It's Time for GPIB to Die

Tom Burke has had enough with GPIB, calling it as finicky as the ISA bus. Do you agree, or should GPIB continue its long life?



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Mobile Growth Shifts to Low End

A maturation in the smartphone and tablet markets will align growth with Eastern markets utilizing lower-tier devices, analyst Linley Gwennap said in his keynote remarks during the Linley Tech Mobile Conference. Evolutions in mobile technology will also reflect these trends.



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iFixit: Google's Project Tango Features Apple Chip

An iFixit teardown of Google's project Tango finds that a 3D imaging chip from Apple's PrimeSense. The question is whether Apple got the one up on Google with superior technology, or did Google beat Apple to the punch in using the chip first.



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Basic Turns 50

A language familiar to all: Pausing to look back on 50 years of attracting (and repelling) new programmers.



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Thailand Strives to Bolster Engineering Ranks

In order to move up the value chain, Thailand needs more engineers. The challenge is how exactly to accomplish that goal.



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Major SSD Vendors Diversify Offerings for Enterprise Workloads

Micron, SanDisk, and Samsung are all targeting datacenters with new SSDs optimized for different applications with a wide range of drive writes per day.



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Silego Announces World's Smallest Mixed-Signal FPGA

A single GPAK mixed-signal FPGA can replace a variety of primitive logic, comparators, and passive components, thereby saving cost, power, and PCB real estate.



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'Electric Paint' May Speed Prototyping

Leave it to art students to create an electronic paint. Former students from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London have devised a conductive ink.



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Top Free DIY Tools Every EE Needs

Here's a guide to free electronics design tools you can download from the Internet. You don't need a degree to use them, but it helps.



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IBM Shifts Cluster Tech to Cloud

IBM is taking distributed scheduler technology originally developed for some of its largest supercomputers and applying it to cloud computing.



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Nomadic Altium Tribe Is on the Move Again

The hot-off-the-press news is that the guys and gals at Altium are on the move again -- they are leaving Shanghai, China, and heading towards San Diego, USA.



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Apple Recruits New MedTech Rock Star

Apple has added Divya Nag -- another medical device veteran -- to its growing roster of professionals with a background in life sciences. The hire could help Apple navigate the medical technology market.



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Gamepad motion sensors serve tilting smartwatch

Tapping and swiping on smartwatch apps is fiddly – and your fingers get in the way of what’s on the screen, too. To the rescue comes Gierad Laput of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a tiltable watch face that could save you a whole lot of screen jabbing.

At the computer-human interaction conference in Toronto, Canada, this week, Laput revealed how he and his Carnegie Mellon colleagues attached a pair of gamepad motion sensors to a smartwatch-style LCD display so that it can detect when a user pans, twists or tilts the screen. The sensed motions are used to navigate around content such as a map, or play games, saving the user the need to poke at the screen to accomplish such tasks.

Pushing down on the screen activates all the sensors at once and is recognised as an option-choosing “click” of the cursor. The motion-detection worked fine when they tried using it to play a version of Doom, a first-person shooter video game. “Smartwatches – and wearables in general – are really exciting, but interacting with them is terrible. It’s a hard problem, and we have to keep chipping away at it,” Laput says.

“Since our fingers are large, and people want smartwatches to be small, we have to go beyond traditional input techniques. Digitising the mechanical movements of a watch face in this way offers interaction without occluding the screen. It is easy to implement and we’d love to see the research go into future products.”

David Harold, a director of Imagination Technologies, based in Hertfordshire, UK, which develops graphics systems for mobile devices, says the motion-sensitive screen could complement existing watch and phone-control methods such as voice-recognition and icon pressing. “It’s an interesting idea but my absolute gut feeling is that this would best be used in gaming, where you definitely don’t want your fingers covering the screen. There’s a trend towards improving wearable interfaces for different applications and this is very much part of that.”

The idea comes as fresh rumours surfaced about a possible Apple smartwatch. On 19 April, Nike decided to focus on fitness monitoring software and abandon manufacture of the iOS-based Fuel Band hardware that currently runs it.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is on Nike’s board, and so there has been some speculation that Nike – a long-term Apple partner since the early iPod days – may be moving aside to give Apple a clearer run in the wearables market with a watch that will runs the Nike Fuel Band software. Speaking on CNBC this week, Nike CEO Mark Parker guardedly said that he is “excited about what’s to come” from a continuing Apple and Nike partnership. There have been rumours for some time that Apple is planning to launch an iWatch this year.

Syndicated content: Paul Marks, New Scientist

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Image: HCII/Carnegie Mellon University

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Cirrus Logic to Buy Rival Wolfson for $467M

Fabless analog and DSP vendor Cirrus Logic is on its way to becoming an audio chip powerhouse with a deal to acquire rival Wolfson Microelectronics for $467 million in cash and debt.



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Google Car's Next Move

Most impressive about the video clip posted by Google is how neatly Google Car's computer vision organizes what it sees on streets into separate, independent boxes, according to IHS analyst.



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Spectrum Should Be Shared

Regulators need to adopt new approaches to allocating spectrum in shared, dynamic ways, given the rising tsunami of mobile data.



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End Smartphone Patent Wars, Says EU

Having seen the situation in US courts, the European Union wants to stop this kind of litigation because it limits innovation, hurts consumer choice, and creates an enormous burden on the courts and on European institutions.



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Insect-Based EDA Gets Funded

Analog EDA startup Thalia Design Automation Ltd. has raised $1 million in a mix of equity funding and grant support.



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Apple-Samsung: Let the Jury Begin

The closing arguments in the Apple-Samsung trial show.



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Changing MPU market

Intel’s domination of the microprocessor market is bring ‘chipped away’ by ARM, says US analyst firm IC Insights.

“Intel continues to dominate the microprocessor business, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the market’s total sales in 2013, but the company’s huge MPU marketshare is being chipped away by strong growth in ARM-built processors for smartphones, tablets, and new high-density microservers, which can lower cost in data centres for high-volume Internet traffic and cloud-computing services,” says IC Insights.

With shipments of standard PCs waning, Intel’s total MPU sales fell by about 2% to $36.3 billion in 2013, following a 1% decline in 2012, primarily due to slowing demand for x86 central processing units (CPUs) in personal computers.

Standard notebook PCs continue to face stiff competition from tablets sold by Apple, Samsung, Amazon, and more than a dozen other suppliers worldwide. New smartphones, which are often built with similar ARM processors as tablets, also continue to infiltrate more PC applications.

AMD’s x86 microprocessor sales have been hit harder by the slowdown in notebook and desktop PCs, resulting in its total MPU revenues plunging 21% in both 2012 and 2013. AMD’s 2013 microprocessor sales (excluding stand-alone graphics processors) fell to $2.8 billion, which represented 4.8% of total MPU sales last year compared to its previous marketshares of 6.4% in 2012 and 8.2% in 2011. AMD remained in fourth place among MPU suppliers in 2013.

The two x86 rivals are now scrambling with different strategies to reverse their slumping fortunes in microprocessors. AMD has joined the ARM camp, preparing 2014 introductions of new 28nm Opteron A1100 server processors (with up to eight ARM-based 64-bit CPU cores) while the company also aims graphics-enhanced x86 designs at tablets and notebook PCs. AMD says it will be the only microprocessor maker to offer both ARM and x86 solutions.

Meanwhile, Intel is accelerating its push to diversify its x86 MPUs and make new processors more competitive with ARM-based solutions in a wide range of platforms—from smartphones and tablets to convertible notebooks that can function like tablets, high-density microservers, new wearable systems, and embedded “Internet of Things” (IoT) applications. Intel continues to emphasize its manufacturing leadership, preparing to introduce the first 14nm-fabricated processors (code-named “Broadwell”) in 2H14. With its newest 22nm Atom SoC processors and existing 22nm Core x86 flagship microprocessors, Intel aims to ship 40 million tablet MPUs in 2014, up fourfold from 2013.

