With the convergence of 5G, AI, IoT and hyperscale computing, what will computing needs look like in the next decade? As the heart of the computing and connectivity revolution, and the developer of widely used processor architecture, Arm has outlined its vision over the next decade through the recent launch of the Armv9 architecture.CK Tseng (left), President of Arm Taiwan, and Dr. JC Hsu, Corporate VP and GM of MediaTek's Wireless Communications Business Unit (right)As AI-powered compute becomes ubiquitous, CK Tseng, President of Arm Taiwan, expected that another 300 billion Arm-based chips to ship during the next decade and could be widely used in end devices, data networks, edge computing or in the cloud. After a holistic consideration of the balance between general purpose and specialized processing as well as factors such as safety, performance, ease of development and power efficiency, Armv9 is the solution developed to address this unprecedented opportunity for innovation. How to leverage Arm architecture and its strong ecosystem to make innovations is what the whole industry can think about to identify and size up the business opportunities.Computing needs and challenges for the next decadeIt has been 10 years since Arm launched Armv8 architecture. More than 180 billion Arm-based chips have been shipped over the past 30 years, Tseng said. From sensors, edge, networks to the cloud, the vast majority of shared data today are processed by Arm processors at some stage through its lifecycle. Therefore, when we started developing the Armv9 a few years ago, we have been thinking about what's the biggest challenge over the next decade? How can we help developers prepare for the future?Shipments of Arm-based chips are expected to reach 300 billion in the next decade for diverse innovative solutionsFirst, information security is the biggest challenge. "Data has become an important asset for individuals, whether in consumer, industrial or commercial applications, ensuring privacy and security is an urgent issue." In addition, with the growing innovative applications and the cost to launch an app is getting lower, there will be more and more people engaged in software development. In the future, the number of software will increase greatly, how to prevent important information from being stolen and make the development of applications easier and seamless is a matter to be considered.In the meantime, the popularity of AI and hyperscale computing applications will continue to drive the development of edge AI, and the market has endless demand for lower power consumption and higher performance. Arm is developing technologies to increase efficiency, bandwidth, cache size and reduce memory latency to maximize the performance of Armv9-based CPU to collaborate with partners to react to challenges.Another challenge posed by the ubiquity of AI in computing is that the requirements for specialized processing solutions will become higher. Different market segmentation, performance and use cases will bring different computing requirements. How to flexibly utilize the hardware and software capabilities of CPU, GPU and NPU processors to optimize the AI workload in the optimal solution is also a problem to be solved.The future of specialized computing delivers enhanced security, AI and system performanceTherefore, in addition to enhancing security and core performance, Arm is also trying to create solutions that meets the needs of specialized computing under the general-purpose and flexible hardware architecture to achieve the optimal "system-level" performance.Tseng said that in anticipation of this trend, Arm has changed to define the organizational structure from an application point of view rather to define from product lines to cater for the specific needs of computing technologies for different applications.David Hsu, Arm FAE Director, added that specified processing is needed to respond to the diverse needs for future chips. That's why Arm integrates Arm CPU, GPU and NPU platforms to deliver greater efficiency, scalability and flexibility. In addition to hardware, Arm has also put a lot of efforts in building a software ecosystem. "The future is an era of contextual optimization, moving beyond individual IP specification, where software will play a much bigger role."To this end, Arm introduces SystemReday program. As long as hardware and underlying software comply with defined system standards, all operating systems can run on top of them and can be compatible with Arm-based hardware, from sensors, edge to the cloud. Based on the concept of a software-defined device, the adoption of the Arm architecture, which is widely used in the industry, will ensure that developers can maximize their software investment, Tsang said. "Since we can't anticipate the performance of the end devices, in order to achieve the best performance, self-developed software and cloud software will co-exist in the future. There'll be more and more cloud-native software running on the edge devices, and we encourage partners to join."The Arm SystemReady program achieves balance between standardization and flexibility, helping partners innovate with differentiated designsHsu emphasized that for Arm, these efforts are all about trying to strike a balance between standardization and flexibility. Through standardization of hardware and underlying software, such as defining the standards in the Base System Architecture (BSA) and Base Boot Requirement (BBR), it will be easier for companies to port software and allow them to focus on application innovation and design differentiation.On the security front, Armv9 introduced the Confidential Compute Architecture (CCA), introducing the concept of dynamically created Realms for the first time to protect data in use. The main difference between Realms and the existing TrustZone technology is that the latter believes the underlying operating system is secure while isolating secure world from non-secure world. On the other hand, the protection in CCA is to transfer data to its own Realms through an additional address translation, making it hard for the operating systems to probe the code and data executed in the Realms. Therefore, even if an operating system is compromised, the data and codes in Realms can still be ensured.The Arm Confidential Compute Architecture (CCA) introduces a new concept of dynamically created RealmsRealms are an evolution of TrustZone. By being isolated from the operating system, Realms provide an additional layer of protection for software. Even dynamically downloaded apps on mobile phones can gain higher confidentiality by introducing the Realms. In addition, the Armv9 architecture provides enhanced support for Memory Tagging Extensions, which protects data passed from the CPU to the memory by allowing software to associate a pointer to memory with a tag to counter attacks on memory security vulnerabilities. Security is enhanced through the various protection mechanisms in hardware and software.In digital signal processing (DSP) and AI computing, Arm partnered with Fujitsu to create the Scalable Vector Extension (SVE) technology, which is at the heart of the Fugaku, the world's fastest supercomputer. Building on that work, SVE2, an enhanced version of SVE developed for Armv9, enables support of vector length from 128 bits to a variable of 2048 bits.Hsu said that such a large amount of parallel computing power enables Armv9 to work well for 5G systems, virtual reality, augmented reality and also for machine learning workloads. Over the next few years, Arm will further extend the performance with substantial enhancements