Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (Fraunhofer IIS), a leading developer of advanced audio technologies, including mp3 and AAC, will present at CES 2025.upHear Flexible Rendering, a ground-breaking audio technology that greatly simplifies high-quality immersive sound experiences on consumer audio reproduction devices, including loudspeakers, soundbars, and TVs. upHear Flexible Rendering enhances and distributes sound flexibly to all available speakers for a spectacular enveloping immersive audio effect at all times.upHear Flexible Rendering for Effortless Flexibility: Expand Setups from Stereo to Immersive upHear Flexible Rendering belongs to Fraunhofer's upHear range of audio processing technologies. They enhance the sound quality of content from voice signals to immersive audio masterpieces and provide pristine audio pickup as well as faithful reproduction from classic stereo setups to complex scenarios with multiple devices. The upHear Flexible Rendering technology automatically combines wireless speakers for the best possible experience, supporting new immersive audio formats as well as providing first-class upmixing for legacy content.With upHear Flexible Rendering, everything is adjustable: Adding or removing a speaker from the system is no trouble due to its automatic adaptation to the current playback situation. Its inherent flexibility provides the option for effortless system growth making it very budget-friendly. All systems upgraded with upHear Flexible Rendering achieve enhanced immersion for an extraordinary sound experience. "Currently, users can only connect to one smart speaker at a time or to a fixed setup per room. With the upHear technology, you now have the flexibility to conveniently combine any number of speakers into an immersive speaker cluster wherever you want. Party music in the kitchen? Transform your living room into a movie theatre? Operas in the bathroom? It is all possible without a fuss," said Sebastian Meyer, Product Manager upHear, Fraunhofer IIS.Fraunhofer Demos at CES 2025 – Fraunhofer Suite 1, Venetian Hotel, Suite #34-204 *Speaker Repositioning: Smart speakers will be distributed in the room playing immersive music. The upHear Flexible Rendering technology will make it possible to add/remove speakers and to reposition them. The upHear algorithm optimizes the sound image based on the current setup. Visitors will be able to try out repositioning for themselves. The wireless speaker setup also uses the Fraunhofer Communication Codec LC3plus for ultra-low-latency wireless audio transmission.*upHear Microphone Processing Technologies: Through live calls, Fraunhofer will show how they make life easier: An "office" in the suite will show advanced AI-based technologies such as Echo Control, Noise Reduction, and the latest feature: Voice Isolation, which is the highlight of the Microphone Processing area. Users can create a "fingerprint" of their voice in seconds, which makes it possible to remove all sounds but their voice from a call for a truly personalized live call experience for better conferencing.*Demo Audio Samples: Check out upHear demos at: https://comm-demos.iis.fraunhofer.de/upHear_20240808/index.html.*upHear Mobile Audio: Fraunhofer's virtualization platform opens the door to true spatial playback experiences on headphones. It works from a multitude of sources, from legacy stereo to current immersive formats. Thanks to the minimum resource requirements of the low-complexity rendering, it can run on DSPs for any audio device class, be it headphones, mobile devices, home audio systems, or even a low-power XR devices. upHear is available immediately. For more information, see: www.uphear.com, and https://www.audioblog.iis.fraunhofer.com/tag/uphear.Fraunhofer Audio Codecs to be presented at CES 2025 - Fraunhofer Suite 2, Venetian Hotel, Suite # 34-209:*xHE-AAC: The stereo codec for broadcast and streaming provides DASH/HLS streaming at 12-320+ kbit/s, a new anchor loudness feature, mandatory loudness and dynamic range control, improved speech quality, and stereo imaging. The technology is already used by Netflix, Facebook stories, and Instagram Reels. xHE-AAC is natively supported on the latest Amazon, Android, Microsoft, and Apple products and operating systems. More information: https://www.audioblog.iis.fraunhofer.com/tag/xhe-aac, website: https://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/en/ff/amm/broadcast-streaming/xheaac.html.