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пятница, 16 августа 2019 г.

Samsung и американский оператор AT&T тестируют решения на базе 5G с целью улчшения работы предприятия по выпуску чипов








Авторитетное издание Wall Street Journal (WSJ) сообщает, что Samsung и американский оператор связи AT&T проводят совместное тестирование систем ультраскоростной беспроводной передачи сигнала с целью перевода работы предприятия по выпуску полупроводников в Остине (штат Техас) на новый качественный уровень. Для этого на заводе Samsung Austin Semiconductor была открыта специальная "инновационная зона 5G" (5G Innovation Zone), на базе которой испытываются образцы производственных линий нового поколения.
Представители Samsung и AT&T заявляют, что 5G - это не просто новомодная технологическая "игрушка", а средство достижения ранее невиданных показателей эффективности производственных линий различного назначения.
Это касается буквально всех аспектов: начиная от скорости и точности работы автоматического конвейера до систем противопожарной безопасности.
5G Innovation Zone призвана стать центром, откуда пойдёт распространение технологий связи пятого поколения во все сферы американской экономики времён 4-й промышленной революции. Samsung и его местные партнёры должны сыграть одну из ключевых ролей по внедрению 5G в повседневную жизнь как обычных пользователей услуг мобильной связи, так и высокотехнологичных компаний.     

Samsung Tests How 5G Can Improve Chip-Making

Company is experimenting with the new technology to show what ultrafast speeds can do at its Austin chip factory

Samsung Electronics Co. is testing how fifth-generation wireless networks can speed up connections at its chip-making factory in Austin, Texas, a pilot that aims to prove 5G is more than a buzzword.
The company has teamed up with AT&T Inc. ’s communications division to develop a customized 5G network to experiment with how it could be used in chip manufacturing.
The fifth generation of cellular networking, 5G is designed to replace current 4G technology, also known as LTE. The ultrafast speeds and reduced lag that will come with 5G will buttress new applications such as augmented reality and self-driving cars. Peak download speeds using 5G are expected to be about 100 times as fast as with 4G.
The transformation that will come from widespread commercial 5G deployments in manufacturing, logistics, transportation and energy is still about a decade away, experts have said. That’s partly because it will take time to roll out the infrastructure to achieve full 5G coverage.
In the meantime, Samsung and other companies are testing 5G’s potential in limited pilots to show what the technology can do.
“We’re still in the experimentation phase, but we’re hopeful there’s value,” said Alok Shah, vice president of networks strategy, business development and marketing at Samsung Electronics America, the company’s U.S. unit.
Factories will be a big beneficiary of 5G connections, said Andre Fuetsch, chief technology officer for AT&T Communications, AT&T’s biggest division.
“We see 5G being a great solution for solving a lot of the Wi-Fi issues that typical factories have today,” he said. The technology, for example, could be used on manufacturing floors to power more reliable connections for computer-vision-scanning equipment that checks product quality.
AT&T has also rolled out consumer 5G networks in about 20 U.S. cities.
Samsung Electronics America and AT&T have invested millions of dollars in 5G innovation at Samsung’s chip-manufacturing facility in Austin. Thousands of employees work at the chip factory, which is the size of about 10 football fields, Mr. Shah said.
Chip-making uses a lot of water and toxic chemicals; 5G could help chip factories cut waste and alert workers to safety hazards.
For example, 5G would allow more sensors to be installed to detect air quality, Mr. Shah said. Streaming real-time data from the sensors over 5G networks would mean that a control center can immediately detect serious air-quality hazards and move people out of harm’s way. Sensors in factories today can’t rely on existing wireless networks to pass along warnings to a control center, Mr. Shah said.
“Being able to put thousands of sensors within a relatively small space is hard for other [networking] technologies to support,” Mr. Shah said. Certain networks can only support a finite number of devices. Fifth-generation wireless networks could support 1 million devices per square kilometer, up from about 100,000 devices per square kilometer with 4G LTE, he said.
Sensors on pumps and valves could also stream data about water usage over 5G networks so the facility can improve the efficiency of its water usage in real time and reduce waste.
Using 5G connections, workers could also learn how to repair equipment on the factory floor through augmented and virtual-reality headsets without any buffering or lags.
Other companies including New York Times Co. and German engineering firm Robert Bosch GmbH are testing 5G in pilots. The market for 5G, including related network infrastructure, is forecast to grow to $26 billion in 2022 from $528 million in 2018, according to research firm International Data Corp.
The tests are often “showcase demonstration pieces,” useful for proving that 5G could generate revenue through new services or make processes more efficient, said Jason Leigh, research manager for mobility and 5G at IDC.
“The sooner you can get something tangible, it makes it easier to have that discussion at a C-suite and board level about what 5G really is, and it’s not just this fad,” Mr. Leigh said.

