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Monday 22 January 2024
Cincoze slim embedded computers - demonstrating power of one computer, two purposes
Rugged embedded computing brand – Cincoze continues to deepen its embedded computer range. Two newly launched industrial computers (P2202 Series and P1201), released in 2023, have been widely favored by customers for their thin and light design, especially in mobile devices (AGV/AMR), control cabinets, and other space-constrained applications. Among their striking designs, the One Computer / Two Purposes function has attracted particular attention. They are not only slim embedded computers but, through the patented CDS (Convertible Display System, Patent no. M482908) technology, can also be transformed into panel PCs. They provide performance, screen size, display ratio, and touch options for various application environments, thereby creating diverse and flexible HMI and KIOSK applications.Slim, High-performance Embedded Computers - P2202 SeriesThe P2202 Series includes two models: P2202 and P2202E with PCIe expansion. They are equipped with an Intel Core i3/i5 U-Series (Alder Lake-P) CPU and support up to 64GB of DDR5 4800MHz memory. The slim design (254.5 x 190 x 41.5 mm, Model: P2202) has rich native I/O and can also support 4G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth wireless modules through the built-in Mini PCIe and M.2 Key E slots. The P2202E also has a PCIe x4 slot which supports 75W expansion cards. Moreover, Cincoze's exclusive modular expansion design allows users to add additional functions, such as PoE and IGN. The P2202 Series adheres to Cincoze's consistently high-quality requirements, so in addition to being adaptable to wide temperatures (-40 to 70 degrees Celcius) and voltages (9 to 48VDC), it has also successfully passed a variety of vibration and shock reliability tests, including sinusoidal vibration (1G), random vibration (5G), and shock resistance (50G). At the same time, it has passed industrial environment EMC standards (EN 61000-6-2 and EN 61000-6-4), reflecting the reliability of the P2202 Series.Cincoze P1201Power Efficient, Rugged Embedded Computer - P1201The P1201 has an Intel Atom x6425E (Elkhart Lake) quad-core processor and supports up to 32GB of DDR4 3200MHz memory. The native I/O (1 GbE LAN, USB3.2 Gen2, COM, and DIO) meets most application needs, while the built-in M.2 Key E slot supports a Wi-Fi 6 / Intel CNVi / Bluetooth module, and the Mini PCIe slot supports a GNSS/4G module, achieving complete wireless communication coverage. The P1201 is power-efficient while maintaining the strictest quality requirements. It is adaptable to wide temperatures (-40 to 70 degrees Celcius) and voltages (9 to 48VDC), has passed sinusoidal vibration (1G), random vibration (5G), and shock resistance (50G) tests, and meets the EMC standards for industrial environments (EN 61000-6-2 and EN 61000-6-4) and U.S. UL safety certification. These tests and certifications ensure that the P1201 can operate stably and reliably in various harsh industrial environments.Cincoze all-round panel PCAll-round Panel PC (Industrial, Outdoor, Open Frame)Cincoze's patented CDS technology allows customers to connect the slim embedded computers (P2202 Series and P1201) to a display module that meets the needs of specific applications. The three ranges of display modules form three different ranges of panel PCs, including industrial panel PCs (CV+P Series) with a range of display sizes (8.4" to 24") for general industrial environments, sunlight-readable panel PCs (CS+P) with high brightness (up to 1,800 nits) for outdoor use, and open frame panel PCs (CO+P) with an adjustable mounting bracket (Patent no. D224544, D224545) for easy installation in equipment machines. CDS also has the advantage of plug-and-play, making field-side maintenance and future upgrades easier while ensuring robust support for industrial site operations.
Friday 19 January 2024
What's difference between Matter 1.0, Matter 1.1, and Matter 1.2?