The $58.6 billion microprocessor market was the largest single semiconductor product category in 2013, accounting for 22% of total IC sales.

In 2013, tablet microprocessors represented nearly 6% of worldwide MPU sales compared to 4% in the previous year, while cellphone application processors accounted for 25% of the revenue total, up from 22% in 2012. MPUs used in PCs, server computers, and embedded-processing applications slid to 69% of total microprocessor sales in 2013 compared to 74% in 2012.

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More on: Manchester finds unexpected graphene behaviour

Researchers at the University of Manchester found a mechanism that could explain unusual electronic and optical behaviour in graphene, and another route to give it a bandgap.

The work involved spreading mono-layer flakes of graphene on a thin (20nm) layer of boron nitride (BN).

Both materials have a hexagonal two-dimensional structure – there is increasing interest in the interaction of various 2-d materials, phosphorene and molybdenum di-sulphide are others. LINK

Some language is required here: when two layers of graphene are aligned with one another exactly, atoms from the layers attract each other and lock the alignment, and they are said to be ‘commensurate’.

Boron nitride’s lattice constant is 1.8% larger than graphene.

“There has been work done to see if graphene and boron nitride would become commensurate. Everyone had assumed they would stay incommensurate – there would be no way to click together,” project scientist Colin Woods told Electronics Weekly.

Monolayer graphene flakes were known to stick to boron nitride, by the same van der Waals’ forces that hold two aligned graphene layers together, but the lattice mis-match was thought to be enough that they would always remain incommensurate.

Woods’ examined graphene flakes flat on the boron nitride in various rotational orientations, using atomic force microscopy, scanning tunnelling microscopy and Raman spectroscopy.

He discovered that when the lattices were clearly misaligned, they were incommensurate.

However when the axes of the hexagons were aligned exactly, the graphene locally stretched to match the boron nitride and became commensurate, and also developed a bandgap.

“The badgap is small. We don’t know if it exists in un-aligned state, where there is a very small bandgap or no bandgap,” said Woods, “but the commensurate/incommensurate transition definitely opens a bandgap. This is a new mechanism for creating a bandgap in graphene.”

Strain build-up cannot continue forever across the graphene, and periodically carbon atoms within the graphene bunch together in a strain-relieving dislocation. Viewed from above, the dislocations form a sharply-defined hexagonal grid (see image), where the hexagons within are perfectly-aligned graphene/boron nitride.

Maximum size for the hexagonal super-lattice is 14nm, compared with the 0.25nm graphene lattice constant.

Sadly, “the area of bandgap not enough for electronic logic”, he said, but this is new fundamental understanding in the behaviour of graphene, which could explain certain electronic and optical behaviours.

Where flakes are not perfectly aligned, the super-lattice quickly de-focusses to the incommensurate state with increasing rotation.

“It was extremely exciting to see that the properties of graphene can change so dramatically by simply twisting the two crystals only a fraction of a degree,” said Woods.

Having observed the effect, the team is looking to get a theoretical handle on the two-dimensional forces and stretches.

“Generally, the previous model used to describe the sort of interaction which has been observed in our experiments describes only the one-dimensional case, but even there it produces very non-trivial solutions. We hope that our system will push the mathematical development of the model to two-dimensions, where even more exciting mathematics is to be expected,” said Woods.

The work is described in a Nature Physics paper: ‘Commensurate–incommensurate transition in graphene on hexagonal boron nitride‘, and was led by graphene co-discoverer Sir Kostya Novoselov.

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Slideshow: Verdict Form in Apple v. Samsung

Four men and four women from San Jose have started deliberations in the $2 billion patent infringement suit of Apple v. Samsung. Here's the verdict form they must fill out.



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Electronic-Packaging Enclosure Boasts 5400-lb Static Load Rating

The TITAN EP flexible electronic-packaging enclosure delivers a certified static and dynamic load ratings of 5400 lbs and 3300 lbs, respectively.

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Snap-Action Switch Comes In SPST, SPDT Configuration

CIT Relay & Switch’s UL/CUL-recognized VM3 snap-action switches offers a choice of a single-pole, single-throw (SPST) or single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) circuit.

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Pushbutton Switch Features Splash-/Vandal-Proof Construction

The 12-mm EH series pushbutton switch from CIT Relay & Switch brandishes rugged construction that withstands splashing and is vandal-proof.

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Miniature Ultrasonic Switches Detect Aerated Liquid Levels

Measurement Specialties’ LL-01 Sentio Series of miniature ultrasonic liquid level switches combine ultrasonic technology with reliable analog circuitry to precisely measure aerated liquids.

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Indoor air quality technologies will reach nearly US$5.6 billion in annual revenues by 2020, says firm

Employing an array of technologies to create more effective ventilation than conventional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring and management systems can provide a healthy and productive indoor environment while saving both energy and money. While adoption is somewhat limited by the rate of the global economic recovery, new standards and regulations, as well as a heightened sensitivity to how the health and comfort of office workers affects productivity, is driving greater use of these technologies. According to a new report from Navigant Research, worldwide revenues from indoor air quality systems will grow from US$3.3 billion in 2014 to nearly US$5.6 billion by 2020.



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Touch panel shipments on the rise, but revenues expected to fall, says DisplaySearch

Although growth in the global smartphone and tablet markets continues to drive demand for touch panels, touch module makers are now facing greater competition, which is leading to revenue declines for the first time in four years. According to DisplaySearch, 2013 touch panel shipments increased 17% and revenues increased 27% on year. However, 2014 revenues are expected to decline 1%, while shipments are forecast to rise 15%.



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Digitimes Research: Taiwan small- to medium-size panel shipments down in 1Q14

Taiwan panel makers' shipments of small- to medium-size panels reached 301 million in the first quarter of 2014, down 18.3% on quarter and down 13.9% on year, according to Digitimes Research.

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TCL reports 0.4% increase in LCD TV sales

China TV vendor TCL has reported that its LCD TV sales, including commercial displays, reached 4.01 million in first-quarter 2014, up 0.4% on year.



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VIS reports strong earnings for 1Q14

Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) has reported net profits of NT$1.34 billion (US$44.41 million) for the first quarter of 2014, up 19% sequentially and 53% on year. The earnings translated into an EPS of NT$0.83 for the quarter.



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Acer debuts new products

Acer held a global launch event themed A Touch More Connected in New York on April 29, unveiling four new notebooks, two tablets, two AIO (all-in-one) PCs and a notebook/tablet 2-in-1 for launch in late May or June.



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Graphics card vendors look to 10-20% sequential drops in 2Q14 shipments

Most graphics card vendors are expected to see shipments slip 10-20% sequentially in the second quarter of 2014 due to high inventory levels in retail channels, weak demand in China, as well as off-peak season effects, according to industry sources.

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PV system installation in China may surge in 2H14, say Taiwan makers

There is likely to be concentration of PV systems installed around China due to government-offered feed-in tariff subsidies in the second half of 2014, and consequently Taiwan-based crystalline silicon solar cell makers are expected to benefit from the surging demand, according to industry sources.



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Giantplus sees over 83% on-year increase in 1Q14 performance

Giantplus Technology, a Taiwan-based maker of small- to medium-size LCD panels and touch panels, has reported that its first-quarter 2014 revenues reached NT$4.24 billion (US$140.35 million), up 8.6% on quarter and up 83.2% on year. Operating income for the company increased 108.7% on quarter.



