Internet of Things (IoT) Summit at RWW2018
14-15 January 2018 – Anaheim, California

Tut2- Industry Session on IoT IC Design

Anticipated wide deployments of Internet of Things (IoT) applications would significantly stimulate demand for microcontrollers, sensors, connectivity, processors, memory, chips, and I/O interfaces. Unlike the mobile space, IoT applications are more versatile and in most cases autonomous.  Nature of such brings challenges to IoT chip design ranging from cost (scale of economy), reusability, low power consumption, battery life, security/privacy, to market development.

This session provides to the audience an overview on the design challenges and solutions of various IC components used in IoT applications. The speakers will share their view and present work addressing challenges in achieving always-on wearable devices, commercialization of sensor technologies, and promoting IP core design. An open discussion panel will be held at the end to facilitate Q&A and dialogues among speakers and participants.

Speakers

Dr. Li Wei, Senior Manager, ETPL, Singapore

Li Wei is a Senior Manager who works for Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL), the technology commercialization arm of Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. He supports Institute of Microelectronics (IME) and Data Storage Institute (DSI) for IP management and commercialization projects. He has more than 12 years’ technical and commercial experience in semiconductor industry. Li Wei holds a Ph.D in Microelectronics from Nanyang Technological University and a M.B.A from INSEAD.

Presentation: From Mind to Market: IoT sensors technology commercialization

It is always a challenging path to bring a technology from the lab to the market. It takes both entrepreneurial spirits and carefully planned strategies to overcome the gaps and drive the technology commercialization in a right ecosystem. With the great potential of IoT market, A*STAR’s R&D in the field of IoT sensors not only advances technological innovation but also creates new business opportunities. In this talk, I will share my experience in ETPL, the technology commercialization arm of A*STAR, and how we explored an own path and developed the commercialization strategy to connect the brilliant minds in the lab to the market and turn a technology into a profit-making product with various partners in the local and regional ecosystem.

Annamalai Arasu, Head of Integrated Circuit & Systems, IME, A*STAR, Singapore

M. Annamalai Arasu is the Head of Integrated Circuit & Systems lab at A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics (IME), Singapore, where he currently leads a team of research scientists and engineers engaged in the design of low power integrated circuits (ICs), for sensor signal acquisition, digital processing, wireless communication and power management, for industrial and bio-medical applications. He has been with IME since 2004, and has led the development of CMOS RF IC transceivers in UWB, Ku-band, 2.4GHz ISM, and Sub-GHz bands. He is currently leading the development of fully integrated voltage regulators. M. Annamalai Arasu started his career in 1993 with the Centre for Development of Telematics, India, where he developed RF circuits for C and Ku-band satellite terminals. From 2000 to 2003, he was with Wipro Technologies, India, engaged in the design of analog and RF ICs. From 2003 to 2004 he was with Intel Corp., India, where he designed CMOS RF transmitter for ultra-wideband communications. He graduated from the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication.

Presentation:

Kin Shum, CEO and Founder, Kinetic Technologies, USA

Kin Shum is founder and CEO of Kinetic Technologies, a San Jose, California based semiconductor company that designs, markets and sells broad line of high performance analog integrated circuits for portable electronic device, enterprise, industrial and automotive market since 2006. Kinetic services hundreds of customers worldwide, leveraging its technological barrier and system knowledge. Prior to Kinetic, he has been working at top tier IC companies in Silicon Valley such as Analog Devices, Siliconix at marketing and management roles. Before entering semiconductor industry, he has worked at Hughes Space and Communications Company in El Segundo, California, focusing on satellite power system design. He received his BSEE and MSEE from Tsinghua (Beijing) University/Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Owner of six US patents.

Presentation: Endless Power – Always On IoT & Wearable Devices

IoT and wearable devices are required to be always on and accessible to the users on the go.  Typically, these devices are continuously monitoring, measuring, collecting data, and providing information to the user or on behalf of the user in real time.  Such uninterrupted service is enabled through use of rechargeable batteries, and the only way to ensure endless battery life is to receive more energy than is used.  This requires a ubiquitous and compatible energy source wherever you go, which is now rapidly becoming a reality through Qi based Wireless Power.  Now dramatically accelerated by Apple’s adoption of Qi, this wireless power ecosystem is rapidly expanding beyond select Starbucks coffee shops to become widely available in the public infrastructure, commonly found in homes, and a must-have feature in automobiles. 

Dr. Wen-Hu Zhao, CEO, Chiptel Microelectronics Ltd., China

Presentation: Promoting IP Design Innovation to Welcome the Changes, Challenges and Chances in IoT

In the presentation, it will give the present status of IP design firstly. Then an analysis for the changes, challenges and chances in IoT will be presented. To welcome the technology era of IoT in smart cities and nations, we need promote the IP design innovation for brand-new IC products in IoT. It will cover the IP design conception, IP design direction and IP design flow. Finally, towards these innovation elements, the solutions and practical experiences in Chiptel will be shared.