*LC3plus Lossless: Video calls, music, and gaming are best enjoyed with wireless headphones and microphones that deliver perfect audio quality and long battery life. With LC3plus, sound reaches users in perfect quality and the new LC3plus Lossless switches seamlessly between lossless and lossy modes of operation. It works with all features of LC3plus, including low-delay and superior robustness thanks to Advanced Packet Loss Concealment. LC3plus is on the Japan Audio Society's list of codecs whose implementation opens the door for device manufacturers to use the prestigious High-Res Audio Wireless logo. Fraunhofer IIS will demonstrate integrations into the AKG N5 Hybrid Earbuds, a HyperX gaming headset, a Sony streaming microphone, and a headphone prototype by BEStechnic. More information at: https://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/en/ff/amm/communication/lc3.html, https://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/en/profil/jb/2023/lc3-lc3plus.html*MPEG-H Audio: Next Generation Audio system for streaming and broadcast applications with advanced personalization and accessibility options. Fraunhofer will showcase devices by globally leading CE manufacturers with MPEG-H Audio support, which is required for Brazil's upcoming broadcast standard DTV+. Here, the technology helps Globo, TV Cultura, and other major providers to deliver customizable immersive sound experiences with a high degree of accessibility. Viewers can choose between different languages and commentators or select a version with enhanced dialogue. More information: https://mpegh.com/, https://www.audioblog.iis.fraunhofer.com/tag/mpeg-h.Fraunhofer will be at CES 2025 from January 6-January 8, 2025 available for press/analyst meetings at the Fraunhofer suite in the Venetian Hotel, Suite #34-204 and Suite 34-209.SCHEDULE PRESS MEETINGS AT CES 2025 at: https://calendly.com/fraunhofer-ces2025/venetiansuite34-204Credit: Fraunhofer

Rugged embedded computer brand—Cincoze has won the 27th Taiwan Rising Star Award for its innovation in the industrial computer field. The Rising Star Award is the Taiwan government's highest honor for small to medium-sized enterprises with innovative capabilities, high growth potential, and exceptional market competitiveness. This award recognizes Cincoze's outstanding efforts and highlights how continuous product innovation and dedicated market strategies have made Cincoze a role model in Taiwan's industrial computer industry, especially with its continued contributions to industry development.Synchronized with Customer NeedsCincoze Co., Ltd., established in 2012, is marketed globally under the Cincoze brand and focuses on providing complete edge computing solutions for AI, IIoT, and industrial automation. The Cincoze name, which comes from synchronize, embodies Cincoze's commitment to seamless integration with customer needs. Over the past 12 years, Cincoze has earned a reputation for its high-end, professional, and trustworthy brand image. With 100% Made in Taiwan, 100% OBM, and no OEM/ODM business model, Cincoze has successfully created a unique and differentiated position in the market. This strategy has been a glowing success, evidenced by a phenomenal compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40% for eight consecutive years.Credit: CincozeFocused on Edge ComputingCincoze's industrial computer lineup covers four core product lines, providing a comprehensive and complete selection of the best edge computing solutions for any industrial application. The Rugged Computing product line of rugged industrial computers meets the stringent requirements for harsh environments. The Display Computing product line is for HMI applications, providing 100+ industrial panel PC and display options. The GPU Computing product line is aimed at AI and Edge AI applications, providing GPU computers that meet high-speed computing requirements. The Machine Computing product line focuses on smart manufacturing and automation, with DIN rail computers to help the development of Industry 4.0. The full 16-series lineup of 500+ products spans diverse industries, including smart manufacturing, smart transportation, energy, and smart cities.Dedicated, Professional, TrustworthyCincoze leverages its product R&D and design prowess to identify and address every customer pain point, with multiple patents, certifications, and awards to show for it. Cincoze's global sales strategy, which consists of 98% export sales backed by strong partnerships, has been the key to Cincoze's success in recent years. Cincoze cares about meeting ESG best practices, establishing a complete internal audit and control management system, and comprehensively implementing digitalization of internal management. Cincoze also pays special attention to the growth and development of employees through diversified training programs and an internal promotion system. Cincoze is committed to achieving the goal of steady growth between employees and the company. Winning the Rising Star Award is both affirmation and encouragement for Cincoze. Looking to the future, Cincoze will continue to focus on innovation and professionalism, deepen product R&D and market layout, and is committed to providing efficient and reliable industrial computer solutions to global customers and continuing to contribute to Industry 4.0 and smart development.About CincozeCincoze is a brand manufacturer dedicated to providing embedded computing systems for edge computing, AIoT, and critical applications in harsh environments. Its product lines include rugged embedded computers, industrial panel PCs, industrial monitors, and embedded GPU computers. Cincoze products meet the application needs of various vertical markets, especially manufacturing, in-vehicle, railway, transportation, energy, and logistics. Over the years, Cincoze has launched numerous innovative products and has won several patents, awards, and international certifications.

