Author page description
May 21
- Wolfspeed expected to file for bankruptcy
➀ Wolfspeed is expected to file for a pre-packaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to $6.5 billion debt and rejected creditor restructuring proposals;
➁ The company faced a 15% revenue loss after losing Tesla and Volkswagen as customers, and its SiC market share dropped from 32% to 19% amid competition, notably from China;
➂ Utilization at its New York fab stands at 25%, and a pending $750 million CHIPS Act subsidy is now uncertain.
- Zeno Power raises $50m Series B for nuclear batteries in space
➀ Zeno Power raised $50 million in Series B funding to develop nuclear batteries using Strontium-90, with plans to deliver commercial products by 2027.
➁ The batteries are designed for extreme environments like the lunar surface, Arctic regions, and ocean floors, providing continuous power without sunlight or recharging.
➂ The company partners with iSpace-U.S and Leicester University for lunar mission demonstrations and enhances its board with former U.S. Navy Admiral John M. Richardson.
- Top Ten (less two) Supply Chain Trends
➀ Gartner highlights eight key supply chain trends, including ambient invisible intelligence using smart sensors for real-time tracking and environmental compliance;
➁ Adoption of polyfunctional robots and autonomous data collection (e.g., drones) to optimize warehouse efficiency and reduce labor costs;
➂ AI-driven decision intelligence and intelligent simulation integrate analytics and machine learning to enhance decision-making and operational adaptability in logistics.
May 20
- 110V 1A power op-amp has digital control
➀ Analog Devices introduces the ADHV4710, a ±55V/±1A power op-amp with digital control via a 19MHz SPI interface for setting parameters like current limits and thermal thresholds;
➀ The amplifier supports large capacitive loads, configurable gain modes (high/low), and adaptive bias current for improved large-signal bandwidth (2.3MHz at 80Vp-p);
➂ Designed for applications such as power amplifiers, programmable power supplies, and piezoelectric drivers, requiring a 5V reference and heatsink for thermal management up to 19W.
- Spin that fan and get up to speed with Matter via Arduino
➀ The article introduces a beginner-friendly Arduino tutorial on implementing the Matter protocol for IoT device standardization;
➀ Matter aims to unify connectivity across smart home brands for seamless consumer experiences;
➂ The writer highlights the protocol’s potential despite personal unfamiliarity, emphasizing its role in simplifying IoT ecosystems.
- Clipping Nvidia’s Wings
➀ China aims to capture 40% of its domestic AI chip market in 2024, led by local players like Huawei's Ascend series, Cambricon, Alibaba's Hanguang 800, and Baidu's Kunlun chips;
➁ Global competitors such as Intel, AMD, Google (Trillium TPU), AWS (Trainium), and Meta (MTIA) are advancing their own AI processors, intensifying pressure on Nvidia;
➂ Imec's proposal for reconfigurable AI processors could disrupt current development paradigms, potentially challenging the strategies of major AI chip designers.
- 650V industrial SiC mosfets in 8 x 8mm package
➀ Toshiba launched four 650V industrial SiC MOSFETs in compact 8×8mm DFN packages, featuring lower switching losses (55% turn-on and 25% turn-off reduction) compared to prior generations；
➁ The flagship TW054V65C model offers 54mΩ typical on-resistance, improved gate-drive stability via a separate source contact, and operates at +18V/0V gate drive without negative voltage requirements；
➂ Targeted applications include industrial SMPS, EV chargers, UPS systems, and solar inverters, with enhanced temperature stability (Rds(on) varies only 54-58mΩ from 25°C to 150°C).
- Electronics and IC sales unaffected by tariffs
➀ Q1 2025 electronics sales declined 16% QoQ but stayed flat YoY, while IC sales dipped 2% QoQ but surged 23% YoY, fueled by AI and high-performance computing investments;
➁ Semiconductor CapEx fell 7% QoQ but rose 27% YoY, driven by investments in HBM, advanced packaging, and wafer fab equipment (WFE) spending growth;
➂ Global wafer fab capacity expanded to 42.5 million wafers/quarter, with China, Japan, and Taiwan leading growth amid geopolitical risks and uncertain trade policies.
