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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS DESIGN

A Guide to UK Capability2009/10 Edition

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Foreword I 1

Electronics underpins the digitaleconomy. Worth 23 billion a year, theUKs electronics industry is the fifthlargest in the world. We are widelyacknowledged as a European leader inindependent electronics system designwith a 40 per cent share of the market.And we are recognised for our creativityand exploitation of universitytechnology and research.

The sector has transformed over thepast decade and now employs around250,000 people in 11,500 companiesacross the country. There is a vibrantstart-up community which supports the

strong clusters in south-west England,Cambridge and central Scotland.

We are pioneering new technologyincluding Bluetooth, other wirelessconnections and microprocessor design.Companies such as ARM, CSR andWolfson are developing technology thatis changing the way we live our livesthrough its deployment in iconicproducts like MP3 players, smart

phones and portable computers.

The sector also excels in electronicsdesign, which requires a high degree offamiliarity with complex state-of-the-artcomponents and technologies. We havea strong base in analogue design, whichremains an important aspect of manyleading electronic products. And UKexpertise in power management devicesis improving the energy efficiency ofproducts, helping in the battle againstclimate change.

This guide highlights the industrys keycompanies. Many of them offer accessto intellectual property that candrastically cut time to market, andindependent design services that can beaccessed very easily by business. It alsoillustrates the electronics researchactivities of our world-class UKuniversities, many of which haveexcellent track records of collaboratingwith design and manufacturingbusinesses both at home and abroad.

The UK is the number one destinationfor foreign direct investment into theEuropean Union, with a growing

proportion coming in high technologysectors. The UK Government wants tofacilitate further investment inelectronics particularly in the creation ofresearch and development. UK Tradeand Investment can help companieswho are interested in the UK as aninvestment location.

This is an exciting area with significantfuture potential. I strongly encourage

you to make use of the contacts wehave provided and to seize theopportunities that are available.

Stephen Carter

Minister for Communications,

Technology and Broadcasting

Foreword

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2 I ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS DESIGN I A Guide to UK Capability

This guide highlights the UKscapabilities in the electronics systemsdesign sector. It includes an overview ofthe UK scene and provides moredetailed information aboutdevelopments in design technologiesand their use, details of opportunitiesfor collaborative research and advice onsupport for business. The guide alsolists key commercial organisations andacademic institutions that comprise theunique network that gives the UKindustry its great strength. Each entrygives a brief description of activities andprimary contact points for follow-updiscussions.

The guide is designed to be used bycommercial and academic groups, bothwithin the UK and overseas, that maybe looking for development partners orsuppliers. The Government is keen topromote collaboration between UKcompanies and universities as well aswith inward investors. UK Trade &Investment, for example, operates acomprehensive service for those looking

to establish facilities in the UK.

The UK has Europes largestindependent semiconductor designindustry, with about half the market inapplication-specific integrated circuitdesign. It is also home to Europeslargest concentration of electronicssystems design houses, and many UKcompanies are leaders in their fields. Itoffers a large pool of hardware andsoftware designers with relevantexperience within equipmentmanufacturers, silicon vendors, fabless

semiconductor manufacturers, IPproviders, EDA tool vendors, embeddedsystems suppliers and independentdesign houses, as well as a large andwell-respected university structure forjoint research and development andrecruitment purposes. There is activityacross all kinds of applications anddevices, from System-on-Chip (SoC),digital signal processing (DSP), Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) andanalogue, to EDA tools and devices.Companies and universities in the UK(many of which are listed in this guide)provide systems design and intellectualproperty for many of the worlds leading

consumer and industrial products andsemiconductors. There are also majorstrengths in electronic manufacturingservices and PCB fabrication.

The UK is thus an obvious choice forcompanies looking for world-classtechnology and design, but it has muchto offer potential investors in otherrespects too. Companies locating in theUK benefit from a highly competitive

business environment that gives themevery incentive to grow. They also haveaccess to an unrivalled research anddevelopment and design base.

Further copies can be obtained byquoting reference BERR/Pub8807/01/09/NPand contacting:

T: 0845 015 0010

F: 0845 015 0020

E: [email protected]

About this guide

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Contents I 3

UK as a market area of opportunity for electronics companies 5

Making complex systems a reality 7

University Profiles 25

Company Profiles 52

Support Organisations 95

General Contacts 100

Glossary 104

Contents

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The opportunities

presented by todays

electronic components and

software are immense.

Products that could only be

dreamed of a few years ago

are now in every home and

this trend is set to continue

into the future, driven

largely by advances in

semiconductor technology.

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UK as a market area of opportunity for electronics companies I 5

UK as a market area of

opportunity for electronics

companies

The UK is a world leader in thedevelopment of many electronicstechnologies, both hardware based andsoftware based. This is due not only tothe academic excellence of itsUniversities and inventiveness of itsindustry, but also due to the marketleading position in key technology areasand its first adopter nature of itsconsumers.

The UKs vibrant and diverse economyis the ideal location for companies torealise their international businesspotential.

The fifth largest economy in the world,the UK has a gross domestic product(GDP) of US$2,345 billion (Source:World Bank, 2007) and is forecast tohave the strongest businessenvironment of all major Europeaneconomies for the period 2007 to 2011(Source: EIU, 2007).

With a population of 60.6 million(Source: ONS, 2007) and unemployment

well below the EU average, the UK hasa strong workforce to support theeconomy.

The UK is a leading global tradingnation, is the second largest exporterand third largest importer ofcommercial services, and the seventhlargest exporter and fourth largestimporter of merchandise (Source: WorldTrade Organization, 2007).

The UK is Europes largest consumerelectronics market and the largest

market for MP3 players, flat panel TVsand games systems.

The UK also has the largest personalcommunications market in Europe,when measured by ARPU, withconsumers owning more than 70 Millionhandsets and being first adopters ofmany new technologies.

Renowned for the being one of thesafest countries in the world, the UK isthe worlds largest market for IntelligentTransport Systems (ITS) andsurveillance related technologies withover 25% of the worlds CCTV

installations being based here.

So what makes the UK Europes leadinginvestment destination for companiesrelocating and developing their globalbusiness? Here are 10 reasons settingthe UK apart from other countries

1. An Internationally Competitive taxenvironment for foreign investors:The top corporate rate is 28 percent,

the lowest in the G7 and below mostof the UKs core competitors. The UKhas reduced its corporate tax ratefrom over 50% in the early 1980sdown to one of the lowest in theindustrialised world. The UKshighest personal tax band, at 40 percent, is one of the lowest in the EU.Source: Deloitte

2. One of the most flexible labourmarkets in Europe: The World Bankranks the UK the second best placein Europe to employ workers, just

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behind Denmark. Source WorldBank.