in performing Matrix Multiplication within the CPU. In addition to expanding AI capabilities, AI innovations in Mali GPUs and Ethos NPUs will continue.Leverage Arm ecosystem to accelerate product innovation and differentiationThe release of the Armv9 architecture is just a start. The industry will continue to see Arm roll out new products and technologies to propel Arm's vision: specialized processing, built on the economics, design freedom and accessibility advantages of our ubiquitous computing platform, enabling our partners to deliver best in class solutions across all markets. The first Armv9-based product will be available this year.Armv9's advanced architecture opens up more innovation possibilities and new opportunities for Taiwan's technology industry. Tseng said Taiwan's technology sector had performed well in 2020, but the challenge of moving beyond existing business models to increase business value in response to the needs of the new generation of computing remains to be solved. "Taiwan companies have been very well versed in technology. Facing various opportunities such as 5G, IoT, cloud, automotive and others, they need to develop long-term profitability models and increase investment in innovation to lay the foundation for future growth.""In Arm's case, we started investing in Armv9 research and development a few years ago to keep pace with the trends and partner needs. The opportunity Armv9 brings to Taiwan is about providing more value and the possibility of differentiation, which is the key to success," Tseng said.Hsu explained, "In the case of smart camera, Taiwan companies has built strong capabilities from chip design, software to the machine. The competitive advantage can be further improved by taking advantage of Armv9's enhanced security and AI performance to take the lead in developing more powerful and more secure products, for example, achieving higher recognition accuracy in AI, in line with the special use case, or increasing product security.""Arm has been deeply cultivated in Taiwan for more than 20 years, and we have been committed to helping our customers expand the market and drive business value." Tsang said. "Taiwan has built up strong design capabilities and already been a critical part of global high-tech supply chain, and we look forward to helping partners speed up time to market for new products through Armv9's excellent features and enhanced connection of ecosystem.""We see great opportunities in areas including smart cameras, smart surveillance, PC, laptop, edge computing, data centers, automotive, and industrial computers for Taiwan companies." Tseng explained.MediaTek took the lead in adopting Armv9 and the new product will be available at the end of this yearMediaTek has become quite the household name in 5G mobile communication technology over recent years. Apart from just smartphones, Arm's collaboration with MediaTek on new Armv9 architecture products extends throughout its product range. "The Arm Neoverse solution supports more cores at constant thermal design power (TDP), improves energy efficiency and performance to offer greater potential for workloads such as high performance computing and machine learning. We are in ongoing discussion with MediaTek in consumer electronics and communication areas such as 5G wireless base stations, enterprise private networks, edge computing, core networks and data centers, etc., and look forward to more cooperation opportunities," said Tseng.At the global launch of the Armv9, MediaTek announced that their first Armv9-based smartphone product will be available by the end of 2021. "MediaTek has built up an abundance of product lines encompassing mobile devices, home entertainment applications, wireless connection technologies and IoT markets over the years. The scalability of the Arm architecture, along with excellent performance and design innovation are key as we expand the MediaTek portfolio," said Dr. JC Hsu, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of MediaTek's Wireless Communications Business Unit.JC Hsu believes that the support and advice provided by the Arm team has indeed played a key role in enabling MediaTek's continued innovation and product enhancement. He thinks very highly of the Armv9 architecture in terms of its better security, computing performance and energy efficiency. Through Arm's multiple solutions, including high-efficiency, low-power design and the scalability of the system platform, MediaTek will continue to work closely with Arm in all fields going forward.This echoes what Tseng has stressed all along -- the hope of helping Arm partners to leverage Arm core architecture, the powerful ecosystem and software support to expand markets and generate business opportunities. It is expected that Armv9 will become the foundation for next-generation chip designs as well as the opportunity for enterprises to enhance their competitiveness and technological innovation.Click here to get more details on the Armv9 architecture

Eyeing the huge market demand, FSP Group provides the industry's fullest range of open frame power supply for networking switch and PoE switch applications. The model series comes with a complete assortment of wattages that meet all relevant terminal applications' power supply needs.FSP Group has recently launched new FSP250-H24 and FSP260-P35 models. FSP250-H24 is a single-output model with 250W output power and a dimension of 2"x 4" x 1.283". The model series include 12v, 24v, and 54v. Specially designed for Networking Switch and PoE Switch, they feature A/C and HVDC (high-voltage d/c) voltage input functions.FSP260-P35 is a single-output model with 260W output power and a dimension of 3" x 5" x 1.34". the model series include 12V/18V/24V/54V output voltage options. The products are intended for networking switch, PoE switch, and docking applications.The two product series can maintain full power output at the fixed operating temperature of 50 degree C and 90-264Vac (128-370Vdc) without de-rating. Under standby mode, the input power consumption is less than 0.5W. In line with EMI EN55032: Class B specifications and in compliance with CB 62368-1, UL/cUL, and CE global safety regulations, terminal products are provided with the highest security guarantee.FSP group launch new open frame power supply

5G is no doubt a hot key word in today's high-tech world. The disruptive changes 5G will bring are nothing like those in the times of 3G or 4G. Never-before-seen features such as network slicing, virtualization, and ultra-low latency are expected to give rise to a myriad of smart innovations which will generate enormous business value. As such, the main 5G market will target enterprise applications, unlike the 3G/4G market which focuses on consumer applications.It is foreseeable that massive amounts of data will be generated as 5G services become available, which will be instrumental to the realization of AIoT applications. Data flow across each node, including the end devices, base stations, and core networks, will be much bigger than before and instant processing will be needed. In response, fronthaul or backhaul transmission speeds have jumped from 10Gbps to 25~50Gbps while core network transmission speeds have surged to 100Gbps, 400Gbps, and even 800Gbps. This has spurred escalating market demand for high-speed copper conductors and optical interconnects. JPC, long devoted to high-speed cabling and optical communication modules, stands to reap the benefits.There is one more thing that is quite different between 5G and previous generations of mobile communication technologies. That is, telecom