SK hynix presented its next-generation memory technologies and products at HPE Discover 2023, an IT conference held this year in Las Vegas between June 20-22.

Figure 1. SK hynix’s exhibition booth at HPE Discover 2023

Held annually by the American ICT company Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), HPE Discover brings together the company’s customers and partners along with industry experts to explore data center trends and the latest technologies such as memory solutions. SK hynix was among the exhibitors at the show as the company further strengthened its partnership with HPE.

Under the slogan “Elevate Your Edge With Memory Performance,” SK hynix showcased its industry-leading memory solutions for data centers. These included its PS1010 E3.S, a high-performance PCIe¹ Gen5-based eSSD, and DDR5 RDIMM, a DRAM module for servers applied with a 1bnm process. The capabilities of both products were highlighted during a joint promotion with HPE in which they were applied to Gen11, the host company’s latest server range.

¹Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCle): A serial-structured, high-speed I/O interface used on the motherboard of digital devices.

Figure 2. SK hynix and Solidigm display their advanced storage and memory solutions at HPE Discover 2023

Visitors could also see SK hynix’s lineup of advanced memory solutions including: HBM3² , a memory product that has been highlighted recently due to the rise of generative AI; CXL³ memory, an interconnect technology that enables efficient scaling of memory bandwidth and capacity; and PIM⁴ , a next-generation memory chip with computing capabilities. SK hynix’s subsidiary company, Solidigm, also showcased its portfolio of products including its PCIe Gen4 NVMe⁵ -based SSD.

²High Bandwidth Memory (HBM): A high-value, high-performance product that possesses much higher data processing speeds compared to existing DRAMs by vertically connecting multiple DRAMs with through-silicon via (TSV).
³Compute Express Link (CXL): A next-generation interconnect protocol based on PCIe that efficiently bolsters high-performance computing systems.
⁴Processing-In-Memory (PIM): A next-generation technology that adds computational capabilities to semiconductor memories to solve congestions in data movement found in AI and big data processing.
⁵Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe): A communication protocol for storage devices based on PCIe interface. It can achieve speeds of up to six times greater than traditional SATA interfaces, making it suitable for ultra-fast, large data processing.

Figure 3. Vice President Eui-cheol Lim of SK hynix’s Solution Development division explains how PIM semiconductors will increase the efficiency of GPTs in the future

SK hynix also held a session where its members spoke about the role and vision of memory solutions in the future. For his part of the presentation, Vice President Eui-cheol Lim of the Solution Development division gave a talk on how PIM semiconductors can increase the efficiency of Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPTs). Technical Leaders Tai-jin Choi and Santosh Kumar of SK hynix America presented about trends in SSD storage technology for next-generation servers, and their colleague Technical Leader Yoosung Lee presented on how DDR5 is set to be the standard for next-generation DRAMs in the era of big data. All three presentations emphasized how memory solutions are essential in responding to the rapidly changing IT environment.

“Going forward, we plan to not only strengthen our partnerships with key customers but also showcase our unprecedented, next-generation memory solutions,” said Seok Kim, the head of GSM Strategy at SK hynix.

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For generations, technology has evolved to get us where we are today. The transistor, whose name derived from the transfer resistor, was invented after a long period of technological development. In 1951, the junction-gate field-effect transistor (JFET)¹ was invented and in 1958, the resistor, capacitor² and transistors were put into a circuit on a silicon semiconductor, marking the birth of the electronic circuit. Semiconductor technology advanced in earnest in the 1960s with the practical use of integrated circuits (ICs)³ , resulting in a new era of technology. After that came the metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)⁴ invented by Dawon Kahng and Mohamed Atalla and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)⁵ . Moreover, the integrated circuit made CMOS smaller, lighter and more sophisticated – and that allowed a single chip to hold more devices and perform better.

In 1965, Gordon Earle Moore introduced Moore’s Law⁶ , which focused on the development speed of microchip technology based on an observation that the amount of data that can be stored in a microchip doubles every 18 months. This law has had the effect on doubling the processing speed of computers and the amount of memory, and relatively reducing its costs. Most of the companies failed to follow Moore’s Law due to economic reasons, as more transistors had to be placed into a smaller space to enhance the performance of silicon chips as well as the heat dissipation challenge. Accordingly, it has been dismissed.

