Engineering reference for high voltage, high-current power conversion.

IGBT: Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor Guide

<h2 id="isPasted">Introduction</h2>Safety in industrial automation systems is a fundamental requirement that ensures operators and machines remain protected during unexpected events. While the primary purpose of safety systems is to protect human lives, they also affect machine uptime, troubleshooting efficiency, and overall system reliability. As systems get larger and more distributed, manufacturers are expected to implement solutions that meet the compliance requirements without adding much unnecessary complexity or costs. This article explains the challenges of traditional safety systems and how an architectural shift to distributed safety systems with In-Series Diagnostics is solving them. It uses Banner’s Remote Safe I/O as an example to show how industrial safety system engineers can build a highly safe environment within their facility.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nxGT_xmy89Q?si=v6CAKhru03MTq-iM" frameborder="0" class="fr-draggable" style="width:560px;height:450px">  </iframe><h2>The Limits of Traditional Centralized Safety Architectures</h2>Most industries use centralized safety architectures today. With this approach, the control of safety-critical functions is consolidated into a single powerful controller. It does prove to be quite effective for small and low-complexity machines, but gets challenging to scale for large and complex setups. Some limitations of this architecture are:  <iframe id="69ab85c21f5330d9fb913dea" width="250" class="specs-iframe" height="440" src="https://wevolver.com/iframe/specs/banner-engineering-rsio-remote-safe-io-block?iframe=true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><h3>High Wiring Density and Panel Complexity</h3>In a centralized setup, each safety device needs to be wired back to the control panel. These devices could be placed far from each other, especially in applications like material handling or conveyor lines. As the number of devices in the facility increases, the volume of cabling increases too. It makes it harder to manage, install, label, and check cables. Beyond a certain point, routing also affects signal integrity. This is when the approach itself becomes a design constraint.<h3>Limited Fault Visibility at the Device Level</h3>Centralized safety architectures provide device status and information at the circuit/channel level, rather than at the individual device level. During fault conditions, such as an open circuit or safety device trip, manual inspection must be performed, which limits real-time feedback from the system. This lack of granular diagnostics increases downtime and manual efforts, especially in interconnected safety components.<h3>Increased Commissioning Time</h3>During commissioning, each connection must be individually verified from the control cabinet to the device. In case of a wiring or configuration issue, troubleshooting involves tracing connections across the whole system. This sequential manual process can extend commissioning timelines.<h3>Limited Scalability and Expansion Flexibility</h3>Often, the space available in established safety systems is limited. Expanding the system by adding new devices or modifying the existing zones requires significant additional wiring back to the cabinet, which should accommodate new terminations within the available panel. Even if the hardware supports this, it almost always disrupts ongoing operations.<h2>Distributed Safety I/O and In-Series Diagnostics</h2>To overcome the limitations of centralized architectures, safety system engineers are adopting distributed safety. Instead of routing every safety signal back to a central cabinet, they prefer placing safety I/O modules closer to the devices they monitor. It comes across as a minor change, but in practice, it reduces wiring complexity and allows safety systems to be organized in a more modular way. With this approach, the systems can be distributed into different sections or zones.Distributed safety systems are flexible in how inputs and outputs are configured. They include hybrid designs, in which channels can be assigned as either inputs or outputs depending on the application requirements. For engineers, this helps standardize hardware across different machines while still supporting varied safety requirements. This small design change reduces the number of unique components required across projects.<a href="https://stock.adobe.com/images/plant02/10940126?prev_url=detail"></a><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1782401944037-AdobeStock_10940126.jpg" width="738" height="490" class="fr-fic fr-dii" />A modular conveyor network with distributed safety zones enables localized control, streamlined wiring, and faster fault detection. Source: alessia/stock.adobe.comAnother notable development in this safety architecture is the use of In-Series Diagnostics. With this capability, multiple safety devices are connected in series on a single input channel, while still providing individual device-level status. This is unlike the traditional series wiring, where multiple devices share a single signal and faults are difficult to isolate. In-Series Diagnostics enables each and every connected device to share its status independently.Distributed safety systems are often integrated with network-based safety protocols such as Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) Safety. This allows safety data to be exchanged alongside standard control information. The aim is to support system behavior while maintaining required safety integrity.Distributed safety architecture and In-Series Diagnostics help engineers build safety systems better suited to the demands of modern industrial machines.<h2>Banner Engineering’s RSio Remote Safe I/O </h2>Banner Engineering is a leading innovator and manufacturer of industrial automation products. Banner addresses the needs of distributed safety architectures with the RSio Remote Safe I/O. RSio is a machine-mountable safety I/O platform that features six independently configurable hybrid channels. These channels can function as either safety inputs or outputs.<a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/banner-engineering/banner-rsio-remote-safe-io-blocks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzgyMzk4OTYzNzMxLTE3ODIzOTg5NjM3MzAuanBlZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" width="740" height="223" class="fr-fic fr-dii" /></a><a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/banner-engineering/banner-rsio-remote-safe-io-blocks/" id="isPasted">Banner Engineering RSio Remote Safe I/O Block</a>Each port can support up to 32 In-Series Diagnostics-enabled devices, allowing a single module to monitor up to 192 devices. This capability supports high-density safety systems without significantly increasing wiring complexity.RSio is available with either mini power connectors supporting up to 10 A pass-through current or M12 L-Code connectors supporting up to 16 A. Both variants provide the same core functionality and M12 A-Code I/O connectivity, allowing machine builders to select the power standard that best fits their application.RSio includes two configurable safety outputs, each rated at 1 A. These outputs can be used for controlling safety actuators or signaling devices, providing additional flexibility at the machine level.The system supports communication over industrial networks using CIP Safety. This enables safety signals to be transmitted alongside standard control data while maintaining integrity.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tuArCo87CzQ?&amp;pp=ygUXYmFubmVyIGVuZ2luZWVyaW5nIHJzaW8%3D&amp;wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" class="fr-draggable" style="width:575px;height:450px"></iframe>RSio modules feature an IP67-rated housing. This allows the modules to be robust enough to operate in industrial environments without requiring an additional enclosure within a control cabinet.RSio is designed to meet high safety integrity requirements. This includes Category 4, Performance Level e (PLe) and Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL3) capability, the highest level of machine safety, requiring redundant (dual-channel) architecture with high diagnostic coverage (&gt;99%) and a low probability of dangerous failure. The system also offers input reaction times as low as 6 ms and output response times of around 5 ms. These reaction times are more than sufficient for most of the critical industrial applications.Table 1: Key Specifications of Banner Engineering RSio Remote Safe I/O<div><table><tbody><tr><td>Parameter</td><td>Specification</td></tr><tr><td>I/O Configuration</td><td>6 independently configurable hybrid channels (input/output)</td></tr><tr><td>Maximum Devices Supported</td><td>Up to 192 in-series diagnostics-enabled devices per module</td></tr><tr><td>Safety Outputs</td><td>2 configurable outputs</td></tr><tr><td>Output Current Rating</td><td>1A per channel</td></tr><tr><td>Power Connector Options</td><td>Mini (10A pass-through) or M12 L-Code (16A pass-through)</td></tr><tr><td>Communication Protocol</td><td>CIP safety</td></tr><tr><td>Mounting</td><td>Machine-mountable</td></tr><tr><td>Ingress Protection</td><td>IP67</td></tr><tr><td>Operating Temperature</td><td>-25°C to +70°C</td></tr><tr><td>Safety Rating</td><td>Category 4, PLe, SIL3</td></tr><tr><td>Input Reaction Time</td><td>~6ms + configurable debounce</td></tr><tr><td>Output Reaction Time</td><td>~5ms</td></tr><tr><td>Application Scope</td><td>Distributed safety systems, modular machines, and large-scale automation</td></tr></tbody></table></div>RSio supports configuration through Rockwell Automation's Studio 5000®, an integrated engineering environment used to develop, configure, and maintain Logix-based control and safety systems. Engineers can configure RSio, including hybrid I/O and In-Series Diagnostics capabilities, within the same software environment used for GuardLogix® safety controllers, eliminating the need for additional configuration tools.<h2>Architectural Advantages of Distributed Safety I/O with RSio</h2>Moving to distributed, machine-mountable I/O brings practical advantages beyond wiring reduction. When implemented with RSio Remote Safe I/O, these benefits become more apparent. They include:<ul><li>Reduced Cabinet Footprint: By putting safety I/O modules directly on the machine, fewer components need to be housed within the main control cabinet. This drastically simplifies panel design, reduces overall size, and frees up space for other critical components.</li><li>Lower Wiring Complexity: As devices can be connected to nearby I/O blocks, cable length is reduced and routing is simplified. These benefits show up more prominently in large or modular systems.</li><li>Simplified Scalability: With the expansion of facilities, more I/O blocks can be easily added. This has little impact on the overall design. New safety devices could be added closer to where they need to be used, without having to take extra wiring back to a central source.</li><li>Faster Fault Localization: RSio supports In-Series Diagnostics to help operators see the status of connected safety devices. It allows faults to be located to individual devices rather than just at the circuit level, saving a lot of time.</li></ul><h2>Application Scenarios and Industrial Use Cases</h2>Distributed safety I/O with In-Series Diagnostics is particularly useful in applications where machines are physically large. Some typical application scenarios include:<h3>Long Conveyor Systems</h3>Conveyor-based systems extend across large distances. They are known to incorporate multiple safety devices, including:<ul><li>Emergency stop pushbuttons</li><li>Rope pull switches</li><li>Segmented safety zones</li></ul>With distributed safety architecture, modules can be placed along the conveyor to let devices connect locally. In-Series Diagnostics enables identification of the exact device to assist manual inspection.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzgyMzk4MjEwMDcwLTE3ODIzOTgyMTAwNzAucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" width="740" height="284" class="fr-fic fr-dii" />Banner’s RSio simplifies fault detection across industrial systems. Source: Banner Engineering<h3>Robotic Palletizing and Work Cells</h3>Robotic cells involve multiple safety components, such as:<ul><li>Safety light curtains for operator access points</li><li>Gate interlocks on fenced enclosures</li><li>Reset stations and indicator devices</li><li>Emergency stops within and around the cell</li></ul>Distributed safety I/O allows these components to work together. If a specific safety device is triggered, device-level diagnostics can help operators quickly determine the source.<h3>Material Handling and Third-Party Logistics Facilities</h3>Material-handling environments or third-party logistics operations combine conveyors, sortation systems, and robotic elements across wide areas. They carry out frequent system expansion or reconfiguration. At the same time, they have high uptime requirements. In such a scenario, RSio enables scalable system design. It allows completely new zones or devices to be added without major rewiring.To simplify setup for industrial applications further, Banner's Add-On Profile (AOP) Electronic Data Sheet (EDS) file includes user-selectable port presets for common safety devices such as emergency stop buttons, light curtains, and safety switches. These predefined configurations also make system deployments more consistent. <h2>Designing for Scalability, Maintainability, and Compliance</h2>The one thing constant about production requirements is that they change. Machines often need to be expanded or modified. Distributed safety I/O devices, such as RSio, allow additional devices or zones to be integrated without overhauling the entire safety system. New modules can be added where needed, supporting incremental scaling.Using flexible, hybrid I/O modules lets engineering teams standardize safety hardware across their production lines. Instead of building new safety panels for each system, similar distributed architectures can be replicated with minimal variation. This simplifies workflows, reduces efforts, and makes documentation more consistent.Device-level diagnostics provided by In-Series Diagnostics enable maintenance teams to identify faults more precisely. Rather than inspecting multiple devices in a safety loop, they can pinpoint the specific device requiring attention. This makes troubleshooting fast while also reducing the effort required to restore normal operation.Modern safety systems must meet established functional safety standards while remaining practical to implement. RSio is designed to support high safety integrity levels. This makes sure the system design can align with requirements such as Category 4, PLe, and SIL3.<h2>Conclusion</h2>Traditional safety methods remain effective for smaller systems but introduce challenges when applied to modern, large-scale equipment. As industrial machines scale, safety system designs must evolve from centralized, wiring-intensive approaches to more distributed and modular architectures.Distributed safety I/O with In-Series Diagnostics brings in a more structured way to enable device-level visibility and reduced wiring dependencies. Banner’s RSio helps build machines that are not only safe and compliant but also more manageable throughout their lifecycle.Explore <a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/banner-engineering/banner-rsio-remote-safe-io-blocks/?utm_source=wevolver&amp;utm_medium=techspec&amp;utm_campaign=banner-rsio-remote-safe-io-blocks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Banner Engineering’s RSio Remote Safe I/O Block</a>, available at Mouser Electronics.

