The year 2021 was strange, you can read more of it from A 2021 technology retrospective: Strange days indeed. But how strange will 2022 be? Here are some predictions for year 2022:
2022 preview: Will the global computer chip shortage ever end?
The growing demand for computer chips, used in everything from cars to fridges, has collided with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, leading to a global shortage that is likely to continue through 2022
Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2022-2022-preview-will-the-global-computer-chip-shortage-ever-end/#ixzz7GqrP1H9A
Industry Transforming In Ways Previously Unimaginable
https://semiengineering.com/industry-transforming-in-ways-previously-unimaginable/?cmid=3dedf05d-0284-497a-b015-daf7747872e6
As we look back over 2021, there have certainly been some surprises, but the industry continues to take everything in its stride.
2022 tech themes: A look ahead
https://www.edn.com/2022-tech-themes-a-look-ahead/
The continued COVID-19 question mark: The world quickly and dramatically changed. It hasn’t yet reverted to pre-pandemic characteristics, and it very likely never will. Sad but true, the pandemic isn’t even close to being over yet.
Deep learning’s Cambrian moment: Look at today’s participant-rich deep learning silicon and software market, spanning both training and inference.
The ongoing importance of architecture: As the number of transistors that it’s possible to cost-effectively squeeze onto a sliver of silicon continues to slow, what you build out of those transistors becomes increasingly critical.
Open source processors’ time in the sun: There is a burgeoning RISC-V movement. It’s likely a little-known fact to some of you, that a public domain instruction set for v2 and earlier versions of the Arm ISA exists. And both Sun (with OpenSPARC) and IBM (OpenPOWER) have also joined the open-source silicon movement.
The normalization of remote work (and the “Great Resignation’s” aftershocks): I suspect that, to at least a notable degree, we won’t ever completely return to the “way it was before.” In fact, I’d wager that having a taste of a work-from-home or “hybrid” employment lifestyle is one of the key factors behind the so-called “Great Resignation” that tech and broader media alike inform me is well underway.
The metaverse starts to stir: Perhaps we’ll look back at 2022 as the year when the crossing of the chasm started in earnest.
Autonomy slowly accelerates: 2021 was another year filled with fully autonomous car tests and premature “coming soon” pronouncements; 2022 will likely be the same.
Batteries get ever denser, ever more plentiful, and ever cheaper
Space travel becomes commonplace
Global semiconductor industry forecasts for 2022
https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20211229VL205.html
“2021 is the year that everyone remembered that chip mattered,” said Wired Magazine. So far 2022 seems likely to be another fruitful year for the semiconductor industry.
World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) also has predicted that the global semiconductor market is projected to grow by 8.8 percent in 2022, to US$ 601 billion, driven by double-digit growth of the sensors and logic category. All regions and all product categories are expected to continue positive growth. Wafer foundry manufacturers sales likely to remain strong due to tight supply. 5G smartphone silicon content increase to drive demand for foundry service higher. Demand for digital transformation is here to stay, no sign of weakening for foundry service sales.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation over the past two years. Work from home, virtual conference, and remote learning have driven up the demand for cloud computing, laptops, and servers, and hence the sales growth of related semiconductor products. Demands for CPU, GPU, AI accelerator (including FPGA) foundry services will remain strong in 2022 because trends such as virtual conferences, live streaming, and large capex of data centers are likely to stay. Long-term demands for customized chips in IoT, 5G infrastructure, HPC, and EV applications, like ADAS, autonomous driving, V2X, in-Vehicle Infotainment, will provide robust growth momentum for chip foundry services.
Chip crunch is not ending in 2022, as the lead time of some electronic components is stretching into 2023. Meanwhile, the increasing adoption of RISC-V open standard instruction set architecture is an important trend that can not be ignored. RISC-V market will double its size in 2022, compared to 2021, as it is attracting small and medium-size chip designers and manufacturers, especially those in China. RISC-V designs are now being used by Qualcomm, Samsung, Google, Microchip, Nvidia, and more.
Taiwan’s chip industry emerges as a battlefront in US-China showdown
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2022/01/01/2003770517
The country dominates production of chips used in almost all civilian and military technologies. That leaves the US and Chinese economies reliant on plants that would be in the line of fire in an attack on Taiwan. The vulnerability is stoking alarm in Washington
40 prosenttia pienempiä latureita
https://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12981&via=n&datum=2021-12-20_14:53:12&mottagare=30929
The size of a standard mobile phone charger can be reduced by up to 40 percent when using GaN components or it can be designed to produce more power in the same size. GaN chargers are becoming the most popular charger technology for billions of devices, so it’s no wonder that European semiconductor giant STMicroelectronics is also excited about them.
