Author Archives: richard wilson

UK-based start-up develops low-power IoT radio

CA8210-closeupHot on the heels of the UK government launch of their £10m IoT smart city competition and Qualcomm joining the Thread mesh networking initiative, two UK-based IoT start-ups are about to announce details of a collaborative product.

Cascoda and Vertizan, formerly known as Coveritas, have been collaborating on the development of a low power wireless transceiver that is compliant with the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.

Southampton-based semiconductor developer, Cascoda has developed a propriety radio architecture and to ensure the IoT platform can compete in global market, it worked with Vertizan of Bletchley to validate the software stack.

Cascoda’s bat radio technology uses new demodulation and detection techniques to improve receiver sensitivity to extend coverage in the home without additional power penalties.

The receiver design retains compliance with existing standards, including mesh networking.

The CA-8210 is the first chipset to incorporate technology for the 2.4GHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band of the IEEE 802.15.4 wireless standard.

“We knew our patented bat radio architecture would stand out from the crowd and disrupt the market, but our target global customers would expect more than just compliance to the standard,” said  Bruno Johnson, CEO, Cascoda.

“Our software protocol stack had to be tested for every conceivable functional use case, which is well above and beyond the compliance test case set,” said Johnson.

For this Cascoda used Vertizan’s Vitaq system functional verification tool and the work was completed in less than three months .

Vitaq allows users to specify parameter and action-based rules. The tool automatically generates exploratory tests that explore the possible use-case functionality of the software under examination, and also allows test runs to focus on the scenarios of greatest relevance.

“By combining stress testing with difficult-to-reach corner cases, Vitaq has automatically created millions of valuable tests.  This allowed Cascoda to discover, fix and re-verify issues which would have been virtually impossible to find using predetermined test sequences,” said Sean Redmond, CEO, Vertizan.

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Wilson

Oxford makes graphene crystals in just 15 minutes

Professor Nicole Grobert

Professor Nicole Grobert

Millimetre-sized high-quality graphene crystals can be made in minutes instead of hours, claim researchers from Oxford University.

The team says it has demonstrated the production of large graphene crystals around 2-3 millimetres in size in just 15 minutes, instead of the more typical 19 hours to produce using current chemical vapour deposition (CVD) techniques.

The is another example of the research taking place all over the world to make graphene cost-effective as a commercial semiconductor technology.

The researchers took a thin film of silica deposited on a platinum foil which, when heated, reacts to create a layer of platinum silicide. This layer melts at a lower temperature than either platinum or silica creating a thin liquid layer that smooths out nanoscale ‘valleys’ in the platinum so that carbon atoms in methane gas brushing the surface are more inclined to form large flakes of graphene.

Professor Nicole Grobert of Oxford University’s Department of Materials, who led the research, writes:

“Not only can we make millimetre-sized graphene flakes in minutes but this graphene is of a comparable quality to anything other methods are able to produce.

“Because it is allowed to grow naturally in single graphene crystals there are none of the grain boundaries that can adversely affect the mechanical and electrical properties of the material.”

According to co-author Vitaliy Babenko, a DPhil student at Oxford University’s Department of Materials,  using polycrystalline metals in this way could open up many possibilities for cost-reduction and larger-scale graphene production.

Size-wise the new approach compares favourably with the common ‘Scotch tape method,’ in which a piece of tape is used to peel graphene fragments off a chunk of graphite, which produces flakes of around 10 microns (0.01 millimetres).

Using CVD with just platinum creates flakes of around 80 microns (0.08mm). But with the liquid layer of platinum silicide the researchers show that graphene crystals of 2-3 millimetres can be produced in minutes.

Out of all the techniques currently used to make different types of graphene CVD is the most promising for scaling up into a cost-effective industrial process.

Professor Grobert added:

“Of course a great deal more work is required before we get graphene technology, but we’re now on the cusp of seeing this material make the leap from the laboratory to a manufacturing setting, and we’re keen to work with industrial partners to make this happen.”

 

Richard Wilson

Oxford makes graphene crystals in just 15 minutes

Professor Nicole Grobert

Professor Nicole Grobert

Millimetre-sized high-quality graphene crystals can be made in minutes instead of hours, claim researchers from Oxford University.

The team says it has demonstrated the production of large graphene crystals around 2-3 millimetres in size in just 15 minutes, instead of the more typical 19 hours to produce using current chemical vapour deposition (CVD) techniques.

The is another example of the research taking place all over the world to make graphene cost-effective as a commercial semiconductor technology.