Industrial facilities are in constant need of upgrades, with machines regularly added, removed, or replaced. With the Banner RSio, safety systems engineers can transition to a more optimized distributed safety architecture, making upgrades and maintenance easier.

In-Series Diagnostics for Industrial Machine Safety with Banner RSio Remote Safe I/O

<section id="isPasted">Ultrasounds are a critical part of modern health care, helping to image soft tissue and organs, measure blood flow, and monitor fetal development. But the technique has constraints, including a limited field of view and the potential for operator error. To address current shortfalls and push the technology toward new applications, Lihong Wang, Bren Professor of Medical Engineering and Electrical Engineering, and a team of Caltech researchers have developed a system that can perform ultrasound tomography (UST) imaging on whole cross-sections of the body."Much like a standard whole-body X-ray, MRI, or PET scan, our system is operator independent. It offers a large field of view because you see the entire cross-section and it doesn't compress the tissue, which can cause distortion," says Wang, who is also the Andrew and Peggy Cherng Medical Engineering Leadership Chair and executive officer for medical engineering at Caltech. "Plus, ultrasound is entirely harmless to patients, which is a big advantage over techniques that use ionizing radiation."The team's novel whole cross-section UST system is explained in a paper published April 24, 2026, in Nature Biomedical Engineering.Traditional ultrasounds work by using a device (called an ultrasonic transducer) that emits pulses of high-frequency sound into the body and measures how those sound vibrations echo throughout tissues and organs to generate two-dimensional images of those structures.Sound waves move through water faster than through air, which is why a hydrogel is applied to the skin during conventional ultrasound imaging to eliminate any air gaps. To scan an organ from all sides, UST requires the entire body part to be in contact with water. As a way of demonstrating the feasibility of their new, larger system, Wang and the team drew inspiration from an early ultrasound system from the 1950s, in which patients were submerged in a tank of water."To propagate ultrasound efficiently, we need to have water between the patient and our ultrasound transducers, so we had participants sit in an immersion tank with their heads out of the water," explains Wang, the corresponding author of the paper. "There is a lab-made ring-like structure around the tank made up of 512 transducers that we use to scan up and down the body and image different cross-sections."In addition to measuring echoes, Wang's system can measure the transmission signal, quantifying the speed of sound to distinguish between different tissue types, and record the attenuation, or reduction of the signal's energy as it is absorbed or deflected in the body, of each sound wave."When tissue varies, it can be used as an indicator of certain diseases such as chronic inflammation and cancer. For example, if there's solidification of tissue due to a tumor, it becomes stiffer, and the echogenicity, speed of sound, or attenuation can change as it encounters that tissue," Wang explains. "The more physical parameters we can quantify, the better the chance that we can correlate those measurements with physiologically meaningful parameters to help us diagnose different diseases."Wang and the team tested their system on five healthy volunteers, scanning their abdomens for 10 seconds at a time. Unlike traditional ultrasound, the UST device was able to image deep in the body and produce images similar to those made by MRI and other standard whole-body imaging modalities.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1782309301428-Wang_Lihong-FullBodyUltrasound-Figure-WEB.original.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />Images of a healthy female's abdomen taken by the Wang lab's ultrasound tomography system (left) are compared to clinical MRI images of a corresponding region (right). Credit: Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory"Our work shows that whole cross-sectional UST is a potential low-cost, safe, fast, and convenient tool for screening and monitoring health conditions," says Wang says, noting that while the team focused on the abdomen for this study, they believe the technique will be successful at imaging other areas of the body, including the extremities, the neck, and ultimately the brain.Eventually, he would like to convert the system from a vertical tank of liquid to a horizontal bed that uses a thin pouch of water paired with a conductive gel under the patient's body instead. In theory, this would enable real-time imaging during surgical procedures to help guide physicians—and even robotic surgical technologies—in a way that no other modality could perform. It could also be used for image-guided biopsies, among other applications, especially if combined with another technology in Wang's lab, called photoacoustic imaging, to offer molecular contrasts, he says.For now, the next step is to test the vertical system in patients with liposarcoma, a rare cancer that originates in fat cells and is hard to image with current technologies due to tumors that have difficult-to-define features and are often located deep within tissue. The researchers are collaborating with City of Hope Medical Center, a cancer hospital in the Los Angeles area, to evaluate the effectiveness of whole cross-section UST in identifying and monitoring liposarcomas."You want to quantify the fat-layer thickness to assess and track tumors, and we can provide much more accurate quantification using this technology," explains Wang, who notes that the team has a patent application pending for its UST system. "Because the system is safe and pain-free, we can monitor the same subject as frequently as we need."<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1782309251893-1782309251893.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />At left, an illustration of the ultrasound tomography (UST) system developed by Lihong Wang and members of his lab. While a patient is submerged in a water tank, a lab-made ring-like structure made up of 512 transducers is used to scan up and down the body and image different cross-sections. At right, UST images of a human abdomen show how information is gathered from different types of measurements to produce images of organs and tissues inside the body. Credit: Caltech Optical Imaging LaboratoryIn addition to liposarcoma, Wang says the technology could aid in the early detection of tumors in other organs, such as the liver or pancreas. Additionally, it can potentially assist in musculoskeletal imaging by identifying soft tissue tears or degenerative changes."Frequent imaging can detect subtle changes in the body over time, meaning this longitudinal capability offers deeper pathological insights than a single snapshot, enabling physicians to track progression or treatment response with greater precision," he says.The Nature Biomedical Engineer paper is titled "Whole Cross-Sectional Human Ultrasound Tomography." Additional authors from Caltech's Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering are graduate students David C. Garrett and Jinhua Xu (MS '23), postdoctoral scholar Donghyeon Oh and former postdoctoral scholar Yousuf Aborahama, and research faculty members Geng Ku and Konstantin Maslov. William Tseng, a surgical oncologist at City of Hope is also a co-author. The study was supported with funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and by the National Research Foundation of Korea. The City of Hope collaboration is funded by the Merkin Institute of Translational Research at Caltech.</section><section> </section>

A team of Caltech researchers has developed a system that can perform ultrasound tomography (UST) imaging on whole cross-sections of the body.