In 2019, Amazon, Apple, Google, and Zigbee Alliance members came together to form Project Connected Home over Internet Protocol (CHIP), a working group building a new standard that enables IP-based communication across smart home devices, mobile apps, and cloud services, and ultimately unites the smart home.In 2021, the Zigbee Alliance rebranded as the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), and Project CHIP rebranded to Matter. These rebrands were necessary as the new Matter mark authenticates devices, ensuring that any object built on this standard is reliable by nature, secure by design, and compatible at scale.Fast forward to today, and Matter is here! Officially released in October 2022, the Alliance and Matter have seen tremendous growth with 600+ members, 750+ Matter-certified devices, and multiple updates to Matter. Before we dive into these updates, let's learn more about what the Matter standard is and why Matter matters.What Exactly is Matter?Matter is an application layer protocol developed specifically to address device interoperability within the smart home, more specifically across different smart home device platforms. That means your Amazon Alexa can work with your Google Home or Apple HomeKit. Beyond interoperability, its other biggest benefits include simplified device setup, significantly better reliability and latency, and improved security through standardization.Matter is designed to support existing protocols, such as Thread, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy, Zigbee, and Z-Wave, allowing flexibility to manufacturers and consumers alike.For developers, Matter simplifies product development while lowering development and operational costs. Since Matter is completely open source, anybody can read and propose changes to source code, resulting in collaboration from the industry, improved quality, and expedited processes. With Matter, device manufacturers only need a single SKU per product instead of separate ones for each ecosystem, thereby reducing costs, shortening development and production time, and simplifying the entire supply chain.With Matter, consumers have the power to choose how they want to control their homes and with what devices – not limited to certain ecosystems. Consumers can have peace of mind when using their devices as privacy and security are central to Matter, with built-in encryption, over the air updates, and standardization to keep data safe. Another benefit for consumers is simplified setup for new IoT devices in their homes. Matter uses a simple and secure onboarding process to connect new devices and is as easy as scanning a QR code to add a new Matter device. Lastly, Matter is compatible with existing devices – non-Matter-certified devices – using Matter bridges so that consumers can continue to use the devices they already have.Matter 1.0: Certification Now Open In 2022, the CSA launched Matter 1.0., eight authorized test labs for product certification, the test tools needed to certify devices, and the open-source reference design software development kit (SDK) to develop Matter devices.Consumers started to see the first ever Matter-certified devices. The Matter 1.0 release supported a variety of common smart home products, such as lighting and electrical, HVAC controls, window coverings and shades, safety and security sensors, door locks, media devices including TVs, controllers as both devices and applications, and bridges.In addition to new devices, Matter 1.0 allowed companies to upgrade existing, already deployed devices, to Matter-certified devices via over the air updates.Matter 1.1: Enhancements for Developers and Devices Six months later in May 2023, Matter 1.1 was released. This update enhanced support for many smart home products in the Intermittently Connected Devices (ICDs) category, as known as "sleepy devices." ICDs are usually battery-powered devices like sensors, door locks, and switches that are connected via wireless networks and need to conserve power for optimal operation and lifespan. While ICDs aren't constantly connected, they "wake up" and connect periodically, drawing power and making energy efficiency vital. Matter 1.1 allows ICDs to sleep for longer periods of time before checking in with parent devices without having to reconnect to the network. Fewer check-ins means power conservation and longer battery life.Matter 1.1 fixed many of the bugs from the initial launch of Matter, especially from the developer side. Given the code is publicly available and relies on open source SDK, it is important that these tools are easy to work with. In this update, the CSA gathered feedback from developers throughout the process to make clarifications on how to make the tools better to work with, helping developers to work with Matter.The CSA also launched a testing center in Portland offering interoperability testing services to alliance members developing Matter products for certification. Silicon Labs also launched its Connectivity Lab, which simulates a modern Smart Home, with a range of IoT devices, applications, ecosystems, and networks. Customers are able to test their Matter prototypes operating within real-world scenarios across a variety of protocols and device brands.Matter 1.2: More Device TypesFast forward another six months, Matter 1.2 introduces new device types and brings other improvements that enhance interoperability and user experience. This release expands device types to washing machines, refrigerators, dishwasher, room air conditioners, robotic vacuums, air quality