- Elektra Awards 2025 open for entries
➀ The Elektra Awards 2025, organized by Electronics Weekly, are now open for entries, celebrating innovation in the electronics industry and recognizing excellence across sectors;
➁ New categories for 2025 include the Entrepreneurial Star (under 35) and Neurodiversity Product Design Award, focusing on young entrepreneurs and inclusive product development;
➂ Submissions are free and judged by industry professionals, with entries closing on 13 June 2025, and the awards ceremony scheduled for 9 December in London.
- Flight Recorders Compulsory In Australia
➀ In 1961, Australia announced a mandate requiring airlines to install flight recorders to capture cockpit conversations and instrument data, becoming the first country to implement such a regulation;
➁ The policy followed a recommendation from an inquiry into the 1960 Fokker Friendship crash in Queensland, which highlighted the need for crashproof recording devices;
➂ The flight recorders were designed to be housed in durable containers near aircraft tails, ensuring data preservation during accidents.
- Imec to demo ingestible gut sensor later today
➀ Imec has developed an ingestible sensor (2.1cm long, 0.75cm diameter) to measure redox balance, pH, and temperature in the gastrointestinal tract, addressing challenges in traditional diagnostic methods like endoscopy;
➁ The sensor, demonstrated live at ITF World, offers real-time monitoring without invasive procedures and has been tested in healthy volunteers with Wageningen University & Research;
➂ Future trials with Radboud University Medical Center will focus on patients with cancer or chronic inflammation, aiming to advance gastrointestinal disease diagnosis and management.
May 19
- Onward and upward for Nvidia
➀ NVIDIA announced the upgraded Grace Blackwell Ultra GPU (GB300) shipping in Q3 2025, alongside new AI infrastructure advancements;
➁ The RTX Pro Server system delivers 4x H100 performance for DeepSeek and 1.7x gains for Llama models, with NVLink Fusion enabling cross-company hardware compatibility;
➂ Future plans include the Feynman architecture (2028) and immediate production of the DGX Spark workstation, offering 1,000 AI TOPS for researchers.
- Ed Takes On Putin
➀ Ed devises a strategy to undermine Putin by exposing his corruption and fabricating compromising videos, aiming to erode public and elite support in Russia;
➁ Despite media censorship, half of Russia’s population uses VPNs and encrypted tools like Telegram and Tor, enabling targeted distribution of anti-Putin content;
➂ Ed’s team profits from Western porn platforms by monetizing the propaganda videos, funded covertly by the UK government.
May 16
- When Arm became accepted
➀ In 1998, ARM's founding CEO Sir Robin Saxby highlighted the company's emergence as a global processor standard, with licensees shipping over 15 million devices in the first half of the year, driven by mobile phones and multimedia applications;
➀ ARM's revenue primarily came from licensing, development boards, and consulting, with royalties accounting for only 9% of its $18.6M H1 1998 revenue;
➂ The company emphasized repeat licensing deals, collaboration with Intel on StrongARM for embedded applications, and upcoming ARM10 processor details to be unveiled at the Microprocessor Forum.
- QS RF Locator sees drone payload geolocate RF signals
➀ Quadsat launches QS RF Locator, a drone-based system to geolocate RF interference sources with precision for commercial and military applications;
➁ The system uses a directional horn, gimbal, and algorithms to analyze signal strength and angle of arrival, dynamically optimizing triangulation via automated flight paths;
➂ Tested by OneWeb and Telespazio, the technology enables rapid in-situ antenna validation and interference resolution, reducing downtime and operational costs.
