New-Tech Europe | Q2 2020 | Digital Edition

Q2 2020

16 Haptic feedback: the next step in smart interfacing 22 New Wideband Passive and Active Wearable Energy 34 Key parameters and options for choosing a capacitor

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Contents

10 LATEST NEWS 16 Haptic feedback: the next step in smart interfacing 22 New Wideband Passive and Active Wearable Energy 34 Key parameters and options for choosing a capacitor

16

40 OUT OF THE BOX 42 NEW PRODUCTS 52 INDEX

22

34

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New-Tech Magazine Europe l 9

Latest News

Arrow Electronics Helps Tech Startups Boost Their Engineering Capability

Arrow Open Lab to offer free engineering consultations to help develop 5G-ready and AI-powered edge devices Global technology-solutions provider Arrow Electronics, Inc. announced it will offer free consultations to local technology startups and the innovation community at its Arrow Open Lab located at Hong Kong Science Park. The initiative is part of Arrow’s commitment to supporting technology

Understanding 5G-specific protocol performance validation and standard and regulation compliance Formulating end-to-end security strategy with bi- directional network and node authentication to ensure secured access of data To help the local engineering and innovation community navigate their path to adopting emerging technologies, Arrow has co-organized a webinar from June 9-11, 2020 in conjunction

Arrow Electronics, HKSTP and CUHK Institute of Network Coding TO co-host “Sensor & 5G Technology Revolution” webinar

enterprises, startups, and the academic community to create, make and manage 5G-ready and AI-powered edge and endpoint devices for commercialization or R&D development. Millions of AI-powered IoT edge or endpoint devices being deployed on 5G networks will profoundly change the way we live, do business and interact with each other and the environment[1]. “We established our first Open Lab in Hong Kong as part of our long-term commitment to give local technology companies as well as the university community access to world-class engineering expertise and resources,” said Simon Yu, president of Arrow’s Asia-Pacific components business. “I am delighted to welcome technology innovators, developers, and academia to our free engineering consultations at Arrow Open Lab so they can gain the necessary advice and resources to commercialize their innovative ideas into business opportunities in the 5G and AI era.” The free consultations aim to help technology companies configure the electronic system architecture design of their edge endpoints/devices for delivering optimal results across 5G networks and AI technology. Arrow’s engineers and technical experts will provide insights and recommendations across the development roadmap including: Selecting the system architecture with the most desirable and power-efficient computing for running AI algorithm (CPU vs FPGA vs GPU vs ASIC) Integrating a massive network of AI-powered sensors to yield actionable data insights

with Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), to discuss opportunities and challenges associated with the convergency of 5G, AI, IoT technologies (Link). “HKSTP works with many partners to enable the I&T ecosystem. We thank Arrow, being one of the incredible partners, for its long-term support for accelerating the innovative journey of technology companies and universities in Hong Kong with us. The Arrow Open Lab has a track record of helping high-growth companies leverage the power of AIoT and 5G. Now, with free consultations available, it is exciting to see Arrow’s expertise being delivered to a wider audience, helping startups at Science Park and beyond to expand the possibilities of innovation,” said Ir Peter Yeung, head of Electronics/ICT Clusters & Smart City Platform of HKSTP. Arrow’s engineers at Open Lab worked closely with CUHK’s Embedded AI and IoT Lab team to launch the first healthcare monitoring proof-of-concept design incorporating Analog Devices’ 3D time-of-flight technology. This demonstrates a successful commercial application of AI and deep-learning technologies. Arrow Open Lab has assisted hundreds of technology companies and startups from the region in their idea- to-prototype-to-product innovation journey. The free consultation will be open to registered members, and available at the Arrow Open Lab until the end of this year. Contact openlab.hk@arrowasia.com or visit this site for more information.

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Latest News

Preparations for BMW iX3 start of production proceeding according to plan

Homologation tests successfully concluded. First pure electric model from BMW core brand will be produced on schedule in China for global market starting in late summer. The BMW Group is systematically pursuing its electrification strategy and will release the new BMW iX3 onto the market by the end

on the same production line. This enables us to achieve high efficiency and flexibility in production,” Küssel continued. With the new BMW iX3, the BMW Group is adding another fully-electric vehicle to its portfolio that will not only tap into new customer groups, but also arrives on the market at a time when demand for

