Author: Techtime

Intel Aligns its AI Efforts into a Single Organization

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Intel takes intelligence seriously: Several months after it acquired Nervana Systems for approximately $400 million, it appointed Nervana’s co-founder and CEO, Naveen Rao, as the General Manager of the newly formed Artificial Intelligence Products Group (AIPG). The existence of this new group was revealed in an article posted by Naveen Rao on Intel’s website.

“As a data company, it is imperative that we deliver solutions that create, use and analyze the massive amounts of data that are generated each and every minute,” he wrote. “Data inference, or finding useful structure in data, may indeed be the largest computational problem of our time. That is why AI is so important to Intel.

“It is also why we are announcing that Intel is aligning its AI efforts under me, in a single cross-Intel organization: the Artificial Intelligence Products Group (AIPG). “The new organization will align resources from across the company to include engineering, labs, software and harware needed to build AI portfolio, based on Nervana platform and Intel technologies such as Xeon computing platform and FPGA devices.

Intel will create an applied AI research lab dedicated to pushing the forefronts of computing, explore novel architectural and algorithmic approaches to inform future generations of AI. This includes a range of solutions from the data center to edge devices. “This will be the home for AI innovation at Intel. I believe this new organization will have a huge impact, not only for Intel, but upon the entire evolving AI space.

Radiflow brings Deutsche Telekom to IIoT Security

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Deutsche Telekom announced earlier this week that it has entered a strategic partnership with Radiflow to collaborate in the field of securing industrial networks. Radiflow was chosen by T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, after a thorough evaluation of ICS/SCADA security vendors.

Deutsche Telekom’s move into securing the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) stemmed from the increasing importance of securing critical and industrial infrastructures, as they become highly interconnected. For this mission, Deutsche Telekom established its Telekom Security unit, to offer Industrial Network Protect Pro (INPP), a distributed firewall for industrial networks based on Radiflow’s portfolio.

INPP enables companies to subdivide their networks into protected zones, to monitor and control data flows between these zones. Radiflow’s secure gateways are especially optimized for remote sites, where they serve as distributed attack detection sensors for its central Industrial IDS (iSID), and as access protection devices.

“We are glad that we were able to convince Deutsche Telekom of the value of our technology,” said Ilan Barda, CEO of Radiflow. The company’s solution provides Intrusion Detection System (IDS) for SCADA networks and a full visibility and control of the entire network. Radiflow was founded in 2010 as part of the RAD group, a family of ICT vendors with over $1Bn in annual revenues. Since 2012 Radiflow has sold more than 10,000 systems used by major utilities world-wide and validated by leading research labs in the US.

 

TowerJazz expands its Silicon Photonics Technology

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The global specialty foundry from Israel, TowerJazz, announced a new silicon photonic production process (SiPho) which complements its SiGe BiCMOS processes utilized to manufacture optical transceiver electronics. TowerJazz also revealed a collaboration with PhoeniX Software to provide design kits (PDKs) for the development of optical networking and data center interconnects solutions. SiPho PDKs for TowerJazz’ SiPho process will be available Q3 2017.

The announcement strenthen TowerJazz in one of the emerging markets of communication. With the enormous surge in datacenter traffic, servers and storage designs must support much higher bandwidths at lower power, and optical high speed links are today’s solutions to support these demands. According to Keysight Technologies, optical networking and communications market is growing exponentially and is forecast to be worth $25 Billion by 2020.

TowerJazz’s SiPho process is built to enable a wide range of optical fiber interconnect Tx and Rx front-end optical ICs.  The process includes several versions of single-mode silicon waveguides, high speed germanium photodetectors, p-n junction modulators and enablement for edge and grating couplers.

PhoeniX Software’s OptoDesigner 5.1 solution, uses a unique process known as photonic synthesis to map design intent into a design-rule, targeted to the TowerJazz SiPho process.  Designers can use its parametric object oriented scripting environment and its integrated photonic simulators, to optimize their designs and to ensure its manufacturability.

“We are excited to be entering the silicon photonics foundry space in order to provide solutions to a greater portion of the optical transceiver market for our customers,” said Dr. Marco Racanelli, Sr. Vice President at TowerJazz. “As a pure-play foundry, design enablement plays a critical and complementary role to the manufacturing process. PhoeniX Software has extensive experience in the silicon photonics space.”

 TowerJazz manufactures integrated circuits, offering a broad range of customizable process technologies including: SiGe, BiCMOS, mixed-signal/CMOS, RF CMOS, CMOS image sensor, integrated power management (BCD and 700V), and MEMS. It operates two manufacturing facilities in Israel (150mm and 200mm), two in the U.S. (200mm) and three additional facilities in Japan (two 200mm and one 300mm) through TowerJazz Panasonic Semiconductor Co. (TPSCo), of which TowerJazz has the majority holding. Through TPSCo, TowerJazz provides 45nm CMOS, 65nm RF CMOS and 65nm 1.12um pixel technologies.