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AUO reports 1Q14 performance

AU Optronics (AUO) has announced its consolidated revenues in the first quarter of 2014 were NT$93.80 billion (US$3.08 billion), down 8.7% from the fourth quarter of 2013. Gross profit was US$226 million, with gross margin of 7.3%. Operating profit for the company was US$22 million, with operating margin of 0.7%, while net profit for the first quarter was US$5 million.



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Taiwan 1Q14 economic growth rate upward adjusted to 3.04%, says DGBAS

Taiwan's economic growth rate, on-year growth in GDP, in the first quarter of 2014 has been upward adjusted from 3.02% estimated in February 2014 to 3.04%, according to advance estimates released by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) on April 30.



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Silicon Motion 1Q14 performance beats guidance

Silicon Motion Technology has announced net sales of US$52.8 million for the first quarter of 2014, increasing 1% from the previous quarter, and beating its guidance for a flat performance or a 10% sequential decline in revenues for the quarter.



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140-170 sacked Micron researchers to start re-employment at ST in Q1 2015

ST Microelectronics will start hiring the sacked Micron researchers it agreed to take on last month in Q1 2015, says ST CFO Carlo Ferro.

“We will start to hire these people in the course of the first quarter of 2015,” says Ferro.

“We entered into an agreement with Micron and we took commitment to hire about 140 people, possibly 170, depending on the available profiles . . . . . . .under certain terms, agreed with Micron with . . . . some relief of the cost in the initial period, making at the end what I believe is a win-to-win solution,” says Ferro.

This seems to imply that Micron will be contributing to the cost of ST re-hiring the Micron researchers for the initial period of their re-employment with ST.

The researchers were all employed by ST before being transferred to the Numonyx jv between ST and Intel which was later sold to Micron.

Ferro added that the 140/170 researchers would mostly be re-deployed in ST’s Automotive, Industrial and Power business segment.

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Darkness, Darkness, Once Again

When a vacation home is without power, it could have been out for a long time, and you'd never know.



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IoT Couple Nutures Startups

Jim Reich and Caroline Fernandes have forged a partnership that includes a lot of time nourishing the fledgling Internet of Things.



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Novatek expects to see 15-20% sequential growth in 2Q14 revenues

Novatek Microelectronics is expected to see its consolidated revenues increase 15-20% sequentially in the second quarter of 2014, buoyed by orders for LCD driver ICs used in smartphones and Ultra HD TVs as well as for TV SoCs, according to industry sources.



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Inventec to deal out NT$1.60 per share in 2013 dividends

Notebook ODM Inventec has announced it will distribute a cash dividend per share of NT$1.60 (US$0.053) for 2013, accounting for 81.22% of the corresponding net EPS of NT$1.97.



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TWM to start 4G operations in July, says president

Taiwan Mobile (TWM), one of the six next-generation (4G) licensees in Taiwan, will kick off commercial operations on a 700MHz frequency bend in July 2014, company president James Jeng said at an April 29 investors conference.

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Micron likely to hike DRAM chip prices

Micron Technology is likely to hike prices for DRAM chips in May due to low inventory levels in the supply chain and insufficient supply of memory chips from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, according to industry sources.



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Catcher Technology may further expand capacity in 2014, says chairman

Metal-alloy chassis maker Catcher Technology has expanded its production capacity by adding 2,000 CNC machines at a Taiwan factory with an investment of NT$2.5 billion (US$82.5 million) and 3,000 ones at two factories in eastern China with an investment of NT$5 billion, and is likely to further expand capacity by the end of 2014, company chairman Hong Shui-shu said at an April 29 investors conference.



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China March mobile phone user base up to 1.248 billion, says MIIT

There were 1.248 billion subscribers of mobile communication services in China as of the end of March 2014, growing 0.7% on month and 8.96% on year. 445.02 million (35.65%) were 3G users and 851.12 million (68.18%) were mobile Internet-access users, according to statistics published by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).



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MediaTek to begin rolling out solutions for wearable devices, IoT applications in 3Q14

MediaTek plans to begin volume production of its Aster solutions for wearable device and IoT (Internet of Things) applications in the third quarter of 2014, according to industry sources.



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Digitimes Research: Global tablet shipments to rise in 2Q14

There will be 61.42 million tablets shipped globally in the second quarter of 2014, increasing 4.9% on quarter and 30.9% on year, according to Digitimes Research.



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PV systems installed in China in 2013 total 12.92GWp in capacity, says NEA

PV systems installed in China in 2013 had a total power-generating capacity of 12.92GWp, consisting of 12.12GWp (95.81%) ground-mounted PV stations and 800MWp (6.19%) distributed (mainly rooftop) PV systems, according to China's National Energy Administration (NEA).

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AMD Ups Power in New Mobile APUs

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. has announced two new mobile accelerated processing units -- a low-power chip codenamed Mullins and a mainstream chip, Beema -- as its next generation of cores.



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NXP Beats 1Q Estimates

NXP Semiconductors' first-quarter earnings beat projections as sales growth was better than expected in nearly all its product segments.



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Smartphones Leave Identifiable 'Fingerprints'

Components leave identifiable markers on sensor data and radio signals without requiring any personal data.



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ST Trims Losses in Q1

STMicroelectronics narrowed its losses in its first quarter as Europe's largest chipmaker drastically cut costs by reducing R&D expenses and posting significantly lower impairment and restructuring charges.



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The Case of the Crazy Conveyor

A new conveyor wreaks havoc in a newspaper printing plant, but what's to blame?



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Low-Power, Low-Cost (LPLC) Microchip PIC18-Based Dev Board

This little beauty is based on a Microchip PIC18F27J13 processor, which is small yet powerful.



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The Quirks of Quarks

Quarks follow a whole different set of rules than electrons. Electrons repel, and the farther you separate them, the less force they feel. These behaviors are probably synonymous with your concept of "force," but not after you read this article.



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Using a Capacitor to Sustain Battery Life

Is it possible to extend coin cell life using a capacitor?



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TI's New Code Composer IDE Simplifies Everything

The "Simple Mode" greatly reduces all of the available options and exposes only the essential functionality the user requires to get up-and-running.



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Bluetooth Smart: What's in a Name?

Calling every new development smart is a trend in today's market that invokes Orwell. As we dumb down technologies and think nothing of doing it, we call them all smart.



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Exar to Acquire Integrated Memory Logic for $223M

Exar Corp. took another step to advance its analog diversification strategy with a $223 million proposed deal to acquire Integrated Memory Logic Ltd. (iML), a fabless semiconductor company that provides power-management chips aimed at the flat-panel display market.



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Apple-Samsung Trial: The End Is Near

Final courtroom drama in Apple-Samsung trial is just a speed bump in march toward closing arguments, which will happen today.



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Startups Pioneer Printed Electronics

Kalamazoo, Mich., was once known as a paper mill town, but these days it is emerging as a center for a coming wave of printed electronics.



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Fine-tuning graphene, and other 2D materials

Research at the University of Manchester has shown how by stacking two dimensional materials – graphene and boron nitride for example – they can design new properties – a bandgap for graphene, for example.

By controlling the relative orientation of graphene and underlying boron nitride, the team can created local strains.

“It was extremely exciting to see that the properties of graphene can change so dramatically by simply twisting the two crystals only a fraction of a degree,” said PhD student Colin Woods. “Generally, the previous model used to describe the sort of interaction which has been observed in our experiments describes only the 1-dimensional case, but even there it produces very non-trivial solutions. We hope that our system will push the mathematical development of the model to two-dimensions, where even more exciting mathematics is to be expected.”