operators are more concerned about their return on 5G investment than before. This leads to the rise of Open RAN (O-RAN), OCP, ONF and other international organizations promoting open-source 5G network architecture. Originally close-ended base station technologies, resources, and devices are now being delayered and deconstructed while software and hardware are being disintegrated as well. The open trend will have a major influence on JPC.According to JPC chairperson Shu-Mei Chang, the term "open" was hardly heard of during the times of 4G or even earlier 3G and 2G. In other words, the telecom world kept to itself. Telecom and datacom were two different worlds and their paths did not cross each other. Now with 5G O-RAN, new types of telecom operators like Japan-based Rakuten and German-based 1��1 Drillisch are emerging. Telecom heavyweights like AT&T are actively embracing open architectures as they will be able to freely purchase white-box servers, switches, storages and small-scale base stations to rebuild their mobile communication systems. Leveraging wireless network virtualization, they can change the traditional telecom network architecture, thereby breaking free from vendor lock-in and achieve performance and cost optimization.The market embraces JPC's high-speed transmission products with increasing O-RAN and OCP adoption"As O-RAN architectures and Open Compute Project (OCP) platforms get increasingly adopted, white-box equipment suppliers that had difficulty penetrating into the supply chain of the telecom industry with a history of over a hundred years now stand a chance of tapping into the new blue ocean market of 5G telecom networks," said Chang. To do so, white-box equipment suppliers need to find active optical cables (AOC) and direct attach copper cables (DAC) used to connect servers and switches, some of which need to deliver data rates as high as 400Gbps. A large quantity of fiber optic or copper cables is also required for the deployment of telecom central office infrastructure.This presents new opportunities to JPC. The customer base of JPC had primarily included switch or server manufacturers and cloud service providers with very few white-box equipment suppliers until two years ago when JPC started to reach out to white-box equipment suppliers and system integrators (SI) in view of rising O-RAN and OCP popularity spurred by 5G and stepped up efforts to pitch JPC's high-speed transmission products to them. After a break-in period, JPC has strengthened the engagement with data center operators, equipment suppliers (including servers, switches and storage devices) and electronics manufacturing service (EMS) providers and has begun making shipments to these new customers.What's more, growing 5G developments have also prompted distributors, value-added resellers (VAR), supercomputer suppliers, hospitals, schools and information security device vendors to actively approach JPC for partnership deals to incorporate 100G/400G high-speed transmission products to enhance their application/service performance. What this means is that enterprises or organizations that had nothing to do with JPC in the past now join its expanding customer base, allowing JPC to tap into tremendous opportunities.Of course, these burgeoning opportunities do not come out of nowhere but result from JPC's technological strength built through two decades of efforts. Dr. Chi-Hsien Sun, in charge of JPC's product R&D for the cloud network communication component industry, noted that JPC has stay committed to enhancing its electronics development capability since 2000, transcending from traditional molding, stamping and injection processes. This allowed JPC to lead the industry in replacing conventional connectors with PCBA terminals and thereby build up a strong foundation of PCB layout and impedance matching technologies. JPC has also stayed ahead in the transition to active copper cables (ACC), based on which it was able to increase the transmission range and reliability of copper cables.Soon afterwards, JPC undertook the development of optical modules featuring optical packaging and laser/optical coupler technologies. Not only has JPC effectively raised the transmission speed of its optical modules, but it has also reduced the power consumption and enhanced the heat dissipation. JPC has received four patents for its optical module technologies. Its leading-edge technologies will enable JPC to capture preemptive opportunities in the low speed to high speed transition and electrical signal to optical signal conversion brought by 5G and become a strong force supporting white-box equipment suppliers' foray into the telecom market.JPC chairperson Shu-Mei Chang

Shortages, which were originally attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, have continued to worsen in 2021. Continuous demand growth in various sectors like 5G, automotive and IoT, ongoing raw material shortages and catastrophes are the primary culprits.2021 Q1 in reviewThe year opened with renewed concerns over legacy case size MLCCs used in the industrial sector, 5G smartphones and the automotive sector due to a fire outbreak at the Walsin production plant in China. And, it's getting worse as supply of high-capacitance MLCCs, in particular, has been exacerbated since January, largely caused by a sharp rise in 5G mobile phones after the Chinese New Year.In February, a winter storm in Texas caused widespread power shortages and blackouts. Because Texas is a US hub for chip manufacturing and electronic production, major chip manufacturers were impacted including Samsung, NXP and Infineon.In the same month, an earthquake resulted in a blackout at Renesas's Naka factory, and production was temporarily suspended. The impact on supply chains from this event was limited. However, in mid-March, the same plant caught fire, and damaged 23 machines, including plating machines used for wiring. The components most affected include a variety of automotive and non-automotive MCUs as well as power management and MOSFETs.Unexpected events, such as the Nittobo and Renesas factory fires, have also worsened the supply of already short raw materials like silicone and glass substrate, wafers and crystal oscillators. Production for a variety of components has been impacted as a result, causing shortages of ICs, CPUs and memory. Memory module pricing, for example, increased 5-10% above official pricing.The shortages have hindered the automotive industry especially. The lack of MLCCs and automotive chips forced automakers like Volkswagen, Ford and Toyota to cut production early in the year despite growing consumer demand. As a result, the US, German and Taiwanese governments were pressured to convince IC leaders like TSMC and UMC to reallocate production to support struggling automotive manufacturers. Unfortunately, the Renesas plant fire will only increase the obstacles the automotive industry continues to encounter.The rollout of 5G technology has also been hindered by the IC and CPU shortages. Chipmakers are currently struggling to meet demand for processor chips used in smartphones, which has affected production lines of Samsung and Apple. The shortage of ICs has also led to supply constraints for SSDs, which have been in high demand from the rollout of 5G, IoT and new gaming activity.A look into Q2In Q2 we are sure to fully realize the impacts of these unpredictable disruptions while facing additional shortages on the horizon.Raw materials worsenAs seen throughout 2020 and in 2021, raw material shortages have intensified, and it doesn't appear to be ending any time soon.The ABF substrate shortage has