среда, 7 марта 2018 г.

Samsung C-Lab покажет "эмоционального" голографического помощника и другие разработки на SXSW 2018









Корпорация Samsung Electronics объявила, что с 11 по 14 марта в рамках ежегодного фестиваля экспериментального дизайна и перспективных технологий South by Southwest (SXSW 2018) состоится презентация 3-х инновационных проектов находящейся под её покровительством креативной лаборатории C-Lab (Creative Lab) на основе искусственного интеллекта (AI). Разработки получили название 
Toonsquare, Aurora и GADGET, которые предоставят любителям современных технологий новые возможности интеллектуальных систем. Проекты будут представлены на стенде №1538 в выставочном зале N3 конференц-центра в городе Остин (штат Техас, США).

* Toonsquare – приложение, основанное на технологии искусственного интеллекта, которое автоматически преобразует текст в мультипликацию. Приложение предлагает пользователям выбрать персонажа из уже имеющихся или создать собственных на основе личных фотографий. После проведения анализа текста, введённого пользователем, программа определит эмоции и движения, которые подразумеваются в предложении, и предложит варианты выражения лица персонажа и его жестов. Фоны, шрифты и облачко текста для мультипликации также могут быть настроены пользователем.

* Aurora – приложение для смартфонов с визуализированным 3D-ассистентом, позволяющее взаимодействовать с таким помощником на эмоциональном уровне. В то время как существующие голосовые ассистенты предоставляют информацию только в голосовом варианте, Aurora работает в интуитивно понятном формате, отображая информацию и визуально, на дисплее устройства. Aurora также распознаёт жесты и местоположение пользователя с помощью камеры смартфона, что выводит коммуникацию на новый уровень.

* GADGET – аукцион контекстной рекламы в режиме реального времени для внутриигровых рекламных объявлений. Большинство таких объявлений всплывают в игре в виде отдельных сообщений или окон и, как правило, зачастую мешают геймерам. GADGET поможет рекламе встраиваться непосредственно в игру, преображая её в нативные объекты, например, в рекламные щиты на заднем плане. Разработчики игр смогут импортировать плагин GADGET для такого размещения рекламы всего в несколько кликов. Объявления продаются рекламодателям в онлайн-режиме через автоматическую торговую платформу. Содержимое рекламы постоянно обновляется, взаимодействуя с сервером GADGET, и может меняться в зависимости от предпочтений геймера.

С момента своего дебюта на выставке SXSW в 2015 году лаборатории C-Lab представили различные проекты в области музыки, искусства и интерактивных технологий для расширения возможностей бизнеса и получения отзывов пользователей. Это помогает в дальнейшей доработке прототипов, которые затем могут осуществится в виде реальных продуктов, соответствующих ожиданиям рынка.
«Большинство продвигаемых сегодня концепций стремятся использовать AI-технологии, чтобы сократить неудобства, которые встречаются в повседневной жизни, – отметил Джэ-ил Ли, вице-президент и руководитель центра творчества и инноваций Samsung Electronics. – Мы надеемся воплотить эти идеи в жизнь в ближайшем будущем».
Проект C-Lab, созданный в декабре 2012 года, представляет собой программу, которая развивает творческую корпоративную культуру и способствует воплощению инновационных идей сотрудников Samsung. Проекты C-Lab, тесно связанные с деятельностью Samsung, передаются во внутренние подразделения корпорации для дальнейшей разработки.
С 2015 года Samsung также поддерживает другие успешно завершённые проекты, которые не были переданы бизнес-подразделениям. Такие проекты планируется запустить как отдельную независимую компанию, полноценный стартап по программе C-Lab Spin-Off.

Samsung Electronics’ C-Lab to Reveal New AI Projects at SXSW 2018

Three new C-lab projects will introduce new user experiences with AI technologies to change everyday life

Samsung Electronics announced today that it will showcase three innovative new C-Lab (Creative Lab) projects based on artificial intelligence (AI) from March 11 through 14 at SXSW 2018 Trade Show. These projects – Toonsquare, Aurora, and GADGET – will introduce new user experiences with AI technologies to the attendees. The projects will be exhibited at Stand #1538 in Exhibit Hall 3 of the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas.

The three new C-Lab projects are:

* Toonsquare, an artificial intelligence application which automatically converts a sentence into a cartoon, allowing users to easily make their own cartoons. The app first allows users to choose a character from the pre-sets the app offers or create a character based on pictures of themselves. Second, the app analyses text put in by the user to figure out the emotion and movements implied in the sentence. It then recommends proper facial expressions as well as appropriate gestures of the character. Backgrounds, fonts, and speech bubbles can also be customized to create a cartoon or a picture diary.

