The quality and durability of successive generations of flash memories have tended to drop. Industrial customers are often only willing to use costly SLC memory, which limits SSD capacities for industrial control applications. The flash SSD/DOM industry has incorporated iSLC memory technology which is 10 times more durable than MLC, as well as key technologies that can maintain and monitor program/erase (P/E) wear leveling. This allows MLC to be integrated into lightweight industrial control applications, while iSLC memory will become the new darling of industrial control applications.The challenges of MLC in embedded industrial applicationsAs production processes have advanced, the line width and spacing of NAND flash have become increasingly smaller, which has reduced the number of P/E cycles. Taking SLC memory as an example: the 100,000 P/E cycles of 3xnm process era chips required only four ECC (error correction code) bits; while the P/E cycles for SLC in the 2xnm process era have reduced to 60,000 and 24 ECC bits are required.The early 5xnm production process MLC flash required eight ECC bits with 10,000 P/E cycles, and during the 3xnm MLC era, P/E cycles were reduced to 5,000 while ECC significantly increased to 15 bits. During the 2xnm MLC era, P/E cycle have fallen to 3,000 and ECC expanded to 24 bits, and 2ynm node MLC requires 40 ECC bits.Transmission rates of peripheral storage devices have also continuously improved. In 2010, ONFI 2.0 was advanced to 133MB/s and transmission rates of eMMC v4.41 were 104MB/s. In 2011, the ONFI v2.2/Toggle 1.0 specification increased flash transfer rates up to 200MB/s, the eMMC v4.5 was raised up to 200MB/s, while the transfer rate of UFS 1.0 was 2.9Gbps, and the SATAII specification was 3Gbps (300MB/s). In 2012, the ONFI v3.0/Toggle v1.5 specification raised flash transfer rates up to 400MB/s, UFS v2.0 transfer rates doubled to 5.8Gbps, and the SATAIII specification jumped to 6Gbps (600MB/s). By 2015, the transmission rate of the ONFI v4.x/Toggle v2.xx specification is expected to increase to 800MB/s and 1.6GB/s.Facing the various challenges from the declining durability/quality of flashCC Wu, Director of Embedded Flash Business Division at InnoDisk, listed the challenges of the MLC memory as follows: The number of error bits continues to increase; 40 ECC bits are needed at the 2ynm node and the number will continue to increase at temperatures around the negative 40 to 85 degree C range. Meanwhile, sudden power interruptions during power cycling often cause data to become lost, the lifespan of data decreases as P/E cycles increase, and the 16K paging design of MLC takes a significant amount of processing time for garbage collection.If customers want to integrate MLC into lightweight industrial control applications, good P/E wear leveling and internal monitoring tools are required, in addition to other complementary technologies.As the number of P/E cycles increases, error units also increase. Taking 3xnm MLC as an example: according to internal long-term test results performed by InnoDisk, an average of one error will occur within 1,000 P/E cycles. Beyond 20,000 P/E cycles, the number of errors increases five-fold. For 2xnm MLC, the average number of errors for less than 1,000 P/E cycles is already five, and the errors increase to 25 for 8,000 P/E cycles. For 2ynm process MLC, the number of errors is three for 1,000 P/E cycles, 34 for 8,000 P/E cycles, and 41 for 10,000 P/E cycles.InnoDisk indicated that flash Correct-and-Refresh (FCR) technology can read and monitor MLC blocks where the occurrence rate of errors has increased, fix the error bits, and store them in better conditioned blocks, and then restart the P/E cycle to improve the service life of the flash. InnoDisk has also developed smarter garbage collection algorithms for 16KB paging MLC flash to reduce the SSD data maintenance delay phenomena.Wu believes that during access to MLC memory, dynamic wear-leveling technology can be used in combination with static wear-leveling technology which is especially critical for MLC with just 3,000 P/E cycles. InnoDisk has provided an iSMART utility program that can illustrate the number of times an SSD block has been written to, and illustrate the overall wear-leveling effects. It can also monitor temperatures, estimate service life, and provide performance monitoring and pre-warning functions.If a sudden power outage occurs when MLC is writing data and the firmware is performing data writing or garbage collection, it is likely to cause damage to the memory page where the data is being written, and the adjacent memory pages, and may even cause the entire SSD's data to become lost. Therefore, a good SSD controller must have failure/low-voltage detection circuits that can quickly finish writing data to memory pages and save any necessary system-state data for restoration, in order to enable a reboot when a drop in input current voltage is detected.Using iSLC to provide low-cost and high-quality industrial control applicationsIndustrial control applications under general commercial temperatures (0 to 70 degrees C) require constant read/write capabilities and a five-year quality guarantee. Customers mostly choose SLC for heavyweight intensive read/write applications. However, SLC costs