Figure 1. Moore’s Law

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Throughout its history, the semiconductor industry has strived to minimize patterns. Inevitably, the result is greater process complexity and more limitations, which in turn leads to longer development times for new products and slower growth.

Figure 2. Number of Major DRAM Producers
(*Aggregated, these figures may differ from actual figures.)

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It appears that the process of scaling down is faced with not only physical but also cost limitations. The overall numbers of both processes and extreme ultraviolet (EUV)-applied layers are increasing. Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM)⁷ is already reaching its limits to scale down. 3D NAND is continuing to grow density by increasing stacks without changing its design rule – and this also will reach its limits.

New technologies such as EUV⁸ are adopted to overcome technological limitations and materials are being developed to allow more scaling-down. The adoption of the EUV process reduced double patterning technology (DPT) processes. However, both the EUV and DPT⁹ technologies are applied when developing new products, which means that technological limitations and costs are growing.

While DRAM and NAND have been scaling down and advancing, both will be faced with limitations related to physical scaling. More technologies will be introduced to solve this problem but there will also be a need for new memory technologies to meet market demands.

Meanwhile, wafer size has been diversifying from 4-inch to 5-, 6-, 8- and 12-inch to produce more semiconductor products from one wafer, securing production competitiveness while also boosting bit growth. In this fourth Industrial Revolution, high-performance data processing is key, which means that semiconductors will require ultra-high performance and ultra-low power. The demand to process better quality data – and more of it – is surging, and that means that the entire industry, from production equipment to parts and materials to the technological innovation must also continue to advance to compete in a demanding, fast-growing market.

It’s important to remember that the semiconductor industry is really an equipment industry, which means there’s a need to make large-scale investments in facilities, which is also challenging because the industry is also highly sensitive to changes in supply and demand. Yet, the industry can be characterized by short lifecycles of products, rapid price changes caused by different market conditions, and high demand for more meticulous production processes.

Beyond the challenges of today come the preparation for the next generation of industry leaders who can drive semiconductor technology in the right direction as demands evolve. To get there, the industry will need to nurture people with institutional knowledge and groom a next generation that can foster innovation.

The industry is comprised of a range of fields that require deep understanding, which means that semiconductor companies need to proactively nurture talent for mid- and long-term periods, which involves the difficult task of cultivating expertise while simultaneously producing new experts. People study and learn in school, but they also grow by performing tasks themselves. That means that senior-level team members not only must do the work of today but also must mentor their junior-level colleagues. Training too many junior-level people over short periods of time can not only compromise the work of senior-level employees but also hinder the growth of junior-level colleagues, too.

The semiconductor industry requires competent experts in both development and mass production. Engineers specializing in design, device, process, and equipment must work together to develop and manufacture new products. Technological capacity in production equipment is especially vital to producing high quality products and high yield.

In the past, theory-based education was provided to foster technological capacity with a minimal number of trainees at equipment manufacturing facilities. But that creates another set of challenges. On-site training with expensive equipment that is used in real-world production creates potential for unexpected damage or increased maintenance time – which is time that the equipment would be out of use. While an outage could have a negative impact on productivity and overall efficiency, trainees still must learn how to operate the equipment and practice on-site to enhance their capabilities.

The instructor is explaining about oxide etching equipment

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Trainees must be able to operate equipment themselves and practice on-site to enhance their practical capacity in equipment and technology. The aforementioned environment does not allow this. The best alternative is to establish infrastructure that enables hands-on training and learning. SK hynix has established and been improving internal infrastructure in 2017 to provide on-site training and learning on equipment. Our Equipment and Technology Training Center offers education on equipment and basic technology.

Trainees are practicing with poly etching equipment

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First, equipment training consists of hands-on equipment operation and educational VR content. Equipment training provides equipment for all areas and hands-on training to help trainees enhance their equipment capacity. However, not all equipment models can be housed, which also means that training on them cannot be provided. Consequently, training on a number of models is offered with VR content. We also offer tailored VR content training and practice on equipment for each trainee based on their capabilities. In particular, we are currently developing VR content to enhance educational capacity for newer equipment models and boost cost efficiency. Once VR content is fully developed, introductory and intermediate equipment training courses, introductory and intermediate VR education will be provided to complete our infrastructure for equipment and technology training.