sensors, air purifiers, smoke/CO alarms, and fans. Matter 1.2 also adds key foundational elements that will enable more device types, such as operational modes, that are important to adding more appliances in the future.This is exciting as many of these devices tend to be Wi-Fi-enabled but often have limited ecosystem support and require proprietary app control. Matter 1.2 allows manufacturers to simplify the user experience – including commissioning – while enabling integration into key smart home ecosystems.Matter 1.2 also includes new features that improve the user experience for commissioning to better identify the product and its description. For example, to help the user verify which device is the one they are interacting with, the color of the device is listed in the Matter controller's user interface, or a light with multiple bulbs can describe the location or position in a controller user interface to indicate which bulb is bound to a smart switch.Final Thought: Matter 1.3 and Beyond Only Gets Bigger Support for Matter will only continue to get bigger. In fact, Amazon has already added Matter to more than 100 million Echo and eero devices. The CSA has already indicated that it hopes to share new Matter updates every six months, so we can continue to expect more Matter device types, specifically cameras and energy management devices to further unify smart home ecosystems, as well as more updates that helps widespread adoption across the smart home.Author: Rob Alexander, Principal Product Manager
Friday 19 January 2024
iCatch Technology introduces MIPI A-PHY automotive SerDes solution based on Valens Semiconductor's connectivity technology at Automotive World Tokyo 2024
iCatch Technology, a leading AI image processing IC design company, announced today a collaboration with Valens Semiconductor, a world leader in high-performance connectivity solutions, on an innovative AI-enhanced multi-channel surround view monitoring system based on Valens Semiconductor's MIPI A-PHY high-speed and long-range sensor connectivity technology. The live demonstration of this system will be featured at Automotive World Tokyo 2024 Booth E42-20 from January 24 to 26.Invitation to Automotive World Tokyo 2024 by iCatch Technology Photo: iCatch TechnologyThe multi-channel surround view monitoring system is designed to transmit four camera streams over extended distances, leveraging the capabilities of Valens Semiconductor's VA7000 chipset family which provides flexibility on a wide range of standardized cables to deliver a high bandwidth, zero latency, and cost-efficient connectivity solution for future automobiles. The four independent video streams are then received by iCatch Technology's CR3 Automotive AI Imaging SoC for image and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) processing to enable Blind Spot Detection (BSD) and Rear Collision Warning (RCW) features.Moreover, iCatch Technology will also unveil a wide range of Smart Cabin solutions at Automotive World Tokyo 2024, covering Euro NCAP compliant Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) and Occupant Monitoring Systems (OMS), along with Camera Monitoring System (CMS). These solutions are designed to revolutionize the automotive industry by enhancing safety, comfort, and the overall driving experience.Weber Hsu, General Manager of iCatch Technology, expressed enthusiasm for the event, stating, "Our collaboration with Valens Semiconductor on the MIPI A-PHY Automotive SerDes Solution signifies a substantial step forward in reshaping the automotive connectivity landscape. Automotive World Tokyo provides us with a great opportunity to showcase the latest innovations in automotive AI imaging. Our recent acquisition of certifications in the ISO26262 FuSa and ISO21434 Cybersecurity design flow, emphasizes our dedication to penetrate the automotive OEM market, whether through existing SoC or Solution SoC."Gideon Kedem, Head of Automotive Business at Valens Semiconductor, said: "The superiority of MIPI A-PHY technology continues to attract interest from around the automotive market. A-PHY is the best way to deliver raw sensor data to centralized ECUs, where iCatch's AI algorithms can turn that data into unparalleled perception for ADAS systems. Because of these synergies between our companies, we are strong believers in our long-standing collaboration with iCatch."iCatch Technology invites all potential customers and business partners to explore our booth, engage with our experts, and experience pioneering innovations that are shaping the future of the automotive industry.For more information about our participation in Automotive World Tokyo 2024, visit us at Booth E42-20 or contact us at [request@icatchtek.com].
Friday 19 January 2024
BIWIN launches CXL 2.0 DRAM to empower cutting-edge computing