The researchers took a thin film of silica deposited on a platinum foil which, when heated, reacts to create a layer of platinum silicide. This layer melts at a lower temperature than either platinum or silica creating a thin liquid layer that smooths out nanoscale ‘valleys’ in the platinum so that carbon atoms in methane gas brushing the surface are more inclined to form large flakes of graphene.

Professor Nicole Grobert of Oxford University’s Department of Materials, who led the research, writes:

“Not only can we make millimetre-sized graphene flakes in minutes but this graphene is of a comparable quality to anything other methods are able to produce.

“Because it is allowed to grow naturally in single graphene crystals there are none of the grain boundaries that can adversely affect the mechanical and electrical properties of the material.”

According to co-author Vitaliy Babenko, a DPhil student at Oxford University’s Department of Materials,  using polycrystalline metals in this way could open up many possibilities for cost-reduction and larger-scale graphene production.

Size-wise the new approach compares favourably with the common ‘Scotch tape method,’ in which a piece of tape is used to peel graphene fragments off a chunk of graphite, which produces flakes of around 10 microns (0.01 millimetres).

Using CVD with just platinum creates flakes of around 80 microns (0.08mm). But with the liquid layer of platinum silicide the researchers show that graphene crystals of 2-3 millimetres can be produced in minutes.

Out of all the techniques currently used to make different types of graphene CVD is the most promising for scaling up into a cost-effective industrial process.

Professor Grobert added:

“Of course a great deal more work is required before we get graphene technology, but we’re now on the cusp of seeing this material make the leap from the laboratory to a manufacturing setting, and we’re keen to work with industrial partners to make this happen.”

 

Richard Wilson

Freescale offers pre-certified mesh stack for IoT

Freescale Kinetis EA at FarnellFreescale Semiconductor is offering a pre-certified mesh networking stack for connecting IoT devices in the home to cloud services.

It is compliant to the Thread R1.0 mesh networking specification. Mesh networks are the favoured approach for connecting to IoT devices because of its spectrum and energy efficiency

Thread is a simplified IPv6-based mesh networking protocol developed by a group of suppliers including Freescale for connecting products around the home to each other, to the internet and to the cloud.

“The growth in IoT, specifically to make the connected home a reality, is fueling designs with IP-based communications for device-to-device and device-to-cloud applications with airtight security and short development cycles,” said Sujata Neidig, business development manager at Freescale.

“Freescale’s pre-certified Thread stack creates a one-stop-shop for developing connected products for the home that merges extreme low power, optimized ease-of-use and streamlined connectivity for a secure, reliable and robust IP network.”

Thread will run on routers, border routers and end devices. For this Freescale is offering its portfolio of i.MX ARM Cortex-A based microprocessors and Kinetis K/L ARM Cortex-M based microcontrollers.

Freescale is currently working with select Beta customers and general availability of the stack is planned for September.

Thread Group launched in October 2014 and now boasts membership of more than 160 companies.

Richard Wilson

Software-defined networks grow the cloud in China

Alcatel-lucentThe communications industry is entering the era of software-defined networks.

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) separates the network infrastructure from the control function. This allows multiple hardware nodes within the network to be controlled from a single location, which may not be in the network itself, but in the cloud.

This radically improves the operator’s ability to adapt the network to meet changing traffic and service needs.

As big data increases the bandwidth demand on the network and mobility adds varying traffic flows, SDN seems to be the only way operators will manage their networks in future.

And SDN starts here.

China Mobile Software Technology has deployed SDN technology supplied by Nuage Networks, the Alcatel-Lucent SDN venture, in its private cloud architecture.

Based on open-source software and industry-standard hardware, China Mobile’s private cloud architecture includes Nuage’s virtualized services platform (VSP) to give the scalability required for developing new cloud-based services.

“China Mobile is taking a visionary approach in designing and building its new DevOps private cloud architecture,” said Nuage Networks CEO, Sunil Khandekar.

The platform overlays China Mobile’s existing distributed networking environments.

Each subsidiary will be allocated its own Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) composed of resources located in one or multiple datacenters, which are connected via the cloud.

Each VPC is isolated and secure – internally and externally – at the virtual machine (VM) level using Nuage Networks VSP’s network microsegmentation capabilities, which protect against “east-west” malware penetration attempts within each datacentre, within each VPC and within the federated cloud.

Datacentre communications between hypervisors are also protected.

While China Mobile’s cloud team ensure network security, each subsidiary may refine security parameters within its allocated VPC.

As a result, each subsidiary will enjoy programmability and security controls along with the cost efficiencies of the China Mobile cloud.

 

Richard Wilson

Skills shortage hitting growth in engineering sector

katja-hall-aviation

Katja Hall

Technology and engineering companies are still very worried about a lack of recruits with the necessary skill levels for the job.