3. Least barriers to entrepreneurship inthe world: The OECD noted that theUK is second in the world for

Product Market Regulation behindAustralia, has the least barriers toentrepreneurship in the world andhas the third least barriers to tradeand investment in the world. Source:OECD.

4. World leader in innovation: The UKis one of the most productive placesfor innovation firms in the world,ranking second only to the USA for

the quality of its research base.

5. Progressive communicationsnetwork: The UK has the mostextensive broadband market amongthe G7 countries and one of thestrongest ICT infrastructures in theworld.

6. Top talent: According to the Times

Higher Education Supplement(THES), the UK has the top sixuniversities in Europe and two of thetop three globally. Source: TheTimes.

7. Springboard to Europe: The UK isthe number one gateway to Europegiving easy access to the 27 memberstates of the European Union, theworlds largest single market, with

its population of nearly 500 million.

8. Number one location for Europeanheadquarters: More overseascompanies set up their Europeanheadquarters in the UK thananywhere else.

9. Olympic opportunities: London willhost the Olympic games in 2012.Procurement is now underway andcontracts, totaling more than$13billion over the next 4 years, areavailable for firms of all sizes and

the total budget will run into billions.

10. Magnet for foreign investment: In2007, the UK attracted and retainedover one trillion US dollars ofinvestment: the highest in Europeand the second largest in the world.

In 2007/8 some 1573 projects werecreated in the UK by foreign companyinvestments from over 48 countries.

The10 largest investors into the UKcame from: -

The US; Germany; Japan; Australia;France; Ireland; India; Canada; Chinaand Sweden. These projects createdover 45,000 new employment positionsand consolidated 58,000 furtherpositions. These investments arehelping to grow foreign owned

businesses, both large and small, basedin the UK to both access the highlylucrative UK markets as well as usingthe UK as a base to springboard intoEurope. These figures confirm the UKsreputation as an innovative, knowledge-based economy which last year saw astaggering increase in R&D investmentof 83%.

For further advice about taking

advantage of the skills and market in theUK contact UK Trade and Investment.www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

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Making complex systems a reality I 7

THE CHALLENGE faced by companiesthroughout the world lies in how tomake the best use of technologies thatare becoming more and more complexand how to bring the technologiestogether into successful products.

UK designers are at the forefront ofcomplex system design. Increasingly,semiconductor design can no longer beperformed in isolation but must includean optimum combination of hardwareand software, reflecting system needsand the overall market requirements ofthe product. This requires engineers atall points in the design chain to have a

detailed understanding of the completepicture and the ability to work withcomplex technologies and interactions.

For example, a mobile phone or high-definition television may now containhundreds of millions of lines ofsoftware. Similarly, a complex digitalchip may now contain hundreds ofmillions of logic gates, whilst itscounterpart in the early 1990s contained

around 100,000. As the complexity ofeach individual technology increases,the total system complexity multiplies.

Innovation and management ofcomplexity have long been greatstrengths of UK engineering, and thiscontinues to be the case in the UKelectronics industry, whether engineersare working in-house for equipment andsemiconductor manufacturers in one ofthe many subcontract design houses, oras suppliers of intellectual property (IP).

World leadership in areas such as thedesign of mobile communicationsshows that UK engineers areexperienced in understanding allaspects of complex electronics systems,and the embodiment of new technologyin successful products.

Recent announcements in mobilecommunications, from companies suchas Icera and picoChip, and in Bluetooth,from companies such as CambridgeSilicon Radio, demonstrate thisexpertise. But it does not stop withcommunications.

Low-power and power efficient designfeatures strongly in the UK withcompanies like CamSemi and DiodesZetex developing solutions to improvethe efficiency of power supplies whileEmber and Air Semiconductor aredesigning ultra low-power deviceswhich open up new application areas.

UK designers have extensive experienceof system design in consumer

electronics, automotive electronics,medical electronics and defenceelectronics, to name but a few areas ofexcellence. The time when electronicsengineers could stay within a singlediscipline is long gone. Todayselectronics systems designers need tounderstand the complete designprocess, from the marketing conceptthrough to the manufacture of acomplete product. They need to befamiliar with technologies ranging fromintegrated circuits and System-on-Chip(SoC) through to PCBs. It is also vital

Making complex systems

a reality

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that they understand how to incorporatethe embedded software that now formsan important, and growing, proportionof the final product. An understandingof manufacturing technologies isbecoming increasingly important in

getting quality products to market in theshortest possible time and at minimumcost.

UK design teams have shown, timeafter time, that they lead the world inthe knowledge of the system levelaspects of design, and the incorporationof that knowledge into new andinnovative products that can bemanufactured throughout the world.

They have demonstrated that they canbring real competitive advantages to thecompanies that produce and marketelectronics products. For example,Aptina Imagings CMOS camera sensorshave been incorporated in many mobilehandsets. Many overseas companiestake advantage of this design capabilityby creating their own design teams inthe UK.

Excellence in system design flows fromall areas of the UK electronics industry.It is fostered in academic-basedinstitutions such as the Institute forSystem Level Integration, associatedwith the Alba Centre, and the MobileVirtual Centre of Excellence, andflourishes in design groups in industry.The strong academic base, and itsability to work closely with industry,

means that UK electronics designerswill continue to lead the world as newand exciting technologies emerge fromresearch into commercial reality, and asnew design tools make the designprocess easier.

STRUCTURE OF THE INDUSTRYUK designers work in a wide variety ofcompanies: systems builders; captiveand independent design houses;research establishments; CAD/EDA toolvendors; chip suppliers, including

fabless and chipless semiconductorcompanies and technical distributors.Many work on a freelance contractdesign basis.

What makes the UK electronics designindustry so powerful? It is the uniquenetwork of companies and academiaworking interactively within anenvironment that the UK governmenthas ensured is conducive to business.

Significant elements of that networkinclude:

equipment and systemmanufacturers, with internal designteams

semiconductor and specialistcomponent manufacturers, oftenwith internal design teams

design houses and freelance

designers offering third partydesign to clients

EDA/CAD tool vendors

IP developers and suppliers offeringhardware and software buildingblocks to designers

sub-contract manufacturers offeringCEM services

test houses offering qualificationservices to international standards

universities, supplying qualifiedgraduates and advanced researchand development

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Case

Study

CamSemi

CamSemi is focused on cost efficientpower conversion. In other words,

helping the worlds consumerelectronics manufacturers to introducegreener, more energy-efficient powerconversion products such as offlinepower supplies and lighting but atlow cost. New regulations are alreadyencouraging the move towards higherefficiencies but smart power conversionhas traditionally been too expensive formany highly price-sensitive sectors ofthe market.