of 2020. Standard production of the BMW core brand’s first pure electric model will get underway at the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture (BBA) in China in late summer as planned: BBA Plant Dadong will produce the first Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) with a pure electric drive train for the global market. The first of these electric vehicles will be delivered to customers by the end of the year. The testing required for homologation of the new BMW iX3 has now been successfully completed and the results submitted to the regulatory authorities in key automotive markets. “This is the first time we have completed the entire homologation process for a fully electric model in China and Europe at the same time. The staff on our testing team mastered this unique challenge with tremendous dedication and efficiency,” said Arno Keller, head of Development BMW iX3. More than 340 hours of testing, including over 7700 kilometres of test drives, had to be completed within four weeks. Preparations for production of the BMW iX3 were stepped up in Shenyang in parallel. BBA has been building BMW iX3 pre- production vehicles at Plant Dadong in Shenyang since the middle of last year. The 200th pre-production model recently came off the assembly line and test drives on Chinese roads began – allowing development and test engineers to make final adjustments. “We are right on schedule with our BMW iX3 pre-production vehicles and will launch standard production in late summer, using state-of-the-art technologies such as custom installation of the new high-voltage battery and artificial intelligence for monitoring parts,” explained Robert Küssel, BBA Plant Director Dadong. “We are also producing the fully- electric BMW iX3 and the BMW X3 with combustion engine

electric vehicles is expanding significantly. The electric car is based on the globally successful BMW X3 and combines the versatility and robust functionality of a premium mid-size Sports Activity Vehicle with ground-breaking drive technology for locally emission-free driving pleasure. The BMW X3 is the brand’s first model available with both conventional petrol and diesel engines, a plug-in hybrid system or a pure electric drive train. This “Power of Choice” approach allows the company to respond to the different needs and wants of its customers worldwide and maximise its impact in reducing global CO2 emissions. The BMW iX3 already comes with fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, including a drive unit with the electric engine, power electronics and transmission highly integrated into a central housing. This significantly reduces the installation space and mass of the drive technology relative to output and offers added flexibility for installing new electric powertrain components in different vehicle derivatives. A further highlight is the electric motor, which no longer requires the use of rare earths and ensures the BMW Group is not depend on their availability. The fifth-generation electric drive train also includes new and more powerful high-voltage batteries. Thanks to their scalable, modular design, these can be used flexibly in the respective vehicle architecture and at the respective production locations. With a range of around 440 kilometres in the WLTP test cycle (preliminary data), the BMW iX3 paves the way for BMW eDrive technology, which will also be used in BMW i4 and BMW iNEXT models from 2021 on.

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Latest News TriEye Collaborates with DENSO to Evaluate theWorld’s First CMOS-based SWIR Camera

Israeli startup TriEye, a Tel-Aviv based company whose Short- Wave Infrared (SWIR) sensing technology enhances visibility in adverse weather and night time conditions, has officially revealed Sparrow – the world’s first CMOS- based SWIR camera.

based SWIR camera, marks a major milestone towards that goal. The company is expected to launch the first samples of Raven, the world’s first CMOS-based SWIR HD camera, later this year. TriEye’s SWIR camera can be integrated as a standard visible camera and can reuse existing visible image AI algorithms, which saves the effort of recollecting

Among the companies that are collaborating with TriEye and are evaluating the Sparrow is the global automotive supplier DENSO, in addition to the leading sports car manufacturer Porsche – collaboration published earlier this year. The evaluation of Sparrow by DENSO, Porsche, and additional TriEye customers, proves the product’s ability to deliver mission- critical image data under a wide range of scenarios, made possible by leveraging the unique physical properties of the SWIR spectrum. The sensor is particularly effective in low visibility conditions such as identifying black ice, dark clothed pedestrians, and cyclists – all under low-light or other common low visibility conditions, detection scenarios that are paramount for the automotive industry. “We are proud and delighted to announce our collaboration with DENSO which marks a meaningful step forward in delivering our mission of solving the low visibility challenge,” said Avi Bakal, TriEye’s Co-Founder and CEO, “The joint work has been greatly beneficial since day one, bringing together DENSO’s innovative approach and market experience with TriEye groundbreaking technology.“ TriEye aims to solve the low-visibility challenge on the roads by making SWIR cameras affordable and accessible for the global mass market. The release of Sparrow, the world’s-first CMOS-

and annotating millions of miles. The camera will allow Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Vehicles (AV) to achieve unprecedented vision capabilities to save lives on the roads. InGaAs-based SWIR cameras have been around for decades, serving the science, aerospace, and defense industries, but have not been used for mass-market applications due to their high costs and large form factor. Based on a decade of nanophotonics research, TriEye enables the fabrication of a CMOS-based HD SWIR sensor at scale, which is small size and 1000x lower cost than current technology. In addition to the evaluation by TriEye’s automotive customers, the company has already delivered samples of the Sparrow to its non- automotive customers, allowing them to take advantage of TriEye’s SWIR capabilities to see beyond the visible and solve complex industry challenges. This achievement follows other major milestones announced by TriEye in the past year, including a $19M Series A funding round, led by Intel Capital, with the participation of Porsche Ventures and Grove Ventures, as well as a collaboration with Porsche AG.