CXL, an advanced interconnect technology, facilitates high-bandwidth, low-latency connections between host processors and devices like accelerators and memory buffers. It addresses the "memory wall" challenge, ensuring consistency between CPU/GPU memory and connected device memory, enhancing heterogeneous computing performance. CXL, built upon PCIe interfaces, supports memory expansion beyond DIMM slots, overcoming the latency gap between main memory and SSD storage. It is crucial for AI applications, offering increased memory capacity and bandwidth, and contributing to high-performance computing.Recently, BIWIN successfully launched CXL 2.0 DRAM memory modules. BIWIN's CXL 2.0 DRAM adopts the EDSFF (E3.S) form factor with a memory capacity of up to 96 GB. It also supports a PCIe 5.0 × 8 interface, achieving a theoretical bandwidth of up to 32 GB/s. These modules can be directly connected to backplanes and server motherboards supporting the CXL specification and the E3.S interface, expanding server memory capacity and bandwidth. Additionally, BIWIN can provide CXL AIC adapter cards for server backplanes without E3.S.Features and Advantages:*Equipped with a high-performance memory expansion controller, compliant with CXL 2.0 Type 3 standards, supporting PCIe 5.0 x 8 interface with a theoretical bandwidth of up to 32 GB/s.*Premium DDR5 ICs and capacities of up to 96 GB.*Supports On-Die ECC, Side-Band ECC, SDDC, SECDED.*Allows up to 16 hosts to simultaneously access different sections of memory, and also supports pooling and sharing.*Simultaneously releases an open-source CXL DRAM software toolkit to ensure seamless deployment of CXL extended memory for users. Toolkit features: provides CXL display, implicit API, and allows customers to use it based on different application scenarios; offers application-level CXL NUMA tool usage methods to establish an intuitive understanding at the application level of the benefits of CXL.In terms of latency performance, during actual testing, the BIWIN CXL 2.0 DRAM, mounted on Node 2, exhibits a latency of 247.1 ns for CPU access compared to Node 0. With a bandwidth exceeding 21 GB/s, it demonstrates excellent latency performance, empowering high-speed data processing.Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) continue to drive the growing demand for high-speed data processing. BIWIN CXL 2.0 DRAM combines features such as support for memory capacity and bandwidth expansion, memory pooling and sharing, high bandwidth, low latency, and high reliability, empowering AI high-performance computing. Currently, BIWIN offers functional prototypes of 32 GB to 96 GB CXL 2.0 DRAM for joint evaluation and testing by customers and partners. In the future, BIWIN will remain focused on CXL technology to meet the demands of high-performance computing.AIC Adapter CardFor server backplanes without E3.S, BIWIN provides Adapter-In-Card (AIC) adapter cards, enabling CXL RDIMM memory expansion for servers.BIWIN Launches CXL 2.0 DRAM to Empower Cutting-edge ComputingPremium DDR5 ICs and capacities of up to 96 GBLatency performance, empowering high-speed data processingCXL 2.0 DRAM, achieving a theoretical bandwidth of up to 32 GB/sFor server backplanes without E3.S, BIWIN provides Adapter-In-Card (AIC) adapter cards, enabling CXL RDIMM memory expansion for servers
Thursday 18 January 2024
ECSIPC showcasing smart retail and industrial computing solutions at ISE Barcelona 2024
ECS Industrial Computer Co., Ltd., (ECSIPC) is pleased to announce its participation in ISE 2024 where it will showcase its latest smart retail solutions, IPC motherboards, and two new LIVA mini-PCs that are ready for applications including digital signage, smart vending machines, kiosks, factory automation equipment and AOI.ECSIPC LIVA X3A with Android and 4 Displays for Rich Advertising & ContentDesigned for digital signage and self-service kiosks in the smart retail industry, or in large vehicles fitted with display-board advertising, this unique mini-PC offers up to 4 display outputs that can showcase a variety of rich and vibrant content. The highly flexible solution can display 4 different screens, mirror all screens the same, split one image across 4 displays, or splits of 3-and-1 or 2-and-2, affording maximum flexibility to cover wide areas of retail spaces that can easily plan and push a multitude of content to inform and advertise in attractive, dynamic, high-resolution visuals, all from a single device. The LIVA X3A mini-PC is ready to go right out the box, along with ECSIPC's own content management software to streamline product deployment.Powered by a highly efficient Rockchip octa-core featuring a 4x ARM Cortex-A76 and 4x ARM Cortex-A55 processors in this ARM-based CPU, the highly efficient, fanless design ensures a sustainable solution that accommodates many use-cases. In addition, 8GB of fast LPDDR5 and 64GB of internal storage is preinstalled, while dual GbE, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 provide a variety of internet connectivity built-in, which can be further expanded with optional PoE and 4G LTE to meet specific deployment requirements.ECSIPC LIVA P500 H610 Barebone System for Factory Automation and AOIFeaturing powerful Intel 12/13th Generation Core Processors up to Core i9 (up to 65W TDP), this high performance mini-PC enables efficient and reliable factory automation, AOI and transportation management (for example: rail/tram).The LIVA P500 supports large memory and storage capacity options, plus dual Ethernet networking and a 16X PCI-Express expansion slot for graphics cards or edge processing accelerators, such as visual processing or AI; ideally suited for GPUs such as the Nvidia Quadro T1000 8GB that offer an excellent balance of performance and power-efficiency.Three M.2 slots (M, E and B key) are available for storage, Wi-Fi/BT and LTE/5G respectively, providing a highly capable platform for wide-ranging deployment requirements. Six USB ports, plus RS232/422/485 are available for equipment, and three display outputs are available, including both 12V/19V LVDS for excellent flexibility. Using the VESA mount built into the chassis can act as a convenient method of securely attaching the LIVA P500 H610 in an application scenario.New IPC Motherboards for Smart Retail SolutionsECSIPC will showcase two