Crosslight FDTD Simulator Gets GPU Acceleration

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Crosslight announces that it has released the FDTD simulator taking advantage of Nvidia GPU. The new feature's presentation shows a huge bust in simulation speed:

1:31 PM

Gesture Recognition Middleware News

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One revolution that Leap Motion did is produced a lot of press to the short range gesture recognition for computer control. A few other companies presented their own versions of short range user interface middleware.

Here is Lubek, Germany-based Gestigon video:



Here is Erlangen, Germany-based Metrilus demo video:



Here is video from Israel-based Omek Interactive's Grasp product, specially optimized for close range gestures:



And here is one of the recent videos from Leap Motion:


1:18 PM

Etron to Ship Stereo Vision-Based Gesture Recognition Processor

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Digitimes: Taiwan-based DRAM vendor Etron announces that its single-chip 3D stereo gesture recognition image processor, the eSP870, which will be shipped to a China-based TV maker starting July.

The eSP870 single-chip image processor plus two CMOS sensor chips are incorporated into one module enabling both the left and right lens to capture images at a rate of more than 30fps, Etron said. The solution also comes with a built-in 3D depth sensing controller, designed ideally for somatosensory games, Etron indicated. Etron also expects to enter the supply chain of China's white-box games console market with its single-chip 3D camera modules. Other applications such as notebooks, tablets and car electronics could demand the function of somatosensory interactive games in the future, the company said.


Etron's CEO and Chairman Nicky Lu demos the new 3D camera in this Youtube video shot at CES 2013:

1:26 AM

Omnivision Announces Quarter and Annual Earnings

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PR Newswire: OmniVision reports financial results for the fiscal Q4 and fiscal year ended April 30, 2013. Revenues for the Q4 were $336.2M, as compared to $423.5M in the previous quarter, and $218.5M a year ago. GAAP net income in the Q4 was $8.9M, as compared to net income of $21.3M in the previous quarter, and $2.7M a year ago.

Revenues for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2013 were $1.4B, as compared to $897.7M in the previous year. GAAP net income for fiscal 2013 was $42.9M, as compared to GAAP net income of $65.8M a year ago.

GAAP gross margin for the Q4 was 17.5%, as compared to 16.9% in the previous quarter and 22.5% a year ago. The sequential increase in fourth quarter gross margin reflected a favorable change in product mix, partially offset by the unfavorable impacts from a decrease in revenues recorded on the sale of previously written-down inventory and an increase in allowance for excess and obsolete inventories.

The Company ended the period with cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaling $212.3M, a slight decrease of $8.0 million from the previous quarter.

"In fiscal 2013, we completed a record year both in terms of revenues and unit shipments. We are proud to have exceeded a billion dollars in revenues and would like to thank our suppliers, employees and customers," said Shaw Hong, CEO of the company.

Based on current trends, the company expects revenues for the Q1 of FY2014 will be in the range of $355M to $390M.

Update: SeekingAlpha published Omnivision's earning call transcript. An interesting Q&A on Powerchip production:

Paul Coster - JPMorgan
Have you been able to do anything to diversify your wafer supply?

Ray Cisneros - SVP, Worldwide Sales and Sales Operations
We actually use a smaller secondary source, it's called Powerchip. Not a significant volume but that indeed is a second source, let's call it that. Most of our wafers are still coming from TSMC. They are our primary buyer [should be source, I believe]
1:41 PM

Singapore University Presents Graphene Image Sensor

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IEEE Spectrum: Assistant Professor Wang Qijie from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) presents a graphene image sensor that is said to be 1,000 times more sensitive to light than current imaging sensors found in today’s cameras. Apparently, this claim comes from a photoconductive gain of 1,000 achieved by the device. The new sensor is said to use 10 times less energy as it operates at lower voltages. When mass produced, graphene sensors are estimated to cost at least five times cheaper, not clear why.