WiBotic autonomous wireless charging solutions increase uptime and battery life of robot fleets

Vicor high-efficiency power module neutralizes thermal management constraints enabling innovative adaptive- matching transmitter for any battery, any robot and any station As robotic fleets reshape logistic, delivery and inspection

industries, the demand for more efficient and flexible charging solutions is increasing while the feasibility for these fleets to be managed manually and recharged ad hoc by a 24/7 rotation of personnel is decreasing. The next step is toward enhanced autonomy, whereby normal operations can

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Latest News

be sustained without human intervention,

efficiency converter that operates from a 36 – 75V input to generate a regulated output. The device powers the adaptive matching transmitter onboard the WiBotic TR-110 wireless charging station, which feeds power wirelessly to the robot’s or UV’s onboard receiver. The PRM accepts 48V from an AC-DC power supply and the output voltage is adaptively

which is where WiBotic comes in. Driving the next generation of robotic autonomy WiBotic, located in Seattle, WA, provides wireless charging and power optimization solutions that are integral to charging the rapidly growing ecosystem of aerial, mobile, marine and

controlled and trimmed from approximately 20 – 55V. The Vicor PRM enables consistent, high-efficiency conversion across the full range of impedances, flexibly supporting ‘full charge’ and ‘trickle charge’ modes with no significant drop- off in efficiency at lower power levels – a critical performance benchmark that competing power components failed to achieve. Vicor-Wibotic-Low-Power-Dev-Kit-small.jpgThe Vicor PRM enables consistent, highly-efficient conversion across the full range of impedences for Wibotic’s low-power, wireless-charging development kit. This high-efficiency conversion capability yielded a tightly consistent, maximum device temperature of 40 – 45°C, helping to neutralize thermal management constraints across the full power range. WiBotic delivers a dynamic charging solution that enables the next generation of autonomy. Freed from the confines of manually-managed charging processes, these devices can achieve new levels of functionality and productivity – with no power constraints to hold them back.

industrial robots. A range of solutions enable robots and unmanned vehicles (UVs) to be recharged through wireless charging stations, eliminating the need for human operators to physically connect the robots to chargers. In addition, wireless charging technology reduces wear and tear on physical connection points, trip hazards from power cords and floor- mounted charging stations, and the space requirement for dedicated charging rooms WiBotic wireless charging solutions are designed to facilitate “many-to-many” operation, whereby multiple robots (including from different manufacturers) can charge from the same transmitter at different times. Alternatively, an entire fleet of robots can move between a network of transmitters in different locations within a warehouse. In short, any robot can charge from any station, even if the robots have different battery chemistries, voltages and charging current. Vicor Zero-Voltage Switching (ZVS) regulator powers wireless charging innovation The Vicor 48V VI Chip® PRM Regulator is a 400W high-

From A to B with E: eTruck reduces CO2 emissions at Infineon’s Regensburg site Infineon Technologies AG is taking a further step towards CO 2 neutrality by focusing on electric mobility for logistics solutions. Just in time for the World Environment Day (June 5), an electric truck will be commissioned at the Regensburg site after two weeks of testing. The vehicle of the logistics partner Kühne+Nagel will drive the distance between the factory premises and an external warehouse in the east of the city four times per working day. Thus, the electric truck will cover around 100 km a day. And thanks to the electric drive, it will save some 18 tons of CO 2 every year. “At our Annual General Meeting in February, we set the goal for Infineon to be CO 2 neutral by 2030,” said Jochen Hanebeck, Chief Operations Officer on Infineon’s Management Board. “For this, there is not one big measure, but plenty of small steps. The conversion from diesel to electric mobility for transport services in and around our plants is one such step. What we can now learn in Regensburg, we will also implement at the other locations – for the benefit of the environment.” The 7.5-ton truck from the eTruck manufacturer Framo saves 60 to 100 percent of the CO 2 emissions of a comparable diesel vehicle – depending on how the electricity

