ICs & Semiconductors

Samsung Electronics is producing advanced solid state drives (SSDs) that are designed specifically for use in servers and enterprise storage systems. These drives - the SM843 and the SM1625 - could be employed as high-speed storage for a wide range of server and storage applications that depend on extremely fast data writing including social media in the cloud, SQL database logs, media streaming, virtualization, video on demand and online transaction processing (OLTP).

Atmel Corporation has announced a new range of microcontroller-based solutions that integrate touch and sensor hub functionality for a variety of mobile devices including smartphones, tablets, Ultrabooks and convertible PCs. The solutions build on Atmel"s maXTouch controllers and incorporate the company"s patented maXFusion sensor fusion technology to address the growing motion sensor market.

STMicroelectronics has unveiled a new secure dual-interface chip-card microcontroller that combines advanced computing power with a high level of contact-less performance. The new ST31 series is the first chip-card microcontroller to combine ARM’s SecurCore SC000 processor that is able to support contact or contactless operation, and support for MIFARE, MIFARE DESFire and Calypso transport-card standards. This combination gives the device enhanced multi-application versatility.

Wolfson Microelectronics, a leading designer and developer of mixed-signal semiconductor solutions for the consumer electronics market, has announced that its ultra-low power Audio Hub, the WM1811, has been selected by Samsung to provide audio for its latest tablet device, the GALAXY Note 10.1, and its latest smartphone, the GALAXY Note II.

A supplier of high performance silicon solutions, ON Semiconductor has introduced the Rhythm R3710, a new pre-configured Digital Signal Processing (DSP) system that has been designed specifically for Invisible-in-Canal (IIC) hearing aid devices. The Rhythm R3710 hybrid incorporates advanced speech and audio signal processing algorithms and features advanced miniaturised packaging techniques, which enable hearing aid manufacturers to develop highly discrete products intended to be placed deep in the ear canal.

Microsemi has introduced the SECURRE-Stor, a highly secure, encrypted 2.5-inch SATA solid state drive (SDD) that has been designed to provide data protection for commercial, banking/financial, medical, industrial and smart grid applications. SECURRE-Stor features a 100 millisecond fast-erase capability, which is followed by a full hardware erase in less than 10 seconds.

Keithley Instruments has introduced seven instrumentation, software, and test fixture configurations for parametric curve tracing applications designed for characterising high power devices at up to 3,000V and 100A. They have been optimised to provide a cost-effective solution for characterising the growing number of high power semiconductor devices, including those based on silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) technology.

Atmel has announced sampling of the maXTouch S Series touchscreen controllers that have been designed for the rapidly growing Ultrabook and notebook markets. Building upon the success of the maXTouch S Series, the new Windows 8 Certified Atmel mXT3432S is a touchscreen controller with a small footprint that has been optimised for touchscreens up to 17.3 inches.

Freescale Semiconductor has introduced a new family of image cognition processors (ICPs) for the driver assistance market. The SCP2200 family features CogniVue’s APEX IP technology and is suited for automotive smart camera applications. The family, along with the accompanying libraries, hardware and software development kits, looks to give automakers a comprehensive set of tools to design smart camera applications, helping them to bring their solutions to market more quickly.

The car maker Audi and STMicroelectronics have announced a strategic hook-up designed to help drive the pace of automotive innovation by creating advanced semiconductor solutions. Together, the companies said that they will co-develop semiconductor solutions in three key areas of automotive design: reduction of CO2 emissions, safety and security, infotainment and comfort. The collaboration of the companies aims to drive innovation actively while also securing product quality, guaranteeing supply and reducing time to market.