Prof. Wang Qijie believes this to be the first time that a broad-spectrum, high photosensitive sensor has been developed using pure graphene. Prof Wang came up with an idea to create nanostructures on graphene which will “trap” light-generated electron particles for a much longer time, resulting in a much stronger electric signal.

The “trapped electrons” is the key to achieving high photoresponse in graphene, which makes it far more effective than the normal CMOS or CCD image sensors, said Asst Prof Wang. Essentially, the stronger the electric signals generated, the clearer and sharper the photos (the above description strongly points to photoconductive gain).

"The performance of our graphene sensor can be further improved, such as the response speed, through nanostructure engineering of graphene, and preliminary results already verified the feasibility of our concept," Asst Prof Wang added.

This research, costing about $200,000, is funded by the Nanyang Assistant Professorship start-up grant and supported partially by the Ministry of Education research grants. Development of this sensor took Asst Prof Wang a total of 2 years to complete. His team consisted of two research fellows, Dr Zhang Yongzhe and Dr Li Xiaohui, and four doctoral students Liu Tao, Meng Bo, Liang Guozhen and Hu Xiaonan, from EEE, NTU. Two undergraduate students were also involved.

The new graphene-based sensor is described in this month’s Nature Communications ("Broadband high photoresponse from pure monolayer graphene photodetector"). The next step is to work with industry collaborators to develop the graphene sensor into a commercial product.

From the paper's figures, it appears that the new sensor has a FET-like pixel structure and works best at cryogenic temperatures, such as 12K:

Fabrication process of the device. (a) A monolayer graphene
was mechanically exfoliated onto a 285nm SiO2/Si substrate.
(b) The graphene photodetector was processed into a FET structure.
Two electrodes (that is, the source and the drain terminals) of
Ti/Au (20 nm/80 nm) were fabricated on the graphene by
photolithography and lift-off processes. The gate terminal
was fabricated on the bottom of the Si substrate. (c) A thin
nm-scale Ti sacrificial layer was deposited onto the graphene
by electron-beam evaporation. (d) The Ti sacrificial layer was
removed via wet etching, and then GQD array structure with
various quantum dot (QD) sizes can be formed on the Si
substrate depending on the thickness of the Ti layer.
1:15 PM

SiOnyx Aims High

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Boston Business Journal has interviewed SiOnyx CEO Stephen Saylor. Few quotes:

  • "In the first quarter of this year SiOnyx began generating its first product revenue — from defense industry customers — and now expects to expand its sales throughout the rest of the year."
  • The technology can also be used for mobile biometrics such as to positively identify a user without using a name and password, he said. SiOnyx expects to begin targeting consumer applications for the technology in 2014, Saylor said.
  • The firm now believes it's at a critical stage, he said. "We've taken the technology risk out, and we're about to hit the 'go button' and ramp up manufacturing." Ultimately, Saylor said, "I think this is a multi-billion dollar company."
  • SiOnyx has raised $34 million in venture funding to date, "which for a fabless semiconductor company is not a whole lot of money," he said.
  • SiOnyx currently employs 30, split evenly between offices in Massachusetts and Oregon, and expects to begin adding staff in sales and marketing soon, Saylor said. Overall the firm expects to double its headcount over the next 18 months, he said.
11:05 AM

Aptina Announces New CEO

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Business Wire: Aptina announces that Phil Carmack has joined Aptina as CEO and as a member of the Board of Directors. Phil Carmack most recently served as the SVP for NVIDIA Mobile Business Unit which he established in 2003. Prior to his 13 years at NVIDIA, Carmack was the EVP of R&D at 3DFX which was acquired by NVIDIA. His professional experience also includes leadership positions with Silicon Valley companies including SVP and COO for Gigapixel and CEO and Founder of Raydiant. Carmack earned a Bachelor of Science degree in EE at Brigham Young University and a Master of Science degree in EE from Stanford University.

Carmack succeeds Nicholas Brathwaite who has been Aptina’s Interim CEO since August 2012. Mr. Brathwaite will continue in his role as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Aptina, a position he has held since July 2009.