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Latest News

other vehicles will successively switch to alternative energies. As a manufacturer of power semiconductors, sensors and microcontrollers, which are needed to drive electrically powered trucks, Infineon itself is profiting from this trend. According to a study conducted by Boston Consulting in October 2019, the logistics industry will

used was produced. Kühne+Nagel plans

to charge the batteries with green electricity. Electricity from renewable energy sources will eliminate CO 2 emissions completely. The battery developed by Framo has a capacity of 115.6 kWh. This means that the electric truck can cover 115 km – a wide

be electrified. It is estimated that by 2030, 35 percent of newly registered light trucks up to six tons, and 26 percent of heavy trucks over 15 tons will be equipped with alternative drives. Not surprisingly, Framo’s eTruck used in Regensburg is also equipped with components from Infineon. For example, microcontrollers control the drive, and regulate the management of the battery.

enough range for the daily distance travelled. Infineon will use the vehicle to transport packaging and materials, but also finished products. Infineon moved into the warehouse – the truck’s destination – in late 2019 to expand the production capacity at the Regensburg site. The electric truck is the beginning of a longer-term development. At the Regensburg site, vehicles used in logistics such as trucks, forklifts and

Bell Canada selects Ericsson as a 5G partner Canadian communications service provider Bell Canada has selected Ericsson 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) technology to

their network with 5G mobile and fixed wireless technology. With our industry-leading 5G product portfolio, Bell will be able to provide Canadian consumers, enterprises and the public sector with innovative experiences and services whether they are on the move or at home, regardless if they are in urban or rural areas.”

support its nationwide 5G mobile and fixed wireless access deployment. Ericsson Radio System products and solutions will be rolled out as Bell Canada expands its 5G

coverage – including an expected boost following the auction 3.5 GHz spectrum by the Canadian government later in 2020. The 5G deal builds on a longstanding partnership between the companies, which includes 4G LTE network provision. Mirko Bibic, President and CEO of BCE Inc. and Bell Canada, says: “Bell’s 5G strategy supports our goal to advance how Canadians connect with each other and the world, and Ericsson’s innovative 5G network products and experience on the global stage will be key to our roll-out of this game- changing mobile technology across Canada.” Niklas Heuveldop, President and Head of Ericsson North America, says, “We are proud to have earned Bell’s trust to be selected as one of their key partners and significantly expand our existing relationship to accelerate the transformation of

Stephen Howe, Chief Technology Officer, Bell Canada, says: “Ericsson plays an important role in enabling Bell’s award-winning LTE network and we’re pleased to grow our partnership into 5G mobile and fixed wireless technology. 5G’s high-capacity and near-instant connections will enable next- generation applications like mobile 4K video and immersive augmented reality, connected vehicles and industrial IoT automation on a massive scale, and our plan is to deliver the benefits of the 5G wireless revolution to cities and rural locations alike.” Ericsson currently has 93 commercial 5G agreements or contracts with unique communications service providers globally, of which 50 are publicly announced 5G deals. Ericsson currently has 40 live 5G networks in 22 countries.

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Latest News Faster emergency assistance: Bosch introduces automatic emergency calls for motorcycles

Help Connect automatically alerts emergency services via smartphone Harald Kroeger: “Help Connect adds a digital guardian angel to the broad Bosch portfolio of motorcycle safety systems.”

integrated crash algorithm enables the sensor to detect automatically whether the motorcycle has been involved in an accident, or whether a mishap has caused it to fall over when being parked. It does not require an additional control unit, which makes integrating it into the motorcycle more straightforward. It connects to Bosch’s Vivatar emergency app via Bluetooth. Other

Connected: With its new, intelligent crash al ש gorithm, Bosch motorcycle sensor technology is able to detect accidents and set the rescue process in motion via smartphone app. Effective: In some cases, an automatic emergency call can reduce the accident response time by up to 50 percent. When an accident happens, every second counts. The quicker motorcyclists receive assistance, the greater their chances of survival. The risk of being killed in a crash is still 20 times higher for motorcyclists than for car drivers. This has prompted Bosch to develop Help Connect, a digitally connected emergency call system for motorized two-wheelers that speeds up the rescue process. “Help Connect adds a digital guardian angel to the broad Bosch portfolio of motorcycle safety systems,” says Harald Kroeger from the Bosch board of management. The digitally connected emergency call system uses an intelligent crash algorithm installed in the vehicle’s inertial sensor unit to detect accidents. Via a smartphone app, Help Connect transmits information about the accident scene and the rider to the Bosch Service Center, and from there to the emergency services, helping them find the victim more quickly. An automatic message of this sort can cut the time it takes for emergency services to arrive on the scene by up to half (source: EU project Harmonised eCall European Deployment, I_HeERO). With the connected emergency call solution for motorcycles Bosch is speeding up the rescue process. “Help Connect adds a digital guardian angel to the broad Bosch portfolio of motorcycle safety systems.” Bosch board of management member Harald Kroeger App transmits data about accident scene and rider in an emergency Help Connect draws on information from the Bosch MSC motorcycle stability control, and more specifically its inertial sensor unit. One hundred times a second, this integrated sensor measures acceleration and angular velocity, i.e. how fast the angular position of an object changes with time. The sensor can thus accurately calculate the motorcycle’s current position and angle of lean. Moreover, the