* Aurora, a smartphone app and deck that shows a visualized 3D character assistant, enabling users to interact emotionally with the assistant. While existing voice assistants provide the information only with voice, Aurora gives intuitive user experience by giving information visually onto the display of the device. Aurora also recognizes gestures and the location of the user through the camera of the smartphone, allowing for a more intuitive interface.

* GADGET, a real-time ad auction platform for in-game ads. Most in-game ads are pop-up or interstitial ads which tend to interfere with gamers’ experiences. GADGET helps the ads blend into the game by serving them as native objects in areas like billboards in the background. Game developers can easily import the GADGET plug-in to place ads with just a few clicks. Ads are sold to advertisers real-time via automated trading platform. The ad content is updated in real-time, interfacing with the GADGET server, and can be targeted based on gamers’ preferences.

Since its SXSW debut in 2015, C-Lab has introduced various projects in the field of music, art, and interactive technologies, to validating business opportunities and getting user feedback to refine the prototypes to reach market fit.
“The majority of ideas that have been proposed recently aim to utilize artificial intelligence to solve inconveniences in daily life,” said Jaiil Lee, Vice President and Head of the Creativity & Innovation Center at Samsung Electronics. “We hope to see these ideas in action in the near future.”.
Created in December 2012, C-Lab is an in-house idea incubation program that encourages a creative corporate culture and nurtures innovative ideas from Samsung employees. C-Lab projects that are closely related to Samsung business are transferred to in-house division for further development
Since 2015, Samsung has also supported other successfully completed projects, that are not transferred to business units, to be launched as an independent company as a fully-fledged start-up via the C-Lab Spin-Off program.

How C-Lab’s AI Innovations Came to Be and What They’ll Change

Each year in Austin, Texas, the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival gathers artists and creatives from across the globe for a celebration of the latest and greatest from the worlds of film, music and interactive media. At SXSW 2018, through a showcase of its in-house idea incubation program, C-Lab (Creative Lab), Samsung Electronics will introduce three projects that leverage artificial intelligence (AI). Below are details on what the projects are and how they came to be:

TOONSQUARE:

An AI-based Text-to-Toon (TTT) application that offers users a fun and easy way to make cartoons that tell their unique story.

How it Uses AI

Toonsquare uses AI to analyze the text input, determining what the context is and what facial/body expressions should accompany the character
Toonsquare also uses AI to determine facial features including the length and curviness of hair as well as accessories like glasses off a real-life image, and then call up the most appropriate parts from the database
In both cases, continuous learning is key and so the team built a separate website to enhance the learning

Inspiration

Ho-young Lee, a UX designer by profession, drew lifestyle web cartoons as a hobby and actually grew a fan base, only to be find out how hard it is to find the time to draw cut by cut while working a day job.
Ho-young then ran into AI developers in the company and found out he could automate much of the process

Aspiration

Eventually, the team hopes to develop TOONSQUARE into a fun and creative social networking service where people can generate and share their own cartoons from their own inspirations.

Aurora:

A smartphone app and device that projects a pseudo hologram of a cute intelligent assistant. Capable of recognizing gestures and commands, Aurora offers users a more intuitive way to interact with their smart devices.

How it Uses AI

Aurora utilizes an open-source AI engine to figure out what the user is asking for and provide appropriate feedback – whether it be weather information or carrying out voice/gesture commands
Additionally, Aurora also learns users emotions and provides visual feedback including facial expressions and gestures the hologram makes

Inspiration

Members saw a movie where the lead character falls in love with an AI persona and saw potential for a more sympathetic AI assistant
The team also wanted to increase accessibility to AI assistants, which in many cases price is a hurdle

Aspiration

To create an AI assistant that can be used more naturally and conveniently across a wider range of smartphones.

GADGET:

A real-time ad auction platform that makes it easy for advertisers to insert their content as native objects (ones that are already a part of the game, like billboards in the background or items gamers may use) rather than intrusive pop-ups.

How it Uses AI

GADGET analyzes information that is available (which may vary by game, region, etc.) such as age, gender and interests to offer relevant ads to gamers in a non-intrusive manner

Inspiration

Changsoo Moon has work experience in gaming and advertising companies where he always found it difficult to place products (PPL) or ads in content
As gamers, all of whom have started gaming since the 8-bit console days, the team members also found it annoying when ads would interfere with game play

Aspiration

GADGET was designed as an “all-in-one gadget”; a “Swiss Army knife,” so to say, for advertising services that is useful for advertisers, developers and gamers alike.

