PlanetSpark Innovation Centre, First Hardware-targeted Accelerator for AIoT Innovations Led by Singapore Company, is Launched to Enable Tech Startups Achieve Market Deployment

SINGAPORE, Jan 12, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – PlanetSpark Pte. Ltd., the entrepreneurial and strategic investment arm of SGX mainboard-listed Excelpoint Technology Ltd(1) ("Excelpoint"), today announced the launch of PlanetSpark Innovation Centre, the first hardware-targeted accelerator for Artificial Intelligence of Things ("AIoT") innovations, dedicated to supporting Singapore tech startups speed up market deployment.

Supported by Enterprise Singapore and backed by Excelpoint, PlanetSpark will invest an initial S$5 million to expand the centre's engineering capabilities and develop technology platforms, and has secured a lineup of five startups for its upcoming pilot run of accelerator programme. The new centre, situated at Changi Business Park, is officially opened today by Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing.

The path for an AIoT technology to reach market deployment has many hurdles and requires a long gestation period. A major contributor of this phenomenon lies in the high complexity associated with AIoT solution development – from proof-of-concept to production, and eventual commercialisation.

PlanetSpark Innovation Centre sets out to address these challenges by offering a one-stop ecosystem that brings together innovators, hardware and software providers, venture capitalists, small and medium enterprises ("SMEs"), manufacturers and potential customers. Startups can tap into Excelpoint's vast industry networks of semiconductor manufacturers, sales channel partners and design engineering expertise – enabling the startups to expedite product design and optimise system-level integration for rapid prototyping, thereby reducing their time, cost and risks in bringing their solutions to market.

Mr Satvinder Singh, Assistant Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Singapore, said, "The PlanetSpark Innovation Centre is a welcome addition to Singapore's vibrant technology and innovation ecosystem. It brings ideas, people and networks together to scale innovative AIoT solutions to market and provides enterprises with the necessary resources to build capabilities and drive the development of innovative AIoT solutions. This is important as demand for such solutions is expected to grow in tandem with the region's emergence of smart homes, cities and industries."

PlanetSpark will be kicking off the 24-week accelerator programme designed to equip startups with tools and market-informed knowledge. Besides connecting the startups to industry mentors and supply chain partners, the centre will also be helping them jumpstart their AIoT technology by providing customised system integration solution (or "middleware") – one of the most critical link in determining the scalability and interoperability of an AIoT solution.

The pilot group of startups are developing market-deployable solutions integrating the middleware to solve real-world challenges in thermal sensing, facial recognition, satellite tracking and edge AI analytics.

Currently, the PlanetSpark-exclusive middleware is powered by the technology stacks of NASDAQ-listed global companies, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. ("Qualcomm") and Xilinx, Inc. ("Xilinx"), both Excelpoint's long-time partners. Qualcomm is the world's leading wireless technology innovator and the driving force behind 5G and related IoT technologies and chipsets, whereas Xilinx is a world leading manufacturer of programmable logic devices for edge AI computation. In time, PlanetSpark plans to add new industry partners to its ecosystem network to drive additional value for the participating startups.

Mr. Albert Phuay Yong Hen, Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Excelpoint, added, "In the fast-evolving electronics industry, speed to market is key and Excelpoint is uniquely positioned at the intersection of electronics technology and supply chain management.

Excelpoint is honoured to have the strong support from Enterprise Singapore to groom the next generation of technopreneurs at PlanetSpark Innovation Centre. This innovation centre is an investment we made to nurture our Singapore-grown talents and bring our Singapore pride to the globe.

Through Excelpoint, we are thankful for the partnership with leaders in semiconductor technology, such as Xilinx and Qualcomm who have jointly worked with us for the first batch of platforms. Together, we wish to bring in our expertise and market knowledge, and open doors to opportunities in the region."

Ms Phuay Li Ying, Managing Director of PlanetSpark, said, "Through my work at Excelpoint, I see many Singapore hardware startups face challenges in accessing technologies from industry leaders, gaining market knowledge and finding channels to enter the regional market.

This is a gap that PlanetSpark Innovation Centre aims to bridge by leveraging on the strengths of Excelpoint and working closely with company founders to develop and integrate their AIoT technology and innovations in a way that is customer-centric and scalable, therefore creating new sources of revenue for these startups. Only then, we can build a robust foundation for them to co-pollinate with other players in the ecosystem.

Our role as a technology validator will also provide an indication of the potential of the startups for venture capital firms, which plays a key role in the success of a startup. Our ultimate objective is to have a collaborative hardware ecosystem where such start-ups can accelerate their growth and commercialisation plans, attract venture capital funding and create new possibilities for local technology innovations and economic growth."

The global IoT market is predicted to reach a scale of USD$1102.6 billion in 2026(2). Through the initiatives and collaborations spearheaded by the PlanetSpark Innovation Centre, the eventual market deployment of the startups' AIoT innovations is expected to create new opportunities in Singapore's semiconductor supply chain and accelerate Singapore's Smart Nation and Industrial 4.0 transformation.