almost five times more than MLC. Therefore, InnoDisk has proposed the iSLC memory solution.iSLC has the advantages of both SLC and MLC. It is produced using existing low cost MLC memory process technology, and has SLC-like read/write capabilities (each charge stores only 1-bit). Therefore, endurance is improved to 30,000 P/E cycles, falling between the 60,000 P/E cycles for SLC and 3,000 P/E cycles for MLC. Although iSLC involves higher costs than MLC, it is half the cost of SLC and can be applied to IPC/kiosk/POS systems, embedded systems, server boards, thin terminals, etc.Wu illustrated a long-term durability test chart for MLC and iSLC produced under the same 2xnm process. The results showed that after 20,000 continuous data writes, MLC generated over 30 errors while iSLC generated only six. Even after 100,000 continuous P/E cycles, iSLC generated less than 10 errors and its durability and quality are comparable to those of the SLC memory created under standard SLC processes. The results for 32GB SSD tests showed that when 32GB of data is written 10 times each day, MLC can only be maintained for 0.8 years, 3xnm SLC can reach 27.4 years, 2xnm SLC can reach 16.4 years, and 2xnm iSLC can reach 7.6 years.InnoDisk has designed a series of products using iSLC flash memory technology for the SATAII interface. Its 2.5-inch SSD 2IE model adopts an 8-channel design, offers between 32GB and 256GB capacities, and has a sustained write speed of between 200MB/s to 230MB/s; the SATADOM-QVL 2IE and SATADOM-QV 2IE models adopt 4-channel designs, come in 8GB to 64GB capacities, and have sustained write speeds of between 120MB/s to 130MB/s; and the CFAST 2IE adopts a 4-channel design, capacities between 8GB and 64GB, and has a sustained write speed of between 120MB/s to 130MB/s. In addition, the company offers 2IE mSATA, Slim 2IE, and SATADOM QH 2IE modules that adopt a 4-channel SATAII design, come in 8GB to 64GB capacities, and offer sustained write speeds of between 120MB/s and 130MB/s.SATAIII solutions for embedded applicationsWu then introduced SATAIII product solutions for embedded industrial control applications. The InnoDisk ID167 control chip developed by InnoDisk adopts a 4-channel 8CE design, and has an ECC data correction capability of 40bit/1KB. It uses a 64MB 16-bit DDR III memory read/write buffer and consumes between 5mW and 33mW of power under SATAIII slumber and DEVSEL modes. SSD and mSATA modules designed with the ID167 will begin sampling during the first quarter of 2013.InnoDisk's ID167 adopts 24/25nm process Sync MLC flash memory chips. Under IO Meter performance test, the 64GB (4CH) version delivers sequential read/write performance of between 270MB/s and 480MB/s and sustained read/write IOPS are 1K and 80K. The 128GB (4CH) version, offers sequential read/write performance between 350MB/s and 520MB/s and sustained read/write IOPS are 2K and 80K. For the 256GB (4CH) version, sequential read/write performance can reach between 400MB/s and 550MB/s and sustained read/write IOPS are 3K and 80K.Compared to 128GB SLC SSDs used in mainstream industrial control applications, CystalDiskMark v3.0 test results indicate that the sequential read/write speeds of the 256GB MLC SATAIII SSD are 519MB/s and 344MB/s, respectively; and the sequential read/write speeds for the Pure SATAII 128GB SLC SSD are 253MB/s and 190MB/s, respectively. At similar costs, the 256GB MLC SATAIII SSD has twice the capacity and faster performance compared to those of the 128GB SLC SATAII SSD.InnoDisk also provides single-chip modules. The 32GB (4CHx1CE) comprises the InnoDisk ID167 controller chip with a flash silicon wafer chip on board (COB) package. The device has sequential read/write speeds of 480MB/s and 140MB/s, respectively. When CystalDiskMark v3.0 performance tests are conducted to compare performance against the 32GB SATADOM SATAII SLC, the sequential read/write speeds of the SATAIII device are 482MB/s and 271MB/s, respectively; and the SATAII sequential read/write speeds are 252MB/s and 235MB/s, respectively.CC Wu, director of embedded flash business division at InnoDisk

Today, the importance of hardware virtualization has continued to increase from home entertainment to the mobile market. A higher level of security and content protection can be achieved through hardware virtualization. An increasing number of consumers have used such hardware virtualization to perform mobile payments, HD media streaming, Cloud storage, or even secure ID protections where highly secured applications are required.Imagination Technologies has released MIPS Release 5 (R5), which is an important new version for the MIPS architecture. The new architectural enhancements that underwent more than two years in development process include critical functions such as Virtualization and Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) modules. The MIPS virtualization modules have highly scalable options with multiple functions, including enhanced security features and support for multiple operating systems.Rao Gattupalli, Director of Segment Marketing at Imagination indicated that, "Virtualization is an essential key to the future development of embedded systems." Regarding the development of the embedded systems security architecture, Gattupalli stated, "We must first