Second, we have prepared and been offering training on basic technologies that constitute equipment and systems. There are nine courses on basic technologies (pump, chiller, ESC, MFC, sensor, RF generator, robot and gauge scrubber) that contribute to the capacity building of trainees. The program will be offered in our Cheongju Campus starting in January 2022.

Trainees participate in training on scrubber technology

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The Equipment and Technology Training Center continues to establish training and theory-based courses to boost the equipment and technology capacity of trainees.

The SK hynix Equipment and Technology Training Center for manufacturing and technology employees was successfully established, thanks to executives as well as the early members who set up the center, trainers and staff who continue to improve our environment for education. Further development in semiconductor technologies will allow us to house more newer models in the future. With this in mind, the center continues to evolve and support the capacity building of all of its members.

An instructor is teaching a trainee on thin film CVD equipment

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The semiconductor industry requires integrity, patience, collaboration and teamwork, especially because new product development and production will be challenging in the future. It needs integrity because success is tied directly to effort, just like the farming industry. Patience is required because engineers must have the grit to solve problems. Lastly, just like an orchestra, the industry requires teamwork and collaboration. If one player in an orchestra makes a mistake, the sound of the music changes. The same applies with the semiconductor industry. One error in any of the processes means the product has failed. The formula for semiconductor production technologies is 1000-1＝0, rather than 1000-1≠999.

As such, only thoroughly trained experts can work in the industry. But at the same time, the industry offers vast number of opportunities, where these opportunities help the industry to lead change in the world. I hope those of you working in semiconductor material, part and equipment industries, and younger juniors who aspire to become the best semiconductor experts in the world, continue to aim for your dreams.

¹Junction field effect transistor (JFET): A semiconductor device that involves carriers (electrons or positive holes) of only one polarity in internal electrical conduction within a semiconductor; also known as a unipolar transistor.
²Capacitor: A device that stores data in DRAM.
³Integrated Circuit (IC): A circuit consisting of only semiconductors and originally created with sophisticated semiconductor processing technology. Individual transistors, diodes, resistors and capacitors are integrated on a thin silicon wafer, which are then mutually connected through electrical circuits. Its volume is minimized, and it can be further divided into different types such as SSI, MSI, LSI, VLSI and ULSI depending on its level of integration.
⁴Metal Oxide Semiconductor FET (MOSFET): A field-effect transistor with a metal gate on a thin oxide layer on the silicon. MOSFET is the most typical insulated gate FET whose insulating film is made of an oxide layer. Consisting of a metal, an oxide and a semiconductor, MOSFET controls the electric current between the drain and source terminals using gate voltage.
⁵Complementary Metal Oxide Silicon (CMOS): A complementary logic circuit consisting of pairs of n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs. CMOS devices consume low power. CMOS is used in DRAM and CPU as it is capable of ultra-large-scale integration although its processors are complex.
⁶Moore’s Law: A law about the speed of the development of microchip technology. The law observes that the amount of data that can be stored in a microchip doubles every 18 months. The law was first introduced by Gordon Moore in 1965 as he forecast the capacity of microchips will double every year. The time frame was revised to 24 months in 1975, then again to 18 months. As a result of Moore’s Law, the processing speed and memory of computers doubled with relatively lower costs. The law led to a digital revolution where American computer companies in the late 1990s heavily invested in ICT.
⁷Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM): RAM is computer memory that can be read and changed and used to store data temporarily. DRAM is a type of RAM that needs to be refreshed regularly as stored data leak away as time passes. DRAM is used for temporary large-scale data storage.
⁸EUV: Extreme Ultra-Violet.
⁹Double Patterning Technology.