(1) Excelpoint Technology Ltd is a leading regional B2B business platform providing quality electronic components with integrated R&D capabilities. Excelpoint has been an integral part of the global electronics technology value chain for more than 30 years.
(2) https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/ (https://bit.ly/3sbELxB) (Accessed 18 Dec 2020)

About PlanetSpark Pte Ltd

PlanetSpark Pte Ltd ("PlanetSpark") is the entrepreneurial and investment arm of Excelpoint Technology Ltd. ("Excelpoint"), investing in, supporting and collaborating with promising early- to mid-stage start-ups which have commercially viable technologies and products in Singapore and Asia that are related to the Artificial Intelligence ("AI") and Internet of Things ("IoT") ecosystem. PlanetSpark seeks to enable new market opportunities in hardware innovation and technology within the ecosystem with our investments and resources.

PlanetSpark Innovation Centre is a go-to-market hardware accelerator in Asia for technopreneurs specialising in the AI and IoT arena to accelerate their technology innovations and enable them to make a fluid transition from proof-of-concept to production and commercialisation through our hardware platforms.

Tapping on Excelpoint's extensive business networks and market knowledge across Asia Pacific, we strive to forge collaborative and innovative partnerships within our field.

For more information about PlanetSpark, please visit https://www.planetspark.io

About Excelpoint Technology Ltd.

Excelpoint Technology Ltd. and its subsidiaries are a leading regional business-to-business platform providing quality electronic components, engineering design services and supply chain management to original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs"), original design manufacturers ("ODMs") and electronics manufacturing services ("EMS") in the Asia Pacific region. EBN, a premier online community for global supply chain professionals, recognised Excelpoint Technology Ltd. as one of its Top 25 Global Electronics Distributors in 2017.

Excelpoint works closely with its principals to create innovative solutions to complement its customers' products and solutions. Aimed at improving its customers' operational efficiency and cost competitiveness, the Group has set up research and development centres in Singapore and China that are helmed by its dedicated team of professional engineers.

Established in 1987 and headquartered in Singapore, Excelpoint's business presence spans more than 10 countries across Asia Pacific with a workforce of more than 650 people from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds.

For more information about Excelpoint, please visit www.excelpoint.com

For any media enquiries, please contact:
Mr. Alex TAN
Mobile: +65 9451 5252
Email: alex.tan@8prasia.com

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Dab the Perfume of Books and Fragrance of Ink on the 5G Era with Hisense A7

SHANGHAI, CHINA, Dec 28, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – On Dec 22nd, Hisense's flagship A7 5G reading smartphone series was officially launched. This series is the continuation of the characteristics of Hisense A series' most typical ink screen design, namely e-ink screen, a kind of screen that uses electronic ink, which is also known as e-paper displays. This is the world's first 5G cellphone equipped with an ink screen, marking the official arrival of the 5G eye-caring reading era.

Thanks to the strong support of ink/colorful ink screen, the Hisense A7 series has a higher eye-protection level, which can avoid highly frequent flicker of screen images and harmful blue light. From the perspective of reading comfort, Hisense A7 still adopts exclusively customized ink screen of E Ink Holdings with a 6.7-inch screen and a screen pixel of 300PPI, plus the ultra-narrow frame design, which increases the visible area of the screen by about 33%. Featured with full-screen turning at a press of the volume button, this cellphone can bring users extraordinary reading experience.

At the same time, the Hisense A7 has also carried out comprehensive optimization and upgrading of its software. In-depth development and customization have been realized, with Android 10 being its bedrock. Besides, special functions such as intelligent contrast, dynamic refresh mode, application bleaching, 500+ customized icons, multi-font bolding, text anti-aliasing 2.0, inspirational stenography, locking-screen reading and so on, all make their appearance in this series, offering users smoother and more immersive reading experience.

The Hisense A7 5G reading smartphone is built with a strong 5G chipset – the UNISOC T7510, which displays strong computing performance and high processing efficiency. It also supports SA/NSA dual-mode 5G and a seamless switch between 5G and 4G. Meanwhile, it adopts the new WiFi MIMO dual-antenna technology to support 5G hotspot sharing.

It's worth mentioning that UNISOC T7510 is equipped with Hi-Turbo intelligent engine technology, based on which the Hisense A7 5G reading smartphone can intelligently identify a user's operations and schedule CPU resources for different levels of computing needs with flexibility, enabling it to maintain smooth experience and extend battery life.

In terms of sound effects, Hisense A7 5G is equipped with ultra-linear speakers, adopts dual-tone membrane structure design and HIFI chip AK4377AECB, allowing you to enjoy fine and pleasant music while reading.

Characterized by a 4770mAh large-capacity battery, Hisense A7 can provide super battery life, being able to accompany you as long as possible. The 5G reading cellphone also supports 18W safe and fast charging, so you can quickly replenish the battery in your spare time without interrupting the reading.

If you want to add a more elegant pursuit of poetry and distance to the new era of 5G, then owning Hisense A7 5G reading smartphone should be your top priority concerning mobile reading!

Media Contact:
Yueying Tang, PR Team, yueying.tang@unisoc.com, UNISOC Technologies Co., Ltd, www.unisoc.com.

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

UNISOC-powered Fibocom L610-EU obtains GCF/CE/NCC Certification

SHANGHAI, CHINA, Dec 23, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – UNISOC, China's CTTL, and Fibocom have announced the successful GCF/CE/NCC certification of the Fibocom L610-EU Cat 1 Module. The Fibocom L610, based on the UNISOC 8910DM, the world's first LTE Cat 1 bis chipset platform, is an industrial-grade LTE Cat 1 module with maximum speeds of up to 10Mbps. GCF certification is a requirement for European operators, who require manufacturers to complete certification before entering the market.