This demonstration of layer interaction in 2d heterostructures is described in a Nature Physics paper: ‘Commensurate–incommensurate transition in graphene on hexagonal boron nitride’, and was led by graphene co-discoverer Sir Kostya Novoselov.

“Research on heterostructures is gaining momentum, and such possibilities for controlling the properties of heterostructures might become very useful for future applications,” said Novoselov.

The next step is to combine several of these crystals in a 3D stack. Already, tunnelling transistors, resonant tunnelling diodes, and solar cells have been made.

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PChome Online starts C2C operation in US

PChome Online, a web portal and e-commerce operator in Taiwan, had its US subsidiary, PChome US, begin C2C (customer to customer) online auction operation in the US market on April 28, according to the company.



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GCL-Poly aims at solar wafer capacity of 11.5GWp in 2014, say reports

China-based GCL-Poly Energy Holdings aims to increase its annual production capacity for solar-grade crystalline silicon wafers to 11.5GWp, according to China-based media reports.



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Holtek looks to 15-20% revenue growth in 2Q14

MCU maker Holtek Semiconductor is expected to see its revenues climb 15-20% sequentially in the second quarter of 2014, buoyed in part by increasing shipments of touch-panel MCUs and flash MCUs, according to industry sources.



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ADAS chip market drives to growth, spurred by consumer need for driver safety, says IHS

Powered by increasing demand for car- and driver-augmented safety features, the global semiconductor market for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) will quadruple over a one-decade period, according to IHS.

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Skyworth to release 55-inch OLED TV priced half of Korea competitors, say sources

China-based TV vendor Skyworth will release a 55-inch OLED TV that will go on sale during the May 1 holiday period in China.



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Taiwan market: HTC to price Desire 816 lower to boost market share

HTC will launch its high performance mid-range model, the Desire 816, in the Taiwan market in May at a price lower than market expectations, a move which will add more pressure on other brands to also price their upcoming models at lower levels, according to sources in the local retail channel.



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Cando approves capital reduction amid lower-than-expected shipments of touch notebook panels

Touch panel maker Cando's board of directors have passed a decision that will decrease the company's capital by NT$2.88 billion (US$95.32 million).



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CPT increases on-year 1Q14 performance through improved product mix

Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) has announced that its first-quarter 2014 revenues reached NT$14.97 billion (US$495.48 million), down 3.1% on quarter but up 18.9% on year.



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Corning 1Q14 net income drops

Coprning has reported that its net sales (GAPP) reached US$2.3 billion in the first quarter of 2014, up 26% compared to the same period of 2013, but net income dropped 39% on year to US$301 million.

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Finfets’ problems are FD-SOI’s opportunity

FD-SOI, currently looking to expand its ecosystem, will get a boost from the remarks of KLA Tencor CEO, Rick Wallace, about the struggles his customers are having with finfets.

“In logic and foundry, with the introduction of the new 3-D gate architectures, the yield issues our customers are grappling with today are proving to be the most challenging that the industry have ever faced, and even the smallest variation and process margin can cause significant yield losses for these devices,’ says Wallace.

FD-SOI uses few masks and has less processing steps than finfet.

“At 28nm and 20nm, the lower power consumption and higher performance of FD-SOI compared to planar bulk CMOS gives major competitive advantages to FD-SOI in high volume portable applications,” says Handel Jones, founder, chairman and CEO of International Business Strategies Inc, “the lower cost of FD-SOI die compared to 16nm finfet die provides an overwhelming advantage to utilising FD-SOI for high volume applications at this technology node.”

Some companies could be looking again at what FD-SOI has to offer because even Intel seems to be struggling with 14nm finfet, after a reportedly smooth transition to finfet at 22nm.

Yesterday, the developer of FD-SOI, STMicroelectronics said it has recently signed up a foundry to take FD-SOI. ““We have just signed a strategic agreement with a top-tier foundry for 28nm FD-SOI technology,” said Jean-Marc Chery, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Embedded Processing Solutions at ST, “this agreement expands the ecosystem, assures the industry of high-volume production of ST’s FD-SOI based IC solutions for faster, cooler, and simpler devices and strengthens the business and financial prospects of the Embedded Processing Solutions Segment.”

The uncertainty with finfets has caused manufacturers to stall investment plans, says KLA’s Wallace.

“Issues related to leading edge device yield and high concentration of demand across a consolidated customer base and uncertainty over the timing of follow-on capacity have introduced a degree of variability into our quarterly demand forecast and have made visibility into our customer production plans extremely challenging today,” says Wallace.

At the leading edge, FD-SOI has a big cost advantage over finfet and equivalent leakage, according to Jones.

“At 14nm/16nm, the FD-SOI die cost for a 100mm2 die is 28.2% lower than the bulk FinFET die cost and has higher yield,” says Jones, “the leakage of FD-SOI devices is projected to be comparable to that of finfet devices.”

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Local suppliers dominate China smartphone market

Digitimes expects 422 million smartphones to be sold in a China in 2014, with 278 million coming from China-based smartphone vendors and 144 million coming from Samsung and Apple.

Digitimes expects global shipments of China-based smartphone vendors to reach 412 million units in 2014 with overseas shipments accounting for about 126 million units.

Lenovo and Huawei are each expected to ship 50 million units.

ZTE and CoolPad are each expected to reach 35.5 million units.

TCL is expected to ship 26 million units.

Gionee and Xiaomi are each expected to ship 20 million units.

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Wolfson sold to Cirrus

Wolfson is to be sold to Cirrus Logic. Cirrus will pay 235p per share compared to the market closing price last night of 134p. It values Wolfson at $488 million.

Wolfson made a $12.6 million loss last year, sacked 10% of its staff and borrowed £25 million from the bank

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Taiwan halts nuclear power plant project

The Taiwan government, bowing to anti-nuclear pressure from the general public, has decided to immediately suspend construction on the country's nearly completed fourth nuclear power plant on the northeastern coast and let its fate to be determined by a national referendum.



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Notebook makers brace for minimum wage hike in eastern China

The minimum wage in Jiangsu Province, eastern China, is expected to hike by 14.86% from CNY1,480 (US$239) currently to CNY1,700 in July 2014, which will affect Taiwan-based notebook makers who run production there, according to industry sources.



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Asustek, Gigabyte gear up for entry-level, mid-range gaming motherboards

The two largest Taiwan-based DIY motherboard vendors Asustek Computer and Gigabyte Technology, in order to maintain their global market shares, will launch entry-level and mid-range gaming motherboards at FOB quotes of US$90-130 to compete with fellow vendors Micro-Star International (MSI) and ASRock, according to supply chain sources.



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China-based GCL-Poly Energy sets up subsidiary in Taiwan

GCL-Poly Energy Holdings, the largest China-based maker of polysilicon and solar-grade crystalline silicon wafers, has established a subsidiary in Taiwan to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan-based solar cell makers, according to the company.



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MediaTek to launch 64-bit quad- and 8-core smartphone solutions in 3Q14

MediaTek plans to launch two 64-bit smartphones solutions, the quad-core MT6732 and 8-core MT6752, in the third quarter of 2014, which is one quarter earlier than its original schedule, according to industry sources.



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Winbond to hike 2014 capex for capacity ramps

Taiwan-based specialty DRAM and NOR flash maker Winbond Electronics will increase its capex for 2014 in order to ramp up its production capacity to meet increasing demand for specialty DRAM and flash chips from the smartphone, Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable device sectors, according to the company.



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Taiwan market: FET to launch 2nd own-brand 4G smartphone, the Smart 403

Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET), one of the six next-generation (4G) mobile communication licensees in Taiwan, on April 28 unveiled the Smart 403, its second own-brand 4G smartphone model, for launch in the Taiwan market at a contract-free retail price of NT$5,990 (US$198) starting on May 1, according to the company.