Scanning the Body with Sound

The Breakdown: <ul><li>World2Rules learns patterns of risky aircraft behavior from real airport operations and incident data.</li><li>It explains its warnings in simple terms that are easy for humans to understand.</li><li>World2Rules is designed to work alongside existing prediction systems to enhance aircraft safety.</li></ul>* * *When managing airport traffic, small errors can lead to catastrophe. Just a few months ago, an air traffic controller told an Air Canada jet that had just landed at New York’s JFK Airport to wait before crossing a runway to avoid an EVA Air jet that was landing. The Air Canada crew acknowledged the instructions but kept moving while the EVA jet was traveling toward them at high speed. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a-DaGsxmV4c?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameborder="0" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> Fortunately, an alert controller transmitted, “Stop, stop, stop, stop!” in time. The Air Canada plane stopped, the EVA plane zoomed by and disaster was averted — but it was close.Near misses like the one at JFK inspired a group from the <a href="https://theairlab.org/">AirLab</a> in Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute (RI) to create World2Rules, an AI system that learns interpretable safety rules from data to analyze, verify and explain potential collision scenarios. By learning from both everyday airport activity and documented safety violations, the system builds a clear picture of what “normal” and “unsafe” behaviors look like. When it detects a potential violation, Word2Rules does more than just raise an alert. It identifies which safety rule is being broken and explains why the situation is risky, showing how the scenario matches known patterns of danger rather than issuing a vague warning.“The overall idea we’ve been working on with this project is to see how we can improve safety in the aviation domain or other safety-critical domains,” said Jack Wang, an RI master’s student. “As shown on the news, runway incursions have been happening. Sometimes they’re minor, but sometimes they can be quite catastrophic.”Wang is passionate about aviation safety and flight. He joined the <a href="https://www.cmuflyingclub.org/team">CMU Flying Club</a> as a first-year student and later taught a <a href="https://www.cmu.edu/stuco/">Student College </a>course to help students get the ground instruction they need to pursue a pilot’s license.The World2Rules team wanted to design an AI system that could not only recognize when aircraft were on a dangerous path, but could also predict potential collisions early enough to give pilots and controllers critical extra moments to react.To do so, the AirLab and the <a href="https://cmubig.github.io/">Bot Intelligence Group</a> jointly developed the <a href="https://ameliacmu.github.io/">Amelia-42 dataset</a>. The set contains two years of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airport surface movement data from 42 U.S. airports. It includes massive amounts of information, tracking aircraft and vehicle movement across runways and taxiways. To process the large amount of information, they used the Bridges-2 supercomputer at the <a href="https://www.psc.edu/">Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center</a>. “The data we collected includes both normal airport operations and crash and incident reports,” said Jay Patrikar, a recent RI graduate who worked on World2Rules and was also a founder of the CMU Flying Club. “That data helps our system distinguish between normal and unsafe situations. We not only want to understand that a crash is happening, but also want to predict if a crash will happen in the future.” World2Rules is designed to plug into a broader collision-prediction pipeline. It learns explicit safety rules from the Amelia dataset, recognizing patterns that lead to unsafe situations, such as aircraft occupying the same runway at the same time. It then applies those rules to aircraft trajectories, flagging when a future scenario would violate them. Instead of simply signaling risk, the system can then point to the specific rule being broken and explain why the behavior is dangerous in terms humans can understand.  “In practice, this ideally would mean air traffic controllers or automated systems could get earlier, clearer warnings of potential dangers,” Wang said.To make sense of all that data, World2Rules combines two types of AI approaches, neural and symbolic. The neural side picks up on patterns buried in the airport data. The symbolic side turns those patterns into clear, logical rules that humans can read. By pairing pattern recognition with rule-based reasoning, the system can both identify risky situations and explain them in a structured way.“Beyond aviation, World2Rules could also be used in other areas where safety is critical,” said Sebastian Scherer, an associate research professor in the RI and head of the AirLab. “The system can be adapted to different environments by teaching it the relevant rules and behaviors for that domain. Once that information is defined, the same core technology can learn and monitor safety risks without needing to be redesigned.”The team reported their results at the NASA Formal Methods Symposium in Los Angeles earlier this month.

World2Rules Learns Patterns of Unsafe Aircraft Behavior and Explains Potential Risks Before Disaster Strikes

CMU Researchers Develop AI System to Help Prevent Airport Collisions

CUDA cores are Nvidia GPUs' core FP32/INT32 processing units, powering parallel computing across HPC, gaming, and graphics rendering tasks.

