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June 12
- Capacitive touch sensing in direct-to-battery automotive MCU
➀ Infineon launched the automotive PSOC 4 HVMS MCU family with capacitive touch sensing, featuring Arm Cortex-M0+ processors (24/48MHz), up to 128KB flash memory, and 4.5-28V direct battery connectivity via integrated LDO.
➁ The MCUs support touch interfaces for steering wheels, door handles, and in-cabin controls, with ISO 26262 ASIL B functional safety, transient voltage protection, and autonomous capacitive scanning via a 5th-gen multi-sense converter.
➂ Available in wettable-flank QFN packages (6x6mm to 9x9mm) and equipped with LIN/CXPI communication, ADC, and safety-focused software libraries for automotive HMI applications.
- What caught your eye? (Displays, R&D tax, Robot hands, AI Fight Club)
➀ Lockheed Martin is developing an AI Fight Club, a simulated environment to test AI systems' performance across military domains;
➁ A robotic hand with 17 embedded cameras and novel algorithms achieves tactile sensing and dual-object manipulation;
➂ Contrasting US and UK R&D tax policies highlight differing approaches to fostering innovation
- UK Space Conference 2025 heading to Manchester
➀ The UK Space Conference 2025 will be held in Manchester on July 16-17, focusing on leveraging space exploration to drive long-term economic growth, workforce development, and regional inclusivity;
➀ UK Space Agency emphasizes that 16% of UK GDP relies on space technologies like navigation and communications, calling for broader industry participation;
➂ The event aligns with the upcoming government Industrial Strategy, serving as a key platform for the biennial space industry.
- Lead times continue to stabilise, says Sourceability
➀ Most commodity components (standard logic, MCUs, etc.) have stabilized in lead times and pricing due to inventory adjustments and conservative procurement, while AI/ML/HPC-related components (DDR5, HBM, SSDs) face tightening supply and rising prices;
➁ Lead times vary across categories: volatile memory (2-22 weeks), storage (6-12 weeks), advanced analog (7-48 weeks), with interconnect prices expected to rise;
➂ External risks like tariffs could disrupt the stabilized supply chain, and procurement remains cautious about long-term orders amid fluctuating demand.
- Marelli to file for Chapter 11
➀ Marelli Holdings, owned by KKR, plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware due to $4.5 billion debt accumulated from mergers and poor financial performance;
➁ Key customer Nissan, contributing 30% of Marelli's sales, faced a significant downturn in 2024, exacerbating the supplier's crisis;
➂ Failed creditor negotiations have led Marelli to seek new investors for business restructuring while maintaining operations under court protection.
- RANsemi becomes inaugural member of Bristol Innovations Zone
➀ RANsemi, a wireless baseband processor specialist, joins the Bristol Innovations Zone as an inaugural member, aiming to foster collaboration between academia and industry in 5G/6G and AI;
➁ The hub offers labs, co-working spaces, and training to accelerate innovation, with a June 12 event featuring experts discussing AI-telecoms convergence;
➂ Partnerships emphasize talent development and real-world impact, leveraging Bristol University’s research network for technological advancements.
- The Smoking Gender Gap
➀ Smoking among men in Asia/Pacific is tied to masculinity or social status, while women smoking is socially discouraged;
➀ WHO projects a 32.9% male smoking rate vs. 6.7% female globally in 2025, with the gap most extreme in Asia;
➀ Indonesia (73% men, 1.8% women) and China (44% men, 1.4% women) contrast sharply with countries like France, Germany, and the U.S., where female smoking rates are higher and male rates lower.
June 11
- Micron sampling HBM4
➀ Micron is sampling HBM4 memory stacks based on its 1ß DRAM process and 12-high packaging, aiming for volume production in 2026;
➁ The HBM4 offers 2.0 TB/s bandwidth per stack, 60% faster performance than HBM3E, and 20% improved power efficiency;
➂ SK Hynix plans HBM4 mass production on 3nm in H2 2025, while Samsung develops 4nm-based HBM4, both collaborating with TSMC for base dies and COWOS packaging.
- PureLiFi adds Kitefin XE
➀ pureLiFi introduces Kitefin XE, a LiFi-based system enhancing network security through light-based wireless communication to counter rising threats;
➁ The technology, initially reserved for national security, expands to government, defense, and enterprises, enabling secure wireless connectivity previously deemed impossible;
➂ LiFi offers superior security against detection/interception, higher capacity than WiFi, and low latency, backed by pureLiFi’s alliance with In-Q-Tel for U.S. national security applications.
- Space startups win MassChallenge Technology in Space Prize
➀ Redpoint Oncology and Fourier won the 2025 MassChallenge Technology in Space Prize, receiving $650,000+ for ISS-based research;
➁ Redpoint Oncology develops antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for microgravity-accelerated cancer therapy testing, while Fourier tests lightweight radiation-shielding CMC materials for satellite electronics;
➂ The award, funded by Boeing and CASIS, has supported over 30 projects with $20 million in 11 years.