CamSemi was spun out from CambridgeUniversity by two internationally-renownedacademics, with first round funding in2002, to commercialise a promisingportfolio of breakthrough approaches.Novel technologies that could quicklydeliver the efficiency improvementsrequired by Energy Star and otherregulatory bodies but with low costsolutions that are also simpler and easier

to design than competitive approaches.The companys innovative forwardconverter topology and C2470 mixedsignal controllers are just one example ofits cost-efficient strategy. These novelcontrollers target applications up to 60 W

and are unique in offering the efficiencyperformance, size and weight advantagesof more expensive switched-mode

approaches but at a fraction of the price.

Safety features are built in, the solutionshave exceptionally low EMI making themperfect for audio, cordless phone andother demanding applications and on theperformance front, they easily meet and

beat Energy Star 2.0.

For example: CamSemis reference designfor a 12 W modem supply delivers anaverage efficiency of 86.1% and no-loadconsumption of 211 mW, against the ES2requirements of 77.8% and 300 mW.

The companys core engineering team isbased in Cambridge with applicationdesign centres in Taipei and Shenzhen.CamSemi is fast becoming a leader inpower management ICs and in 2008 was

nominated as Europes third mostpromising clean technology company.

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Case

Study

DisplayLink

DisplayLink is a successful technologyfirm that has pioneered the ability to

connect multiple screens to any PC orlaptop via a standard USB connection,enhancing the computing experiencefor everyone, without the need forcomplicated hardware upgrades. Thecompany was founded in 2003 by DrQuentin Stafford Fraser, co-inventor ofthe webcam, and Martin King, inventorof predictive text messaging.

For todays information-saturatedemployees adding another monitor to a PC

can dramatically increase productivity, asusers can spread their applications outacross multiple screens, enabling a higherlevel of interactivity. However, the VGA(video graphics array) cable has traditionallylocked users into a one-to-one PC toscreen ratio. Using USB 2.0 connections,DisplayLink removes the limitations of theconventional VGA cable and offerscomputer users low cost, easy to deploy,

multi-monitor computing with no loss ofperformance for typical businessapplications.

DisplayLink is venture capital-backed. Todate, the company has attracted USD 51million from world leading global investors,

including Atlas Ventures, Balderton Capital,

Benchmark, DAG Ventures and DFJ Esprit.The company has also signed lucrativecontracts with some of the worlds leadingtechnology brands, including Samsung,LG, Sony and Toshiba, building on thesuccess of its early collaboration with

Kensington; a partnership it has enjoyedsince 2006.

Looking to the future, DisplayLink isworking on extending its network displaytechnology to incorporate wirelessfunctionality a development that will

further unleash the monitor from the hostPC, enabling applications such as digitalsignage and multi-user computing to takeoff in years to come.

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Altera, Cambridge Silicon Radio,ClearSpeed Technology, DisplayLink,Innovision Research & Technology,Oxford Semiconductor, IceraSemiconductor, Phyworks, SwindonSilicon Systems, Toumaz Technology,

Wolfson Microelectronics and Xilinx.Most of these companies have in-housedesign teams, but a significantproportion supplement their skills byusing the UKs third party designnetwork.

CHIPLESS CHIP COMPANIESOver the past few years, the UK hasseen dozensof small and innovative

start-ups developing and marketingsemiconductor intellectual property (IP).Some of these chipless semiconductorfirms have grown rapidly and havebecome internationally renowned.

Cambridge-based ARM is the worldsnumber one IP provider and itsprocessors, designed and developed inthe UK, are the processor cores ofchoice for telecoms and networking

applications. Virtually every majorsemiconductor company and manyoriginal equipment manufacturer (OEM)companies have acquired licences touse ARM technology. This trend hasdone much to attract world-classcompanies to the UK, growing andevolving the electronics systems designsector.

Newer UK companies, such asImagination Technologies are now wellon the way to emulating this success.Imagination Technologies is licensing itsembedded graphics technology tocompanies worldwide for use inmarkets ranging from digital radio andaudio, mobile phone multimedia to carnavigation & driver information, set-topbox and mobile TV.

UK ATTRACTIONSKey attractions of the UK:

access to global markets, especiallyEurope

access to an extensive electronics

networkaccess to the technical skills of UKdesigners

access to the huge R&D resourcesof UK universities

access to a supply of skilledgraduates

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Case

Study

University of Kent s

Embedded Systems group

helps to optimise image

based people counter

The Embedded Systems group at theUniversity of Kent has worked withNeuricam SpA (Italy) for many years andhas recently completed a consultancycontract with them to optimise the real-time signal processing necessary toprocess and extract data from two CMOScameras. The stereo camera system

designed for use as a people orobject counter and the new techniquesdeveloped as part of this agreement haveenabled a reduction of over 20% in thefirmware implemented on the FPGA chipused for the signal processing. Thesesavings could result in a reduction inproduction costs for the current generationof systems and, more importantly, for

developing new systems with enhancedresolution and accuracy. The device shownbelow has been developed by Neuricam

for access control in mass transportationand is currently being deployed in anumber of applications on buses, trainsand trams and in stations and airports.A similar hardware architecture has also

been used to develop an AutomaticNumber Plate Recognition System whichis currently being field tested.

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UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT the UKprovide the basis of an extended

research environment for electronics,and for semiconductor design inparticular.

There are more than 70 establishmentsinvolved in semiconductor designresearch projects or higher leveleducation and training, or both.Practically all have strong mutuallybeneficial relationships with industry inone form or another.

Some universities have gainedinternational recognition in certainareas, such as the University ofManchesters work on AdvancedProcessor Technologies while theUniversity of Southampton is workingon novel sensors and energyharvesting. A number of universities arecollaborating on a series of GrandChallenges in Microelectronics todevelop a consensus and address themajor research challenges.

With the UKs strong market intelecommunications, its not surprisingthat many universities focus onelectronics and communicationstechnologies, some of these specialisingin RF design. These include Aberdeen,Essex, Leeds, Newcastle and Sussex.

System-on-Chip (SoC) design hasalready been picked up as a study topicby universities including Bristol,Edinburgh, Imperial College London,Lancaster, Manchester, Sheffield andSouthampton. The Institute for SystemLevel Integration in Livingston andLancaster University have established amajor UK resource in SoC testengineering.

Meanwhile, high level language designis a focus at the universities of Surrey,

Portsmouth and Napier. Digital signalprocessing is a particularly populartopic, covered by some 30 universitiesaround the country.

Collaboration with industry is importantto UK universities, and some verystrong partnerships have been forgedover many years. There are major jointventures, such as Toshibas in the fieldof wireless telecoms technology with

the University of Bristol.

Then there is project-based research,much undertaken by postgraduates.NXP Semiconductors works very closelywith the University of Southampton andCardiff University, amongst others.Xilinx has a relationship with theuniversities of Hertfordshire andStrathclyde. ARM works closely on anumber of different projects with manyUK universities including Cambridge,Glasgow, Manchester, Plymouth andSouthampton. National Semiconductorcollaborates strongly with the Universityof Glasgow.