With the global digital economy booming, AI and cloud services have become key drivers of urban and industrial innovation. On November 19, 2024, AWS held a cloud industry summit in Kaohsiung themed "Innovation Generation, AI Empowerment: From Semiconductors to Local Economy, Igniting Kaohsiung's New Digital Economy." Kaohsiung City Mayor Chi-Mai Chen attended the event and, together with Robert Wang, Managing Director of Taiwan and Hong Kong, AWS, analyzed how AWS services can help Kaohsiung promote the development of its AI industry chain. Representatives from companies such as NXP Semiconductors and Hanshin Department Store also shared their experiences in adopting AWS technologies to accelerate innovative transformation, demonstrating Kaohsiung's comprehensive digital transformation achievements, from semiconductor manufacturing to the everyday economy.AWS's five years of deep cultivation in Kaohsiung show results, driving a digital new economy across industriesRobert pointed out that AWS has been actively expanding in southern Taiwan, holding cloud forums in Kaohsiung for five consecutive years since 2020, and in 2022, announced the establishment of Taiwan's first city-level hybrid architecture AWS Outpost. AWS's deployment in southern Taiwan adopts a dual-engine strategy to deepen local connections. Through AGS's cross-border e-commerce guidance, it helps high-quality products from Kaohsiung enter the global market via Amazon's global e-commerce platform. Simultaneously, it utilizes AWS cloud services to assist local businesses in digital transformation. This comprehensive approach has shown results across various industries, from chip design and simulation in the semiconductor industry to assisting traditional industries like Jiu Zhen Nan and the Ruifeng Night Market in digital upgrading. AWS also plays a key role in scenarios such as optimizing the iPASS payment system and managing concert crowds. Notably, AWS has announced that it will establish a data center in Taiwan in 2025, which will further strengthen its service capabilities in Taiwan.Robert particularly emphasized that the key reason AWS chose to cultivate Kaohsiung lies in the city government team's deep understanding and emphasis on technology application. Close interaction with AWS has been maintained since Chi-Mai Chen's time as a legislator, continuing the long-term cooperative relationship. AWS will cooperate with the city government's four visions of "Net Zero X Technology Kaohsiung, Livable Kaohsiung, Happy Kaohsiung, and Charming Kaohsiung," implementing a development model of "Landing in Kaohsiung, Demonstrating Across Taiwan, and Expanding Globally." Concrete actions already taken include establishing the Asia New Bay Area 5G AIoT Innovation Park Kaohsiung AWS Joint Innovation Center and introducing global resources to help local businesses expand into overseas markets. Currently, 90% of the world's top 50 AI companies are AWS customers, and 96% of AI unicorns also use AWS services. In the future, AWS will continue to promote the application of innovative technologies such as generative AI across various industries. AWS hopes to inject vitality into Kaohsiung's industrial upgrading and build a new technology hub in southern Taiwan through comprehensive cloud services and AI resources, along with the innovative spirit of "different industries, similar principles."AWS assists Kaohsiung's advance towards AI 2.0, helping build the Asia New Bay Area innovation ecosystemIn his address, Chi-Mai Chen outlined the blueprint for cooperation between Kaohsiung City and AWS. He mentioned that this was the fifth consecutive year he had participated in the AWS cloud industry forum held in Kaohsiung. As a pioneer in smart city development, Kaohsiung has consistently achieved outstanding results in domestic and international authoritative media evaluations of sustainable cities and smart governance. In response to the AI 2.0 wave, the city government is actively forming strategic alliances with international giants like AWS, creating a complete industrial ecosystem in the Asia New Bay Area. Combining AWS cloud services, system integrators, and telecom operators, this has led to a record-high occupancy rate for startups. In terms of practical applications, concrete examples include concert traffic management in collaboration with AWS and Chunghwa Telecom. Utilizing an AI crowd detection system, the time required for crowd dispersal was significantly reduced from 2.5 hours to 1.5 hours. The system also provides real-time crowd flow information for commercial districts, helping businesses adjust their operating strategies. Furthermore, AWS, through the Asia New Bay Area 5G AIoT Innovation Park Kaohsiung AWS Joint Innovation Center, assists local businesses in digital transformation and provides guidance and technical support to startups.Regarding future development, Chi-Mai Chen announced that the city government will plan and build a sovereign AI platform for the city, expanding its application scope to areas such as industrial development, transportation, healthcare, and social welfare. He emphasized that Kaohsiung will upgrade from the Asia New Bay Area project to Asia New Bay Area 2.0, leveraging the resources of international strategic partners to accelerate industrial upgrading, assist businesses in expanding overseas markets, and prepare for the AI 2.0 era, continuing to promote innovative governance in smart cities.AWS's southern Taiwan strategy succeeds, connecting industrial ecosystems and expanding global marketsAt this cloud industry summit, AWS also partnered with the Kaohsiung City Government to host the "Fearless Innovation, Cloud Empowerment, Port City Startup Arena - 2024 AWS International Innovation Competition." Through a model of "businesses posing challenges, startups providing solutions," the competition connected industry and research institutions such as Hanshin Department Store, the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre, and Chunghwa Telecom, encouraging startups to develop innovative application services. In the competition, teams demonstrated outstanding results in AI innovation applications. Ret[AI]ling Data utilized generative AI technology to create a smart shopping assistant, providing retail recommendation services to consumers and winning first prize in the smart retail category. In the smart healthcare field, Pumpkin VR won an award for developing a solution that analyzes patient data and provides recommendations for medical staff. Linker Vision employed generative AI technology to create a practical and sustainable traffic data analysis solution, standing out in the smart city traffic management category.AWS has achieved diverse and innovative application results across various industries in southern Taiwan. NXP Semiconductors utilizes AWS's IoT and ML technologies to provide customers in fields such as smart factories, smart homes, and smart cars with security solutions ranging from device authentication to full lifecycle management. Hanshin Department Store has fully implemented AWS cloud tools since 2019, completing the cloud migration of core systems such as POS, SAP, and CRM in 2023, thereby reducing operating costs by 25% and increasing operational speed by 1.5 times. Other success stories include Tien Kang Machinery achieving cloud-based ERP systems through AWS, saving NT$120,000 in annual electricity costs and reducing carbon emissions by 30%; VAR Live utilizing AWS to develop VR games, achieving global player data synchronization; KDAN applying AWS to develop smart document management and electronic signature solutions; and Baytech Environment and Engineering utilizing AWS technology to create environmental monitoring solutions, using networked devices to collect environmental data and supporting Kuroshio power generation assessment and climate prediction through high-performance computing.AWS's deep cultivation in Kaohsiung has yielded fruitful results, successfully connecting the local industrial ecosystem from the semiconductor industry to the everyday economy. In the future, AWS will continue to cooperate with Kaohsiung City's four smart city visions, implementing the development model of "landing in Kaohsiung, demonstrating across Taiwan, and expanding globally." Through the Joint Innovation Center established in the Asia New Bay Area and the introduction of global resources, AWS hopes to assist more local businesses in digital transformation and expand into overseas markets. By leveraging comprehensive cloud services and AI resources, AWS aims to realize the vision of "talented youth staying in Kaohsiung, soaring to the global stage from Kaohsiung," building Kaohsiung into a new technology hub in southern Taiwan.

