Author: Techtime

Newsight Imaging Launched 3D Depth Sensor

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Photo above: Newsight’s CEO Eli Assoolin during Smart Mobility Conference, this week in Tel Aviv

Newsight Imaging from Ness-Ziona, near Tel-Aviv, announced the launch of its first area sensor chip that enables LiDAR-like application using a CMOS image sensor. The new chip, NSI1000, provides up to 50,000 frames per second (on the line resolution) and fully supports Newsight Imaging’s enhanced Time Of Flight (eTOF™) technology that enables the customer to employ a low-power eye-safe laser, with  a multi-triangulation option and line triangulation.

Along the sensor,  NSI1000 is a full system Equipped with 10 bit A2D and a processing hardware to deal with features such as auto-exposure and integrated peak detection capabilities. Samples of NSI1000 will be available by the end of 2019. It was designed for applications such as Robotics LiDAR and AR/VR. The sensor is composed of 32 rows x 1024 pixels, and another 4 rows x 1024 pixels which are analog binned to form an ultra-high sensitive matrix.

Newsight’s eTOF technology bridges the gap between short-distance iTOF (indirect Time Of Flight) and the long distance of up to 200m, required by automotive regulations. By measuring the time interval between a laser pulse and its return signal, it can detect real distance per every pixel, in day and night conditions. The sensor is manufactured by TowerJazz in CMOS technology.

The company revealed it had already started collaborating with selected customers specializing in automotive applications such as multi‑channel LiDARs for ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS), Smart Mirrors and other high volume applications requiring accurate 3D face recognition but that does not violate user privacy. Newsight’s CEO and Co-founder, Eli Assoolin, told Techtime that NSI1000 is the first product in a series of new line of sensors, “based on our eTOF Technology.”

Hi Auto Raised $4.5 Million in Seed Round

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Photo above: Hi Auto Co-founders Roy Baharav (right) and Eyal Shapira

The Tel Aviv based Hi Auto is set to demonstrate innovative audio-visual commercial solution for speech recognition in harsh environments. The company has completed a $4.5 million seed round to fund the development of a novel noise reduction technique for improved speech recognition. The technology will be demonstrated at CES 2020 in Las Vegas.

Read My Lips…

Hi Auto’s technology consists of a microphone positioned in front of the speaker, a camera that tracks the speaker’s lips movements and a deep learning software to eliminate the background noises. “Speech recognition is quickly becoming the method of choice to control devices,” said Roy Baharav, CEO and co-founder of Hi Auto. “But when used in noisy and multiple speaker environments, its reliability goes down dramatically.

“Our audio-visual approach is able to focus the detection on the speaker itself, and remove all the other noises.It will make speech recognition experience in the car and in other noisy environments more satisfying and enable OEMs to introduce complex and sensitive capabilities.”

Hi Auto was founded in February 2019 by the CEO Roy Baharav, the CTO Eyal Shapira and the initial investor Zohar Zisapel, who serves as the chairman of the company. Baharav spent a decade in the U.S., where he served in product management positions at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California. Before, he had commanded an elite intelligence technology unit in IDF.

Intel Chose Hi Auto for its “Ignite” Accelerator

The CTO Eyal Shapira was awarded the Israel Defense Prize during his service in a technology unit of IDF. Later, he gave consulting services to companies such as Intel and Broadcom. Zohar Zisapel is one of Israel’s best-known hi-tech entrepreneurs and managers. Zisapel has helped to establish and is the chairman of prominent automotive startups, including Hailo, Argus and Innoviz.

Earlier this month, Hi Auto’s technology was acknowledged by Intel Corporation, who chose the company to join its newly established “Ignite” accelerator in Israel. The latest $4.5 million financing round was led by by the Israeli car importer Delek Motors and Hi Auto’s acting chairman Zohar Zisapel. Other investors were Allied Holdings, Singapore based Goldbell Group, and Plug & Play.

OriginGPS Unveiled Miniature Dual Frequency GNSS Board

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OriginGPS, from Israel, announced its first dual-frequency GNSS module that enables customers to build solutions with sub-1m accuracy in real-world operating conditions without implementing external components. Measuring just 10×10 mm, the new ORG4600-B01 module supports L1 + L5 GNSS signals with one RF port, enabling the use of a low-cost solution. It is ideally suited for solutions requiring ultra-accurate positioning, such as telematics, IoT and On-board diagnostics applications.

According to ABI Research, the long-awaited dual frequency infrastructure support begins to enter the market. “This year has seen several satellites launched into orbit every month, most of them fitted with L5/E5 capabilities, and the Chinese and European Union governments plan to have their satellite constellations fully operational by 2020,” said Haim Goldberger, CEO of OriginGPS.

Close Cooperation with Broadcom

“Developing the ORG4600-B01 module with the BCM47758 GNSS receiver chip by Broadcom Inc. was the fastest and surest way to add a high quality dual frequency module to our portfolio and meet increasing requirements for ultra-accurate GNSS modules.”