new IPC motherboards – the ADLN-I3 (Mini-ITX) and H610H7-IM1 (Micro-ATX) – which are ideal for smart retail applications such as vending machines, kiosks, transportation management, and HMI applications.The ADLN-I3 features a highly efficient Intel Alder Lake-N SoC in a fanless design, with support for up to 16GB of DDR4 memory, plus SATA or M.2 PCI-Express SSD. Four display output options, including DP, HDMI, d-sub and LVDS, and 8-channel HD audio it provides plenty of audio-visual options to meet many smart applications with rich content and interactive ability. It features two Gigabit Ethernet sockets, with the option for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity via M.2 socket, plus eight USB ports, LPT and 10 COM ports required for various IPC peripherals.The H610H7-IM1 provides an LGA1700 socket for high performance Intel 12/13th Generation processors (up to 65W TDP), up to 64GB of memory, four SATA ports, plus high-performance PCI-Express M.2 SSD port. PCI-Express slots for GPUs and expansion cards are available, plus a PCI slot for legacy applications. Three display outputs plus 8-channel HD audio, dual Ethernet (2.5G + 1G) connectivity, plus a total of 12x USB ports and 10x COM ports give it excellent expansion and customization opportunities to meet all potential application requirements.Visit ECSIPC at ISE Barcelona 2024 Tue, 30 Jan 2024 – Fri, 2 Feb 2024: Venue: Fira Barcelona Booth: 2S220, Hall 2
Thursday 11 January 2024
Crypto Quantique joint venture with iMQ Technology to enable quantum secure chip-to-cloud connection
In a strategic move aimed at expanding its presence in the Taiwan market, Crypto Quantique, a prominent quantum-safe cybersecurity solutions provider, has unveiled a strategic partnership with iMQ Technology, a leading innovator in MCUs (Microcontrollers) and security chips.The newly established commercial alliance intends to capitalize on the advanced capabilities offered by Crypto Quantique's QuarkLink platform. This platform is designed to facilitate secure connectivity for businesses seeking to integrate IoT (Internet of Things) products. The collaboration incorporates iMQ's cutting-edge security chip SQ7131, coupled with cloud services, providing a secure and streamlined approach for customers to integrate innovative features into their products. This includes the ability to conduct secure over-the-air updates throughout the entire lifecycle of their devices.Crucially, this achievement is realized without requiring substantial investment in engineering resources or in-depth knowledge of chip-to-cloud security. iMQ's security chip technology enables customers to significantly enhance the security of their products through the integration of a pre-provisioned SQ7131 security chip. This implementation instantaneously enables identity authentication, secure communication, and encrypted over-the-air software updates, aligning with forthcoming regulations.Anticipating the quantum computing era, Crypto Quantique is proactively enhancing the resilience of QuarkLink through the integration of post-quantum cryptography. These quantum-resistant techniques are crafted to ensure the sustained efficacy of security measures, even in the face of potential quantum-powered attacks.In a landscape where more than 20 countries worldwide are implementing stringent IoT security regulations, including the upcoming EU Cyber Resilience Act, mandating a baseline security level for compliance or risk financial penalties, Crypto Quantique's chip-to-cloud IoT security solution emerges as a crucial component. This not only ensures compliance with evolving regulations but also mitigates risks across global supply chains.The collaboration between Crypto Quantique and iMQ Technology represents a significant step forward in providing robust, future-proof solutions in the rapidly evolving landscape of quantum-safe cybersecurity and IoT connectivity.
Wednesday 10 January 2024
GUC taped out UCIe 32G IP using TSMC 3nm and CoWoS technology
Global Unichip Corp. (GUC), the Advanced ASIC Leader, announced today that it has successfully taped out Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) PHY IP with 32Gbps per lane, the highest UCIe speed, for AI/HPC/xPU/Networking applications. UCIe 32G chiplet interface provides an industry-leading bandwidth density 10Tbps per 1mm of die edge (5Tbps/mm full duplex). The chip uses TSMC's N3P silicon process and CoWoSR advanced packaging technology.In recent years GUC has developed a family of chiplet interconnect IPs (GLink-2.5D) in TSMC N7, N5, and N3 process nodes. GLink-2.5D IPs were validated in silicon demonstrating robust operation up to 17.2 Gbps with raw BERThe UCIe Consortium has set a vision for the interoperability of chiplet interfaces. GUC's implementation of UCIe takes advantage of many silicon-proven generations of GLink-2.5D IPs, making the lowest risk path to UCIe with the highest performance parameters. GUC also developed bridges for AXI, CXS, and CHI buses using the UCIe Streaming Protocol. These bridges are optimized for high traffic density, low power, low data transfer latency, and efficient end-to-end flow control, facilitating a seamless transition from single-chip NoC to chiplets architecture. The bridges support Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) allowing voltage and bus frequency change on the fly while ensuring uninterrupted data flow.GUC's UCIe IP supports UCIe-1.1 Preventive Monitoring functionality. It includes proteanTecs' I/O signal quality monitors which were already tested in the GLink-2.5D