Obtaining GCF, CE and NCC (National Communications Commission) certification is the result of close collaboration between Fibocom, UNISOC and CTTL (China Telecommunication Technology Labs). CTTL is the first laboratory with 3GPP Cat 1 bis GCF certification capacity and has provided rigorous certification services for the partnership. UNICOM, with a mission as the Digital World Eco-carrier, provides the core Cat 1 bis chip platform for the L610-EU.

Wei Ran, Director at CTTL, said, "CTTL has been paying close attention to the evolution of medium-speed IoT technology and market developments. We are optimistic that Cat 1 bis technology, which has been promoted by chipset manufacturers, most notably UNISOC, will achieve commercial success on a global scale by virtue of its data rate, terminal cost and network transformation cost. CTTL is the world's first institution to formally qualify for granting 3GPP Cat 1 bis GCF certification. We aim to help domestic manufacturers such as Fibocom to participate globally with outstanding products. It is also important that CTTL becomes a comprehensive and large-scale inspection and test base for electronic information and communication equipment for domestic and international manufacturers."

Judy Wei, Director of Product Marketing at Fibocom, said, "The Fibocom LTE Cat 1 L610-CN achieved domestic certification in April 2020, and the L610-EU has now achieved GCF/CE/NCC certification for Europe. Fibocom would like to thank UNISOC and CTTL for their strong support. With the GCF certification opening export to the world, the L610-EU, L610-LA, and other series products will be exported to Europe, Latin American, and other global markets. Based on L610-CN market reaction, we believe the L610 series will achieve great things in the global market."

Allen Huang, Senior Vice President at UNISOC, commented, "UNISOC 8910DM, the world's first Cat 1 IoT wide-area chipset platform, has quickly become the benchmark for medium-speed IoT products, with its advantageous technical specifications and technological maturity. The chipset platform has created many industry firsts since its release. Now, the 8910DM will officially enter the European, Latin American and other overseas markets based on the large-scale commercial experience of medium-speed IoT products accumulated in the domestic market over the past year. I am honoured to cooperate with our eco-system partners CTTL and Fibocom to create the successful launch of Cat 1 bis chipsets in overseas markets."

Fibocom's LTE Cat 1 Module L610 supports LTE, GSM dual-mode communication, VoLTE, audio, camera, LCD, keypad, and other functions. Formed as both LCC+LGA and MiniPCIe packages, it provides universal interfaces such as USB / UART / SPI / I2C / SDIO to meet various application demands of the IoT industry. The product covers the IoT market at medium- and low-speed and provides the perfect high-speed experience to all.

About UNISOC
UNISOC is a leading fabless semiconductor company committed to R&D in core chipsets for mobile communications and IoT. With 4,500 staff, 17 R&D centres, and 7 customer support centres in locations around the world, UNISOC is one of the largest chipset providers for IoT and connectivity devices in China, a global top 3 mobile chipset supplier, and the leading 5G company in the world. Please visit http://www.unisoc.com.

Media Contact
Yueying Tang, PR Team
e: yueying.tang@unisoc.com
UNISOC Technologies Co., Ltd

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Industry’s First 5G Terminal Slicing Solution Demonstrated

SHANGHAI, Dec 4, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – UNISOC, with China Mobile, ZTE and other industry chain partners, jointly completed an application demonstration of the world's first 5G terminal slicing target solution, which indicates that 5G terminal has been equipped with the slicing capability and can provide personalized and customized services for 5G users. The demonstration took place at the 8th China Mobile Global Partner Conference, from November 19 to 21, on an independent 5G SA network designed and deployed by China Mobile, with ZTE 5G system equipment and the 5G terminal chipset by UNISOC.

The terminal slicing solution enables 5G terminals with enhanced service capabilities based on multiple business granularities such as APP ID, FQDN, IP triplet, and customized DNN. This means that slicing selection can not only provide differentiated service based on different services, but can also effectively isolate the same type of traffic and even provide differentiated and personalized services to different users on the same type of service, and support new service models such as cloud gaming, real-time video broadcasting, HD video playback and so on.

The solution is designed with a modem-centric system architecture, which enables the process of matching service feature attributes and network slicing in the modem, making subsequent capacity expansion flexible and efficient, sensitive to the business attributes and providing a variety of options for users. The new system is designed to be flexible and scalable for high-quality slicing services.

The demonstration uses an online speed measurement business scenario to visually compare the experiences of non-sliced network access and slice-assured network access. The comparison demonstrates excellent 5G slice-assured performance across categories in terms of the downlink peak rate, packet loss rate and latency in securing typical 5G services, fully realizing the slicing selection and modem-centric solutions for 5G terminals. The demonstration results showed that even with overloaded cell blocks built into the demonstration scenario, 5G slice users could still enjoy smooth download rates, extremely low packet loss rates and ultra-low latency service experiences.

Network slicing is the core technology of 5G, empowering various vertical industries. It is a powerful tool for generating new businesses, innovating business models, and increasing the value of the network. As a leading chip designer in China, UNISOC and its partners have jointly completed the end-to-end 5G network slicing application and modem-centric solution, which will promote the industrialization of slicing technology and will greatly facilitate the digital transformation. 5G development has brought vitality to a variety of industries and has led to the booming development of related industries and markets.