Understanding Nvidia CUDA Cores: A Comprehensive Guide for 2026

<h2 id="isPasted">Introduction</h2>Choosing the right material platform is one of the earliest and most consequential decisions in photonic integrated circuit (PIC) development. The platform influences everything from optical performance and wavelength range to manufacturability, cost, and long-term scalability.Among the available options, silicon nitride (SiN) has emerged as an attractive choice for applications that demand ultra-low optical losses, broad wavelength support, and the flexibility to integrate additional materials and functions.At the same time, many teams face a familiar challenge: moving from successful prototypes to dependable industrial-scale manufacturing.New Origin was founded to address that gap. Based in the Netherlands, the company is building an independent pure-play SiN foundry focused on providing a seamless transition from R&amp;D to scalable fabrication.This vision aligns with the goals of the <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/global-photonics-engineering-contest-2026?utm_source=article&amp;utm_medium=xiver&amp;utm_id=photondelta" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Global Photonics Engineering Contest 2026</a>, which gives participants a pathway from concept and design to fabrication and potential funding. In this ecosystem, New Origin could become a future manufacturing partner for teams ready to scale their innovations.<h2>SiN: A Platform Built for Low-Loss, Scalable Photonics</h2>As integrated photonics expands into markets such as healthcare, consumer electronics, quantum technologies, and AI infrastructure, SiN is gaining momentum as a versatile platform that combines low optical losses, broad wavelength support, and the ability to leverage established manufacturing processes.For New Origin, SiN serves as the foundation for a manufacturing strategy focused on bridging the gap between research and scalable production.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1782151460838-1782151460838.jpeg" width="740" height="185" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="photon-delta-new-origin-banner" />Peter van Arkel speaks with Twan Korthorst, CEO of New Origin, about the growing role of SiN PICs and the manufacturing infrastructure needed to take them from prototype to volume production. Korthorst brings more than 30 years of experience in semiconductor and photonics technologies. He previously served as the CEO of PhoeniX Software and later led Synopsys’ photonic solutions business following its acquisition.Peter (PhotonDelta): What makes SiN a strong platform choice for integrated photonics today?Twan Korthorst (New Origin): SiN is the technology platform of choice for a large variety of applications due to its superior optical performance and broad wavelength spectrum support. Key advantages of SiN include:<ul><li>Very low propagation losses</li><li>Broad wavelength coverage, spanning visible to infrared</li><li>Compatibility with standard silicon wafer processing</li><li>Ability to scale to 200/300 mm wafers</li><li>Relative ease of integrating additional materials and processes</li></ul><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1782151460845-1782151460845.jpeg" width="740" height="471" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="applications-wavelength-platforms" />Source: New Origin/PhotonDeltaCompared with silicon photonics, SiN offers lower optical losses and broader transparency, which are especially valuable in sensing, healthcare, and quantum applications. Compared with III-V platforms such as indium phosphide, SiN does not provide native light generation, but it excels as a passive waveguide platform and can be combined with active materials when needed. As photonic systems become more complex and move into new markets, these attributes are making SiN an increasingly attractive platform choice.For participants in the Global Photonics Engineering Contest 2026, it offers a versatile and scalable foundation to develop solutions that can ultimately transition to industrial manufacturing.<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/global-photonics-engineering-contest-2026?utm_source=article&amp;utm_medium=xiver&amp;utm_id=photondelta" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1782151460852-1782151460852.png" width="740" height="259" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="global-photonics-engineering-contest-2026-baner" /></a>Peter (PhotonDelta): Could you tell us something about your products, services, and key initiatives?Twan Korthorst (New Origin): New Origin is currently in the facility development phase. Backed by significant investment, the company is building a dedicated manufacturing infrastructure focused exclusively on SiN PICs. Its core offering will be pure-play foundry manufacturing for customers developing SiN-based PICs.The company’s goal is to provide:<ul><li>Predictable and repeatable manufacturing</li><li>Low- to medium-volume, high-mix production</li><li>Competitive turnaround times</li><li>Support for advanced integration approaches</li></ul>One of the company’s most notable recent developments is its <a href="https://neworigin.eu/en/new-origin-to-collaborate-with-imec-to-scale-photonic-ic-manufacturing-in-industrial-environment/" target="_blank">collaboration with imec</a>. This partnership will transfer imec’s low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) SiN platform to New Origin, helping accelerate industrialization while improving yield and lowering cost.Suggested reading: <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/imec-on-how-datacom-and-ai-are-accelerating-the-maturity-of-integrated-photonics-an-interview-with-philippe-soussan" target="_blank">Imec on How Datacom and AI Are Accelerating the Maturity of Integrated Photonics: An Interview with Philippe Soussan</a>The foundry is also being designed to incorporate non-CMOS-compatible materials such as gold and thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), expanding the range of architectures it can support.Peter (PhotonDelta): As a pure-play SiN foundry, how does your business model differ from vertically integrated photonics companies, and what advantages does this create for customers?Twan Korthorst (New Origin): Vertically integrated photonics companies typically develop and manufacture products for their own end markets.New Origin is taking a different approach.As a pure-play dedicated PIC foundry, our focus is solely on manufacturing. We don’t compete with our customers. Instead, we will provide the fabrication infrastructure that enables fabless photonics companies to bring products to market.This model offers several advantages:<ul><li>Customers retain ownership of their design IP</li><li>The foundry can support a broad range of applications</li><li>Manufacturing processes can be optimized for repeatability and cost</li><li>Companies gain access to industrial-grade production without building their own fab</li></ul>For strategic applications such as quantum technologies, satellite communications, and healthcare, New Origin sees European manufacturing capacity as an important way to strengthen regional supply chain resilience and long-term technological independence.Peter (PhotonDelta): What are the key volume applications of SiN? Where do you see the strongest growth?Twan Korthorst (New Origin): New Origin sees strong growth opportunities across several markets, including:<ul><li>Augmented and Virtual Reality: Low-loss waveguides and broad wavelength support make SiN well-suited for compact optical engines and display systems.</li><li>Biosensing and Healthcare: SiN’s optical properties support highly sensitive detection and imaging systems.</li><li>Autonomous Navigation: Applications such as light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and optical sensors benefit from low-loss routing and scalable integration.</li><li>Satellite Communications: Photonic integration with SiN can reduce size, weight, and power while improving overall system performance.</li><li>Quantum Computing: Quantum systems require highly stable, low-loss optical circuits, making SiN a compelling platform.</li><li>Datacom, high-performance computing (HPC), and AI: The rising demand for bandwidth is driving increased adoption of integrated photonics for optical I/O, co-packaged optics, and next-generation interconnects.</li></ul>Peter (PhotonDelta): One of the key challenges in photonics is scaling production. How is New Origin addressing the transition from research and prototyping to industrial-scale manufacturing?Twan Korthorst (New Origin): This is the central challenge New Origin was created to solve.Today, many companies rely on shared research facilities and pilot lines to develop and test SiN-based photonic chips. These environments are invaluable for innovation, but they are not always optimized for production metrics such as yield, cost, and turnaround time.There is currently no well-established scaling path for SiN photonic chips. New Origin is building a dedicated manufacturing environment focused on industrial execution.Planned capabilities include:<ul><li>200 mm wafer processing</li><li>Semi-automated operations</li><li>Optimized batch sizes for flexible production</li><li>Target capacity of 50,000 wafers per year</li><li>Process control designed for predictable, repeatable results</li></ul>This approach is intended to provide the same kind of scalable foundry model that transformed the semiconductor industry.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1782151460859-1782151460859.jpeg" width="740" height="416" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="pic-fabrication-stages" />Source: New OriginPeter (PhotonDelta): How can the PhotonDelta Global Photonics Engineering Contest and the broader integrated photonics ecosystem help participants take their ideas from concept to scalable manufacturingKorthorst (New Origin): For early-stage participants, the broader ecosystem partners can support design and simulation, fabrication through existing foundry resources, testing and validation, and optimization for manufacturability. Once a design is validated and ready to scale, New Origin is positioned to become a part of the manufacturing pathway that helps transition the technology into production.This staged approach would reduce barriers for startups and research teams by giving them access to specialized expertise and infrastructure throughout the development cycle. In this sense, the contest is more than a showcase. It provides a direct route into an ecosystem designed to turn promising ideas into commercially viable integrated photonic products.Peter (PhotonDelta): Looking ahead, what is New Origin’s long-term vision?Korthorst (New Origin): Our ambition is to become a leading global pure-play foundry for photonic chips based on silicon nitride waveguide technology, including non-CMOS compatible materials and processes like, for instance, gold or TFLN. We call this silicon nitride plus (SiN+). The core of our vision is making PICs more accessible by providing manufacturing infrastructure that combines industrial-quality processes, flexible production, support for a wide range of applications, and strong manufacturing capacity within Europe.We summarize this vision with a simple phrase: “PICs for the masses.”<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/global-photonics-engineering-contest-2026?utm_source=article&amp;utm_medium=xiver&amp;utm_id=photondelta" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="button-main-action">LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONTEST AND SUBMIT NOW</a><h2>Conclusion</h2>SiN has established itself as one of the most versatile and scalable platforms in integrated photonics, but platform advantages alone are not enough. The integrated photonics industry also needs a dependable manufacturing path that can carry designs from research prototypes to commercial production.That is the opportunity New Origin is pursuing. By building an independent pure-play SiN foundry and embedding it within the European photonics ecosystem, the company aims to provide the industrial foundation needed to scale innovation.For participants in the Global Photonics Engineering Contest 2026, this is an opportunity to turn innovative ideas into manufacturable photonic products with the support of a world-class ecosystem.

A discussion with New Origin CEO Twan Korthorst on why SiN is gaining popularity as an integrated photonics platform and how dedicated foundries can take PICs from prototype to production, creating new opportunities for startups and Global Photonics Engineering Contest 2026 participants.

Silicon Nitride Photonic Integrated Circuits: Foundry Insights from New Origin

Procurement practices have evolved significantly in recent years thanks to the advent of innovations like RFQ comparison tools and digital manufacturing platforms. In the case of digital manufacturing platforms in particular, custom part procurement has been transformed from a multi-step, risk-laden process into a more streamlined and reliable workflow. Much of this streamlining is owed to digital frameworks that organize and coordinate various production elements like administration, documentation, production availability, and more. Still, despite the many benefits that smart digital technologies have brought to part sourcing, there is still a significant need for physical oversight across the production chain to ensure that materials, processes, and production output are up to standard. In other words, while procurement is increasingly digital, production will forever have a physical side. In order to ensure optimal quality assurance along the production chain, leading digital manufacturers like FACTUREE are taking a multi-pronged approach to quality assurance (QA). This involves leveraging AI-driven digital tools (to monitor and verify critical things like purchase orders, manufacturer certifications, supplier data, process monitoring) as well as on-site gatekeepers who ensure that QA is being maintained at critical points in the supply chain. This combination, which takes a holistic approach to quality assurance and logistics, is enabling digital manufacturing platforms like FACTUREE to<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/using-ai-driven-digital-tools-to-unlock-zero-defect-manufacturing"> achieve zero-defect manufacturing</a> for its customers. <h2>The Limits of Digital Oversight</h2>Based in Berlin, FACTUREE is a digital manufacturing platform that functions as a single contracting partner for customers in industries like aerospace, automotive, consumer goods, defense, energy, engineering, medical, and more. The company has a network of over 2,000 qualified manufacturers and a powerful AI platform that connects custom part requests with the ideal manufacturing supplier (based on job specifications, lead times, cost, etc.). Notably, as sole contractual partner, FACTUREE oversees all elements of the procurement and production processes once a part drawing has been uploaded—including quality assurance, inspections, and logistics.As anyone with insight into production chains and zero-defect strategies will know, this scale of production management and oversight requires a strong digital framework as well as effective on-site quality control. On the digital side, a smart digital manufacturing infrastructure is essential for:<ul><li>Matching custom parts to the optimal supplier</li><li>Verifying manufacturer certificates for quality management (i.e. ISO 9001, ISO 9100, ISO 14001)</li><li>Ensuring proper compliance documentation across the network (i.e. RoHS, REACH, EMPB, PPAP)</li><li>Validating material certificates (EN 10204) to support incoming goods inspections</li><li>Creating a traceable, fully documented supply chain</li></ul>While powerful, these digital processes must be reinforced with physical, on-site quality assurance. This physical oversight, which includes incoming goods inspections, machine calibration and maintenance, part inspection, and on-site logistics, works to ensure that all operations are up to code and that the parts being made are up to standard at every production step. On the ground, the people responsible for this oversight—with a special focus on specific points in the supply chain—are known as gatekeepers. It is these gatekeepers that ensure that digitally defined standards are implemented on site and at every step of production. For an operation like FACTUREE’s, which relies on manufacturing partners to supply parts, this multi-faceted quality assurance approach is central. That is, while the company itself does not own production equipment, it has a robust process to check, monitor, and maintain quality standards across its production network. <h2>The Role of On-Site Logistics</h2>Before we dive deeper into how gatekeepers play a fundamental QA role at FACTUREE, let’s first look at the impact of on-site logistics in a production chain. Generally, on-site logistics refers to the personnel on the ground who are trained to manage and oversee the handling of materials, equipment, and products inside a facility. At a manufacturing site, an <a href="https://www.facturee.de/en/logistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">on-site logistics</a> team will be tasked with several things, including:<ul><li>Overseeing the receipt of raw materials (i.e. ensuring that materials match documentation, identifying non-conforming materials, flagging undocumented substitutions)</li><li>Ensuring materials are where they need to be (i.e. that raw materials are being stored properly and are being properly handled when processed)</li><li>Monitoring storage and operating conditions (i.e. ensuring that temperatures, humidity levels, cleanliness are maintained in material storage and production environments)</li><li>Supporting inspections and documentation to ensure traceability (i.e. verifying inspection documentation, certificates of conformity, etc.)</li><li>Identifying defective parts and removing them from the supply chain</li><li>Preparing goods to be packaged and shipped (i.e. conducting a manual visual inspection, ensuring packaging standards, on-site customs) </li></ul>One of the key roles of an on-site logistics team is to detect issues early or as soon as they appear. This goes hand-in-hand with the quality gate manufacturing strategy, in which checks are established at critical points in the production line with the express goal of ensuring products are up to standard. For example, incoming raw materials should be assessed by a gatekeeper to ensure that they haven’t been damaged on route. While the material documentation may all be in order, an expert eye is needed to ensure that, say, a steel blank showing signs of corrosion isn’t put through to be CNC machined. This quality gate approach mitigates risk by identifying and addressing issues as soon as they arise, so that downstream processes aren’t impacted. In line with this, on-site logistics can also help to identify and flag unreliable suppliers, leading to a more resilient, trusted supply chain. At FACTUREE, on-site quality control is carried out by engineers who are involved throughout the entire process — from initial inquiry through to delivery — not only once a shipment has arrived. Crucially, handling customs in-house means parts can be shipped directly to FACTUREE and dispatched to customers immediately after quality control, cutting days from the overall manufacturing lifecycle.Ultimately, having gatekeepers on the ground reinforces digital QA infrastructures and ensures that every step in a production operation is going smoothly. On-site logistics also helps to keep lead times on track, maintain machine uptimes, and overall production consistency.    <h2>Quality Assurance at FACTUREE</h2>At FACTUREE, gatekeepers and on-site logistics are an important part of a vigorous supplier quality assurance strategy. This strategy comprises various elements, including AI-supported supplier selection, comprehensive production monitoring (both using digital tools and on-the-ground expertise), a double final inspection, and integrated logistics. In the market of digital manufacturing platforms, FACTUREE stands out for this holistic and highly certified approach to QA. That is, not only can the company’s customers rely on all network manufacturers being certified for quality management, compliance, and materials, they also have the benefit of working with an Authorised Economic Operator manufacturing partner. As an AEO-certified company, FACTUREE specializes in import and export and maintains a trusted relationship with customs authorities. In practice, this means that all shipments undergo a parts inspection process, in which an on-site logistics team conducts a manual visual inspection for every part. This ensures that parts haven’t suffered any scratches or other surface finish defects in the last steps of production. From there, parts are carefully packaged in suitable industry-standard packaging, whether it’s customized padding or ISPM 15 overseas shipping crates. Moreover, thanks to the company’s AEO status, all FACTUREE shipments are prioritized and are rarely subject to physical checks, ensuring that parts are delivered as quickly as possible. The company also handles all customs declarations through its internal quality control. In the event of a damaged or unusable part, FACTUREE takes full responsibility for the return logistics, organizing collection and coordinating import documentation for third countries like the USA, Switzerland and UK.  <h2>Conclusion</h2>There is no question that AI and digital tools are advancing procurement and production processes by enhancing traceability, efficiency, and quality assurance. At the same time, establishing a truly robust and resilient production workflow—particularly at a scale like FACTUREE’s network—depends on physical oversight and on-site logistics. By establishing gatekeepers and strong on-site logistics, digital manufacturing platforms can achieve comprehensive quality assurance that guarantees quality not only by inspecting parts, but also by ensuring that each piece of the production puzzle, from incoming raw materials to final part packaging, is monitored and accounted for. In the end, and as FACTUREE has shown, the strongest <a href="https://www.facturee.de/en/certifications-and-test-reports/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">quality assurance strategies</a> for digital manufacturers integrate both digital AI infrastructure and human intelligence.