For more details of the work beingundertaken in the UKs universities,along with contact information, see theUniversities section which starts on

page TBC.

Collaboration with industry isimportant to UK universities, andsome very strong partnershipshave been forged over manyyears.

The UK university-powered research anddevelopment

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A KEY feature of the UK industrynetwork is the widespread availability of

a complete range of design,manufacturing, test and other supportservices that companies can use tocomplement their in-house corecompetencies at all stages of the valuechain.

DESIGN HOUSESThere is a growing trend to useindependent design houses and

contract design services to enable theswifter adoption of the latesttechnologies, to overcome the steeplearning curve and to reduce costs.

The UK has more electronics systemsdesign houses than any other country inEurope, with some 150 independentdesign houses. Although this sector hasgrown significantly in recent years,there is a strong base, with some

companies having over 20 years ofexperience in the business. There is awide range of sizes, from a handful ofpeople to companies employing 200 ormore designers.

Some design houses, especially thesmaller ones, specialise in particularaspects of electronics design. On theother hand, the larger design houses,such as Cambridge Consultants,Sagentia, and Plextek can typicallyperform complete electronics systemsdesign, using specialists with skills asdiverse as RF design, semiconductordesign and aesthetic and industrialdesign. UK design houses may alsoundertake embedded and applicationsoftware design and provide projectmanagement services to address issuesof complexity management inherent in

advanced product design.

Plextek, in Essex, is an example ofone of Europes largest design

consultancies, with expertise indigital, analogue and RF designaimed primarily at thecommunications market. It makesextensive use of some of the mostadvanced analogue and RF designtools available.

Nallatech, in Glasgow, is a medium-sized company specialising incomplex FPGA computing solutionsfor a wide range of markets from

communications to aerospace.

Analogue Integration, in Wiltshire,is a small design house offeringanalogue, RF and mixed signal ASICdesign, with a strong focus on theconsumer as well ascommunications sectors.

Jennic, in Sheffield, generatesrevenue from licensing value-addedcomplex IP in wireless and

networking, together withconsulting and design services.

Other design services companiesinclude EnSilica, Roke ManorResearch, Sondrel, Garfield/Matrics,Moortec and eoSemi.

Major companies in the Pacific Rim andUSA benefit from the complete systemdesign capability offered by UK design

houses, and many have been workingwith the UK for many years. Theselong-term relationships have led to theintroduction of many successful andinnovative products.

In addition to those employed in-house,there are several thousand designengineers in the UK working on afreelance contract or consultancy basis,hired through specialist recruitment

agencies.

The UK a comprehensive network ofindependent services

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Case

Study

picoChip

picoChip, founded in 2000, is a fablesssemiconductor product company

focused on wireless infrastructure.The heart of the companys technologyis the picoArray, a very efficient multi-core digital signal processor (DSP).The picoArray is the leading multi-coreDSP architecture, with dramaticallybetter price-performance thancompeting approaches such as FPGAsor traditional programmable DSPs. It isthe most powerful signal-processingdevice in the world.

Traditional DSPs work a bit like anold fashioned craftsman who doeseverything himself, by hand, changingfrom one task to the next, to the next insuccession, explains Doug Pulley, co-founder and Chief Technical Officer ofpicoChip.

Most multi-core chips change that a little.They are more like a small team ofcraftsmen. But our picoArray is more like a

factory assembly line, with hundreds ofpeople each dedicated to one task. Ourchip divides tasks across hundreds ofindependent processors in the array, andbecause each processor is only involved inone task at a time, they are much more

efficient. So, the picoArray can deliver

much greater performance, much more

efficiently, than traditional processors.

picoChip is the industry-standardarchitecture for WiMAX infrastructure andis the dominant supplier of silicon forfemtocells (very small-scale wireless

basestations). The efficiency andperformance of the picoArray enable theseproducts at consumer price points.

picoChip has design wins and revenues

from the sale of silicon and software in allthese segments. The company has over

100 customers, including 7 out of the topten telecoms OEMs. Over 100 operatorsare using equipment based on picoChipprocessors.

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SETTING UP a company in the UK is nota difficult process, whether you are

already based here, or whether you arearriving from overseas.

SCIENCE PARKSThe UK is proud to have over 70 scienceparks, most allied geographically touniversities. They provide an excellentenvironment for start-ups, researchspin-offs and a first home for inwardinvestors.

In addition, most major cities and largetowns have technoparks. Localcouncils and Chambers of Commerceoften have special incentives for newcompanies. Local universities can helpwith small offices or incubator units.

SETsquared helps early-stage,high-tech, high-growth potentialventures get on the road to success.

It provides serviced office space,business guidance and mentoringas well as access to a high-calibrenetwork of experiencedentrepreneurs, potential investorsand business professionals. Apartnership between the universitiesof Bath, Bristol, Southampton andSurrey, SETsquared is the largestgovernment-funded, privately-backed support programme of itskind in the UK. Since being set up in2002 it has supported more than100 ventures.

Cambridge is home to one of theUKs most successful science parks,with over 100 high-tech companies.There are many links with theuniversity.

Innovation Centres (Scotland)provides incubation and a home for

entrepreneurs and companies whoare engaged in providing the nextgeneration of Scottish high-technology businesses and newjobs. They operate incubators whichprovide support through businessservices and advice to a rapidly-growing number of start-ups at twocentres in Hillington Park and Alba,Livingston. www.innovationcentre.org

VENTURE CAPITALThe UK has a range of high-techfocused venture capital companies.The British Private Equity and VentureCapital Associations website (www.bvca.co.uk) details some of these funds.

Schroder Ventures and 3i UK aresignificant investors in electronics

companiesAmadeus, founded by Dr HermanHauser, a founder of AcornComputer, makes early stageinvestments in electronicscompanies. Its successes includeCambridge Silicon Radio, Icera andPlastic Logic.

The Forward Groups ForwardInnovation Fund specialises in

university spin-offs and is currentlyan investor in The MerciaTechnology Seed Fund which willinvest in young technology basedventures in the West Midlandsregion.

TRADE ASSOCIATIONSTrade associations are an excellentsource of market, industry and technical

information. In the electronics sector, anumber of highly active organisationsmaintain strong relationships with the

The UK support for start-ups

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Case

Study

SiGe Semiconductor

SiGe Semiconductor is a leading globalsupplier of radio frequency integrated

circuits and multi-chip modules enablingwireless multimedia in consumerelectronics. SiGes products simplify theaddition of wireless communicationsand navigation capability to a wide arrayof home entertainment, mobile andcomputing products. SiGe has shippedmore than 300 million components,and has experienced significant annualproduct sales growth.