been the biggest contributor to the CPU, GPU and IC shortages, and is currently predicted to last until 2023. Because ABF manufacturing equipment has a lead time of 12 months, ABF makers are focusing on increasing yield rather than capacity. With no supply relief in sight, prices will continue to rise over the next 6 months, leaving customers to pay the price.Semiconductor production continues to be disrupted by the 8-inch wafer shortage with dim prospects for recovery as the substrate shortage continues. The 8-inch wafer is needed for CMOS sensors, power supply controller, MCU, RF component, MEMS, etc., which is why numerous industries are competing for this resource. As TSMC moves to focus its production on automotive chips, the production of other industries will suffer as a result.Certain crystal oscillators, including TCXOs are seeing supply issues fostered by the Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) fire that occurred in October 2020. Despite AKM starting to ship out stock through its subcontractors, there is extremely limited supply and customers are being urged to find products from other manufacturers until alternative production is available. AKM's production lines will not be fully operational until March 2022.Other raw material shortages are starting to appear, such as with glass and precious metals. Palladium, used in electronics and a key component in vehicle pollution-control devices, is experiencing rising prices as usage grows. Price increases currently paid by automakers may be passed off to customers if output falls short of demand as predicted.Growing component shortagesThere is growing demand for ICs related to five key areas: energy efficiency, mobility, security, IoT (internet of things) and server/cloud services, which is putting pressure on supply. As such, overall IC shortages are expected to continue to be widespread across all brands throughout Q2.Rising automotive demand has worsened the chip shortage, causing a chain reaction across different industries. Because some chip makers are shifting production to focus on automotive products, supply for industrial products will likely take a hit and pricing will continue in the quarter.Pricing for automotive ICs, generally, is rising by about 30% while current lead times are around 28 weeks - and could grow up to 40 weeks. Lead times for industrial application MCUs are currently facing extending lead times due to automotive demand as the industry continues to see many shortages.Demand from the automotive market, in addition to high demand for PCs and smartphones, has put a strain on MLCCs, which has resulted in price increases. Analysts have predicted that the MLCC shortage is expected to worsen through Q3, and prices are believed to increase in Q2. With limited foundry capacity and many manufacturers competing for these necessary products, the automotive industry won't see supply relief until the second half of the year.The mobile phone market is also being affected by IC shortages, as well as heightened memory pricing from little supply and growing demand. Mobile phone memory products are seeing price increases and a supply gap from customers pulling in extra stock as a buffer against these prices.If demand for memory strengthens as predicted, contract prices for memory will rise further in Q2 and gaps in supply will worsen. Samsung has already announced a pricing increase of 10% in April, and Intel and Micron prices are to rise by 5% as well.Furthermore, implementation of 5G coupled with rising consumer demand for smarter technology in mobile phones, automobiles, wireless applications, and appliances will cause enterprise and cloud storage companies to have increasing need for larger and faster SSDs, which requires more NAND flash. Since NAND flash demand will likely outpace supply in Q3 as new mobile devices and CPUs hit the market, SSD pricing will rise anywhere between 5-15% as a result and continue through the year.Ramification of natural disastersThe Texas storm is sure to cause supply issues for memory, automotive MCUs, storage and more for weeks to come. Plant interruptions from the rolling blackouts in February have decreased overall production at a time when chip demand is already higher than capacity can met.NXP is one company that reports it experienced a month's loss of chip production due to the event and lead times for its products will extend by 8-12 weeks as a result. Infineon's production of MCUs and NOR flash memory chips have also been heavily affected, especially since its NOR flash supply had been facing shortages. Because of this, memory pricing is predicted to rise as much as another 10% in Q2.Comparatively, Renesas's fire has had a much worse effect on its production of MCUs and MOSFETs, which will require at least 100-120 days to recover according to the company. It will take 6 months for the company to recoup its losses, and automakers, especially, will feel its effects in April.The continued drought in Taiwan will only exacerbate the effects of these shortages, especially since Taiwanese plants and foundries produce approximately 53% of global semiconductors. Because water is key in processing silicon and chip production, shortages through May could be a major blow to semiconductor production.A tumultuous road ahead for global markets

While COVID-19 is taking its toll on brick-and-mortar retail around the world, it actually has been fueling a surge in online shopping. Taiwan's largest e-commerce group PChome Online , recently celebrating the 20th anniversary for its PChome Online Shopping platform, has seen its profits double for two consecutive quarters. In its two decades of development, PChome has borne witness to the growth of Taiwan's e-commerce. Joining forces with its most trustworthy partner Chunghwa Telecom IDC, PChome will stay committed to enabling more reliable, convenient and comprehensive services both online and offline while continuing to innovate and expand market footprint to create unparalleled e-commerce success.Kevin Tsai, PChome Online Inc. CEOPChome has pioneered multiple trend-setting e-commerce practices that online shoppers in Taiwan are ever so familiar with - guaranteed 24-hour delivery, installment payment plans by credit cards, one-click return and convenience store pickup and payment. More than that, PChome has played a vital role in shaping Taiwan's vibrant e-commerce scene today. Starting out as an online electronics retailer, PChome has advanced with the times and kept abreast of today's young generation needs. More than half of its shoppers are aged 35 or younger. This goes to show PChome's efforts to target the young and mobile population have continued to generate brilliant results.Professional server room management service enables premium shopping experienceLooking closely at PChome's e-commerce strategies going forward, one will find that it attaches great importance to high-speed, stable and professional IT infrastructure management capability as it strives to keep up with a diversity of network services and mobile phone apps, so as to be able to provide premium, prompt and instant e-commerce services with the expansion of its service roadmaps. "For example, PChome has conducted the only global Singles' Day online shopping festival in Taiwan for four years in a row. It once set the record of receiving 1,300 orders in a minute," said Kevin Tsai, PChome Online Inc. CEO. He added, "Any operation disruption not only means loss of business but more importantly it also hurts customer satisfaction and worse yet business reputation."To ensure its server room maintains glitch-free