1,321 Comments
Aun Suhel says:
I honestly feel that business intelligence solutions are the way to go for businesses, entrepreneurs in 2022. Read more about how business analytics and data science are proving to be highly beneficial for businesses.
https://appinventiv.com/guide/business-intelligence-for-enterprises/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Global Fab Equipment Spending Projected to Log Record High in 2022 to Mark Third Consecutive Year of Growth, SEMI Reports
https://www.semi.org/en/news-media-press-releases/global-fab-equipment-spending-projected-to-log-record-high-in-2022-to-mark-third-consecutive-year-of-growth-semi-reports
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.3dincites.com/2022/01/update-on-the-heterogenous-roadmap-and-the-chips-act/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Andrew Deck / Rest of World:
A look at Line’s sticker economy, made up of over 4M hobbyist and professional designers; Line’s revenue from direct sticker sales was $200M+ in 2020
Artists across Asia dream of becoming digital sticker millionaires
https://restofworld.org/2022/artists-dream-of-becoming-digital-sticker-millionaires/
A handful of designers have made their fortunes on the Line app, but now creators fear the market has become saturated.
The first Line sticker Sasaki Sakiji ever designed was for the woman who would become his wife. Stickers, which are more like cartoons than emojis, are a defining part of the user experience on Line, which is the most popular messaging service in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. Often framed by manga-styled exclamations and usually featuring cute animals or eccentric caricatures, they’re used to replace text or express emotions.
n 2014, Sasaki was living in Japan, working in retail sales and sketching as a hobby. Sasaki had read that Line was launching its Creators Market, a platform where users could buy and sell their own stickers, and decided to make his own called Yumemi, a caricature of his wife. Once the marketplace opened, there was a wave of interest, as people bought his stickers.
“It wasn’t until the sales started that I knew that selling to the world would mean big business,” he told Rest of World.
Stickers make Line a lot of money. Stickers cost users between $0.99 and $4.99 and come in a pack of up to 40. After Apple or Google deduct a 30% fee from any sticker sold on the Creators Market — depending on whether Line was downloaded via iOS or the Google Play store — the remaining 70% of revenue is split 50/50 between Line and the creator.
In 2020, direct sticker sales accounted for more than $200 million of Line’s revenue, according to the company’s earnings report. And that doesn’t include other revenue streams tied to the sticker business. There are now 4 million designers on the platform, from hobbyists and part-timers to professional studios. The top 10 creators have earned an average of 1.18 billion yen each in total sales, or roughly $10.2 million, throughout their careers, according to Line’s own figures. But, sticker creators told Rest of World that the marketplace has become increasingly saturated, making it hard for newcomers to break through.
“I was able to live as an illustrator because of the Creator Market in Japan.”
“It feels like popular characters are fixed in the current Creators Market,” Sasaki said. ”Nowadays, new characters are still born every day, but it’s the sets of already popular serialized characters that dominate the rankings.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reuters:
TSMC reports Q4 revenue rose 24.1% YoY to $15.74B as net profit reached $6.01B; capital spending will reach between $40B and $44B in 2022, up from $30B in 2021
TSMC sees multi-year growth ahead, to boost chip spending in 2022
https://www.reuters.com/technology/tsmc-q4-profit-rises-164-record-beats-market-forecasts-2022-01-13/
Tech enthusiast says:
Great article! Thanks for sharing. Augmented reality will have more areas to shine in 2022. Here you can compare some of the most popular AR devices https://neurosys.com/most-popular-wearable-ar-devices/
Tomi Engdahl says:
TSMC invests in new capacity despite forecasts chip demand will ease
TSMC investment will “put a ceiling” on Samsung, Intel’s foundry plans.
https://www.ft.com/content/56f339cc-2c8f-41f0-b685-4a7875eb90f4
Tomi Engdahl says:
New Intel chips won’t play Blu-ray disks due to SGX deprecation
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-intel-chips-wont-play-blu-ray-disks-due-to-sgx-deprecation/
Intel has removed support for SGX (software guard extension) in 12th Generation Intel Core 11000 and 12000 processors, rendering modern PCs unable to playback Blu-ray disks in 4K resolution.