SiGes vice president marketing Mr. Alistair

Manley, states Our UK design team is afundamental key to the success of manyof our products including a WiFi IC whichwas selected by a major gaming platformmanufacturer for use in one of its populargaming systems. Other keydevelopments from our UK operationsinclude the award winning GPS receiverICs that appears in PNDs. Current areas ofdevelopment continue in the areas of high

performance power amplifiersEvery SiGe product on the market todaydelivers a unique combination of benefits:low power consumption for longer batterylife; high power output for superior signalstrength; and remarkable noise reduction

for maximum efficiency. Our poweramplifiers and RF front-end modules exploitthe advantages of silicon germaniumprocess technology to achieve integrated,

feature-rich solutions that set the industrysbest cost-performance ratios.

SiGe Semiconductor has three product

lines:WiMAX: SiGes WiMAX poweramplifiers and front-end modules(FEMs) to meet global standards forhigh-performance broadband wirelessaccess applications.

GPS: Satellite navigation radio ICssupporting the GPS and Galileo

technology standards provide leadingintegration and power efficiency to

support location-based services inPNDs, cellular, handheld andautomotive telematic applications.

Wi-Fi: Power amplifiers and front-endmodules (FEMs) for 802.11a/b/g/n

WLAN systems boost data throughputand transmission range to optimizewireless access in support of mediadistribution, gaming, voice and dataservices.

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Government, influencing both UK andEU policy, and keeping abreast ofupcoming legislation with workinggroups. These include the NationalMicroelectronics Institute (NMI),Intellect, and the Association of

Franchised Distributors of ElectronicComponents (AFDEC). The Institution ofEngineering and Technology (IET), as aprofessional society, is also active inthis area.

In addition, the UK Electronics Alliance(UKEA) brings together the diversegroup of trade associations within theelectronics sector ensuring theelectronics sector speaks with a co

ordinated voice.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORTThe UK Government provides a greatdeal of support, help and advice and, insome cases, financial assistance forstart-up companies and inwardinvestors. UK Trade & Investment existsto develop the export potential of UKfirms and to help inward investing

companies to establish themselves inthe UK. Business Link provides a rangeof services for small companies andstart-ups.

In addition, the Government activelysupports technology transfer activitiesdesigned to bring the benefits of newelectronics system technologies andways of working to small- and medium-sized companies and start-ups. Theserange from free advice and consultancyon design methodologies, to graduateemployment schemes providingcompanies with a source of newlyqualified high calibre graduates.

A number of Knowledge TransferNetworks (KTNs) have been establishedcovering a wide range of subjectsincluding Electronics, Photonics and

Displays & Lighting. The main role ofthe KTNs is to put companies andinnovators in contact with the

knowledge and funding that they needto bring new products and processes tomarket. KTNs are funded by theTechnology Strategy Board (TSB).

The full list of KTNs is available at ktn.

globalwatchonline.com. The ElectronicsKTN (www.electronics-ktn.com)provides a searchable directorycovering the UK electronics sector.

Whatever the area of technology inwhich your company needs help, thereis likely to be a scheme that can addressyour needs and help build theknowledge base of your business.

The UK Government provides agreat deal of support, help andadvice and, in some cases,financial assistance for start-upcompanies and inward investors.

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Case

Study

XMOS

To meet the electronics sectors demandfor accelerated product design cycles

and product customisation, right up tothe point of sale, XMOS has createda programmable semiconductortechnology that unifies hardwareand software worlds into a singleenvironment, such that hardware issoftware.

Addressing the performance and costlimitations of many existing solutions,including ASIC and FPGA, XMOS uniqueSoftware Defined Silicon (SDS) has single-

handedly succeeded in revolutionisingelectronics.

XMOS devices combine a small number ofprocessing cores called XCores, eachwith its own memory and I/O system, on asingle chip. An event-driven, multi-

threaded processor engine with a tightlyintegrated I/O pin structure, XCore canreact very quickly to changes of state onpins and then drive an appropriate

response.

Applications for this new class ofprogrammable chips are created usinghigh level languages such as C. Multi-coreparallel processing and concurrency aresupported by XC, a version of the Clanguage created by XMOS.

A high-performance switch supports

communication between processors, andinter-chip XLinks are provided so thatsystems can easily be constructed frommultiple chips. Any thread cancommunicate with any other thread in thesystem using single-cycle communicationinstructions.

A world first in many respects, XMOSSoftware Defined Silicon makes it practicalto use software to perform many functions

that traditionally have had to beimplemented in hardware. By substantiallyreducing development costs and time tomarket and dramatically increasing designflexibility, the impact of SDS on electronics

design will be far reaching.

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UK HIGHER education institutes are keyto preparing tomorrows engineers.

With over 100 accredited electronicengineering undergraduate courses inthe UK, the annual output of allgraduates in electronics-related degreecourses is in the region of 15,000. Mostof these universities also offerpostgraduate, masters degree anddoctorate courses covering a widerange of specialist topics within theelectronics engineering discipline. Inaddition to providing an excellent

opportunity for companies tocollaborate on research projects,industry-sponsored postgraduatecourses allow technology-drivencompanies to make contact with thisvaluable source of highly qualifiedengineers.

CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT (CPD)

Increasingly, universities are gearing upto meet the demand for continuousprofessional development (CPD),particularly in the engineering sector.A range of distance learning andmodular courses are available forexperienced engineers wanting to learnnew skills and broaden their knowledge.

The Institute for System LevelIntegration (ISLI) www.sli-institute.ac.uk, based at the Alba Centre, is ajoint venture between four Scottishuniversities: Edinburgh, Glasgow,Heriot-Watt andStrathclydeEstablished in 1998, itwas the worlds first centre ofexcellence to concentrate onpostgraduate education andresearch in the methodology andapplications of system-on-chip

design, system level integration andrelated software and hardwaretechnologies.

an MSc in advancedmicroelectronics, run by the

University of Bolton, can be studiedremotely via the internet (www.ami.ac.uk)

an MSc at the University ofSouthampton addresses appliedRadio Frequency CommunicationSystems.

Engineering Doctorate (EngD) is afour-year postgraduate awardintended for the UKs leading

research engineers who want amanagerial career in industry. Analternative to the traditional PhD itis better suited to the needs ofindustry, and provides a morevocationally oriented doctorate inengineering. Full details of all EngDcentres are on the Engineering andPhysical Sciences Research Council(EPSRC) website.

The Engineering and Physical SciencesResearch Council (EPSRC) part fundsthe above courses as well as manyothers covering DSP, RF design, VLSIdesign, SoC and VHDL at dozens ofuniversities throughout the UK.

In addition, trade associations run CPDcourses for the benefit of the industry.One example is the NationalMicroelectronics Institute (NMI) whichoffers a Certificate in Team Leading,accredited by the CharteredManagement Institute.