smartphone apps, such as motorcycle manufacturers’ proprietary apps, can also be integrated into the emergency call solution. Apart from information about location, Help Connect also transmits any medical data provided by the rider to the Bosch Service Center. These data may prove vital for the emergency services. On request, other people may also be automatically contacted with news of the accident. The emergency call service will initially be available for customers from Germany. Users will be able to communicate with the Bosch Service Center in German or English from any European country.1 If the accident is severe and the rider fails to respond, emergency services are immediately directed to the scene. As smartphones are generally carried close to the body, riders who have been in an accident can be quickly located even if they were thrown off their vehicle in the crash. Bosch accident research analyzes crashes worldwide Like all Bosch assistance systems, Help Connect is the result of close collaboration between engineers and the company’s in-house accident research. “Before we develop products that increase safety for motorcyclists, we need to understand the critical situations they face,” Kroeger explains. Access to real motorcycle accident data lets accident researchers provide the impetus for safety innovations. Bosch went to great lengths in developing the automatic emergency call system. Some 18 crash tests were carried out solely to analyze specific accident scenarios and demonstrate the functionality of Help Connect. Intelligent assistance systems prevent accidents Enhancing motorcyclists’ safety has been a major concern for Bosch for many years. With the motorcycle ABS it introduced 25 years ago and the MSC motorcycle stability control launched in 2013, the globally leading supplier of motorcycle safety systems has already made motorcycle riding much safer. Radar-based assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning system, and blind-spot detection assistant round out the Bosch safety portfolio.

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Haptic feedback: the next step in smart interfacing Micromachined transducers turn ultrasound into touch

By Denis Marcon & Xavier Rottenberg , IMEC

By giving the user a sense of touch, haptic feedback adds a new dimension to current user interfaces – enabling exciting applications like human-machine interfacing and remote surgery. Touchless user interfaces, such as haptic and voice, will play a critical role in the low-touch economy which is expected to emerge in the post-COVID-19 era. At the heart of the first-generation of haptic based interfaces are bulky piezoelectric ultrasound transducers, which are cumbersome in use, impede a very fine interaction and limit end-product integration possibilities. To meet these shortcomings, imec’s Denis Marcon and Xavier Rottenberg introduce compact micromachined ultrasound

transducers to widen the field of applications. Two different technology platforms – Si-CMOS and display-manufacturing based large area – are being developed and offered to companies. A sense of touch Ultrasound are sound waves with frequencies that are higher than what is audible to the human ear, i.e. larger than 20kHz. Technologies making use of ultrasound waves have been used for many years, mainly for sensing applications. The best-known example is diagnostic imaging, also known as sonography, which was introduced as a diagnostic tool back in the 1940s. In this application, pulses of ultrasound are sent into tissue, and the echo pulses are displayed as an image that reveals internal body structures.

Few people are aware that the ultrasound technology can also be used to equip smart systems with haptic feedback, giving the user a sense of touch. In such an application, the technology is implemented as an actuator rather than as a sensor. The actuator emits ultrasound energy – a type of mechanical energy characterized by pressure waves that propagate through air. Interesting applications emerge when the ultrasound energy can be perceived by the receptors on our fingers. This can enable enhanced human-machine interfaces for automotive, advanced display applications, or allow a finer interaction with robots in a manufacturing environment. In one implementation, the user can be ‘physically’ touched by the smart system.

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Alternatively, non-contact approaches are being explored, where ultrasonic waves generate a local pressure field causing the user to feel a light sensation. This ‘mid-air haptics’ allows users to interact with objects without touching them. Or to interact with consumer applications in a more hygienic way – a measure which is receiving great attention due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak. This mid-air haptic feedback can be combined with gesture recognition techniques. This way, the system can follow and track your hand, and beam back to the precise position of your fingers. Think about remote surgery, where the combination of the two techniques can give the surgeon a precise ‘feeling’ of what he touches from a distance. Mid-air haptic feedback: how does it work? To turn ultrasound into touch, you need an array of multiple ultrasound sources. Each of these ‘drums’ launches acoustic energy in all directions, like a spherical wave going out. The energy of one source generates the same feeling at different positions around the sphere and can give an imprecise user interaction. But by properly organizing phase shifts between the different sources, ultrasound energy can be focused on one or more spots, while being cancelled at other spots. This way, the ultrasound energy cloud can be shaped in three dimensions, like a full acoustic hologram. Ultrasound energy with frequencies above 20kHz can however not be ‘felt’ by our finger receptors. In a next step, the frequency of the acoustic hologram needs to be down-modulated to arrive at frequencies below 500Hz in order to be perceived by our fingers.