SK Hynix Inc. announced today that it has completed development of its high-capacity SSD product, 'PS1012 U.2', designed for AI data centers.As the era of AI accelerates, the demand for high-performance enterprise SSDs (eSSD) is rapidly increasing, and QLC technology, which enables high capacity, has become the industry standard. In line with this trend, SK Hynix (www.skhynix.com) has developed a 61TB product using this technology and introduced it to the market.SK Hynix has been leading the SSD market for AI data centers with Solidigm, a subsidiary which commercialized QLC-based eSSD for the first time in the world. With the development of PS1012, the company expects to build a balanced SSD portfolio, thereby maximizing synergy between the two companies.With the latest 5th generation (Gen5) PCIe, PS1012 doubles its bandwidth compared to 4th generation based products. As a result, the data transfer speed reaches 32GT/s (Giga-transfers per second), with the sequential read performance of 13GB/s (Gigabyte per second), which is twice that of previous generation products.SK Hynix plans to supply the sample of the new product to global server manufacturers within this year for product evaluation, and based on this, it plans to expand its product line to 122TB in the third quarter of next year. The company also aims to lead the SSD market for ultra-high capacity data centers by developing 244TB products based on the world's highest 321-high 4D NAND developed in November, to overcome the capacity limitations of eSSD."SK Hynix and Solidigm are strengthening our QLC-based high-capacity SSD lineup to solidify our technological leadership in NAND solutions for AI," said Ahn Hyun, President and Chief Development Officer of SK Hynix. "In the future, we will lay the foundation for growth to become a Full Stack AI memory provider by meeting the diverse needs of AI data center customers based on our high competitiveness in the eSSD field."SK Hynix PS1012 U.2 high capacity SSD

Image transfer, also known as photolithography (or simply, lithography), plays a crucial role in defining the circuit patterns on a panel. With photolithography, IC substrate manufacturers can construct intricate and precise connections required to support more connectivity over a smaller area.With demand increasing for higher circuit density and narrowing distances between lines, copper traces must be formed with extreme precision and uniformity.KLA's direct imaging solutions for patterning systems.Specifically for semiconductor advanced packaging applications, a wide range of advanced IC substrates such as multistrip flip chip-chip size package (FCCSP) and flip chip ball grid array (FCBGA) require high resolution and accurate lithography. For advanced IC substrates – characterized by large unit size, high layer count, and fine lines – patterning poses unique challenges for manufacturers, especially when it comes to imaging on uneven topography. IC substrate manufacturers must pattern extremely thin features that require exceptional registration and overlay accuracy.Broadly speaking, manufacturers face three key challenges: 1. Achieving smooth fine traces without stitching2. Improving layer-to-layer alignment for accuracy3. Maintaining high productivity and efficiencyIC Substrate Line QualityAs IC substrate architecture complexity increases, with more layers and bigger bodies, distortion across the x-y axes and topography variation (z-axis) pose significant challenges for IC substrate manufacturing. More specifically, when imaging advanced substrate layers, stitching issues (i.e., line/traces shift or deviation) are compounded by surface irregularities leading to yield penalty.Super-fine, highly uniform lines with outstanding accuracy are required for advanced panel technologies.Advanced optics systems are required to overcome challenges.Both challenges cannot be fully addressed by existing solutions such as digital micromirror devices (DMD), direct imaging (DI), and steppers. High and continuous depth of focus (DOF) and advanced compensation mechanisms are necessary to overcome both.Moreover, for high-frequency applications, linewidth uniformity and edge roughness pose additional challenges, as maintaining trace uniformity is key to optimal transmission and signal integrity.Layer-to-Layer Alignment for Higher AccuracyAs package functionality increases, optimized layer-to-layer alignment is imperative to enable more input/output (and consequently, bumps) through smaller pad designs. It can be achieved by implementing advanced scaling algorithms and a high-precision platform. All the while, alignment optimization must not impact substrate dimensions.Scaling algorithms can help achieve optimized layer-to-layer alignment.Productivity and EfficiencyProductivity and efficiency are key to short time-to-market and low cost of ownership. Increasing the number of strips or partitions, especially in advanced FC-CSPs and modules, leads to a reduction in system productivity and an increase in manufacturing costs. In addition, for advanced FC-BGA, where steppers are currently the main patterning solutions in use, masks are required, leading to a longer time to market and significant costs.The KLA Approach to IC Substrate PhotolithographyKLA's portfolio includes multiple direct imaging solutions, designed to address the lithography challenges of today and tomorrow. Market adoption of KLA's Corus™ direct imaging platform demonstrates its proven capability as a flexible and efficient imaging solution. For advanced IC substrate applications, KLA's Serena™ platform has just been introduced, representing a new lithography category beyond steppers. This innovative digital solution is designed especially for fine-line patterning of large-sized, high-layer count organic substrates, delivering increased accuracy and yield.Learn more about KLA's direct imaging solutions for IC substrates.KLA's direct imaging solutions are part of the semiconductor industry's widest breadth of process control and process-enabling solutions for IC substrate manufacturing.