operation, PChome has chosen to work with Taiwan's leading telecom service provider Chunghwa Telecom IDC for years. Chunghwa Telecom IDC has attained multiple certifications both at home and abroad. The server room is equipped with N+1 electrical and mechanical design, dual power source, and diverse telecom paths. In the case of unexpected power failure, large-sized oil tanks allow the backup power system to sustain server room operation for 72 hours without interruption.Furthermore, server room access is controlled with multi-factor authentication. Chunghwa Telecom IDC's Network Operation Center (NOC) is in charge of 24/7 server room surveillance, guaranteeing the highest level of security. Chunghwa Telecom IDC's reliable services perfectly support PChome's requirements in handling massive data traffic and ensuring information security. They work together to create the ultimate online shopping experience.Responding to changes with changes, PChome builds up an O2O e-commerce ecosystem"To an e-commerce operator, each day is full of challenges. On top of all the work that is done at physical retail stores, an e-commerce operator has to efficiently operate an online platform and speed is everything. Each step along the process, such as ordering, warehousing and shipping, has to be done expediently and any of them could be a bottleneck that hinders efficiency," noted Tsai. During the online to offline (O2O) transition, an e-commerce operator has a lot of barriers to overcome. Running its own logistics service and warehouses, PChome is in full control of its parcel delivery operations. Leveraging wireless communication technologies and big data analytics, PChome stays on top of logistics operations and consumer needs. It is expanding the PPoint ecosystem to not only services offered by its subsidiaries but also 180,000 physical retail locations throughout Taiwan, including convenience stores, department stores, electronics and appliance stores, cosmetics stores, drink bars, grocery stores as well as other sales channels. It also plans to make PPoint redeemable for 800 million items sold online in an effort to keep building up the membership economy.With Chunghwa Telecom IDC's support, PChome is capable of handling the tremendous computing load required for smart warehousing and big data analytics while flexibly and promptly accommodating cabinet expansion and bandwidth adjustment. Chunghwa Telecom IDC also offers colocation Smart Hands services so PChome can save the costs of on-premise manpower and maintenance operations. "In the case of any issue, all it takes is one phone call and Chunghwa Telecom IDC comes to the rescue," said Tsai.Enjoying success after twenty years of efforts, PChome joins forces with Chunghwa Telecom IDC in marking a new milestoneExtending the e-commerce success established through its 20 years of development, PChome has been targeting markets abroad in recent years with an aim to more comprehensively meet consumer needs. For example, it launched the cross-border e-commerce brand PChomeSEA and overseas purchasing service PChome Bibian in an effort to offer more diverse service platforms and expand its e-commerce footprint. As PChome's most trustworthy partner, an enabler of system computing power and bandwidth, a provider of webcast platforms as well as a protector of e-commerce security, Chunghwa Telecom IDC fully supports PChome's strategic moves, allowing it to focus attention on making innovations and perfecting products and services and to thereby rise up as Taiwan's leader pushing the frontiers of e-commerce and embrace a brighter future.For more information about IDC, please visit the website. Regarding more IDC article, please visit the website.

In recent years, a wave of cross-industry partnerships has emerged in the industry to target trends in AIoT and 5G. The cross-industry partnerships are expected to form comprehensive capabilities to seize opportunities in diversified intelligence applications. To date, there have been more and more cases of partnerships. 5G Drones for highway hillsides, and reservoirs watershed survey combining "perceptive AI" and "fully autonomous AI" to enact disaster prevention, environment protection is one of the examples.Since its establishment in 1992, Coretronic Corporation has positioned itself as an "innovative display system integrated solution provider." For more than 20 years, Coretronic Corporation demonstrated its technical capabilities in displays, optics, thermal management, materials and precision molds. It actively branched out from its core capabilities to smart robotics, MEMS sensor components, AR/MR, and cloud services in four subsidiaries. Coretronic Corporation CTO and AI Application Research Center Vice President Robert Hsueh stated that the mission of the 4 subsidiaries is to manage various smart application solutions and develop critical, related upstream components, in order to seize the massive opportunities in AIoT and 5G.Robert Hsueh also emphasized that there are already many companies offering AIoT and 5G related products and solutions today. To build competitive edge over increasingly fierce competition, Coretronic must secure the sources of the technologies. Coretronic not only develops solutions, but also secures critical components and modules upstream, thereby strengthens its competitiveness in the market. Taking the LiDAR sensor as an example, Coretronic develops the state-of-the-art MEMS-based LiDAR sensor which integrates optical machines, system, and signal processing algorithms. Compared to mechanical LiDARs consisting of laser scanning structure currently available in the market, MEMS LiDARs are more compact and lighter, less power consuming, and more reliable. If the cost of these modules fall to an acceptable price in the market, it will explode onto the market.Coretronic Corporation has been investing in drone development since 2014. From the beginning, the focus has been on "full autonomy". The many years of development is now starting to bear fruit and the company is starting to enter the Japanese market. Besides airborne robots, Coretronic Corporation is also developing land based robots for smart factories, smart logistics, and other specific applications, which includes fully autonomous forklifts/AMR. The selling point of these robots is the integration of image recognition technologies, autonomous navigation, and high-precision motion control. This allows the robots to move stably on uneven surfaces or in narrow corridors. Based on the SLAM-based 3D model, the forklift understands its surroundings and its position, uses AI to identify different pallet types, and connects to the backend assignment system to deliver the goods from point A to point B. The key technologies involved in this process are all related to the four subsidiaries.CP Wang, senior director of the Coretronic Intelligent Robotics Corporation Career Development Center, stated that when the company started to develop drones in 2014, the company utilized the innovative energy of Silicon Valley to successfully create fully autonomous movement and replace traditional remote control methods. The new system reduces the need for manpower, improves efficiency, and captures data. At the same time, the company discovered that the communication structure is also an important part of the system. Drones do not only need to integrate Edge and AI and incorporate environmental data, they also need to connect to the safety monitoring system of the site, in order to fulfill their roles within a specified range, such as safety maintenance, basic equipment testing, patrols of energy