This technical problem arises from the fact that Blu-ray disks require Digital Rights Management (DRM), which needs the presence of SGX to work.
This is a feature that Intel introduced in the Skylake generation back in 2016, enabling PCs to play protected Blu-ray disks for the first time.
As seen in Intel’s current datasheets for the 11th and 12th generation of its Core desktop processors, the SGX is listed as a deprecated technology, so it’s no longer available.
Why did Intel abandon SGX?
As a secure enclave technology, SGX was commonly targeted by security researchers who discovered numerous vulnerabilities and attack methods.
Examples of attacks targeting Intel SGX include:
the Prime+Probe attack discovered in 2017,
a Spectre-like attack disclosed in 2018,
an Enclave attack discovered by researchers in 2019,
a MicroScope replay attack,
the so-called “Plundervolt” injection attack,
a Load Value Injection (LVI), and
the SGAxe attack on the CPU cache resulting in the leak of the enclave’s content.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel fully resolves DRM issues with its 12th Gen Core “Alder Lake” processors
https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-fully-resolves-drm-issues-with-its-12th-gen-core-alder-lake-processors
Intel Alder Lake is no longer affected by DRM problems
Intel recently updated its website dedicated to Alder Lake DRM issues, confirming that they have been fully resolved.
At the launch of desktop Intel Alder Lake CPUs, an issue has emerged regarding the software recognition of the hybrid architecture. Digital Rights Management tools in software such as games would recognize Efficient cores as a separate system. This would trigger the DRM protection and it could result in the game suddenly shutting down or game launchers being prevented from starting whatsoever.
Intel and motherboard makers provided workarounds, some of which are based on core parking, while others would make use of BIOS “Legacy Game Compatibility Mode”. For those who experienced those problems those workarounds were not a huge problem but still a very annoying thing to encounter on a brand new processor.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Radeon RX 6500 XT is bad at cryptocurrency mining on purpose, AMD says
Ongoing mining craze is actually affecting how some products are designed.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/01/amd-says-rx-6500-xt-is-optimized-to-be-good-for-gaming-and-bad-for-mining/
Tomi Engdahl says:
UltraRAM breakthrough could finally fuse RAM and storage into a single package
This could accelerate the transition to “in-memory computing”
https://www.techspot.com/news/92944-ultraram-breakthrough-could-finally-fuse-ram-storage-single.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
App Annie: Global app stores’ consumer spend up 19% to $170B in 2021, downloads grew 5% to 230B
https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/12/app-annie-global-app-stores-consumer-spend-up-19-to-170b-in-2021-downloads-grew-5-to-230b/
Tomi Engdahl says:
New Approach to Manufacturing Flexible Electronics Is Easy, Fast, and Green, Its Creators Claim
New manufacturing approach proven with the creation of soft-electronic flexible displays, sensors, and even a wearable smartphone input.
https://www.hackster.io/news/new-approach-to-manufacturing-flexible-electronics-is-easy-fast-and-green-its-creators-claim-cdf95a59f57d
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/10/apple-paid-out-around-60-billion-to-app-store-developers-in-2021/
Tomi Engdahl says:
LatencyFleX: A new approach to game latency reduction
https://ishitatsuyuki.github.io/post/latencyflex/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cover Story: How the Global Semiconductor Industry Turned Into a Free-for-All
https://www.caixinglobal.com/2022-01-10/cover-story-how-the-global-semiconductor-industry-turned-into-a-free-for-all-101827882.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why do so many hyped mobile processor features go unused?
Mobile chipsets offer so many cutting-edge features but too few of them end up in consumer hands.
https://www.androidauthority.com/mobile-processor-features-hype-3081617/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung demosi tulevaisuuden muistia
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13038-samsung-demosi-tulevaisuuden-muistia
Monissa sovelluksissa olisi iso etu pystyä sekä tallentamaan että prosessoimaan dataa samalla sirulla. Tätä kutsutaan muistissa-prosessoinniksi (in-memory processing) .Samsung on nyt demonnut tällaista MRAM-pohjaista piiriä.
