 APRIL €‚ƒ • No. ƒ€† electronicsweekly.com ElectronicsWeekly

NEWS ANALYSIS & COMMENT FEATURES & TECHNOLOGY

ˆG demo for Winter Olympics p Build failsafes into supply chains p
Modelling thermal engineering p Renesas adds more IoT MCUs p Vertical or horizontal structures? p H J Round’s life in broadcasting p

MAKE A CAREER Election must not risk IN ENGINEERING AN ASPIRATION UK’s digital strategy A drive to produce more engineers must target The next government must protect UK’s global status in digital industries and boost skills females Page  RICHARD WILSON of its 10 pillars, has support over the in schools and universities. (See Skill long term to ensure a pipeline of future Seekers, p22). “As educational funding TechUK and the IET have called for a engineering talent.” will be a key theme running up to the reinforcement of the current focus on On Brexit David said: “This election election it will be interesting to see skills and digital innovation after June’s comes at an extraordinarily important whether party manifestos include this snap general election. time for the UK’s digital economy.” topic; and furthermore if they address “Tech businesses will be looking to The eventual Brexit deal is expected solutions on how to mend the skills the UK’s political parties to set out clear to have a signifi cant impact on the tech shortage plaguing UK companies.” plans for how they intend to support sector, as it is closely integrated with David added: “The next government economic stability and to keep the UK the rest of Europe in terms of trade, will need to demonstrate that it at the forefront of global technological legislation and research. understands the needs of the UK’s most innovation and digitisation,” said Julian TechUK has outlined concerns about dynamic businesses by developing a new David, CEO of techUK. a sudden exit from the customs union, approach to skills and education fi t for Professor John Perkins, chair of the leading to increased delays for goods in the 21st century.” IET’s skills panel said: “The Brexit transit and new contractual obligations Perkins said: “We may be living in vote and the snap general election being on tech companies which could cause turbulent political times but it’s a great called provides the ideal opportunity to interruptions in supply chains. time to be an engineer: demand far highlight the engineering skills shortage Ben Hall, managing consultant at outstrips supply, salaries are rising and in the UK head-on and hear how the recruitment consultancy, MRL Group, there are fantastic career prospects for political parties would tackle it. said the election provides an opportunity tomorrow’s engineers. But we cannot “We need to see commitment that the to address the skills issue facing the rely on these factors to attract enough government’s industrial strategy, which UK, especially in terms of funding engineers to address the growing skills included boosting STEM skills as one for engineering and computer science shortage in the UK.” Apple move hits Imagination share price

Imagination Technologies’ share price notice that it was developing its own moves to take control of fell to below 100p for the fi rst time GPU technology and would drop its own technology. since 2009 last week as the fall-out Imagination’s within two years. See Analysis, p8 continued from Apple’s announcement Shares in Imagination fell overnight that it was planning to stop using from around 270p to just over 100p, Imagination’s GPUs. and were trading at 99p as markets The company’s value fell by more opened last Friday (21 April), as than 60% at the start of April when Electronics Weekly went to press. it was revealed that Apple had given Apple: extending control of supply chain This is the latest in a series of Apple 170413_Test1_EW_UK.indd 1 4/10/17 4:39 PM NEWS Bidders line up as Toshiba chip sale nears end game Industrial and global politics muddy the waters as sharks circle mortally-wounded Toshiba in search of an opportunity to score

DAVID MANNERS that the Chinese will acquire Toshiba’s sheet caused by problems in its US process technology. nuclear unit Westinghouse, which fi led Bidding for Toshiba’s chip unit has To make its bid more acceptable, for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in become one of the most interesting Hon Hai has called on Sharp, in which the US in March. M&A sagas the industry has ever seen it has a 66% stake, to say it will take Western Digital, meanwhile, says with government interventions and 10% of Toshiba; on Apple, from which it can block the auction because it is a huge bids. it derives half its revenues, to take “very serious breach of joint venture The scene changes daily but, as a 20% stake; and Dell and Amazon agreements” in a fab deal with Toshiba. Electronics Weekly went to press, four to each take 10% stakes. Another, Its contract disputes must be arbitrated key bid groups were in the frame for unnamed, Japanese company may take in San Francisco under International the business, led by Hon Hai, Western another 10% stake. Hon Hai has also Chamber of Commerce rules, which Digital, Hynix and Broadcom, with bids asked Softbank of Japan to intercede could delay the sale. understood to be as high as $27bn. with the Japanese authorities. Western Digital wants exclusive The winner of the bidding process Japan is also wary of Hon Hai rights to negotiate with Toshiba and is will be declared in June. because of its 2016 takeover of Sharp, Toshiba’s headquarters in Tokyo talking to INCJ and DBJ about them Recent developments have been which started with a high bid that joining in with a bid. marked by concerns in the US and was gradually whittled down to a low Broadcom, meanwhile, is bidding Japan that Toshiba’s technology will purchase price as Hon Hai found holes of scandal after Toshiba’s auditors, with US private equity fi rm SilverLake leak to China, where the government is in Sharp’s accounts. PricewaterhouseCoopers, refused to and may be joined by INCJ and DBJ. funding two 300,000 wafer-per-month The Japanese government has also sign off its third quarter accounts. Korean group Hynix is making memory fabs. The country’s electronics intervened in the process, with funds Toshiba opted to publish numbers a joint bid with US private equity sector lacks 3D NAND process Innovation Network Corp of Japan anyway at the start of April, while business Bain Capital. It has also talked technology and the government appears (INCJ) and Development Bank of Japan warning that there was “material to Japanese banks about including prepared to pay any money to get it. (DBJ) trying, and apparently failing, to uncertainty” about its ability to continue them. As Electronics Weekly went Hon Hai’s bid worries Japan’s persuade other Japanese companies to as a going concern. It posted a loss to press, the head of Hynix, Chey authorities because Hon Hai join in a purchasing consortium. of ¥647.8bn ($5.9bn) for 2016 and is Tae-won, was due to meet the Toshiba manufactures in China and the fear is There have also been elements looking to fi ll a $9bn hole in its balance board on 24 April.

THIS WEEKS TAKEAWAYS  ­, ­

 jobs are under threat as US Only ­, TRˆ ˆ drum synthesisers were made but There are ­ categories in the  ­€ Elektra manufacturer announces plans to close Scots the analogue device gained a cult following that still European Electronics Industry Awards. electro-mechanical engineering factory persists. (Obituary of Ikutaro Kakehashi) Full details of how to enter P P­ P‘

www.electronicsweekly.com |  April  ­€ ‚

170413_Test1_EW_UK.indd 1 4/10/17 4:39 PM NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF G demonstration for The chip market will grow
.% this year, according to Gartner, reaching $ƒbn. PC DRAM pricing has doubled since the middle of 
ƒ, said Gartner. A Gbit module that cost $
. has jumped to just under $. NAND Ž ash the Winter Olympics ASPs increased sequentially in the second half of 
ƒ and the ’ rst quarter of 
“. Joint project will link terrestrial wireless with satellite comms to prepare G for 
 games ST has invested $.m in the Irish fabless company Decawave. The ST investment comes through ST New STEVE BUSH will be combined with satellite Ventures – ST’s six year-old venture communication. capital arm. Decawave has now raised French research lab Leti has announced Project partners The Grenoble-based research over $m from LG, Dermot Desmond’s the establishment of a European and IIU vehicle, Bank of Ireland private Europe: Leti, Nokia, Intel Deutschland, institute said this would form a 5G clients,the Texas-based Charnov family, South Korean joint project intended to Thales AS, Fraunhofer HHI, University network with multi-radio-access and SC Partners of France. deliver the world’s fi rst fully integrated of Oulu, Tlepespazio, iMinds technologies [multi-RAT] that are and operational 5G prototype at the South Korea: Electronics and optimised to serve user equipment. The 2018 Winter Olympics. Telecommunications Research project will focus on fi ve key areas: Called 5G Champion, the Institute (ETRI) (the Korean project  improving latency in the millisecond project aims to showcase key coordinator), SK Telecom, KT, SMRT, range Eluon, Clever Logic, Inso§ , Mobigen, enabling technologies and create  providing high throughput in very HFR, Gwangju Institute of Science and a proof-of-concept environment Technology, Seoul National University, dense user environments at the games, which take place Dankook University and Hanyang  enabling cost-eff ective network in PyeongChang, South Korea in University. management E.Ink and Sony Semiconductor are February.  enhancing quality of service in to set up a joint venture to develop, manufacture and market products that It will be the work of eight European high-speed mobility conditions, high use electronic paper displays. E.Ink and and 13 Korean partners (see box) and precision/integrity location and timing Sony will have % each of the business, have 5G radio-access, core-network ahead of the offi cial launch of 5G in estimation with the remaining % held by venture and satellite technologies. 2020”.  allowing ubiquitous service capital companies. The joint venture aims to create new electronic paper display Leti telecoms strategy director According to Leti, the project will provisioning, as well as fl exibility in products and systems and to grow the Emilio Calvanese Strinati said the be the fi rst time ever that terrestrial equipment reconfi guration through market of e-paper-based solutions. project “will allow maximum visibility wireless communication, including software. for the available technology two years enablers such as mmWave access, See Comment, page


G smart bandage trial due NI gives Ÿ
m to

Smart bandages that connect to 5G treatment needs and reduce the need for NYU for G radio networks to update doctors on the unnecessary appointments. MasterCard plans to launch a healing progress of a wound are likely The research is part of Swansea’s National Instruments (NI) is working biometric credit card in Europe later this to begin trials within a year. £1.3bn Swansea Bay City programme, with the wireless research centre at the year that will authenticate a purchase Swansea University’s Institute of which aims to create a 5G test hub. New York University Tandon School of via ’ ngerprint ID. Trials of the system are Life Sciences (ILS) is developing the Professor Marc Clement, chairman Engineering to fund the development under way in South Africa. Apple Pay and Android Pay both use ’ ngerprint ID. bandages, which would include sensors of the ILS, told the BBC that the future of millimetre-wave (mmWave) that can detect complications such as holds “a world where there’s the ability communications, channel measurement blood clots or infections and pass the to vary the treatment to the individual, and channel emulation research for 5G The Arduino CTC

education kit for information to doctors via 5G networks. the lifestyle and the pattern of life”. communications. teaching the fundamentals of electronics, programming and mechatronics is The programme would also collect The bandages will be manufactured NI has given almost $1m to the now being sold exclusively in Europe data through patients smartphones using 3D printing technology. group, including equipping labs with by RS Components. Aimed at
- to about their activity levels, which can Clement described the project software defi ned radio kit and software.
“-year-olds, the kit has ’ ve themed aff ect the speed of recovery. as a “multi-technology approach” MmWave frequencies have been modules and off ers more than  hands-on experiments. Ultimately, the technology will that incorporates nanotechnology, proposed by the FCC, 3GPP and other collect a range of data that would nanoelectronics, printing and coating standardisation bodies for 5G fi xed and help doctors assess the patient’s biochemistry. mobile networks.