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Holtek Semiconductor to hike stake in Gingy Technology

Taiwan-based MCU design house Holtek Semiconductor will increase its stake in Gingy Technology, a Taiwan-based developer of optical fingerprint identification solutions, from 19.5% currently to 30% by the end of May 2014, according to Gingy.

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TV sales in China decline 10.5% in 1Q14, says AVC

TV sales in China reached 10.9 million units in the first quarter of 2014, down 10.5% on year, according to findings from research firm AVC. The sales represented CNY$36.6 billion (US$5.85 billion), down 13.3% on year, added AVC.



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Merry Electronics expanding overseas capacity with investment of NT$2.1-2.3 billion

Taiwan-based handset component maker Merry Electronics is setting up a new factory in Thailand and expanding production capacity at a factory in southern China and another in eastern China with a total estimated investment of NT$2.1-2.3 billion (US$69.4-76.0 million), according to the company.



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Is It Secure to Use BLE in Cars?

How secure is Bluetooth Smart inside cars? The Bluetooth SIG is working behind the scenes to plug some security holes in Bluetooth Smart, and it's not quite finished.



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Galaxy S5 Camera Problem: Samsung Eats Crow

Just one day after releasing an ad touting the GS5's camera over the iPhone's, Samsung must replace some devices due to faulty cameras.



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Panasonic/Fujitsu Venture More Divestiture Than Investment

The "fabless" chip design firm brings little of the innovative history of either company to the table, analysts said.



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The Worst Oscilloscope User Manual of All Time

While reading the user manual for a piece of old electronic equipment, Max started to wonder about the worse user manual of all time.



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Atmel Announces Next-Gen Touchscreen Controllers

The new mXT106xT2 family of touchscreen controllers support hover operation in which the user's finger can be up to 20mm above the touch surface.



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Channeling Silicon Valley: Thailand Banks on Tech Startups

Embracing innovative startups and entrepreneurs as the foundation for a strong future economy, Thailand is putting a priority on science, technology, and innovation by fostering investment and creating an infrastructure to support fledgling startups.



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Auto OEMs Embrace Electric Tech

The money is in batteries but the real energy is in software was the theme that emerged from the Silicon Valley Driving Charged and Connected Symposium on Thursday.



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Gateways Aim to Unify the Internet of Things

Gateways hold the promise of unifying heterogeneous IoT devices in functional teams by bypassing interoperability standards.



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Win an Outer Space Vacation: The Hackaday Prize

The Hackaday Prize boasts the richest and most compelling prize pool ever available to hardware hackers.



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Video: Flying Robot Band - You Won't Believe Your Eyes (or Ears)!

Have you ever seen a "drone rock" band in which hexacopters play musical instruments? If not, then prepare to be amazed.



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Patent Ambiguity Argued in High Court

The Supreme Court is hearing a case that raises broad questions about ambiguity in the language of patent claims.



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Electronic-Packaging Enclosure Boasts 5400-lb Static Load Rating

The TITAN EP flexible electronic-packaging enclosure delivers a certified static and dynamic load ratings of 5400 lbs and 3300 lbs, respectively.

read more

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Snap-Action Switch Comes In SPST, SPDT Configuration

CIT Relay & Switch’s UL/CUL-recognized VM3 snap-action switches offers a choice of a single-pole, single-throw (SPST) or single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) circuit.

read more

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Pushbutton Switch Features Splash-/Vandal-Proof Construction

The 12-mm EH series pushbutton switch from CIT Relay & Switch brandishes rugged construction that withstands splashing and is vandal-proof.

read more

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LED Manufacturer Seeks Incentives to Establish U.S. Assembly Plant

JACKSON, MS—A Mississippi native who has an LED lighting factory in China wants an unusual incentive in exchange for setting up an additional assembly plant in his home state employing 200 workers to start. Lighting OEM Inc. owner and founder James Scott said he wants an edge in bidding for the state’s LED lighting business.

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Announcement – Hack A Day Prize – WIN a trip to SPACE!

Hack A Day are running the biggest electronics hardware design contest ever. The winner gets to fulfill every nerds fantasy, a trip to space!

Dave is going to be one of the judges, so start sucking up now…

The contest is to design an “open connected device”. So basically anything that is open source (as possible), and connected to something (as possible). The rules are quite open, use your imagination, and the sky is NOT the limit!

CLICK HERE to check it out.

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Tiny Sensor Monitors Batteries on Start-Stop Cars

With automakers scaling up for a sales boom, Freescale Semiconductor has rolled out a low-power, low-cost sensor that promises to monitor the batteries used on start-stop or micro-hybrid cars.



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Aquifi's Gesture Interface Adapts

Startup Aquifi revolutionized gesture interfaces by adapting to the user with a software-only solution that works with any smartphone, tablet, or PC.



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Taking Bored Out of Board Meetings

A group of outsiders, often with limited experience in the targeted market segment, spend 4 hours a month thinking about your company and then tell you, the CEO, who is dedicated 24/7 to the enterprise, what you're doing wrong. How can that be boring?



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Slideshow: Exhibits in Apple v. Samsung

The Apple v. Samsung case has generated thousands of pages of exhibits from which we pulled 17 pages that were widely cited or insightful.



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64GB NAND UFS 2.0 modules from Toshiba

Toshiba is sampling 32GB and 64GB NAND modules to the universal flash storage 2.0 (UFS) standard.

Data transfer is at 11.6Gbps by integrating two 5.8Gbps MIPI M-PHY HS-G3 I/F data lanes – an optional feature of UFS Ver. 2.0.

The modules have read speeds of 650MB/s and write speeds of 180MB/s.

The modules are sealed in a 153 ball FBGA package measuring 11.5mm x 13.0mm x 1.0mm for the 32GB die and 11.5mm x 13.0mm x 1.2mm for the 64GB die and have a signal layout compliant with JEDEC UFS Ver.2.0.

The modules are rated for an operating temperature of -25°C to +85°C and support memory core voltages of 2.7V to 3.6V.

Demand continues to grow for large density, high-performance chips that support high resolution video, driven by improved data-processing speeds in host chipsets and wider bandwidths for wireless connectivity in a wide range of digital consumer products, including smartphones and tablet PCs.

The JEDEC UFS Ver.2.0 compliant interface handles essential functions, including writing block management, error correction and driver software. It simplifies system development, allowing manufacturers to minimize development costs and speed up time to market for new and upgraded products.

Toshiba reckons its first to sample modules in this format and will move to mass production as demand dictates.

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Equipment provider Scientech looks to 15-20% revenue growth in 2014

Semiconductor equipment distributor and wafer reclamation service provider Scientech expects its revenues to grow 15-20% in 2014 despite a slowdown in sales in the first quarter, according to company president Ming-chi Hsu.



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Capex forecasts differ widely

Although SEMI forecasts 23% growth in the 2014 semiconductor equipment market, the three biggest spenders aren’t increasing capex significantly, reports Bill Jewell,’s Semiconductor Intelligence.

“Intel’s guidance ranges from a 2% decline to 7% growth, averaging 3% growth. Samsung expects 2014 semiconductor capital spending to be similar to 2013. TSMC’s guidance ranges from a 2% decline to 3% growth, averaging 1% growth. The average expected growth spending by the three companies is 1%.”

The three companies spend 50% of the industry’s capex.

IC Insights’ March forecast was 8.4% growth in semiconductor industry capital spending.

Gartner’s April forecast was 5.5% growth. Gartner forecast semiconductor capital equipment spending would grow 12.2% in 2014, about twice the rate of overall capital spending but about half the growth expected by SEMI.