The projects will be exhibited at the Austin Convention Center (Exhibition Hall 3; Stand #1538) from March 11–14.

четверг, 29 июня 2017 г.

Samsung вложит в американское полупроволдниковое отделение ещё миллиард долларов и построит звод в Южной Каролине







Конгломерат Samsung инвестирует ещё порядка 1 миллиарда долларов в свои производственные объекты в Остине (США, штат Техас). Наращивание производства связано с "четвёртой промышленной революцией", поскольку южнокорейский техногигант уверен, что спрос на полупроводники будет взрывным из-за бурного развития IoT-экосистем (интернета вещей).
Завод в Остине занимается производством новейших однокристальных систем для различных электронных устройств. С момента запуска американского полупроводникового подразделения Samsung вложил в него 16 миллиардов долларов.
Помимо этого, Samsung увеличивает производство флэш-памяти NAND. В ближайшие дни будет открыт крупнейший в мире завод по производству такой продукции в Пхёнтайке (Южная Корея). До конца 2017 года Samsung намерен довести свою долю на глобальном рынке памяти V-NAND до 50%.
Одновременно Samsung официально объявил о начале строительства нового завода по производству бытовой техники стоимостью $380 миллионов в Ньюберри (штат Южная Каролина, США). Подписание документов состоялось накануне визита недавно избранного президента Южной Кореи Мун Джей-ина в США. Таким образом южнокорейский бизнес даёт понять, что готов вкладывать в американскую экономику в свете решений новой американской администрации во главе с президентом Трампом, пообещавшем избирателям "вернуть рабочие места в страну".
Как сообщают местные СМИ, южнокорейские компании уже объявили, что намерены вложить в развитие своего бизнеса на территории Соединённых Штатов не менее  35 миллиардов долларов в течение ближайших пяти лет.

Samsung boosts investment in Austin chip plant for 4th industrial revolution

South Korea’s tech giant Samsung Electronics is preparing for the “fourth industrial revolution” by mass producing faster and more efficient chips for smart and connected devices with always-on displays, cementing its leadership in the global memory market.
As part of its latest move, the Korean chipmaker made around $1 billion worth of investments in its production facilities in Austin, Texas, as of this month. The facilities are operated for advanced system-on-chip products, which are supplied for mobile and other electronic devices.
Samsung Austin Semiconductor, the operator of Samsung’s chip production in the US, contributed $3.6 billion into the regional economy of central Texas in 2015, according to a local study there. The company also supported 10,755 jobs in the area and $498 million in annual salaries. Since its establishment in 1997, Samsung has invested more than $16 billion on the expansion and maintenance of its Austin facility.
The newest investment is interpreted as Samsung’s intention to enhance its system LIS chip business along with its powerful memory chip business, as it foresees growth in demand for various System-on-Chip products in the era of the fourth industrial revolution. 
In order to support the production of faster and more efficient chips and processors, Samsung has unveiled a roadmap for a comprehensive foundry process technology, which aims to improve the process technology to more sophisticated levels. 
Beyond the current second-generation 10-nanometer Fin FET process technology, Samsung plans to further develop an 8-nanometer process technology by this year, a 7-nanometer by 2018 and a 4-nanometer by 2020. The smaller the nanometer size, the more advanced chips with larger storage space will be.  
“The inclusion of the process technologies above will enable an explosion of new devices that will connect consumers in ways never seen before,” said Yoon Jong-shik, executive vice president of the foundry business at Samsung Electronics at the Samsung Foundry Forum held in Santa Clara, US, in May. 
US-based Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor is produced on Samsung’s 10-nanometer Fin FET process technology.  
While continuing to invest in advancing the process technologies, Samsung is ramping up efforts to reinforce its No. 1 position in the memory market as well.
It announced earlier this month it had begun the mass production of 64-layer, 256-Gigabit V-NAND flash memory chips and would apply the cutting-edge technology to the company’s lineup of storage solutions for servers, PCs and mobile applications. 
The Samsung 64-layer 3-bit 256-GB V-NAND features a data transfer speed of 1 gigabits per second, which is the fastest among currently available NAND flash memory. The new 64-layer V-NAND provides a more than 30 percent productivity gain compared to the 48-layer 256 GB V-NAND that preceded it.
Global demand for 3-D NAND flash chips is on the rise as the consumption of data on mobile devices is growing at an explosively rate. The global NAND flash market is forecast to rise 6.1 percent on average annually by 2020, according market researcher IHS Markit. Samsung is already the world’s largest NAND chip provider with a 36.7 percent market share. 
The company will start operation of a new NAND chip plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, at the end of this month, in order to respond to the growing demand and help ease the current short supply.  
To solidify its leadership in the memory market, Samsung intends to expand production of the latest V-NAND chips to above 50 percent of its monthly NAND production by the end of the year, the company said. 
Samsung also started mass-producing a processor designed exclusively for Internet of Things platforms, another major area of the upcoming fourth industrial revolution.  
The tech giant’s processor is named “Exynos i T200,” designed to support secure mobile communications among IoT platforms. Samsung hopes to expand its presence in the global IoT industry with the new processor. 
“The latest announcements of the mass production of the Exynos processor and 64-layer V-NAND flash chips are part of Samsung’s moves toward the next industrial revolution, considering growing consumption of massive data,” a Samsung official said.