Digital manufacturing platform FACTUREE proves that the best quality assurance involves digital and physical oversight.

Why Gatekeepers and On-Site Logistics are Essential to Quality Assurance

The first half of 2026 has highlighted a marked shift in the perception of mobile. It is no longer just a smartphone in your pocket, mobile now represents an ecosystem of connected devices that include robots, wearables, extended reality, and vehicles that operate in real-world scenarios.Right at the start of the year, we have seen the shape of things to arrive: One of the most visible examples of this shift was NVIDIA’s announcement at CES 2026 of the Isaac GR00T platform for humanoid robots.[1] Additionally, companies such as Hyundai and Boston Dynamics demonstrated the updated Atlas humanoid, with plans to deploy it in manufacturing plants by 2028.[2] Similarly, LG showcased the CLOiD robot, a seven-axis arm device designed for household chores.[3] The trend highlights how AI is pairing digital intelligence with physical action.[4]<h2>Understanding Physical AI and Its Requirements</h2>To operate effectively in dynamic environments, these systems rely on physical AI. It generally involves the combination of AI models with sensors and actuators that enable robots or vehicles to act upon real-world environments.[5] For instance, in autonomous vehicles, physical AI uses cameras, lidar sensors, and AI mapping to adapt to traffic and weather for navigation.For contextual awareness, which includes location, motion, and environmental conditions, AI systems require a continuous stream of sensor data. This contextual awareness must be maintained in real time to ensure safe and predictable behaviour.To put this in perspective, a single autonomous mobile robot (AMR) or vehicle can generate upwards of 4 terabytes of data per day when high-resolution cameras, lidar, and telemetry are combined.[6] In the absence of reliable connectivity, AI models end up operating on outdated data, which may lead to performance issues and safety risks.<h2>Always-On Connectivity Is Not Optional</h2>The stakes are significantly higher when AI systems are physical. For instance, in a purely digital setting, a GPT model with outdated data might lead to errors in your article or presentation. In contrast, when AI is controlling a vehicle or robotic arm, lost connectivity can lead to delayed data, equipment damage or production downtime.  This is why physical AI systems cannot rely on best-effort connectivity. In real-world deployments, even brief connection losses can compromise situational awareness, delay critical updates, and create blind spots across deployed IoT device fleets. That’s why, always on cellular connectivity essential for continuous monitoring, timely updates, and effective incident response.The 2024 autopilot-related incidents involving Tesla serve as a reminder of how delayed sensor fusion can escalate into real-world risks.[7]<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1782124981740-1782124981740.png" width="602" height="301" class="fr-fic fr-dii" />Always-on connectivity enables seamless and real-time interaction. Source: Kigen. <h2>The Role of Edge AI</h2>The industry standard for safe latency is under 10 milliseconds, while a typical cloud round trip could average 60–100 ms.[8] Edge AI addresses this gap by processing data locally, enabling immediate response and a more fluid, responsive user experience. By keeping sensitive data on the device, edge intelligence also supports privacy by design, while allowing systems to adapt to individual users and environments for greater personalisation.For instance, at CES 2026 ARM powered wearables demonstrated real-time health monitoring reducing cloud dependency.[9]That said, the connection to the cloud is still critical. It is just that its role has evolved. For example, if a person steps in front of an industrial robot, the edge AI will stop the robot immediately for the safety of the person. The connected cloud server, on the other hand, will process the incident data across the fleet and train the models to better recognize and avoid similar situations in the future.The cloud becomes the layer for fleet level visibility and model training. Critical reactions happen at the edge, while insights learned across deployments continuously improve system performance over time.<h2>How eSIM Moves Control to the OEMs</h2>With fleets of physical AI devices on the rise, connectivity management becomes more critical than ever. In traditional SIM models, control mostly lies with network operators. IoT devices are often locked to a single carrier or a single region. This is not an ideal situation for OEMs deploying robots or vehicles across multiple countries. The eSIM technology changes this dynamic by moving control from network operators to device makers. Earlier, changing a network operator for a fleet of vehicles or robots used to be a time-intensive task, as it involved downtime to physically swap SIMs. With integrated eSIM solutions, OEMs can switch operators with minimal friction.<h2>Clearing the Confusion Around eSIM</h2>In the industrial space, there is often confusion regarding eSIM. It is not a carrier plan in itself. eSIM, as its name suggests, is a digital yet hardware backed secure SIM (hardware part often is referred to as eUICC) that replaces the traditional removable SIM card with a programmable version. The difference is not what network you use, but how connectivity is managed across devices over their entire lifecycle through the assurance of security. This connectivity is enabled on the device as the eSIM now binds the unique identity of the device with a network, and can be allowed to switch over. The eSIM serves as the trust anchor: it’s primary function being security, and connectivity being secondary. This highlights how eSIMs play their role in autonomous systems that need to be secured from evolving cyber threats. Industrial robots and eSIM enabled devices remain operational for decades so remote programmability is essential to maintain connectivity.Over the period of time, change in factors such as network, pricing, and performance may prompt OEMs to switch network operators. eSIM makes this transition easy by allowing users to securely download and activate network operator profiles. This capability also enables IFPP (in-factory profile provisioning) based on the region and requirements.[10] OEMs get the option of securely injecting mobile network profiles at the manufacturing stage. They can ship their products to different destinations network settings pre-configured for optimum coverage. As a result, manufacturers can reduce logistical complexity with one global SKU.<h2>Achieving Interoperability and Scale</h2>Unlike the prior eSIM standard such as M2M (SGP.02) that relies on complex SMS-based triggers, and single network integrations, the latest SGP.32 standard is purpose-built for IoT devices that have more constraints in memory available or may run on low-power networks. It offers eIM (eSIM IoT remote Manager), which allows for zero-touch provisioning of thousands of devices at once. It also supports iFPP (In-Factory Profile Provisioning), enabling profiles to be flashed during manufacturing.Since SGP.32 is an open standard, designed with interoperability in mind, from the GSMA, the industry body of all mobile sector players, chipmakers and network providers are all building compatible solutions. This reduces the risk for OEMs of investing in a proprietary technology that might disappear down the line.<h2>Conclusion</h2>If you’re building physical AI, connectivity cannot be an afterthought. Cellular IoT offers the strongest globalised coverage, inclusive of satellite connectivity, far more suitable to protect IP that resides on the physical AI nodes with assurance of security and network availability. New eSIM standards such as GSMA SGP.32 shift connectivity upstream in the product lifecycle, enabling it to be designed in from the outset rather than bolted on after deployment.By defining connectivity strategy early, teams can manage network profiles over the air, select local operators as devices move across regions, and support global deployment without increasing total cost of ownership. For physical AI systems that depend on continuous monitoring, updates, and safety controls, this approach delivers long-term resilience and control. With SGP.32 enabled tooling and in factory profile provisioning, connectivity is aligned with product vision from day one.To dive deeper into how OEMs can build resilient, scalable connectivity strategies for physical AI, explore the ABI Research's report, developed in collaboration with Kigen:<a href="https://kigen.com/resources/white-papers/oem-iot-esim-guide/"> https://kigen.com/resources/white-papers/oem-iot-esim-guide/</a><hr /><h3>Resources:</h3><ol><li><a href="https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-isaac-gr00t-n1-open-humanoid-robot-foundation-model-simulation-frameworks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-isaac-gr00t-n1-open-humanoid-robot-foundation-model-simulation-frameworks</a></li><li><a href="https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/newsroom/detail/boston-dynamics-atlas-named-%2527best-robot%2527-in-best-of-ces%25E2%2584%25A2-2026-awards-by-cnet-group-0000001105" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/newsroom/detail/boston-dynamics-atlas-named-%2527best-robot%2527-in-best-of-ces%25E2%2584%25A2-2026-awards-by-cnet-group-0000001105</a></li><li><a href="https://www.lg.com/global/newsroom/news/home-appliance-and-air-solution/lg-electronics-presents-lg-cloid-home-robot-to-demonstrate-zero-labor-home-at-ces-2026/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.lg.com/global/newsroom/news/home-appliance-and-air-solution/lg-electronics-presents-lg-cloid-home-robot-to-demonstrate-zero-labor-home-at-ces-2026/</a></li><li><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronschmelzer/2026/01/10/physical-ai-made-waves-at-ces-2026-what-is-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronschmelzer/2026/01/10/physical-ai-made-waves-at-ces-2026-what-is-it/</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/physical-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/physical-ai</a></li><li><a href="https://medium.com/@autodriveai/autonomous-cars-will-collect-approximately-4-tb-of-data-every-hour-of-driving-3819aba33204" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://medium.com/@autodriveai/autonomous-cars-will-collect-approximately-4-tb-of-data-every-hour-of-driving-3819aba33204</a></li><li><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/legal/2025/06/24/tesla-lawsuit-autopilot-crash/84336338007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/legal/2025/06/24/tesla-lawsuit-autopilot-crash/84336338007/</a></li><li><a href="https://www.omnitron-systems.com/blog/understanding-network-latency-and-its-impact-on-industrial-applications" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.omnitron-systems.com/blog/understanding-network-latency-and-its-impact-on-industrial-applications</a></li><li> <a href="https://www.arm.com/markets/consumer-technologies/wearables" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.arm.com/markets/consumer-technologies/wearables</a></li><li><a href="https://kigen.com/resources/white-papers/ifpp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://kigen.com/resources/white-papers/ifpp/</a></li></ol><h2 id="isPasted"> </h2>