INDUSTRIAL SPONSORSHIPSIndustrial sponsorships are encouraged,as all these courses have a significantproject-based element. Again, sponsorsbenefit significantly from the researchresources available and attracting this

new talent on a permanent basis.

The UK technology skills and training

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Case

Study

University of Manchester

Brain-Box computer

Understanding the human brain remains

as one of the great frontiers of science,and a UK team is building a large-scalecomputer to help neuroscientists testtheories about the internal workings ofthe brain. We know that our brains workby billions of cells exchanging messagesin the form of electrical spikes, butwhat do all those spikes actually mean?What information do they convey?

The first computer will be switched on in

2009, and then the following years will seeit scaled up to its final form with a millionARM processors all collectively talking thebrains language to each other. Theresearch programme presents hugechallenges to both hardware and software

engineers as new scales of complexity aretackled in both domains.

The work is expected to deliver benefitsboth in terms of new medical knowledge

better treatments for mental illness andbrain injury should emerge from a betterunderstanding of how the brain works and in terms of the discovery of new waysto build massively-parallel computationsand fault-tolerant computers.

The computer is being constructed at the

University of Manchester in collaborationwith the universities of Southampton (whoare developing much of the software),

Cambridge (architecture exploration) andSheffield (application development). There

is input from industry, including ARM Ltd

(whose microprocessor technology is keyto the project), University of Manchesterspin-out Silistix Ltd (who provide advancedNetwork on Chip solutions for managingchip complexity and multi-processor

communications) and Thales (who arewatching the application space). The workis funded by the UK Engineering andPhysical Sciences Research Council,EPSRC.

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The engineering organisationThe Institution of Engineering andTechnology (IET), www.theiet.org,has more than 122,000 members inthe UK. It promotes CPD to itsmembers and works with employers

to support and encourage lifelonglearning. It was established in 2006following the merger of theInstitution of Electrical Engineers(IEE) and the Institute ofIncorporated Engineers (IIE).

The UK Government regularlysupports industry-based initiativesto improve the skills base. Oneexample is the ContinuingEducation in Electronic SystemIntegration (CEESI) scheme, www.ceesi.ac.uk, which encourageselectronics graduates and industryemployees to enhance their skills inadvanced electronics design.

Please note that CEESI has a separateentry under the universities section ofthis guide.

There are European sources oftraining too, from organisations likeEuropractice, www.europractice.com, with courses provided in theUK through Technology for Industry(TfI), www.tfi-ltd.co.uk, to meet aEuropean curriculum.

Commercial organisations areimportant in maintaining the skillsof the UKs semiconductor designworkforce. The design tool vendorsrun particularly useful courseswhich often include advice andguidance on methodology andtechnology as well as use of thetools.

The technology vendors too, such asthe programmable logic companies,provide a significant contribution tokeeping engineers up-to-date when they

run seminars explaining their latestofferings and how to design with them.

With over 100 accreditedelectronic engineeringundergraduate courses in the UK,the annual output of all graduatesin electronics-related degree

courses is in the region of 15,000

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University Profiles I 25

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funds research and postgraduate training in universites and

related organisations throughout the UK. More detais are in the Support Organistions section of this guide

University Profiles

Bath

Birmingham

Bolton

Bristol

Cambridge

Cardiff

Continuing

Educationin

Electronic

System

Integration

Dundee

Durham

Edinburgh

Essex

Glasgow

Heriot-Watt

Hertfordshire

ImperialCollege,

London

Institutefor

SystemLevel

Integration

Designskills

Analogue

Design for test

Device modelling

Digital (RTL etc)

Electronic packaging

Formal verification

Low power

MEMS

Mixed signal

Other

PCB

RF

SoC

Research

focus

Device characterisation

Device processing

Manufacturing systems

Novel devices

Applications

Automotive

Communications

Digital video and audio

Imaging

Information systems

Microprocessor

Neural network

RF tags

Sensors

Signal processing

Smartcard

Storage

Wireless

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Kent

Lancaster

Leeds

Liverpool

LondonSouth

Bank

Manchester

Newcastle

Oxford

OxfordBrookes

Queens

Universityof

Belfast

Sheffield

Southampton

Strathclyde

Surrey

Swansea

Warwick

York

Designskills

Analogue

Design for test

Device modelling

Digital (RTL etc)

Electronic packaging

Formal verification

Low power

MEMS

Mixed signal

Other

PCB

RF

SoC

Research

focus

Device characterisation

Device processing

Manufacturing systems

Novel devices

Applications

Automotive

Communications

Digital video and audio

Imaging

Information systems

Microprocessor

Neural network

RF tags

Sensors

Signal processing

Smartcard

Storage

Wireless

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funds research and postgraduate training in universites and

related organisations throughout the UK. More detais are in the Support Organistions section of this guide

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University of BirminghamDepartment of Electronic, Electrical andComputer EngineeringEdgbastonBirminghamB15 2TT

Contact: Prof Michael LancasterProfessorT: +44 (0)121 414 [email protected]

The Department of Electronic, Electricaland Computer Engineering teachesinternationally acknowledgedundergraduate and Masters-level

degree programmes in most areas ofelectronic engineering, computersystems engineering, interactivesystems and human centred systems.

In order to focus on major technicaldevelopments and to facilitate inter-disciplinary activities, advancedresearch is organised into two researchcentres: Interactive Electronic and

Communications Systems (IECS) andEmerging Device Technology (EDT).Each centre has academic staff, researchfellows and associates, researchstudents and expert technical andsupport staff. The centres conductfundamental and applied research ofinternational standing, funded by theEPSRC, EU, industry and other sources,often in collaboration with otheruniversities, government departments

or industry.

The department is committed totechnology transfer through itstechnology transfer centre, WaveSolutions, and the School ofEngineerings business developmentstaff. It is possible to use the expertiseof the staff and the facilities available inthe department for productdevelopment or basic research, forinvestments as little as a few hundredpounds.

Substantial R&D projects can also beaccommodated, employing staff overmany years. Sponsorship of final yearstudent projects or PhD students notonly allows access to the facilities butalso has been used by a number of

companies to attract well-trained staff.