Jewell expects capex growth of 10% and equipment spending growth of 20%.

The explanation for the mismatch with companies’ forecasts is, said Jewell, that the companies will increase capex as the year unfolds.

There is little chance of an over-spend if you take the ratio of capex to semiconductor market.

“The ratio was 20% in the overcapacity years of 2001 to 2002,” says Jewell, “the ratio dropped below 10% in 2005. Since 2007 the ratio has been in a steady range of 11% to 13%. The ratio in 2014 and 2015 is based on the SEMI equipment forecast (23% growth in 2014 and 2% in 2015) and the WSTS semiconductor market forecast (4.1% in 2014 and 3.4% in 2015). Under these assumptions, the industry will not experience overcapacity in the next few years.”

Assuming 10% growth for semiconductor sales in both 2014 and 2015 and no change in equipment spending in 2014 and 2015, the four-year-average ratio would drop to 10% in 2015, implying under-capacity.

“However we do not believe this will occur,” says Jewell, “we expect companies to increase their equipment purchases in response to solid market growth.”

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Digitimes Research: Taiwan handset shipments to grow over 40% in 2Q14

Taiwan-based handset ODMs and brand vendors are expected to see their combined handset shipments grow over 40% on quarter and also on year to a total of 23.4 million units in the second quarter of 2014, according to Digitimes Research.



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Digitimes Research: Taiwan large-size panel shipments to rise 4.4% in 2Q14

Taiwan panel makers' shipments of large-size (9-inch and above) TFT LCD panels are expected to reach 64.95 million units in the second quarter of 2014, up 4.4% on quarter but down on year, according to Digitimes Research.



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Foxconn sells communications patent package to Google

Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) on April 28 announced the sale of a patent package to Google through US-based MiiCs & Partners. The patents concern the design, production and testing of communications systems. Foxconn declined to reveal further details on the deal citing a non-disclosure agreement.



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Samsung offering 48-inch LCD TV panels at similar price as 50-inch Taiwan models

Samsung Display is reportedly trying to push its new 48-inch LCD TV panels into the market, offering them at prices at approximately US$30 cheaper than Taiwan makers' 50-inch units, according to industry sources.



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ASE looks to 6% sequential revenue gains in 2Q14

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) expects its revenues to grow 6% sequentially in the second quarter of 2014, up from NT$54.7 billion (US$1.81 billion) posted in the previous quarter, according to company CFO Joseph Tung.

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Nuvoton sees earnings increase 82% sequentially in 1Q14

IC design house Nuvoton Technology has reported net profits of NT$44 million (US$1.45 million) for the first quarter of 2014, increasing 82% from a quarter earlier. The earnings translated into an EPS of NT$0.21 for the quarter.



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Digitimes Research: Taiwan to see sequential growth in 2Q14 digital camera shipments

Taiwan-based ODMs Ability Enterprise, Altek, Asia Optical and Foxconn Electronics will ship 2.703 million digital cameras in total in the second quarter of 2014, increasing 14.2% on quarter but decreasing 53.5% on year, according to Digitimes Research.



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Taiwan market: LEDs can save 45.9% of lighting power consumption, say analysts

The total electricity used in industrial, commercial, residential and public (including street lamps) lighting in Taiwan in 2013 has been estimated at 22 billion kWh, and if all lighting had used LEDs, the total power consumption could have been reduced by 45.9% to 11.9 billion kWh, equivalent to 24.3% of the 41.6 billion kWh generated by the three nuclear power plants in Taiwan in 2013, surveys by LEDinside and EnergyTrend, both under Taiwan-based TrendForce, have shown.



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Digitimes Research: Taiwan to see decreased 2Q14 notebook ODM shipments

Taiwan-based ODMs will ship a total of 33.476 million notebooks in the second quarter of 2014, accounting for 83.91% of global total. The volume will represent a sequential decrease of 0.7% and an on-year decline of 8.4%, according to Digitimes Research.



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UMC to begin producing 28nm dual-core chips for MediaTek in June

United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) reportedly will begin fabricating MediaTek's dual-core chips using its PolySiON 28nm process in June, according to industry sources.

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Acer sets internal targets of 10 million smartphones and tablets for 2014

Acer has set an internal goal of shipping 10 million smartphones and 10 million tablets in 2014, increasing from the 1.5 million and five million shipped in 2013, according to Acer's Taiwan-based supply chain makers.



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Taiwan Star Cellular to acquire Vibo Telecom via stock swap

Taiwan Star Cellular, one of the six next-generation (4G) licensees in Taiwan, will hold a 100% stake in Vibo Telecom, a 3G mobile telecom carrier in Taiwan, through a stock swap of one Taiwan Star Cellular share for 3.05 Vibo shares, with the procedure to be finished by June 15, 2014, according to Taiwan Star Cellular.



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FET sees 1Q14 revenue proportion for non-voice services rise to 42.9%

Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET), one of the three largest mobile telecom carriers in Taiwan, saw the non-voice-services proportion of its first-quarter 2014 total mobile communication revenues of NT$15.432 billion (US$509 million) increase to 42.9%, company president Yvonne Li announced at an April 25 investors conference.



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Radiant Opto-Electronics to begin shipping smartphone-use BLUs in 4Q14

BLU (backlight unit) maker Radiant Opto-Electronics has developed BLUs specifically for 4-inch and above smartphones and will start shipments in the fourth quarter of 2014, company chairman PJ Wang said at an April 25 investors conference.



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Let Engineers Define the Specs

Units of measure don't always make sense when left in the hands of bureaucrats.



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Adhesives For Electronic Assembly

How do adhesives for electronic assembly differ from general engineering adhesives? Are they stronger? Faster? Do they resist higher temperatures? Have less volatiles or odor?

Certain specifications and requirements are unique to the electronics industry. For example electrically conductive epoxies are silver filled for the required conductivity. These epoxies are understandable very expensive which would make them inappropriate for other applications. Other requirements for some electronic applications make adhesives designed for the application undesirable to other industries. For example, the very fast cure of single component adhesives required in electronic assemble results in products with very short shelf life that require frozen storage.

However, most adhesives marketed specifically for electronic assembly are really no different from general engineering adhesives. The marketing of the products is geared toward a specific industry to include only that information that is relevant to that industry.

The same single part epoxy that is marketed to electronic engineers to encapsulate relays, microchips and bond heat sinks may also be marketed to engineers in the filter industry to bond and pot an end cap onto a filter and engineers looking to bond a motor magnet in a brushless motor or a biomedical engineer to bond an insulin needle into the hub. The difference is that the motor manufacturer is not concerned with the products biocompatibility and the needle manufacturer is not concerned with the impact strength on neodynium.

An epoxy is an epoxy; be it meant for a toy train, a medical device or the latest computer technology, it is an epoxy. Providing the manufacturer has proper quality in place to provide a consistent product and that that specific epoxy suits your requirements, there is no magic in it being tagged an Electronic Epoxy. It is however likely that it will have a higher price tag. (All that marketing costs money that has to come from somewhere!).

Similarly cyanoacrylates with specific properties cross from one industry to another. Adhesive manufacturers produce cyanoacrylates that resist high temperatures for a variety of applications; only one of which is to resist solder reflow processes.

Low odor cyanoacrylates are preferred by many manufacturers in countless industries to improve the workers comfort, however, the same adhesives are marketed as low blooming to electronic manufacturers as the blooming or chlorosis (the white powdery effect on the area surrounding the bond) can be problematic on sensitive electronic components. Whether the adhesive is used to bond plastic dice on clocks sold in Las Vegas or to keep the electronics clean the product of choice is a low bloom/low odor cyanoacrylate.