- Top Ten (+6) Semi Companies In Q1
➀ Semiconductor Intelligence releases the list of the top 16 semiconductor companies in Q1 2025, highlighting industry leadership trends;
➀ The article is part of David Manners' 'Ten Best...' series, offering insights into key semiconductor market players;
➂ Included are recommended reads on enterprise WLAN, AR/VR headsets, and supply chain developments, emphasizing broader tech industry shifts.
June 10
- Buying Clothes You Never Wear
➀ The author expresses a personal aversion to buying new clothes, valuing old garments for their nostalgic connections to past experiences;
➀ Some individuals avoid repeating outfits, a behavior the author finds unusual;
➂ A global survey reveals varying rates of purchasing unworn clothes, with 29% of UK women admitting to this habit, compared to 9% in China and 21% of women/15% of men in the U.S.
- IMS: USB and portable real-time spectrum analysers
➀ Aaronia unveiled two spectrum analyzers: the portable Spectran V6 Mobile with 490MHz real-time bandwidth and 140GHz frequency range, and the USB-connected V6 XPR series supporting waveguide inputs;
➁ The Spectran V6 Mobile features an AMD Ryzen processor, up to 16TB SSD storage, and dual batteries, while the V6 XPR series targets automotive radar (76-81GHz) with a 10dB noise figure;
➂ A new 2–40GHz angle-of-arrival antenna (DF 16-20400) and Siglent’s portable multi-instrument announcement were also highlighted at IMS 2025.
- Jensen and Sir Keir talk AI
➀ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang highlighted the UK's position as a global leader in AI talent but emphasized its lack of infrastructure to support AI development;
➀ He likened AI to critical infrastructure like electricity, stressing its transformative power across industries;
➀ Huang urged the UK to invest in AI supercomputers and data centers ('AI factories') to attract startups and strengthen its ecosystem.
- Builder AI goes into administration
➀ Builder AI, a 9-year-old startup claiming to automate app development, entered administration with 1,000 job losses and $100M liabilities;
➁ Despite raising £334M from investors like Microsoft and reaching a $1.5B valuation, audits revealed inflated financial forecasts and reliance on manual labor in India instead of AI;
➂ The company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. with under $10M in assets, while UK insolvency is managed by Alvarez & Marsal.
- 40% growth in Ethernet datacentre switch sales
➀ Q1 2025 saw Ethernet datacenter switch sales surge over 40%, the highest growth since Dell’Oro began tracking the market in 2013;
➁ NVIDIA and Celestica each gained 5% market share, with Arista maintaining its top position for the fourth consecutive quarter, while 800 Gbps switch sales surpassed $1 billion;
➂ Ethernet is rapidly displacing InfiniBand in AI infrastructure, driven by accelerated AI investments and networking upgrades despite tariff disruptions.
- Astroscale completes CDR for ELSA-M space debris removal mission
➀ Astroscale UK completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for its ELSA-M mission, a UK Space Agency-backed initiative to remove multiple space debris through rendezvous and magnetic capture technologies;
➁ The mission, developed in partnership with ESA, Eutelsat, and other industrial partners, aims to advance Active Debris Removal (ADR) and support a sustainable space economy, with a launch planned after April 2026;
➂ Competitor ClearSpace UK also achieved milestones in its Phase 2 debris removal project, highlighting growing international efforts to address space sustainability.
June 9
- Taking the DJI Neo drone to pieces
➀ The article discusses iFixit's teardown analysis of the DJI Neo drone to evaluate its repairability;
➁ Despite its modular design, repairs are deemed highly challenging due to complex internal assemblies and adhesive bonding;
➂ The teardown reveals potential maintenance difficulties for consumers despite the drone's compact form factor.
- Internal cameras refine touch sense in artificial hand
➀ The F-Tac robotic hand achieves 100μm touch resolution across 70% of its surface using internal cameras and elastomer deformation detection, enabling precise object interaction;
➀ Its modular design combines 17 camera-equipped boxes with spring-loaded joints and wire-driven servos, allowing adaptive grasping through tactile feedback and machine learning algorithms;
➂ Developed jointly by Queen Mary University and Chinese institutes, the system demonstrated superior performance in 600 real-world trials compared to non-tactile alternatives.
- Robotaxi Ruckus
① Tesla plans to launch a robotaxi service in Austin, prompting Reuters to request two years of correspondence between Tesla and city authorities for review;
② Tesla opposes the request, arguing disclosure would benefit competitors, and has historically been less transparent about autonomous driving data compared to other companies;
③ The Texas Attorney-General is deciding on compliance, amid potential White House influence due to ongoing tensions between President Biden and Elon Musk.
