operating the center.The center's first project will be appliying VR to sight-seeing, arts, culture and education, with such VR content to be developed by students under professors' guidance, according to department chairman Chiang Cheng-chin.Along with fast growing use of 5G, demand for VR, AR, MR and XR will increase sharply, said HTC Taiwan president Darren Chen, adding HTC will enhance cooperation with the university by establishing a certification center for education and training regarding HTC Vive there.

For Chinese fabless IC vendors, tight foundry supply has been compounded by the fact that China-based SMIC has been blacklisted by the US. More Chinese IC vendors are now seeking support from Samsung for 14nm and above manufacturing processes. BT substrate supply has also become tight after a recent fire disrupted production at a major suppier, Unimicron. For ASE Technology, underlying the the recent supply-demand imbalance in the semiconductor sector are structural changes, apart from pandemic-driven needs. Samsung sees 14nm chip orders from China surge: Samsung Electronics has seen orders demanding 14nm and above processes ramp up from its China-based fabless clients recently, according to industry sources.Concerns rising over tight BT substrate supply for handset SoCs: Handset application processor vendors have expressed concerns about the supply of BT substrates that may fall due to the suspension of production at Unimicron Technology's fire-hit plant in northern Taiwan, and are moving to vie for more capacity support from other suppliers for 2021, according to industry sources.Pandemic-triggered structural changes: Q&A with ASE Technology COO Tien Wu: ASE Technology has turned optimistic about the IC backend industry prospects for the first half of 2021 with high capacity utilization to linger in diverse processes despite the coronavirus pandemic, according to company COO Tien Wu.