As AI moves from screens into real environments, reliable and always-on connectivity are becoming a safety and scale requirement.

How Physical AI Is Redefining Mobile and Why eSIM Matters

EV Charging Connector Types for AC, CCS, Tesla/NACS, and CHAdeMO Systems

This article explains EV charging connector types, including AC, CCS, Tesla, CHAdeMO, GB/T, and NACS, with regional compatibility.

EV Charging Connector Types: AC, CCS, Tesla, CHAdeMO

Electronic power stage and control choices for brushless DC motors.

BLDC Motor Driver: Architecture and Tradeoffs

In engineered systems of any complexity, the importance of small components often exceeds their physical scale. Cable clips influence signal integrity under vibration and motion; printed circuit board (PCB) supports contribute to mechanical stability and thermal behaviour; and access hardware, such as hinges and quarter-turn locks, govern enclosure performance in industrial environments. Despite this functional significance, such elements are frequently selected late in the design cycle. Decisions made at that stage, however, can materially affect manufacturability, reliability, assembly time, and lifecycle performance. For example, specifying a PCB support without sufficient vibration resistance may not present an issue during early prototyping, but can lead to board deflection or intermittent connection faults during final validation—forcing enclosure adjustments or component substitutions late in the programme. Essentra Components operates in this foundational segment of the value chain: supplying standard and engineered plastic and metal components to industries such as industrial, electronics, transportation, energy, digital infrastructure, metal fabrication, machine building &amp; automation and related sectors. As a global manufacturer of a broad range of protective, finishing, and functional parts, it holds its own production and distribution capacity across multiple regions. Their product catalogue, also available digital through the official Essentra Components site, spans numerous families of components used in engineering assemblies and equipment housings [1]. <h2>Organizational Structure and Historical Context</h2>Essentra’s current structure reflects decades of strategic development. The company’s portfolio has been shaped by integrating established component brands, including Richco, Moss, Skiffy, Mesan and Wixroyd. These acquisitions expanded Essentra’s technical capabilities and regional footprint, particularly across Europe and Asia. Historical overviews published by Essentra outline how these integrations contributed to its present manufacturing base and product diversity [2]. For design engineers, this manufacturer-first model has practical implications. It means access to in-house tooling, material expertise, and process control rather than purely transactional sourcing. It also enables continuity between prototype, pilot, and production phases, an important consideration when transitioning from design validation to scaled manufacturing.Essentra plc, the parent company, is a provider of essential components with a global footprint spanning manufacturing facilities and distribution centres; it emphasizes that its operating divisions deliver both manufacturing and supply services to industrial customers [3]. <h2>Portfolio Breadth and Technical Documentation</h2>The scale of Essentra Components’ offering is evident in the range of product categories presented on its global platform. Standard components include cable management solutions, PCB hardware, fasteners, access hardware, and a variety of protective and finishing parts. Within each category, there is variation in materials, dimensions, mounting styles, and performance characteristics, enabling design engineers to specify parts that align with packaging constraints, assembly methods, and environmental and temperature requirements without excessive compromise.The company also makes CAD models and technical specifications available for many of these parts. Digital assets and documentation are accessible through the Essentra Components resources portal, enabling earlier integration into mechanical design workflows [4]. The availability of such data supports design-for-manufacture (DFM) reviews, tolerance analysis, and virtual fit checks, which are increasingly standard practices in disciplined engineering organizations.While standard components cover a wide range of applications, certain engineering challenges require tailored solutions. Custom and modified parts are an established part of Essentra’s service scope, including geometry alterations, material selection, flame-retardant ratings, colour specifications, and environmental resistance adjustments [1] [5]. For example, adjusting a PCB support’s height to suit a specific board stack-up or modifying latch compression to meet seal requirements can be crucial in tightly constrained assemblies.This hybrid approach standardizes where suitable and customizes where necessary, allowing engineering teams to balance cost and performance while minimizing the number of discrete suppliers involved in a project.<h2>Manufacturing Quality and Regional Presence</h2>A global supply footprint is particularly relevant for organisations executing multi-site production. Essentra Components maintains manufacturing and distribution facilities across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, which support regional supply alignment for multinational manufacturing programmes. According to Essentra plc’s sustainability and governance disclosures, these operations are subject to internationally recognized quality standards, including ISO frameworks applicable to manufacturing and quality management [6].Such systems, including documented procedures, traceability mechanisms, and quality-control disciplines, are material considerations in supplier audits and supplier qualification activities, particularly in regulated sectors such as medical equipment, industrial control systems, and telecommunications hardware.<h2>Environmental and Operational Considerations</h2>Environmental performance and sustainability are factors increasingly integrated into engineering decision-making. Essentra’s published sustainability disclosures outline ongoing material selection initiatives aimed at increasing the use of recycled polymers while reducing operational emissions across manufacturing sites [7]. Rather than positioning sustainability solely as a corporate reporting metric, Essentra integrates material strategy at the component level. Selected product families are available in recycled-content polymers, enabling engineering teams to align with internal ESG or carbon-reduction objectives without redesigning assemblies. Because dimensional specifications and performance characteristics remain consistent, substitution can often occur without modifying mating features, tooling interfaces, or established assembly processes. In this way, environmental considerations can be incorporated within standard engineering workflows rather than treated as a parallel initiative.[7] [8].The company has also published examples of investments in renewable energy at production sites, such as solar panel installations, underscoring efforts to manage energy use and emissions intensity in manufacturing operations [9].<h2>Functional Impact in the Engineering Workflow</h2>Components supplied by Essentra, while not typically core to product differentiation, frequently influence assembly efficiency, product serviceability, and field performance. Cable routing decisions affect not only mechanical organisation but can also alter airflow and electromagnetic compatibility. PCB supports mitigating board deflection and contributes to vibration resilience. Snap-fit fasteners may accelerate assembly compared with threaded counterparts, reducing torque requirements and supporting automated processes.Access hardware, including latches and hinges, helps maintain enclosure integrity and facilitate maintenance access. The presence of corrosion-resistant metal hardware is an important consideration where service life and environmental exposures are defining factors.The integration of technical documentation, CAD models, and the availability of customization options is a practical support for engineering teams operating under structured design processes.<h2>Conclusion</h2>In engineering practice, component selection is an exercise in balancing performance, cost, manufacturability, and lifecycle considerations. Organizations such as <a href="https://www.essentracomponents.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Essentra Components</a> supply a range of plastic and metal products that fill functional roles across a broad set of industries. By maintaining a wide catalogue, providing technical data to support digital design workflows, and offering customization services, the company’s operations align with several dimensions of engineering workflow.The value proposition for engineering and procurement functions lies not in a narrative of innovation for its own sake, but in the availability of documented, quality-assured parts and the ability to integrate these elements into established design and production systems with minimal disruption.<hr /><h2>References</h2><ol><li>Essentra Components, “Products,” Essentra Components, 2026. [Online]. Available: <a href="https://www.essentracomponents.com/?utm_source">https://www.essentracomponents.com/</a></li><li>Essentra Components, “Our History,” Essentra Components UK, 2026. [Online]. Available: <a href="https://ecompreprodsupply.essentracomponents.com/en-gb/about-us/our-history?utm_source">https://ecompreprodsupply.essentracomponents.com/en-gb/about-us/our-history</a></li><li>Essentra plc, “About Us,” Essentra plc, 2026. [Online]. Available: <a href="https://www.essentraplc.com/en/about-us?utm_source">https://www.essentraplc.com/en/about-us</a></li><li>Essentra Components, “CAD &amp; Technical Information,” Essentra Components, 2026. [Online]. Available: <a href="https://www.essentracomponents.com/?utm_source">https://www.essentracomponents.com/</a></li><li>Essentra Components, “Custom Solutions,” Essentra Components UK. [Online]. Available: <a href="https://www.essentracomponents.com/en-gb/custom-solutions?utm_source">https://www.essentracomponents.com/en-gb/custom-solutions</a>.</li><li>Essentra plc, Annual Report &amp; Accounts 2024, Interactive Annual Report, Essentra plc, Mar. 2025. [Online]. Available: <a href="https://www.essentraplc.com/-/media/results/2025/march/reporting-centre/interactive-annual-report-2024-1.pdf?utm_source">https://www.essentraplc.com/-/media/results/2025/march/reporting-centre/interactive-annual-report-2024-1.pdf</a>. [Accessed: 12-Feb-2026].</li><li>Essentra Components, “Sustainability,” Essentra Components US, 2026. [Online]. Available: <a href="https://ecompreprodsupply.essentracomponents.com/en-us/about-us/sustainability?utm_source">https://ecompreprodsupply.essentracomponents.com/en-us/about-us/sustainability</a></li><li>P&amp;CT, “Essentra joins United Nations Global Compact initiative to benchmark best practice in sustainability,” Process &amp; Control Today, 2022. [Online]. Available: <a href="https://www.pandct.com/news/essentra-joins-united-nations-global-compact-initiative-to-benchmark-best-practice-in-sustainability/?utm_source">https://www.pandct.com/news/essentra-joins-united-nations-global-compact-initiative-to-benchmark-best-practice-in-sustainability/</a></li><li>Essentra Components, “Press Releases: Solar Panel Installation,” Essentra Components US, 2026. [Online]. Available: <a href="https://www.essentracomponents.com/en-us/news/essentra-news/press-releases/essentra-solar-panels-kidlington?utm_source">https://www.essentracomponents.com/en-us/news/essentra-news/press-releases/essentra-solar-panels-kidlington</a></li></ol>