define what we mean by a security system. The most precise definition is that if a system can ensure smooth operation without unintended data leakage/loss, it can be regarded as a safe and reliable system."Isolation: The key to system securityThe urgent security needs of the embedded system cover a wide dimension ranging from consumers to enterprises. From the consumer perspective, Gattupalli pointed out that smart phones and tablet PCs have become targets for hackers. Furthermore, rapid software development and increased software complexity have prevented full software integrity verifications, thus causing the error/hacker attack problems to become increasingly serious.In the corporate field, bring your own device (BYOD) has become one of the biggest security challenges. In addition, awareness for content protection and media streaming security as well as the needs for secure payment transaction spurred by mobile payment, secure Cloud storage, and secure ID protection are on the rise. The new generation of embedded devices require solutions that provide more security while taking into account the SoC area and cost benefits. Gattupalli indicated that one of the key objectives to SoC design in response to the demands for modern embedded security is to isolate secure applications from non-secure applications in order to ensure that data transmitted during secure applications are not stolen or leaked.An embedded application specific secure SoC must be able to isolate secure data from non-secure applications. Currently, this isolation mechanism is required from smart phones to set top boxes (STB) because increasingly more applications require complex terminal equipment to process high security content such as encryption keys, payment systems, and HD video streaming. Gattupalli indicated that, "Within one system, protection is required from one application to another and from one data type to another." Meanwhile, these applications must operate smoothly without interruption. That is, when operating system error occurs in another area, the application must be able to continue to run or exit intact.In general, the secure partition construction method includes using another core or using the virtualization technology to create multiple secure and non-secure partitions within a single core. Virtualization can be accomplished through para-virtualization or hardware-assisted virtualization. MIPS can enable a solution that can support both para-virtualization and hardware assisted virtualization simultaneously. At present, the market already has a para-virtualization solution that can be implemented on MIPS-based cores. Furthermore, the MIPS architecture also provides the hardware-assisted virtualization technology.Gattupalli indicated that numerous SoCs currently adopt the dual-core processor configurations where one processor is responsible for the non-secure area and the other is used for the secure area. Today's security configurations are universal and can provide a high level of security. However, greater scalability and cost-effectiveness methods are still needed in practical applications to satisfy the needs of the new generation devices to simultaneously perform a variety of applications within the security area.Use secure SoC as the core for embedded systemsGattupalli first specified the six key elements that constitute a secure SoC as follows: secure boot, secure key storage, trusted execution environment (TEE), secure data path, secure update, and secure debug.Secure boot is referred to as the root of trust that is primarily used to prevent tampering. It is usually the read-only memory used to store the initial start-up code required for device reset. Secure key storage generally means the OTP OPT area used to store secure assets such as public keys and other DRM encryption keys. For example, the Netflex video on demand application stores the public key in the OTP OPT in order to decode the contents. Safe boot and secure key storage is the primary objective of constructing a secure SoC.The TEE software layer is loaded after the successful load and certified initialization of the program. The TEE is the secure environment used to manage and control access to a set of low-level software modules. These sub-modules include security keys, secure data paths, secure updates, and secure debugging. The TEE is used for the allocation of resources and prevents non-secure applications from accessing the secure block. Basically TEE can be regarded as the gatekeeper of the bottom-level hardware resources. For example, during STB applications, the TEE can ensure that unauthorized applications cannot access critical assets such as the unencrypted address of the secure data that may exist in the video codec or the memory.Secure data paths can ensure that high-value assets such as codecs can only be accessed by authorized entities. Secure update is to provide validation and management to ensure safe upper level system software updates. Gattupalli indicated that because operating systems, and various peripherals such as USBs all require updates; therefore, customers will need the security safeguards during the updating process. In addition, debugging also has security needs. The secure debug module for the SoC can enable the JTAG port to prevent