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University of BoltonSchool of the Built Environment &EngineeringDeane RoadBoltonBL3 5AB

Contact: Linda HollandProgramme AdministratorT: +44 (0)1204 [email protected]/bee

Electronics at the University of Bolton ispart of the School of Built Environmentand Engineering. Approximately 130students are currently studying

electronics with us, with 12 academicstaff involved in the delivery of theelectronics programmes. The teachingprovision ranges from HND throughBEng (Hons) to MSc and on to research,offering multi-entry, multi-exitopportunities. All of the degreeprogrammes are characterised byapplications-focussed and problem-based activities underpinned by

academic rigour. Our electronicsprovision includes:

HND and BEng(Hons) programmesstudied full time

MSc programmes studied full timeand part time by distance learning(www.ami.ac.uk)

MSc programmes running in Soest,Germany, under a dual awardarrangement

Research PhD supervisions

Collaborative programmes(www.ceesi.ac.uk)

In addition the electronics team isclosely involved with industry,innovation and enterprise. OurTechnology Development Centre helpslocal companies by undertakingelectronics development work, findingpartners, research contracts anddevelopment funds.

University of BristolDepartment of Electrical and ElectronicEngineeringMerchant Venturers BuildingWoodland RoadBristol

BS8 1UB

Contact: Prof Mark BeachHead of DepartmentT: +44 (0)117 954 [email protected]

The Department of Electrical andElectronic Engineering is committed toexcellence in both teaching and

research, and is ranked consistentlyhighly in the UK university leaguetables. In addition to a range ofaccredited undergraduate programmes,it runs a taught MSc in CommunicationSystems and Signal Processing andcollaborates with the Department ofComputer Science on the taught MSc inAdvanced Microelectronic SystemsEngineering (AMSE). The AMSE

programme was created because ofdemand from local IC designcompanies: one third of all chip designin Europe is done in the Bristol region.Many of the AMSE student projects arerun in association with industry, withaccess to industry standard CAD tools.The Centre of Excellence inMicroelectronics provides a vehicle forcollaboration between the companiesand the University.

Electrical and Electronic Engineeringsresearch is organised under the Centrefor Communications Research and theEnergy Management Group. Thirty-twostaff are represented in the latestResearch Assessment Exercise (RAE)submission. The period 2001-2008 hasseen a 36% uplift in research income,with half of it coming from industryfacilitated through our well equipmentexperimental facilities and technologytransfer.

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Cambridge UniversityEngineering DepartmentTrumpington StreetCambridgeCB2 1PZ

Contact: Philip GuildfordDirector of ResearchT: +44 (0)1223 [email protected]

The Department of Engineering at theUniversity of Cambridge is a world-leading institution with teaching andresearch interests covering all branchesof engineering. The Department has

over 130 academic staff, 600 PhDstudents, and 1,000 undergraduates.

The Electrical Engineering Division hasresearch interests spanning materials,devices and systems with applicationsin communications, displays, sensors,imaging, power control and renewableenergy. The Division has a newpurpose-built laboratory which is home

to: the Centre for Advanced Photonicsand Electronics (CAPE); the Centre forMacromolecular Materials for Photonicsand Electronics (CMMPE); the

Cambridge Integrated KnowledgeCentre (CIKC); and the NanoscienceCentre. These centres together with theCambridge Nanoworks initiative offergreat flexibility for companies wishingto collaborate as strategic partners on

research or access facilities, skills andknowhow.

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Cardiff UniversitySchool of Physics and AstronomyQueens BuildingsThe ParadeCardiffCF24 3AA

Contact: Prof Peter SmowtonProfessorT: +44 (0)29 2087 [email protected]/research/pm

Within the School of Physics andAstronomy, the Photons and MatterGroups research into the design andcharacterisation of semiconductor laser

diodes covers computational methodsand the investigation of fundamentalbehaviour.

Experimental facilities include cleanroomfabrication for edge-emitting and VCSELdevices, a 5-400K, 100ps lasercharacterisation suite and laboratoriesfor assessment of static devicecharacteristics. Current research is also

concerned with the design of laserdiodes tailored to specific applications inbiology, medicine and sensing.

Previous and on going collaborationswith industry have involved companiessuch as British Telecom, Motorola, IQE,BAE systems and Bookham in thedevelopment of laser diodes withdesignated performance requirementsfor specific applications, such as high

temperature 650nm lasers for DVD,670nm red VCSELs for opticalcommunications, 1550nm laser diodesand high power visible wavelengthquantum dot lasers.

The group is interested in collaborativeresearch into fundamental level laserdevelopment including the use of newmaterials and advanced structures suchas quantum dot and composite andhybrid devices. It also offers advice anddesign expertise through consultancycontracts.

Continuing Education in ElectronicSystem IntegrationThe CEESI OfficeUniversity of BoltonDeane RoadBolton

BL3 5AB

Contact: Roy AttwoodCEESI training co-ordinatorT: +44 (0)1204 [email protected]

The CEESI training programmeaddresses industrys need for flexibleadvanced training in electronics

systems design and integration andassociated areas by offering a pool oftraining modules at postgraduate levelfrom leading UK universities. All themodules can be studied partly bydistance learning via the internet. Theprogramme also fosters academic/industrial collaboration between thepartner universities and the electronicsdesign industry in the UK.

The academic partners collaborating inCEESI are currently the Institute forSystem Level Integration (representingthe universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow,Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde) and theuniversities of Bolton, Bradford, Kent,Manchester, Southampton, Surrey andYork. The industrial collaboration is ledby the National MicroelectronicsInstitute and includes BAE Systems,

Cadence Design Systems, RF MicroDevices, Freescale Semiconductor,Infineon Technologies, Motorola,National Semiconductor, NXPSemiconductors and Sony SDE.

The development of CEESI has beensupported since 2001 by theEngineering and Physical SciencesResearch Council (EPSRC). Financialbursaries are available to help with feesin many cases.

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The University of DundeeResearch & Innovation ServicesCollege of Art, Science and EngineeringDundeeDD1 4HN

Contact: Neil MatherBusiness Development ManagerT: +44 (0)1382 [email protected]/research

Involved primarily in thecharacterisation of semiconductormaterials, the department has purpose-built cleanrooms equipped for thefabrication of semiconductor devices

and complete silicon chips. Equipmentincludes a pattern generator andphotorepeater, which make thedevelopment of prototypes veryconvenient. It has a full range ofmicrobeam characterisation facilities.Systems are available to growamorphous silicon films and amorphoussilicon alloy films and to carry outelectronic and optical measurements on

semiconductor materials. Electron

paramagnetic resonance (EPR)spectroscopy and positron annihilationspectroscopy are available.

Examples of projects currentlyunderway include:

optical and electroniccharacterisation measurements onamorphous, microcrystalline andpolycrystalline films of amorphoussilicon and silicon alloys

development of large area displayand sensor devices, as well as novelnon-volatile digital and analoguememory devices with the potentialfor ultra-fast, radiation hard, highpacking density and multi-statememory

The department is keen to pursuecollaborative research with industry innew techniques for the production ofphotomasks and X-ray masks andmaterials and new techniques for visualdisplays.

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The department runs a full-time MSccourse on electronic circuit design andmanufacture, a modular degree indisplays called Displaymasters, an MScin renewable energy and is looking atrunning all postgraduate MSc courses

via distance learning.