 ƒ April 
“ | www.electronicsweekly.com NEWS

Binder chooses IET and union call for Anglia to handle its connectors support for returnees Circular connector specialist Binder has appointed Anglia Components as distributor for the UK and Ireland.  Professionals’ trade union Prospect and the IET present a united front on reclaiming skilled workers The move is part of a strategy to grow its customer reach across RICHARD WILSON a problem. Instead, STEM employers industry sectors such as automation, should view career breaks as periods of measurement and control, medical and Engineering employers need to stop self-development and develop a culture renewable energy. seeing career breaks as a problem if that accommodates and values these Specifi cally, Anglia will stock items the industry is to overcome its skills breaks and the skills and competence of from the Binder range of sub-miniature shortage, the Institution of Engineering those members of staff that are currently and miniature circular data and power and Technology (IET) and trade union being overlooked and sidelined.” connectors. Prospect have argued. The IET states that sidelining of “We are constantly looking at ways The organisations are working highly skilled, experienced engineers to expand and gain access to markets, together to help employers in the Watson: Career breaks should be valued and other STEM professionals in favour applications and customers that we engineering and technology sectors to of candidates with continuous service is don’t currently reach,” said Binder UK attract a wider talent pool, including exacerbating the skills shortage. managing director David Phillips. career returners. to advertise jobs. It also outlines the Sue Ferns, deputy general secretary “We’ve explored a relationship with They have published a guide for importance of developing a more at Prospect, the union for professionals, Anglia very thoroughly, and they have employers, Supporting the Step Back inclusive and diverse internal culture. said: “Engineering still faces signifi cant fully demonstrated their ability to help into STEM Careers, hot on the heels IET president Jeremy Watson said: challenges of gender segregation and, us grow, particularly with UK based of the government’s new investment in “As the engineering skills shortage particularly at a time of skill shortages, CEMs,” he said. “Anglia is unique in schemes to help returners. It highlights continues to grow, our sector must needs to draw on all of the UK’s talents the UK market both in terms of its size the importance of off ering fl exible move away from the misconception that and expertise.” and the professionalism with which they working and rethinking how and where career breaks get in the way and are For more on skills see p24 go to market.”

Survey says hacks MoD image processing team to boost surveillance cost Š rms £ K The Ministry of Defence (MoD) Defence Science and Technology Almost seven in 10 large businesses Laboratory (DSTL) has contracted have faced cyber attacks, racking up a team to enhance its capabilities in an average cost of £20,000, according real-time image processing. to the Cyber Security Breaches Survey The team will also demonstrate 2017 compiled by the Department of the latest adaptive capabilities that Culture Media and Sport. FPGA-based SoCs can deliver to The survey shows that businesses defence and security surveillance that hold electronic personal data about applications. customers were much more likely to Led by Plextek Services the team suff er cyber breaches than those that do includes RFEL and 4Sight Imaging. not (51% compared to 37%). To develop the platform, it will be The survey also revealed that almost expected to solve complex defence a quarter of those attacked experienced vision and surveillance problems, a temporary loss of fi les; one fi fth had facilitating the rapid incorporation software or systems corrupted; one in of best-in-class video-processing Plextek business manager for adaptive algorithms, to create a single 10 lost access to third-party systems on algorithms while bridging the gap defence, Peter Doig, said: “RFEL and environment that delivers a robust which they relied; and one in 10 had between research prototypes and Plextek have brought together their proving tool.” their website taken down or slowed. deployable equipment. expertise with DSTL and 4Sight’s For more on high-reliability systems, see p20

www.electronicsweekly.com |  April   NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF

Qualcomm Technologies has selected  jobs to go as US an RF test system from Rohde & Schwarz to test and characterise its € rst generation ‚G RF transceiver (SDR†‚‡). Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon X‚† ‚G modem platform in October ‹†‡
. It supports  rm closes Scots site download speeds of up to ‚Gbit/s, initially using very wide bandwidths available in the ‹’GHz millimetre wave band. Jabil scraps plans for Livingston ‘centre of excellence’ and opts instead to close the site down

JOSH BROOKS An energy effi ciency benchmark for current and future demand to support microcontrollers and Bluetooth radios used the viability of the site.” in IoT designs has been created by the Electronics manufacturing services Jabil fact€ le The company added that the decision US-based EEMBC. Called the IoTMark-BLE, giant Jabil has announced plans to end was “in no way a refl ection on the hard it is the € rst of a suite of benchmarks that  Founded: ‡§

the EEMBC is proposing to create through manufacturing at its Livingston site  CEO: Mark Mondello work, dedication and loyalty of our its IoT working group. with the loss of 260 jobs.  HQ: St Petersburg, Florida, US Livingston-based employees” and said The group has begun a consultation  Locations: ‡†† facilities in ‹’ that it would support them through the with staff at the facility about the countries consultation process and their future  Employees: ‡’†,††† planned closure and expects to end job-hunting.  Revenue: $‡¡.§bn in ‹†‡‚ manufacturing at the site in a phased  Key services: engineering, The announcement comes just two run-down that will be complete by the manufacturing and supply chain years after the group announced a major end of the year. Around 100 support £12.5m investment in its Livingston staff will continue to work at the site operation that was intended to create and the company said that its Ayr about 200 jobs and was supported by NXP has produced a near € eld facility would not be aff ected. the Scottish government. According the communication (NFC) tag to track bottles Jabil Livingston provides a range of and monitoring, instrumentation and The Scotsman that deal was secured by INDUSTRIAL of booze. Packaging company Guala Closures Group worked with NXP on the EMS services, according to the group’s telecoms sectors. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on a trip chip. The tag uses NXP’s NTAG ‹‡ž Tag website, including complex electronics The company said: “Following a to the US to meet with the company. Tamper technology to check the origin assembly and complex mechanical detailed strategic review of the Jabil At the time, it was reported that Jabil AUTOMATION of the bottle, detect whether it has been and electronics assembly. The bulk of Livingston site business plan and planned to create a centre of excellence opened, and create a URL for each bottle. its work is for emerging technologies future loading requirements, we have at Livingston, one of only three in its in the energy generation, storage concluded that there is unsustainable global portfolio of companies. and CONTROL An EU-funded project has been launched to help businesses meet the challenge posed by data. The University of Southampton’s electronics department will Huge selection of products play a lead role. Data Pitch aims to create what it calls an ‘innovation ecosystem’ TI’s Greenock where larger organisations and startups & solutions for your manufacturing can work together to use data as an enabler to solve their business problems. fab in peril facility from the world’s most Hopes are fading that a buyer will Facebook is developing technology to be found for Texas Instruments’ (TI) allow people to use just their thoughts trusted brands. to instruct a mobile phones to type at Greenock fab, according to local up to ‡†† words per minute. The social councillors. TI announced plans last media giant has put together a team of
† year to phase out production at the people, including machine learning and facility by 2020, which currently neural prosthetics experts, to develop the system, which could also contribute to its employs more than 300 people, but said plans for augmented reality applications. it would also seek a buyer. Councillor Stephen McCabe told The Greenock Telegraph: “It’s looking Synapse Design of Santa Clara, EMS business Lenalea Electronics is investing more than £‡m in a new ‡,‚††m‹ factory in California has bought Asilicon of Ranchi increasingly unlikely that anyone will Jharkand, Bangalore. The deal brings County Armagh and increasing its workforce from ‹‚ to over ž†. The new facility, currently being take over the plant as a going concern. Synapse ’† engineers and a second constructed in Markethill, will produce circuit board assemblies for clients in sectors including There is no longer any ‘live’ interest design centre in India. Over the past quarrying, scienti€ c research, and consumer electronics. The company, founded in ‹†††, has in it. It is not beyond the bounds of year, Synapse Design has taped out ž‚ customers across the UK and Ireland, as well as in Europe and North America. Pictured, from the complex SoCs using process technology possibility that further interest will Electronics Components, ranging from ‹’nm to ¡nm. le¥ , are Lenalea production manager Neil McMullan, Sheila Donaghy of Ulster Bank, which is emerge, but we now have to think about supporting the project, and Lenalea project manager David Foster. alternative uses for the site.” Solutions & Support uk.farnell.com/industrial-automation-control
‹
April ‹†‡¡ | www.electronicsweekly.com

Offline-EN-226x300-5mm.indd 1 17/03/2017 08:28 INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION and CONTROL Huge selection of products & solutions for your manufacturing facility from the world’s most trusted brands.

Electronics Components, Solutions & Support uk.farnell.com/industrial-automation-control

Offline-EN-226x300-5mm.indd 1 17/03/2017 08:28 ANALYSIS KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Massive power density in the smallest packages Apple presses on with vertical ambitions

David Manners considers the implications for suppliers of Apple’s latest moves in IP and silicon

Eleven years after Steve Jobs’ 1997 Imagination has huff ed and puff ed Logic is dependent on Apple for ‘second coming’ as CEO of Apple he about suing Apple if Apple’s GPUs around 80% of its revenues. bought processor design company Palo infringe Imagination patents. But, even Then, of course, there’s Intel, Alto Semiconductor for $287m. if Apple is concerned about a writ from which supplies x86s for iMacs. In 1997 Apple had been 90 days Imagination, which is doubtful, Apple There has been talk for years that away from bankruptcy but by 2008 its could license IP from Nvidia, AMD Apple will cut them out in favour fi nances were transformed by the iMac, or ARM. Or it could have – and may of proprietary processors. With the iPod and iPhone. Buying PA Semi well have – developed its own GPU poisonous state of relations between signalled that Apple wanted control architecture already. Qualcomm and Apple it would be which are expected to be used to deliver over its silicon – and could aff ord it. After CPUs and GPUs, the next understandable if Apple wanted to free augmented reality features to this year’s Four years on, in 2012, the fruit Apple-grab for proprietary silicon could itself of Qualcomm’s modem and the iPhone. of the PA acquisition was the Apple be power management chips. Rattling company’s attendant royalty demands, Other sensor projects at Apple A6 system-on-chip (SoC) which used Dialog’s cage is the fact that Apple may so it may well be looking to integrate include bio-medical device Apple-designed, ARM-compatible (but be setting up PMIC design centres in the modem on to its mobile SoCs and development with one, fi ve-year-old, not ARM-licensed) CPUs called Swift. Munich and California, according to a so eliminate both Qualcomm and Intel project about to begin feasibility trials For mobile processors the situation Reuters report. from its modem slot. of a non-invasive blood sugar monitor, was clear – from now on, Apple made Recognising its dependency on Both Skyworks and Qorvo derive possibly using optical sensors shining its own. For the rest of the silicon Apple, which accounts for around around 40% of their sales from Apple light through the skin, for the treatment Microchip Technology now offers an integrated switching power module designed industry the message was also clear: 70% of its revenues, Dialog tried, and for their RF components and both of diabetes. Apple hired a team of Apple can dump you. It may take a failed, to buy AMS last year. It must must be feeling vulnerable to an Apple biomedical engineers out of medical specifically for height-constrained telecom, industrial and solid-state drive (SSD) while, but it can be done. now be considering other options for in-house design eff ort. research companies to work on the applications. These products come in an impressive thermally-enhanced package that As the world’s second largest buyer minimising the eff ects of a design-out. project in Palo Alto. incorporates inductors and passive components into a single, molded power converter. of silicon last year, spending $30bn to Audio chips are another possibility Sensors drive If the iWatch is ever to fl y, it will buy 9% of the world’s supply of ICs, for Apple to internalise its silicon Sensor technology is another area probably need capabilities like this. The slim packages simplifies board design, saves space and eliminates concern over Apple’s procurement strategy has a sourcing. where Apple is increasing its in-house There are almost certainly more, secret, passive components that may introduce unexpected electromagnetic interference (EMI). massive eff ect on the semiconductor Here the potential casualty is Cirrus expertise, which is a potential worry for silicon-based projects to provide new industry. Logic, acquirer of Wolfson after ST and InvenSense. With ST, Apple is mobile functions in Apple’s $10bn Highlights Wolfson lost its Apple slots. Cirrus developing 3D image sensors at Crolles annual R&D budget. GPU vision However, the company’s next major Variety of module package offerings (small to large, fit to application) That strategy has now turned to move into silicon could be another High power density with integrated magnetic and passive components graphics processing units (GPUs), acquisition. Nine years after the PA Performance (efficiency, thermal, transient response) with Apple poaching engineers Semi purchase, Apple, now the world’s from Imagination, setting up a GPU most valuable company, is rumoured Reliable (power and thermal stress tested) design centre in London and telling to be joining its assembly partner Hon Low EMI (CISPR 22 Class B ratings on modules) Imagination it won’t need its GPU IP in Hai in a $27bn bid for Toshiba’s chip a couple of years. business.. It didn’t happen overnight. Apple That would give Apple fab as well as fi rst licensed Imagination’s GPUs design and, as Hon Hai already owns in 2008. About four years later it Sharp, it would also give Apple a stake started customising Imagination’s IP in OLED technology. to design proprietary GPUs based on With silicon design, fab, 3D NAND the Imagination architecture, with the and displays – Apple would be very fi rst results implemented in the 2014 much nearer to the vertically integrated www.microchip.com/powerpromo A8 SoC. Is Apple setting up a power management IC (PMIC) design centre at its California campus? model of its chief rival Samsung.