unauthorized access.Gattupalli further indicated that, "The biggest challenge for the SoC secure embedded application comes from power and size as well as the reusable resources for secure and non-secure applications." He specifically emphasized the importance of reusable resources. As terminal devices become more complex with the development trending towards multi-core processors, the lack of reusable resources for secure and non-secure applications is bound to create numerous design drawbacks.The other major challenge comes from the multiple secure zones. Gattupalli indicated that general single- or multi-user data access, enterprise-level data access, and financial or personal data access operations are all major challenges for the secure SoC. Meanwhile, before these needs are fully satisfied, designers would also hope to optimize the SoC size and costs. The virtualization technology is the best solution for this situation.As the virtualization technology can enable parallel processing of multiple operating systems and applications while consolidating workloads, it can be used as the key technology to develop the next generation security-critical embedded devices. The MIPS virtualization module is a simple and flexible hardware solution that can satisfy these different needs under the limited or unaffected performance setback conditions.Virtualization brings greater benefits to the embedded systemVirtualization provides a scalable and TEE for the secure embedded system to connect to a variety of applications. It can secure isolation for each individual environment and manage privileged resources through access policies defined by each virtual machine. Meanwhile, only the trusted execution environments can communicate with the virtual machine. These features not only strengthen the reliability of the system, they can also accelerate the speed developments in the future.Virtualization allows multiple independent operating systems on a single processor to become completely isolated, such as running Linux and RTOS simultaneously, while strengthening system reliability. That is, a session malfunction would not cause the entire system to fail. In addition, virtualization can also help to implement QoS, contribute to the migration from heterogeneous to homogeneous multi-core, and protect the customers' investments in operating systems and real-time operating systems.In fact, Gattupalli indicated that the core element of virtualization is hypervisor, a small code constructed on the hardware to provide a reliable execution environment. Hypervisor can manage resource priority by defining the access strategy of each execution environment or "object." The objects will be isolated from each other, but can communicate to each other through a secure API and hypervisor. System reliability can be achieved through secure operation from other entities beyond the guests, and the system would be unaffected even when one guest is damaged. Hypervisor can manage all of the I/O priorities for the memories of the subsystem.Gattupalli indicated that secure hypervisor can serve as the foundation for embedded systems that emphasized on security and reliability, virtual environments can provide flexible software management, and the software and hardware security virtualization solutions for MIPS would become the key to enable the embedded system design to reach its goal quickly and successfully.Rao Gattupalli, Director of Segment Marketing at Imagination

South Korea-based Samsung Electronics has announced the fourth generation of the Galaxy smartphone series, the Galaxy S4 that weighs 130g.According to Samsung, Galaxy S4 has Full HD Super AMOLED display. The product's 5-inch large screen has 441ppi and utilizes Corning's Gorilla Glass 3.Equipped with a 13 megapixel rear camera, the Galaxy S4 also boasts a dual camera function that allows simultaneous use of both front and rear cameras. At the same time, the product is also equipped with dual video call function.The Galaxy S4 has a function called S Translator, which provides instant translation, using text or voice translation on applications including email, text message and ChatON.The new product supports HSPA+42 Mbps and 4G LTE. Samsung said that the LTE version supports up to six different band sets which allows it to function in most LTE coverage areas as well as enabling global LTE roaming. Furthermore, TDD/FDD LTE Dual Mode version will be introduced later in 2013, said Samsung.The Galaxy S4 is equipped with features that detect the user's face, voice and motions to enable screen control with no need for finger touch activation, according to Samsung. Samsung Smart Pause enables users to control the screen by where they look. When the user is watching a video, the video pauses when the user looks away then it starts right up again when the user turns back.Samsung Smart Scroll allows users to scroll the browser or emails up and down without touching the screen. The feature allows the smartphone to recognize the user's face when the user is looking at the screen and the detects the movement of the user's wrist to scroll the pages up or down accordingly.In addiiton, with Air View, users can change the music track, scroll up and down a web page, or accept a call with a wave of the hand, said Samsung.Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available from the second quarter globally including the US market, partnering with telecom carriers such as AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, as well as US Cellular and Cricket, Samsung said. In Europe, Samsung Galaxy S4 is partnering with global mobile operators such as Deutsche Telecom, EE, H3G, Orange, Telenor, Telia Sonera, Telefonica, and Vodafone.Samsung Galaxy S4Photo: Company