Progate Group Corporation (PGC) collaborated with professional testing company Vate Technology (Vate) to establish a strategic partnership and enhance their testing service capacity. This partnership will effectively shorten lead time and accelerate time-to-market for customers in achieving faster market development.To meet the diverse demand for customized service, PGC developed a professional testing R&D team and in-house testing facilities in Taipei over the past 30 years. However, as market demand continues to grow, the existing testing capacity is no longer sufficient. Therefore, PGC has partnered with Vate to adopt a consignment and outsourcing model, enabling an in-depth collaboration. Under this partnership, PGC will focus on the development of testing programs and fixtures, while Vate will handle mass production. This strategic alliance not only strengthens PGC's existing capacity but also achieves the win-win goal of expanding production capacity and ensuring consistent testing quality through the integration of both parties' resources.Founded in 1988 in the Hsinchu Science Park, Vate Technology is the first professional semiconductor testing company (TPEx: 5344) in Taiwan. Vate has earned certifications from TI and HP for its professional technical capabilities and holds several quality system certifications, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and IATF 16949. Vate primarily offers services including chip probing (CP), final testing (FT), CMOS image sensor testing (CIS Testing), and system-level testing (SLT). Its chip probe capability covers 6-inch, 8-inch, and 12-inch wafers, with test temperatures ranging from -40°C to 150°C, meeting the commercial, industrial, and automotive specifications.In recent years, PGC has actively expanded its TSMC ASIC Turnkey service ecosystem, integrating advanced process IP solutions from Synopsys and establishing close collaborations with TSMC and ASE. This strategic alliance represents a significant milestone, as both companies aim to work closely to provide more cost-effective and competitive solutions to fully support customers to stand out in the global market.

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, is making embedded artificial intelligence (AI) truly here to help with a new microcontroller series integrating, for the first time, accelerated machine learning (ML) capabilities. This enables cost-sensitive, power-conscious consumer and industrial products to provide high-performance features leveraging computer vision, audio processing, sound analysis, and other algorithms, until now beyond the capabilities of small embedded systems.The STM32N6 microcontroller (MCU) series is ST's most powerful to date and the first to embed ST's proprietary neural processing unit (NPU), the Neural-ART Accelerator, delivering 600 times more machine-learning performance than a high-end STM32 MCU today. The STM32N6 has been available to selected customers since October 2023 and is now ready to be offered in high volumes."We are on the verge of a significant transformation at the tiny edge. This transformation involves the increasing augmentation or replacement of our customers' workloads by AI models. Currently, these models are used for tasks such as segmentation, classification, and recognition. In the future, they will be applied to new applications yet to be developed," said Remi El-Ouazzane, President, Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF Products Group (MDRF) at STMicroelectronics. "The STM32N6 is the first STM32 product to feature our Neural-ART Accelerator NPU. It will utilize a new release of our unique AI software ecosystem package. This marks the beginning of a long journey of AI hardware-accelerated STM32, which will enable innovations in applications and products in ways not possible with any other embedded processing solution.""It is a common misconception that AI is purely a big data center, power-hungry application," says Tom Hackenberg, Principal Analyst, Memory and Computing Group at Yole Group. "This is no longer true. Today's IoT edge applications are hungry for the kind of analytics that AI can provide. The STM32N6 is a great example of the new trend melding energy-efficient Microcontroller workloads with the power of AI analytics to provide computer vision and mass sensor-driven performance capable of great savings in the total cost of ownership in modern equipment."Comments on STM32N6 from early customersLG is a multinational corporation known for its electronics, chemicals, and telecommunications products, including smartphones, home appliances, and televisions."The STM32N6 delivers remarkable AI performance and provides excellent flexibility in a small silicon package ideal for embedded systems and wearable devices. The inference speed, powered by the groundbreaking Neural-ART Accelerator, has exceeded our expectations and ST's developer-friendly software tools let us seamlessly integrate our AI models into the MCU."Yehan Ahn, Task Leader, R&D, LG Electronics CTO DivisionLenovo Research is the innovation and research arm of Lenovo, focused on developing cutting-edge technologies and solutions in areas such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and