The Microchip name and logo and the Microchip logo are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their registered owners. © 2016 Microchip Technology Inc. All rights reserved. DS20005637A. MEC2128Eng11/16  April  | www.electronicsweekly.com KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Massive power density in the smallest packages

Microchip Technology now offers an integrated switching power module designed specifically for height-constrained telecom, industrial and solid-state drive (SSD) applications. These products come in an impressive thermally-enhanced package that incorporates inductors and passive components into a single, molded power converter. The slim packages simplifies board design, saves space and eliminates concern over passive components that may introduce unexpected electromagnetic interference (EMI).

Highlights Variety of module package offerings (small to large, fit to application) High power density with integrated magnetic and passive components Performance (efficiency, thermal, transient response) Reliable (power and thermal stress tested) Low EMI (CISPR 22 Class B ratings on modules)

www.microchip.com/powerpromo

The Microchip name and logo and the Microchip logo are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their registered owners. © 2016 Microchip Technology Inc. All rights reserved. DS20005637A. MEC2128Eng11/16 NEWS PRODUCTS -bit SAR ADC has  ltered and no-latency output options Linear’s latest analogue-to-digital converter hits ppm non-linearity and up to dB dynamic range, with seven € lter types

RICHARD WILSON in parallel with a precision ADC. Each of the two outputs provides an A 32-bit successive approximation accurate representation of the voltage register (SAR) analogue-to-digital difference applied between the two converter (ADC) with dual outputs input terminals. and digital fi lters to optimise signal The integrated confi gurable digital bandwidth has been introduced by fi lter offers seven fi lter types and Linear Technology, now part of Analog 13 different down-sampling factors. Devices. This allows designers to trade off The LTC2500-32 provides a bandwidth, fi lter response and noise digitally-fi ltered output that achieves performance for each application. up to 148dB of dynamic range as well The ADC has specifi ed linearity of as a no-latency output comprising 0.5ppm typical and 2ppm guaranteed an over-range detection bit, a 24-bit of the common mode input voltage. the mismatch and drift typical of maximum INL, and negligibly representation of the input voltage The no-latency output is matched to applications requiring an additional low gain and offset drift over wide difference, and a 7-bit representation the digitally fi ltered output, avoiding faster ADC to monitor signal integrity temperature ranges.

ADVERTORIAL Kinneir Dufort and Huggies Leverage Rapid Development

KD has a process called STEP – Swift Technology Enabled capabilities extending into Prototyping. Rather than design for manufacture, STEP quickly industrial design, mechanical provides advanced working concept devices with minimum engineering and prototyping, resource investment. Supporting STEP requires experienced 3D prints of the enclosure engineers with the skill to create bespoke sub-systems that were available within hours. All leverage COTS (Commercially Off The Shelf) modules by assembly work was completed making quick, pragmatic decisions without adversely affecting in-house. or backing a design into a corner. The key decision here was to exploit a ‘closed’ camera module from China. Summary After exploring the real-world use cases, and to reduce Combining experienced design with informed selection of COTS How can engineers meet the challenge of delivering increasing battery size, it was agreed that the system need only record modules can expedite a prototype development signifi cantly. complexity within ever shorter timeframes? when parent and baby were in reasonable proximity. Aware This approach delivered HD video in a compact package Kinneir Dufort (KD) was asked to develop a device for a of developments in distance ranging using BLE, engineers and with added functionality, in an otherwise unachievable Huggies marketing campaign in (South) Korea. adapted the technique for a 2.4 GHz LPRS to provide proximity timescale. Good internal processes and rapid prototyping The brief: “Develop a pair of linked wearable video cameras, detection, and the radio protocol was adapted to support the can yield a single design cycle, however in this case, Kinneir worn by parent and baby to capture ‘special moments’ from application. Dufort’s in-house capabilities spanning multiple disciplines, both perspectives. Battery life should be capable of a day’s To mark the video when the “moment” button was pressed, resulted in delivering six working units to schedule. continuous use. Synchronisation of video from both cameras KD used the clever idea of encoding a synchronisation The Huggies “Happy Moment” video went viral and should be automatic when plugged into a computer. Delivery for signal atop the camera’s microphone input. Generated from generated over 2.5 million YouTube views within a month, and campaign shoot in Seoul within 12 weeks”. a microcontroller at above-audio frequency, the PC software the emotional engagement with consumers that engineering and performed frequency domain analysis to fi nd this signal and marketing skill created was extraordinary. align the video streams. Written by Paul Jennings, Head of Technology. [email protected] | www.kinneirdufort.com Design KD created a custom PCB to fi t around the camera, expedited using their pre-verifi ed design libraries. With development ƒ ‚ April ƒ„ | www.electronicsweekly.com PRODUCTS NEWS

Wearables power PRODUCT OF THE WEEK controller works down to . V for button cells Renesas adds more MCU

Maxim Integrated has unveiled the MAX20310, a power management IC options to its IoT range for wearables that will work from as little as 0.7V and up to 2V, for operation RICHARD WILSON from single zinc-air, silver oxide and alkaline cells. Renesas Electronics has added new The aim is to allow disposable microcontrollers to its Synergy range rather than rechargeable cells to of IoT-focused devices and software. be used to remove the need for With the latest MCUs – S128, charging components and, in clinical S3A3 and S3A6 families – there environments, remove the need for are now 57 devices based on ARM contacts, clips, and charging ports Cortex-M CPU cores covering where germs may linger. The fi rm, said: operating frequencies from 32MHz “In clinical environments, primary cell up to 240MHz, and on-chip fl ash architectures can create hermetically memory sizes of 64kB, 128kB, sealed units to safely disinfect between 256kB, 512kB, 1MB, 2MB, and use or even dispose of completely to 4MB. Renesas Synergy platform roadmap includes microcontrollers, tools, so„ ware inhibit patient-to-patient infection.” The 20 new Synergy MCU devices Using a single-inductor two-output in the S128, S3A6, and S3A3 groups architecture with two linear regulators, are sampling now to lead customers and will be available them, which includes software and tools to reduce the chip drives four power outputs from to the general market in June. redesign eff orts.” a single inductor. With Synergy, Renesas combines the ARM Cortex-M System developers with leaner requirements can select For pre-use product storage, there is series microcontrollers with verifi ed software and a devices from the S3A3 and S3A6 groups to scale their a 10nA ‘battery seal’ mode. software suite which has its own APIs. applications down to 512kB and 256kB fl ash memory as Operation is over -40°C to +85°C, Peter Carbone, vice-president of the Synergy business needed, compared to the existing 1MB fl ash MCUs in the and it comes in a 1.63x1.63mm at Renesas, said: “With the addition of these latest three S3A7 group. wafer-level package. MCU groups to the MCU portfolio of the Synergy The S128 group extends selections for ultra-low power An application circuit in the abridged platform, it now covers the entire selection range of applications that require larger memory up to 256kB, or datasheet (full not publicly available) memory and package sizes our customers request, and we require additional analog signal conditioning, compared to shows the chip being used with a provide the ability to easily scale up and down between the existing S124 group MCUs. MAX32620 ARM Cortex-M4F based microcontroller.

LDO accepts inputs to ‡V Colour sensor maps LED light outputs

AMS has introduced a tunable-white directives are communicated to the host A low dropout regulator from Diodes the operating life of battery-powered lighting smart system sensor to provide microprocessor via an industry-standard has launched with a 3.5V to 24V input equipment. closed-loop colour temperature tuning I2C interface. The sensor is available range which allows for operation from Regulated output voltage variants and daylight compensation. in a 4.5x4.7mm LGA package, for standard 5V, 9V and 12V system power at 3.0V, 3.3V, 4.15V, 4.4V and 5.0V The AS7225 has an embedded designing into luminaires, light-engines rails with suffi cient overhead to cope are off ered, supporting common tri-stimulus CIE XYZ colour sensor and larger replacement lamps. with supply transients. point-of-load requirements. with direct mapping to the International The device provides precise CCT The dropout voltage is 250mV The AP7380 LDO regulator Commission on Illumination (CIE) tuning direction between confi gured at an output voltage of 5V and load is designed to maintain a room 1931 colour space which is recognised warm and cool white LED strings in a current of 50mA, while the device’s temperature output accuracy of 1.0% as the standard co-ordinate defi nition luminaire. The AS7225 can also be used low quiescent current of 1.8µA under all I/O voltage conditions up to a for human colour perception. looking outward in luminaire designs to minimises standby power and extends maximum rated load current of 150mA. CCT and daylighting tuning provide daylight control.