Innovaatio on esitelty Nature-lehdessä. Piirin tutkimusta johti Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) läheisessä yhteistyössä Samsung tutkimuskeskuksen kanssa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
After Investing More Than $1 Trillion In 2021, Private Equity Firms Are Stocking Up For Their Next Big Spending Spree: https://trib.al/oDtHjkg
Tomi Engdahl says:
Semiconductors 2022: A Growth Market Comes into Focus
Jan. 10, 2022
After last year’s semi market boom, will 2022 follow suit? Objective Analysis provides their insight on what may unfold in this turbulent industry atmosphere.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/embedded-revolution/article/21213567/objective-analysis-semiconductors-2022-a-growth-market-comes-into-focus?utm_source=EG%20ED%20Analog%20%26%20Power%20Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS220103050&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Global Chip Shortage: How Did We Get Here? Where Are We Headed? What Now?
Jan. 14, 2022
Multiple, interrelated factors have produced the world’s shortage of semiconductor chips. What is the proper response by buyers today, and what are the right questions to be asking about the shortage moving forward?
https://www.electronicdesign.com/industrial-automation/article/21214146/the-global-chip-shortage-how-did-we-get-here-where-are-we-headed-what-now?utm_source=EG%20ED%20Analog%20%26%20Power%20Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS220103050&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung Claims First with In-Memory MRAM
https://www.eetimes.com/samsung-claims-first-with-in-memory-mram/#
Samsung today announced an MRAM innovation, claiming the world’s first in-memory computing based on MRAM capable of performing both data storage and data computing within a single memory network. The company claims its MRAR array chip is the next step to realizing low-power AI chips.
Use of in-memory computing architectures has increased over the years because of its ability to crunch data at the edge, which can in turn reduce the amount of data movement and network latency. Samsung’s renewed focus on in-memory computing, however, stems from MRAR’s low-resistant nature, which ordinarily limits its ability to reduce power consumption when used in standard in-memory architecture.
Samsung claims its own MRAR array chip eliminates this issue, however, with what it calls ‘resistance sum’ in-memory computing architecture.
Tomi Engdahl says:
TSMC to invest US$44 billion this year
‘BULLISH YEAR AHEAD’: The contract chipmaker set a growth target of up to 29 percent, as it expects to outperform its peers in the semiconductor industry
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2022/01/14/2003771309
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-manufacturing-test-180/?cmid=c9decb90-8fb8-4c00-bea5-28f7623174a0
As reported, Intel has re-entered the foundry business. Plus, Intel is developing leading-edge processes like 7nm, 4nm, 3nm and beyond. Yet, the company continues to outsource some of its leading-edge production requirement to TSMC.
“TSMC reported that 3nm development remains on track—volume production in 2H2022. As a reminder, lead customers are expected to consist of Apple (iPad) and Intel,” said Aaron Rakers, an analyst at Wells Fargo, in a research note. “TSMC again noted that it is seeing a higher level of customer engagement and expects more first-year tapeouts for N3 vs. N5, while it is seeing high customer engagement for the follow on N3E, which is expected to reach volume production one year after N3. TSMC noted that its N4P, which offers 11% performance increase, 22% improved power, and 6% density gain is scheduled for 2H2022, while N4X with more circular performance boost will be released in 1H2023.”
Inside Intel’s Ambitious Roadmap
https://semiengineering.com/inside-intels-ambitious-roadmap/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-design-low-power-179/?cmid=c9decb90-8fb8-4c00-bea5-28f7623174a0
Nvidia again made its case for acquiring Arm to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). “Arm is a private for-profit business at a crossroads. After acquiring Arm several years ago, SoftBank increased Arm’s headcount, hoping to spur long-term growth in several markets, including data center and personal computer, long dominated by Intel and x86.
PCI-SIG published the PCI Express (PCIe) 6.0 specification, which increases the raw data rate to 64 GT/s, with up to 256 GB/s available via x16 configuration. Key to the increase is the use of PAM4 signaling, which uses four amplitude levels. To mitigate the bit error rate increase, it also adds lightweight Forward Error Correction (FEC) and Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). It also includes FLIT mode, in which packets are organized in Flow Control Units of fixed sizes, and a new Low Power State, L0p, that enables traffic to run on a reduced number of lanes to save power. It is backwards compatible with previous generations of PCIe. “With the PCI Express SSD market forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 40% to over 800 exabytes by 2025, PCI-SIG continues to meet the future needs of storage applications,” said Greg Wong, founder and principal analyst, Forward Insights. “With the storage industry transitioning to PCIe 4.0 technology and on the cusp of introducing PCIe 5.0 technology, companies will begin adopting PCIe 6.0 technology in their roadmaps to future-proof their products and take advantage of the high bandwidth and low latency that PCI Express technology offers.”