Samsung inks deal for US$380m appliance plant in South Carolina

Samsung Electronics officially announced on June 28 that the company will build a home appliance factory with US$380 million worth of investment in South Carolina, marking the company’s first major investment in the US since it relocated production facilities for US exports to Mexico in the early 1990s. 
The announcement was made during South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s visit to Washington for his first summit with US President Donald Trump. 
Yoon Boo-keun, president of the consumer electronics division of Samsung Electronics, flew to Washington, as part of a group of business leaders who accompanied the president, with the intention of making the announcement. 
Yoon held a ceremony with South Carolina State Gov. Henry McMaster at a hotel in Washington to sign a letter of intent for the construction of the $380 million plant in Newberry County of South Carolina. 
Samsung said it had been examining several sites to build a home appliances factory in the US for the past three years in order to secure a production stronghold for the world’s largest home appliances market.   
Samsung topped the US home appliances market with a 17.3 percent share last year, beating its US rival Whirlpool, according to market researcher Traqline. 
It is not the first factory to be run by Samsung in the US. The Korean electronics giant had operated small production facilities for color TVs and microwave ovens in New Jersey from 1984 through 1990. The facilities were shut down due to the completion of a larger factory in Mexico in 1991, where a majority of the company’s home appliances exported to the US market are produced. 
Samsung has also been operating a production line for built-in products, which the Korean company took over from California-based Dacor last September. 
The new South Carolina plant is expected to help ease mounting pressure on Korean manufacturers from the Trump administration, amid its protectionist moves. 
Since early this year, rumors had been circulated that Samsung would make a move to build a new factory for home appliances in the US. 
In February, US President Trump bewildered Samsung by tweeting a message, which read “Thank you, @Samsung! We would love to have you!” At the time, Samsung did not make an official response. 
According to the company, it finally picked South Carolina during the second half of 2016 due to its wide pool of seasoned workers, advanced supply chains and outstanding logistical infrastructure. 
By having a local production base, Samsung would be able to avoid accusations by American manufacturers like Whirlpool, which filed a petition last month to impose safeguard tariffs on Samsung products that are being produced outside the country. 
Samsung aims to start operating the factory by producing washing machines early next year. 
Once the facility begins full operations, it will create an estimated 950 new jobs, according to the company. 
“Samsung will strengthen its 40-yearlong presence in the US by securing this new production hub,” as well as enhancing ties with American consumers, engineers and businesses,” Yoon said.  
“Samsung’s investment is great news for South Carolina and the United States, and it is a direct reflection of the fact that America is becoming an even stronger destination for global businesses looking to grow,” said United States Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. “I congratulate Samsung on its expansion in the United States and wish the company success as it starts up its new facility in South Carolina.”

Korean firms announce US$35b investments in US before president’s visit

Major Korean corporates including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, SK and LG pledged to spend more than US$35 billion in the US in five years, prior to President Moon Jae-in’s first visit to the US, according to Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry on June 29.
Samsung Electronics announced that it will invest US$380 million to build a home appliance factory in South Carolina, its first in the US. The tech giant has also earmarked US$1.5 billion for its semiconductor plant in Austin, Texas, by 2020. 
LG Electronics is building a US$250 million home appliance factory in Tennessee with capacity to manufacture 1 million washing machines a year, and US$300 million headquarters in New Jersey, both by 2019.
SK plans to spend US$4.4 billion in the coming five years to further expand into the energy sector where it already has shale gas and LNG projects in Oklahoma and Texas. It has inked an MOU with GE and Continental Resource. 
Hyundai Motor Group pledged that to spend US$3.1 billion to develop new automobiles and engines and advanced technologies including those for self-driving. 
Doosan, CJ, LS and GS groups also unveiled plans to expand investments in the US while small and medium tech firms, such as CrucialTec and Exicon will further accelerate their foothold in the market, either through advancing technologies or securing labs and manufacturing facilities.