[Glossary]

1. Information and Communications Technologies (ICT): Technologies related to information and communication. The term information technology (IT) is more commonly used in Korea and other Asian countries, although the term ICT is more widely used globally.
2. DT (Digital Transformation): A phenomenon that occurs when an organization adopts a new innovative business method to keep up with technological development. The term refers to a cultural change where digital tools are used to bring about fundamental changes, or to improve existing methods or replace them with something new.
3. Semiconductor: A material in between the conductor and insulator. Although a semiconductor is similar to the insulator when it is in its pure state, adding impurities can increase its electrical conductivity. The range of semiconductor resistivity is typically between 10-3 and 10-1Ωcm in room temperature but may vary.
4. Transistor (Tr): A semiconductor device that controls an electric current or a voltage flow to amplify it or work as a switch. Composed of an emitter, a base and a collector, a transistor can control the electric current or voltage between two of its parts caused by the other part’s electric current or voltage.
5. Diode: There are many types of diodes. A rectifier diode allows an electric current to flow in only one direction and not the opposite. A switching diode is used in logic circuits, while a voltage diode is used in constant voltage circuits. A light-emitting diode emits light, while a variable capacitance diode changes the capacitance depending on the voltage.
6. Silicon Transistor: A transistor made with a silicon base. Silicon transistors have better withstand voltage and current capacity than germanium transistors and are more widely used.
7. Planar Technology: A semiconductor device technology that uses selective diffusion, ion implantation and photo etching to form devices on the same plane of substrate crystals, making a plane even and flat.
8. NAND Flash: NAND flash is non-volatile memory that does not require power to retain data within a chip. Its main structural difference from DRAM is that it is made of two types of gates.
9. Phase Change Random Access Memory (PCRAM): Next-generation non-volatile memory that detects changes in the state of materials to store data.
10. Resistance Random Access Memory (ReRAM): Next-generation non-volatile memory that works by changing the resistance depending on electrical signals.
11. Bit Growth: Refers to the overall growth rates of semiconductor memory. A bit is used as a unit to calculate memory capacity. The concept was introduced to prevent distortion when calculating growth rates using the amount of memory produced.

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Most people try to block out annoying noises by buying headphones with better sound insulation or increasing the volume on their devices, but both options can also damage hearing. What else can you do? Active Noise Control (ANC) provides a solution. While ANC utilizes advanced technology, it has actually been around for a long time. It matches one sound wave by generating a second sound wave with the same frequency but opposite amplitude to achieve noise reduction or elimination. In the past, this technology was mainly used for specialized purposes, such as aviation systems, high-end vehicles, military equipment, or high-end professional headphones.

However, the continuous development of technology and the constant expansion of the consumer market have led to widespread adoption and adaptation of ANC technology for everyday life.

Everyday applications for ANC technology

ANC may be an unfamiliar concept for most people, but it is actually an important part of our everyday life. Headphones, cars, and many home appliances use ANC technology.

1. Earphones / Headphones 

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ANC is gaining more and more popularity among younger generations because its noise reduction technology drastically improves the user experience. Most people have different sensitivities to sound quality, so earphones and headphones ranging from 20 to 200 dollars often fail to demonstrate any improvement or real difference to consumers. However, ANC technology creates a clear difference in quality. In a noisy city, wearing ANC headphones is like having your own small world. Users are free to listen to songs, watch videos, or receive phone calls without interruptions or distractions.

ANC headphones employ a simple process to achieve noise reduction. First, the headphones receive an outside sound wave, and the sensors embedded in them convert the sound into an electromagnetic wave. Then the noise reduction system generates a sound wave of the opposite amplitude to reduce or even eliminate the noise.

There are currently a variety of ANC headphones on the market, and several famous brands, such as Sony and Bose, offer different models with ANC.

For instance, Sony offers a diverse range of unique headphones to meet consumer needs for a variety of scenarios. Bose headphones even redefine noise reduction with their advanced technology. Specifically, Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 offer various options for noise cancellation with levels from 0-10. Level 0 enables users to deactivate ANC function to listen to both their content and ambient noises, such as people speaking or cars honking. Once users no longer need to listen to ambient noises, they can return to their own private world by switching to level 10 for complete noise cancellation.

2. Cars

Do cars need noise reduction technology? Of course. There are basically four sources of noise for cars: the engine, tires, air, and resonant vibrations from the car body. Many high-end cars combine cotton insulation, double-pane windows, and quiet tires with ANC technology to minimize noise.

Cadillac is a leader in applying ANC technology to cars. It prioritizes a quiet in-vehicle atmosphere as its most basic requirement for establishing cars as a “third space”, or a place of rest outside of home and work, during travel. Cadillac proved its commitment to this concept as early as 2013 with the launch of its XTS luxury sedan equipped with the premium Bose 5.1 surround sound system. The system collected noises through microphones or sensors in different parts of the vehicle, including the acceleration and vibration sounds from the vehicle body. It then actively played sound waves with opposite amplitude with its Digital Signal Processor (DSP) to cancel out the sound wave of the noise.