smart devices."We have rigorously evaluated ST's latest microcontroller, STM32N6, in our labs, noting its outstanding neural processing performance and excellent power efficiency. This microcontroller represents the beginning of a new era, accelerating our research of "AI for All" technologies at the edge."Seiichi Kawano, Principal Researcher, Lenovo ResearchAlps Alpine is a multinational corporation producing electronic devices, automotive infotainment systems, and communication devices."The new STM32N6 is ideal for our innovative cycling-related products. The speed and efficiency of the Neural-ART Accelerator, combined with extensive peripheral device expandability, lets us create compact devices that can execute many sensor-based AI inferences and deliver diverse and enhanced user experiences."Christian Fuchs, Senior Project Leader, Alps AlpineCarlo Gavazzi designs and manufactures electronic control components for the global building and industrial automation markets."The STM32N6 was the missing piece in the puzzle for our latest sensor project. Its Neural-ART Accelerator inspired us to use AI to solve some of the challenges, which we had not considered possible during the conceptualization phase. There are many further powerful features, including the MIPI-CSI Raw12 interface and Arm Cortex-M55 core, which combine to provide camera and response time capabilities that no other trusted brand can offer. Access to this latest, high-quality technology is essential for our development of the high-performance industrial sensors of tomorrow."Allan Skou Thomsen, R&D Project Leader, Carlo GavazziMeta-bounds is a leading innovator in the consumer-level AR glasses industry."The STM32N6 has been a breakthrough microcontroller for our products with its high performance, power efficiency, and advanced features. The embedded Neural-ART Accelerator, enhanced camera interfaces, and dedicated Image Signal Processor (ISP) allow us to deliver compelling features in an ultra-lightweight and compact form factor, enhancing the user experience without compromising battery life. The support from STMicroelectronics ensured a smooth development process – invaluable for companies like ours looking to enhance wearable technology with cutting-edge AI and graphics capabilities."Dr. Zhou Xing, Founding Partner of Meta-boundsAutotrak delivers first-class fleet management and stolen vehicle recovery solutions."In the trucking industry in South Africa, around 60% of fatal accidents are blamed on drivers being too tired behind the wheel. The STM32N6 could make a major impact on those numbers. By allowing fast and efficient AI inference within the vehicle we can give a real-time audible warning to the driver to prevent an upcoming incident. It can literally save lives."Gavin Leask, Engineering Director, AutotrakTechnical features and support for AI development:Up to 600x machine-learning performance vs typical high-end STM32 MCU: ST's Neural-ART Accelerator includes nearly 300 configurable multiply-accumulate units achieving up to 600 giga operations per second (GOPS). The most powerful STM32 today: The STM32N6 has an 800 MHz Arm® Cortex®-M55 core, delivering an unprecedented 3,360 CoreMark score. The MCUs are also available in a version without the Neural-ART accelerator, for applications requiring all the performance, interfaces, and functionality of the STM32N6, without integrating advanced AI algorithms. 2 MB of RAM, the largest amount ever found on an STM32: providing the memory to support the data-intensive AI and multimedia workloads. Two 64-bit AXI interfaces provide a high level of bandwidth to sustain the highest computation rate and unlock the full power of the Neural-ART Accelerator. ST advanced Image Signal Processor (ISP), for the first time on an MCU: the STM32N6 incorporates an ISP that provides direct signal processing, enabling the use of simple and affordable image sensors. This ISP can be configured using ST's free ISP IQTune software (STM32-ISP-IQTune), a cutting-edge tool that permits customizing image signal processing parameters such as exposure time, contrast, or color balance. Supported by ST's Edge AI Suite: offering comprehensive software tools for the development of edge machine-learning applications, including the possibility to bring your own model in various formats such as TensorFlow Lite, Keras, and ONNX. The new microcontroller now supports a growing model zoo of AI models, offering enhanced performance and versatility for various applications. Users can explore the expanding collection of AI models to elevate their projects, achieve better results, and shorten their time to market. More technical information is available at st.com/STM32N6.STM32 is a registered and/or unregistered trademark of STMicroelectronics International NV or its affiliates in the EU and/or elsewhere. In particular, STM32 is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.About STMicroelectronicsAt ST, we are over 50,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of cloud-connected autonomous things. We are committed to achieving our goal to become carbon neutral on scope 1 and 2 and partially scope 3 by 2027. Further information can be found at www.st.com.