Figure 1: Mid-air haptics allows users to interact with smart systems without touching them.

oscillate at the same frequency and produce ultrasound. The thickness of the piezoelectric elements determines its dominant resonant frequency. First applications making use of these classical ultrasound transducers (or UTs) have already been commercialized, but since they are thick and bulky, the frequency is limited to about 40kHz, impeding a precise interaction with the user. During the last decade, the idea of using micromachined ultrasound transducers (or MUTs) has become very attractive. MUTs use miniaturized MEMS-based structures for emitting the ultrasound energy. Having a smaller dimension, a wider frequency range and a larger integration potential, these MUTs promise to outperform classical ultrasound transducers. They favour the development of large 2D arrays of transducers and enable close integration with the supporting electronics. Two families of MUTs have been proposed: the piezoelectric MUT or pMUT – which is the micromachined equivalent of the classical piezoelectric transducer – and the capacitive MUT or cMUT. In the latter solution, electrostatic forces cause vibration of a membrane that is part of a parallel plate capacitor.

The precision with which we feel the acoustic hologram depends on the carrier frequency of the ultrasound wave. The higher this frequency, the finer the interaction with our finger receptors. For example, for a carrier frequency of 40kHz, the resolution of the acoustic hologram is in the centimetre range. This improves to millimetre range when the carrier frequency is in the MHz range. At these higher frequencies, however, ultrasound waves are more easily absorbed in air. When trading off resolution with absorption, it turns out that frequencies around 400kHz are most interesting for mid-air haptic feedback sensations at about 1cm distance from the source. From bulky to micromachined ultrasound transducers On the technology side, haptic feedback can be generated by ultrasound transducers which convert electrical signals (AC voltage) into ultrasound (and vice versa). So far, first implementations have relied on classical piezoelectric transducers, using bulky ceramic piezoelectric elements. These elements change size and shape when a voltage is applied. AC voltage makes them

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Technology platforms for MUTs Imec is developing technology platforms for MUTs, leveraging its long- term track record in developing micro- electromechanical systems (MEMS). In the past, the focus was on developing CMOS-compatible cMUT technologies. This has resulted in a high-performance cMUT technology platform. Today, imec is focusing on developing generic pMUT technologies that can be tuned towards haptic feedback applications. Two different platforms for pMUTs are being pursued: Si-CMOS- compatible and display-manufacturing- compatible technology platforms. Each of these platforms brings its own advantages and challenges. A Si-CMOS-compatible technology platform for pMUTs pMUTs can be post-processed directly on top of Si-CMOS. The main benefit of this approach is the ability to smoothly integrate the pMUT array with the driving and read-out electronics, either by wire-bonding or by using through-silicon vias – resulting in single-chip solutions. By using mature Si-CMOS-based processes in combination with Si- based pMUTs, highly integrated, efficient, high-resolution and high- performing pMUT arrays can be build. The footprint of the final pMUT chip is limited to typically 2x2cm2. Following this approach, imec develops with a foundry partner a generic Si-CMOS-compatible pMUT platform, with (scandium doped) aluminum nitride as the piezoelectric ‘vibrating’ material. As such, ultrasound waves are emitted in the 3-15MHz frequency range. To be useful for haptic feedback applications, imec and its foundry partner are tuning this generic

Figure 2: Dual thickness cMUT cells in an array.

Figure 3: Operation principle of cMUT and pMUT technology.

Towards a display- manufacturing- compatible technology platform for pMUTs Asecond family of pMUT technologies implements polymer-based pMUTs

platform towards lower frequencies, i.e. 200-600kHz – by using larger membranes (0.8-1.5mm diameter) with higher aspect ratio. The pMUT process can be adapted to specific use cases and is available for low- and high-volume production.

Figure 4: Microscopic picture of a pMUT array.