"We are extremely pleased that Phil is joining Aptina. Phil’s impressive industry experience and leadership skills will unleash Aptina’s potential and take the company to the next level," said Nicholas Brathwaite.

"Imaging is the window to the future," said Phil Carmack regarding his decision to join Aptina. "Clarity+ technology is an example of how Aptina is shaping the future, and how it is enhancing the user experience with real time HDR and high speed 4K support. I look forward to working with the talented people at Aptina in continuing to build on our innovations, broad portfolio of products and powerful intellectual property."
11:15 AM

Infineon Announces Cooperation with PMD, Camboard pico

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Infineon introduces a family of 3D Image Sensor chips for implementation of touchless gesture recognition. Developed in cooperation with PMD, the new chips are the first to combine a 3D image sensing pixel array with the digital conversion and control functionality needed to design very compact and accurate monocular systems for gesture recognition applications in computers and consumer electronics devices.

The Infineon chip family is said to have the highest level of integration now available, including the photosensitive pixel array, control logic, digital interfaces with ADCs and digital outputs. The Infineon 3D Image Sensor family currently includes two members. The IRS1010C has a resolution of 160x120 pixels and the IRS1020C has a resolution of 352x288 pixels. Both are dynamically configurable via I²C interface, allowing adjustment in real time to changing lighting and operating conditions. The chips are delivered as bare die for integration with camera lens and IR illumination source in a camera module. Samples of the Infineon 3D Image Sensors are now available for development of 3D camera systems. Volume production is planned for mid-2014.

Infineon-PMD ToF Sensor

Also available is the CamBoard pico, said to be the world’s smallest reference design for 3D cameras. Designed by PMD, this USB-powered QQVGA resolution 3D camera is based on the IRS1010C 3D Image Sensor chip. It measures only 85 x 17 x 8 mm³, which makes it the smallest depth sensing camera available today.

At Computex Show PMD is going to present an even smaller 3D camera - the CamBoard picoS having a z-height of just 6.6mm. Here is the CamBoard picoS next to the CamBoard pico:

10:51 AM

Leti Presents Wavelens Startup

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Leti MEMS Workshop to be held in Barcelona, Spain on June 18, 2013 has a presentation on Wavelens - the recent Leti spin-off working on MEMS-based AF. The idea behind the new startup is shown on Leti slide and described in Feb. 2013 issue of I-Micronews newspaper:


"Wavelens’ optical MEMS consist of an optical membrane released onto an optical oil-filled cavity, with MEMS actuators embedded at the membrane periphery. As an operating principle, when the MEMS are actuated, the optical oil flows through the membrane center—modifying the membrane’s curvature and introducing a focal length variation. These patented optical MEMS are fully compatible with classical MEMS actuation technology—only a few microns displacement is required. Thanks to the optical oil, the voltage required is typically below 10V, because of the low force needed to change the membrane curvature, and the power efficiency is very high — consumption is below 0.1mW. The optical MEMS outline is also very competitive with classical X and Y dimensions of 4.5mm, an overall thickness below 500μm, and an active thickness of only 50μm.

...One of the key advantages provided by these optical MEMS is that working at low voltage results in high efficiency. ...Another advantage is that these optical MEMS are also flexible and can be adapted to specific requirements in terms of the optical aperture (up to 5mm in diameter) and wavelength range (in the visible spectrum and other wavelengths). ...While Wavelens’ optical MEMS are particularly adapted to autofocus and zoom applications, they can also be used for optical image stabilization.
"
10:37 AM

Kasalis Builds Array Cameras for Pelican

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Kasalis announces that it has completed fully functional builds of Pelican Imaging’s array cameras using its Pixid volume manufacturing systems.