Autotalks raised $30 million to expand its V2X operations

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Autotalks, from Kfar Netter, Israel, announced today the completion of its Series D round with $30 million to expand its worldwide operations and accelerate deployment of its technologies for safer and smarter autonomous vehicles. “We are very pleased with the completion of this financing round, supported by such strong syndicate. It demonstrates clear vote of confidence in Autotalks’ ability to execute and gain a leading market share,” said Hagai Zyss, Autotalks’ CEO. “Our mission to equip vehicles with such lifesaving technology is now being adopted by the regulators and leading car manufacturers. I believe our chipsets will soon be part of most new vehicles worldwide.”

The closing of the funding round came at the heels of a USDOT (US Department of Transportation) issued NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) that, in an effort to increase road safety, will mandate DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication) based V2V in all new light vehicles sold in the US by 2023. To meet this target, deployments will start in 2019. Autotalks’ products are the most advanced chipsets addressing this new upcoming regulation, with superior communication performance, strongest Cybersecurity, highest integration level, and many competitive features. Autotalks already ramped up its production capabilities and was selected by several leading car manufacturers to supply their V2V solution.

The new funding round includes the company’s existing investors: Magma Venture Capital, Gemini Israel Fund, Amiti Fund, Mitsui & Co. Global Investment, Liberty Ventures and Delek Motors, as well as new financial investors: Israeli institutions, Fraser McCombs Ventures, Vintage Investment Partners and Samsung Catalyst Fund.

OEMs, Tier-1 and Tier-2 customers

Autotalks was founded in 2008 to develop a V2X-chipset. It is considered a market pioneer and provides OEMs, Tier-1 and Tier-2 customers with comprehensive V2X solutions. Autotalks’ chipsets enable the V2X communication revolution by providing the most advanced, truly secure V2X solution created for autonomous vehicles. The chipsets are pre-integrated and designed to shorten development schedules and reduced costs. Autotalks’ cutting-edge technology addresses all key V2X challenges: communication reliability, security, positioning accuracy and vehicle installation.

In 2016, Autotalks released its 2nd generation chipset. This chipset meets the strictest automotive reliability requirements. It also offers the highest level of security with multiple defense layers. The layers include secure boot, secure low-latency signing, line-rate verification of the entire V2X communication link and V2X firewall hardening the communication. Autotalks’ cryptographic-agile security engines support field upgrade to future algorithms for assuring security for decades.

Breakthrough for Silicom: New Design Win with $17m Orders

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Silicom’s shares today in NASDAQ

Silicom Ltd. from KFAR SAVA, Israel achieved the most significant design win in its history. This design win, from a top-10 Cloud player, is for a highly customized version of Silicom’s 100-Gigabit high bandwidth switch fabric on a NIC cloud solution. Based on this design win, Silicom has received initial purchase orders in the aggregate amount of $17 million to cover a small-volume Alpha phase, an intensive Beta program and the product’s first commercial deployment.

Based on the customer’s guidance, Silicom forecasts that revenues related to the design win will build to more than $30 million per year. Following the announcement, Silicom’s shares price in NASDAQ jumped by more than 16%, from $38.7 to approximately $45.2, giving the company a total value of $1.52 billion.

Silicom revealed it has completed deliveries for the Alpha phase, and is now in the process of delivering the Beta-program products. Now it works to finalize the product configuration and validating the solution’s performance within the servers in which the products will be deployed, in cooperation with a Tier-1 server manufacturer. The company is also in a process of ramping up product manufacturing to a full mass-production level.

“We are very excited to have received what we believe will become the largest Design Win in our history,” said Shaike Orbach, Silicom’s President & CEO. “This achievement has the potential of being a game-changer for Silicom. While, due to the complexity of the product and its cutting edge technology, there remain challenges that we must overcome before large-scale data center commercial deployment can be assured, we believe we are on the right track for a successful conclusion.”

“This groundbreaking design win is a clear demonstration of the success of our Cloud strategy, the cornerstone of our approach to appropriately address the industry’s transition to Cloud-based solutions. Our success demonstrates the power and urgency of the Cloud transformation, together with the superb fit of our unique connectivity products for the industry’s needs. The combination of strong market needs and our demonstrated competitive edge gives us confidence about our future prospects.”

Silicom provides high-performance networking and data infrastructure solutions to improve the performance of networking appliances and server-based systems. Its product portfolio includes multi-port 1/10/25/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet server adapters, Intelligent Bypass solutions, Encryption accelerators, Ultra Low Latency solutions, Time Stamping and other innovative Smart adapters.

