Archive : 2 December 2014 год

An Israeli company has developed a battery technology that can charge a mobile phone in just 30 seconds and couold charge an electric car in minutes.

Created by researchers from Tel-Aviv based technology firm StoreDot, the battery can store a much higher charge more quickly, in effect acting like a sponge to soak up power and retain it. 

The innovation is based around the creation of 'nanodots' – artificial peptide molecules about 2.1nm in diameter that the company synthesises and releases into the battery to rapidly increase its absorption and retention of power. 

While the current prototype is far too bulky for a mobile phone, the company believes that by 2016 it will be ready to market a slim battery that can absorb and deliver a day's power for a smartphone in just 30 seconds. 

It could also be used, it says, to charge a car battery in just two to three minutes. 

So far, the company has raised $48million from two rounds of funding in order to make the technology a reality.

Author
Laura Hopperton

Source:  www.newelectronics.co.uk

British Engineering Excellence Awards headline sponsor Cambridge Consultants has opened a £6million wireless facility, designed to help it to keep pace with its rapid growth. The company has grown by 25% in 2014, taking its global workforce to 450. 

The new facility is called the Auton Building, in recognition of Dr Paul Auton, who was Cambridge Consultants's CEO from 1983 to 1998. It will house 120 engineers focused on developing wireless communication technology and contains a mix of open plan office space and engineering facilities. 

Roof based antennas can transmit and receive terrestrial and satellite wireless signals and feed them – with minimal loss – directly to engineers' desks. The building also features a dedicated optics lab, with Kevlar reinforced laser safety curtains, to support the development of next generation sensors. Meanwhile, work has started on a three storey extension to the Auton Building. 

"I set a growth agenda with the aim of doubling the size of Cambridge Consultants by the end of 2016," said Alan Richardson, CEO of Cambridge Consultants, pictured left with Dr Paul Aulton. "Two years into that, we have grown substantially and successfully."

Author
Graham Pitcher

Source:  www.newelectronics.co.uk

Six designers and suppliers of embedded chipsets have joined the Qt Partner Program. The partners will be cooperating with Qt to facilitate the creation of new solutions for the embedded device market. 

According to Qt, the new partners – ARM, Boundary Devices, Freescale, Silica, Texas Instruments and Toradex – will make a significant contribution to the development of embedded devices, including connected devices for the IoT. 

"The addition of such prominent members of the embedded device ecosystem to the Qt Partner Program will enable developers of embedded devices to bring devices with innovative and modern interfaces to market faster than ever before," claimed Juhapekka Niemi, Qt's VP for sales and marketing. 

Qt is a cross platform application and user interface development framework for desktop, embedded and mobile operating systems. Based on C++, Qt is used for developing software applications with a GUI and for non GUI applications with features such as file handling, database access and network support.

Author
Graham Pitcher

Source:  www.newelectronics.co.uk

Using a company called Fashion Entertainments as a cover, Sony has developed a smartwatch created entirely from e-paper – the display technology used in some e-readers. 

With 24 selectable patterns, the watch is said to change its appearance as the user moves their wrist, from being blank to showing what seems to be a conventional dial and hands. 

Called the FES Watch, the design is currently being crowdfunded on the Japanese site Makuake.com; apparently to gauge consumer interest. Fashion Entertainments was looking for ¥2million, but the project has already received ¥2.8m. Those backing the project are being told their FES Watch will be delivered in May 2015. 

Fashion Entertainment is said to also be working on a range of e-ink based devices, including bow ties.

Author
Graham Pitcher

Source:  www.newelectronics.co.uk

European semiconductor sales showed signs of 'encouraging' growth in October, the European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA) has said.

Sales were up 5.2% from the previous year, reaching $3.2billion. In addition, combined sales from January to October were up 1.5% compared to September and up 9.6% compared to October last year. 

The main drivers of growth were the microprocessor market and the memory market, with MOS MPU, DRAMS and SRAM performing particularly well compared to September. 

Steady growth was also observed in the area of application specific devices, especially for semiconductor devices designed to be used in communication and in-car entertainment applications.

Author
Laura Hopperton

Source:  www.newelectronics.co.uk

Cypress and Spansion have signed a definitive agreement to merge in an all stock transaction said to be worth $4billion. 

"This merger represents the combination of two smart, profitable, passionately entrepreneurial companies that are number one in their respective memory markets and have successfully diversified into embedded processing," said TJ Rodgers, pictured, Cypress' president and CEO, who will lead the merged organisation. "Our combined company will be a leading provider of embedded MCUs and specialised memories." 

Post merger, the company will generate more than $2bn, but it is also expected to find savings of more than $135million a year, which could mean fewer staff. 

"Bringing together these high performing organisations creates operating efficiencies and economies of scale, and will deliver maximum value for our shareholders, new opportunities for employees and an improved experience for our customers," said Spansion CEO John Kispert. "The new company is well positioned to deliver best of breed solutions and execute on our long term vision of adding value through embedded system on chip solutions."

Author
Graham Pitcher

Source:  www.newelectronics.co.uk