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that are fabricated in a display- ma n u f a c t u r i n g - c omp a t i b l e , large area technology. The true advantage of this technology is the ability to beam ultrasound waves from a large area array (in the order of a few to several tens cm2), resulting in a potentially larger power output and a fine non-contact haptic experience. This could be used for creating mid-air haptic feedback sensations from a greater distance, e.g. to enable interactive posters for enhanced digital advertising. Applications can go beyond display-based integrations – think about mid-air haptic feedback experiences generated from the windows of your house. This technology is currently under development, and first proof of concepts have emerged. At imec, for example, a 4cm x4cm large 64x64 array of 480µm diameter pMUTs were fabricated. The 64 by 64 array consists of four 32 by 32 arrays. First generation devices are made with a piezoelectric polymer, while the next generations under investigation will use piezoelectric ceramics. Imec ultimately aims at integrating these pMUT arrays with thin- film transistor backplanes (as the driving electronics) and fabricating them in unprecedented array sizes in display-manufacturing- compatible technology platforms. An attractive approach is to install these MUT capabilities in display fabs that have recently shifted to newer display technologies and make their older capacity available to more diverse products. This is very comparable to the experience in CMOS where capacity became available in 200mm facilities that were re-used for MEMS development and eventually for MUT development.

Figure 5: 64x64 array of polymer-based pMUTs.

The broad potential of MUTs: from haptic feedback to brain stimulation First commercial haptic feedback products have already entered the market, mainly in the form of plug-and-play modules that allow to enrich the interface of existing entertainment installations with virtual buttons or magical sensations. These applications typically implement bulky classical ultrasound transducers, limiting the ultrasound frequency (to typically 40kHz) and as such the haptic feedback experience. As alreadymentioned,micromachined ultrasound transducers are expected to open entirely new avenues, by enabling compact and portable solutions with finer sense of touch. In this implementation, haptic feedback will enhance remote control of machines and create advanced

human-machine interfaces for automotive or advanced displays. For example, it can be used to enlarge the small touch screen of your smart watch into a full hand interface, or to enhance interactive digital advertising through large ‘haptic’ posters. It may also become a key part of virtual reality/augmented reality systems, adding sense of touch to previously visual-only interfaces. It will enable touch from a far distance, like a virtual handshake. Or, in medicine, it can be of great value for remote surgery, making the surgeon feel what he remotely touches – assisted by gesture recognition. But the potential of micromachined ultrasound goes beyond haptic feedback. First, the ability to beam ultrasound energy to one focal point is being explored in medicine, for neuromodulation, brain surgery or cancer treatments. Ultrasound transducers can also be used to generate direct sound: tightly

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focused ultrasound energy can be beamed (and distorted) to become audible to the listener’s ear only. Second, micromachined ultrasound transducers can be used as a sensing instrument, for imaging applications. Following a Yole Development 2018 report, cMUTs and pMUTs are opening new possibilities in existing markets such as medical ultrasound and fingerprinting, while also creating new markets such as gesture recognition – where ultrasound can provide an alternative to radar- or light-based gesture recognition solutions. Examples of medical ultrasound imaging are portable echography, cardio patches or structural brain imaging – allowing to image body structures with waves that are free of radiation. Movie: https://vimeo.com/252350041 Want to know more? - Imec can help you tap into the unexplored potential of ultrasound – for haptic feedback or beyond applications. We are interested in collaborating with partners and clients in the life sciences field, infotainment, or automotive industry and in other applications requiring industrials sensors and actuators that challenge our technologies. Our Si-based technologies are ready to be tailored to specific applications and with our extensive inhouse expertise and infrastructure, we can perform all development steps in-house. Small- and high-volume production is offered through collaboration with our foundry partner. Interested? Feel free to contact imec’s senior business develop manager Denis Marcon. - You can access the 2018 Yole Development analysis on ultrasound sensing technologies via this link.

Figure. 6: Schematic representation of some of the possible applications enabled by ultrasound.

About Denis Marcon Denis Marcon received a M.S. degree from the University of Padova in 2006. Subsequently, he received the PhD degree of doctor in Engineering from the KU Leuven and imec in 2011. He is leading author or co-author of more than 50 journal papers or conference contributions. Currently, he is a Sr. business development manager in imec, Belgium, and he is responsible for the partnerships with imec in the field of GaN power electronics and on dedicated development projects of Si-based device and sensors.

Figure 7: [caption movie:] Ultrasound is the sole technology to enable low power and non-contact gesture recognition and haptic feedback. supplementary degree in Theoretical Physics in 1998 and 1999 from "Université Libre de Bruxelles", Belgium. He received further his PhD degree in Electrical Engineering in 2008 from KU Leuven, Belgium. He worked one year at the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium in the field of remote sensing from space and joined imec in 2000.