About UNISOC
UNISOC is a leading fabless semiconductor company committed to R&D in core chipsets for mobile communications and AIoT. With 4,500 staff, 17 R&D centers and 7 customer support centers in locations around the world, UNISOC is one of the largest chipset providers for IoT and connectivity devices in China, a global top 3 mobile chipset supplier, and the leading 5G company in the world. Please visit http://www.unisoc.com.

Media Contact
Yueying Tang, PR Team
e: yueying.tang@unisoc.com
UNISOC Technologies Co., Ltd

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Hong Kong Firms Maximise Digital Opportunities to Go Global

HONG KONG, Nov 18, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – With the COVID-19 pandemic showing no sign of abating, how can Hong Kong, a city famous for its ability to respond rapidly, harness technology to create new opportunities? Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Hong Kong Electronics & Technologies Association (HKETA), the Symposium on Innovation & Technology 2020 invited experts from various sectors to offer insights into the latest developments, covering topics such as future technology trends, artificial intelligence (AI), 5G and cloud applications, the "new normal" for businesses and the latest developments in pharmaceutical technology. Speakers shared their experience in using technology to solve problems, and introduced new ideas that could lead to future opportunities.

Nim Cheung, Chairman of Symposium on Innovation & Technology Organising Committee; Charles Mok, Honorary President of Hong Kong Information Technology Federation; Lo Wai-kwok, Legislative Councillor (Engineering); Marcos Chow, Partner & Head of Technology Enablement at KPMG China; and Timothy Tam, Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs (Hong Kong) at Google, sharing insights at the 'Symposium on Innovation & Technology 2020'. (L-R)

Marcos Chow, Partner & Head of Technology Enablement at KPMG China, said enterprises are being driven to digital transformation due to the pandemic.

Timothy Tam, Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs (Hong Kong) at Google, said Hong Kong enterprises are generally optimistic about the development of artificial intelligence.

The symposium, running under the theme "A New Connected World Beyond the New Normal", is one of more than 20 webinar sessions being organised as part of Autumn Sourcing Week | ONLINE, a virtual trade fair that has attracted 2,600 exhibitors from 33 countries and regions, featuring the latest products from 11 industries.

Alfred Sit, Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said in the opening speech at the symposium that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial disruption to almost every aspect of our daily lives, adding that innovation and technology (I&T) has played an important role in helping to contain the spread of the disease and make it easier for everyone to observe the necessary social distancing measures. Mr Sit mentioned that over the past 10 months or so, the HKSAR Government has widely adopted I&T applications to support anti-epidemic work on many fronts, including the "StayHomeSafe" app, electronic wristbands, the "LeaveHomeSafe" app and more. He also highlighted how the launch of commercial 5G services by mobile network operators in April this year is paving the way for the beginning of the 5G era in Hong Kong.

Summarising the results of KPMG's CIO Survey 2020, Marcos Chow, Partner & Head of Technology Enablement at KPMG China, outlined the new reality for global business. He said that enterprises are being driven to digital transformation due to the pandemic, leading to the widespread acceptance of home-based work, which in turn can expand the scope of talent recruitment and reduce geographical constraints. At the same time, the risk of a talent shortage has become the most pressing problem for global companies, with skills in the areas of network security, organisational management and corporate structure being in short supply.

Hong Kong e-commerce firm eyes global expansion

When it comes to technology, HKTVmall, a Hong Kong-based online supermarket and shopping mall platform, is poised to move from being a technology user to becoming a technology provider. Looking back at the company's experience over the last seven years, Ricky Wong, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Television Network Limited, said the company recorded losses for five years until it emerged as the sole service provider in the business. The key for HKTVmall was to make good use of existing technology before developing its own technology and systems. "This is where value comes from," he said. The platform has collected consumer data from local customers over the years and laid the foundation for its digital ecosystem, developing different business opportunities according to consumers' needs and preferences. These include services such as an e-wallet, a shopping app targeted at seniors, a food takeaway platform, and products such as financial products and electronic insurance.

Mr Wong said the platform plans to consolidate its broad experience and provide a one-stop turnkey solution for businesses around the world interested in developing online supermarkets or shopping platforms. He added that the company would open up its data bank to the public in the future, with information such as sales transactions, user traffic and logistics records becoming accessible to peers, academics and banks to promote the development of the local electronic ecosystem.

Innovative technology brings about opportunities, but governments and industry must work together to drive positive development. In October, Google Hong Kong released "Smarter Digital City 3.0", which detailed Hong Kong people's readiness to accept AI. Timothy Tam, Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs (Hong Kong) at Google, said that Hong Kong enterprises are generally optimistic about the development of AI, but have concerns about issues such as investment return, knowledge and human resources. He expects that policymakers will have to invest resources to incentivise businesses to develop AI solutions. Charles Mok, Honorary President of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation (HKITF), reminded companies to be mindful of customer privacy and network security, and to use and retain relevant information in a proper way.

Professor hopes for more production of reusable disinfection equipment

Alongside business opportunities, the symposium addressed public concerns regarding treatment and prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yuen Kwok-yung, Chair of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Hong Kong, joined the event to share his views on the current situation in relation to the pandemic. He said that the effectiveness of antibodies being developed worldwide is still uncertain, noting that the cost of developing a neutralising monoclonal antibody has been high, while the cost of convalescent plasma antibody titres is lower.