facilities, and 3D project mapping. Therefore, the robots are very reliant on the communication system.Creating the value of innovative services for users as a verticals expertIt is worth mentioning that as video recording technologies improve exponentially, resolutions have gone from 2K to 4K and now 8K. In addition, cameras are now equipped on airborne drones instead of being stationary on the ground. These improvements in technology allows for the recording of video from a wider range of angles. It is evident that the combination of the vast amount of video data with AI analysis will provide significant benefits to operators of large-scale sites. People are no longer required to inspect every corner of the site and operators can clearly monitor and detect any environmental changes at any time. However, to reach this goal, the reasoning response time of AI must be improved. The use of AIoT smart terminals is not enough. The system must be integrated with 5G to maximize the value of its application.With regard to smart cloud services, verticals such as smart advertising and smart retail have been introduced at this stage. Starting in 2016, the first smart projection advertising wall was introduced in Taipei MRT, and more precise advertising services were provided through the cloud and crowd analysis technology. More than 20,000 smart advertising billboards have been introduced around Taiwan. In the future, the higher bandwidth, lower latency, and greater number of connections provided by 5G technology will facilitate real-time streaming and two-way interactions, further improve the visual experience. In terms of smart manufacturing, the 5G network is used to construct a digitized manufacturing information platform to achieve real-time transmission and storage safety. Combined with Coretronic Corporation MEMS sensor components and predictive diagnostic AI, real-time monitoring of the equipment can be achieved. In addition, the integration of industrial Internet of Things, autonomous mobile robots, and the Coretronic Corporation smart cloud platform will realize the smart and automated production model of Industry 4.0.In the future, Coretronic Corporation expects that as the 5G era approaches, the rules of the market will change and form a new business model of B2B2X. The first "B" represents the telecommunications industry; the second "B" represents the verticals expert; and the "X" represents anyone. It could be a person, institution, site, or various smart terminals such as webcams, sensors, robots, AGV, or self-driving cars.In past B2B2X projects, generally the telecommunications company played the role of SI and the verticals expert would assist. This is because the telecommunications company was in control of the communication resources. However, in the 5G era, network configurations have become more diversified. Communications is no longer the key element that influences the value of projects. Following this, experts in a field and system solution providers who possess key technologies for different industries gain a bigger say and more control than they had in the past. Through their collaboration with telecom companies, they will advance from the supporting role and assume the main role, creating more innovative service value for end users. This is the role Coretronic Corporation wishes to play in the future.Coretronic Corporation CTO and AI Application Research Center Vice President Robert Hsueh

Patients with conditions including protruding lower jaw (underbite), receding lower jaw (overbite) and facial asymmetry not only have difficulty chewing properly but also get a lot of stares at a young age. When they think about undergoing orthognathic surgeries to treat these conditions, they are hesitant because of post-operative care challenges and a long recovery period which may keep them away from normal work and life.To shorten the recovery period for orthognathic surgery patients, Charm United Institute has introduced digital technology solutions which help surgeons design a digital surgical plan prior to performing the operation. Then, the surgical procedures can go as planned with the surgical tools working in consonance during the operation.Thinking from the patient's perspective"Charm United Institute has always operated on a people-first principle to provide whole-hearted care for patients," says Dr. Ming-Ji Hsieh, surgeon, Charm United Institute. During his years of clinical practice, he often ponders on how to accelerate patients' recovery and raise patients' level of comfort on top of ensuring good surgical outcomes.As a matter of fact, the amount of time an orthognathic surgery takes has a direct influence on the patient's level of comfort during post-operative recovery. As such, efforts toward improving medical care quality have been focused on finding ways to enhance surgical precision and shorten surgical time.Dr. Hsieh explains that orthognathic surgeries demand a high level of precision. Multiple factors including dental occlusion, facial symmetry and even the effects on pharyngeal airway and respiratory function must be taken into consideration during the operation.The incorporation of digital technologies enables surgeons to significantly cut the surgical time of eight to nine hours down to three to four hours, which in turn largely shortens patients' recovery period. More than that, surgical precision is enhanced to give patients ideal face proportions and symmetry.Dr. Hsieh also notes that Charm United Institute could not have incorporated digital technologies in their orthognathic surgeries without the help from a strong technical support team. Charm United Institute's partner AccuroDesign built a Microsoft Azure Stack Edge hybrid cloud platform to allow quick access to large amounts of patient data while ensuring patient confidentiality with Microsoft's cryptographic solution.Pre-introduction communication is essentialYou may think the incorporation of digital technologies into orthognathic surgeries simply means to install a set of software programs in the computer. In fact, according to Dr. Hsieh, clinic staff and design engineers engage in back-and-forth communication to correct the surgical plans to perfection so that 3D printings of auxiliary surgical tools can be produced to deliver flawless surgical outcomes for patients.Leveraging advantages of the Azure Stack Edge hybrid cloud platform, AccuroDesign helps Charm United Institute create pre-operation plans tailored to each patient. Every patient has unique physical characteristics and bone structures so only customized services will deliver on-target results.During the process of collaboration, Charm United Institute first provides image files to AccuroDesign via remote data transfer and communicates the needs of the surgeon and patient to AccuroDesign via messaging software. Based on the information, AccuroDesign will begin pre-planning work.AccuroDesign uses a certified medical-grade software program to communicate with the surgeon and patient on the planning and design. Back-and-forth exchanges of files and confirmations on the surgical plan are often needed until AccuroDesign is able to help the surgeon complete the model and auxiliary tool designs and finally produce the 3D printings.With 3D additive manufacturing, there is no need to create a mold so customization can be done in a snap to help the surgeon build suitable surgical tools and complete the operation safely, precisely and as quickly as possible.Azure Stack Edge hybrid cloud platform guarantees security and reliabilityAccording to Arpan Shah, general manager, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft has long been helping enterprises meet their digital transformation needs whether they choose on-premise or cloud solutions. Joining efforts with enterprise customers, Microsoft drives innovative applications based on a secure hybrid cloud platform. Microsoft is glad that the collaboration with AccuroDesign and Charm United Institute brings innovative technologies to the operating room to provide better care for patients and accelerate digital transformation for the healthcare sector.As an industry-leading platform, Azure Stack Edge combines the advantages of edge computing, AI, smart storage and container-based hybrid cloud. It perfectly fits AccuroDesign's and its customers' needs for a secure and easy-to-use smart storage solution, according to AccuroDesign. Azure Stack Edge is exactly what today's applications need.If data exchanges between AccuroDesign and Charm United Institute were to be conducted on traditional storage media such as CD-ROMs or USB drives, which have to be physically transported, the process would be too time-consuming and cost-ineffective to meet Charm United Institute's urgent needs. On top of that, as the design and planning process requires a great deal of back-and-forth communication between AccuroDesign and Charm United Institute, being able to eliminate physical transport saves tremendous time and effort and significantly boosts efficiency.Successful use caseA real use case demonstrates the results of applying digital technologies in preoperative preparation. A patient who underwent an orthognathic surgery at Charm United Institute expressed how she used to be too scared to go for the surgery.The patient was hesitant because she had to work and care for her children and was worried that the recovery period would keep her away from her normal life for too long. After she consulted Charm United Institute, she found out the use of digital technologies significantly shortens the recovery period and reduces pain levels."Charm United Institute incorporates digital technologies into orthognathic surgeries so that the recovery period can be greatly shortened," says the patient. Not only that, the patient was able to attend to her career and children as she was recovering after the surgery.Having her underbite problem fixed, the patient now constantly wears a smile and actively strikes up conversations. She even has no more acid reflux after the orthognathic surgery. She has found confidence in herself and likes what she sees in the mirror now, saying so happily in conclusion.

With the automotive electronics market undergoing considerable changes over the past few years, the sector consisting primarily of electric vehicles has in particular become a major battleground where existing leaders and emerging competitors are all vying for a head start in the field. As an enduring brand, Conquer Electronics has continued to seek innovation and change in the past few years by not only updating its corporate visual identity system but also magnifying its presence in the automotive market in its bid to unveil whole new dimensions of business development with a solid foundation."It has been more than 40 years since the establishment of Conquer Electronics, but we are still operating with the spirit of seeking innovation and change," said Ms. Yu-hui Chiu, Manager of the Marketing Department at Conquer Electronics. "Now, in addition to ensuring our core business continues to thrive, we have taken the initiative to build our brand and promote our new corporate image. As such, we have not only updated our corporate identity system, but also introduced new elements to signify the perpetuation of our existing advantages while unveiling a whole new outlook here at Conquer Electronics."Managing a brand is no easy feat, but casting away past practices of serving only as the OEM of reputable brands and focusing on R&D, thereby promoting the proprietary brand name and improving the visibility of products developed in-house, is what will ensure Conquer Electronics remains a formidable player in the field. This is a crucial reason that spurred Conquer Electronics on in the creation of an all-new corporate identity.Apart from updating its corporate identity, Conquer Electronics has furthermore adopted a number of approaches that contribute to corporate reorganization, such as lean production, patent research and product development, so as to break away from past practices of being just an OEM for other brands. These changes have not only refreshed and revitalized the company, but also laid the cornerstone for entering new markets.The automotive electronics industry is an area that Conquer Electronics has recently turned its focus to. Entering the electric vehicle industry in as early as 2016, the company's strength currently lies in charging pile-related products. Compared with Taiwan's EV market which is still in the preliminary stages of development, there are already more than 600 electric vehicle manufacturers in Mainland China that each require charging piles or chargers of various specifications and styles, presenting huge difficulties for those seeking to tap into this alluring market."The charging pile itself is an amplified power supply, which is something Conquer Electronics is already quite familiar with," says Yu-hui Chiu. "However, as charging piles for vehicle use require relatively high voltage and current and must conform to special specifications derived from their design, this has presented us with certain challenges as we seek to enter the market."To adequately respond to China's volatile market changes, Conquer Electronics must diversify its product line and equip itself with rapid response capabilities, both of which require the cooperation of its R&D units and production units, to meet market demands. Moreover, to meet consumer demand for fast charging and to ensure safe use, the circuit breaker value of each product must also be carefully designed and tested, resulting in extra effort in R&D and production for Conquer Electronics.Compared with the Chinese market, the European and American markets are relatively mature and stable systems in which, in addition to price advantages, quality and brand name are also highly valued. By remaining committed to quality and production capacity, over the past five years sales volumes have been increasing annually, signifying the affirmation of major buyers at home and abroad. For instance, five series of Conquer Electronics' SMD products, the 0603 and 1206 with LTCC technology, are not only winners of the Taiwan Excellence Award but also patented in 5 countries. A rigorous manufacturing process and outstanding product quality are moreover major bonuses for international buyers."The application environment for automotive products is actually more stringent. High temperature, vibration, humidity and safety all entail higher requirements." Yu-hui Chiu believes that, "Although it is not as easy to enter this market as you think, thanks to the concerted efforts of our colleagues here at Conquer Electronics, we have gradually gained a foothold."In the automotive electronics market, it is quite difficult to go it alone; therefore, Conquer Electronics also seeks strategic alliances in hopes of developing the market together aided by integrated power. As such, it has joined the MIH EV open platform to obtain more support and assistance, which is additionally a good opportunity for development. On the open platform, some members are existing customers with long-established cooperation foundations while others are future partners. With the joining of abilities