PCI-SIG® Releases PCIe® 6.0 Specification Delivering Record Performance to Power Big Data Applications
PCIe 6.0 specification reaches 64 GT/s transfer speeds, doubling the PCIe 5.0 specification data rate
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220111005011/en/PCI-SIG%C2%AE-Releases-PCIe%C2%AE-6.0-Specification-Delivering-Record-Performance-to-Power-Big-Data-Applications
Tomi Engdahl says:
RCS is too little too late, and Google is having a tantrum over a lost battle
Let’s be frank, this whole conversation is absurd.
https://www.androidauthority.com/rcs-google-3090142/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2022/01/17/suomi-panostaa-kvanttikomponenttien-ja-ratkaisujen-kehittamiseen/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Micron’s new tiny 2TB SSD is bad news for laptop HDDs
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microns-new-tiny-2tb-ssd-is-bad-news-for-laptop-hdds/
Micron has announced the 2400 SSD, the world’s first 176-layer PCIe Gen4 QLC SSD and the first 2TB 22x30mm SSD.
Micron Technology confirmed it has begun volume shipments of the world’s first 176-layer QLC NAND SSD, which utilizes the most advanced NAND architecture. The Micron 2400 SSD will become one of the first products that makes use of the new technology.
Tomi Engdahl says:
US-China chip cold war? It’s only helping the Middle Kingdom, silicon makers warn
It’s blowback time again
https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/15/us_china_chip_war/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/this-game-creation-platform-is-for-those-who-dont-know-coding-and-its-just-50/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Advancing Signaling Rates To 64 GT/s With PCI Express 6.0
https://semiengineering.com/advancing-signaling-rates-to-64-gt-s-with-pci-express-6-0/?cmid=d37ae274-d1bd-4bd9-9fb6-4ed063c60f61
Some of the most fundamental changes for the standard are pushing up signaling rates.
From the introduction of PCI Express 3.0 (PCIe 3.0) in 2010 onward, each new generation of the standard has offered double the signaling rate of its predecessor. PCIe 3.0 saw a significant change to the protocol with the move from 8b/10b to highly efficient 128b/130b encoding. The PCIe 6.0 specification, now officially released, doubles the signaling rate to 64 gigatransfers per second (GT/s) and does so with some of the most fundamental changes yet seen by the standard.
PCIe has proliferated widely beyond servers and PCs, with its economies of scale making it attractive for data-centric applications in IoT, automotive, medical, and elsewhere. That being said, the initial designs using PCIe 6.0 will target applications requiring the highest bandwidth possible and those can be found in the heart of the data center: AI/ML, HPC, networking, and cloud graphics, to name a few.
To achieve 64 GT/s, PCIe 6.0 introduces new features and innovations with the first and foremost being the adoption of PAM4 signaling. PAM4 signaling (“Pulse Amplitude Modulation with four levels”) combines two bits per clock cycle for four amplitude levels (00, 01, 10, 11) vs. PCIe 5.0, and earlier generations, which used NRZ modulation with one bit per clock cycle and two amplitude levels (0, 1).
There are always tradeoffs, however, and the transition to PAM4 signal encoding introduces a significantly higher Bit Error Rate (BER) vs. NRZ. This prompted the adoption of a Forward Error Correction (FEC) mechanism to mitigate the higher error rate. PCIe 6.0 adopts an FEC that is sufficiently lightweight to have minimal impact on latency. It works in conjunction with strong CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) to minimize the Link Retry probability. This new FEC feature targets an added latency of under 2ns.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Minimal RISC-V
Is there room for an even smaller version of a RISC-V processor that could replace 8-bit microcontrollers?
https://semiengineering.com/a-minimal-risc-v/?cmid=d37ae274-d1bd-4bd9-9fb6-4ed063c60f61
Microcontrollers exist in almost everything, but can RISC-V satisfy the needs of this market? Is it small enough to replace 8-bit processors? What might help people migrate to a more modern processor architecture?
RISC-V defines a 32-bit processor instruction set architecture (ISA) that is open source and free to be implemented in any number of ways. It is touted for being a very small and efficient architecture, and at the same time has been defined to be easily extensible. Many add-ons already are approved extensions, and a large number were unveiled at the RISC-V Summit in December 2021.