How Essentra Components Supports Engineering from Concept to Production

Designing with Intent

A Nordic Semiconductor-powered Bluetooth® LE vascular Doppler system that has been FDA cleared for intraoperative use has been launched by medical device manufacturer, Remington Medical, Inc. ‘VascuChek®’ is a handheld, cordless ultrasound-based device that eliminates the need for tethered probes, and uses the Doppler effect to detect and listen to blood flow within blood vessels. This allows surgeons to check whether blood is still flowing properly in a vessel after repairing, bypassing or grafting it, for example. The device emits an ultrasonic wave that detects frequency shifts caused by moving blood cells, turning these into audible sounds or signals clinicians can interpret. The Doppler audio is played either through a small speaker located internally in the transceiver handpiece, or a larger speaker in a speaker dock. Both the handpiece and the speaker dock employ a pre-certified u-blox NORA-B1 module built on Nordic’s dual-core <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF5340">nRF5340</a> multiprotocol SoC, enabling <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Wireless/Bluetooth-LE-Audio">Bluetooth LE Audio</a> wireless connectivity between the transceiver and the dock. Relaying the audio to the speaker dock enables both louder volume and improved clarity.  “VascuChek is a battery-powered device, so low power consumption is important, but high sound quality and low latency are non-negotiable,” says Michael Fuller - Principal R&amp;D Electrical Engineer at Remington Medical, Inc. “Our customers obviously need high quality Doppler audio, but they also need it to be responsive and lag-free when searching for blood flow in the patient beneath the probe tip.<blockquote>"We were impressed that the nRF5340 SoC had sound quality right on par with the best Bluetooth Classic alternative, while also having the lowest latency" says Michael Fuller - Principal R&amp;D Electrical Engineer at Remington Medical, Inc.</blockquote><h2 id="isPasted">LE Audio delivers superior sound quality</h2>“We were initially skeptical that LE Audio could deliver high sound quality and minimal latency while also being low-power, so we performed side-by-side testing against several Bluetooth Classic modules. We were impressed that the nRF5340 SoC had sound quality right on par with the best Bluetooth Classic alternative, while also having the lowest latency.”Both the transceiver handpiece and speaker dock are battery-powered (the dock can also be mains-powered), enabling cord-free portability for convenient use in the clinic or operating room. The handpiece employs a LiFePO4 rechargeable cell capable of lasting at least one full shift on a single charge—or a couple of hours of continuous use—thanks in part to the ultra-low power wireless capabilities of Nordic’s nRF5340 SoC. “We were pleased to see that switching our previous microcontroller to the nRF5340 kept the overall system well within our power budget, despite adding Bluetooth LE connectivity and wireless audio streaming,” says Fuller. During development, medical device design and manufacturing company, Blur Product Development, complemented Remington Medical’s R&amp;D team by providing engineering, firmware, prototype assembly and verification testing services, significantly reducing time to market and helping ensure FDA compliance on a rigorous timeline.<h2>Fully-featured dual core SoC</h2>“Blur had previous experience working with Nordic’s chipsets and suggested we look at the nRF5340 and its LE Audio implementation,” continues Fuller. “I liked the dual core architecture, with one core running our application and a second core running Nordic’s Bluetooth LE and LE Audio stacks that seamlessly orchestrate the on-chip radio. The Arm Cortex-M33 application core was actually an improvement over our previous microcontroller in terms of memory, performance and power consumption, and it had the hardware DSP we needed for audio processing.”

Remington Medical's VascuChek employs Nordic's nRF5340 SoC to provide low latency, high sound quality for reliably monitoring patient blood flow

Nordic Bluetooth LE Audio-powered Doppler device delivers dependable wireless connectivity in surgical and clinical applications

High tech wireless product developer, Shenzhen Holyiot Technology Co., Ltd., has announced a Bluetooth® LE-powered ‘e-ink’ smart badge, designed for a wide range of access control and identity verification use cases. The ‘Inkcard-A1’ smart badge employs Nordic Semiconductor’s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF54L15">nRF54L15</a> SoC that doubles the processing power and triples the processing efficiency of the previous generation of SoCs. This enables the smart badge to seamlessly perform a wide range of time critical tasks in offices or workplaces. <h2>Powerful processing capabilities</h2>The Inkcard-A1 card can show images, text, QR codes or barcodes on its 50.8 by 76.2 mm color display, programmed wirelessly via an iOS or Android companion app and uploaded to the smart badge in less than 6 seconds, thanks to the wireless connectivity and processing capability of the nRF54L15 SoC. The card can replace traditional RFID-based access control cards and is designed for identity verification, attendance checking, security management, as well as asset tracking use cases in retail, office, conference, logistics and healthcare settings. “Integrating Bluetooth LE wireless connectivity into the Inkcard-A1 has allowed us to transform employee badges from static cards into intelligent wireless terminals,” says Spring Mao , Foreign Sales Manager, Holyiot. “This solves the pain points of traditional employee badges that are difficult to update, cumbersome to manage, and only have a single function. We selected Nordic’s nRF54L15 SoC because of its low cost, ultra-low power, large memory capacity and processing performance.”The nRF54L15 SoC features an Arm® Cortex®-M33 processor clocked at 128 MHz, a RISC-V coprocessor for running software-defined peripherals while handling time-critical tasks, together with 1.5 MB non-volatile memory (NVM) and 256 KB RAM. <blockquote>"We selected Nordic’s nRF54L15 SoC because of its low cost, ultra-low power, large memory capacity and processing performance" said Spring Mao , Foreign Sales Manager, Holyiot</blockquote><h2 id="isPasted">Extended battery life</h2>In addition to the Nordic nRF54L15 SoC’s efficient MCU, its ultra-low-power 2.4 GHz radio enables significantly lower power consumption for typical Bluetooth LE use cases, along with up to 8 dBm TX power and -96 dBm RX sensitivity. This enables the Inkcard-A1’s180 mAh lithium cell to maintain extended battery life between QI wireless recharge.“During development Nordic’s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-software/nRF-Connect-SDK">nRF Connect SDK</a> helped us a lot when we were developing our application code,” continues Mao. “That and its technical information and reference designs ensured we significantly accelerated our time to market.”

