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June 26
- AI Porkies
➀ A Columbia Journalism Review study reveals generative AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini provided incorrect answers to over 60% of queries, with Grok 3 failing 94% of tests;
➁ Premium AI tools performed worse than free versions, often delivering overly confident yet inaccurate responses;
➂ These tools bypassed source citations, fabricated links, and disrupted traffic to original content providers, challenging digital content ecosystems.
June 25
- Intel No.2 for Foundry 2.0
➀ Counterpoint Research's analysis defines Foundry 2.0 as encompassing packaging and mask-making alongside wafer fabrication, with TSMC leading at 35% market share and Intel ranking second at 6.5%;
➁ The expanded definition may mitigate monopoly concerns for TSMC, whose traditional wafer fabbing dominance reaches nearly 70%;
➂ The Foundry 2.0 market reached $72 billion in Q1 2025, with Intel gaining 0.6% quarterly market share but declining 0.3% year-over-year.
- Nordic buys Memfault
➀ Nordic Semiconductor acquired IoT connectivity platform Memfault for $120 million to establish a hardware/software ecosystem for connected products;
➁ The integration will enable lifetime software updates, enhanced security, lower power consumption, and improved device management through Memfault's device observability platform and Nordic’s nRF Cloud services;
➂ The deal aligns with evolving IoT edge AI demands and EU Cyber Resilience Act requirements, aiming to simplify compliant product development for global customers.
- BlackSky turns to AROS satellites for wide-area multispectral imagery
➀ BlackSky Technology is expanding its Gen-3 satellite constellation with AROS satellites to provide multispectral, large-area imagery for geospatial and digital twin applications;
➁ The AROS satellites feature dynamic broad-area monitoring, low-latency data delivery via optical inter-satellite links (OISL), and integration with AI analytics platform Spectra;
➂ Scheduled for launch in 2027, the satellites aim to enhance real-time tasking, country-scale mapping, and maritime surveillance capabilities.
- Kioxia sampling CD9P Series PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs
➀ Kioxia launched CD9P Series PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs using TLC-based 3D flash and CBA technology to improve power efficiency, performance, and storage density with doubled SSD capacity;
➁ Performance enhancements include up to 125% random write, 30% random read, 20% sequential read, and 25% sequential write speed improvements, with power efficiency gains up to 100% in random write operations;
➂ The drives support PCIe 5.0, offer capacities up to 61.44TB (2.5-inch) and 30.72TB (E3.S form factor), and feature enterprise-grade security with CNSA 2.0 algorithm support.
- Top Ten OSAT Companies In 2024
➀ TrendForce releases the 2024 ranking of the top ten OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Testing) companies;
➁ The article references related rankings of semiconductor companies and market trends;
➂ Highlights the critical role of OSAT providers in the semiconductor supply chain.
June 23
- House of Lords to hear from Space Industry leaders
➀ The UK House of Lords Committee will hold a session with space industry leaders to discuss the space economy, domestic launch capabilities, and national security implications;
➁ Expert panels include representatives from techUK, Maersk, Orbex, and independent advisors, addressing topics like orbital launch plans and economic impacts;
➂ The Committee's final report will be submitted to the government in autumn 2025, with proceedings available for public viewing via Parliament TV.
- Bath University aims TOPCAT II payload at characterising ionosphere
➀ The University of Bath developed the TOPCAT II payload with a multi-frequency GPS receiver for the Orpheus mission to study ionospheric electron content and improve space weather modeling;
➁ The mission involves dual CubeSats in Low Earth Orbit, aiming to provide data for resilient satellite design and support Space Domain Awareness (SDA);
➂ Funded by the UK's Dstl and led by Astroscale, the project follows the failed 2023 CIRCE mission, with a planned 2027 launch and three-year operation.
- Ed Finds A Fat Pipe To Tap
➀ Ed meets water company lobbyists concerned about mandatory reporting of data centers' water usage under EU's CSRD and UK pressure;
➁ High-workload AI data centers consume water equivalent to towns of 50,000 people, sparking community resistance fears;
➂ Despite ethical concerns, Ed considers supporting reporting delays due to water firms' history of lucrative payouts to executives and shareholders.
June 20
- TSMC 2nm yield crosses 60% threshold for HVM
➀ TSMC's 2nm process yield surpasses 60%, meeting HVM requirements for stable production;
➁ Samsung's 2nm yield lags at 40%, prompting major clients like AMD, Nvidia, and Apple to prioritize TSMC capacity;
➂ TSMC's 2nm wafer price approaches $30,000, with future 1.4nm costs projected to reach $45,000 by 2028.
- Electronics production increasing
➀ Key Asian countries and the U.S. show rising electronics production growth, with India leading at 15% 3/12 growth in March 2025;
➁ U.S. smartphone imports plummeted 45% in April 2025 due to shifting production to India (Apple) and Vietnam (Samsung), driven by Trump administration’s tariff threats;
➂ Proposed U.S. tariffs caused market uncertainty, with potential inventory shortages and price hikes expected to reshape smartphone supply chains.