Figure 1. Active Noise Reduction in Automobiles¹

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The models following the Cadillac XTS, including the Cadillac CTS, CT6, and XT5, were also equipped with ANC technology. However, ANC is not limited to Cadillac, and use of ANC technology is now widespread among different car companies and models. Car models with high-performance ANC include Honda Accord, Ford Mondeo, Buick Envision, and more.

3. Homes

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Increasing living standards are driving a growing demand for indoor noise reduction. Ambient sounds outside of windows, the activities of neighbors, and the operation of home appliances can create a high level of noise pollution and adversely affect occupants. Purchasing appliances with ANC technology is currently one way to minimize such noise pollution. However, developing ANC for 3D open sound fields to reduce noise pollution will be the most effective solution for controlling indoor noise in the future.

Current ANC technology can manage noise reduction frequencies of about 50Hz-1,000Hz. The noise reduction range can also manage noises with medium and low frequencies, such as noises from tables, chairs, and footsteps in the upstairs room. This technology provides several advantages over traditional soundproof insulation. It advances technology and develops environmentally friendly practices by:

• Reducing the use of thick and heavy materials for less pollution.
• Simplifying installation, maintenance, and replacement.
• Increasing the efficiency of noise reduction.

Mainstream technologies for noise reduction

The three most essential components of ANC are ADC, DSP, and DAC. The Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) converts environmental sound waves into digital signals. Digital signal processor (DSP) analyzes the signals to generate opposite digital signals. Finally, the Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) converts the digital signals back into sound waves.

Figure 2. Flowchart depicting Digital ANC process²

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Because previous generations of DSP chips lacked the power to support complex computing in real time, analog ANC was the only option on the market. However, the rapid development of DSP chips has helped create three types of ANC: feedforward ANC, feedback ANC, and hybrid ANC.

Feedforward ANC places a single microphone on the outside of the earpiece. It receives an outside sound signal, transmits it to the ANC hardware, and cancels the noise before the user hears it. However, using a single microphone on the exterior increases exposure to background noise and makes achieving high sound quality difficult. As a result, the superior potential of hybrid ANC for noise reduction is attracting an increasing amount of attention. Hybrid ANC places a microphone on both the interior and the exterior of headphone earpieces to reduce sensitivity to background noise and suppress noises more effectively.

ADC, DSP, and DAC are all indispensable in ANC technology. The ADC converts the environmental noises into digital signals. The DSP uses advanced algorithms to reduce sound delay. Finally, the DAC creates an isolated sound environment in seconds to create an atmosphere of profound quiet.

Future trends for ANC semiconductors

In 2020, the substantial sales growth of the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) headphones helped drive the development of ANC technology. Many IC (integrated circuit) design firms have already made several breakthroughs in ANC technology. Design houses such as ADI, ams, and Unisoc are competing in the ANC market.

ANC semiconductors are adapting to the bigger market by becoming smaller and lowering power consumption. Many IC firms are prioritizing smart technology in developing methods to align ANC semiconductors more closely with technological evolution in the future. ANC products can employ smart technology with optimized noise reduction models and algorithms for greater adaptability to diverse application scenarios. These products will eliminate manual noise reduction configurations and reduce power consumption with smart technology.

The intellectualization of ANC semiconductor requires a lot of big data processing and machine learning, and it is known that semiconductor memory plays a vital role in the big data processing. It is believed that the ANC industry along with the rapid development of semiconductor memory can become more intelligent and being applied to more applications in the future. SK hynix’s DRAM and NAND flash memory products will contribute to the development of this industry as well.

Companies are also trying to advance integration across automotive, industrial, construction, and other sectors to incorporate semiconductor chips into a variety of processes and environmental improvement efforts. Their end goal is to build an effective system for noise reduction in a unified 3D environment.

The future possibilities for ANC technology are endless. It can be combined with cameras to intelligently monitor noise pollution from vehicles on the road. Cars, trains, and planes can use ANC technology to provide quiet and comfortable trips. Construction noise pollution can be dramatically reduced to benefit nearby residents, and construction sites can operate longer with increased productivity. Finally, ANC technology with smart features will redefine how we live by enabling us to enjoy the sounds of nature.