www.electronicsweekly.com |  April  NEWS PRODUCTS

Sensor bene ts Solid state relay is from larger back-lit pixels

ON Semiconductor has developed its DIN-mountable fi rst CMOS image sensor based on a 2.2μm back-side illuminated pixel Relay off ers high-speed switching with integral heatsink for process control in automation technology. Intended for security and surveillance applications, the AR0521 RICHARD WILSON to 280Vac or 530Vac for 240Vac and is a small optical format of 7.13mm, 480Vac relays respectively. fi ve-megapixel image sensor with an For high-speed switching applications, The relays are available with active pixel array of 2,592x1,944. Switchtec is selling Kudom’s KSV control voltages of 4Vdc-32Vdc or It captures images in either linear series solid state relays (SSR) which are 90Vac-280Vac, dependent on the or high dynamic range (HDR) modes DIN rail-mountable and come with an version selected. with rolling-shutter readout. It also integral heatsink. All types are available with incorporates camera functions such as Intended for use in applications zero-crossing turn-on to minimise binning, windowing, and both video including PLC interface duties and electrical interference, or random and single frame modes. process control in automation, the turn-on for fast switching applications. The device has 8-, 10-, or 12-bit relays are supplied complete with a The 10A, 20A and 30A relay versions outputs and supports video performance built-in heat sink, DIN rail mounts and measure 81x30x110mm,and the 40A at 5MP 60 frames per second (fps) with surface mount clip. version is 120x 50x110mm. a 1,440p mode for 16:9 video. The SSRs have a fast operating time KSV relays are supplied fi tted with The sensor’s low-light performance of 1ms and provide silent switching. a built-in LED that displays the ‘on’ is due to the larger 2.2μm back-side The KSV series is available in four status of the relay when lit. illuminated pixel that offers higher current ratings, 10A, 20A, 30A and 40A The relays can operate in an ambient linear full well and lower noise than a and are suitable for switching loads up temperature range of -30°C to 80°C. smaller pixel. German ARM-based NXP adds IDE for MCUs based computers come to UK on ARM Cortex-M cores NXP Semiconductors has released supporting Freedom, Tower System, German manufacturer Garz & as well as custom HMIs for retail and the MCUXpresso, an integrated LPCXpresso boards and custom Fricke’s range of ARM-based kiosk applications. development environment (IDE) for hardware platforms. single-board-computers (SBCs) and Sascha Ullrich, head of sales at its LPC and Kinetis microcontrollers, This SDK release also adds new human machine interfaces (HMI) Garz & Fricke, believes AndersDX which are based on ARM Cortex-M device support and includes examples are now available in the UK through can help build a strong presence for cores. and project fi les. distributor AndersDX. the German supplier in the UK market. The IDE is intended to make use of The MCUXpresso SDK also now The Garz & Fricke SBCs will be “This partnership gives Garz & Fricke a the capabilities of its MCUXpresso includes support for NXP’s NTAG available with semi customised TFT footprint in the UK, both commercially software development kit (SDK) and I2C Plus connected NFC tag for displays. The boards and drivers are and technically,” said Ullrich. confi guration tools. The Eclipse-based home-automation and consumer specifi ed with standard TFT modules, AndersDX will sell and support framework provides access to new applications. but AndersDX has said it will customise Garz & Fricke embedded computing project wizards and clone projects. It will also soon support the the base design to the requirements platforms in computer-on-modules and The IDE supports full-featured, FRDM-KW41Z board, which adds of each project, by adding toughened SBCs based on ARM9, ARM11 and advanced debugging with unlimited Bluetooth low energy (BLE) v4.2 and glass, thick glass, decorated cover ARM Cortex-A8 architectures. code size and code profi ling in the IEEE 802.15.4 RF connectivity. lenses, extended cover lenses, buttons Open-frame or cased HMI with the free offering. The confi guration environment and other features. SBC pre-integrated with a compatible It adds advanced trace features in offers a pins and clocks tool for The distributor will also sell standard 4.3-inch – 10.4-inch P-CAP touch the professional edition, and preserves dynamic generation of initialisation products, including full turnkey HMIs display will also be available in the UK. existing hardware investments by C code.

  April  | www.electronicsweekly.com

170224_SUPR_EW_UK_QtrPage.indd 1 2/23/17 4:05 PM PRODUCTS NEWS Autonomous vehicle platform collects raw data in real time

EDA tool meets SAE Level standards as it processes sensor data without the need for pre-processing microcontrollers

RICHARD WILSON

Mentor, the EDA design tool fi rm recently acquired by Siemens, has introduced a design platform for automated driving systems. With autonomous vehicles dependent on data from various sensor systems, the platform will capture data in real time from radar, lidar, vision and other sensors. The DRS360 platform has sensing accuracy and overall system effi ciency DRS †‡ – Centralised raw data fusion required for SAE Level 5 autonomous vehicles. It directly transmits unfi ltered information from all system sensors backbones. This architecture also its investment to the automated driving UltraScale+ MPSoC device in the fi rst to a central processing unit, where enables situation-adaptive redundancy technology sector. We look forward generation, while accommodating SoCs raw sensor data is fused in real time and dynamic resolution by using to playing a major role in helping the and safety controllers based on either at all levels. It accepts raw data centralised, unfi ltered sensor data industry realise the massive potential X86- or ARM-based architectures. from the sensors so does not require to ensure enhanced accuracy and and benefi ts of the autonomous pre-processing microcontrollers in reliability. vehicles era.” system sensor nodes. The product’s optimised signal Supplied by Mentor’s automotive The advantage of this is low latency processing software, advanced division, the DRS360 platform has Explore more at: and improved real-time performance. algorithms, and compute-optimised been designed to meet the safety, The system employs data transport neural networks for machine learning cost, power, thermal and emissions techniques to further lower system run on a seamlessly integrated, requirements for deployment in ISO latency by minimising physical bus automotive-grade platform. 26262 ASIL D-compliant systems. electronicsweekly.com/ew-compare structures, hardware interfaces and Wally Rhines, CEO and chairman Data processing at the heart of the complex, time-triggered Ethernet of Mentor, said: “Mentor has extended systems is provided by a Xilinx Zynq

170224_SUPR_EW_UK_QtrPage.indd 1 2/23/17 4:05 PM COMMENT

ElectronicsWeekly th Floor, Davis House, Robert Street, Croydon CR QQ, England. www.electronicsweekly.com RICHARD WILSON, EDITOR

Email addresses name.surname@ metropolis.co.uk

EDITORIAL: 020 8253 8671 G technology is speeding [email protected] Editor: Richard Wilson, 020 8253 8670 Components editor: David Manners, 020 8253 8664 Technology editor: way ahead of its market Steve Bush, 020 8253 8665 Web editor:  Alun Williams, 020 8253 8666 The ‘how’ of G may be clear, but no-one has explained why consumers should care Production editor: Sue Proud, 020 8253 8667 The fi rst operational 5G network could be capacity forecast. He argues that the 5G vision Editorial assistant: working in time for the 2018 Winter Olympics, is fl awed because mobile operators are not Alison Noble, 020 8253 8671 perhaps two years ahead of the anticipated profi table enough to aff ord it. ADVERTISING launch date for the next-generation mobile The eff ort that is being put into developing Commercial director: communications technology. the 60GHz radio transmission and 500MHz Steven Ray, 020 8253 8652 Senior account manager: The core technologies for 5G wireless radio channel bandwidth has not been matched Hara Tsakona, 020 8253 8649 networks – millimetre-wave transmission by a similar eff ort to explain what 5G services Senior account manager: Ninica Hussain, 020 8253 8651 and massive MIMO radio transmission – are will off er the mobile market. So it is not Production designer: coming to fruition faster than was anticipated surprising that fi nancially-pressed mobile Victoria Heath, 020 8253 8655 just a few years ago. So big has been the focus operators are not jumping at the opportunity to Recruitment manager: Mohamed Shaikh, 020 8253 8690 on 5G that it looks like being ready before the plan their investment for 5G networks. Ad ops executive: long-established 2020 launch target. Operators in Europe think there is too much Tori Neburagho, 020 8253 2104 Publisher: The problem is that the market may not EC-inspired downward pressure on prices, Josh Brooks, 020 8253 8657 be ready for 5G. In his book, The 5G Myth, too many operators and too much regulation. Managing director: wireless comms expert professor William Webb Mega-investment for 5G does not look all that Nick Stimpson, 020 8253 8695 says that rather than heralding a huge mobile attractive to them. Especially so as they are not CIRCULATION: UK SUBSCRIPTIONS advance, users will simply not value the higher yet sure what 5G will give the mobile business One year UK £102; Europe £133. Rest of the data rates promised and will not need the higher which is diff erent and better than 4G. world £165; USA £140; and Canada £152. Remittance required with subscription order to Electronics Weekly Subscriptions, Abacus e-Media, email: metropolis@abacusemedia. com. Apply for a free copy at: www.electronicsweekly.com THE BIG PICTURE

Registered at the Post O ce as a newspa- per. ISSN 0013-5224. Electronics Weekly is There’s no escaping Lego these published by Metropolis Business Media (part days. Crazy Circuits is currently of Metropolis International Group Ltd, address crowdfunding its Lego (and above). BPA audited. Electronics Weekly is a Arduino)-compatible modular trademark of Metropolis International Group Ltd. electronics ‘learning platform’ on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter. Designed to work on top of the plastic bricks, they can enable children’s creations to shine, move, and make noise. You can also program sketches for Arduino operation. The kit includes conductive tape, conductive thread and conductive inks and paints for paper and material cra• .

  April  | www.electronicsweekly.com COMMENT

MANNERISMS TWEETS OF THE WEEK

HRH @TheDukeOfYork Getting horizontal turned offi cially opens @theamrc Factory ­, on Sheffi eld’s Advanced Manufacturing Campus http://bit.ly/p0qh­V out to be good for business @TheAMRC  Ten years ago there was a lively debate about whether companies needed their own fabs

Today the vertical versus horizontal De-verticalising is a strategy to work German car industry to limit debate about the right approach to the with the best partners in the supply automotive OBD interface access to when car is stationary. technology industry has been decided in chain,” he said. Should improve security. favour of horizontal, but 10 years ago it He dismissed the Japanese @WilliamMarshal was still very much a current issue. predilection for the vertical model, In 2007, NXP – the re-named Philips saying simply: “There are some Semiconductors which had recently companies in Japan that are behind in been spun out of Philips – was run by terms of outsourcing.” Have you ever wondered Frans van Houten, now CEO of Philips. He insisted: “De-verticalisation what it’s like to work in the “Most consumer electronics doesn’t stop our customers from space industry? companies are de-verticalising working interactively on what is @SatAppsCatapult their supply chains”, said van defi ning the silicon.” Houten back in 2007. “Selectively Another surprising attitude, for an de-verticalising the supply chain means Van Houten made the right call in  IDM, is that van Houten didn’t believe % of people will live in Philips Semiconductors works with that having its own fabs necessarily urban areas by œ. Here de-verticalised customers to make the gave Philips Semiconductors an edge in some #futurecities scenarios: chips,” he said. leaders saw their vertical business the market. “Pure CMOS technology is https://youtu.be/uZRHPIL¢mLc This contrasted with the position model as being inherently superior more and more of a commodity which #SmartUrbanFutures #smartcities of the Japanese. “How you make the when it came to consumer electronics to does not necessarily give competitive @Catapult_UK product attractive to consumers in terms the horizontal business model of the US advantage,” he said. “We invest in of features and quality decides the companies, which bought components process technology, and it’s important competitiveness of the product,” said from a host of suppliers and assembled to have access to process technology, Satoru Ito, at that time president and them anywhere in the world. but it’s not important that we .@verizon launches CEO of Renesas. “That is more suited Ten years ago, van Houten was manufacture the products ourselves.” industry’s ¥ rst LTE-M nationwide #IoT network. Read to the integrated vertical business model inclining to the American view. “I And that is the way the world more in this #ConnectedLiving of the Japanese companies,” he said. strongly believe that you need to work went, while much of the Japanese blog Ito and other Japanese chip industry with suppliers that are best in class. semiconductor industry disappeared. http://gsma.at/OdRzVN @GSMA Simplicity is key to clarifying node-naming mess

