Browse Topic: Integrated circuits
Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) are reshaping automotive control architectures by shifting intelligence to embedded systems, where computational efficiency is paramount. This paper presents a systematic evaluation of control strategies (PID, LQR, MPC) for the classical control problem involving inverted pendulum on a cart under strict embedded constraints representative of software-defined vehicle ECUs. The objective is to evaluate and compare the performance of advanced control algorithms under varying control objectives when deployed on microcontrollers with constrained computational and memory resources, representative of the limitations encountered in embedded platforms used for SDVs. Furthermore, the study illustrates systematic optimization strategies that enable these algorithms to achieve real-time execution within such resource-constrained environments. Each control strategy is implemented with careful consideration of algorithmic complexity, real-time responsiveness, and
Defense Advaned Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Arlington, VA
Microchip's PIC64 is a new portfolio of microprocessors that the Chandler, Arizona-based company claims could enable a generational leap in embedded processing performance for aerospace and defense applications. The new MPU technology is supported by a 64-bit reduced instruction set computer (RISC-V) architecture with an embedded Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) Ethernet switch.
In the race toward practical quantum computers and networks, photons — fundamental particles of light — hold intriguing possibilities as fast carriers of information at room temperature. Photons are typically controlled and coaxed into quantum states via waveguides on extended microchips, or through bulky devices built from lenses, mirrors, and beam splitters. The photons become entangled — enabling them to encode and process quantum information in parallel — through complex networks of these optical components. But such systems are notoriously difficult to scale up due to the large numbers and imperfections of parts required to do any meaningful computation or networking.
Cornell researchers have developed a low-power microchip they call a “microwave brain,” the first processor to compute on both ultrafast data signals and wireless communication signals by harnessing the physics of microwaves.
Researchers blend theoretical insight and precision experiments to entangle photons on an ultra-thin chip. Harvard University, Allston, MA In the race toward practical quantum computers and networks, photons - fundamental particles of light - hold intriguing possibilities as fast carriers of information at room temperature. Photons are typically controlled and coaxed into quantum states via waveguides on extended microchips, or through bulky devices built from lenses, mirrors, and beam splitters. The photons become entangled - enabling them to encode and process quantum information in parallel - through complex networks of these optical components. But such systems are notoriously difficult to scale up due to the large numbers and imperfections of parts required to do any meaningful computation or networking. Could all those optical components could be collapsed into a single, flat, ultra-thin array of subwavelength elements that control light in the exact same way, but with far fewer
Researchers have developed a portable device capable of detecting rare genetic mutations from a single drop of blood. The instrument was shown in lab experiments to quickly and accurately test for a genetic condition called hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis, which can cause heart problems. The disease is caused by a genetic mutation in the transthyretin gene. This mutation can lead to heart failure, especially in people of West African ancestry. The device, which amplifies nucleic acid segments and detects mutations using a microchip aims to bring a device equal to the performance and accuracy of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, typically confined to laboratories, into doctors’ offices, homes, and community centers.
In the race toward practical quantum computers and networks, photons — fundamental particles of light — hold intriguing possibilities as fast carriers of information at room temperature. Photons are typically controlled and coaxed into quantum states via waveguides on extended microchips, or through bulky devices built from lenses, mirrors, and beam splitters. The photons become entangled – enabling them to encode and process quantum information in parallel – through complex networks of these optical components. But such systems are notoriously difficult to scale up due to the large numbers and imperfections of parts required to do any meaningful computation or networking.
A new low-cost, scalable technology can seamlessly integrate high-speed gallium nitride transistors onto a standard silicon chip. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA The advanced semiconductor material gallium nitride will likely be key for the next generation of high-speed communication systems and the power electronics needed for state-of-the-art data centers. Unfortunately, the high cost of gallium nitride (GaN) and the specialization required to incorporate this semiconductor material into conventional electronics have limited its use in commercial applications.
Researchers have developed a 3D microprinted sensor for highly sensitive on-chip biosensing. The sensor, which is based on a polymer whispering-gallerymode microlaser, opens new opportunities for developing high-performance, cost-effective lab-on-a-chip devices for early disease diagnosis.
The mass production of conventional silicon chips relies on a successful business model with large “semiconductor fabrication plants” or “foundries.” New research by KU Leuven and imec shows that this “foundry” model can also be applied to the field of flexible, thin-film electronics. Adopting this approach would give innovation in the field a huge boost.
An invention that uses microchip technology in implantable devices and other wearable products such as smart watches can be used to improve biomedical devices including those used to monitor people with glaucoma and heart disease.
In a world grappling with a multitude of health threats — ranging from fast-spreading viruses to chronic diseases and drug-resistant bacteria — the need for quick, reliable, and easy-to-use home diagnostic tests has never been greater. Imagine a future where these tests can be done anywhere, by anyone, using a device as small and portable as your smartwatch. To do that, you need microchips capable of detecting minuscule concentrations of viruses or bacteria in the air.