¹Reference: https://www.eefocus.com/automobile-electronics/463870?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mar_new_article
²Reference: https://www.edn.com/a-perspective-on-digital-anc-solutions-in-a-low-latency-dominated-world/

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It’s the season of giving and receiving, and this year, it’s all about gifts for the home.

Whether your loved ones are near or far this holiday season, we could all use a little extra cheer in our stockings this year. With more time spent inside, we’ll all be looking for gifts that make staying home more enjoyable – like home fitness equipment, the latest streaming tech, and smart home appliances.

So from the fitness fanatic to the super streamer, to the hardcore gamer or the hard-working parent, SK hynix has some memory-enabled gift ideas for everyone on your list.

For the Fitness Fanatic:

Staying in doesn’t have to mean laying low – these connected fitness devices will have you and yours up and running in no time.

Semiconductor memory plays an important role in the operation of popular connected fitness devices like Peloton and Mirror.

In order to function, these technologies must connect your physical fitness equipment with video streaming and data tracking. The result is an immersive fitness experience that can even bring your instructor to life with augmented reality (AR) – letting you get a great workout without even leaving home.

Fitness trackers and smartwatches like Fitbit and Garmin use tiny semiconductor memory chips to collect and manage data on everything from heart rate to steps taken to blood pressure. Then, data centers use much larger memory solutions to store the data from millions of users around the world.

For the Super Streamer:

Whether you’re Keeping Up With the Kardashians or keeping up with your favorite sports teams, every home deserves a connected entertainment center.

Smart TV devices and smart speakers like Amazon Fire TV Stick and Google Nest Hub also rely on memory.

Whether it’s connecting us to millions of entertainment options or processing a voice command in real-time, these devices need semiconductor memory to transfer and process data through the cloud. You might not see it, but these devices must manage massive amounts of data to bring us unlimited video and audio content at the tap of a button or at the sound of a word.

For the Gamer:

Game on! Connect with friends and family through the virtual world of gaming – on any of the next-gen consoles.

2020 was the year of gaming – with sales, streams and excitement through the roof.

Central to this year’s gaming buzz were the all-new Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 consoles – gifts that are bound to make any gamer get excited. But better act quickly, these consoles are hard to get a hold of! And for the first time ever, they are relying on SSDs to change the console gaming experience for the better.

As the gaming industry continues to grow, its games, platforms, hardware and technologies are evolving too. We’re seeing richer games, sharper displays, higher resolutions, quicker gameplay, and ultimately – greater storage requirements and memory needs.

For the Hard-Working Parent:

Working parents have it hard enough this year – Make their lives a little easier with these smart home gadgets?

Spending more time at home means more time to upgrade your living space. You can use tech like smart lights and smart plus to convert any lamp into a smart lamp with voice-controlled accessibility. Just connect to WiFi and control via voice assistant. So next time you want to turn on or off the lights, you just have to ask – nicely!

These smart light systems are powered by IoT technology, enabling them to store and process the data needed to translate these commands into functions we can see at home.

For the Book Lover:

Nothing says winter like cozying up with a good book – give the gift of endless reading with some of the latest e-readers and tablets.

Whether your loved ones are looking for romance, mystery, sci-fi or nonfiction, an e-reader like Kindle or Kobo can locate and download any book in the world in seconds. So why give the gift of a single paperback when you could give the gift of a million choices?

Mobile tablets like these rely on battery power to function, and as such, they’ve driven explosive growth across the mobile application memory field. With low-power memory products like Low Power Double Data Rate (LPDDR) DRAMs, we can minimize power leakage and maximize battery life.

For the Work-From-Homer:

Wave goodbye to Zoom fatigue with a work-from-home set-up complete bound to make your colleagues jealous.

Shopping for a laptop on your holiday shopping list for a work-from-home or remote-learning upgrade? Since the onset of COVID-19, more and more companies are asking employees to “work from home”.

This has caused demand for cloud storage and servers is surging, and in turn, so is demand for semiconductor memory both in data centers and in products like laptops. Don’t get overlooked because of a device with slow processing speeds and poor performance.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday from SK hynix.

