Panel questions collaboration efficiency

Improving that cooperation is one goal of SAME, the annual Sophia Antipolis Microelectronics Forum, which took place from 22 to 23 September. SAME provides a forum that brings together decision makers from the area's largest employers, discussing their efforts and encouraging the formation of start ups and spin offs. It's also an opportunity to present the work of Sophia's significant academic sector. A panel session at the event allowed senior executives from Texas Instruments, ST-Ericsson and Infineon, as well as representative academic institutions, to discuss the Sophia Antipolis wireless ecosystem. Stephan Klinger, r&d director at Infineon's Sophia site, was first up, pointing out that the E-Gold baseband platforms were developed at Sophia, while wireless component development (especially audio), software development, device verification and design for manufacturability were also mainstream activities. He outlined upcoming technology needs which Infineon could source from the ecosystem of local wireless start ups and academic research projects. These included: Java based applications to provide cost optimised 'look alike' features for mobile phones; cost optimised audio codecs, video stabilisation and camera functions; tools for flashing, calibration and tracing/debug at the system level; and man-machine interface customisation capabilities. "We can provide a lot of support for companies that will develop on the Infineon platform, and help with obtaining institutional funding. But this is a very fast moving sector," he stated. ST-Ericsson employs 400 people at Sophia, undertaking cellular baseband system development, ic design, dsp algorithm development and test for multimedia functions, as well as connectivity solutions integrating Bluetooth, FM radio, GPS and near field communications technologies. "All 3G activities for low cost handsets are based in Sophia," said ST-Ericsson's Dan Rabinowitz. "We contribute to the ecosystem here by supporting the CIMPACA projects and by coaching start-ups." He sees a major shift to Open OS, which will increase the opportunities for partnering, especially for small companies, within the wireless ecosystem. "We will become more reliant on partners," he said. Longest established in the area is Texas Instruments. Its focus is on its OMAP platform, SoC and IP development and system engineering, for analogue and baseband companion chips for baseband and smartphone applications. A key concern, according to Pierre Garnier, vice president of TI's wireless baseband business unit, is the requirement for full system verification and test. "Not just the chips, but also the chips in the end application, requiring millions of use cases. This is something we did not have to do five years ago and which we cannot manage without the ecosystem." TI is looking for partners in power management analysis tools, IP testing and quality metrics. Like Infineon, TI provides a lot of support and a channel to market, for partners using its OMAP open source platform. "We've developed a lot more respect for our partners' business models in recent years," Garnier said. "We understand that it is essential that our partners succeed." On the face of it, the major wireless players at Sophia are supporting and encouraging small companies and are open to new partners to support the wireless ecosystem. It is less clear whether the academic institutes are truly in touch with the needs of industry. Certainly some of the topics being researched are spot on, including: development of miniature multifunction reconfigurable antennas; integration of passive and active antennas; RFID-UHF; near field communications; modelling and power optimisation tools. And some broader based collaborative projects, particularly in the transport and e-health sectors, demonstrate the clear application of strategic technology in target markets. Perhaps the likes of TI, ST-Ericsson and Infineon are overly focused on the extremely fast moving and seemingly exclusive consumer oriented handset sector and see no benefit from longer term, more studied research. One private comment made at the event supported that view – 'Academics have absolutely no concept of marketing'. This observer's implication was that he had no confidence in working with researchers that pay no attention to the needs of immediate 'customers'. 'Asked for a 10minute presentation addressing specific points', he noted, 'we got a 30minute unfocused ramble'. While this observer may have a point, some of the industry's top 'marketeers' are just as guilty: delivering a lengthy 'sales spiel', rather than the objective technology discussion the event required.