About Xavier Rottenberg Xavier Rottenberg is scientific director and group leader wave- based sensors and actuators at imec. He received the MSc degree in Physics Engineering and a

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New Wideband Passive and Active Wearable Energy Harvesting Systems

By Albert Sabban, IEEE Senior Member

Abstract- Demand for green energy is in continuous growth. Wide band efficient wearable antennas are crucial for energy harvesting wearable systems. Small harvesting antennas suffer from low efficiency. The efficiency of energy harvesting wearable systems may be improved by using active wearable harvesting systems with low power consumption. Amplifiers may be connected to the wearable antenna feed line to increase the system dynamic range. Novel active wearable harvesting systems are presented in this paper. Notch and Slot antennas are low profile and low cost and may be employed in energy harvesting wearable systems. The wearable harvesting system components are assembled on the same PCB. The notch and slot antennas bandwidth is from 50% to 100% with VSWR better than 3:1.

The slot antenna gain is around 3dBi with efficiency higher than 90%. The antennas electrical parameters was computed in vicinity of the human body. The active antenna gain is 24+2.5dB for frequencies ranging from 200MHz to 900MHz. The active antenna gain is 12.5+2.5dB for frequencies ranging from 1GHz to 3GHz. The active slot antenna Noise Figure is 0.5+0.3dB for frequencies ranging from 200MHz to 3.3GHz. Index Terms – Energy harvesting, Active Systems, Chargers I. INTRODUCTION In recent years, the idea of using ambient energy in the forms of light, vibration, heat, radio waves, etc. has become increasingly attractive, and a number of methods to produce electricity from these different kinds of energy sources have been

developed [1-8]. Energy harvesting technology would eliminate the need for replacing batteries and power cords. It is important to receive the ambient RF power of multiple wireless systems to harvest as much energy as possible. In these cases, multiband and wideband antennas become crucial. Due to very low-received power densities, highly efficient radiators operating at specific frequency range and polarization states are employed. The preferred antenna radiation pattern should have a wide beam width. Several printed antennas for harvesting energy applications was presented [1-8]. Printed wearable antennas are widely used in communication and medical system [9-35]. Human body effect on the electrical performance of wearable systems is not always presented in the literature. Electrical properties

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of human tissues have been investigated in [25-26]. New wide band slot and notch antennas was developed for wearable harvesting energy applications. Printed slot and notch antennas features are low volume, light weight and low production cost. Moreover, for active slot and notch antennas the benefit of a Compact low cost feed network is achieved by integrating the active Components with the radiating elements on the same substrate. Wearable printed active antennas for harvesting energy applications are rarely presented in the literature. A new class of wideband passive and active wearable antennas for harvesting energy applications is presented in this paper. Amplifiers may be connected to the wearable antenna feed line to improve the system efficiency. Small light weight batteries supply the bias voltage to the active components of the energy harvesting system. The proposed energy harvesting system may be used in wearable wireless communication and medical systems. The active antenna bandwidth is around 200% for S11 lower than -5dB. The active antenna gain is 22+2.5dB for frequencies ranging from 200MHz to 900MHz. The active antenna gain is 12.5+2.5dB for frequencies ranging from 1GHz to 3GHz. II. ACTIVE ENERGY HARVESTING CONCEPT RF energy harvesting is the process by which electromagnetic energy propagating in the air is captured, stored and employed to charge batteries and for other commercial applications. RF energy is inversely proportional to distance and therefore drops as the distance from a source is increased. Harvested power from RF energy sources is lower than 0.1 µW/cm2. Amplifiers

Figure 1: Active energy harvesting system concept

amount of radio wave in the air. The expected amount of radio Wave in the air in 2017 is 11 Exa-bytes per month as listed in Table I. Today we can do more computations per KWh as listed in Table II. Energy sources are listed in Table III. Year Computations per KWh (1E+09) 1977 1 1983 10 1987 100 1992 1000

may be connected to the wearable antenna feed line to improve the system efficiency. RF energy harvesting concept is shown in Fig.1. A DC unit manage and control the DC power in the proposed system. There is an increase in the

Year Amount of radio wave in the air Exa-bytes per month

2013 1.5 2014 2.6 2015 4.4 2016 7

1997 10,000 2003 100,000 2008 1,000,000

Table I: Amount of radio wave in the air

Table II: Computations per KWh

Energy Source Characteristics

Efficiency Harvested Power ~50% 0.1 µ W/cm 2 0.001 µ W/cm 2 10~24% 100 mW/cm 2

RF

GSM 900 MHz WiFi

Light

Outdoor / Indoor

Thermal

Human Industrial

~0.1% ~3%

60 µ W/cm 2 ~1-10 mW/cm 2

Vibration

~Hz–human ~kHz–machines

25~50% ~4 µ W/cm 3 ~800 µ W/cm 3

Table III: Energy sources

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