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We’ve talked about how semiconductor memory connects our homes – running through our appliances, supporting our gaming systems and enabling our smart fitness equipment. But how does it connect our homes to other homes, and cities to other cities?

Whether we realize it or not, the beating heart of modern life is powered by semiconductor memory. In cities around the world, memory-enabled technology like 5G connectivity, IoT capabilities, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI) and automotive tech keep our lives running at lightning speeds.

The world is positioned to expand how AI products think and learn, to build networks of smart cities and hospitals through IoT’s enhanced data depth, to help autonomous vehicles process information and make split-second decisions as they learn new roads and situations, to discover new worlds through augmented reality, and to lift communities out of the dark by bringing Big Data to light.

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Beating Heart of Modern Life

Today, the world runs on 5G. The 5th generation mobile network, 5G was designed to connect anyone – anywhere, any time – at ultra-fast speeds. Our smartphones, computing devices, smartwatches, and smart medicine machines all rely on 5G to receive and transmit information around the world at record speeds. Industries from transportation to healthcare to information processing benefit from the high performance and efficiency of the 5G network, and all of the technologies it enables.

And behind all of these smart devices and machines is the need for memory. Generally speaking, more information transmitted means more information stored – and the more information stored, the greater the need for sophisticated memory systems.

Source : Pixinoo/Shutterstock.com

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For Heightened Security

One of these memory-enabled technologies is facial recognition CCTV – which relies on memory to process and store the data from billions of unique faces. In China, two AI companies called Megvii and Sensetime¹ are providing face recognition AI technology to governments and police forces.

Just recently, their technology was instrumental in catching a criminal in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China. The suspect was identified by concert security footage that was a match with a face in the country’s surveillance database. In Malaysia, the police force has even begun to use this type of facial recognition technology in body cams to capture images of suspected criminals and quickly check them against the police database. According to E2 Technologies², these tools have helped reduce the crime rate in regions where they are used.

Source : Bear Robotics

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Autonomous Goods and Services

AI technologies have more light-hearted uses as well – especially in the worlds of hospitality and dining, where robots are now helping with everyday functions in hotels, restaurants and bars. At Amichi’s³, a pizza restaurant in Mountain View, California, a self-driving robot named “Penny” is serving orders.

And they’re not alone – more and more American restaurants are using memory-embedded robots from simple food preparation to serving and washing dishes. Robots not only streamline the work of restaurant employees, but also reduce overall operating costs. According to The Spoon, 2020 will be the year for ‘food robots’ to enter the market in earnest.

Similary, as autonomous vehicles for the delivery are quickly approaching on the horizon, they require functions such as multi-camera vision processing and self-driving in order to monitor surroundings around the vehicle. Thus, ultra-huge computing processing has become necessary, so has semiconductor memories.

In fact, over the last few years, and across many states in the US, autonomous vehicles for the delivery of food and goods have been approved for real-world testing from some of the top automakers and technology companies including General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Google’s Waymo, and Uber, among many others. These companies have been partnering with grocery stores, restuarants and small businesses to help ease the problems of first/last mile delivery.

Source : Nuro’s blog site. Nuro R2 self-driving delivery vehicle in Houston, Texas

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Technology startup Nuro⁴ partnered with grocery giant, Kroger, to launch pilot cities in Scottsdale, AZ and Houston, TX, where they have been testing autonomous vehicle delivery for residents with its small toaster-shaped vehicles, called R2’s. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has seen increased use as the company can safely deliver groceries to citizens and limit person-to-person contact.

Creating Memory for the Future

As the world grows increasingly reliant on high-speed connection, demand for DRAM and NAND Flash memory solutions is higher than ever. And memory providers like SK hynix are innovating nonstop to keep up.

These technologies – and the memory systems that support them – are leading the way towards the smart cities of tomorrow, and SK hynix is at the forefront of the movement towards the future of information technology.