Prasan Pai, product marketing director for the Wireless Communications and Connectivity at Broadcom, said that the collaboration with OriginGPS has created the industry’s smallest dual-frequency module with ‘no compromise’ quality. “This collaboration enables Broadcom to reach new markets, such as precision agriculture, security, children tracking and fleet management.”

EU Funding for OriginIoT

OriginGPS develops fully-integrated, miniaturized GNSS, and integrated IoT solutions. In September 2019 it won a grant from the Horizon 2020 Innovation Program of the European Commission, to promote its OriginIoT cellular IoT system, as a platform to accelerate cellular IoT development without additional embedded code, hardware or RF design and through an open-source web application.

“This award enables us to develop enhancements from our customers’ wish lists, including enabling customers to select in real-time between MQTT and real-time streaming, Firmware Over the Air (FOTA) for wireless software updates, and OriginLabs, offering complete device development services from the web,” said Haim Goldberger.

 

Renault, Volvo and Hyundai Invested in Upstream Security

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Photo above: Upstream’s Co-founders Yoav Levy (Left) and Yonatan Appel

Upstream Security from Herzliya, Israel, announced the completion of a $30 million in a Series B funding round, bringing the company’s total investment to date to $41 million. The round was led by Renault Venture Capital and included Volvo Group Venture Capital, Hyundai, Hyundai AutoEver, Nationwide Ventures and others. Original Upstream investors Charles River Ventures, Glilot Capital and Maniv Mobility all participated in the round.

The company’s Upstream Security C4 (Centralized Connected Car Cybersecurity Security) Platform is a purpose-built solution for protecting connected vehicles. C4 is deployed in the Automotive Cloud; in the demarcation point between the operational network and the IT network, ensuring protection of the communication data between the vehicles and command and control servers. Upstream system analyze the communications between data centers and fleets in order to detect, interpret and alert in real-time of any threats to the fleet.

Nobody is Safe

“This first of its kind investor syndicate, is a testament to the severity of the problem the industry is tackling,” said Yoav Levy, Upstream Security Co-founder and CEO. Earlier this year a report published by Upstream Security outlining the automotive threat landscape spanning the past decade, showing that OEM vehicle manufacturers and commercial and public sector fleets have been targeted. In many cases attacks were executed indirectly via connected services and applications and from long distance.

Establishing a security framework for connected cars entails a multi-layer approach that secures both the vehicles and the infrastructure connecting them. Upstream C4 platform enables OEM car manufacturers and fleets to detect, monitor and respond to attacks targeting any part of the connected vehicle framework – even for vehicles already on the road.

2 Million Protected Cars

“Securing our customers’ connected vehicles is always top of mind for Volvo,” noted David Hanngren, Investment Director at Volvo Group. “We have chosen to invest in Upstream because they have a great vision for addressing this unique sector and serious depth in both automotive domain expertise and cybersecurity.”

The CEO Yoav Levy revealed in the company’s blog, that over the last year the company haz dedicated extensive efforts in growing its partner network with MSSPs (Managed Security Service Providers), suppliers and OEMs. “Our platform is already ingesting data of over 2 million vehicles.”

Upstream was established in 2017 by the CEO Yoav Levy and the CTO Yonatan Appel. Yoav brings over 17 years of experience in multi-national high-tech companies and start-ups in leading vendors such as Check Point, Juniper Networks and Broadcom. Yonatan is involved with technology development for the last 20 years in industry-leading companies such as Check Point, Imperva, Microsoft and in in an elite technological unit in the IDF Intelligence Corps.

IAI and GECAS to convert 777 into Freighter Planes

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GECAS (a GE’s company) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) plan to perform the fist conversion of the passenger plane Boeing 777-300ER to freighter. Dubbed “The Big Twin”(denoting 777 as the largest ever twin-engined freighter) the initiative is jointly funded by GECAS and IAI. According to the agreement between the two, GECAS will commit fifteen firm orders and has fifteen additional options for the 777-300ERSF.GECAS and IAI believe that The Big Twin has the capability to seamlessly replace aging 747-400 and MD11 freighters.

The 777-300ER is the most successful widebody variant in aviation history, with almost 850 sold. The 777-300ERSF STC development and prototype conversion is estimated to take over three years from the start of the program to achieving CAAI/FAA STC Approval, while subsequent aircraft will average four to five months to convert. The conversion of initial aircraft is expected to take place in Tel Aviv with further conversion lines contemplated in other locations outside of Israel from 2023.

The Program will also see IAI enter into conversion agreements for the 777-300ERSF directly with airlines as well as other lessors around the world. Entering service in 2022, the Big Twin will offer operators 25% more capacity than today’s smaller twin-engined long-haul freighters and is expected achieve up to 21% lower fuel-burn per tonne than 4-engine freighters. This new agreement marks a continuation of a twenty-plus year partnership between GECAS and IAI.