- China competition intensifies memory market
➀ The global memory market reached $170 billion in 2024, with DRAM sales at $97 billion and NAND sales at $68 billion, while HBM is projected to grow rapidly, doubling to $34 billion in 2025;
➁ Chinese companies CXMT and YMTC intensified competition by launching cost-effective DDR3/DDR4 and advanced 3D NAND chips, prompting global players to accelerate DDR5 and HBM development;
➂ SK Hynix leads the HBM market (54% share) through partnerships like NVIDIA, while Samsung and Micron ramp up HBM3E production to secure AI-driven growth.
- Imec and Tokyo Electron to develop nodes beyond 2nm
➀ Imec and Tokyo Electron (TEL) have extended their partnership to advance semiconductor R&D for nodes beyond 2nm, focusing on patterning, logic devices, memory, and 3D integration;
➁ Their prior collaboration achieved breakthroughs in High NA EUV lithography and EUV resist coating technology, critical for production-level EUV adoption;
➂ The renewed efforts target High NA patterning, CFET devices, and sustainable manufacturing processes to drive innovation and reinforce global semiconductor leadership.
- Greenerwave wins €10m satcom connectivity contract for French Army
➀ Greenerwave secured a €10 million contract from the French DGA to provide satellite connectivity for the Armed Forces, leveraging its multi-orbit terminals with Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) technology;
➁ The project, part of a collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space and Eutelsat OneWeb, aims to validate mobile satcom performance in vehicles using Ku-band and support France's sovereign connectivity goals via LEO and future IRIS² constellations;
➂ Greenerwave's software-driven approach reduces semiconductor dependency and power consumption, aligning with DGA's strategy to enhance military capabilities and promote domestic tech innovation.
- Americans Not Keen On Bombing Iran
➀ A survey by The Economist and YouGov reveals only 16% of Americans approve of bombing Iran’s nuclear sites;
➁ Support remains low even among Trump voters (19%) and Republicans (23%);
➂ Many respondents expressed uncertainty about their stance on the issue.
June 19
- 5.9GHz automotive EMI ferrite bead inductor
➀ Murata introduced the BLM15VM automotive ferrite bead inductor, designed for 5G-V2X applications, offering 1kΩ impedance at 5.9GHz and operating from -55°C to 150°C;
➁ The component targets noise suppression in high-frequency automotive communication systems (including 5G, DSRC, Wi-Fi 6E/7) critical for autonomous driving and infotainment;
➂ Mass production (AEC-Q200 compliant) begins in July 2025, with a compact 0402 package and 0.245Ω DC resistance.
- Sensors Converge: X-Fab processes tuned for SPADs
➀ X-Fab enhances 25V isolation to improve SPAD integration in its 180nm XH018 process;
➁ New Isomos2 module enables 25% smaller pixel arrays and 30% higher fill factor;
➂ Technology supports lidar, 3D imaging, and quantum communications applications
June 18
- The Trump T1 Smartphone
➀ The Trump Organization plans to launch the T1, a $499 Android smartphone manufactured in the U.S., with production in Florida, Alabama, and California;
➁ The T1 features a 6.8-inch display, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, a 50MP rear camera, and a 16MP front camera, marketed as part of the "America First" initiative;
➂ Despite skepticism about U.S. manufacturing feasibility, the phone will use Liberty Mobile Wireless network and cost $47.45/month, though early production may occur outside the U.S.
- China car makers aim for 100% local chip content by next year
➀ China's car manufacturers aim to use 100% domestically designed and produced chips by 2027, accelerated by a government-led initiative from MIIT;
➁ Two major Chinese automakers target achieving this goal by 2026, surpassing the earlier 2025 target of 25% local chip content;
➂ Key challenges include replacing advanced foreign components like NVIDIA GPUs and Qualcomm processors in high-end vehicles and ADAS systems.
- WiFi 6E & WiFi 7 push Q1 enterprise WLAN market up 10.6%
➀ The Q1 enterprise WLAN market grew 10.6% quarter-over-quarter to $2.3 billion, driven by adoption of WiFi 6E (31.9% of AP revenues) and WiFi 7 (11.8%);
➁ Regional growth varied: Americas surged 15.2% YoY (led by the U.S. at 21%), EMEA rose 11% YoY, and APAC grew 1% YoY, with China declining 4.2%;
➂ Key players included Cisco (39.5% market share, $904.5M), HPE Aruba (15.9%, $363.9M), and Ubiquiti (11.7%, $267.4M with 50.9% YoY growth), while Huawei’s revenue dropped 10.7%.