“Let’s clear up the node naming mess,” A simpler approach might be to name and he explains things simply. In 1965 Read all about it Intel’s process guru Mark Bohr has a process after its minimum feature Moore said: “The complexity for Keep up to date with all our blogs said. He proposes a density metric size. The features on Intel’s 10nm minimum component cost has increased at Electronicsweekly.com Gordon Moore would have approved of process measure: at a rate of roughly a factor of two per – the number of transistors per square  34nm fi n pitch year.” Nice and simple. millimetre. Nice and simple.  53nm fi n height Intel quoted it this month as: ‘The Join the discussion But then Bohr goes on to add  36nm minimum metal pitch number of transistors and resistors @ElectronicsNews ‘weighting factors’ and comes up with a  272nm cell height on a chip doubles every 24 months.” #ElectronicsNews formula for measuring transistor density  54nm gate pitch. The change in timing is OK, Moore /ElectronicsWeekly which is not simple: Nothing there about anything acknowledged that later on, but why 0.6xNAND2 Tr Count + measuring 10nm. does a marketing department make up a Electronics Weekly Group 0.4x Scan Flip Flop Tr Count Gordon Moore was a much greater quotation from its co-founder? It seems = number of transistors/mm2. scientist than anyone Intel has today, pointless and it discredits Intel.

www.electronicsweekly.com |  April  ­ OBITUARY Ikutaro Kakehashi, creator of drum machine that de ned decades of electronic music

 The electronic music pioneer and founder of Roland, Ikutaro Kakehashi, has died at the age of 

Ikutaro Kakehashi, the engineer in 2013. MIDI protocols defi ne the and founder of Roland whose drum digital interface and connectors that machines defi ned the rhythm of much allow muscal instruments and eff ects of the electronic music of the past 40 generators to communicate with years, has died aged 87. computers. Kakehashi, who started Roland Kakehashi was born in Osaka in 1972, was the creator of drum and began his career in electronics machines that delivered the beats and repairing electronic organs in the tones that became central to the sound 1950s, while running an electrical of hip-hop and electronic music. appliance shop. His technology was used by artists Smith told the BBC he “was just an from the Beastie Boys and Run DMC amazing man, a good friend, a very to Portishead, the Prodigy and Kanye good competitor, of course, and just West. innovative continually all that time”. The TR-, which launched in €, was one of the first programmable drum machines In 1960 he founded Ace Electronics Slave to the rhythm no more Industries, or Ace Tone, which built Arguably his most famous drum electronic organs, drum machines, machine was the iconic TR-808. and being discontinued in 1983 after 808s and Heartbreak paid tribute to eff ects pedals and amplifi ers. Its Launched in 1980, the analogue only 12,000 units were manufactured, the machine (see box). FR-1 Rhythm Ace machine, which TR-808 was one of the earliest it developed a cult following for the Kakehashi was also a co-inventor featured four buttons to manually play programmable drum machines, new sounds it off ered which were of the MIDI (musical instrument each drum sound – cymbal, claves, allowing users to create their own completely synthesised rather than digital interface) standard in the early cowbell and bass drum – was adopted rhythms rather than being limited to being based on samples. 1980s with Dave Smith of Sequential by Hammond Organ Company to be using preprogrammed presets. A particular favourite was its deep Circuits, a development that earned incorporated into its range of home Despite being a commercial failure bass drum. Kanye West’s 2008 album them both a Technical Grammy Award organs. In 1972, Kakehashi founded Roland Corporation in Osaka. The company went on to develop a huge range of electronic musical Getting inside the TR drum synthesiser instruments under the Roland brand; professional video, audio and I thought I had already written computer music equipment under the about the bass (‘kick’) V-MODA brand; and guitar equipment drum synthesiser in under the BOSS brand. the Roland TR808 Kakehashi retired from Roland in but, searching the 2013, leaving behind him a company Electronics Weekly with factories across the world and archive, I can’t  nd it, decaying more than 2,500 employees. writes our Engineer in trigger sine wave Wonderland blogger. pulse The music world and fellow Hearing of the engineers have paid tribute to death of its inventor, Kakehashi, who died on 1 April. Ikutaro Kakehashi, Writing on Facebook, Roland reminded me of it again. The particular kick drum sound is heard on many famous synth-band tracks, and developer Tommy Snyder, who the band ‘808 State’ took its name from the machine. worked with Kakehashi for 38 The circuit is essentially an op-amp with a bridge-T  lter in its feedback loop (see years, said: “He was a super funny, diagram). Ikutaro Kakehashi’s memoir, I believe in wonderful and gifted human being, In the Roland design, it is a bit more complex – Mr Google will  nd you a full music, was published in  to mark the and his contributions to the musical circuit, like this one. ‘th anniversary of the founding of the instrument world, and music, touched Roland Corporation millions of people worldwide.”

  April  | www.electronicsweekly.com BLOGS COMMENT

ENGINEER IN WONDERLAND GADGET MASTER Imagine Blue Graphene desalination  lter winners take on  Manchester University has claimed a way of manipulating graphene to give it a new role IoT challenge As reverse-osmosis desalination membranes already exist, I was keen We fl agged the launch of the Bluetooth to hear what was new about the SIG ‘Imagine Blue’ competition to Manchester University announcement reward innovative use of Bluetooth that its researchers had made a technology. Well, the prizes have now graphene desalination membrane. been awarded. Graphene oxide has been mooted as a The winners of the competition fi ltering material, but it cannot fi lter out aimed to “champion the next generation small molecules like dissolved sodium of internet of things (IoT) innovations”, chloride because the ‘holes’ are too big were announced at Bluetooth World – particularly because they expand a bit 2017, in Santa Clara. in a water environment. Cassia Networks won the prototype Looking at the abstract of the category for a Telehealth system research paper, ‘Tunable sieving of that connects the Cassia Bluetooth ions using graphene oxide membranes’ router with smart medical equipment, in Nature Nanotechnology, the to provide “a more eff ective and breakthrough seems to be that the automated IoT telehealth solution for researchers have found a way to stop at-home care”. the expansion. The router collects vital signs and “The developed membranes are not other data from a medical device only useful for desalination, but the connected via Bluetooth to the Cassia atomic scale tunability of the pore size router and securely forwards it to also opens new opportunity to fabricate a service provider’s cloud server. membranes with on-demand fi ltration According to the SIG, this enables capable of fi ltering out ions according remote patient monitoring in real-time, to their sizes,” said researcher Jijo reducing costs to both patients and Abraham. providers, while improving patient It looks like it is necessary to know compliance and overall patient care. that dissolved salt molecules travel Water is forced sideways through the filtering structure The company was presented with a around with a shell of water molecules, $10,000 cash prize. which is what I think Manchester “We found that 99% of smart medical is talking about when it calls them 1.35nm of the laminates swollen in given that it is hundreds of psi for devices use Bluetooth technology, so ‘hydrated’. water. existing membranes, and pumping this we created the Telehealth Solution to The fi ltering structure is layers of With physical confi nement [provided is what makes the process so energy give patients a plug-and-play solution graphene oxide 100μm thick (prepared by the epoxy layers] this 1.35nm can intensive? for in-home monitoring while giving by fi ltering fl akes) with alternating be adjusted to between 0.98nm and Manchester’s answer, according healthcare providers an unprecedented layers of epoxy – the epoxy provides 0.64nm, says the abstract. to the paper, is that “modelling of ability to manage thousands of devices the necessary ‘physical confi nement’. With these, ion permeation is practically relevant fi ltration processes from one centralised interface,” said Water is forced sideways through thermally activated with energy barriers shows that an increase in water Felix Zhao, founder and CEO of Cassia the fi ltering structure, fl owing parallel of between 10kJ/mol and 100kJ/mol – permeation rates above the rates Networks. to the epoxy layers sideways through depending on layer spacing. currently achieved (between 2 and Sara Du was named winner of the graphene oxide fl akes – so it is not “We demonstrate a simple scalable 3litre/m2×h×bar) would not contribute the student category, for her Bluejay passing through layers of graphene, method to obtain graphene-based greatly to the overall effi ciency of system, receiving a $5,000 cash but fi nding its way along its surface, membranes with limited swelling, desalination”. prize. Bluejay transmits a survivor’s squeezing between fl akes. The thickness which exhibit 97% rejection for NaCi,”  How easy it is for the more-salty location via Bluetooth, from a mobile of this edge-on fi lter was 4mm. say the researchers in the abstract. water to get out of the membrane app, to drones sent out by emergency According to the paper’s abstract, As reverse-osmosis equipment backwards (its anti-clogging responders during natural disaster or graphene oxide membranes usually already exists, I wonder: characteristic)? other crisis, making search and rescue have a permeation cutoff of 0.9nm,  How much pressure is needed to  Do the components last long? missions more effi cient, helping to save determined by inter-layer spacing of force salty water through the process,  Can it be made cheaply enough? more lives and reduce operating costs.

www.electronicsweekly.com | ­ April €‚ƒ ‚ƒ COMMENT Build failsafes into the supply chain  Product recalls in the consumer electronics sector are likely to increase, causing damage to the industry, warns Mark Waterman FREE webinar 23 May News of the next product recall in the identifying those parts most likely consumer electronics sector is never to pose function or safety risks and far away. Recent examples, such as the Manufacturers concentrating checks in these areas. problems that led to the withdrawal 10:00am (BST) of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7, have should prioritise Supply chain tarnished the reputation of some the supplier Another common mistake is neglecting much-respected global brands. This assessment to look beyond the fi rst tier of the trend is likely to increase and has the supply chain. While it can be tempting potential to destroy companies and process for manufacturers to transfer risk to damage burgeoning industry sectors. suppliers and sub-contractors, in reality 100% X-ray solder joint inspection Historically, the implications of “ this risk simply becomes less visible. electronic product failure were limited Manufacturers can avoid unseen risks to a small number of customers being by adopting a holistic and collaborative vs inconvenienced, a minimal increase Sales of Samsung’s approach to preventing product failure. in operational costs and possibly Galaxy S took a hit last year This should involve acquiring in-depth Sample in-process some minor brand-value erosion. after battery problems caused understanding of how risk aff ects each Manufacturers traditionally focused phones to explode – consumer part of the supply chain, as well as on reducing the probability of failures confidence in the product now ensuring that suppliers appreciate the occurring by ensuring tight control of seems to be restored bigger picture by including them early manufacturing processes. Best practice in the design process. is to avoid transferring risk to suppliers To ensure that operations remain You will learn about: and instead to control the quality of commercially viable it is vital that multiple tiers of the supply chain. The rules of the game are changing in preventing costly operational manufacturers seek to foster a balance • Their advantages & disadvantages In traditional safety-critical and anyone who manufactures disruption. Since the problems with between quality and cost. By clearly industries, such as aerospace and consumer electronics that have the batteries overheating occurred the stating their priorities from the start of • Economic impact defence, subassemblies are thoroughly potential to cause harm should assume manufacturer has faced criticism for commercial negotiations and conducting stress-tested before being approved that the worst case failure will happen passing the blame to its suppliers. suffi cient due diligence, companies can • Technical requirements for use. But in consumer electronics at some point. Autocratic buyer behaviour could have avoid a lack of compliance with quality the customer undertakes most of this The legal, fi nancial and brand a part to play in this. standards. • Implementation testing when the product is in use. It has implications of failure will all become The fi rm’s approach also reveals The race to market in the consumer always been cheaper to replace a few more of an issue, so assuming the gaps in the quality-assurance processes electronics industry is here to stay. • Which one would suit you best defective devices than to thoroughly inevitability of failure and focusing and general supply chain control. While This pressure to launch, combined with test each one before sale. eff orts on mitigation – alongside it is easy to blame suppliers after the the unrealistic nature of high-volume While it is easy to assume that prevention – has become crucial. event, it is important to remember stress-testing, means manufacturers product failures are the result of quality that from a consumer’s perspective must adopt a new approach to design, control slip-ups in the manufacturing Graceful degradation responsibility for product quality quality control and supply chain process, they are increasingly likely to Design strategies are necessary to ultimately lies with the brand owner. management, which assumes some be due to faults occurring where new mitigate the impact of product failure To ensure a ‘quality-fi rst’ culture, degree of failure from the start. products are pushing the envelope of to the user. For example, in the Airbus manufacturers should prioritise The ability to communicate good current knowledge and capabilities. 330/340 fl ight control system, this the supplier assessment process, mitigation strategies to consumers could Book your FREE place now Software and hardware complexity, is achieved by replicating sensors, ensuring that manufacturing policies become a strategic diff erentiator, or a new technologies being commercialised computers and actuators and providing and processes are appropriate to the vital defence tool in legal proceedings. electronicsweekly.com/#GoepelSolderJoint for the fi rst time and shortening ‘graceful degradation’ in the event of product’s risk profi le and the volume development cycles will test the ability a system failure. In a degraded state, being produced. to design in low failure-rates. essential facilities remain available, While it goes without saying that So what if one in every one million allowing the pilot to safely fl y and land manufacturers should aim to stay close About the author devices fails? The higher energy the aircraft. to suppliers whenever possible, it is demands of mobile devices and the A similar approach needs to be important to understand which partners Mark Waterman connectivity of household goods to adopted for consumer products. are mission-critical. Companies like is a consultant at the internet of things will signifi cantly While a successful mitigation Samsung will have tens of thousands of supply chain  rm, increase the social and business impact strategy assumes failure, the Samsung suppliers and a detailed audit of each Vendigital of failure events – people are inevitably case also highlights the importance one is probably unrealistic. A smarter going to get hurt in the process. of eff ective supply chain control application of resources would involve