IAI’s experience in conversion programs includes the Boeing 747, 767, 737NG and the 737 Classic. IAI has completed more than 70 conversions of GECAS’ aircraft, including 747, 767 & 737 freighters. The program will also be supported by GE Aviation. The GE90 is the sole-source engine on this aircraft type and GE Aviation has worked with GECAS to create unique engine solutions dedicated to the support of freighter operators.

NVIDIA Leads the Fast-Growing Edge AI Chipset Market

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Photo above: NVIDIA Jetson Nano Artificial Intelligence Module

Based on the AI development in 17 vertical markets, ABI Research estimates that the edge AI chipset market will grow from US$2.6 billion in 2019 to US$7.6 billion by 2024, with no vendor commanding more than 40% of the market. The current leader  is NVIDIA, with a 39% revenue share in the first half of 2019. The GPU vendor has a strong presence in key AI verticals such as automotive, camera systems, robotics, and smart manufacturing.

But NVIDIA is facing intensifying competition. Principal Analyst at ABI Research, Lian Jye Su, indicates that Intel is a stiff competitor with its chipset portfolio, from Xeon CPU to Mobileye and Movidius Myriad. At the same time, FPGA vendors, such as Xilinx, QuickLogic, and Lattice Semiconductor, are creating compelling solutions for industrial AI applications. One missing vertical from NVIDIA’s wide footprint is consumer electronics, specifically smartphones.

 AI-enabled servers and gateways

AI processing in smartphones has been driven by manufacturers such as Qualcomm, Huawei, and Apple. In smart home applications, MediaTek and Amlogic are making solid presence. ABI believes that the AI chipset vendors will likely adopt one of three strategies. The first: creating AI chipsets that target the AI-enabled on-premise server and gateway market. This space is currently well-served by NVIDIA, Intel, and Xilinx but new entrants such as Huawei, Graphcore, and Habana Labs may challenge them.

Intelligent Edge Devices

The second strategy: Targeting intelligent edge devices and nodes, which favors vendors that are active in the consumer electronics space. Vendors like Qualcomm and MediaTek have natural advantages here. Captive vendors who design their own AI chipsets, such as Apple, Huawei, and Samsung, have also started to broaden their AI portfolio for consumer devices.

Low Cost Devices Market

The final strategy is to target low-cost and battery-powered end devices that feature minimal computational capabilities and long useful lives. These devices are often deployed in smart cities,  smart buildings, smart transportation, and utilities, all which rely on public Ethernet or Low-Power Wide-Area Networks (LPWANs) for connectivity.  ABI Research forecasts shipments for these devices will grow from 0.9 million in 2019 to 5.7 million in 2024.

Recently, many chipset players have engaged in this segment of the market by offering AI chipsets that are ultra-power efficient with a low price point. These include GreenWave Technologies, a startup that develops AI chipset using open-source RISC-V architecture, Lattice Semiconductor, a FPGA chipset vendor, and Syntiant, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit vendor with strength in natural language processing.

Su: “The edge AI chipset market is a highly competitive one. The use cases become increasingly complex and diverse, and new players are emerging from the horizon almost monthly.”

Google Pixel 4 Smartphone Includes Infineon’s Radar Chip

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The announcement of Google Pixel 4 and Google Pixel 4XL smartphones in October 15, 2019 may not be a huge event for the smartphone industry, but for radars based chips – it is a major change. For the first time, a complete radar in chip is embedded into a smartphone allowing new type of applications and 3D gesture control of the device. To achieve this, Goggle went to Europe, to acquire Infineon’s new BGT60TR13C radar chip.

Infineon has developed a 60 GHz radar chip, based ob its earlier version, the 24 GHz BGT24MTR radar chip. Using an integrated antenna system, BGT60TR13C radar chip appears on a very small area (5 x 6.5 mm) coupled with low power consumption. It senses the presence and movement of people and objects with high precision or measures distances and speeds in an angular scan of 120° and distance ranging from few millimeters up to 5 meters. This chip is the base for Google’s Soli technology and has now been integrated for the first time into a smartphone, so that it can also be controlled by gestures.

“This is a revolution in the human-machine-interaction,” said Andreas Urschitz, Division President for Power Management and Multimarket at Infineon Technologies. “At Infineon, we are furthermore working on the fusion of multiple sensors to simplify interaction and increase the usefulness of the devices.”  According to Mordor Intelligence report, the radar sensors market was valued at USD 8.6 billion in 2018, and it is expected to reach USD 22 billion by 2024, registering a CAGR of approximately 20%. The main drivers for this market are the rapidly increasing automation, such as autonomous driving and the Industry 4.0. Until now nobody considered smartphones as a driver for this market.