United States microchip fab plants can cram billions of data-processing transistors onto a tiny silicon chip, but the “clock,” which times the transistors’ operations, must be made separately, which creates a flaw in chip security as well as the supply line. However, a new approach uses commercial chip fab materials and techniques to fabricate specialized transistors to serve as the building block of the timing device.
McGill University researchers have made a breakthrough in diagnostic technology, inventing a ‘lab on a chip’ that can be 3D-printed in just 30 minutes. The chip has the potential to make on-the-spot testing widely accessible.
Lasers developed at the University of Rochester offer a new path for on-chip frequency comb generators. University of Rochester, Rochester, NY Light measurement devices called optical frequency combs have revolutionized metrology, spectroscopy, atomic clocks, and other applications. Yet challenges with developing frequency comb generators at a microchip scale have limited their use in everyday technologies such as handheld electronics. In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers at the University of Rochester describe new microcomb lasers they have developed that overcome previous limitations and feature a simple design that could open the door to a broad range of uses.
Smaller than a coin, this optical device could enable rapid prototyping on the go. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA Imagine a portable 3D printer you could hold in the palm of your hand. The tiny device could enable a user to rapidly create customized, low-cost objects on the go, like a fastener to repair a wobbly bicycle wheel or a component for a critical medical operation. Researchers from MIT and the University of Texas at Austin took a major step toward making this idea a reality by demonstrating the first chip-based 3D printer. Their proof-of-concept device consists of a single, millimeter-scale photonic chip that emits reconfigurable beams of light into a well of resin that cures into a solid shape when light strikes it.
Light measurement devices called optical frequency combs have revolutionized metrology, spectroscopy, atomic clocks, and other applications. Yet challenges with developing frequency comb generators at a microchip scale have limited their use in everyday technologies such as handheld electronics.
In recent decades, innovative System-on-Chip (SoC) design has become a critical area of research, driven by emerging trends and complex application demands. SoCs, which integrate analog, digital, and mixed-signal components, along with software, present significant design and verification challenges. Modeling and Simulation constitutes a powerful method for designing and evaluating these complex systems, enabling system designers in concept realization, experimentation, optimization, and validation. This paper introduces a ‘Synergized SoC design flow with Modeling and Simulation’ applied in the design and development of SoC for a radar target emulator application. This synergized flow uniquely integrates system-level modeling and simulation with the traditional SoC design and development process to effectively address design and verification needs. Our approach not only accelerates the SoC design cycle time but also provides a comprehensive framework for future innovations in the SoC
Unsteady pressure fluctuations in launch vehicles can induce aerodynamic instabilities, potentially resulting in vibration, structural fatigue, and even catastrophic failure. These risks undermine structural integrity and jeopardize payload delivery, threatening mission success and crew safety. Therefore, precise measurements of unsteady pressure are vital for understanding dynamic pressure distribution and flow behaviour caused by phenomena like shock waves, vortices, boundary layer interactions, and flow separation. While ground-based wind tunnel tests have conventionally provided these insights, this paper presents an on-board system designed for real-time unsteady pressure data acquisition. The system addresses the challenge of accurately resolving high-frequency pressure variations over very high base pressure values. It can be integrated into re-entry vehicles and stage recovery experiments, providing confidence in acquiring data for complex geometrical shapes. Moreover, the
Automatically controlling equipment, and providing users with visualization of the operation, are two distinct but closely related functions. Specialized microcontrollers or commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are workhorses for implementing control, while a variety of dedicated or PC-based human-machine interface (HMI) options are available.
As the integrated circuits that power our electronic devices get more powerful, they are also getting smaller. This trend of microelectronics has only accelerated in recent years as scientists try to fit increasingly more semiconducting components on a chip.
Along with unique and challenging development concerns, target hardware deployment concerns exist for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications. Those deployment concerns should be addressed in the planning phase and consist of the issues surrounding the target hardware selection and the certifiability/qualifiable of the target hardware for the AI/ML model deployment. These concerns center around certification issues identified for multi-core processors (MCP), where those MCP issues are amplified for graphics processor units (GPUs) when they are used for general computing. While the use of complex graphics processors for general computing is being reconciled for flight critical applications, the reduction of these concerns is possible through design specific target hardware choices, e.g., selection of Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices or other certifiable approaches. This paper explores these concerns and proposes design specific target hardware
Wear debris monitoring and analysis is a common practice for the condition assessment of engine and transmission health. Oil debris monitoring (ODM) and electronic chip detectors (ECD) are two common methods deployed for continuous monitoring of oil wetted component health in-flight. This study evaluates the diagnostic performance of the two sensing technologies within controlled rolling element bearing (REB) fault experiments. Progressive visual inspection of the REB spall progression through failure provided a ground truth against which both systems could be compared. Quantifiable metrics of reliability, diagnostic accuracy, provided maintenance interval were defined to create a framework for condition-based maintenance (CBM) program decision making. In summary, it was found that the ODM sensor system provided earlier fault notice, but more so, vastly outperformed the ECD in reliability and avoidance of false positives.