- Applications closing for ISS’s Orbital Edge Accelerator programme
➀ The ISS National Lab's Orbital Edge Accelerator program, offering up to $500,000 funding and ISS-sponsored orbital research opportunities, closes applications on 19 May for space startups;
➁ Up to 20 finalists will pitch virtually in June, with six selected for mentorship and funding, announced on 7 July;
➂ The program aims to foster innovation in the space economy, managed by CASIS and TechConnect, leveraging the ISS's unique research environment for commercial and academic R&D.
- Most Read – Raspberry Pi OS, AI infrastructure, Intel 18A PDK
➀ Future Horizons CEO Malcolm Penn predicts a prolonged semiconductor industry recession, citing stagnant unit shipments 16% below the long-term trend;
➁ Siemens launches Questa One AI-powered software suite to address declining first-time silicon success rates (14% for ASIC, 13% for FPGA);
➂ Raspberry Pi OS updates include enhanced screen locking, touchscreen handling, and printer management in its final Debian Bookworm version;
➃ AMD, Nvidia, and AWS partner with Saudi Arabia's Humain to build a $5B+ AI infrastructure zone;
➄ Siemens certifies Calibre nmPlatform and Analog FastSPICE tools for Intel's 18A process technology.
- UAE to build largest AI infrastructure facility outside the US
➀ The UAE and US announced plans to build the largest AI infrastructure facility outside the US, featuring 5GW-capacity data centers in Abu Dhabi to serve nearly half the global population within a 3,200 km radius;
➀ The project, led by G42 in partnership with US companies, will use nuclear, solar, and gas energy to reduce emissions and includes a science park for AI innovation;
➂ The UAE agreed to align its security regulations with the US and plans to acquire 500,000 Nvidia AI chips annually, while enforcing strict access controls for compute resources.
- Kioxia sampling SSDs using CBA
➀ Kioxia is sampling enterprise SSDs with 8th-gen BiCS FLASH TLC, integrating CMOS Bonded to Array (CBA) technology to enhance power efficiency, performance, and capacity;
➁ The CM9 Series SSDs deliver up to 65% better random write, 55% random read, and 95% sequential write performance versus prior generations, alongside significant efficiency gains per watt;
➂ Key features include PCIe 5.0 compliance, dual-port support, and capacities up to 61.44TB (2.5-inch) and 30.72TB (E3.S form factor).
- ClearSpace clears Phase 2 of active debris removal mission
➀ ClearSpace has successfully completed Phase 2 of the UK Space Agency's CLEAR mission, focusing on active debris removal to address technical and operational challenges in space sustainability;
➁ Key achievements include passing mechanical tests for the robotic capture system, validating image processing algorithms for debris detection, and testing proximity operations using hardware emulators;
➂ The mission aims to establish UK leadership in in-orbit servicing, with Phase 3 targeting the removal of two defunct satellites and demonstrating refuelable spacecraft capabilities.
May 15
- Fable: The Unexpected Message
➀ A self-taught engineer discovered melted chocolate in his pocket while working on magnetrons, leading to the invention of the microwave oven;
➁ This accidental observation helped his company (where he was the third employee) grow to $80 billion in annual revenue;
➂ The story emphasizes finding valuable insights in unexpected occurrences.
- What caught your eye? (AI design, Grim market, Formation spacecraft)
➀ Siemens introduced Questa One software, an AI-driven suite to accelerate verification of complex ASICs and FPGAs amid rising design challenges;
➁ Future Horizons provided a pessimistic outlook on the semiconductor market, highlighting concerns over industry growth;
➂ The European Space Agency (ESA) achieved millimeter-precision formation flying with its Proba-3 spacecraft, enabling unprecedented solar corona observations.
- Picture of the Day: Orion Artemis II spacecraft completes assembly
➀ Lockheed Martin officially completes assembly and testing of NASA's Orion Artemis II spacecraft;
➀ Represents a critical milestone for human space exploration, advancing NASA's mission toward Mars;
➂ Highlights advancements in spacecraft technology and collaborative efforts in aerospace engineering.