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Book your FREE place now electronicsweekly.com/#GoepelSolderJoint HIGH RELIABILITY Power supply design and the art of thermal engineering  Effi cient power supply design can reduce over-heating which can limit product lifetime in high-rel systems, writes Martin Brabham

When it comes to reliability in away from critical components. Using electronics heat is the enemy, as much techniques derived from computational for power supplies as the rest of the fl uid dynamics, the power supply and system. One way to see this is to use the its components are represented as a ‘Arrhenius equation’ which shows how 3D mesh of elements that generate and much excess thermal energy aff ects absorb heat from the PCB or the air. Rugged components withstand heat, shock & vibration lifetime: each 10°C rise in temperature This requires expertise and experience. reduces the average lifetime of an The mesh must be tuned to concentrate electronic device roughly by half. on critical areas of the design and on The combination of high ratings for heat, shock and vibration, with ruggedised Anything you can do to mitigate components that are most likely to heat production and to channel it away aff ect thermal behaviour. Calibration to performance ensures long life and high reliability in down-hole and rail applications. from the system will pay off in product real-world conditions is also important lifetime. So power supply design plays to make sure the simulation is accurate. Wet tantalum capacitors Power supplies an important role in minimising thermal Conversely, heat can be useful in • Shock up to 100g, vibration up to 50g • EN50155-qualifi ed DC/DC converters: 14 to 2000W problems. some parts of the power supply. In • Up to x6 energy density of CLR81 (MIL-C-39006/25) • Encapsulated DC-DC converters to IP65/67 many diodes that handle high power • Standard C and D case sizes • RIA12 Front-end modules Strategy levels the forward resistance drops with Chris Leek Thermal mitigation strategies range an increase in temperature. If heat is • Temperature range of -55 to +125°C • High DC-input converters: 450 to 1100VDC Power Specialist from system-level design and directed over these diodes, effi ciency • Reduces the size and [email protected] integration techniques to the circuit Computational  uid dynamics allow heat  ow in a system to be modelled will go up. Channelling heat away from weight of end-product topology used by the power supply capacitors will improve lifetime. itself – this matters because it feeds Heating eff ects also play into directly into heat generation. A 250W the current drops to zero and the switch Stay cool component selection. The eff ective power supply that operates at full load can be turned off again ready for the Although the use of high-effi ciency series resistance (ESR) has an impact with an effi ciency of 85% will dissipate next cycle. During the switching phase, power supply design reduces the heating on power-handling capacitors, leading Aluminium electrolytic capacitors Hydraulic magnetic circuit breakers more than 44W in heat: one just 5% the voltage can change rapidly and eff ect, some is inevitable and needs to to the production of excess waste heat. • Capacitance to 6,300µF • Flexible confi guration options include: more effi cient will waste 16W less. this can cause coupling to gate-drive be directed out of the system. In most Those parts of the circuit will favour • Up to 28A ripple, RMS, continuous load Handles, terminations, auxiliary contacts One of the most eff ective ways circuitry through the power transistor’s applications, convection conveys much low-ESR capacitors or using multiple • Up to 160,000 hours lifetime at 80°C • Wide choice of current ratings for AC and to improve effi ciency is to move to Miller capacitance, which slows down of the excess thermal energy. capacitors to reduce the overall ESR. DC voltages resonant or quasi-resonant topologies. the switching process. Forced-air cooling – usually driven Armed with information from thermal • Up to 2000 hours lifetime at 150°C Rail approvals include: BS6853 (UK), NF F 16-101 The resonance makes it possible to High-power circuits based on by fans – helps the convection process simulation and accurate models of heat • Minimal heat generation • (France), DD CEN/TS 45545-2 (Europe) switch active components when little insulated-gate bipolar transistors but it typically adds noise and takes generation in the supply, an engineering • Low ESR electrolyte/paper system or no current or voltage is present, (IGBTs) rather than fi eld-eff ect up more space in the design. Without team can make intelligent trade-off s. Standard approvals: UL, CSA, VDE, CE, UL489/A, Jeff Gurr • Voltage range: 25 to 63VDC • Electromechanical Product Specialist which reduces both stress and switching transistors (FETs) suff er more from tail forced-air cooling, careful design of Simulation cannot account for every UL 1500, CCC [email protected] losses. currents when switched off – which heatsinks and component placement can eventuality, but reliability can be • Polarised all-welded design There is no one-size-fi ts-all answer favours the ZCS strategy. ensure good convection performance. maintained during thermal excursions for deploying resonant topologies. A zero-voltage switching (ZVS) Conduction is a secondary avenue caused by external factors. Zero-current switching (ZCS), supply rearranges the passive for heat removal and is a primary for example, tends to be used in components, better suiting FET-based consideration in space-constrained high-power applications. At the start circuits. designs. The high copper content of a of each cycle, charge fl ows into a The topology allows current to fl ow PCB and the metal of an enclosure can About the author capacitor in the resonant fi lter and its fi rst into an inductor then, when the both be harnessed to provide good paths voltage rises towards a maximum. The switch feeding the inductor is turned for heat fl ow. Martin Brabham is circuit is then switched to allow the off , the energy fl ows into the resonant Simulation provides information managing director at energy stored in the capacitor to transfer capacitor. The switching events occur about how heat will build up in a Stadium Stontronics www.charcroft.com/HeatShockVibration to an inductor in the output stage until as the voltage approaches zero. system design and can be directed Email: [email protected] Tel: 01591 610408 Passives, power, interconnect, emech and more Roger Tall   April  | www.electronicsweekly.com Passives, Hi-rel Semis & Opto Specialist Knowledge of yesterday Looking after today Supporting tomorrow. [email protected]

Char-EW.HeatShockVibration 4.17.indd 1 19/04/17 16:52 Rugged components withstand heat, shock & vibration

The combination of high ratings for heat, shock and vibration, with ruggedised performance ensures long life and high reliability in down-hole and rail applications.

Wet tantalum capacitors Power supplies • Shock up to 100g, vibration up to 50g • EN50155-qualified DC/DC converters: 14 to 2000W • Up to x6 energy density of CLR81 (MIL-C-39006/25) • Encapsulated DC-DC converters to IP65/67 • Standard C and D case sizes • RIA12 Front-end modules • Temperature range of -55 to +125°C • High DC-input converters: Chris Leek 450 to 1100VDC Power Specialist • Reduces the size and [email protected] weight of end-product

Aluminium electrolytic capacitors Hydraulic magnetic circuit breakers • Capacitance to 6,300μF • Flexible configuration options include: • Up to 28A ripple, RMS, continuous load Handles, terminations, auxiliary contacts • Up to 160,000 hours lifetime at 80°C • Wide choice of current ratings for AC and • Up to 2000 hours lifetime at 150°C DC voltages • Minimal heat generation • Rail approvals include: BS6853 (UK), NF F 16-101 (France), DD CEN/TS 45545-2 (Europe) • Low ESR electrolyte/paper system Standard approvals: UL, CSA, VDE, CE, UL489/A, Jeff Gurr Voltage range: 25 to 63VDC • Electromechanical Product Specialist • UL 1500, CCC • Polarised all-welded design [email protected]

www.charcroft.com/HeatShockVibration

Email: [email protected] Tel: 01591 610408 Passives, power, interconnect, emech and more Roger Tall Passives, Hi-rel Semis & Opto Specialist Knowledge of yesterday Looking after today Supporting tomorrow. [email protected] Images: Shutterstock  Skill seekers SKILLS requires –aworkforceofconsiderable it isnosurprisethatemploys–and contributes £80bntotheeconomy, so electronics industryintheUK Recent researchsuggeststhatthe The thesector of state global marketplace? remains acompetitiveplayerinthis employers dotoensurethattheUK acute, andwhatcantheindustry have neverbeensoimportant. effective talentmanagementstrategies the UKhasleftEuropeanUnion, long-term availabilityoflabouronce talent thatisavailableinthemarket. stand everychanceofsecuringthe value propositiontoensurethatthey heavily intheiremployeeandapplicant but theyarealsohavingtoinvest having tosourcestaff fromoverseas, enough talentinthemarket. fact remainsthattheresimplyisn’t opportunities forprofessionals–the employers –alloffering myriad home tosomeofthemostcutting-edge Despite theelectronicsindustrybeing

So wherearetalentshortagesmost As worriesincreaseaboutthe Not onlyareemployersincreasingly Ben Hall Ben writes thecurrent inlightof needfor skills, are amust managementstrategies Newtalent

A pril  | www.electronicsweekly.com scale. Thanks to rapid technological initiative isimperative–wherebythe ongoing initiativestoaddressthis. statistic, giventhattherehavebeen engineers eachyear–aworrying the UKhasashortfallofatleast20,000 a significant problemformanyyears. is notanewphenomenon–ithasbeen The factthatthereisalackofengineers Where talent? isthehome-grown of talentforaslongIcanremember. too aware,hasbeenplaguedbyadearth engineering field which,asweareall the board. in turn,hasresultedashortageacross have simplyneverexistedbefore. This, result someoftheskillsetsindemand technologically advancedandasa services arebecomingincreasingly evolving landscape–productsand diverse, butalsohardtocomeby. sets acrosstheindustryarenotonly and demandingconsumerbase,theskill advances andanincreasinglymature First andforemost,a‘getthemearly’ Perhaps the answer, then, is two-fold. In factrecentresearchsuggeststhat This isparticularlythecasein This iscompoundedbyanever field ofengineering is promotedat an earlierstage education who to thosein vocational subjects–whichcan,after degree toenterthefield. route ofstudyingforauniversity engineers havetotakethetraditional open oureyestotherealitythatnotall I wouldargue thatwealsoneedto Looking atalternatives own engineeringpopulation. vital ifwearetoincreasetheUK’s successful menandwomenisclearly the engineeringworkforce. who, atpresent,makeuponly10%of engineers willneedtoincludefemales engineering arenaismaledominated. young women.Itisnosecretthatthe the field ofengineeringtogirlsand encourage considerationofcareersin to pursueacareerinthefield. physics andmaths–thattheywillneed chosen the necessary subjects – suchas too lateifthepupilinquestionhasnot are admirable,buttheyarguably career routetheywishtotake. have, crucially, notyetdecided what If theUKcanputagreaterfocuson The useofrolemodelsboth Any drivetoproducemore Second, andjustasimportant,isto Initiatives aimedat A-level students all, beappropriate for pupilswho either don’t want to “ females will needto target more engineers A drive to produce We needto encourage more women to see more women to see engineering as a engineering asa challenge worth challenge worth taking on taking SKILLS

