New AI Machine Vision System Offers Unmatched Sub-Millimeter Resolution in a Significantly Reduced Size

SiLC Technologies, Inc. (SiLC), the leading developer of integrated single-chip FMCW LiDAR solutions, announced the launch of the Eyeonic™ Vision System Mini (Eyeonic Mini), a groundbreaking advancement in LiDAR technology. This innovative system, integrating a full multi-channel FMCW LiDAR on a single silicon photonics chip and an integrated FMCW LiDAR System-on-Chip (SoC), sets a new industry benchmark in precision.

Utilizing the industry’s first purpose-built digital LiDAR processor SoC, the iND83301 (“Surya”) developed by indie Semiconductor, the Eyeonic Mini achieves an unprecedented level of detail, delivering an order of magnitude greater precision than existing technologies while being one-third the size of last year’s pioneering model. This latest innovation builds upon the success of SiLC’s first commercial FMCW LiDAR system, the Eyeonic Vision System, founded on an integrated silicon photonics chip and designed specifically for machine vision applications.

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SiLC’s Eyeonic Vision Chip, central to the system, amalgamates all essential photonics functions into a coherent vision sensor, delivering a compact solution that meets the demands for performance, affordability and low-power consumption. The system’s exceptional accuracy is driven by a 4-channel FMCW LiDAR chip, complemented by indie’s innovative Surya SoC, and equips robots with sub-millimeter depth precision from distances exceeding 10 meters.

This level of precision opens new doors in automation, particularly in warehouse logistics and AI machine vision applications. For instance, AI-driven palletizing robots equipped with the Eyeonic Mini can fully view and interact with pallets, optimizing package placement and loading onto trucks with efficiency and safety. In the context of the U.S., with its over 13 million commercial trucks, this technology promises to revolutionize warehouse operations and the broader trucking industry, significantly boosting efficiency in loading and unloading processes.

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Giving robots the intelligence to see, move, touch, think and learn, Dexterity is working on incorporating SiLC technology into their robot autonomy platform. “At Dexterity, we focus on AI, machine learning and robotic intelligence to make warehouses more productive, efficient and safe,” remarked CEO Samir Menon. “We are excited to partner with SiLC to unlock LiDAR for the robotics and logistics markets. Their technology is a revolution in depth sensing and will enable easier and faster adoption of warehouse automation and robotic truck load and unload.”

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“Our FMCW LiDAR platform aims to enable a highly versatile and scalable platform to address the needs of many applications,” added Dr. Mehdi Asghari, CEO of SiLC Technologies. “At CES this year, we’re demonstrating our long-range vision capabilities of over two kilometers. With the Eyeonic Mini we’re showcasing our high precision at shorter distances. Our FMCW LiDAR solutions, at short or long distances, bring superior vision to machines to truly enable the next generation of AI-based automation.”

“The Eyeonic Mini represents the next evolution of our close collaboration with SiLC. The combination of our two unique technologies has created an industry-leading solution in performance, size, cost, and power,” said Chet Babla, SVP Strategic Marketing at indie Semiconductor. “This creates a strong foundation for our partnership to grow and address multiple markets, including industrial automation and automotive.”

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For machines to be capable of truly augmenting our lives, their vision solution must be powerful, compact, scalable, and unaffected by complex, unpredictable environments and conditions, including interference from other systems. It must provide motion, velocity, polarization, and precision – prerequisites which exclude existing, time-of-flight-based solutions and instead point to FMCW as the needed platform. FMCW technology enables a new generation of imaging solutions that can directly capture images for AI machine vision, factory robots, home security, autonomous vehicles, and perimeter security applications.

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indie Semiconductor, an Autotech solutions innovator, has launched an integrated automotive wireless power charging system-on-chip (SoC) that offers the industry’s highest level of integration. The iND87200 simplifies and accelerates the development of cost-effective WPC ‘Qi’-based in-cabin portable device charging designs.

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“indie’s breakthrough automotive wireless charging solution speeds device charging times and delivers industry-leading levels of semiconductor and software integration, reducing the external bill-of-materials by almost half relative to existing discrete implementations”

In-cabin charging has become a necessity for drivers and passengers who use their smartphone to provide navigation, music, voice connections and other services on-the-move. The global semiconductor-enabled in-car automotive wireless charger market is estimated¹ at U.S. $1.3 billion for2022 and is forecasted to grow to $9.5 billion by 2032, representing a 22% CAGR over this period. The emerging Qi 2.0 standard featuring the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) is particularly relevant to automotive designs, offering faster, more reliable charging by automatically aligning smartphones with an inductive charging coil, maintaining the device in position irrespective of vehicle motion.