But questions remain. Is the base specification small enough? Instead of adding additional capabilities, is there a need to remove things? Is it useful as a microcontroller? The 8-bit microcontroller market was about $8B in 2020, expected to grow between 4% and 5% for the foreseeable future, according to multiple industry reports. In 2014, 8-bit was still the largest volume, accounting for 39.7% of sales, while 32-bit was close behind at 38.5%.
Today, the 16-bit market has become the largest, with a 48.8% share. 8-bit is gradually losing market share, but that is going to 16-bit and not necessarily 32-bit. Most of these are discrete chips, and there clearly is a large and sustainable market for small processors.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13038-samsung-demosi-tulevaisuuden-muistia
Tomi Engdahl says:
Getting the upper hand with digital power
Jan. 10, 2022
Technologies like Power over Ethernet, USB-C, and fault managed power will be taking hold in electrifying the smart building.
https://www.cablinginstall.com/connectivity/article/14223377/getting-the-upper-hand-with-digital-power?utm_source=CIM%20Cabling%20News&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS220114047&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
A recent report from Guidehouse Insights states that the global market for Power over Ethernet (PoE) is anticipated to grow from $113.8 million in 2021 to $614.9 million by the end of 2030. The growth of PoE is being driven in part by the rise in smart building development and will be further fueled by a variety of emerging digital power technologies
According to Young Hoon Kim, senior research analyst with Guidehouse Insights, “PoE is expected to be a key connectivity solution in building network infrastructure. Many building network renovations and new building construction projects are expected to adopt the technology due to its core benefits of reliability, flexibility, and easy installation.”
While PoE has long been touted for its easy installation and reduced labor costs, eliminating the need to run traditional AC electrical wiring to power connected smart building devices, industry experts say cost is no longer the driving factor.
Are DC microgrids the way of the future?
As discussed in the white paper “DC Lighting and Building Microgrids” from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, DC building microgrids that draw from on-site solar and energy storage can allow entire buildings to disconnect from the traditional power grid during outages.
Emerging digital power technologies
When it comes to delivering digital power throughout a smart building, Suau points to three main technologies of focus—PoE, USB-C, and digital electricity. PoE has already experienced significant advancements since it was introduced almost two decades ago, advancing from delivering 13 watts to IT networked devices to now delivering upwards of 75 watts. Single-pair Ethernet technology under development to support low-speed data connections over longer distances to OT networked devices, such as building automation sensors and controllers, will also deliver a form of PoE, or SPoE. Depending on the cable length, SPoE is targeted to support between 7 and 52 watts.
USB-C power delivery is a relatively recent technology introduced by the creators of the USB standard
With its ability to charge smartphones up to 70% faster than previous-generation USB technology, USB-C is rapidly gaining ground. While the first iteration of USB-C topped out at 100 watts, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) recently announced that it’s working to more than double the amount of power to 240 watts, enough to power a high-end laptop.
“It’s becoming universal, and most laptops and smartphones are embracing it,” says Suau. “It extends DC power throughout a building by working in conjunction with PoE—we’ll now have devices that are powered by PoE in turn powering other devices by USB-C.”
Class 2 power, which includes but is not limited to PoE, delivers low-voltage DC power for applications including LED lights to thermostats. For powering connected devices in a smart building that are beyond the distance limitation of PoE or don’t have a copper network interface, Class 2 power can be delivered via copper conductors in hybrid fiber cable.
A new type of power getting attention is fault managed power, which is expected to be included in the next National Electric Code as Class 4. Fault managed power transforms AC or DC power into a pulse current waveform that is delivered over common multi-conductor power cables like those use in hybrid fiber cables. Each pulse has a short duration of time, and if the power is touched or shorted, it is automatically detected by a fault prevention system and stops transmission within milliseconds—far faster than a traditional AC circuit breaker for improved safety.
Fault managed power is expected to provide about 20 times the power over 20 times the distance of PoE, and it costs less than traditional AC due to smaller copper wires and the potential for installation by low-voltage contractors versus licensed electricians. “While Class 4 does communicate fault information, we don’t know yet if it will be expanded in the future to deliver more data. It an early technology,” says Suau.