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Demand for engineers is ramping up in automotive and semiconductors Continuing Professional Development

In the automotive arena there is a huge Semiconductor engineers are requirement for talent in the connected in short supply, although the vehicle sector. The huge advances in the sector components are essential to Short courses for have transformed the traditional car into a most modern devices technology-led machine. professionals in: The intrinsic devices which make this up – from the infotainment systems to the diagnostic and safety features – all require the skills of engineers who are increasingly sought by car EMC & SIGNAL manufacturers in this highly competitive arena. INTEGRITY Another area where demand is simply outstripping the supply of engineers is across the Signal and Power semiconductor industry. This is perhaps not surprising when we look at Integrity, EMC, ESD, the number of semiconductor components used High-Speed in devices taken for granted in everyday life. You would be hard–pressed to ­ nd a technological device And as demand only increases for these sophisticated Electronics Design – from a smartphone, TV or audio equipment to smart devices from both consumers and businesses, the meters and LED lighting – where semiconductors don’t form production and design of these intricate semiconductors is the essential core. only going to gain pace. ELECTRONICS

RF/Microwave Design, go through university or cannot – we Eff ective talent management to return to work after a career break, Antenna Design, would open the doors to a much larger While ensuring that the UK produces for example. Digital Signal Processing, talent pool in the long run. enough home-grown engineers is one By fi ne-tuning not only the benefi ts Programmes such as the thing, it is also crucial that employers available to each segment of a target RF PCB Design government’s recently announced should be in a position to attract – and workforce, but also the way the T-levels – proposing technical retain – the talent that is in the market best people are found and how to qualifi cations for students aged over already. communicate with them, organisations 16 – not only target pupils at a younger In years gone by, savvy organisations can put themselves one step ahead of DIGITAL age when they are making decisions placed a great emphasis on creating a the competition. about their future job prospects, credible employee value proposition An aging population, the risk ENGINEERING but can also encourage the (EVP) to ensure that staff were engaged that Brexit poses to the freedom take-up of engineering to and motivated. of movement of workers and the PCB Design, Power a demographic that has In today’s market, fi rms need ever-changing customer base all lead Distribution Design, previously been both to have a strong EVP and to a market where the competition for excluded from also simultaneously to invest in an talent in the electronics industry cannot High Frequency the workforce. applicant value proposition (AVP). be won without eff ective and ongoing Measurements An eff ective AVP crucially talent management strategies. identifi es the motivators The success of businesses will and aspirations of each therefore rely on making sure that they target demographic, have the right people in the right place TELECOMS, as well as the best and at the right time. SATCOMS, communication methods for each. DATA SCIENCE Messages used to attract About the author 5G System Design, millennials and LTE-Advanced, Generation Z will Ben Hall is managing be a far cry from consultant at Satcoms, those required recruitment consultancy Data Science for IoT to target female MRL Group engineers looking WWW.CONTED.OX.AC.UK/E-T17

T: +44(0)1865 286 958 www.electronicsweekly.com |  April   E: [email protected] 6 December Grosvenor House Hotel London Elektra Awards now open for entries It is time to enter the industry’s largest technology and business awards: the Elektra European Electronics Industry Awards . You could see your company’s technical and business achievements recognised and presented to an international audience at a glamorous dinner, which will take place on 6 December 2017 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London. The closing date for entries is 2 June 2017. The entry process is straightforward and designed to be as speedy as possible. Entries will be judged on their merits by a panel of independent judges. Please take a few minutes to enter via the Electronics Weekly website at www.elektraawards.co.uk

Excellence in Design Engineers of the Future This group of Elektra awards will celebrate the best achievements of practising This group of Elektra Awards celebrates the achievement and contribution of design engineers in developing market-specifi c end products. young engineers, students and the academic research community. This award category will recognise outstanding achievement in the design of a product which has made a signifi cant impact in its market. Educational Support Award sponsored by Mentor Graphics All elements of the design described in the entry – hardware architecture, This award will be presented to a company which demonstrates a commitment software and system integration – will be considered by the judges. Entries to the education of engineers of the future by providing support to schools, can highlight the use of individual technologies or the overall system design to colleges and universities. achieve outstanding performance criteria in the application. These awards are open to component suppliers and end-product OEMs which Rising Star, New Engineer of the Year sponsored by Power Integrations carried out part of the product development in Europe. Electronics Weekly is looking for a talented young engineer in their fi rst fi ve years in the industry. Companies and universities can enter candidates for this Three awards will be presented: award who demonstrate a high level of practical skill and ambition which is Excellence in Design – Medical contributing to the business. Excellence in Design – Automotive Excellence in Design – High-reliability systems University Research Award – Online Vote sponsored by RS Components Ltd In this category visitors to the Electronics Weekly website will be invited to Design Team of the Year sponsored by BWW Communications select the university research project which they feel will make the largest This award category is open to OEMs and design houses involved in product impact on the commercial market in the next fi ve years. A shortlist of research development projects. Entries should include the description of a project that has projects will be selected by the editor. been active during the past 12 months. The projects can emphasise the hardware element, the software element or a combination of the two.

Sponsored by:

24  April  | www.electronicsweekly.com ELEKTRA

Business Awards Distributor of the Year The Elektra Awards promotes exceptional business practice This award category is open to companies that derive most of their revenues from the sale of components, systems or software products which are manufactured by Company of the Year their principals. They must have business operations in the UK. Company of the Year will be chosen from among the winners of each of the individual categories. Manufacturer of the Year (Entries are NOT invited for this award) Manufacturers – OEMs, sub-contractors and EMS companies with operations in the UK – are eligible to enter for this award. Lifetime Achievement Award This is a special award presented by Electronics Weekly to an individual who, New Company of the Year in our opinion, has made a signifi cant contribution to electronics, technology or Venture fund or privately fi nanced design or manufacturing or distribution business in Europe. companies which have set up operations in Europe in the past fi ve years can enter (Entries are NOT invited for this award) for this award.

Product Technologies Semiconductor Product of the Year – Digital The Elektra Awards promotes exceptional technical innovation This award will be presented for a digital semiconductor IC where the digital element is the main differentiating function, that demonstrates technical Design Tools and Development Software Award sponsored by Swindon Silicon capabilities and usefulness which differentiate it from competitor products and has Systems been introduced in the past 12 months. This award will be presented for the software design tool, application or software IP introduced in the past 12 months that demonstrates technical capabilities and LED Lighting Product of the Year usefulness which differentiate it from competitor products. This award will be presented for a semiconductor lighting product which demonstrates technical capabilities and usefulness which differentiate it from Passive & Electromechanical Product of Year competitor products and has been introduced in the past 12 months. Eligible This award will be presented for the passive or electromechanical component which products are LEDs, lighting modules, luminaires and driver ICs. demonstrates technical capabilities and usefulness that differentiate it from competitor products. Test Product of the Year This award will be won by a test instrument or system that demonstrates technical Power System Product of the Year capabilities and usefulness which differentiate it from competitor products and This award will be presented for the power product which demonstrates technical has been introduced in the past 12 months. capabilities and usefulness that differentiate it from competitor products. Eligible product types are DC-DC or AC-DC power modules; open, closed and encapsulated Internet of Things Product Innovation Award sponsored by Micron Europe Ltd power supplies; power ICs; and discrete power components. This award will be presented for a semiconductor reference design or system level product which best demonstrates technical capabilities and usefulness of the Renewable Energy Design Award internet of things (IoT). Eligible products must provide some element of the IoT This award will be presented for a system or component product which can be used – wireless communications, security, storage or user applications, and the product in the development of renewable energy systems such as solar, wind, tidal or energy must have been introduced in the past 12 months. harvesting systems and components. Eligible products will include hardware/software systems or semiconductor products. Consumer Product Innovation of the Year – Online vote The internet makes us aware of impressive consumer product innovations from Semiconductor Product of the Year – Analogue around the world. In this category visitors to the Electronics Weekly website are This award will be presented for an analogue or mixed-signal semiconductor product invited to select the consumer electronic product innovation which they feel which demonstrates technical capabilities and usefulness which differentiate it from makes the most inspirational use of technology. A shortlist of products will be competitor products and has been introduced in the past 12 months. selected by the editor.

How To Enter Key dates All entries should be submitted through  Product name and part number entered, or project name  Closing date – 16 June 2017 www.elektraawards.co.uk. Please ensure you have entered (where applicable).  Shortlist announcement thoroughly checked the categories and criteria page before  A supporting statement of no more than 500 words which – 6 September 2017 entering into the awards, to make sure you are eligible to should explain why you believe this entry is worthy of an  Elektra Awards ceremony and enter. Do you have all the relevant information to hand award. The supporting statement should highlight factors party – 6 December 2017 before you begin? Ensure you have the following ready which differentiate the performance of the product, company, before advancing. Your entry should include: university, or individual and should include information  Name and contact details of entering company, university relevant to the category and related to the judging criteria or individual. (see each category criteria for more information).  If submitted by a representing agency, name and contact  At least one high resolution image ( resolution 300dpi, in a details of the agency. .jpg or EPS format). www.elektraawards.co.uk

www.electronicsweekly.com |  April  25 ARCHIVE Life of H J Round Part : the era of broadcasting

 This is the conclusion of an article by W J Baker of the Marconi Company, published by Electronics Weekly on 18 and ­ May €, celebrating the life of H J Round, the British engineer who, a century ago, helped to invent what became electronics