According to International Data Corp. (IDC), in 2020 there will be approximately 1.9 billion computers, 2.6 billion smart phones, 2 billion consumer electronics and 25 billion of embedded and intelligent systems. The number of which is larger than the other three combined. It is apparent that the growth potential of Internet of Things (IoT) is monumental; therefore, in the emerging connected world, ensuring secure network connections will become an important issue.In 2012, a nuclear power plant in southern Iran was brought to an unexpected halt after a malware attack. Despite the fact that the problem was immediately contained, the threat alerted other nations about the importance of network security. The need for network security exists not only in enterprise data centers. It also exists in telecom data center, machine to machine (M2M) network, industrial applications and small office/home office (SOHO) network. Any device with network connectivity could become a potential entry point for cyber attack and must be protected as well.Under these premises, the design of the next generation network security platforms must reflect the trend of "Internet everywhere" in addition to focusing on network traffic generated by data access. The platforms must go into telecom data center on account of surging mobile network traffic. They also have to give thorough thought to different network environments including ZigBee, Wi-Fi and industrial network using EtherCAT protocol to ensure security for M2M and industrial networks."As applications expand, the amount of network traffic will increase substantially. The existing infrastructure and the underlying platform alone will not suffice to monitor and control the increased traffic. Changes will be required to adapt," said Hadwin Liu, director of product management, NEXCOM Network and Communication Solutions Business Unit.Step into the new era of high-tech integrationHigh bandwidth and high-speed packet processing are key to accommodating the increased network traffic, explained Liu. Network security platforms must be dedicated appliances which integrate network processor units (NPU) and switching capabilities for efficient packet processing in contrast to conventional platforms which are computers assembled with add-on cards.More specifically, next generation network security platforms must equip intelligent NPU capable of implementing security policies to filter packets, inspect packet header for errors, skip and forward the ones with the same header information immediately to avoid repeated inspections. Offloading packet processing from computing cores to a dedicated NPU can increase throughput for network security platforms.Network security platforms require high throughput capacity because of multimedia packet overhead. In addition, the amount of data generated by M2M is far beyond imagination and beyond the capability of existing infrastructures.New evolution of customized machinesOn the other hand, to allow network security platforms to be used in different application environments and to handle different levels of network traffic, it is essential that the platforms are highly compatible with a variety of network security software to simplify integration for customers. In addition, the platform must comply with standards. For example, NEBS Level 3 certification is the key to ensuring customer success in telecommunication application while EN50155 certification is required by railway application. Liu adds, as industrial control is shifting towards M2M communication, incorporating rugged designs such as wide operating temperatures, water and dust proof, shock and vibration resistance into the platform are also a necessity.Network security platforms are moving towards a more specialized and custom design to adapt to the changing environment and traffic volume in the future. Beyond unique exterior design, increasing multi-core performance and technology integration, it is far more important to design solutions tailored to specific application needs.In 2013, NEXCOM, for example, has released new network security hardware aimed at different application needs of the telecommunication, industrial control and high-throughput industries. For telecommunications, NEXCOM provides NEBS Level 3 certified Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) blade servers and rackmount servers; for industrial controls, it offers EN50155 certified transportation computers and platforms with DIN-rail mounts for factory environments. As for high-throughput solutions, NEXCOM can design customized solution according to the customers' needs using different central processor units, NPUs and network switch chips.A more and more connected world is driving the demand for network security. Industrial facilities will require complete network security systems.