Kasalis provides a 6 degree-of-freedom active alignment for array cameras, needed to commercialize computational imaging cameras. Six degree-of-freedom active alignment is especially important for array cameras, because inherent tolerances in the lens arrays produce variations in the back focal length of each lens in the array. Using active feedback from the image sensor, the Pixid systems are capable of adjusting the tip, tilt, and focus position of the lens array in order to both optimize focus and minimize the effect of the BFL variation of the elements of the lens array. Additionally, the sixth rotation axis (yaw or theta-Z) is used to position the center of each element of the lens array to the center of each focal plane on the sensor. Passive alignment techniques cannot meet the unique demands of an array camera. The Pelican Imaging 4x4 array camera is divided into 16 individual focal planes. The image on each of these individual active areas needs to be analyzed over many regions of interest to optimize the focus.

The Kasalis Pixid systems were choisen for array camera manufacturing because of the high bandwidth and data processing requirements that array cameras require. Pixid systems are able to examine the focus in up to 9 regions of interest on each focal plane. For the 16 active areas of a 4x4 array, this adds up to 144 unique regions of interest. The high bandwidth of the Pixid’s Image Signal Processing Unit (ISP), with USB 3.0 streaming, quad core processing and true real-time operating systems allow high megapixel images to be streamed and processed without using preview mode or other methods that may degrade image quality. Kasalis uses Pelican Imaging’s proprietary MIPI container algorithms to reconstitute the 16 images from the sensor. The Pixid’s massive processing capabilities together with its Adaptive Intelligence computational analytics gives Kasalis the ability to supply array camera manufacturing systems that produce better cameras, and are significantly faster than its competitors.

"The development of such a revolutionary approach to imaging requires innovation in multiple areas, which is why the ecosystem was initially created. Aptina is offering multiple zone sensors specifically for Pelican, our lens suppliers have unique capabilities to produce high quality, cost effective micro lens arrays, and Kasalis has provided the advanced active alignment using its Adaptive Intelligence software on the Pixid 300 platform," said Kartik Venkataraman, CTO and Founder of Pelican Imaging.

12:50 PM

PMD Shows Complete Win8 Control Capabilities

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The following Youtube video is said to show the capabilities to control the complete Win8 UI with gestures (click, double click, drag and drop, dedicated gestures for example to control the charm menus, … ). These capabilities are said to be used by PMD customers who aim at re-shaping the user experience of the Windows-based devices.

10:51 AM

BEST OF SUPERCHARGER V6 !

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How Does Supercharger work ????