In terms of virus prevention, Prof Yuen hoped that manufacturers would use sterilised materials to produce reusable personal protection equipment to handle various infectious diseases. He pointed out that although the source of the new coronavirus could not be confirmed at present, viruses were found in poultry markets in 2003 (SARS), 2013 (H7N9 avian influenza) and 2019 (new coronavirus), so the design of poultry markets needs to be improved. Attention should also be paid to the design of domestic sewerage systems to avoid virus transmission incidents such as those in Amoy Gardens in 2003, Hong Mei House in Cheung Hong Estate and Heng Tai House in Fu Heng Estate in 2020.

The HKTDC is running Autumn Sourcing Week | ONLINE from 16 to 27 November, featuring the latest products from different industries including electronics, houseware, lighting, outdoor lighting, eco tech, gifts and premiums, toys, baby products, stationery, optical and watches and clocks. The virtual fair serves as a one-stop online sourcing platform to keep small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) connected with global buyers and help create business opportunities across various sectors.

Websites
Autumn Sourcing Week | ONLINE: https://asw.hktdc.com
hktdc.com Sourcing: http://sourcing.hktdc.com
Photos download: https://bit.ly/3lKlXBR

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: http://www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.

Contact:
Janet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org

UNISOC Completes Multi-vendor 5G SA Chip Interoperability Testing

SHANGHAI, Nov 2, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – UNISOC completed multi-vendor 5G standalone (SA) chip interoperability testing and ZUC verification testing on October 15, with major system vendors. The tests confirm that UNISOC 5G chips are fully interoperable with system equipment vendors and support the ZUC encryption algorithm, laying the foundation for large-scale commercialization of 5G SA terminals.

The tests were organized by IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group at the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), using smartphones powered by the UNISOC T7510. UNISOC successfully completed the 5G SA chip interoperability testing with ZTE, Nokia Shanghai Bell and Ericsson, and the ZUC verification test with ZTE.

In the 5G SA chip interoperability test, following 3GPP R15 F60 standards, the UNISOC T7510 completed testing for 280 items, covering the physical layer, RRC layer, NAS layer, service bearing, network slicing and NR-LTE mobility and EPS Fallback.

In the ZUC performance test, smartphones with the UNISOC T7510 completed 18 test cases for uplink/downlink rate, encryption delay, and integrity protection at data level. ZUC, or Zu Chongzhi, is a central 3GPP Confidentiality Algorithm and will be used to build a more secure 5G network and meet the requirements of various verticals.

About UNISOC
UNISOC is a leading fabless semiconductor company committed to R&D of core chipsets for mobile communications and AIoT. With 4,500 staff, 17 R&D centers and 7 customer support centers around the world, UNISOC is one of the largest chipset providers for IoT and connectivity devices in China, a global top 3 mobile chipset supplier, and the leading 5G company in the world. Please visit http://www.unisoc.com.

Media Contact:
Miranda Wu – UNISOC PR Team
Email: mengran.wu@unisoc.com
UNISOC Technologies Co., Ltd

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Olympus announces acquisition of FH ORTHO, an international orthopedics company in France

Tokyo/Hamburg, Nov 2, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Olympus Corporation (Director, Representative Executive Officer, President and CEO: Yasuo Takeuchi) today announced that it has acquired FH ORTHO SAS, an international orthopedic company headquartered in Heimsbrunn, France, following the close of a definitive agreement the two companies signed in the summer of 2020. The acquisition underscores Olympus' commitment to expanding in the growing field of orthopedic minimally invasive surgery (MIS) both organically and through mergers and acquisitions, with the overarching goal of developing innovative solutions that improve clinical outcomes, reduce overall costs and enhance quality of life for patients.

By acquiring FH ORTHO, Olympus builds on its portfolio of innovative and patient-focused solutions that are used in MIS procedures in ligament repair, foot & ankle, and trauma surgery.

Olympus is already active in orthopedics in Japan, where its joint venture Olympus Terumo Biomaterials Corp. distributes products such as bone substitutes and high tibial osteotomy (HTO) plates and screws. Beyond this, Olympus has also developed the first ultrasound device indicated for arthroscopic surgery, supporting more accurate and safer cutting of bones.

The acquisition of FH ORTHO will strengthen Olympus group's sales channels by enabling it to expand the distribution of both Olympus' orthopedic products via FH ORTHO's existing distribution channels, as well as to sell certain FH ORTHO key products in Japan.

By expanding its distribution network, Olympus will reinforce its position as a leading global medtech company as it continues to innovate and create solutions across all areas of the MIS workflow.

"We are pleased to integrate FH ORTHO's product portfolio, market reach and talented people to our orthopedics business," says Toshihiko Okubo, Senior Vice President, New Business Development, Global at Olympus. "By combining FH ORTHO's expertise and its excellent business presence with our products and solutions for the minimally invasive orthopedics surgery, the benefit of our offer to the patients and healthcare professionals will be further enhanced across the world."

Jean-Marc Idier, CEO of FH ORTHO, comments, "The FH ORTHO team very positively welcomes the arrival of Olympus as a recognition of our ongoing efforts and past accomplishments, whilst providing us with new means to accelerate the next phase of our international expansion."

About FH ORTHO

FH ORTHO develops and manufactures orthopedic devices and instruments for surgeons around the world. Founded in Mulhouse, France in 1964, FH ORTHO is represented in over 37 countries, with products focused on joint reconstruction, ligament repair, biologics, foot & ankle, and trauma surgery. R&D and factory are based in Quimper, France. Backed by 55 years of forward-thinking innovation in devices, techniques and product delivery, the company today is positioned for rapid expansion globally.