family. Signal quality is monitored in mission mode, during data transfer, without retraining or causing any data transfer interruption. Every signal lane is continuously monitored and reported separately, and power and signal integrity events are detected. Bumps and trace defects are identified before they cause the interface to fail. The repair algorithm then replaces marginal lanes- with redundant ones to prevent system operation failure, so the chip lifetime is extended."We are proud to announce the world's first UCIe IP supporting 32 Gbps," said Aditya Raina, CMO of GUC. "We have established a complete silicon-proven 2.5D/3D chiplet IP portfolio at TSMC's 7nm, 5nm, and 3nm technologies. Together with design expertise, package design, electrical and thermal simulations, DFT, and production testing for the TSMC 3DFabric offerings including CoWoS, InFO, and SoIC, we provide our customers with a robust and comprehensive solution, enabling fast design cycles and quick bring-up of their AI/HPC/xPU/Networking products.""We are committed to delivering the fastest and the lowest power 2.5D/3D chiplets and HBM interface IPs," said Igor Elkanovich, CTO of GUC. "Convergence of 2.5D and 3D packaging using HBM3/4, GLink-2.5D/UCIe and GLink-3D interfaces enables highly modular, much bigger than reticle size processors of the future."To learn more about GUC's UCIe IP portfolio, and CoWoS/3DIC total solution, please contact your GUC sales representative directly or email guc_sales@guc-asic.com.GUC UCIe Highlights
Tuesday 9 January 2024
Lelon Electronics enhances operational flexibility to prioritize automotive and high-end segments
Lelon Electronics started as an OEM contract manufacturer of aluminum capacitors 47 years ago. It has since evolved into one of the world's top ten aluminum capacitor makers. Lelon recently embarked on constructing state-of-the-art production plants in Suzhou, China, and Thailand to satisfy the demand for automotive, high-performance computing, and other applications. The current expansion strategy will give Lelon more agility and flexibility in its business operations, enhancing its adaptability in response to recent changes in global politics and economics.Investment in New Thai and Suzhou Plants In Response to Geopolitical NeedsLelon Electronics Chairman Jimmy Wu stated that external factors such as COVID-19 and China-US tensions as well as the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian War have changed global politics and economics in substantial ways. The old globalized operating model can no longer be depended upon so many international customers are now pushing for their upstream supply chain to adopt a "China + 1" strategy. Consequently, it is imperative for upstream component sources not only to possess mass production capacity based in China but also to establish supply chains in other countries, mitigating operational risks from geopolitics. For this reason, Lelon Electronics has chosen to invest in a new plant in Thailand.In China, Lelon has a well-established and strategically positioned plant in Suzhou's Wujiang City. The successful development of the high-end market segment and the master development plan outlined by the local government prompted Lelon to make the decision, in 2018, to build a new plant in Wujiang City that would serve as the company's headquarters in China. The new plant has cutting-edge automotive capacitor production machinery and an automotive reliability lab. The plant is targeted at local automotive, industrial, transportation, and other applications in China.Will the successive construction of new plants in Suzhou and Thailand run the risk of over-production? Wu believes that, despite the growing number of countervailing factors in the current Chinese market, there is still room for further growth. In the past, Chinese customers tended to turn to European/US/Japanese suppliers in many premium application segments. However, Lelon's existing plant in Suzhou does give it a home advantage. Furthermore, continued improvements in product quality have led to a positive reception of Lelon's high-end products by customers. The current economic climate is still characterized by numerous variables but the outlook on automotive electronics remains positive.According to Wu, the new Thai plant will feature a full array of production lines. Construction will start in 2024 and the production lines will start coming online from 2025 Q3 onwards. Due to growing environmental and sustainability awareness in recent years, important concepts such as renewable energy, water management, smart manufacturing, and digital management will all be progressively introduced to the new plants. This approach aims to ensure that Lelon can shoulder its social responsibility for local ecology, carbon inventory, and other issues.Growing Demand for Electric Vehicles Drives Expansion into Charging SectorLelon has already established a close working relationship with the local automotive supply chain in China, but its involvement extends beyond the surface. Wu revealed that Lelon's aluminum capacitor products have already entered the supply chain of tier-1 international automotive suppliers. Lelon now participates in the design-in process of customers during product development. An in-depth understanding of customer expectations allows Lelon to provide the customer with refined aluminum capacitor solutions. Lelon's 2022 financial report indicated that automotive electronics accounted for up to 22.8%, followed by power supply/green energy at 13.9%, then