and advantages, members who form alliances are poised to obtain a strong voice and outstanding performance in the automotive market."The automotive industry is a fairly complete and mature industry, with certain standards and thresholds in every aspect of the business," said Yu-hui Chiu. "Collaborating with partners in other related fields can give full play to the power of integration as this enables us to each achieve better quality and enhance our brand awareness, thereby realizing mutual benefit."In addition to expanding the scope of cooperation projects and products, Conquer Electronics also attaches great importance to the most fundamental aspects of business - materials and design. Not only has Conquer Electronics enhanced its own R&D energy, it has also cooperated with the Industrial Technology Research Institute and many other research institutions to identify more suitable materials and develop exclusive patented products. These patented products have not only successfully increased brand awareness, but also become powerful weapons for acquiring a share in the global market.In addition to communicating directly with customers, Conquer Electronics also takes full advantage of various trade shows to increase exposure and opportunities for dialogue with potential customers. As Yu-hui Chiu explains, in the past, the company's brand image was manifested only in products that actually reach the consumer market. Therefore, participation in foreign trade shows can increase the company's visibility in the field of automotive electronics, and while demos cannot be made in a face-to-face manner at this time due to the epidemic, online meetings are still conducive to raising brand image and awareness.As markets change, corporate business strategies must be adjusted accordingly. In particular, it takes considerable time and effort to build a corporate brand. Having achieved some of the targets it has set in terms of in-house R&D as well as product quality, the future focus of Conquer Electronics will be to become an integral part of the automotive electronics ecosystem through strategic cooperation, highlighting brand value with integrated energy, and showcasing other dimensions of Taiwan's vibrant industries to the world on top of the best-known ICT sector."In addition to automotive electronics, Conquer Electronics is also actively working on 5G, energy storage, and etc.," said Yu-hui Chiu. "With products that excel in quality, it is our goal to ensure that wherever electricity is used, Conquer Electronics will be there to help you harness this energy."Vehicle-standard, ISO 8820-8 compliant, ampere rating: 10A-50A, voltage rating: 500VdcVehicle-grade, ampere rating: 10A-30A, voltage rating: 48/63Vdc

Smoltek has developed the world's thinnest capacitor. The company is now demonstrating practically what it has previously claimed by producing a prototype of a CNF-MIM capacitor with a total height of just under 40 micrometers.Smoltek can today show a capacitor prototype that is only a few micrometers high and together with the necessary substrate (component carrier) barely reaches 40 micrometers in total height. This at the same time as one can show a capacitance density of 500nF/mm2 (nanofarad per square millimeter), an equivalent series resistance below 10 mΩ (milliohm) and an internal inductance below 15 pH (picohenry)."We have always known that our capacitor technology enables extremely thin capacitor components, but seeing is believing. Being able to show this high-performance prototype helps a lot in our work in selling the technology", says Ola Tiverman, President of Smoltek Semi.The need for thinner high-performance capacitors for advanced semiconductor integration will continue to grow with new generations of processors, not least for 5G applications."Such a thin capacitor proof-of concept that at the same time shows excellent performance is a result of Smoltek's own R&D efforts. This also demonstrates the scalability of our CNF-MIM technology and the applicability of the technology for use in cutting-edge applications. And not least, the unique advantage that CNF-MIM provides compared to competing technology by meeting the need for increasingly thinner capacitors with high performance even in the longer term", says Vincent Desmaris, Chief Technology Officer at Smoltek.Based in Gothenburg - Challenging the global semiconductor industrySmoltek, in Gothenburg, Sweden, has since the start developed a number of application concepts, based on the company's unique and patent-protected carbon nanotechnology platform, aimed towards the global semiconductor industry.Since 2017, when the industry first began to show a clear interest in Smoltek's capacitor technology in particular, the company's technology development has been directed with the aim of making these microscopically small capacitors even smaller, while maintaining performance within important parameters; such as high capacitance density, low leakage current, low equivalent series resistance and low inductance.With this demonstration of the opportunities with Smoltek's CNF-MIM technology, the company challenges the major players in the semiconductor industry about who has the technology to manufacture the thinnest capacitors in a comparable performance segment.Overview of the CNF-MIM capacitor dieTilted side view of the capacitor die with height markings

Coretronic Corporation's subsidiary, CIRC, has unveiled the world's very first autonomous navigation solution featuring 3D LiDAR SLAM.As industrial vehicles often operate in environments without GPS signals, conventional guided vehicles usually require additional installation of magnetic strips, reflectors, or QR Codes in order to achieve precise positioning and this makes field deployment more complicated. CIRC's 3D LiDAR SLAM navigation solution features the latest 3D LiDAR technologies available in the sector to achieve full range scanning without being susceptible to potential interference from ambient lighting, making it applicable in both indoor and outdoor environments to overcome the pain points for field deployment by achieving synchronized positioning and 3D mapping without modification of the environment. Coupled with CIRC's exclusive sensing algorithm and data feed from IMU, the solution has effectively resolved the issue of distancing error from an extended period of travel with an unprecedented precision of ±1cm margin of error. The solution makes it possible to achieve precise positioning of the vehicle even when it travels through long corridors or uneven terrains.In addition, the unique AI pallet detection feature can automatically locate and efficiently retrieve the targeted goods through optimal routes like a professional forklift operator thanks to its 3D depth-sensing camera to capture pallet characteristics for shape recognition and spatial coordinates to achieve the automatic adjustment of fork depth. Coupled with its fleet management system, operators will be able to monitor the relevant status of the forklift (i.e. battery and maintenance) through the central console or APP and assign tasks and deploy vehicles to facilitate multi-vehicle operation and export the customizable data to any smart logistic system (i.e. ERP/WMS/MES) to achieve the desired performance of smart factories.CIRC chairman Andy Hsin remarked, "Apart from autonomous drones, CIRC also developed Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) that features the cutting-edge 3D LiDAR SLAM navigation solution to deliver brand new value to the development of smart factories."CIRC to unveil its latest 3D LiDAR SLAM navigation solution