With an unrelenting commitment to innovation, research and collaboration, FH ORTHO continues to bring new ideas and techniques to advance the forefront of orthopedics globally. FH ORTHO products are developed and refined by surgeon experts who are among the world leaders in their respective fields. Prized for elegant design and distinguished by clinical sophistication and flexibility, FH ORTHO products help surgeons deliver ideal patient outcomes with devices, systems and tools that simplifies patient management for the surgeon, at an overall cost structure that is a benefit to the entire patient continuum of care.

About Olympus' Medical business

Olympus' Medical business uses innovative capabilities in medical technology, therapeutic intervention, and precision manufacturing to help healthcare professionals deliver diagnostic, therapeutic, and minimally invasive procedures to improve clinical outcomes, reduce overall costs, and enhance the quality of life for patients. Olympus' Medical portfolio includes endoscopes, laparoscopes, and video imaging systems, as well as surgical energy devices, system integration solutions, medical services, and a wide range of endotherapy instruments for endoscopic and therapeutic applications. For more information, visit www.olympus-global.com.

For questions or additional information, please contact:
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Matthias Gengenbach
+49 15142369420
matthias.gengenbach@olympus-europa.com

Japan
Yuka Horimoto
+81-90-2490-1071
yuka.horimoto@olympus.com

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

UNISOC and China Unicom Deploy World’s First E2E Network Slicing Solution

SHANGHAI, Oct 19, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – UNISOC and China Unicom have successfully deployed the world's first 3GPP-compliant end-to-end network slicing selection solution, enabling 5G smartphone and data terminal network slicing to 3GPP standards. The solution allows devices to independently and flexibly select network slices through APP ID, FQDN, DNN and other identifiers in China Unicom's 5G SA trial commercial network, bringing broader development prospects for the transformation of industry verticals.

Network slicing is among the most important features of 5G network architecture, the key entry point for 5G to empower thousands of industries. However, network slicing technology is highly complex and a technical solution must run through multiple network levels. Network slicing in devices had become a constraint to the development of end-to-end network slicing, while technical bottlenecks lie in the limitations of chips and terminal operating systems.

In a scheme equipped with the UNISOC 5G chip, this solution supports 5G smartphones and data terminals for all slice selection strategies under 3GPP specifications, and optimizes the users' business experience. The two sides have recently completed technical verification on China Unicom Beijing's 5G SA trial commercial network, laying a technical foundation for the diversified development of 5G industrial applications in the future.

Earlier this year, China Unicom launched the world's first 5G terminal priced under 1,000 yuan, the 5G CPE VN007. Powered by the UNISOC V510, the CPE VN007 supports an end-to-end 5G network slicing selection solution through a software upgrade, completing test verification. This will lower the commercialization threshold for 5G network slicing, and rapidly empower 5G industry application scenarios across the spectrum.

About UNISOC
UNISOC is a leading fabless semiconductor company committed to R&D of core chipsets for mobile communications and AIoT. With 4,500 staff, 17 R&D centers and 7 customer support centers around the world, UNISOC has become one of the largest chipset providers for IoT and connectivity devices in China, and in market share a global top 3 mobile chipset supplier and the leading 5G company in the world. For more information, please visit http://www.unisoc.com.

Media Contact:
Miranda Wu – UNISOC PR
E: mengran.wu@unisoc.com
UNISOC Technologies Co., Ltd

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

TANAKA Develops “TRuST” Precursor for CVD/ALD Processes; Using Liquid Ruthenium Precursor to Achieve World’s Highest Vapor Pressures

"TRuST" precursor for CVD and ALD processes

Comparison of vapor pressure of precursor

During this precursor development, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo focused on material design and synthesis research, while Professor Soo-Hyun Kim, Ph.D., School of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering at Yeungnam University in South Korea, researched to optimize the film formation characteristics.

Technologies developed through this collaboration will help increase performance and reduce energy consumption for the semiconductor devices used in smartphones, computers, and the data centers where demand is to grow well into the future.

Precursors are metal-organic compounds used in chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD) and other processes to form thin metal films or metal wiring on substrates. CVD and ALD processes enable the formation of films with superior step coverage on various types of base substrate. These are useful methods for forming films as semiconductors become increasingly miniaturized, with increased structural complexity, and narrower wires with every new generation.

TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo has developed a range of precious metal precursors over the years, including ruthenium precursors. This time, computer simulation and other techniques were used to achieve miniaturization and optimization of the molecular structure. This resulted in the successful development of a precious metal compound in a liquid form, with high vapor pressure, and thermal stability suited for film formation, all of which are important characteristics for precursors. As a result, this compound has the world's highest vapor pressure over 100 times higher than that of previous liquid ruthenium precursors. The higher the vapor pressure of precursors and the smaller their molecular structure, the higher the possible concentration of precursor in the film formation chamber, and the greater the adsorption density of precursor molecules on the substrate surface. Compared to previous precursors, this achieves excellent step coverage and improved film formation speed.

According to research carried out at Yeungnam University, ALD film formation at approximately 1.7 angstrom (A) per cycle is possible, which is the world's fastest of its type using liquid ruthenium precursor. Also, specific resistivity after film formation is approximately 13 microhm-cm, which is close to the value of bulk ruthenium metal (7.6 microhm-cm).