Holyiot's Inkcard-A1 integrates powerful nRF54L15 SoC enabling time critical access control and identity verification

Nordic's nRF54L15 SoC transforms workplace access and identity cards into intelligent wireless terminals

This article details EV charging levels, covering AC charging, DC fast charging, power delivery, infrastructure needs, and key trade-offs.

EV Charging Levels: Level 1, Level 2, DC Fast Charging

<h2 id="isPasted">Introduction</h2>The 6th Hackaday Europe conference, held in Lecco, Italy, on May 16–17, 2026, included a workshop that sold out well before the event began. Over three hours, a room of developers, hardware engineers, and first-time makers trained and deployed a voice-controlled edge AI device from scratch — for many, their first time taking a machine learning model from data collection through to a working build.The session was EchoGlow! It had run twice before, in Berlin and Belgrade, but this was its first edition in Italy. The focus was on <a href="https://www.arduino.cc/product-uno-q" target="_blank">UNO Q</a> and the on-device AI it enables, placed directly in the hands of the developers and hardware engineers building the next generation of edge applications.<h2>New SBC in Town: Meet UNO Q</h2>UNO Q is a powerful new single-board computer (SBC) that brings advanced Linux capabilities into the beloved UNO form factor, without leaving the traditional Arduino microcontroller behind. The board runs on a dual-brain architecture: a Qualcomm Dragonwing™ QRB2210 microprocessor (MPU) running Debian Linux, paired with a real-time STMicroelectronics STM32U585 microcontroller (MCU). One brain handles high-level computing and AI inference; the other handles deterministic, real-time control of sensors and hardware. They reside on the same board and communicate via a Bridge library, so a single device can run a Linux application and a real-time sketch simultaneously.  <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1781821307166-1781821307166.png" width="967.5326507009676" height="580.1791845917039" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt=" UNO Q" />UNO QThe specifics will be familiar to anyone who has reached for a single-board computer before. The MPU is a quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 with an integrated GPU, backed by up to 4 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and onboard eMMC storage. The MCU runs the Arduino core on a real-time operating system, handling GPIO, sensors, and timing-critical tasks with the dependability the UNO is known for. Dual-band Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1 handle wireless connectivity, a USB-C port covers power and video output, and standard Arduino compatible headers keep the existing ecosystem of shields and accessories in play. <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1781822016917-20260517_140630.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Assembled EchoGlow Enclosure with Active LED" />Assembled EchoGlow Enclosure with Active LED<iframe id="6a3c254c6d19a31976afd60b" width="250" class="specs-iframe" height="440" src="https://wevolver.com/iframe/specs/arduino-uno-q-4gb?iframe=true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> The familiar footprint compatible with existing shields and carriers, paired with simplified workflows, lower the barrier for the existing Arduino community to step up into Linux-class compute and AI workloads. But the form factor is only half the story. The brand’s signature ease of use — extensive documentation, a deep library of online resources, and software tools such as Arduino® App Lab – is what lets everyone play an active role in the AI revolution rather than watching from the sidelines. You can explore the full specs of the board at the<a href="https://www.arduino.cc/product-uno-q" target="_blank"> UNO Q - Product Page</a>. <h2>Gen AI &amp; Robotics Ready</h2>UNO Q is built for a specific and increasingly important class of work: lightweight Edge AI machine learning models, robotics applications, and IoT solutions, alongside Small and Large Language Models (SLMs/LLMs) running locally on the device. It can even run agents created for embedded systems, such as OpenClaw, directly at the edge. Precision matters here, because "edge AI" spans a wide performance range. UNO Q is the right tool for compact, responsive, on-device intelligence; not for the heaviest robotics or generative workloads, which is exactly where the more capable Arduino® VENTUNO™ Q comes in. In practical terms, UNO Q occupies a clear position: enough compute to run real machine learning locally, on a board small and inexpensive enough to deploy in the field.The shift — intelligence moving off the cloud and onto the device itself — is the broader story the edge AI community has been chasing for years, and EchoGlow put it into a working build. "Hackaday Europe is all about testing the limits, and what better way than training and deploying your own models to an edge device within hours? The future is now!" — Giovanni Salinas, Supplyframe DesignLab<h2>Flexible, Gen AI–Friendly Software Ecosystem</h2>The reason UNO Q feels so approachable comes back to that dual-brain architecture. With an MPU and an MCU on the same board, it is effectively a full Linux microcomputer and a classic Arduino microcontroller in one. This means, a single piece of hardware can run a Linux application, execute a real-time sketch, and serve an AI model at the same time.The software ecosystem is built to match. Development spans a remarkably wide toolchain, from the modular "Bricks" of Arduino App Lab all the way to advanced tools like Claude. That range is what bridges hardware and software seamlessly, letting builders assemble smart applications out of components they can understand and recombine.It is also what made a genuinely complex edge AI build approachable for a mixed-skill room. The Arduino App Lab IDE ships with ready-to-run examples for advanced AI applications that anyone can pick up, run, and modify as needed. A beginner can start from a working template; an experienced developer can rebuild it from scratch. <h2>What Attendees Actually Built — The EchoGlow Project</h2>EchoGlow was structured as a complete build rather than a demonstration. Over three hours, each participant moved through the full edge AI workflow end-to-end. First, they collected their own training data in Edge Impulse, teaching a model to recognize voice commands. Next, they assembled an LED matrix display and enclosure to pair with UNO Q. Finally, they deployed everything as a working, voice-responsive smart lighting system. <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1781822044124-attendee+%28and+Hackaday+longtime+community+member%29+%2C+Thomas+Flummer.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Assembled EchoGlow Enclosure, at Hackaday Europe" />Assembled EchoGlow Enclosure, at Hackaday EuropeThe outcome is a functioning edge AI device, trained and shipped on real hardware in a single afternoon. The entire application is customizable, so the attendees walked away with something they could keep modifying, extending, and rebuilding into their own projects."It feels magical how Makers can now use an Arduino to create its own voice recognition device in minutes. I never get tired of their joy with their first EchoGlow response!" — Julián Caro Linares, Arduino <h2>Cross-Industry Collaboration</h2>EchoGlow came together through a deliberate collaboration across the edge AI stack. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Arduino brought the silicon and the platform; Edge Impulse provided the model-training pipeline; and Supplyframe DesignLab supplied the workshop framework and facilitation, turning it all into a hands-on experience.On the ground, Arduino engineers Leonardo Cavagnis (Senior Engineer, Qualcomm Europe), Julián Caro Linares (Senior Engineer, Qualcomm Europe) and Christian Sarnataro (Staff Engineer, Qualcomm Europe) supported Giovanni Salinas from Supplyframe DesignLab — the creator behind EchoGlow — in guiding participants through every step. The sold-out room is itself a signal: demand for real, hands-on edge AI experiences is outpacing the supply of places to get them.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1781822084025-Julian+Caro+Linares+from+Arduino1+%281%29.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Facilitators Guiding Participants through the EchoGlow Build" />Facilitators Guiding Participants through the EchoGlow Build<h2>Voices From the Workshop</h2>For the facilitators, the most remarkable aspect of the event was the community that formed, rather than just the hardware itself."I was genuinely inspired by the incredible mix of technical backgrounds and the energy people brought to the workshop. Seeing makers, developers, and creatives all exploring edge AI together made the experience truly special." — Leonardo Cavagnis, ArduinoAttendees came away with the same impression — and, notably, with the confidence to keep going on their own:"I was very curious about the new UNO Q, and this workshop left me both inspired and ready to start creating other AI projects. The facilitators did a great job walking us through the capabilities and example projects, and were excellent in guiding us through all the steps. Fantastic workshop, would highly recommend to anyone interested in creating their own data-driven AI models." — Rehana Al-Soltane, Raspberry Pi Foundation<h2>What’s Next?</h2>EchoGlow was a snapshot of a larger shift: edge AI is becoming something you can train, deploy, and ship in an afternoon, and UNO Q is built to put that capability in as many hands as possible.The momentum continues into the summer maker calendar. Open Sauce returns to San Mateo, California, on July 17–19, 2026, and it is exactly the kind of gathering where this hands-on, build-it-yourself edge AI energy thrives.If EchoGlow proved anything, it is that the gap between "curious about edge AI" and "shipped a working device" is now measured in hours. The fastest way to close it is to start building. Explore the board and get started at the<a href="https://store.arduino.cc/products/uno-q-4gb" target="_blank"> UNO Q store page</a>. <hr />Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Arduino, UNO and VENTUNO and the Arduino logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Arduino S.r.l.

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