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“indie’s breakthrough automotive wireless charging solution speeds device charging times and delivers industry-leading levels of semiconductor and software integration, reducing the external bill-of-materials by almost half relative to existing discrete implementations,” said Fred Jarrar, vice president and general manager of indie Semiconductor’s Power and USB product lines. “This turn-key architecture dramatically reduces system complexity, improves overall reliability and de-risks tier 1 time to market. As a result, indie’s latest SoC will play a pivotal role in enabling automotive OEMs to deliver faster, cost-effective and more reliable portable device charging, contributing to an engaging in-cabin user experience spanning feature-rich cars to entry-level vehicles.”

The iND87200 dual-core design combines an Arm® Cortex® M4F processor with 2MB of embedded Flash and 256kB of SRAM with a dedicated Arm Cortex M0 processor for the WPC stack. This approach frees SoC compute resources to execute user-specific software without timing and interrupt constraints related to the WPC stack. Further, indie’s wireless charging solution integrates all of the necessary power management, DC-DC converter, signal conditioning, WPC inverter drivers, and power FETs as well as LED and fan drivers. A wide range of serial interfaces such as CAN 2.0B, LIN, I2C, and UARTs provide multiple connectivity options to the vehicle and other peripherals.

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Eyeris Technologies, Inc., a global leader for in-cabin sensing AI and sensor fusion solutions, announced its collaboration with indie Semiconductor, an Autotech solutions innovator, on the integration of Eyeris’ advanced monocular 3D sensing AI software with indie’s intelligent vision processor system-on-chip (SoC) using 2D image sensors.

The integrated solution enables automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier-1 manufacturers to bring to market a new generation of depth-aware in-cabin monitoring solutions, with a dedicated intelligent vision processor that includes a safety domain controller to further enhance vehicle interior safety, comfort and overall in-cabin experience.

Eyeris proprietary technology accurately generates in-cabin depth information for key regions of interest (ROIs), such as occupants’ face, body, hands and objects, using a single automotive-grade 2D image sensor, like the latest RGB-IR sensors. Eyeris achieves this through a rigorous collection of naturalistic in-cabin 3D data used to train compute-efficient depth inference models that run on AI-enabled processors. This enables enhanced depth-aware understanding of the location, size, and position of occupants and other objects to customize – for example – the airbag deployment accordingly and reduce the risk of occupants’ injury when deployed.

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“The Eyeris software and the indie vision processor combine to satisfy the increasing requirements by OEMs for in-cabin 3D features using a single 2D image sensor,” said Modar Alaoui, Founder and CEO at Eyeris. “Through this collaboration with indie’s dedicated vision processor, adding this depth-aware third dimension enables Tier 1 and vehicle manufacturers to now create safer airbags and improve on the design of various vehicle restraint systems that enhance the safety and comfort of all occupants.”

“indie’s intelligent vision processor SoC offers high-performance and ultra-low power, low latency embedded vision processing and small form factor. This performance capability enables Eyeris to provide a richer suite of in-cabin monocular 3D safety software for OEM and Tier-1 customers that was not previously possible,” said Abhay Rai, EVP and GM of the Vision Business Unit at indie Semiconductor. “Our vision processor provides a unique dedicated safety domain controller and powerful CPU, facilitating in-cabin and exterior safety functionality within a single platform.”

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• Adds Highly Innovative Automotive Radar Capabilities for In-cabin and Exterior Vehicle Sensing Applications

• Accelerates Product Roadmap with the Industry’s First Production-ready 120 GHz Solution

• Complements indie’s Acquisitions of Analog Devices’ and ON Semi’s Radar Divisions

indie Semiconductor, an Autotech solutions innovator has announced it has acquired Silicon Radar GmbH, a German-based specialist in advanced, highly integrated, high-frequency system-on-chips (SoCs) for automotive radar applications.