As we all know City surveillance is always a critical issue, in light of this, Cebu City government has been looking into the possibility of installing IP cameras in road intersections to deter the commission of crimes and traffic violations. Seeing this demand, GKB is proud to assist Cebu City government in customizing a total solution for this project. To ensure best image quality, GKB allocates the best PTZ camera DZ2801 in each intersection, supported by smart Diplomat platform, enables live public viewing from multi sites system, allowing Cebu government a comprehensive control of the city's security.High definition surveillanceGKB advised Cebu government using DZ2801 camera, which features Sony FCB –EH3400 and 720P 28X zoom module. The HD video provides the authorized guards and police with easy identification event detailed scenes such as facial or license plate when it is needed.FlexibleTo offer more, GKB not only offers HD speed dome for HD surveillance but also provides a comprehensive video alarm platform for the entire project.1. IAST platform with panic button: GKB advised to install panic button on each streetlight. If any citizen encounters burglar, criminal or some dangerous situation, they simply need to press the panic button. Then, police station will detect the notification with pop out video immediately. The device makes possible for the police to take immediate action to terminate and to avoid further crime.2. Support video hosting architecture to support multiple sites viewing: Upon getting the notification, the police would move to the location, yet even on the go; they could use laptops or smart phones to monitor the situation of that site. Furthermore, all of their city surveillance center, each police station, website, and smartphone could monitor the cameras at the same time.3. GKB proposed WIFI access point on each intersection: Another very creative method that GKB provides Cebu government - is to install WIFI device on each intersection. Therefore, the police guards can immediately take over the PTZ control when they are on site through WIFI LAN connection to the PTZ. Once taking over the PTZ control, the guards can control PTZ without delay for fast tracking purpose.Extendable1. Foresee the future demand: The platform GKB proposes is an extendable platform which the Government agency can prepare for its future control and management, with the entire surveillance cameras up to 30,000 as well as the increasing needs of future deployment. For future add on cameras, there will be no upgraded software license fees. The platform can be also extended for other video applications such as public traffic viewing through GKB unique video hosting platform, alarm and monitoring services for entire commercial shops through Cebu area, and sight scene applications as well.2. Professional consultant service: To serve from top to end, GKB also helps the government to deploy the internet structure with the biggest local telecom company in Philippines. Not only just support you with our solution but also provide professional service to our customer.GKB provides a variety of products and intelligent total solution for different projects such as school, hospital, bank and city hall… etc. And we will help our customer using the most economical way to do the right deployment for their project. For more GKB's products, visit: http://www.gkbsecurity.com/GKB PTZ camera DZ2801

Global electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, the industry leader in electronic component selection, availability, and delivery, has expanded its distribution agreement with Honeywell Sensing and Control to distribute their products globally."We are excited to have the opportunity to work with Digi-Key in our other global regions to duplicate the success that we have seen in North America," said Mike West, Director, Global Distribution for Honeywell Sensing and Control. "Entering into this agreement with Digi-Key forms the foundation for us to grow our businesses on a global basis and expand our success beyond North America."Honeywell Sensing and Control manufactures more than 50,000 products ranging from snap action, limit, toggle and pressure switches to position, speed, pressure, torque, and airflow sensors. Honeywell also offers engineering expertise and value-added capabilities no other company offers. While its switch and sensor solutions meet a wide array of basic and complex applications, its custom-engineered solutions offer enhanced precision, repeatability and ruggedness for each industry it serves."With Digi-Key's rapid growth in the global markets, we are excited to expand our agreement with Honeywell," said Tom Busher, Digi-Key Vice President, Interconnect, Passives, and Electromechanical products. "Providing quality products to our worldwide customer base has always been a priority, and the ability to distribute Honeywell's superior products internationally adds immense value for our customers."Honeywell Sensing and Control's wide range of products are available for purchase now on all of Digi-Key's global websites: http://www.digikey.com/