When bulk ruthenium is used for vapor deposition, with a temperature as high as 3000 degrees C. However, if it is converted into an organometallic compound of ruthenium precursor, it can be vaporized at low temperatures (between room temperature to 200 degrees C) under vacuum. As a result, the formation of high-quality ruthenium film with excellent step coverage at high productivity is expected. This has been an issue in the past because it is technically difficult to achieve all these characteristics at the same time. With the development of "TRuST" however, it is now possible.

Samples of Shipments of "TRuST" should begin shipping samples are planned to start in October 2020.

Background and TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo's development of precursor for CVD/ALD processes

In the past, the most common wiring materials used for semiconductors were copper, tungsten and cobalt. However, as semiconductors have evolved, there are increasing expectations for the precious metal ruthenium to promote further miniaturization of semiconductors because of its lower resistance and higher durability. With its superior characteristics, ruthenium is also being considered for use in transistor gate electrodes and DRAM capacitor electrodes.

The progress of technologies such as IoT, AI, and 5G over recent years has led to rapidly increasing volumes of digital data used in clouds, smartphones, and computers. Therefore, the need for even greater miniaturization of semiconductors is increasing to enable the creation of devices with higher performance and lower energy consumption. As a specialized manufacturer of precious metals, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo will continue contributing to this evolution of semiconductors through the development of high-quality semiconductor materials.

With the support of Professor Soo-Hyun Kim, from the College of Engineering at Yeungnam University, a researcher from TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo will give a presentation of this technology at the "International Interconnect Technology Conference (IITC) 2020", which will be held online from October 5-8, 2020. The title of the presentation is High-growth-rate atomic layer deposition of high-quality Ru Using a Novel Ru metalorganic precursor.

[1] Chemical vapor deposition (CVD): CVD is a chemical film formation method. It is a method of forming thin metal films on the surfaces of base materials or substrates through a chemical reaction induced and accelerated by directing energy, in forms such as heat, plasma and light, at gaseous vapor material fed into a reaction chamber at pressures between atmospheric pressures to medium vacuum pressures (100-10-1 Pa).
[2] Atomic layer deposition (ALD): Both CVD and ALD are film formation methods that use chemical reactions inside reaction chambers to deposit material onto substrates through the vapor phase. The main difference between the two methods is that while CVD continually forms atomic and molecular layers, ALD forms the layers intermittently one layer at a time.
[3] Precursors: Precursors are compounds used as the raw material for forming thin metal films and metal wiring on substrates.

TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Holding company of TANAKA Precious Metals)
Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEO
Founded: 1885
Incorporated: 1918*
Capital: 500 million yen
Employees in consolidated group: 5,138 (FY2019)
Employees: 221 (March 31, 2020)
Net sales of consolidated group: JPY 1,149,604 million (FY2019)
Main businesses of the group: The holding company at the center of TANAKA Precious Metals responsible for strategic and efficient group management and management guidance to group companies.
URL: https://www.tanaka.co.jp/english/
* TANAKA Holdings adopted a holding company structure on April 1, 2010.

TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.
Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEO
Founded: 1885
Incorporated: 1918
Capital: 500 million yen
Employees: 2,393 (as of March 31, 2020)
Sales: JPY 992,679,879,000 (FY2019)
Main businesses: Manufacture, sales, import and export of precious metals (platinum, gold, silver, and others) and various types of industrial precious metals products.
URL: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com

About TANAKA Precious Metals

Since its foundation in 1885, TANAKA Precious Metals has built a diversified range of business activities focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volumes of precious metals handled. Over the course of many years, TANAKA has not only manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry but also provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and resources. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies within and outside Japan work together with unified cooperation between manufacturing, sales, and technological aspects to offer products and services. Additionally, to make further progress in globalization, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo welcomed Metalor Technologies International SA as a member of the Group in 2016.

As precious metal professionals, TANAKA Precious Metals will continue to contribute to the development of an enriching and prosperous society.

The five core companies that make up TANAKA Precious Metals are as follows.
– TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (pure holding company)
– TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.
– TANAKA Denshi Kogyo K.K.
– Electroplating Engineers Of Japan, Limited
– TANAKA Kikinzoku Jewerly K.K.

Press release in PDF: http://www.acnnewswire.com/clientreports/598/20200930.pdf

Press Inquiries
TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.
https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

TANAKA Develops “TRuST” Precursor for CVD/ALD Processes; Using Liquid Ruthenium Precursor to Achieve World’s Highest Vapor Pressures

TOKYO, Sep 30, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka) announced today that TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), which operates the TANAKA Precious Metals manufacturing business, has developed a new liquid ruthenium precursor named "TRuST" for CVD[1] and ALD[2] processes. The vapor pressure of "TRuST" is more than 100 times higher as compared to that to previous liquid ruthenium (element symbol Ru) precursors[3], which is currently the world's highest vapor pressure value at room temperature as per TANAKA's internal evaluation.

During this precursor development, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo focused on material design and synthesis research, while Professor Soo-Hyun Kim, Ph.D., School of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering at Yeungnam University in South Korea, researched to optimize the film formation characteristics.

Technologies developed through this collaboration will help increase performance and reduce energy consumption for the semiconductor devices used in smartphones, computers, and the data centers where demand is to grow well into the future.

Precursors are metal-organic compounds used in chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD) and other processes to form thin metal films or metal wiring on substrates. CVD and ALD processes enable the formation of films with superior step coverage on various types of base substrate. These are useful methods for forming films as semiconductors become increasingly miniaturized, with increased structural complexity, and narrower wires with every new generation.

TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo has developed a range of precious metal precursors over the years, including ruthenium precursors. This time, computer simulation and other techniques were used to achieve miniaturization and optimization of the molecular structure. This resulted in the successful development of a precious metal compound in a liquid form, with high vapor pressure, and thermal stability suited for film formation, all of which are important characteristics for precursors. As a result, this compound has the world's highest vapor pressure over 100 times higher than that of previous liquid ruthenium precursors. The higher the vapor pressure of precursors and the smaller their molecular structure, the higher the possible concentration of precursor in the film formation chamber, and the greater the adsorption density of precursor molecules on the substrate surface. Compared to previous precursors, this achieves excellent step coverage and improved film formation speed.

According to research carried out at Yeungnam University, ALD film formation at approximately 1.7 angstrom (A) per cycle is possible, which is the world's fastest of its type using liquid ruthenium precursor. Also, specific resistivity after film formation is approximately 13 microhm-cm, which is close to the value of bulk ruthenium metal (7.6 microhm-cm).

When bulk ruthenium is used for vapor deposition, with a temperature as high as 3000 degrees C. However, if it is converted into an organometallic compound of ruthenium precursor, it can be vaporized at low temperatures (between room temperature to 200 degrees C) under vacuum. As a result, the formation of high-quality ruthenium film with excellent step coverage at high productivity is expected. This has been an issue in the past because it is technically difficult to achieve all these characteristics at the same time. With the development of "TRuST" however, it is now possible.

Samples of Shipments of "TRuST" should begin shipping samples are planned to start in October 2020.

Background and TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo's development of precursor for CVD/ALD processes

In the past, the most common wiring materials used for semiconductors were copper, tungsten and cobalt. However, as semiconductors have evolved, there are increasing expectations for the precious metal ruthenium to promote further miniaturization of semiconductors because of its lower resistance and higher durability. With its superior characteristics, ruthenium is also being considered for use in transistor gate electrodes and DRAM capacitor electrodes.

The progress of technologies such as IoT, AI, and 5G over recent years has led to rapidly increasing volumes of digital data used in clouds, smartphones, and computers. Therefore, the need for even greater miniaturization of semiconductors is increasing to enable the creation of devices with higher performance and lower energy consumption. As a specialized manufacturer of precious metals, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo will continue contributing to this evolution of semiconductors through the development of high-quality semiconductor materials.

With the support of Professor Soo-Hyun Kim, from the College of Engineering at Yeungnam University, a researcher from TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo will give a presentation of this technology at the "International Interconnect Technology Conference (IITC) 2020", which will be held online from October 5-8, 2020. The title of the presentation is High-growth-rate atomic layer deposition of high-quality Ru Using a Novel Ru metalorganic precursor.

[1] Chemical vapor deposition (CVD): CVD is a chemical film formation method. It is a method of forming thin metal films on the surfaces of base materials or substrates through a chemical reaction induced and accelerated by directing energy, in forms such as heat, plasma and light, at gaseous vapor material fed into a reaction chamber at pressures between atmospheric pressures to medium vacuum pressures (100-10-1 Pa).
[2] Atomic layer deposition (ALD): Both CVD and ALD are film formation methods that use chemical reactions inside reaction chambers to deposit material onto substrates through the vapor phase. The main difference between the two methods is that while CVD continually forms atomic and molecular layers, ALD forms the layers intermittently one layer at a time.
[3] Precursors: Precursors are compounds used as the raw material for forming thin metal films and metal wiring on substrates.

TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Holding company of TANAKA Precious Metals)
Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEO
Founded: 1885
Incorporated: 1918*
Capital: 500 million yen
Employees in consolidated group: 5,138 (FY2019)
Employees: 221 (March 31, 2020)
Net sales of consolidated group: JPY 1,149,604 million (FY2019)
Main businesses of the group: The holding company at the center of TANAKA Precious Metals responsible for strategic and efficient group management and management guidance to group companies.
URL: https://www.tanaka.co.jp/english/
* TANAKA Holdings adopted a holding company structure on April 1, 2010.

TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.
Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEO
Founded: 1885
Incorporated: 1918
Capital: 500 million yen
Employees: 2,393 (as of March 31, 2020)
Sales: JPY 992,679,879,000 (FY2019)
Main businesses: Manufacture, sales, import and export of precious metals (platinum, gold, silver, and others) and various types of industrial precious metals products.
URL: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com

About TANAKA Precious Metals

Since its foundation in 1885, TANAKA Precious Metals has built a diversified range of business activities focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volumes of precious metals handled. Over the course of many years, TANAKA has not only manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry but also provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and resources. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies within and outside Japan work together with unified cooperation between manufacturing, sales, and technological aspects to offer products and services. Additionally, to make further progress in globalization, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo welcomed Metalor Technologies International SA as a member of the Group in 2016.

As precious metal professionals, TANAKA Precious Metals will continue to contribute to the development of an enriching and prosperous society.

The five core companies that make up TANAKA Precious Metals are as follows.
– TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (pure holding company)
– TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.
– TANAKA Denshi Kogyo K.K.
– Electroplating Engineers Of Japan, Limited
– TANAKA Kikinzoku Jewerly K.K.

Press release in PDF: http://www.acnnewswire.com/clientreports/598/20200930.pdf

Press Inquiries
TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.
https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com