Companies even believe the skills shortage is serious enough to restrict business growth over the next few years, according to this year’s CBI/Pearson Education and Skills survey.

The CBI/Pearson, which surveyed over a million employees in 310 UK-based companies, said the results “underlines the skills challenge facing the UK”.

  • 2 in 3 businesses (68%) expect their need for staff with higher level skills to grow in the years ahead, but more than half of those surveyed (55%) fear that they will not be able to access enough workers with the required skills.
  • Demand for highly skilled workers is particularly strong in sectors critical to the re-balancing of the economy – engineering, science and high-tech (74%), construction (73%) and manufacturing (69%).

Firms report said they had difficulties in recruiting staff with the necessary science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills, with half (52%) of firms experiencing (or expecting within three years) a shortfall of experienced staff.

As a result STEM study carries a real premium with 2 in 5 employers (40%) preferring graduates to have STEM skills.

There are also concerns that government changes announced in the Budget may fund more apprenticeships to meet the Government’s target of 3 million, but at the expense lower quality business-relevant training.

Of apprenticeships starts in 2013/14, just 2% were higher apprenticeships, which lead to qualifications at a level equivalent to higher education, according to the CBI.

Katja Hall, CBI deputy director-general, said:

“The Government has set out its stall to create a high-skilled economy, but firms are facing a skills emergency now, threatening to starve economic growth. Worryingly, it’s those high-growth, high-value sectors with the most potential which are the ones under most pressure. That includes construction, manufacturing, science, engineering and technology.

“Employers have a critical role in upskilling the workforce, but part of the deal must be for real business control of apprenticeships to meet their needs on the ground.

“The best way to plug the skills gaps and provide quality training is to speed up existing apprenticeships reforms already underway and encourage smaller firms to get involved.”

On a more positive note apprenticeships are growing.

Around two-thirds (66%) of respondents are involved in apprenticeship programmes, with provision spreading well beyond traditional sectors like manufacturing (76%) to new sectors such as professional services (42%), such as accounting and legal services

62% of respondents are either intending to expand their apprenticeship programme or to start one in the next three years – the best result since the survey began in 2008.

Katja Hall, added:

“We betray our young people if we fail to equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to progress in work and life. We must better support schools and teachers from day one to develop the confidence, resilience and creativity that will help the next generation of talent to succeed.

“Employers consider attitudes and aptitudes more important than any specific qualification or skill, other than practical literacy and numeracy. They also want to see young people gaining a greater understanding of the world outside the school gates, by inspiring pupils about career opportunities from a much earlier age and by putting work experience back on the agenda for all young people.”

Richard Wilson

Skills shortage hitting growth in engineering sector

katja-hall-aviation

Katja Hall

Technology and engineering companies are still very worried about a lack of recruits with the necessary skill levels for the job.

Companies even believe the skills shortage is serious enough to restrict business growth over the next few years, according to this year’s CBI/Pearson Education and Skills survey.

The CBI/Pearson, which surveyed over a million employees in 310 UK-based companies, said the results “underlines the skills challenge facing the UK”.

  • 2 in 3 businesses (68%) expect their need for staff with higher level skills to grow in the years ahead, but more than half of those surveyed (55%) fear that they will not be able to access enough workers with the required skills.
  • Demand for highly skilled workers is particularly strong in sectors critical to the re-balancing of the economy – engineering, science and high-tech (74%), construction (73%) and manufacturing (69%).

Firms report said they had difficulties in recruiting staff with the necessary science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills, with half (52%) of firms experiencing (or expecting within three years) a shortfall of experienced staff.

As a result STEM study carries a real premium with 2 in 5 employers (40%) preferring graduates to have STEM skills.

There are also concerns that government changes announced in the Budget may fund more apprenticeships to meet the Government’s target of 3 million, but at the expense lower quality business-relevant training.

Of apprenticeships starts in 2013/14, just 2% were higher apprenticeships, which lead to qualifications at a level equivalent to higher education, according to the CBI.

Katja Hall, CBI deputy director-general, said:

“The Government has set out its stall to create a high-skilled economy, but firms are facing a skills emergency now, threatening to starve economic growth. Worryingly, it’s those high-growth, high-value sectors with the most potential which are the ones under most pressure. That includes construction, manufacturing, science, engineering and technology.

“Employers have a critical role in upskilling the workforce, but part of the deal must be for real business control of apprenticeships to meet their needs on the ground.

“The best way to plug the skills gaps and provide quality training is to speed up existing apprenticeships reforms already underway and encourage smaller firms to get involved.”

