Executive Editor
To contend with the digital society, CEA-Leti is pursuing a twofold strategy, according to Marie Semeria, CEO. In an interview and subsequent presentation at a workshop titled “Sensing the Future with Leti” held July 12 in San Francisco in conjunction with SEMICON West, Semeria emphasized the organization’s initiatives in high-performance computing (HPC) and IoT edge devices. HPC, she said, requires high performance driven by Moore’s Law scaling to implement the cloud computing infrastructure that can process the big data needed for artificial intelligence and deep learning applications.
In contrast, the IoT requires the flexibility offered by heterogeneous integration to implement the hyperconnectivity required by Industry 4.0 and other applications. “Sensors are the foundation of the IoT,” she said, adding, “Data is the fuel of new services.”
Intel is one company that has made a well publicized commitment to the IoT. In April chief executive Brian Krzanich announced a restructuring initiative to accelerate Intel’s evolution from a PC company to one that powers the cloud and the IoT. Krzanich said that Intel would leverage Rack Scale Architecture, 3D XPoint memory, FPGAs, and silicon-photonics technology to revolutionize the data-center infrastructure. Analytics, big data, HPC, and machine learning are keys to unlocking cloud and data-center value, he added.
Companies pursuing strategies from the edge-device perspective include Alphabet’s Nest with its thermostats, smoke detectors, and cameras for the connected home.
Challenges remain for pursuers of either strategy. Nest has struggled, and its CEO recently departed. Intel needs to prove that it can successfully transition to a cloud and IoT company.
Leti can help in both areas. In fact, in May Intel entered into a cooperative agreement with Leti extending a history of shared technological development in HPC. The goal of the five-year collaboration is to drive innovation in IoT, wireless, and security applications, Semeria said.
As for IoT edge devices, Leti has incubated several startups over the past five years, including Primo1D, which integrates MEMS and electronic devices into textiles; APIX Analytics, which makes nano electric mechanical system-based multigas chromatography analyzers; diabeloop, which makes a glucose sensor and insulin pump; and elichens, which makes MEMS-based sensors for air-quality monitoring.
Leti continues to spur on startups with its Innovation Venture Accelerator (IVA) collaborative ecosystem. Philippe Ruffin, startup program manager, said at the July 12 workshop that IVA supports startups that don’t inherently have the production and go-to-market capabilities of larger corporations. The goal, he said, is to “… shorten time to funding for entrepreneurs, decrease risk for investors, and foster market-testing opportunities for industry and technology partners.”
Semeria said that along with Leti’s fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) platform for IoT and its CoolCube 3D sequential integration technology, its sensor materials and IP for optical, chemical, mechanical, electromagnetic, and biological applications represent a game-changer for Leti in 2016.
Jean-Eric Michallet, Leti vice president of sales and marketing, elaborated, saying Leti combines its system design and embedded software technologies with FDSOI, MEMS transducers and actuators, and imagers, as well as photonics, RF, power, and 3D integration capabilities to enable applications in energy and power conversion, connected health, agriculture, aerospace and defense, smart cities, consumer electronics, telecommunications, and transportation.
Leti, Semeria concluded, is creating differentiating solutions in miniaturization and energy efficient technologies for its industrial partners, and she invited attendees to be pioneers in sensing the future.