DC Lighting and
Building Microgrids
https://www.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/media/file/DC_Lighting_and_Microgrids_White_Paper_09-09-2020.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple returns to No. 1 as global smartphone shipments grapple with supply chain concerns
https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/18/apple-returns-to-no-1-as-global-smartphone-shipments-grapple-with-supply-chain-concerns/
Supply chain issues continue to have a major impact on smartphone manufacturers per newly released figures from analyst firm Canalys — global shipments grew only 1% year over year in the final quarter of 2021. The numbers come on the tail of Q3 reports, which saw an overall drop of 6%, citing similar issues over component supply.
The firm also factors in a resurgence of COVID-19, courtesy of the omicron variant, which has sent a number of locals into shutdown reminiscent of the pandemic’s early days roughly two years ago. Canalys notes that this impact is greatest among the smaller manufacturers in the market, who have had the greatest issues finding new suppliers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
As we look at what’s on tap in 2022, we should probably take a moment to acknowledge just how utterly weird the last two years have been.
Predictions 2022: 5 Employee Experience Trends To Watch
https://www.forbes.com/sites/servicenow/2022/01/07/predictions-2022-5-employee-experience-trends-to-watch/?sh=29bd944b7f56&utm_source=FBPAGE&utm_medium=social&utm_content=6192080921&utm_campaign=sprinklrForbesMainFB
Welcome to the year of the reimagined workplace.
As we look at what’s on tap in 2022, we should probably take a moment to acknowledge just how utterly weird the last two years have been.
Work came home to roost, vaccines became an office issue, people gave a collective “we’re outta here” to jobs that didn’t meet their needs. These transformational changes shook the core of our professional lives. Their effects will ripple out for years to come.
The world of work—virtual, physical, and everything in between—will continue to surprise us in the year ahead. But here are a few trends we can expect.
The in-office encounter isn’t yet the personalized, seamless experience employees built for themselves at home. It’s quite the opposite. Companies that require people to work on-site with no flexibility to do work that could be done at home are having a hard time attracting or retaining talent.
To hire and retain employees, I think companies are going to start investing in talent and tools to build the next-generation workplace, which will look a lot more like an event center than an office. It will be easy to reserve and reconfigure flexible spaces and conference rooms.
Address the labor shortage
To earn and maintain employee trust, businesses need to compete on culture. In the year ahead, that’s exactly what they’re going to do.
Frustrated with work conditions and enticed by other opportunities, employees are resigning at historically high rates. Not surprisingly, we’re seeing a simultaneous rise in activism within the workforce. Grassroots advocacy is growing, with workplaces around the country unionizing and advocating for their rights.
On top of that, employees are more socially conscious than ever before. They want to see proof that companies are investing in ESG (environmental, social, and governance) goals beyond simple quantitative scores. They also want to see DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives that do more than just check a box.
Today’s executives recognize they must work to build a corporate culture that dismantles barriers for new employees, rather than erecting new ones.
Provide benefits that matter
One of the results of the Great Resignation and the rise in employee advocacy is that employees are no longer satisfied with traditional benefits.
Before Covid-19, many companies fixated on who could offer employees the coolest perks. But the pandemic poignantly highlighted the benefits that matter for people’s day-to-day lives. For instance, a lot of women ended up leaving the workforce to perform caretaking responsibilities. Now, how will companies bring them back?
People are no longer happy to settle for bare-minimum benefits or trendy perks. They want what matters: healthcare, education, childcare, adaptable work schedules, the flexibility to care for family and friends.
Separating work time and downtime
A work-from-home workforce values boundaries between work time and downtime, since both often happen from the same desk. Clarifying the separation between the two is something executives need to do going into 2022.
On the one hand, organizations that allow people to work from home will increasingly subsidize home office equipment to attract talent.
Investing in the talent supply chain
Problems with global supply chains have impacted businesses across every industry in unexpected ways, and it seems that will continue into next year.
Some businesses are trying to regionalize their supply chain to avoid dependence on international suppliers. Others are stockpiling supplies locally so they won’t find themselves without mission-critical tools and parts.
Rising to the occasion
2022 is shaping up to be another doozy of a year.