On a more positive note apprenticeships are growing.

Around two-thirds (66%) of respondents are involved in apprenticeship programmes, with provision spreading well beyond traditional sectors like manufacturing (76%) to new sectors such as professional services (42%), such as accounting and legal services

62% of respondents are either intending to expand their apprenticeship programme or to start one in the next three years – the best result since the survey began in 2008.

Katja Hall, added:

“We betray our young people if we fail to equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to progress in work and life. We must better support schools and teachers from day one to develop the confidence, resilience and creativity that will help the next generation of talent to succeed.

“Employers consider attitudes and aptitudes more important than any specific qualification or skill, other than practical literacy and numeracy. They also want to see young people gaining a greater understanding of the world outside the school gates, by inspiring pupils about career opportunities from a much earlier age and by putting work experience back on the agenda for all young people.”

Richard Wilson

Skills shortage hitting growth in engineering sector

katja-hall-aviation

Katja Hall

Technology and engineering companies are still very worried about a lack of recruits with the necessary skill levels for the job.

Companies even believe the skills shortage is serious enough to restrict business growth over the next few years, according to this year’s CBI/Pearson Education and Skills survey.

The CBI/Pearson, which surveyed over a million employees in 310 UK-based companies, said the results “underlines the skills challenge facing the UK”.

  • 2 in 3 businesses (68%) expect their need for staff with higher level skills to grow in the years ahead, but more than half of those surveyed (55%) fear that they will not be able to access enough workers with the required skills.
  • Demand for highly skilled workers is particularly strong in sectors critical to the re-balancing of the economy – engineering, science and high-tech (74%), construction (73%) and manufacturing (69%).

Firms report said they had difficulties in recruiting staff with the necessary science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills, with half (52%) of firms experiencing (or expecting within three years) a shortfall of experienced staff.

As a result STEM study carries a real premium with 2 in 5 employers (40%) preferring graduates to have STEM skills.

There are also concerns that government changes announced in the Budget may fund more apprenticeships to meet the Government’s target of 3 million, but at the expense lower quality business-relevant training.

Of apprenticeships starts in 2013/14, just 2% were higher apprenticeships, which lead to qualifications at a level equivalent to higher education, according to the CBI.

Katja Hall, CBI deputy director-general, said:

“The Government has set out its stall to create a high-skilled economy, but firms are facing a skills emergency now, threatening to starve economic growth. Worryingly, it’s those high-growth, high-value sectors with the most potential which are the ones under most pressure. That includes construction, manufacturing, science, engineering and technology.

“Employers have a critical role in upskilling the workforce, but part of the deal must be for real business control of apprenticeships to meet their needs on the ground.

“The best way to plug the skills gaps and provide quality training is to speed up existing apprenticeships reforms already underway and encourage smaller firms to get involved.”

On a more positive note apprenticeships are growing.

Around two-thirds (66%) of respondents are involved in apprenticeship programmes, with provision spreading well beyond traditional sectors like manufacturing (76%) to new sectors such as professional services (42%), such as accounting and legal services

62% of respondents are either intending to expand their apprenticeship programme or to start one in the next three years – the best result since the survey began in 2008.

Katja Hall, added:

“We betray our young people if we fail to equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to progress in work and life. We must better support schools and teachers from day one to develop the confidence, resilience and creativity that will help the next generation of talent to succeed.

“Employers consider attitudes and aptitudes more important than any specific qualification or skill, other than practical literacy and numeracy. They also want to see young people gaining a greater understanding of the world outside the school gates, by inspiring pupils about career opportunities from a much earlier age and by putting work experience back on the agenda for all young people.”

Richard Wilson

Skills shortage hitting growth in engineering sector

katja-hall-aviation

Katja Hall

Technology and engineering companies are still very worried about a lack of recruits with the necessary skill levels for the job.

Companies even believe the skills shortage is serious enough to restrict business growth over the next few years, according to this year’s CBI/Pearson Education and Skills survey.

The CBI/Pearson, which surveyed over a million employees in 310 UK-based companies, said the results “underlines the skills challenge facing the UK”.

  • 2 in 3 businesses (68%) expect their need for staff with higher level skills to grow in the years ahead, but more than half of those surveyed (55%) fear that they will not be able to access enough workers with the required skills.
  • Demand for highly skilled workers is particularly strong in sectors critical to the re-balancing of the economy – engineering, science and high-tech (74%), construction (73%) and manufacturing (69%).

Firms report said they had difficulties in recruiting staff with the necessary science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills, with half (52%) of firms experiencing (or expecting within three years) a shortfall of experienced staff.