As the world gradually enters an era of aging populations, the demand for healthcare resources is rapidly increasing. Coupled with labor shortages caused by declining birth rates, this has become a challenge faced by many countries.Founded in 2018, Taiwan-based startup StreamTeck is leveraging millimeter-wave radar technology combined with IoT solutions to develop a non-contact physiological monitoring system for chronic patients and the elderly. The goal is to alleviate the pressure on nursing staff while avoiding the inconvenience and discomfort associated with traditional monitoring devices.The company's first product, SmartCaring T60 Intelligent Remote Care System, has already received Taiwan FDA Class II medical device certification, and its market outlook is promising."The other co-founder of the company and I both experienced situations where elderly family members needed healthcare, which led us to hope for more effective technological solutions," said Ken Hsieh, Co-Founder of StreamTeck. They also heard from the nephrologists that many chronic kidney disease patients undergoing dialysis, which lasts three to four hours, resist or refuse to use traditional wired physiological monitoring devices, due to discomfort or inconvenience.Additionally, nursing staff shortages made it difficult to respond promptly to patients' emergencies. All these were the driving forces behind the founding of StreamTeck.Based on 60GHz MmWave and Proprietary AI AlgorithmsStreamTeck's solution is based on high-precision 60GHz millimeter-wave radar and infrared sensors, including the hardware, proprietary AI algorithms, and applications installed on PC or mobile devices.A wireless monitoring device installed above the hospital bed collects data on vital signs, including the patient's breathing, heart rate, and body temperature. The data is transmitted via Wi-Fi and processed by StreamTeck's AI algorithms. If any data anomaly or incidents, such as a patient fall, are detected, the system immediately triggers an alert, allowing medical staff to respond to emergencies in real-time.Hsieh said that compared to traditional monitoring devices, the non-contact monitoring method significantly enhances patients' comfort, especially in environments like dialysis centers, isolation wards, or palliative care units, where minimizing personnel contact is crucial. At the same time, this system greatly reduces the burden on medical staff.StreamTeck possesses strong technical capabilities and can provide customized solutions to meet various needs, whether in hardware or software development, terminal system deployment, or AI model optimization.TFDA Certified and Successfully Entered HealthcareHsieh previously worked in the electronics industry, where servers, laptops, and consumer devices could be mass-produced as soon as they passed the testing process. However, the medical field requires a strict certification process for product specifications and quality, it's a significant challenge for startups.Any medical device must meet stringent standards on both hardware and software, and the manufacturing process also has to get an official certification. Additionally, extensive clinical trials are required in collaboration with hospitals. For a startup team with no medical background, this poses a completely new challenge.With confidence in their technology, StreamTeck persistently submitted testing applications and, in the meantime actively worked closely with medical institutions. After a challenging process spanning a year and a half, they became the first company in Taiwan to receive TFDA certification for mmWave technology, successfully entering the medical market.Enhancing Tech Strength and Expanding Globally with PartnersObtaining the official certification of medical devices is just the first step for StreamTeck. Hsieh said that the company will continue to enhance its solutions, aiming for non-contact blood pressure monitoring and more accurate patient posture assessment.StreamTeck's system has been implemented in over ten large teaching hospitals and public regional hospitals in Taiwan, such as Tri-Service General Hospital, Mackay Memorial Hospital, and Taipei City Hospital. Additionally, through collaboration with the Industrial Technology Research Institute, the SmartCaring Intelligent Remote Care System is being introduced into long-term care facilities, with plans to expand services into the home healthcare market.By collaborating with ecosystem partners like Intel to participate in global smart healthcare exhibitions actively, StreamTeck is extending its reach into international markets. The company has established a presence in the United States, and its products are currently undergoing FDA certification.Additionally, medical institutions in Southeast Asia have expressed strong interest in the company's system. Looking ahead, StreamTeck is confident in its plans to gradually expand its market footprint and hopes its technology will benefit a wider user.StreamTeck's SmartCaring T60 Intelligent Remote Care System

Valtec AI, a tech startup co-founded by John Keh, has recently gained significant attention for its innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) and drones in the fishing industry. The company's technological approach targets a market traditionally underserved by modern tech solutions—commercial fishing vessels.Keh graduated from UC Berkeley and later joined the U.S. Air Force, where he gained extensive experience in geospatial analysis and drone applications. During his service, he was stationed in South Korea and the Middle East, completing over 250 missions. After leaving the military, he transitioned into the startup world. Over the past decade, he has had successful experiences as a serial entrepreneur. During the pandemic, he found his way back to Taiwan with his family and, by chance, shifted his military drone operations expertise toward fishing applications.Game-Changing Solution for Commercial FishingCommercial fishing is a high-stakes, high-reward industry where efficiency in locating and capturing fish can mean millions of dollars in revenue per vessel. Traditionally, fishing vessels use helicopters to locate schools of tuna within a 100-kilometer radius. "The helicopters are very high maintenance, very cumbersome to take care of, and it takes up a lot of space. Not only are drones cheaper, but with multiple drones, you can now search 3 to 5 times the area, reducing your time to catch, thereby saving a lot more gas from the ship," Keh said.Valtec AI's drones are particularly tailored for purse-seine fishing vessels, a type of ship that targets tuna schools. The company's core technology allows for multi-drone command and control, as well as AI-powered object identification. Their system can operate several drones simultaneously, collecting real-time data about fish locations, estimated sizes, and even environmental factors like the current direction, which can tear fishing nets. By eliminating the need for helicopters, Valtec AI's drones reduce operational costs and risks while improving search efficiency.In terms of competition, Valtec AI's primary rivals are helicopter companies, but the company's technology is likened to the replacement of horses by cars. The advantages in cost, safety, and efficiency make drones a clear