Global electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, the industry leader in electronic component selection, availability, and delivery, recently announced the signing of a global distribution agreement with MEMSIC, a leading provider of MEMS sensor components, sophisticated inertial systems, and leading-edge wireless sensor networks."As technology tries to fit more and more functionality into smaller and smaller spaces, MEMS has grown exponentially in utilization," said Mark Zack, Digi-Key Vice President, Global Semiconductor Product. "By integrating IC and MEMS functionality, MEMSIC offers our customers a unique product to fill a growing need in their designs. We are pleased to partner with MEMSIC."MEMSIC designs and manufactures integrated micro-electromechanical sensors (MEMS) using a standard integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process. The company combines proprietary thermal-based MEMS technology and advanced analog mixed-signal processing circuitry into a single chip. This allows MEMSIC to produce high-performance accelerometers and other MEMS devices at substantially lower cost than most traditional processes."Digi-Key is recognized by design engineers worldwide for its excellent service, and for its access to readily available components they can count on for new designs," noted John Newton, MEMSIC Vice President of Marketing. "We are excited to be partnering with Digi-Key, and believe this agreement will significantly expand MEMSIC's global reach to design engineers looking for the latest in sensor technology."MEMSIC's full line of MEMS products is available for purchase on Digi-Key's global websites: http://www.digikey.com/

ABB has been selected as one of the world's 50 disruptive companies by the MIT Technology Review, a publication of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US. The Review's annual list also includes household names such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, as well as some competitors.The publication cites ABB's success in "perfecting a circuit breaker for high-voltage DC lines - a crucial step for widespread use of renewable energy." The development of the breaker, announced by ABB last November, marked the resolution of a 100-year-old challenge. Thomas Edison's inability to find a solution for interrupting high-voltage DC is one of the reasons why he lost the War of the Currents in the 19th century and why today's grids are mostly built on alternating current (AC).The innovation makes it possible for the first time to create a grid based on high voltage direct current (HVDC), which is a necessary development to effectively balance supply and demand and ensure reliability, and therefore for tapping renewable energy on a large scale.ABB has ramped up investment in research and development in recent years, increasing annual spending by 68 percent over the last five years to almost $1.5 billion in 2012. From 2013, Chief Technology Officer Prith Banerjee is focusing part of the investment on "big bet" projects intended to deliver breakthrough technologies that will have a considerable impact on ABB's business.The company also invests in innovation in universities around the world, and today announced it is funding an additional 40 research projects that will shape the future of power and automation.

MSI, the world-leading manufacturer of Gaming motherboards, graphics-cards and All-in-Ones PCs storms CeBIT with a new line-up of Gaming products. Hardware enthusiasts and gamers will flock to MSI's new Z77 GAMING motherboards with their new distinctive look. To complement MSI's new Gaming motherboards MSI will also display a new concept of graphics cards that match the striking looks of the new Gaming motherboards. CeBIT 2013 will also be the first opportunity to touch MSI's new AG2712, world's first Gaming All-in-One. 2013 is an exciting year in the computer industry and MSI has reserved a spot in the driver's seat, as can be seen on CeBIT 2013. A new line of motherboards CeBIT 2013 is the first unveiling of MSI's new Gaming motherboards. A lineup created for and by gamers designed to offer exactly what gamers need without being limited to exorbitant price levels. MSI's Gaming motherboards will range in features and price to suit every gamers' need with better Audio features, the best Gaming network chip on the market and an all-out optimized third generation motherboard for the Intel 7 series chipset . Gamers can blindly trust MSI Gaming to offer the best Gaming networking chip with the latest Killer E2200 chip to accelerate and prioritize their Gaming traffic. Visitors will also be able to get a first glimpse of MSI's upcoming motherboards for Intel's next-gen chipset. For high-end desktops MSI showcases its' new X79A-GD45 Plus, popular Mini-ITX models, Thunderbolt equipped motherboards, AMD FM2 powerhouses and B75 business models. A Touch of Gaming After successfully integrating all parts of a full-worthy Gaming desktop into a massive touch-screen display, MSI proudly shows the world's first All-in-One PC for Gaming enthusiasts at CeBIT: the MSI AG2712. The MSI AG2712 Gaming All-in-One PC is equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX670MX graphics card, one of the fastest, most advanced graphics cards at this moment. As more and more PC games available on app-stores and game shops are supporting movement gestures via touch, the MSI Gaming All-in-One PCs come with a multi-touch interface, even supporting 10-finger touch control. Accompanied by a 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processor, an impressive 27" anti-glare display with Full HD resolution and a top-notch audio solution by THX TruStudio Pro, the MSI AG2712 will impress both casual and enthusiastic gamers with visual awe and a striking performance. Now you're Gaming with MSI Also on display is a new class of MSI graphics card. Distinguishable by a new red color scheme on the cool Twin Frozr these graphics cards are designed to complete an all MSI Gaming setup much like the record-holding Lightning graphics cards fit the Z77 MPOWER. These new graphics cards are the first addition to an MSI Gaming ecosystem, where gamers can mix and match MSI GAMING products for even better performance. You can also see MSI's latest GeForce TITAN graphics card as well as MSI's renowned line of record breaking Lightning graphics cards, the overclockers favorite pacing through the exclusive MSI Fire Strike Tech Demo in the new 3DMark. Learn more about MSI Gaming at: GAME.MSI.COM Visit MSI and see the exiting new range of gaming products at CeBIT 2013 in Hal 15, Stand F15. MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming MSI AG2712 Gaming All-in-One PC MSI GTX 670 Gaming