25. 1981 DeLorean DMC-12: With only 130 horsepower available from its French-made 2.8-liter, "Douvrin" V6, the Irish-assembled, midengine DeLorean was never a very good sports car. But it gets big points for audacity; it's a car built through the sheer will of one man. With this car John DeLorean proved to the world he could build a real, albeit flawed, car from scratch. But he couldn't build a business to support it.
24. 2005 Alfa Romeo Brera: Look beyond the Brera's phenomenal, Pininfarina-drawn good looks, and what's underneath is one of the most technologically daring cars of its time. Way back in 2005, this brilliant machine was available with all-wheel drive, Magnetti Marelli's "Selespeed" automated six-speed manual transaxle and the glorious Jet Thrust Stoichiometric (JTS) direct-injection, 256-hp 3.2-liter V6. The Brera was a stunner in every way. Too bad it was never sold here.
23. 1977 Renault Alpine A310: When it was introduced in 1971 this angular brute was supposed to replace the legendary A110. But there was still life in the four-cylinder A110 and it went on to win the first World Rally Championship in 1973. So the A310 didn't come into its own until the same mid-mounted Douvrin V6 and five-speed manual transaxle as the DeLorean DMC-12 was bolted in. The result was a French car sophisticated enough to take on Porsche's 911. At least it did for a while.
22. 2010 Chevrolet Camaro: While the brawling V8-powered Camaro SS gets most of the press, the latest V6-powered Camaro is a fantastic package in its own right. Using GM's latest direct injection DOHC, 24-valve V6, the base 2010 Camaro had 304 hp aboard when it was introduced, and that was bumped to 312 hp in time for the 2011 model year. For perspective, that's two more horses than what was offered in the 5.7-liter, LS1 V8-powered 2002 Camaro Z28.
Incidentally, the first Camaro V6 was available in the 1980 model year. That 3.8-liter OHV unit, breathing through a two-barrel carburetor was rated at only 115 hp.
21. 2010 Lotus Evora: This 2+2 is, by far, the most comfortable and everyday usable car Lotus has ever built. Much of the credit for that goes to the 276-hp, 3.5-liter Toyota-built V6 that sits in the middle of it. Yes it's the same engine that powers the Avalon, Camry and Sienna minivan. It works great in this Lotus.
20. 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe: Hyundai's rear-drive Genesis Coupe is the company's first high-performance, rear-drive two-door GT and it's better than anyone expected. While a turbocharged four is available, Hyundai's muscular 3.8-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 is the engine that seems to go best with this chassis. Rated at 306 hp, it has a boundless torque curve and sounds like it just rumbled through all of Seoul's biker bars kicking all available asses.
19. 1998 Audi S4: When it seemed that BMW's M3 would rule the small sedan world forever, along came the brilliant S4 channeling all the power from its twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 through Audi's legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive system. While this S4 is technically the second one, it was the first based on the outstanding "B5" platform that recast expectations for the entire Audi brand.
The modest 250-hp output of this engine is deceptive. Its torque spread was awesome, with the 258 pound-feet peak way down at 1,850 rpm, staying there through 3,600 rpm and barely dropping off by the time the 6,800-rpm redline was hit. Audi claimed a 0-60 time of 5.9 seconds and many owners did much better than that.
18. 2009 Nissan 370Z: Nissan has been building its "VQ" series of DOHC 24-valve V6 engines since 1994 and installing them in everything except Carlos Ghosn's liver. But it's in the current 370Z that this legendary V6 has found its most spectacular showcase. To be specific, the VQ in the 370Z is the 3.7-liter 332-hp "VQ37VHR" featuring Nissan's VVEL variable valve timing and lift system, a robust 11.0:1 compression ratio and an intoxicating 7,500-rpm redline. It's an engine that makes this Z-car the most satisfying to drive in the 42-year history of Z-cars.
17. 2011 Audi R18 TDI: With its 3.7-liter, single-turbo diesel V6, the R18 seems almost tame compared with the V10 turbodiesel R15 TDI it succeeds in international endurance racing. But the closed-cockpit R18 TDI is built not only to be fast, but efficient. And in its debut at Le Mans in 2011, it took the overall win by just under 14 seconds, beating Peugeot's 908 turbodiesel V8 prototype.
16. 2003 Infiniti G35: Though Nissan's Infiniti division was launched alongside Toyota's Lexus in 1990, the two luxury brands had very different childhoods. Lexus thrived immediately, while Infiniti never seemed to find its groove. By the early 21st century Infiniti was near irrelevance, and then along came the new G-Series for 2003 and suddenly Infiniti mattered.