telecommunications and network communications at 11.5%. Wu suggested that automotive use would exceed 30% this year, underscoring the sector's critical importance to Lelon.This significance prompted the planning of the two all-new plants in Suzhou, China, and Thailand will follow the planning approach for professional aluminum capacitor plants. The plants will not only have more production lines but also all the testing equipment required by the automotive sector. Wu said that while aluminum capacitor products can be found in consumer electronics like computers, communication devices, consumer electronics, and notebook computers, the products are relatively easy to supply so the competition is very intense. Automotive products by comparison have more requirements. For example, during extreme polar weather events, how can the car body transition from minus 30 degrees to 70 degrees in an instant? Therefore, a wide temperature range is an important attribute of electronic components. As vehicles in motion are subject to constant vibration, vibration resistance is another key factor for distinguishing between good and poor aluminum capacitors. Therefore, the material selection and professional expertise in aluminum capacitors become pivotal in meeting automotive specifications.Wu added that as cars become more electrified the demand for aluminum capacitors naturally begins to rise. The rapid growth of electric vehicles has notably contributed to improvements in charging power. Wu said that the two main approaches for coping with the continued rise in charging power consist of high voltage or high current. Lelon is already engaging in co-development with customers to supply customers with sound products and services customized to their requirements. This approach has always been a cornerstone of Lelon's business philosophy. For instance, Lelon works closely with a leading Japanese audio system maker to supply customized products. Other than the electric vehicles sector, server systems used for AI and high-performance computing now have their specifications for aluminum capacitor products, and Lelon is actively targeting this market.In summary, Lelon, one of the world's top ten aluminum capacitor suppliers, is now progressively building new plants in Suzhou (China) and Thailand in response to increased vehicle electrification, growing demand for electric vehicles, and geopolitical issues. Lelon is forging strong partnerships with tier-1 automotive suppliers and establishing a presence in other high-end applications. The company is very optimistic about the future development of the high-end market segment and aims to elevate operations to the next level.Official opening of the new Lelon Electronics plant in SuzhouPhoto: Lelon Electronics
Tuesday 9 January 2024
SK Hynix CEO Kwak says memory playing pivotal role in AI era, ready to provide customized solution to each customer
SK Hynix held a press conference titled "Memory, the Power of AI" on the sidelines of CES 2024 in Las Vegas where its CEO Kwak Noh-Jung laid out the company's vision in the AI era.At the press conference, attended by both domestic and international media, Kwak said that the importance of memory will grow further as generative AI becomes widespread. He also said that "SK Hynix is providing products from the world's best technologies to the ICT industry, leading the "Memory-Centric AI Everywhere."Kwak laid out the company's plan to introduce the "Custom Memory Platform" to provide customized AI memory solutions as demands for diverse memory products are growing.Below are the key points mentioned during the press conference.The ICT industry evolved dramatically through the PC, mobile, and now cloud-based AI era. Throughout, data in diverse types and massive amounts are being generated and communicated.Now we enter a new era of AGI built on all that data amassed. The new era will thus move towards a market where AGI constantly generates data and repeats learning and evolution.In the AGI era, memory will play a pivotal role in processing data.The role of memory is even more crucial from a computing system perspective. Before, systems were basically an iteration of dataflows from the CPU to memory and then back to the CPU in a sequential manner, but such a structure is not suitable to handle the massive data generated through AI.Now, AI systems are connecting large counts of AI chips and memory in a parallel fashion to accelerate massive data processing. This means that AI system performance depends on stronger and faster memory.The direction for memory in the AI era should be handling data at the fastest speed, in the most effective way, and in higher volume. That aligns with the past century of memory development that has improved density, speed, and bandwidth.The memory-centric AGI era has a clear leader: SK Hynix. We are providing diverse products with ultra-high performance such as HBM3 and HBM3E, the world's best and widest sought-after products, to markets and industries, TSV DIMM, the industry's largest-capacity server memory, LPDDR5 Turbo, the world's fastest mobile memory, and DIMM, the best-in-class performance server.SK Hynix is leading the "Memory-Centric AI Everywhere" in various industries ranging from AGI, conventional data centers, mobile, and PC systems.Building on our lineup, we will deliver a bandwidth-focused HBM4 and HBM4E, a power-improved LPCAMM, a capacity-expanding CXL and QLC storage, as well as compute-capable PIM and hone our technological leadership in the AI era.SK Hynix's AI memory solutions are delivering