- ‘Six-figure’ rail electronics contract for Barnbrook
➀ Barnbrook Systems secured a six-figure contract to refurbish over 100 brake controllers for Class 15x train engines in the UK;
➁ The company developed upgraded brake controllers since 2012 to extend the lifespan of older trains and provides maintenance programs;
➂ Collaborated with Flair to launch E:Bag, a lithium-ion battery fire suppression system using nanotechnology for portable device fires.
June 17
- Slacker space-qualified MCXOs for faster delivery
➀ Q-Tech expands its space-qualified MCXO series with 50ppb/100ppb versions for faster delivery and lower costs;
➁ QT2020/QT2021 offer radiation tolerance (50kRad TID) and latch-up immunity, supporting full space missions with varying stabilization (10ppb-100ppb) across temperature ranges;
➂ Features include 15s warm-up, 90mW power, 1ppb/g acceleration sensitivity, and 50g through-hole packages for aerospace/satellite applications.
- IMS 2025: PAM4 loop-back switch
➀ Menlo Micro introduced an 80Gbit/s PAM4 loop-back switch at IMS 2025 for testing asymmetric SerDes busses, offering over 100 configurations;
➁ The MM5625 features 12 channels, 128 control states, dc-20GHz bandwidth, and LGA packaging, with enhanced durability exceeding 3 billion operations;
➂ Targeted at wafer sorting and test equipment for data center chips, including processors and memories, though detailed specs remain undisclosed.
- AI Gigafactory Bollox
➀ NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang advocates for 'AI Gigafactories' and 'AI sovereignty,' urging governments like the EU and Middle Eastern nations to invest heavily in data centers powered by Nvidia GPUs;
➁ The strategy leverages fears of Chinese advancement through the Digital Silk Road using domestic chips, despite critiques that such projects risk high costs, grid strain, and potential overcapacity with limited local benefits;
➂ The UK's AI ecosystem prioritizes software innovation over infrastructure, reflecting a broader debate on balancing technological sovereignty with cost-effectiveness.
- The rev counter prototype is up and running
➀ A rev counter prototype for a CNC lathe using Arduino Pro Micro faces jitter (±3 counts) due to mechanical imperfections but functions accurately on signal generators;
➁ Limitations in Arduino's 8-bit PWM resolution (via analogWrite()) prompt plans for custom 10-bit code, while a safety feature prevents unintended motor activation;
➂ 3D-printed housings and open-source code highlight iterative hardware/software integration for workshop deployment.
- UK and Japan to sign nuclear fusion collaboration deal
➀ The UK and Japan plan to sign a nuclear fusion collaboration agreement on Thursday, targeting a viable technology demonstration by the 2030s;
➁ Japan will contribute its manufacturing expertise, while the UK provides remote robotics capabilities for nuclear facilities and fusion reactor management;
➂ Both nations previously collaborated on Fukushima's decommissioning using robots, and UK's Tokamak Energy recently established a subsidiary in Tokyo to advance fusion research.
- Panmesia offers full-stack HPC CXL-based server system
➀ Panmnesia, a Korean CXL specialist, launched a full-stack HPC system using CXL 3.x switches and IP, enabling flexible resource scaling and enhanced parallel computing performance;
➁ The composable hardware architecture allows independent scaling of compute and memory nodes via CXL switches, reducing costs by eliminating redundant resources;
➂ The software stack replaces network-based communication with CXL memory sharing, cutting latency by 44% in a fluid dynamics simulation demonstration.
- 1.6kV IGBT for cookers and microwaves
➀ STMicroelectronics launched the STGWA30IH160DF2, a 1.6kV IGBT in TO-247 packaging targeting induction hobs and microwaves, featuring high thermal performance and compatibility with soft-switching topologies;
➁ The device offers a 30A nominal current rating, 175°C junction temperature capability, low Vce(sat) (1.77V typical) for reduced conduction loss, and a soft-recovery anti-parallel diode for resonant converter efficiency;
➂ Designed for easy paralleling with stable temperature coefficients, it supports single-switch quasi-resonant converters at 16-60kHz and emphasizes applications in domestic appliances.
- Memory Disc V3 documents human culture on Planet Earth
➀ Memory Disc V3 is a coin-sized storage device designed by Barrelhand to archive human cultural data;
➁ It features advanced encoding and will be deposited on the Moon for long-term preservation;
➂ The project aims to serve as a future reference for human civilization beyond Earth.
June 16
- Public attitudes to net-zero under parliamentary scrutiny
➀ The UK's Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee will hold its first public evidence session to examine shifting public attitudes toward net-zero policies and the clean energy transition.
➁ The inquiry focuses on evolving public support and opposition, regional differences in attitudes across the UK, and the role of information sources in shaping opinions.
➂ Witnesses include experts from polling organizations, academia, and environmental groups, highlighting the political and social challenges in achieving the 2050 net-zero target.