The new G35 was the powerful, rear-drive, entry-level luxury machine Infiniti had always needed. Its VQ-Series 3.5-liter V6 delivered 260 hp which, when combined with a supple front-midengine chassis, made the car competitive with the BMW 3 Series unlike any previous Japanese sedan. The gorgeous G35 coupe soon followed.
15. 2002 Mercedes-Benz C32 AMG: AMG traded in the C43's 4.3-liter V8 for a supercharged version of Mercedes' 3.2-liter 18-valve V6 and produced a faster, more nimble version of the C-Class four-door. With 349 hp and a chunky 332 lb-ft feeding through a five-speed automatic transmission, the C32 could stay with its contemporary BMW M3 while delivering superior comfort. Yes today's C63 is faster still, but the C32 may be better balanced. And zero to 60 in 5.4 seconds is still mighty quick.
14. 2011 Ford Mustang: By now the 2011 Mustang V6's power and EPA numbers have taken on mystic significance — 305 ponies and 31 mpg on the highway. Those are numbers that convince sensible wives to let their impulsive husbands buy Mustangs. They're numbers that have you looking forward to renting a Mustang convertible from Hertz the next time you go to Miami. They're numbers that take the base Mustang out of the realm of "secretary's car" and propel it into the world of serious performance cars.
Of course, the 3.7-liter DOHC 24-valve all-aluminum V6 in the current base Mustang still isn't a good substitute for a V8. It simply doesn't have the low-end torque production necessary for that. But when even the slowest manual-transmission Mustang will rip to 60 in just 5.6 seconds (5.3 seconds with 1 foot of rollout), there's at least one thing right with the world.
13. 1992 Volkswagen Corrado VR6: Now that it's been out of production for 16 years, the Corrado may be more beloved now than when it was new. A wedge-shaped hatchback that succeeded that Scirocco, it was available with either normally aspirated or supercharged versions of VW's familiar four-cylinder engines when introduced as a 1989 model. But it was when VW installed the clever, narrow-angle "VR6" V6 engine in 1992 that the Corrado reached full flower.
The VR6 used an ultra-narrow 15-degree separation between cylinder banks that allowed the engine to be shorter than many four-cylinder engines, not much wider and contain its 12-valve valvetrain in a single head over both cylinder banks. Displacing 2.8 liters in the North American version, the VR6 produced 179 hp, a deep well of torque and a sound that could have come from a hundred baritone saxophones.
12. 1989 Ford Taurus SHO: In the late 1980s there was no car more ordinary than the Ford Taurus. And that's why the Taurus SHO (for super high output) was so extraordinary. To boil it down, it was the regular Taurus sedan crammed full of a gorgeous Yamaha-made 3.0-liter DOHC 24-valve iron-block, aluminum-head V6 rated at 220 hp. This was heady stuff for a time when the 3.8-liter V6 available in normal Tauruses could only lump out 140 horses.
Using its Mazda-made five-speed transmission to full effect, the Taurus SHO would traipse to 60 in about 6.6 seconds and top out at more than 140 mph. Consider this engine the prototype for all the V6s that were to come in the 1990s and 21st century.
11. 2001 Renault Clio V6 Renault Sport: This car is both the spiritual and literal successor to the legendary midengine, rear-drive R5 Turbo that Renault built between 1980 and 1984. But instead of the old car's turbocharged 158-hp 1.4-liter four, the Clio's midsection was stuffed full of a 3.0-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 rated at 227 hp. And in 2003 that output was further bumped up to 255 hp.
In fact, the Clio V6 was about the least French Renault ever built. It was in great part engineered by Britain's Tom Walkinshaw Racing and essentially hand-assembled at that company's facility in Uddevalla, Sweden. It ceased production in 2005.
Always a handful to drive, the Clio V6's natural attitude was power-induced oversteer. Renault claimed a 0-60 time of 6.4 seconds and a 147-mph top speed. And you'll likely never see one in America.
10. 1988 McLaren MP4/4: McLaren had a thoroughly frustrating 1987 in Formula 1. So it did a few things to change its luck. First it got Honda to supply the astonishingly powerful RA168-E 1.5-liter turbo V6. Second, the team hired legendary British designer Gordon Murray and underrated American engineer Steve Nichols and gave them carte blanche to build the lowest and most advanced chassis possible. And third, McLaren hired Ayrton Senna to drive alongside Alain Prost.
To review: Straight out of Japan comes the best F1 engine with something like 1,000 hp, in the best racing chassis ever, that happened to be designed by a Brit and Yank, driven by the best drivers of the era, who were French and Brazilian. And, oh yeah, the British McLaren team itself was founded by a New Zealander.
All that international cooperation resulted in Prost and Senna winning 15 of the 16 Grand Prix races between them that year. With Senna winning his first championship.
Awesome.
9. 1992 Jaguar XJ220

