NEWS
US Chips Act grant to advance computer vision, boost semiconductor workforce
Two US-based scientists have received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to advance computer vision technologies as well as develop the semiconductor workforce. The work of the engineers, based at Washington University in St Louis, focuses on the integration of 2D elements into advanced 3D microelectronics, in addition to the enhancement of artificial intelligence (AI)- driven machine vision systems to achieve real-time adaptivity and high-energy efficiency in a range of applications. Assistant Professor Mark
Lawrence’s $2m grant will help to build machine vision systems capable of solving specific image-sensing problems with extreme accuracy and low power consumption. Instead of developing better
cameras, the team plans to tailor every layer of the imaging stack to the application at hand, from the optics and the in-sensor electronics to the image processing algorithm. This will enable them to turbocharge AI-enabled machine vision hardware and satisfy the enormous computational demand that arises from modern data-heavy
applications ranging from quality control and inspection processes to robotics and automation. “Our approach draws
inspiration from the human visual system and is profoundly shaped by recent developments in AI-driven machine vision,” said Lawrence. “We aim to create the scientific and engineering foundations for vertically integrated machine vision systems cutting across optics, image sensors and vision processors. We are excited to apply this paradigm to urgent problems including the development of low- latency, real-time, autonomous driving perception capable of adapting to environmental conditions without the need for powerful on-board computation, and remote, persistent, environmental monitoring enabled by near- zero power, event-driven smart sensors.”
Advancing next-generation computer processors Meanwhile, Assistant Professor Sang-Hoon Bae’s $1.8m grant will help to support the development of a new materials-based solution for
News from the EMVA
difficult economic and political uncertainties. Having concluded the
By Thomas Lübkemeier EMVA General Manager
For the EMVA, 2023 certainly was an outstanding year. Our association celebrated its 20th anniversary, while its membership grew significantly, by 20 new member companies. Business-wise, industry
feedback is that the machine vision industry in Europe will not be able to maintain the typical growth in 2023 against the background of so many
European Machine Vision Sales Report for Q3 2023, it becomes very clear that a significant negative growth rate for the full year must be expected. The Q3 figures show a 15% lower revenue compared with Q3-2022 and even a 7% reduction compared with Q2-2023. And the outlook is not very promising, as nearly 50% of contributing companies (revenue weighted) predict a further negative growth for Q4-2023, this mostly based on current sales pipelines. Looking ahead into 2024,
the coming year again offers a number of well established
and exciting new EMVA events. Starting in spring, EMVA will be present for the first time with a joint member booth at LogiMAT 2024, the International Trade Show for Intralogistics Solutions and Process Management, from 19-21 March in Stuttgart; and also contributes a presentation track ‘Machine Vision – Key for Logistics 4.0’ during the expert forum on the first trade show day. Moving then to Italy, another edition of the ‘Parma Vision Night’, taking place on 27 May on the eve before the SPS Parma opening, offers a great networking opportunity. This is followed a few weeks later by the ‘22nd EMVA Business Conference’ from 13-15 June in Gdansk, Poland. After the
summer break, it is already announced that the ‘European Machine Vision Forum’ will have a seventh edition, with date and place still to be announced. Last but not least, 2024 is a VISION year and from 8-10 October Messe Stuttgart will become once again the epicentre of the machine vision world. In good tradition, the EMVA will host the popular networking event ‘International Vision Night’ on the evening before VISION opens and present the most significant vision standards at the show. Overall, there will be plenty
of opportunities to meet and network and we look forward to meeting the vision-tech community during these events.
increase integration density, in addition to advancing our fundamental understanding of low-dimensional materials.
next-generation computer processors. Bae’s group, involving
scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Texas at Austin and the University of California, aims to create processors by integrating incredibly thin 2D materials into monolithic 3D computer chips. “Our key innovation is that
we can grow very high-quality material on any substrate,” said Bae. “We can realise 3D electronics based on 2D material. That lets us fully integrate different functional components, each on its own 2D layer, into a single high-density chip.” This significant innovation in the semiconductor industry could reduce production costs, boost performance and
Developing the semiconductor workforce The NSF grants form part of a $45.6m investment into 24 research and education projects. These are supported by funding from the Chips Act, the Science Act, and the Future of Semiconductors programme, which aims to accelerate the growth of a US-based workforce to boost innovative semiconductor and microelectronics development. Yunjing Wang, a lecturer in electrical and systems engineering at WashU, is collaborating with Bae on the educational plan and workforce development components of the project, which will involve high school, undergraduate and graduate students in training and research, preparing them for the workforce. Additionally, Bae and Wang plan to organise workshops, symposia and tutorials, as well as participate in international conferences to exchange technical expertise and enhance the project’s impact.
6 IMAGING AND MACHINE VISION EUROPE DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024
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