- IonQ buys Oxford Ionics
➀ IonQ acquires Oxford Ionics for $1.08 billion to advance quantum computing, aiming to develop 256-qubit systems by 2025 and 2 million qubits by 2030;
➁ The deal combines Oxford Ionics' ion-trap chip technology with IonQ's quantum stack, targeting fault-tolerant systems for enterprise applications;
➂ Both companies will expand UK operations and maintain partnerships with governments, focusing on fields like defense and pharmaceuticals.
- US ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ contrasts with UK taxing regime on R&D expenses
➀ The US 'Big Beautiful Bill' proposes allowing companies to immediately deduct 100% of domestic R&D expenses (2025-2029), boosting cash flow and innovation incentives;
➁ The UK’s RDEC offers a 20-30% tax credit, but complex claims processes and policy changes have stifled innovation, with R&D spending at 2.8% of GDP vs. 3.4% in the US;
➂ A 100% same-year tax credit in the UK could mitigate the current system’s negative impact on innovation and align with increased government R&D funding plans.
- April semi sales up 22.7% y-o-y
➀ Global semiconductor sales in April 2025 reached $57 billion, up 22.7% YoY and 2.5% MoM, marking the first monthly growth in 2025;
➀ Yearly growth was driven by strong demand in the Americas (44.4% YoY) and Asia Pacific (23.1% YoY), with AI, cloud infrastructure, and advanced consumer electronics as key drivers;
③ The WSTS forecasts 11.2% annual growth in 2025 ($700.9 billion) and projects sales to reach $760.7 billion in 2026.
- Mouser’s robotics resource
➀ Mouser's robotics resource center provides engineers with tools for robotics engineering, covering domains like soft robotics, autonomous cleaning, and collaborative robots (cobots);
➁ The platform includes AI and machine learning-driven advancements, enabling smarter robots for industrial automation and human-robot collaboration;
➂ Featured products include Analog Devices' GMSL robotics platform, STMicroelectronics' ToF sensor, Broadcom's magnetic encoders, and Renesas' high-performance microcontrollers for AI and robotics applications.
- First rule of Lockheed Martin’s AI Fight Club? Evaluate warfare scenarios
➀ Lockheed Martin is developing "AI Fight Club," a virtual simulation environment to test AI models in realistic warfare scenarios across air, land, sea, and space;
➁ The platform allows third parties to evaluate AI systems using Department of Defense standards, fostering innovation and identifying vulnerabilities;
➂ Competitions starting in late 2025 will pit AI models against each other, with results guiding future military AI development.
- Ed Falls In Love
➀ Ed falls for a woman at a diplomatic event, later discovered to be a Chinese spy;
➁ MI6 warns him of her ties to China's Ministry of State Security, but the Prime Minister advises leveraging the relationship to feed disinformation;
➂ Ed plans to use her as a conduit to attract Chinese investment in his startups.
June 5
- Flash takes a bath
➀ Top NAND suppliers saw significant Q1 2025 declines: ASP (-15% q-o-q), units (-7%), and revenues (-24%);
➀ Samsung, Hynix, Micron, and Kioxia reported revenue drops of 25%, 35.5%, 11%, and 27.9% respectively;
➂ SanDisk plans to prioritize QLC product shipments to improve profitability amid slight ASP and shipment declines.
June 4
- Big Gap In Euro-Footie Rewards
➀ The UEFA Champions League final concludes the European football season, highlighting its status as the continent's premier club competition with significantly higher prize money compared to the Europa League and Conference League;
➁ Champions League winners can earn up to €110.8 million in prize money, over three times the Europa League and six times the Conference League maximum earnings;
➂ Financial disparities emphasize the Champions League’s dominance, while lower-tier competitions lack both prestige and monetary rewards.
- 200,000 electrode nerve cell sensing array
➀ Sony Semiconductor developed a CMOS-based nerve cell sensing array with 236,880 electrodes on a 5.5 x 5.9mm chip, enabling high-resolution experiments on cells outside living organisms for drug research;
➁ Collaborated with Screen Holdings, VitroVo, and Tohoku Institute of Technology to create a demonstrator integrating electrical activity measurement, data analysis algorithms, and real-time monitoring capabilities;
➂ Published three open-access papers detailing the technology and its applications in cardiac and brain research, following recent advancements in non-invasive neural interfaces using quantum magnetometers.
- Broadcom shipping Tomahawk 6
➀ Broadcom's Tomahawk 6 switch series delivers 102.4 Tbps switching capacity, doubling current Ethernet switch bandwidth, targeting AI networks with 100G/200G SerDes and co-packaged optics (CPO);
➁ It supports AI cluster interconnects for over one million XPUs, featuring Cognitive Routing 2.0 for dynamic load balancing and adaptive flow control tailored for AI workloads like mixture-of-expert models;
➂ Compliant with Ultra Ethernet Consortium standards, the switch enables scalable, low-latency networks for AI training/inference and integrates with open ecosystems like OCP's SUE Framework for flexible cluster configurations.