 For a brief moment in time, the fastest production car on Earth was the Jaguar XJ220. With its twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 tuned to produce 542 hp, this sleek midengine wonder managed to hit speeds in excess of 200 mph. And with the catalytic converters removed, F1 driver Martin Brundle jockeyed one to 217 mph on the Nardo Ring in 1992.
Carrying a list price of about $650,000, the XJ220 is the most expensive road-going production car powered by a V6 ever built. And that's likely why only 281 were ever built.
8. 1971 Citroen SM


 In many ways the SM is flat ridiculous. Its styling is bizarre and the interior funky in every way possible. It was a front-drive luxury car with a complex hydro-pneumatic suspension system that could bankrupt an owner if it needed fixing. There were green rubber balls throughout the engine compartment that were part of the suspension system. And the 2.7-liter, 170-hp V6 engine was swiped from Maserati, which at the time was owned by Citroen.
But despite its weirdness, the SM also pioneered technologies that are taken for granted today. Things like self-leveling suspension, variable assist power steering, self-adjusting brakes and self-leveling headlights. The SM wasn't the car of the future, but there was a lot of the future in the SM.
7. 1991 GMC Syclone and Typhoon

 In 1991 GMC went nuts and produced the Syclone: a dumpy Sonoma compact regular cab pickup with a turbo heaving into its pushrod iron-block 4.3-liter V6 that in turn fed a four-speed automatic transmission and a full-time all-wheel-drive system. It was gloriously quick. The 280 hp on tap rocketed the truck to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds and through the quarter-mile in about 13 seconds flat.
The Syclone featured a hodgepodge of GM parts. The instrumentation was ripped out of the 1990 Pontiac Sunbird Turbo, the center console and shifter came from the Corvette and the all-wheel-drive system itself was plucked out of the Safari minivan. But it all somehow worked.
While there were three Syclones built for the 1992 model year, the other 2,992 were all constructed as 1991 models. For 1992 all the Syclone's mechanical bits were installed into Jimmy SUV body shells to create the Typhoon. A total of 4,697 Typhoons would be built through 1993. After that, GMC regained its hold on rationality.
6. 1990 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo

 The 1990 "Z32" 300ZX was a visual stunner: an aerodynamic gun turret on wheels. After almost a decade and a half of soft Z-cars, this one was tough: wide, squat and gorgeous. But, best of all, the twin-turbo version was fast.
Look into the engine bay of a 300ZX Twin Turbo and it's so densely packed that you can't see down to the pavement below. All the turbo and intercooler hardware force-feeding the 3.0-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 filled every nook and cranny. But the result was 300 hp. And that was enough to push the 3,474-pound Z-car to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 14.4 seconds at 102.5 mph. For 1990, that was humping.
5. 1969 Ferrari Dino 246 GT and GTS

 Technically speaking, the Dino isn't a Ferrari. It's a Dino. In the late 1960s the idea was for Ferrari to build these midengine, six-cylinder cars named for Enzo Ferrari's late son as a separate line. Ferrari would go on building V12-powered, front-engine road cars under the Ferrari name. But owners quickly insisted that their Dinos were Ferraris and rebadged them as such — whether Ferrari liked it or not.
The first road-going Dino was the 206GT with a 160-hp, 2.0-liter V6. The V6 itself was based on the Dino racing engine and built on a Fiat assembly line (many of the engines wound up in Fiat's own front-engine Dino Coupe). But it wasn't until the next year, when the engine was opened up to 2.4 liters, output spiked up to 175 hp and the car was renamed the 246GT that greatness was achieved.
With its utterly seductive Pininfarina body, the Dino is an undeniably great car. But its greatest legacy is actually the cars that have replaced it. The V8-powered 308 series that succeeded the Dino began a string of great midengine Ferraris leading directly to today's 458 Italia.
4. 2009 Nissan GT-R

The current GT-R is indisputably the most capable performance car ever equipped with a V6 engine. The 2009 model's 3.8-liter V6, thanks to twin-turbocharging, was rated at a massive 480 hp and a thick 430 lb-ft of peak torque. Using a rear-mounted six-speed automated manual transmission and all-wheel drive, it blew to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and obliterated the quarter-mile in 11.7 seconds at 116.8 mph.
Since 2009, however, the GT-R has only grown quicker. The 2012 GT-R now sports 530 hp and will slam to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds and devastate the quarter-mile in 11.1 seconds at a spooky 124.1 mph. On top of that, it handles brilliantly, has so much traction you could almost drive it on your ceiling, and will trawl like a Maxima through any daily commute.
3. 1972 Lancia Stratos