Source From：
http://ezinearticles.com/?Adhesives-For-Electronic-Assembly&id=2374510

EEVblog #610 – Why Digital Scopes Appear Noisy – Part 2

Why do digital oscilloscopes appear noisier than traditional analog oscilloscopes? PART 2

Learn how and why your digital storage oscilloscope display the noise that it does.

In this 2nd installment Dave shows how waveform update rate affects the apparent displayed noise of a waveform, and alters the waveform update rate on an Agilent DSOX3000 to show this.

Also, how sample rate and timebase settings affects the boxcar averaging high-resolution display function.

PART 1 is HERE

Forum HERE

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New Warranty VOID T-Shirt

Only 2 days left to get the new Warranty VOID if NOT removed T-Shirt!

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Apple's Quick-Links May Lessen Samsung Fine

Judge Koh will present the appellate court's decision to the jury on Monday morning and reopen the case for subsequent two hours of additional expert witness testimony.



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EEVblog #609 – Condenser Microphone Design Tutorial

Part 4 of microphone technology with Doug Ford, former head designer at Rode Microphones.

In this video Doug discusses how to design a condenser microphone, in particular the Rode Classic II microphone.

Many things discussed include:

External polarisation voltage generation and the relationship with sound pressure.

The trade-offs involved in bias voltage vs physical construction and sensitivity.

Diaphragm deformation and its effects.

CMOS oscillator design for high voltage generation.

Zener diode noise in relation to the knee type, and how to reduce it.

Heating and dehumidification advantages of valve based microphones.

Valve based amplifier design, and blending solid state for improved performance.

The Rode Classic II

All videos in this series are HERE

Forum HERE

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Quick Recovery From Fire Helps Hynix to Profits in Q1

A September fire at its Wuxi fab cut global DRAM supplies by 15% and drove prices up as much as 40%.



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Miniature Ultrasonic Switches Detect Aerated Liquid Levels

Measurement Specialties’ LL-01 Sentio Series of miniature ultrasonic liquid level switches combine ultrasonic technology with reliable analog circuitry to precisely measure aerated liquids.

read more

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Microsoft Finalizes Nokia Buy Amid Rumors of New CEO

Microsoft announced the official purchase of Nokia's handset business, a euro 5.44 billion deal first announced in September 2013. Rumors also place 46-year-old Rajeev Suri as Nokia's next CEO.



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Linking 2 MCUs: I2C, SPI, or a Home Grown Interface?

Max could use an existing protocol like I2C to communicate between two devices, so why would he want to create his own?



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Sensors Beyond Megapixels

Cameras installed everywhere aren't there simply for watching you. They exist to help people, systems, and machines make decisions and take action. For machine vision, more megapixels aren't necessarily the answer.



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PCIe Still Strong Despite Alternatives

Diablo Technologies sees its Memory Channel Architecture as a solution to PCIe limitations, but PCIe still has a five-year roadmap and inherent scalability that will keep it alive for years to come.



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Apple iPhone Sales Lead to Record Quarter

iPhone sales were impressive, but Apple still faces challenges as iPad sales sag.



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Qualcomm Profits Rise on Lower-Than-Expected Revenue

Qualcomm posted better-than-expected earnings results in its second fiscal quarter ended March 30, but its top-line fell short due to lower licensing revenue, mainly in China where the rollout of LTE has been slower than anticipated.



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IBM's 3D Printer to Revolutionize Chip Prototyping

IBM Research in Zurich has invented a microscopic 3D printer for patterning semiconductor substrates for fast prototyping with nanometer-scale resolution and licensed it to SwissLitho AG under the NanoFrazor name.



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Magnetic materials make micro-robots with grippers

Tiny robots could help you heal. Acting as mini technicians, they could one day assemble medical devices inside the body.

A veritable construction crew of micro-scale robots already exists, from worm-like bots that can move heavy loads to muscle-powered machines that can walk across a lab bench. But until now, finer control over miniature objects has proved elusive.

Eric Diller and Metin Sitti of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh have created a simple version of micro-robots using rods made of magnetic materials. Each robot is about 1 millimetre long and has two gripping arms. A magnetic field is used to move the robots and operate the grippers.

Previous gripping bots had to be tethered to an outside controller, making them unsuitable for use inside the human body. Other versions could not move and grip things at the same time. “We can move them while they are closed or open, it doesn’t matter,” says Sitti.

So far, the robots have transported small objects and built bridges out of Y-shaped rods. Sitti hopes future versions could be injected into the body along with parts for micro-machines that would swim in the blood and help wounds clot. The builder bot could then create the more advanced device while inside the bloodstream.

“We need to make things smaller to get inside the body easier, but if they are too small, they are not really useful,” he says. “You want to assemble the robot inside the body.”

Journal reference: Advanced Functional Materials, DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201400275

Syndicated content: Jacob Aron, New Scientist

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Energy Harvesting Needs New Tools

IoT systems need to employ new algorithms and logic circuits to squeeze what power they can from energy harvesting.



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Tech Giants Settle Salary Suit

Adobe, Apple, Google, and Intel agree to settle a class action suit alleging they unfairly agreed not to hire one another's engineers and set pay ceilings.



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New Net Neutrality rules from FCC

Net neutrality, the principle that the internet should be open to all on equal terms, is under review in they USA as the FCC Commissioners discuss proposed new rules following its defeat in Verizon v FCC.

The White House remains firm in its support of net neutrality. “Absent net neutrality, the Internet could turn into a high-priced private toll road that would be inaccessible to the next generation of visionaries. The resulting decline in the development of advanced online apps and services would dampen demand for broadband and ultimately discourage investment in broadband infrastructure. An open Internet removes barriers to investment worldwide.”

That was the President’s position in January. The following month, the decision in Verizon v FCC stated that the FCC did not have the power to insist on neutrality.

The carriers want to be able to charge extra for super-services and for certain types of traffic making the Internet a tiered service where those who pay more get better speeds.

In Europe, the European Parliament voted earlier this month to stop carriers charging more for certain types of traffic. To take effect, the vote has to be endorsed by the Council of a Ministers.

Neelie Kroes, who seems to decide these matters, remains wedded to the principle that “Internet users can always choose full Internet access – that is, access to a robust, best-efforts Internet with all the applications you wish.”

But Kroes is prepared to accept the provision of tiered services where it is clearly stated exactly what the user is getting and not getting.

The carriers make their usual argument that they need to be able to charge more to maintain their investment levels in the Internet.

In the USA, these investments are scandalously low judging by the standard of the mobile services provided.

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Unity Opto buys factory to expand LED lighting capacity

LED packaging house Unity Opto Technology has acquired an existing factory in northern Taiwan at NT$1.23 billion (US$40.7 million) specifically for expanding LED lighting production capacity to meet expected increases in orders mainly from the US and Europe markets, according to the company.



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Digitimes Research: Taiwan flip-chip LED production value in 2014 estimated at US$160 million

Taiwan-based flip-chip LED makers generated a total production value of US$11.63 million in the first quarter of 2014, taking up 3.1% of total LED production value, and flip-chip LED production value in 2014 is expected to reach US$160 million, accounting for 9.2% of total LED production value, according to Digitimes Research.

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Lenovo to start dual-brand smartphone marketing

Lenovo will adopt dual-brand marketing for smartphones in 2014, using the Motorola brand to sell mid-range to high-end models in the US and Western Europe, and selling entry-level to mid-range models under the Lenovo brand in China, Latin America and other emerging markets, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.



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Taiwan market: Huawei launching Honor 3C smartphone

China-based Huawei will start marketing its Honor 3C smartphone in the Taiwan market at the end of April with a suggested retail price of NT$4,999 (US$165) unlocked.