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“Radar is a fundamental sensor modality for ADAS and automotive safety applications”

“Radar is a fundamental sensor modality for ADAS and automotive safety applications,” said Donald McClymont, indie’s co-founder and CEO. “The growing number of radars per vehicle require high-performance and highly integrated semiconductors capable of supporting ever higher frequency of operation with the lowest power consumption while supporting the ever-increasing demand for resolution in both external and in-cabin radar systems. indie’s acquisition of Silicon Radar furthers our technology leadership in automotive radar applications, particularly with the industry’s first production-ready 120 GHz solution and immediately extends our capabilities with the addition of a world class design team in Europe.”

As the radar industry moves to 120 GHz (in-cabin sensing) and 140 GHz (external sensing), these higher frequencies allow the use of antenna-on-chip techniques, significantly raising the integration levels, and enabling indie to create products with a complete radar on a chip, opening up significant new market areas. In particular, operation at 120 GHz or above allows antennas to be integrated in package or on-die, thus vastly simplifying the PCB design and dramatically reducing cost especially in in-cabin Occupant Monitoring Systems, or OMS, where industrial design often cannot allow external antennas optimized for RF performance at lower frequencies.

According to IHS, 138 million radar Electronic Control Units, or ECUs, will ship in 2023, supporting short-, medium- and long-range applications including interior monitoring, blind side detection, park assist and automatic emergency braking. By 2028, the market is expected to more than double to 293 million units, creating a $6 billion opportunity for radar semiconductors.

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Founded in 2006 and based in Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany, Silicon Radar specializes in the semiconductor design of 60 GHz, 120 GHz and 140 GHz high-frequency circuits for radar, sensor and wireless communications. With an innovative team of 14 expert mixed-signal SoC and system designers, Silicon Radar has developed 10 radar-related patents and has previously worked closely with indie in co-developing radar solutions for emerging radar applications, including 120 GHz and 140 GHz frequencies.

“We are extremely excited to extend our multi-year partnership with indie Semiconductor, and previously Analog Devices, and take this pivotal step to now formally join forces. Silicon Radar has independently established itself as a proven innovator of radar MMICs and ASIC designs for radar applications,” said Anja Bölicke, CEO of Silicon Radar. “By combining our core technologies with indie’s global sales channels and demonstrated scalability, we can accelerate our time to market and better capitalize on the global radar market opportunity. Together, we can enable more cost-effective solutions for precise detection of position, distance and velocity to allow safer mobility across a range of applications.”

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• Unique partnership addresses key challenges for driver and occupant monitoring and simplifies compliance with regulatory requirements and safety standards

• Combination of indie’s optimized sensing technology and Seeing Machines’ Occula® NPU delivers superior vision performance, ultra-low power, low latency and robust sensing

• Expands indie’s product portfolio to support best-in-class edge-based vision sensor solutions

indie Semiconductor, an Autotech solutions innovator has announced a strategic partnership with Seeing Machines, a leading computer vision technology company, to complement development of advanced vision processors for driver and vehicle occupant monitoring.

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Leveraging indie’s global sales channels underpinned by leading tier 1 and vehicle OEMs, this partnership enables indie to deploy Seeing Machines’ hardware-optimized, industry-leading Occula® Neural Processing Unit (NPU) technology into the Company’s first generation of innovative vision sensing system-on-chips (SoCs).

Based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving is a factor in nearly 10 percent of fatal motor crashes and in the U.S. alone, driver distraction is responsible for the deaths of over 3,000 people a year and the injury of a further 400,000. To reduce the number of accidents related to driver distraction or drowsiness and occupant fatalities, driver and occupant monitoring systems (DMS, OMS) are now being mandated or strongly recommended by global regulators and standards organizations through initiatives such as Europe’s General Safety Regulations (GSR), European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and is currently being reviewed by the U.S. NHTSA rulemaking for inclusion in updated U.S. NCAP guidelines.

To operate effectively, camera-based monitoring solutions need to address a number of challenges, including dynamic lighting conditions that range from complete darkness to bright sunlight, and factors such as driver height, position, skin tones and facial obscuration, such as wearing sunglasses. indie’s advanced vision SoCs will enable automotive manufacturers to address these requirements through best-in-class solutions featuring high processing bandwidth, while also achieving ultra-low power, low latency and extremely compact form factors.