¹Blake Schmidt, “Hong Kong Police Already Have AI Tech That Can Recognize Faces”, Bloomberg. (2019)
²Amanda Lentino, “This Chinese facial recognition start-up can identify a person in seconds”, CNBC. (2019)
³Ahn Jung-rak, “Cooking is basic, serving and washing dishes… Robot wind blowing in an American restaurant”, Hankyung. (2019)
⁴Dave Ferguson, “Introducing R2, Nuro’s Next Generation Self-Driving Vehicle”, Medium. (2020)

Puzzle:

The post [Invisible Memory: Part.3] Semiconductor Memory in Our Smart Cities first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

The post [Invisible Memory : Part.2 Video Version] Semiconductor Memory in Our Smart Homes first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

Semiconductors connect the world as we know it. Running through every aspect of our lives – from business to fitness to entertainment – they power the lightning-fast connectivity we’ve come to expect from our devices and technology. They make our phones, homes and cities smarter, and allow us to push innovation forward. Semiconductor memory is a central piece of this connected experience, storing and processing the huge amounts of data we rely on to carry out the functions of our everyday lives.

Whether we realize it or not, a large portion of semiconductor memory is already within our homes. It lies in many of the smart applications we use at home, including home fitness devices, smart speakers, smart TVs, gaming consoles and more.

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Home Fitness

Source: Peloton Press Site

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You might not know it, but semiconductor memory plays an important role in the operation of popular connected fitness devices like Peloton and Mirror. These technologies merge fitness equipment with video streaming and data tracking to create an immersive at-home fitness experience.

But providing high-resolution, real-time video from live-streamed fitness classes and collecting user information like workout frequency, intensity and body mass index require a huge amount of data – and therefore memory to store and process it. Devices like Mirror, equipped with augmented reality (AR) features that can bring your fitness instructor to life, require even more sophisticated memory solutions.

Fitness trackers and health monitoring devices also need memory – using tiny memory chips like RAMs and ROMs to collect and manage data on everything from heart rate to steps taken to glucose levels. At the same time, data centers use much larger memory solutions to store the data from millions of users around the world.

Home Entertainment

Our Smart TVs and smart speakers rely on memory to transfer and process data through the cloud, whether it’s enabling our connection to the world of entertainment or working to process a voice command instantaneously. These smart devices bring us unlimited video and audio content at the tap of a button or at the sound of a word, therefore, they must have DRAM products – usually DDR3 or LPDDR4 – to process and command massive amounts of data and at incredible speeds. Twenty years ago, this range of capability was almost unimaginable – think about the VHS-player required to play a single videotape, compared to the millions of movies available today through your smart TV.

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Over the next few years, the smart speaker market is will grow exponentially. According to Statista¹, the worldwide revenue for smart speakers is expected to reach $27.8 billion, nearly 2.5 times from the revenue in 2018.

When it comes to gaming, clunky video gaming consoles might also become an item of the past. As 5G service develops and our computing technologies grow, “cloud gaming” is on the horizon. Cloud gaming gives players the ability to game – wherever and whenever – from any internet-connected device. Once again, it’s memory that makes this possible.

With cloud gaming, all of the data essential to real-time gameplay and playing with others is stored, processed and calculated within a central server – which adopts computing memories such datacenter-oriented enterprise solid state drives (eSSDs) – rather than on individual devices. This means that with such high-end NAND Flash solutions, players can enjoy high-spec games without a high-end computing system or a large storage capacity to install the data. All they need is a super-fast internet connectivity, a display screen, and a controller.

Home Convenience

Beyond entertainment, many of us count on semiconductor memory to carry out our everyday needs around the house. From keeping our food cold to washing our clothes or regulating the temperatures of our homes, memory helps us get it done.

It might surprise you to hear that semiconductor memory actually plays a key role in temperature control in our refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners. It stores and processes the data needed to manage these household systems. We even use memory in devices such as smart light bulb systems and smart home appliances that can be programmed and controlled from anywhere via WiFi.

Next Up: Smart Cities

We’ve talked about how semiconductor memory connects our homes – but how does it connect our homes to other homes and cities to other cities? As demand for mobile and computing devices like smartphones skyrockets around the world, SK hynix and other memory providers are working double-time to improve our DRAM and NAND Flash memory solutions to keep up.

Our next article in the Invisible Memory series will dig deeper into this topic and the ways in which memory keeps our cities running at lightning speeds, through 5G, IoT, AR/VR, AI, and automotive technology.

¹Statista Research Department, “Smart speaker market revenue worldwide in 2017, 2018 and 2022”, Statista (2020)

The post [Invisible Memory Part.2] Semiconductor Memory in Our Smart Homes first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.