- US bans everyone from using certain Huawei AI ICs
➀ The U.S. Department of Commerce's BIS banned the use of Huawei’s Ascend 910B/C/D AI chips, claiming they utilize U.S. technology, with violators facing severe penalties;
➁ Huawei’s Ascend 910C-based servers reportedly outperform NVIDIA’s most powerful GPUs, but production shortages limit their availability even for Huawei itself;
➂ BIS revoked the AI Diffusion Rule and plans new regulations, potentially easing restrictions for U.S. companies exporting AI chips to China.
- Tsinghua Unigroup ex-Chairman sentenced to death
➀ Zhao Weiguo, former chairman of Tsinghua Unigroup, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for abuse of power, embezzlement of $65 million in state assets, and causing $124 million in public losses;
➁ He built Unigroup into China's top chip firm through acquisitions like Spreadtrum and RDA, with Intel holding a 20% stake;
➂ The verdict follows a two-year investigation after his resignation, reflecting China's crackdown on corruption in the semiconductor sector.
- Imec opens photonics lab
➀ Imec and TNO have launched the Holst Centre Photonics Lab in the Netherlands, partially funded by PhotonDelta, to accelerate photonics R&D.
➁ The lab combines imec's expertise in tape-out validation, on-chip lasers, and system testing with TNO's strengths in free-space optics and photonic integration, fostering industry-academia collaboration.
➂ Focused on applications like LiDAR, medical diagnostics, and quantum technologies, the initiative aims to strengthen the Netherlands' leadership in integrated photonics across automotive, healthcare, and data communication sectors.
- Proba-3 space mission achieves precise millimetre formation flying
➀ The European Space Agency's Proba-3 mission achieved millimeter-precision formation flying between two spacecraft, the Coronagraph and Occulter, maintaining a 150-meter separation autonomously for hours;
➁ The mission aims to study the Sun's corona by aligning the Occulter's 1.4m disc to cast a shadow onto the Coronagraph's instrument, enabled by laser metrology, optical sensors, and AI-driven algorithms;
➂ Key contributions came from ESA, MDA Space, Airbus Defence and Space, and Belgian institutions, with advanced technologies like the Fine Lateral and Longitudinal Sensor (FLLS) ensuring millimeter accuracy.
- Your AI Chums
➀ The article discusses the rise of AI companion services, as companies like Meta, Replika, and Nomi offer customizable AI friends to address social isolation;
➁ Meta's AI Studio and other platforms allow users to design AI characters with specific personalities and interactions;
➂ The irony is highlighted where internet technologies, blamed for reducing real-world connections, now position themselves as solutions for companionship.
May 14
- AMD, Nvidia and AWS to build AI infrastructure in Saudi Arabia
➀ AWS plans to invest over $5 billion to establish an 'AI Zone' in Saudi Arabia, featuring data centers for AI training and services like SageMaker and Bedrock;
➁ AMD and Humain will invest $10 billion to deploy 500MW of AI compute capacity using AMD's Instinct GPUs, EPYC CPUs, and ROCm software ecosystem, targeting multi-exaflop capacity by 2026;
➂ NVIDIA and Humain will build data centers with up to 500MW capacity powered by advanced GPUs, including a Grace Blackwell AI supercomputer, and collaborate on AI talent development through the Omniverse platform.
- OSAT top ten grow 3%
➀ The top 10 OSAT companies' 2024 revenue reached $41.56 billion, a 3% YoY increase, with ASE leading at $18.54 billion (45% market share);
➁ HT-Tech achieved the highest growth (+26% YoY), while Hana Micron (+23.7%) and JCET (+19.3%) also saw strong performance driven by memory and automotive/OLED demand;
➂ The industry faces evolving demands for advanced packaging (e.g., heterogeneous integration, WLP) and AI/edge computing-driven high-frequency, high-density solutions.