Probably the most signifi cant single event in the history of radio communication was the discovery that the thermionic triode valve could act as a generator of continuous radio waves, and could therefore provide, among other things, a carrier wave for telephony. This forward stride was made in 1913-14 (curiously enough, two years alter the eff ect had been noted in a semiconductor by Dr Eccles). It may seem remarkable, in view of the fact that the mode valve had already been in existence for fi ve or six years, that the discovery of its oscillatory properties had not been made by accident, that is, brought about by unintentional positive feedback. The triodes of those days were, however, woefully ineffi cient and little more than laboratory curiosities. H J Round, after the Amazon incident referred to in the previous issue (29 March 2017) and a further spell at the Glace Bay station Nova Scotia, returned to England to become deeply immersed in problems of valve amplifi cation, during which period he Henry Joseph Round, pictured in his own private workshop at home in € experimented with various forms of grids in valves he had had specially made. Meissner took out a German Meissner’s circuit and the power output second (12 June 1913), Armstrong third At that time C S (Charles Samuel) patent to this eff ect on 9 April 1913, to have been small. Nevertheless, (20 October 1913) and Round fourth Franklin, another eminent engineer of but the apparatus he had used in his he achieved radio telephony over a (29 May 1914). the Marconi Company, returned from experiments was ineffi cient. distance of 36km with the apparatus. Germany with samples of Lieben-Reisz The Leiben-Reisz valve was a Round and Franklin both continued More effi cient valve-type relays and with the ‘soft’ valve using ions to provide the their individual researches, while, The situation needs some qualifi cation, information that Alexander Meissner conducting path between cathode and unknown to anyone, EH Armstrong however. Franklin’s patent related to had claimed that such valves could be anode, and with a Wehnelt cathode of in the USA was also working on the regeneration as a means of improving made to generate oscillations. This was lime-coated platinum. problem. In the event, all fi led patents receiver signal strength, although the news indeed, for the possibility had This type of cathode is stated to almost simultaneously. Meissner was wording of his application makes occurred to both Round and Franklin. have lasted only for a few minutes in fi rst (9 April 1913), C S Franklin a close it clear that he knew of the valve’s

  April  | www.electronicsweekly.com ARCHIVE

property of oscillation. Round, who During the period of hectic activity on paper was a year behind Meissner, which followed, Round carried out developed a much more effi cient a great deal of research connected valve and circuit and had given a with this new fi eld of entertainment demonstration of valve radio telephony broadcasting, of which he had rather between Marconi House and the Savoy inadvertently become the father in this Hotel, London, in 1913. country. Round’s work was consolidated The artifi cial echo system and the in the early months of 1914 when he Sykes-Round microphone are but two and Guglielmo Marconi carried out of his many contributions to the early radio telephone tests between several stages at the art. Italian warships off the coast of Sicily. In parallel with all this work Excellent performances were obtained Round was also carrying out another between ships at anchor and on the high huge project. This was the redesign seas, with ranges of up to 44 miles. of the Marconi nigh-power stations A valve which Round had patented at Caernarvon from spark to valve in 1913 used an oxide-coated fi lament transmission. surrounded by a thimble-shaped The Caernarvon station was equipped nickel grid and a cylindrical nickel with a power panel consisting of 56 anode. This type of anode became MT2 valves with a high tension supply extensively used. Other patents of 10kV DC. On 19 November 1921, taken out by him in 1913-14 include using the new equipment, signals from that for an independently heated this station were received in Australia. cathode, an auto-heterodyne circuit One of the many problems which and a comprehensive transmission beset designers at that time was that of patent which included the fi rst use of obtaining a reasonable amount of RF automatic grid bias. amplifi cation from the triode valve. In practice this resolved itself into War work fi nding ways and means of minimising With the onset of the Great War A vast early Marconi capacitor, dated around  , at Clifden radio station in Connemara, Éire the by-passing eff ect of the internal [World War 1], Round redoubled grid/anode capacity. his activities. Several receivers were Round, in 1913, was probably put into commission for interception wireless telephony had developed which amateur wireless enthusiasts the fi rst to tackle this, doing so by purposes; the fi rst valve direction fi nder enormously from its crude beginnings were invited to report, which they providing an external neutralising was put into operation at Broormfi eld, in 1914. did, from all over the British Isles circuit, but this method (later adopted Chelmsford, and other important Once more back in civilian life with and the Continent. The tests (which by others) left much to be desired. developments relating to valve circuits the Marconi Company, both Round often consisted of a recital of railway His ‘Q’ valve of 1916 attacked the were carried out there. The valves used and Franklin continued their researches stations) sometimes had musical problem at source by enclosing the were of the ‘soft’ type, tricky to operate each with diff erent ends in view. items interspersed among them to electrodes in a glass tube closely fi tting but capable of a very useful degree of Round was mainly concerned relieve the monotony. This innovation around the anode, and by bringing amplifi cation. with valve improvements and the brought shoals of appreciative reports, out the grid and anode connections on Round’s war work on direction investigation of their possibilities in which were the original impetus for opposite sides of the tube. fi nding has already been mentioned general communications; Franklin the establishment of an entertainment His V24 valve (1919) was a further in the previous issue, but in addition was using valved transmitters for broadcast service. step in the same direction, having the to this he was responsible with Major the short-wave experiments which ‘Old Stagers’ may possibly recall the grid and anode closer to the fi lament. Prince, another distinguished Marconi culminated in the development of the wireless telephony news service which Around these two types of valve the engineer, for the design of the fi rst beam system. was inaugurated from this station on Marconi 55 receiver was designed. This aircraft telephony transmitters and In March of that year he directed 23 February 1920, on a wavelength of embodied six V24’s as RF amplifi ers receivers in 1916. the installation of a wireless telephone 2,500metres, the broadcast by Dame and a ‘Q’ as detector and the tuning was Round designed the fi rst aircraft transmitter at Ballybunion, Ireland. This Nellie Melba on 15 June 1920 and, two by dust core (here again, Round’s early radio valves around which the MK1 station, operating on 3,800 metres, was years later, the experimental concerts experiments were bearing fruit). airborne transmitters and receivers the fi rst European telephony station from ‘Two Emma Tock’, Writtle were produced. The amplitude control to be heard on the other side of the [near Chelmsford], which led to the Forerunner modulations system and the Round Atlantic. establishment of the original 2LO at In the following year he evolved the valve receiver with adjustable coupling This was followed later in the year Marconi House in the Strand. The 2LO FE1 valve, which incorporated a shield were also developed at this time. For by experimental work at Chelmsford, transmitter was designed by Captain between grid and anode to reduce the his services, Captain Round (as he now fi rst with a 6kW transmitter and Round. This station [2LO] was the inter-electrode capacity still further. was), was awarded the Military Cross. (in 1920) with one of 14kW. These fi rst to be taken over by the BBC in its Other work intervened, and it was not By the end of the war the art of carried out a series of range tests upon formation in 1922. until 1925 that he was again able to give

www.electronicsweekly.com |  April   ARCHIVE

serious thought to the matter. The result Other inventions continued to pour a modern large laboratory set-up. But of his further investigations was that in In , Round forth – his last on record is dated 1962 – from that point onward a common 1927 the DES screened grid valve was and one hopes there will be many more. denominator is harder to fi nd. introduced as the forerunner of a series constructed Franklin – tiny, frail, diffi dent – had which revolutionised receiver design prototypes of Alert as ever an almost psychic intuitive approach with an unprecedented degree of signal transmitters of Today in 1966, nearing 85, he has been to a problem. Round – robust, bluff , magnifi cation per stage. He followed until recently a frequent and always extrovert, rather Churchillian even to this patent (taken out in 1926) with up to kW a welcome visitor at Chelmsford, as the cigar – has what might be described another in the following year for the RF mentally and physically alert as ever. as a commonsense approach, if it were pentode. “ The name of C S Franklin has not so very uncommon. Round’s book, The shielded cropped up more than once in this four-electrode valve, was published in account. This is inevitable, since he and Lucid 1927. associated with the company, however, Round were the Castor and Pollux of He has the uncanny ability to turn a Going back in time to 1920 Round, and returned in 1937 in an advisory the Marconi Company. problem inside out if need be to arrive in addition to all his other activities, capacity for work on echo sounding. They joined within a year or so at a solution. Yet when he explains it had designed valve receivers for ships Shortly after the outbreak of World of each other. Both had a thorough later – and in his day he wrote a number and had constructed the fi rst batch of War II he worked for the Admiralty grounding in electrical theory; both of papers and technical treatise – his maritime valved transmitters. on ASDIC [Anti-submarine detection were brilliant and practical engineers; exposition is so lucid and devoid of In 1921 the Marconi Research investigation committee, now ‘sonar’], both became personal assistants to window dressing that the reader is left Group was formed from various continuing in this until 1950. There Marconi and had an unswerving loyalty with no questions to ask. discrete research units, and Round followed further work for the Marconi to him. It would not be surprising to fi nd was appointed as its fi rst chief. organisation, during which period he Franklin, like Round, was a prolifi c that Round and Franklin had been (At approximately the same time invented new magneto-strictive devices inventor whose ideas did much to shape implacable enemies. In fact, despite Franklin became Chief of Independent for use in the production of Marconi the company’s destiny. Both rose to the rivalry that undoubtedly existed, Research.) International Marine Company echo positions of equal eminence as Chiefs they were very good friends, although Round’s output in the 1920s was sounders. of Research. this did not prevent them from sniping truly astonishing. He designed the He also introduced the fi rst Physically, both were short in stature good-humouredly at each other ‘Straight Eight’ receiver; he produced permanently magnetised nickel and both were non-conformists in the whenever they met. a gramophone recording system (this transducers and the fi rst belt recording secular sense; one cannot imagine On such occasions it was a joy to was licensed to the Vocalion Company), system for echo sounders. either of them being happy as cogs in stand in the wings and listen. But and designed a large-audience public never would anything even remotely address system which was used to derogatory be said in the other’s relay King George V’s speech at the absence. Wembley Exhibitions. It is a sad commentary on the human On Round’s Armstrong Medal sense of values that while the country Cinema boom sees fi t to honour pop groups and other Patents for improvements to valves, to According to Round’s grandson David Jervis, nonentities, Round’s services to science loudspeakers, to gramophone pick-ups, in December Ž Henry Round travelled to and industry have never received any to portable receivers, to amplifi ers, New York to be guest of honour at the ‰“rd British recognition whatever; neither to microphones, to sound recording Anniversary of the Radio Club of America and has any tangible recognition been systems, to antennas – all these and to receive the prized Armstrong Medal. conferred by the learned societies, more were fi led. Only  were ever awarded. Edwin Howard although the prized Armstrong Medal Round also anticipated the cinema Armstrong – described as the most proli c and in˜ uential inventor in radio was presented to him by the Radio Club boom brought about by the advent history – paid a -minute tribute to Round and, having explained the vital role of America in 1952. of the talking picture. In 1930, when he played in WW, said in a voice brimming with emotion: “I and some others Surely we owe something to the gramophone discs mechanically here this evening have some rst-hand knowledge of the magnitude of the man who, among other things, played synchronised to the fi lm were the order problems faced and successfully solved by Captain Round. so signifi cant a part in founding of the day, we fi nd a Round patent – the “We all join belatedly in the privilege of honouring him tonight and I know broadcasting, direction-fi nding, aviation forerunner of many such – for recording that all of you will join with us in expressing the hope that in the event of any electronics and indeed (by his work on sound on fi lm. future disturbance of the peace of the world which, God forbid, we have, that the thermionic valve) the entire industry One talking picture system he we have again with us on our side, helping us, the future Captain Rounds who as we have it today? devised (‘Visatone’, which incorporates will do as good a job for us as he did over thirty years ago.” inventions for obtaining constant speed The citation was read as follows: “The Armstrong Medal of the Radio Club HJ Round died three months a er this and for a high frequency galvanometer) of America for the year Ž is awarded to Henry Joseph Round in recognition article was rst published. was licensed to Stoll. of his unexcelled contribution to the art of direction and position nding by In 1931, he elected to resign from radio; for the invention and amplifying and receiving means for short waves of Captain Henry Joseph Round the Marconi Company in order to set unparalleled sensitivity and for the application of his discoveries to the cause of ( June  –  August ) up in private practice as a research freedom and to the rendering of service to mankind.” consultant. He continued to be closely Charles Samuel Franklin (ˆ‰)

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