In the best case scenario, business leaders will build on the lessons learned in the pandemic. They will continue to imagine new and better ways of working, creating truly people-centric cultures that offer flexibility, meaningful benefits, and opportunities for a diverse and dynamic new workforce.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CIOn silmin: ”Teknologiaa ei voi aina erottaa taikuudesta”
https://www.atea.fi/artikkelit/2022/cio-rajib-eklund-teknologiaa-ei-voi-aina-erottaa-taikuudesta/
Atea-konsernin CIO Rajib Eklund sanoo, että tietohallintojohtajien pitäisi olla johtoryhmässä aivan kaikissa organisaatioissa – onhan teknologia tie parempaan tulevaisuuteen. Istahdimme juttelemaan it:n roolista ja päädyimme digitaalisista kaksosista aina Mahatma Gandhiin asti.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoftilta historiansa suurin yritysosto: 68,7 miljardilla World of Warcraftin ja Call of Dutyn takana oleva peliyhtiö, jonka taustalta paljastui likainen salaisuus
https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/microsoftilta-historiansa-suurin-yritysosto-peliyhtio-68-7-miljardilla/8335206#gs.maipd9
Microsoft ostaa peliyhtiö Activision Blizzardin lähes 70 miljardin dollarin (noin 60 miljardin euron) hintaan. Kyseessä on ohjelmistoyhtiön suurin yrityskauppa kautta aikojen.
Activision Blizzardin tunnetuimpiin tuotteisiin kuuluvat muun muassa Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Candy Crush ja Overwatch.
Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone, across every device
https://news.microsoft.com/2022/01/18/microsoft-to-acquire-activision-blizzard-to-bring-the-joy-and-community-of-gaming-to-everyone-across-every-device/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/18/could-humanlike-behavior-make-smart-devices-more-engaging-mit-researchers-think-so/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-to-unveil-bitcoin-mining-bonanza-mine-asic-at-chip-conference
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ryzen 7 5800X3D Surfaces In MilkyWay@Home Database
By Aaron Klotz published 1 day ago
AMD’s upcoming L3 cache-heavy chip
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-ryzen-7-5800x3d-milky-way-database
Tomi Engdahl says:
4K Blu-ray discs no longer work with Intel Alder Lake chips
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/your-4k-blu-rays-no-longer-work-with-intel-alder-lake-chips/
Following Intel’s decision to remove software guard extension (SGX) compatibility for 12th-gen Alder Lake processors, the company’s latest chips will no longer be capable of playing 4K Blu-ray discs.
As spotted by Bleeping Computer, Intel’s updated data sheets now show SGX as a deprecated technology. Consequently, those buying or building a PC with the latest Intel CPUs will not be able to play Blu-ray movies in 4K resolution on their systems.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.zdnet.com/article/programming-languages-python-team-delivers-three-cursed-updates/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Game Dev Guide for Alder Lake Performance Hybrid Architecture
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/developer/articles/guide/alder-lake-developer-guide.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Digitalization changed customer experience
https://technopolisglobal.com/insights/stories/digitalization-changed-customer-experience/
Technology changes the way we function. It affects how we communicate, search for information, and how we make use of the products and services offered by various organizations. The most notable change, however, will not be in technology, but in thinking.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tietoevry.com/en/campaigns/2021/cognitive-enterprise/#Expert-insights-115571
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/18/500-globals-christine-tsai-shares-her-2022-vc-predictions/
Tomi Engdahl says:
500 Global’s Christine Tsai shares her 2022 VC predictions
https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/18/500-globals-christine-tsai-shares-her-2022-vc-predictions/
Deal activity is at record highs. Last year, a total of $643 billion was invested globally, according to Crunchbase News, compared with $335 billion in 2020 – that’s 92% growth year over year.
Beyond being awash in capital, the VC industry has also seen a historic number of exits. A record number of companies went public in 2021, with many at huge valuations: 238 companies debuted on the public markets last year valued above $1 billion. In 2020, only 61 companies went public at this valuation.
VCs are paying close attention to the opportunities that are materializing not just in Silicon Valley, but all over the world.
Web3 goes mainstream
In the past few months, investors and companies have been throwing around a lot of buzzwords, from DeFi to web3 and the metaverse. The increased focus on these areas is pointing to a fundamental shift in the Internet – one that is decentralized and grounded in public blockchains, where users are in the driver’s seat and intermediaries hold less sway.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A busy year ahead in low-code and no-code development
https://www.zdnet.com/article/a-busy-year-ahead-for-low-code-and-no-code-development/
Both citizen and professional developers will have a wealth of low-code and no-code solutions available to them.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why use a Raspberry Pi to power your business
Why small, single-board computers can be the future for smart working and small offices.
https://opensource.com/article/22/1/raspberry-pi-business