Electronics Supply Chain News & Analysis

Tiny Tactile Switch Targets Mobile and Wearable Devices

Alps Electric debuts a tactile switch combining small size with high dust and water resistance.

Nvidia Powers Machine Learning with Hyperscale Accelerator Platform

Two new GPUs will help researchers develop applications with artificial intelligence.

Researchers Discover a Way to Bring Out Real Colors in Infrared Images

The ability to identify different colors of the infrared spectrum would capture more information about the objects being imaged, such as their chemical compositions.

Hivemapper Raises $3 Million to Create 3-D Maps for Drone Fliers

In an attempt to make flying drones safer for everyone, Hivemapper has just raised $3 million to create a 3-D map of the Earth for drone fliers.

Western Digital Potentially a No. 1 Player in Enterprise SSD after SanDisk Acquisition

When Western Digital Corp. (WDC) acquired SanDisk Corp., it was assumed the storage maker was after a stable NAND supply.

Researchers Develop Mini Flexible Lenses with Wide Field of View

Researchers from the UW-Madison have created miniature lenses with vast range of vision inspired by insects’ multi-faceted eyes.

China to Become Largest FPD-Producing Region by 2018

Chinese TFT capacity is projected to grow 40% for the next three years.

Thermal Sensor Made of Graphene Could Lead to Better Night Vision Devices

A new thermal imaging development that uses graphene could lead to a flexible, transparent and low-cost infrared vision system.

New Techniques for Detecting Counterfeit ICs

Electronic ‘signatures’ distinguish genuine ICs from fakes.

Touch Control with Feeling

A new technology promises to take human-device interactions to a new dimension, creating 3-D haptic feedback controls in mid-air.

Engineers Discover How to Make Sensors in Half the Time

The recent discovery now brings the mass production of sensors for monitoring vital signs and brain activity closer to reality since the process makes it possible to manufacture the sensors similar to the way newspapers are printed off the press.

Bidding War Erupts Over Who Will Acquire PMC-Sierra

Microsemi and Skyworks are one-upping each other with the price steadily increasing.

InvenSense Enters Automotive MEMS Market

The company has rolled out MEMS for navigation and is in development for safety sensors.

DARPA Wants to Develop Technology Allowing for a New Level of Human-Computer Interaction

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has just awarded $2.1 million to Colorado State University researchers to develop gesture technology that would allow for humans to interact with computers in a different way than ever before.

Gesture Support Brings New Life to Embedded User Interfaces

The next evolution in user interfaces, using gesture support, may breathe new life into embedded functionality and is particularly attractive for factory automation, industrial and medical settings.

Semiconductor Equipment Sales Up in September over Last Year

But are down compared to levels in August.

Cypress Semiconductor Licenses Fingerprint Recognition Technology

The agreement with Precise Biometrics will allow for security features in chips for tablets and smartphones.

Lam Research to Acquire KLA-Tencor for $10.6 Billion

The combined company will be able to provide key equipment to chipmakers struggling with next-generation technology.

Data Storage and the Cloud: Why Dell Wants a Piece of the Action

If you’re old enough to remember an era 20 years ago when IBM bought Lotus and Compaq bought Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), then Dell announcing plans to acquire the data storage and software company EMC for $67 billion might seem to you like it’s the ghost of Christmas past. Back in the 1990s PC companies like Compaq acquired DEC to gain scale and move into higher-end computing.