The need for defense and security has never ceased. Terror attacks have increased in many regions and the terrible events at the beginning of the century, led to a rapid increase in global security and massive development in surveillance technology. Technologies are constantly changing, so what are the next-generation surveillance systems likely to look like?The Evolution of Surveillance TechnologyAt first, surveillance systems consisted of basic analog video recording machines with simple light indicators on the exterior case to indicate the status and operation of the machine. After the advent of PCs in the 1980's the technology matured and we saw CRT screens with multiple images and multiple cameras. The system allowed you to monitor more than just one thing and enabled you see the entire system. As the internet began to mature in the 1990's, surveillance systems began to be upgraded again.Through network links and embedded sensors, cameras were now everywhere and back-end systems became more remotely controlled. The advance of networking technology eliminated the problem of distance and expanded the surveillance range from a few local cameras into multiple widely distributed cameras which can pan, tilt and zoom to paint an even fuller picture.The rise of Internet was the second wave of change in security surveillance. This world-wide network eliminated the last distance limitations, so that the surveillance systems could now break out of industrial applications and be used to monitor anything anywhere. There are two distinct functions over previous systems in today's web based security surveillance systems, the first is multi-point surveillance that uses up to 32 channels from a single image capture card, meaning that a host can be equipped with 32 cameras each with 32 screens for monitoring. The second is remote control, which emerged with the advent of IP cameras which can send and receive data via the network and can be operated independently or dependently through a control center.The Third RevolutionWhat will be the third wave of the surveillance revolution? Systems with built-in intelligence will become more and more common. But what is meant by an intelligent system? As the name suggests, it means the device has built-in logic and capability to identify itself to other devices and thus make decisions. But machines will always be machines. They can not think and judge like a human do - at least for now. So the functions of an intelligent surveillance system can be divided into two categories, the first gives the device an intuitive, smart and user-friendly interface and functions, and the second is a system's ability to carry out independent decisions under special conditions.For the first part, intelligent software for surveillance has been around for several years and was used mostly for the military in the early stages, and the technology gradually shifted to civilian use. Intelligent monitoring software allows operators to set up special warning conditions whereby events on screen trigger actions for example: if someone leaves luggage in a sensitive public place like an airport or train station, the system will notice that an unattended object has appeared on the screen and it will automatically trigger an event and inform security check it in out. Another example are art objects in a museum whereby an intelligent surveillance system can detect the presence - or not, of an object and will automatically alert security if something goes missing.The second category of an intelligent surveillance system endows a system with more independent functions such as a digital signal processor (DSP) built-in to the camera that can record and process digital video in advance, they can then store them locally on hard drives or network attached storage, or transmit them to the back end, which not only reduces performance overheads but also helps with bandwidth management. Another feature of the camera is a damage report function. Criminals might try to damage or destroy a camera to avoid leaving any video evidence after they've committed an offence. Cameras with this feature will alert security so that they can react accordingly.IoT Triggers Revolution in Intelligent SurveillanceAs for the future direction of intelligent surveillance systems, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Cloud Services will enable a whole new range of applications. Thanks to the inevitable progress of silicon technology, embedding sensing or communication chips into any device is not difficult. Through these chips, all equipment and devices can be interconnected into a network of devices that can communicate with each other. IoT will allow surveillance systems interconnect with each other and deploy useful functions for use in factory automation, security, transportation and many other familiar and new industries. These connected surveillance systems will also generate huge amounts of data for online analytical processing (OLAP), data mining and other useful applications such as face recognition or motion detection.In addition to a large number of digital video streams from several decentralized cameras, surveillance technology has teamed up with other technologies.