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Tesla seeing short production capacity, say Taiwan makers

US-based electric vehicle maker Tesla Motors has seen production capacity fall far short of its fast growing global demand, and a feasible solution is to set up production lines in China, a very important market for Tesla, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers, adding that Tesla currently turns out about 1,000 electric vehicles a week.



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China-based white-box tablet vendors face increasing competition from international brands

International tablet vendors have launched various low-price models, posing increasing pressure on China-based white-box vendors. As a result, many second- and third-tier China-based white-box vendors are likely to be forced out of the market, supply chain sources have commented.



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IC substrate suppliers to compete for 20nm and below process orders in 2015

IC substrate suppliers Ibiden, AT&S, Kinsus Interconnect Technology and Unimicron Technology are expected to compete fiercely for IC substrate orders using 20nm and below processes in 2015, according to industry sources.

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Taiwan thermal module makers expanding heat-pipe capacities

Major Taiwan-based thermal module makers expect fast growing demand for thin heat-pipes from smartphone and tablet vendors, and are expanding production capacities in preparation to start shipments in the second half of 2014, according to Taiwan-based equipment makers.



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Taiwan IC design houses see booming orders from China smartphone vendors

China-based smartphone vendors have been increasing their purchases of IC parts, including application processors, LCD driver ICs, touchscreen controller ICs, analog ICs and ambient light sensors to meet a surge of replacement demand for smartphones from emerging markets, according to industry sources.



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Middle East and Africa solar PV demand to grow 50% in 2014, says Solarbuzz

Solar photovoltaic (PV) demand from the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region is set to grow 50% on year in 2014. Between 2014-2018, annual PV demand will nearly triple as the MEA region becomes a key market for the global industry, according to Solarbuzz. By 2018, annual PV demand in the MEA region is expected to reach 4.4GW, with an upside potential of 10GW.



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Silicon Valley no hiring class action settled

The class action lawsuit against Intel, Apple, Google and Adobe alleging no-hiring agreements for each others’ employees has been settled.

The terms of the settlement will not be revealed until the end of May but one of the plaintiff’s lawyers called the settlement terms “excellent” and the rumour is that the companies agreed to pay a collective $324 million to settle.

64,000 employees were affected and the damages award could have been $9 billion.

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Worldwide semiconductor capital equipment spending to increase 12.2% in 2014, says Gartner

Worldwide semiconductor capital equipment spending is projected to total US$37.5 billion in 2014, an increase of 12.2% from 2013 spending of US$33.5 billion, according to Gartner. Capital spending will increase 5.5% in 2014 as the industry begins to recover from the recent economic downturn and total spending will follow a generally increasing pattern in all sectors through 2018.



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TDI to acquire 80% stake in Star World

Taiwan Display (TDI) has struck an agreement with small- to medium-size panel module maker Star World Technology that will give TDI an 80% stake in Star World.



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Touchscreen controller IC vendors expanding product lines

Taiwan-based touchscreen controller IC vendors are expanding their product lines to include other IC parts such as LCD driver ICs, ambient light sensors, fingerprint recognition chips and analog ICs as a means to fend off the adverse impacts of declining prices of touch modules and touch controller chips, according to industry sources.



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Huawei Device aims to ship 80 million smartphones in 2014

China-based vendor Huawei Device has set a goal of shipping 80 million smartphones globally in 2014, growing 53.8% on year, according to the company.

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Taiwan monocrystalline solar cell makers under pressure to hike energy efficiency to obtain orders from Sharp

Japan-based PV vendor Sharp plans to hike the required energy conversion rates for P-type monocrystalline silicon solar cells its procures over the next 3-6 months, putting pressure to improve energy conversion rates on Taiwan-based makers, according to industry sources.



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Coretronic expects TV and notebook BLU shipments increase in 2014

BLU maker Coretronic expects to see 15% on-year shipment growth for products used in TVs, up from original estimates of 10%, and also expects its notebook BLU shipments to grow 15%, according to the company.



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CyberLink posts 1Q14 net EPS of NT$1.72

Taiwan-based digital multimedia software solution developer CyberLink generated net EPS of NT$1.72 (US$0.057) for the first quarter of 2014 the company said at an April 24 investors conference.



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Largan Precision nets NT$22.36 per share for 1Q14

Taiwan-based handset-use lens module maker Largan Precision recorded net EPS of NT$22.36 (US$0.738) for the first quarter of 2014, the company said at an April 24 investors conference.



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Korea-based vendors show more interest in Ultra HD TV segment

Korea-based TV vendors are increasingly showing interest in the Ultra HD TV segment while shifting focus away from OLED TVs, according to market observers.

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Taiflex expects revenues increase in 2Q14

Flexible CCL (copper-clad laminate) maker Taiflex Scientific has forecast consolidated revenues of NT$2.25-2.75 billion (US$74.4-90.9 million) for second-quarter 2014, growing 13.7% on quarter and 2.1% on year.



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Acer wins exclusive IT supply contract from Victoria Police, Australia

Acer on April 24 announced that it has won an exclusive contract from Victoria Police, in Victoria, Australia, to supply IT devices for use by police stations across the state.



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President Obama plays soccer with ASIMO the Robot

During a youth science event at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, spectators were witness to a fun, impromptu soccer match between United States’ President Barrack Obama and Honda’s humanoid robot, ASIMO.



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Calculating Power Supplies for LED Strip Lights

If you are planning on installing LED strip lights (also known as LED tape) you need to be able to accurately calculate the power required. Having insufficient led power supply will lead to only some (or none) of the LEDs illuminating, or can cause irritation flicker. An over specified power supply will cost more to buy, and will also be harder to fit as they are bigger.

To calculate the power supply required for your new LED strip lights, you need to know:

• Length of the strip or tape
• Number of LEDs per metre
• Power consumption per LED

To calculate the size of power supply (in Amps) you need to multiply the length of the LED tape by the number of the LEDs per metre and then multiply this by the power of the LED (0.08w to 0.24w per LED are typical values). Then divide the value by 12 volts to calculate the required Amperage of the power supply.

(Length of LED Strip x LEDs per Metre x LED Power) / 12

We recommend you add at least 10% to the calculated value to allow for resistance and losses in the cables. You would also need to allow for any possible expansions or additions in the future. Most LED Strip Lights can have additional sections added using joining cables.

Calculation Examples:

Example 1: A 5m roll of SMD3528 (0.08w) with 60LED/m would be: (5m x 60 x 0.08) / 12 = 2amps +10% = 2.2Amps.

Example 2: A 5m roll of SMD5050 with 60LED/m would be: (5m x 60 x 0.24) / 12 = 6amps +10% = 6.6Amps.

For any LED strips over 2 metres in length you can provide a 12volt feed to both ends of the strip or one feed in the middle, by cutting the strip into two and connecting the power supply to both strips. This gives a more even power distribution and should provide a more consistent illumination.

LED Strip Light Uses

There are two main reasons for using LED strips. One is efficiency - LED lights are very efficient, with most of the power going to produce light, not heat. Their extremely long life (20,000 hours is typical) means that they also do not need replaced very often, leading to vastly reduced lifetime costs.

The other reason is aesthetic. LED lights can be made extremely small - some LED lighting strips are as thin as 4mm - and so can be installed in places where traditional lights would not fit. Add to this the various LED colour options, including RGB LEDs with remote controlled colour changing abilities. This gives a whole new range of possible lighting effects that can dramatically change the look of a room.

Source From：

http://ezinearticles.com/?Calculating-Power-Supplies-for-LED-Strip-Lights&id=6730804