customers a new experience.Yet, AI systems are advancing at a breathtaking pace, leading to customer demands for diverse forms of memory performance.While some customers require ever larger capacities or more power-efficient products, others want higher bandwidth and the addition of data computing capabilities.So, we are planning to launch SK Hynix's proprietary "Custom Memory Platform."We will bring to AI systems our memory-specialized technology and R&D expertise for optimal convergence with customers' needs.This platform will transcend conventional ways and deliver an entirely new value proposition, catering to every customer with the most optimal memory solution for their needs.SK Hynix is preparing over 4.15 million square meters of a new memory manufacturing base worth over 120 trillion won (92.7 billion USD) investment.This massive capacity will allow us to continue serving existing customers while responding to the explosive growth of AI memory demand with the world's best products delivered in time.Today, I took the opportunity to share SK Hynix's readiness for a total AI memory provider with a clear plan for technology, customers, and production base.Please join us in the new AGI future we shall open and expand with you.SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung at the Press Conference
Monday 8 January 2024
ThroughTek elevates IoT connectivity at CES 2024, showcasing smart PaaS solutions for connected future
ThroughTek Co., Ltd. (TUTK), a solution provider of AI-IoT cloud platform services, will be exhibiting at CES in Las Vegas from January 9, 2024, to January 12, 2024, at booth 50342 in the Venetian Expo. With the theme "Cloud Services for IoT Device Community," TUTK will showcase a series of IoT products and smart PaaS solutions at CES 2024, focusing on P2P Connection, Hausetopia App, Cloud Recording (VSaaS PaaS), DMP (Data/Device Management Platform), Cloud VMS (Video Management System), and more. These products and solutions can help businesses swiftly implement cloud management of videos, data, and IoT devices, and establish an interconnected IoT device community facilitated by TUTK.The key highlights of the showcase are as follows:P2P ConnectionTUTK's patented P2P Connection technology provides fast and secure connections directly between IoT devices and end-user clients. The P2P Connection can identify the network environment and establish the optimal route for the connection. Additionally, TUTK offers self-hosting server options for its customers. With a high P2P penetration rate, customers can achieve cost reductions in video streaming and data transmission.Hausetopia AppHarnessing TUTK's exclusive technologies, the Hausetopia App, a pre-built and user-friendly application, seamlessly accommodates a variety of IoT devices using diverse communication protocols. After receiving TUTK certification, the IoT devices become readily accessible and controllable via the Hausetopia App. Additionally, the Hausetopia App offers easy customization, enabling brands to create branded applications tailored to their specific requirements.Cloud Recording (VSaaS PaaS)TUTK's Cloud Recording (VSaaS PaaS) is a cloud-based platform equipped with API documentation and servers. It provides a cost-effective alternative to traditional video surveillance solutions by eliminating the need for on-site server installation and system configuration. The Cloud Recording service offers a diverse range of subscription plans for cloud recording and storage. Brand manufacturers can select plans that suit their specific requirements or create customized plans. Furthermore, brand manufacturers have the flexibility to offer plans for their customers to choose from.DMP (Data/Device Management Platform)TUTK's DMP (Data/Device Management Platform) automatically gathers, processes, and analyzes data from IoT devices, presenting it in a visualization dashboard. With this platform, businesses gain real-time monitoring capabilities over their IoT devices. Moreover, businesses can customize their data analysis criteria, including frequency, scheduling, and formulas, and visualize IoT device performance with graphs and charts, offering valuable insights and enabling faster, informed decision-making.Cloud VMS (Video Management System)TUTK's Cloud VMS (Video Management System) is a web-based platform that allows System Integrators (SIs), etc. to seamlessly integrate video management features into their solutions. The Cloud VMS directs IP Cameras, NVRs, XVRs, and sensor data to the cloud, enabling seamless management on a single platform. The Cloud VMS boasts a diverse array of practical features, such as the "Dashboard," "Smart Search," "Share View," "Cloud Recording," and more.The "Dashboard" provides convenient access to vital information such as device status, event count, alert count, and event footage. "Smart Search" allows for swift retrieval of specific details, such as gender and outfit, significantly reducing search time. Each channel within the Cloud VMS is equipped with a share link, facilitating the easy sharing of camera footage with authorized individuals. Lastly, the Cloud VMS offers secure cloud recording and storage for crucial event footage, eliminating concerns about video loss due to device damage.The exhibition highlights will only showcase a fraction of TUTK's dedication to harnessing IoT technology for enhancing the intelligence of diverse hardware devices. TUTK remains steadfast in collaborating with ecosystem partners to foster the growth of the IoT device community associated with TUTK.