Tech Convergence Will Spur Demand for New ADAS Technology

ST Micro Blog and OSRAM Powerpoint



In an Augmented Reality (AR) Symposium at the recent ST Developer Conference in Santa Clara, California, ST and its partners treated attendees to interesting presentations that updated the progress in the technology’s adoption. These presentations, from enablers, early adopters, and supply-chain gurus, painted an exciting picture of the future for those hoping to ride the wave.

AR Panel Looks into the Future

In a presentation titled, AR Traction Will Power Next Evolution of Devices, IDC Research Director for Enabling Technologies, Michael Palma, emphasized that the share of AR shipments for commercial customers had passed an inflection point and was in a growth spurt that was created a strong opportunity for suppliers. His research emphasized the movement of sensors to drive new human-machine interfaces (HMI) and position tracking. To meet the end-product demands, Palma emphasized the strong influence that AR applications would provide to processing, connectivity, and display developments.

In a presentation of its enabling technology, ST’s Marco Angelici introduced attendees to ST Laser Beam Scanners for near-eye displays. The technology builds on ST’s success in MEMS micromirrors and showed the extraordinarily small size of ST’s Laser Beam Scanner: 1.7 cubic centimeters while promising further size reductions. For progress in this feature, ST has been working with another presenter from the session: OSRAM. Senior Applications Engineer from OSRAM, Ann Russell-El Demery, described its range of optical technologies for AR and presented innovative laser diode technologies designed to support all-day wearable AR glasses. [Presentation Download. Excerpted below]











OSRAM is currently the target of a bidding war
ST Micro is MVIS' MEMS scanning mirror manufacturer. In November 2016, Microvision and ST Micro announced a co-marketing agreement.

MicroVision and STMicroelectronics to Co-Market MEMS Mirror-based Laser Beam Scanning Solutions

Companies target pico projection, virtual and augmented reality (VR, AR), 3D sensing and ADAS applicationsREDMOND, Wash. and Geneva, Switzerland / 10 Nov 2016
MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS) , a leader in innovative ultra-miniature projection display and sensing technology and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronic applications, today announced that they plan to work together to develop, sell, and market Laser Beam Scanning (LBS) technology.
The companies anticipate cooperating closely on market development efforts that will include joint sales and marketing activities for LBS solutions. In addition to the pico projection and heads-up display (HUD) markets that both companies are currently addressing with their LBS solutions, ST and MicroVision anticipate targeting emerging markets and applications including, virtual and augmented reality (VR, AR), 3D sensing and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). 
In addition, MicroVision and ST anticipate exploring options to collaborate on future technology development including a joint LBS product roadmap. This cooperation would combine the process design and manufacturing expertise of ST with the LBS systems and solutions expertise of MicroVision. 
“Working with MicroVision, our goal is to build on our matched skills, shared vision, and commitment to grow LBS-enabled markets to open up many opportunities for both companies,” said Benedetto Vigna, Executive Vice President of the Analog and MEMS Group of ST. “This relationship will position ST to pursue all of the growth opportunities for LBS and the complementary power, sensing, and control components.”
“Teaming up with ST, a world leader in its field, is important for MicroVision both for ST’s expertise in semiconductor technology and its global customer reach,” said Alexander Tokman, president and CEO of MicroVision. “Combining ST’s expertise in the development and manufacture of key components for LBS scanning engines with MicroVision’s proprietary system, engine, and applications knowledge, and intellectual property can be highly advantageous for marketing LBS solutions to a wide array of companies for numerous applications.” 
The companies have an existing working relationship on production of MicroVision components. ST manufactures MicroVision’s current-generation MEMS die based on MicroVision’s design. ST also manufactures one of the ASICs sold by MicroVision. 

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