PV Nano Cell to buy Digital Printer Manufacturer, DigiFlex

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PV Nano Cell Ltd. from MIGDAL HA’EMEK, Israel, has signed a letter of intent to acquire all of the outstanding shares of DigiFlex for approximately $10 million. Founded in 2008, led by its Chairman Mr. Dan Vilenski, founder of Applied Materials Israel and KLA Israel, DigiFlex has developed the DigiFlex FlexoJet 1725, a revolutionary inkjet-based Computer-to-Plate solution for photopolymer flexographic, letterpress, dry-offset, and silk screen printing technologies.

PV Nano Cell has developed innovative conductive inks for use in solar photovoltaics (PV) and printed electronics (PE) applications. Its Sicrys™ ink family is a single-crystal, nanometric silver or copper conductive ink delivering enhanced performance. Sicrys conductive inks are used all over the world in a range of inkjet printing applications, including photovoltaics, printed circuit boards, antennas, sensors, touchscreens and other applications.

Toward Electronics Printing

“We have entered into this transaction because of the synergies between DigiFlex and PV Nano Cell,” said Dr. Fernando de la Vega, CEO of PV Nano Cell. “DigiFlex offers PV Nano Cell key printer technologies and inks that will allow us to implement a comprehensive ‘Complete Solution Approach’ for our customers. As a result, we will have the unique ability to support Additive Digital design, prototyping and mass production of electronic devices, such as PCBs. We are honored that DigiFlex’s investors have chosen to join us and we welcome them as shareholders in PV Nano Cell.”

“As a combined entity, and subject to adequate financing, we are positioned to become a leading enabler of the commercial digital printing of electronics in the market,” said Dan Vilenski, DigiFlex Chairman of the board. “Sicrys offers the most effective conductive silver ink available and at a price that is unbeatable for customers today. In addition, we believe that the introduction of Sicrys™ copper ink is going to help revolutionize the industry, as the affordability of these types of conductive inks opens up our products to much of the printed electronics market.”

DigiFlex FlexoJet printer

Under the terms of the agreement, DigiFlex shareholders will receive one share of PV Nano Cell common stock for each two shares of DigiFlex common stock they hold. At the completion of the transaction, DigiFlex shareholders will own approximately 33.3% of the combined company. The transaction is conditioned on the successful completion of the ongoing due diligence process and the completion of definitive agreements. A $2.7 million investment from existing and new investors is a condition to closing.

PV Nano Cell will maintain DigiFlex as a wholly-owned subsidiary that will oversee development, manufacturing and distribution of the DigiFlex Flexojet printing systems. PV Nano Cell CEO, Dr. Fernando de la Vega will lead the process of efficiently joining the two companies into one integrated organization. Both PV Nano Cell and DigiFlex will continue to be based in Israel. In addition, under the LOI, Mr. Kenneth Levy, a founding investor in DigiFlex may appoint a director to PV Nano Cell’s Board of Directors.

 

Broadcom adopts TowerJazz new 300GHz SiGe process

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TowerJazz, the  specialty foundry from MIGDAL HA’EMEK, Israel,  announced availability of it new H5 process; a leading 300GHz SiGe process optimized for 400Gbps optical communications (or 400GbE) which promise to quadruple the capacity of even the fastest links deployed today at 100Gbps. Wireline data traffic is increasing dramatically, and TowerJazz addresses this growing market through a family of customized advanced foundry silicon-germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS technologies, including its highest performance process to date, H5.

Customers can quickly migrate existing products to H5 as layouts are virtually identical to prior generations of technology.  H5 can help reduce power consumption in lower data-rate products or boost data rates to address newer standards. One of the first H5 costumers is Broadcom.

“TowerJazz’s SiGe technology has enabled us to successfully deliver high performing optical ICs across multiple market segments and applications, including 400GbE data center interconnects,” said Dr. Faouzi Chaahoub, Senior Director of Fiber Optic Products Division at Broadcom Limited.

“We strongly value our collaboration with Broadcom in this market and continue to invest aggressively in high-speed SiGe to support all of our customers’ next-generation requirements,” said Dr. Marco Racanelli, Sr. Vice President and General Manager of RF & High Performance Analog Business Unit, TowerJazz. “SiGe has become the technology of choice for front-end components in high-speed data communications, a market that continues to promise new and exciting opportunities for TowerJazz and our customers.”

SiGe Terabit Platform: HX, H2, H3, H4, H5

The TowerJazz SiGe Terabit Platform includes advanced CMOS, together with low-noise, high-speed, and high power SiGe devices and unique patented features that enable best-in-class performance for the most demanding ICs in high-speed communication links.  These components include, for example, trans-impedance amplifiers (TIAs) on the receive path and laser drivers on the transmit path. The addition of H5 to the SiGe Terabit Platform extends a rich history of process technologies that include HX and H2 (addressing 10 to 28Gbps requirements), H3 with SiGe speeds of 280GHz (addressing requirements up to 100Gbps), and now H4 and H5 with transistor speeds that exceed 300GHz and can reduce power consumption by nearly an order of magnitude.