disruptor in the market. Moreover, as the fishing industry deals in a commodity (tuna), any tool that improves yield and efficiency is likely to be rapidly adopted across the board, making Valtec AI a strong player in the space.A Service-Based Business ModelValtec AI operates on a service-based business model, providing a "system as a service." This includes not only the drones and software but also ground control stations and operators. The company's revenue stream is built on offering an all-in-one service, reducing the burden on fishing vessels to maintain and operate their drone systems independently."We buy the drones from the hardware providers, then provide the drones to the fishing vessels, to our customers, and provide the software, provide that ground control station that handles the whole system. We even provide an operator," Keh said. "We're creating a new profession. Originally there were no drone operators on fishing vessels or boats. Now we will provide the trained personnel to be able to operate our system and the multi-drone capability, and that way the customer does not have to worry about if this drone breaks or whatever."Valtec AI's drones have already been deployed to gather data from fishing vessels in Taiwan and the Philippines, with plans to expand globally. Keh emphasizes the potential to scale this system as more fishing companies see the clear cost and time savings from drone adoption. By cutting down the time required at sea from one month to two weeks, Valtec AI's system can significantly boost revenue for fishing companies, turning what is typically a slow, labor-intensive process into a streamlined operation.Future Expansion and Strategic FocusWhile the current focus is on the fishing industry, Keh sees future applications in other maritime industries, such as surveillance for shipping. However, the company is cautious about entering more complex sectors like defense, where factors such as weight limitations and operational range present new challenges for drone technology.In the short term, Valtec AI aims to perfect its solution for the fishing industry, expanding its customer base and proving its value proposition. The company recently closed a $2 million seed round, with investments facilitated through its close connections with Taiwan's startup ecosystem, including investment from Spark Labs Taiwan. The funds will help Valtec AI deploy its technology on 40 vessels of current customers, focusing on proving the system's effectiveness in reducing fishing time and increasing revenue for them.Valtec AI revolutionizes commercial fishing with drone and AI technologies

Taiwan's e-commerce platforms have enjoyed leaping revenue growth since the COVID-19 outbreak as consumers increasingly shop online instead of going to brick-and-mortar stores. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, online retail sales reached NT$503.5 billion in 2023, of which NT$284.2 billion, or 56% was generated by pure-play e-commerce companies. To optimize the shopper experience, e-commerce operators have begun to use AI to analyze customers' purchase history so as to make recommendations when they browse the shopping site thereby increasing the likelihood of a transaction.According to Rosetta.ai CEO Daniel Huang, e-commerce operators connect customers with products using tracking and recommender systems to predict buyer behavior. These systems growingly adopt AI to more accurately capture consumer preferences as AI technologies continue to advance. Rosetta.ai's solution is unique in that it matches the characteristics of both people and products. On top of that, it has the capability to understand images and texts, making it especially suitable for fashion e-commerce platforms. It is being used by multiple e-commerce companies.More than 3,000 use cases with no need for a single line of codeFounded in 2016, Rosetta.ai started out with a focus on developing tracking and recommender systems for e-commerce platforms. As it builds up its capability in AI and machine learning, Rosetta.ai has created a unique merchandise tagging database for fashion e-commerce companies that can be used throughout every stage of the shopping journey to realize automated marketing, including precisely redirecting target traffic, enabling diverse personalized interactions and increasing the repurchase rate.In line with the no code or low code trend, the use of Rosetta.ai's recommender system requires no coding. With only simple drag-and-drop operations, users can have personalized recommendations displayed anywhere on the shopping site, whether it's the home page, a merchandise page, a category page, or the shopping cart page. Seven recommendation scenarios are available to significantly increase the hit rate. Since its establishment, Rosetta.ai has helped more than 3,000 e-commerce brands grow their revenue.Huang mentioned that fashion e-commerce companies often use a large quantity of images to show how well clothes and accessories go together. Cosmetics retailers do the same to demonstrate how good their products would make consumers look. Traditional recommender systems are generally not capable of performing in-depth analysis and often tend to over-recommend similar products. For example, the system will keep recommending black clothing to a shopper who has purchased a black item. Rosetta.ai, on the other hand, recommends items that go with what the shopper has bought based on his or her purchase behavior. For example, it will recommend pants, skirts, handbags, or hats that go with the black top the shopper has bought. Its unique deep learning-based image analysis has attracted many fashion e-commerce companies.Using AI-powered precision recommendation algorithms, Rosetta Engage gains insights into every shopping journey touchpoint and offers intelligent recommendations through three interactive experiences. By accurately identifying moments of interaction between shoppers and website products, it is able to precisely recommend items shoppers love and want to buy, thereby raising the conversion rate.Expanding into Japan, Rosetta.ai's globalization efforts are generating impressive resultsLooking back at his entrepreneurship journey, Huang said that Taiwan's startup environment was not yet mature when he founded Rosetta.ai. There were no accelerators to offer guidance and limited sources of funding. Luckily, Rosetta.ai was subsidized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) also helped Rosetta.ai plan marketing strategies and secure funding. Rosetta.ai now has a team working in Japan to strengthen collaborations with local fashion e-commerce companies. It also plans to incorporate a Japan-based subsidiary sometime between late 2024 and early 2025 as part of its all-out efforts to foray into Japan.Huang noted that apart from the recommender system, Rosetta.ai has launched Rosetta Traffic, a whole new ad model that leverages AI to create a personalized shopping environment and drive high-spending consumers to the shopping site. It also enables product exposure on complementary brands' websites to increase traffic and improve the average order value. Rosetta.ai expects Rosetta Traffic to become its growth engine in the future.Shopping journey analysis increases traffic and revenue for small- and medium-sized businessesPhoto: Rosetta.ai