As a result STEM study carries a real premium with 2 in 5 employers (40%) preferring graduates to have STEM skills.

There are also concerns that government changes announced in the Budget may fund more apprenticeships to meet the Government’s target of 3 million, but at the expense lower quality business-relevant training.

Of apprenticeships starts in 2013/14, just 2% were higher apprenticeships, which lead to qualifications at a level equivalent to higher education, according to the CBI.

Katja Hall, CBI deputy director-general, said:

“The Government has set out its stall to create a high-skilled economy, but firms are facing a skills emergency now, threatening to starve economic growth. Worryingly, it’s those high-growth, high-value sectors with the most potential which are the ones under most pressure. That includes construction, manufacturing, science, engineering and technology.

“Employers have a critical role in upskilling the workforce, but part of the deal must be for real business control of apprenticeships to meet their needs on the ground.

“The best way to plug the skills gaps and provide quality training is to speed up existing apprenticeships reforms already underway and encourage smaller firms to get involved.”

On a more positive note apprenticeships are growing.

Around two-thirds (66%) of respondents are involved in apprenticeship programmes, with provision spreading well beyond traditional sectors like manufacturing (76%) to new sectors such as professional services (42%), such as accounting and legal services

62% of respondents are either intending to expand their apprenticeship programme or to start one in the next three years – the best result since the survey began in 2008.

Katja Hall, added:

“We betray our young people if we fail to equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to progress in work and life. We must better support schools and teachers from day one to develop the confidence, resilience and creativity that will help the next generation of talent to succeed.

“Employers consider attitudes and aptitudes more important than any specific qualification or skill, other than practical literacy and numeracy. They also want to see young people gaining a greater understanding of the world outside the school gates, by inspiring pupils about career opportunities from a much earlier age and by putting work experience back on the agenda for all young people.”

Richard Wilson

Skills shortage hitting growth in engineering sector

katja-hall-aviation

Katja Hall

Technology and engineering companies are still very worried about a lack of recruits with the necessary skill levels for the job.

Companies even believe the skills shortage is serious enough to restrict business growth over the next few years, according to this year’s CBI/Pearson Education and Skills survey.

The CBI/Pearson, which surveyed over a million employees in 310 UK-based companies, said the results “underlines the skills challenge facing the UK”.

  • 2 in 3 businesses (68%) expect their need for staff with higher level skills to grow in the years ahead, but more than half of those surveyed (55%) fear that they will not be able to access enough workers with the required skills.
  • Demand for highly skilled workers is particularly strong in sectors critical to the re-balancing of the economy – engineering, science and high-tech (74%), construction (73%) and manufacturing (69%).

Firms report said they had difficulties in recruiting staff with the necessary science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills, with half (52%) of firms experiencing (or expecting within three years) a shortfall of experienced staff.

As a result STEM study carries a real premium with 2 in 5 employers (40%) preferring graduates to have STEM skills.

There are also concerns that government changes announced in the Budget may fund more apprenticeships to meet the Government’s target of 3 million, but at the expense lower quality business-relevant training.

Of apprenticeships starts in 2013/14, just 2% were higher apprenticeships, which lead to qualifications at a level equivalent to higher education, according to the CBI.

Katja Hall, CBI deputy director-general, said:

“The Government has set out its stall to create a high-skilled economy, but firms are facing a skills emergency now, threatening to starve economic growth. Worryingly, it’s those high-growth, high-value sectors with the most potential which are the ones under most pressure. That includes construction, manufacturing, science, engineering and technology.

“Employers have a critical role in upskilling the workforce, but part of the deal must be for real business control of apprenticeships to meet their needs on the ground.

“The best way to plug the skills gaps and provide quality training is to speed up existing apprenticeships reforms already underway and encourage smaller firms to get involved.”

On a more positive note apprenticeships are growing.

Around two-thirds (66%) of respondents are involved in apprenticeship programmes, with provision spreading well beyond traditional sectors like manufacturing (76%) to new sectors such as professional services (42%), such as accounting and legal services

62% of respondents are either intending to expand their apprenticeship programme or to start one in the next three years – the best result since the survey began in 2008.

Katja Hall, added:

“We betray our young people if we fail to equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to progress in work and life. We must better support schools and teachers from day one to develop the confidence, resilience and creativity that will help the next generation of talent to succeed.

“Employers consider attitudes and aptitudes more important than any specific qualification or skill, other than practical literacy and numeracy. They also want to see young people gaining a greater understanding of the world outside the school gates, by inspiring pupils about career opportunities from a much earlier age and by putting work experience back on the agenda for all young people.”

Richard Wilson