The Stratos is only incidentally a production road car. It was built to rally and win rally championships. It was only the rules that said 500 had to be made that put it into production.
Incredibly tiny (its wheelbase is only 85.8 inches), the Stratos used the same Ferrari-designed 2.4-liter V6 as the Ferrari Dino 246GT. But in this application it was rated at 192 hp and the Stratos only weighed in at a bit more than a ton. It's not an easy car to drive well, but it's a car that deserves to be driven perfectly.
As a racecar the Stratos was absolutely successful, winning the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975 and 1976.
2. 1987 Buick Grand National and GNX


 At a time when American automotive performance seemed dead, it was Buick's black turbocharged Grand National and its limited-production brother the GNX that kept the flame alive. Combining a single turbocharger and an intercooler with Buick's ordinary iron-block 3.8-liter V6 and sequential fuel injection resulted in 245 hp. An even bigger turbo with ceramic blades on the GNX (only 547 were built) ripped that up to 276 hp and maybe even more. A solid GNX could reach 60 mph in about 4.7 seconds.
Basically these cars ruled the streets of America in the late 1980s, beating 5.0 Mustangs and even Corvettes with ease. In fact, turbo Buick guys all bought the same license plate frame back in the day. It read, "I brake for Corvettes."
Then some idiot at GM decided Buick should only make luxury cars and the party was over.

 It was the first car Honda sold in America with the VTEC variable valve timing system. Today it's hard to find any car that doesn't have variable valve timing. It was the first production car sold in America using an all-aluminum structure. Today, that's still cutting-edge. It was a sports car so delicate in its response and so quick in its reflexes that Ferrari went back to the drawing board and started building better cars. And yet it was a sports car that could be driven and used every day like an Integra.
The midengine NSX reset the standards for every production car. Not just sports cars, every car. Not to mention that the great Ayrton Senna had a hand in its development.
Power came from an all-aluminum DOHC 3.0-liter V6 making 270 hp and an F1 soundtrack. And it revved to 8,000 rpm. Big numbers in 1991.
From two decades out, the NSX looks even better than it did back then. It was the car of the future then, and in many ways it still is.
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TI-35-INT

Semiconductor

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Semiconductor is a material which has electrical conductivity between that of a conductor such as copper and an insulator such as glass. Called semi or half-of-conductor because this material (in fact and literally) is not a conductor. You find semiconductors at the heart of microprocessor chips as well as transistors. Anything that's computerized or uses radio waves depends on semiconductors.

We call some material like copper, iron and tin as a good conductor, because these material have special arrangements on their atom. It makes their electron can move freely. Semiconductor material have special electron valence. If we see the insulator element, they have 8 electron valence. Internal electric charges do not flow freely, and which therefore does not conduct an electric current. If we want to release the electron valence, we have to create big and great energy to release the electron. So, we can conclude the semiconductor have more than 1 electron valence and less than 8 electron valence. And, we can conclude the semiconductor material is element which have 4 electron valence.

At semiconductor, the types of use is dependent into it temperature. If the temperature is down (cold), the semiconductor material become insulator. It is because there are none of electron who move. If the temperature is normal, there are electron who released. But the amount of electron released is very small. So it can't be called good conductor. 

We have known there are many semicondutor as a Silicon (Si), Germanium (Ge) and Galium Arsenid (GaAs). Many years ago, we have use the Germanium as the main material to make semiconductor, but now technology have improved, and we can extract Silicon (one of the most material on the Earth) into semiconductor. So that, you may have heard expressions like "Silicon Valley" and the "silicon economy," and that's why -- silicon is the heart of any electronic device.

Semiconductor Manufacturing Process