Developed by engineers at the University of Bath, the prototype LoCKAmp device uses innovative Lab-on-a-Chip technology and has been proven to provide rapid and low-cost detection of COVID-19 from nasal swabs. The research team said the technology could easily be adapted to detect other pathogens such as bacteria — or even conditions like cancer.
Researchers at Delft University of Technology, led by Assistant Professor Richard Norte, have unveiled a remarkable new material with potential to impact the world of material science: amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC). Beyond its exceptional strength, this material demonstrates mechanical properties crucial for vibration isolation on a microchip. It is therefore particularly suitable for making ultra-sensitive microchip sensors.
Graphene is a two-dimensional carbon material made of carbon by covalent bonds, where carbon atoms are arranged in a honeycomb lattice. Graphene has promising electronic and mechanical properties. There are many processes available for the formation of the graphene. CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) process for the formation of graphene over the metal surface is most compatible. Graphene is being investigated for its application in space electronics. In space, there are many irradiation particles and waves like x-rays, gamma rays, alpha particles, and beta particles. Single particle like neutron can create single event upset in electronic devices. Graphene can work as a radiation shielding material. Graphene-metal, graphene and epsilon near zero metamaterials structure can be used for electromagnetic wave absorbent.
A research team has developed diamond quantum sensors that can be used to improve resolution in magnetic imaging. In order to test the method, the scientists placed a microchip with microscopic water-filled channels on the diamond quantum sensor. This allowed the researchers to simulate microstructures of a cell. They were able to successfully analyze the diffusion of water molecules within the microstructure.
Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D-TMDs) have been proposed as novel optoelectronic materials for space applications due to their relatively light weight. MoS2 has been shown to have excellent semiconducting and photonic properties. Here, we report the effect of gamma irradiation on the structural and optical properties of a monolayer of MoS2. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana Graphene is a two-dimensional carbon material made of carbon by covalent bonds, where carbon atoms are arranged in a honeycomb lattice. Graphene has promising electronic and mechanical properties. There are many processes available for the formation of the graphene. CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) process for the formation of graphene over the metal surface is most compatible. Graphene is being investigated for its application in space electronics. In space, there are many irradiation particles and waves like x-rays, gamma rays, alpha particles, and beta particles. Single
Researchers from the Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) and the Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP) Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRG) of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, have developed the world’s smallest LED. It enables the conversion of existing mobile phone cameras into high-resolution microscopes. Smaller than the wavelength of light, the new LED was used to build the world’s smallest holographic microscope, paving the way for existing cameras in everyday devices such as mobile phones to be converted into microscopes with modifications to the silicon chip and software. This technology also represents a significant step forward in the miniaturization of diagnostics for indoor farmers and sustainable agriculture.
The challenge faced by flight software engineers at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder became evident when tasked with developing the onboard software for NASA's new Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder Reflected Solar mission. The goal of measuring Earth-reflected sunlight with an accuracy of 0.3 percent (k=1), surpassing existing sensors by five to tenfold, from an instrument mounted beneath the International Space Station (ISS), produced a complex set of requirements. The avionics needed to balance multiple functions, including a high-rate control law, numerous hard real-time deadlines, interfaces with half a dozen external subsystems, and management of commands, telemetry and fault protection, all while capturing high-resolution science images at 15 frames per second. Ensuring uninterrupted operation within the unforgiving environment of low-Earth orbit necessitated the software run on
Recent advances in the operation of advanced CMOS processes for extremely high-speed and high dynamic range analog-to-digital (ADC) and digital-to-analog (DAC) data converters has led to their use in directly sampling microwave and even millimeter wave signals. Typically, in these applications, minimal pre or post-conditioning stages separate the ADCs and DACs from the antenna or, for Active Electronically Steered Arrays (AESA) antenna elements. This results in an extremely compact and flexible system solution and this has enabled a generation of fully digital phased arrays that are capable of being dynamically reconfigured to perform a multitude of functions.
Recent advances in the operation of advanced CMOS processes for extremely high-speed and high dynamic range analog-to-digital (ADC) and digital-to-analog (DAC) data converters has led to their use in directly sampling microwave and even millimeter wave signals. Typically, in these applications, minimal pre or post-conditioning stages separate the ADCs and DACs from the antenna or, for Active Electronically Steered Arrays (AESA) antenna elements. This results in an extremely compact and flexible system solution and this has enabled a generation of fully digital phased arrays that are capable of being dynamically reconfigured to perform a multitude of functions.
While the promise of smaller, better, faster, lighter devices enabled by integrated photonics technologies is indeed the ultimate goal for the work being done at AIM Photonics, the actual path to high-volume manufacturing isn’t necessarily a smooth ride for photonic integrated circuit (PIC) designers, developers and engineers.
A team at Delft University of Technology has built a new technology on a microchip by combining two Nobel Prize-winning techniques for the first time. This microchip could measure distances in materials at high precision — e.g., underwater or for medical imaging. The work is now published in Nature Communications. Because the technology uses sound vibrations instead of light, it is useful for high-precision position measurements in opaque materials. The instrument could lead to new techniques to monitor the Earth’s climate and human health.
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