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“indie’s expansion of intelligent, vision-based sensing solutions is another critical step in our mission to save lives via our diverse ADAS and sensor fusion product portfolio,” said Abhay Rai, senior vice president of indie Semiconductor’s Vision Business Unit. “Through our partnership with Seeing Machines, indie can implement robust in-cabin driver and occupant monitoring functionality at truly breakthrough performance levels while simplifying hardware and software stack requirements and, in turn, significantly reducing system complexity and total cost.”

“In a mission to get everyone home safely, leading in the deployment of driver and occupant monitoring systems to address emerging safety standards and road safety legislation focused on reducing vehicle-related deaths and injuries becomes critical,” added Nick DiFiore, SVP & GM Automotive, Seeing Machines. “We are delighted that indie chose our world-leading Occula^® NPU for optimized human detection and tracking in their innovative vision SoCs. Together, we are creating next-generation solutions that significantly simplify OEM conformance to ADAS mandates including the safe implementation of L2+ autonomy while reducing the cost of technology for monitoring vehicle occupants.”

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indie Semiconductor, an Autotech solutions innovator, announced support for the United States Senate’s latest action in progressing legislation that is designed to incentivize investment in the nation’s semiconductor industry.

Last week the U.S. Senate voted 64 to 34 to advance the ‘Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors’ (CHIPS) Act. This legislation currently promises over $50 billion for semiconductor manufacturing incentives and research investments as well as offers an additional 25% tax credit for facilities that produce semiconductors or semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

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“The latest progress on the CHIPS Act is encouraging news for companies such as indie that are at the forefront of semiconductor development,” said Donald McClymont, indie’s co-founder and CEO. “Specifically, this bill represents a significant step forward for innovative U.S. fabless and integrated device manufacturing companies with benefits ranging from R&D subsidies to incentives for expanded fabrication capacity. The unprecedented strategic investments contemplated at the federal and state levels would bolster indie’s hiring plans to support strong Autotech customer demand and improve our supply chain flexibility.”

The next step in advancing the CHIPS Act will involve final Senate approval and a subsequent vote for the measure in the U.S. House of Representatives, after which it can be submitted to President Biden for signing into law.

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Launches World’s First Hot Plug Safe Design in Support of Global Telematics Applications

Highly Integrated Single Chip Solution Dramatically Reduces Customers’ Time to Market and Bill of Materials

indie Semiconductor, an Autotech solutions innovator which is currently in the process of becoming a public company through a planned merger with Thunder Bridge Acquisition II, Ltd., a special purpose acquisition company, launched a new on-board diagnostics (OBD) device, the OnBrD. The OnBrD is a complete hardware and software solution for high-performance OBD-II applications including vehicle tracking, geofencing, connectivity, real-time automotive diagnostics and black box event data recorders. Specifically, indie’s compliant line drivers and hardware controllers make the OnBrD a hot plug safe device, while its distinctive, highly integrated, single layer architecture supports both new and existing system platforms.

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OBD-II solutions monitor a car’s computer system and report trouble codes. The electronic control unit then uses a microprocessor to read inputs from various engine sensors in real time. When a reading is outside of the expected values, the system logs a diagnostic trouble code (DTC), which is read through the OBD port. Remote diagnostics are extremely valuable tools in preventive maintenance and scheduling vehicle service cycles, reducing downtimes and the risk of breakdowns.

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“Telematics, remote diagnostics and black box event data recorders are rapidly proliferating across a wide range of automotive applications including fleet management of passenger and commercial vehicles,” said Paul Hollingworth, indie’s executive vice president of sales and marketing. “Leveraging our decade-plus of Autotech system-level expertise, indie has developed a truly breakthrough single chip OBD-II interface solution to accelerate Tier 1 time to market, while substantially reducing their bill of materials. At a higher level, today’s announcement reflects how indie is rearchitecting the vehicle of tomorrow today, addressing the market’s need for innovative platforms that enhance safety, deliver real-time diagnostics and support new and emerging high growth applications.”

According to Technavio, the automotive on-board diagnostics market is expected to grow by $35 billion from 2020 to 2024 driven by the growing focus on remote monitoring and system management. Factors such as the shift in focus from OBD hardware and OBD software, and the integration of OBD with telematics will have a significant impact on the growth of the automotive OBD market value during the forecast period.

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