Durham UniversitySchool of EngineeringSouth RoadDurhamDH1 3LE

Contact: Prof Alan PurvisProfessorT: +44 (0)191 33 [email protected]/ces

The School of Engineering is a nationallyrecognised centre of research excellence,reflected in its quality rating in theResearch Assessment Exercise. TheCentre for Electronic Systems (CES) was

created to provide academic leadershipin a wide variety of research contractsand reach out programmes for industry.The aim of the centre is to provide afocus for research and technologytransfer activities associated withelectronics and information engineeringsystems. Grant-funded research topicsrange from novel transducers, silicondesign and signal processing to digital

communication systems, with the mainobjective of making new knowledgeaccessible through publication in learnedjournals and at conferences.

CES has been actively involved in formingthe Faraday Partnership EPPIC whichevolved into the new KTNs in electronicsand photonics. Research contributionsinclude novel holographic lithographytechniques carried out jointly with

colleagues at Sheffield University andadvances in Radio Tracking technology.

With the shift toward nano systems andmolecular engineered devices we haverecently introduced a new outreachproject called the Centre for ElectronicNano Systems. This project has provedhighly successful in adding value to thefundamental nano research byidentifying target markets, buildingdemonstrators and developing newproducts for businesses in the NorthEast and Worldwide.

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The University of EdinburghThe Institute for Integrated Micro andNano SystemsSchool of Engineering and ElectronicsEdinburghEH9 3JL

Contact: Prof Ian UnderwoodT: +44 (0)131 650 [email protected]/research/IMNS

The Institute for Integrated Micro andNano Systems (IMNS) brings togetherresearchers from integrated circuitdesign, SoC design, microfabrication,micro-electro mechanical systems

(MEMS), micro-machining and neuralcomputation. Research activities rangefrom industrially-focused processdevelopment and low power System-on-Chip design, to long-term researchinto circuit design, system architectures,micro-stereolithography, novelstructures on silicon, and autonomousand adaptive hardware, networks andsystem architectures. With strong links

to the life sciences, bioelectronics andbiomechanics now provide an area ofrapid growth linking core activitieswithin the institute. Facilities includeone of the UKs leading silicon andMEMS fabrication operations, based atthe Scottish Microelectronics Centre(SMC). This is a 4.2m purpose-builtfacility with 350m2 of class 10cleanrooms, housing over 15m ofmicrofabrication and chip repair

equipment together with state-of-the-artsimulation software. Research activitieswithin the institute include:

Neural and neuromorphiccomputation research on mixed-mode VLSI hardware withincreasing interest in biologicalapplications

Reconfigurable and multi-functional

hardware and sensor designtogether with novel ways for theirintegration.

Adaptive and autonomous systemdesign.

Long life wireless networks.

Robust architectures for automotiveand aerospace.

Technology-based research with

projects ranging from thefabrication of deep sub-micron MOSdevices through to microsystemtechnology

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University of EssexSchool of Computer Science andElectronic EngineeringColchesterCO4 3SQ

Contact: Prof Ian HenningDeputy Head (Research)T: +44 (0)1206 [email protected]

The University of Essex hascomprehensive teaching and researchactivities covering all aspects ofElectronics Systems Design, in itsSchool of Computer Science and

Electronic Engineering. The Universityhas been ranked tenth nationally for itsresearch quality, and is a leadingexponent in this design field. Areas ofexpertise include:

Analogue systems and circuittechniques, including electronicdevices, circuit design, with analysisand computer simulation and

modelling.Digital system design at system andregister transfer level, with anemphasis on implementation onchip, using FPGAs and varioushardware description languages.

Embedded systems involving thedesign, programming andinterfacing of embeddedprocessors, their present and futureapplications, and their technologicaltrends.

Intelligent networks and systems,including evolutionary algorithms,brain-computer interfaces, roboticsand computational intelligence.

Interdisciplinary research within theDigital Lifestyles Centre, bridgingthe gap between the social andtechnological sciences by focusingon the development of innovativeelectronics systems and how weuse them.

The School of Computer Science andElectronic Engineering is keen tocollaborate with companies across thisbroad range of topics.

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University of GlasgowDepartment of Electronics and ElectricalEngineeringRankine BuildingOakfield AvenueGlasgow

G12 8LT

Contact: Dr Scott RoyReaderT: +44 (0)141 330 [email protected]/departments/electronicsandelectricalengineering

University of Glasgow provides avertically integrated electronics research

environment from high level design todevice and circuit fabrication. Thiscapability is supported by a 4.7melectronics design centre funded byEPSRC, SHEFC and the University, andthe James Watt Nanofabrication Centrebuilt and equipped at a cost of 7m.

Research activities cover control systems,bio- and opto- electronic devices and

systems, nano-electronics devices andsystems, and device and system modelling all with strong links to analogue andmixed-signal system design.

Areas of strength include:

VLSI design (analogue/mixed-signaland digital) for sophisticated sensor/actuator hybrid systems includingnovel sensors and RF components

designed and fabricated in-house.Projects include wireless video,integrated olfactory sensing andingestible diagnostic devices.

Design and realisation of Ultra-lowpower radio transceivers (6 & 24GHz) for autonomous distributedsensor networks, and low noisemm-wave receivers (>94 GHz) forimaging and sensing.

The impact of atomic scalevariability in ultrasmall MOSFETs oncircuit and system design.

Heriot-Watt UniversityDepartment of Electrical, Electronic andComputer EngineeringSchool of Engineering and PhysicalSciencesEarl Mountbatten Building

EdinburghEH14 4AS

Contact: Professor Marc DesmulliezHead of Electrical, Electronic andComputer EngineeringT: +44 (0)131 451 [email protected]

EECE is a leading international centre

for learning, innovation and knowledgetransfer in electrical, electronic andcomputer systems engineering. EECEequips students and employees forrewarding careers and providescompetitive advantage to industrialsponsors and employers. We achievethis by delivering both broad andhands-on courses focused ontoindustrially relevant topics, and through

cutting edge, world-class technologicalresearch. Our specialities inMicrosystems, Robotics, IntelligentSystems, Signal and Image Processing,Embedded Systems, Power Electronicsand High Voltage engineering areuniquely applied internationally acrossindustries such as Communications,Medical Electronics, Transport, OffshoreOil and Gas, Defence, EnergyGeneration/Distribution and beyond.

Rated Excellent at the last UK-wideTeaching Assessment Exercise, thedepartment is at the hub of theengineering disciplines that form peopleand technology for our future. We prideourselves in providing life enrichment ina caring environment for the transitionto graduate and postgraduate engineer,and in delivering word class researchoutputs that are consistently used byindustry as differentiators to generateeconomic wealth.

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University of HertfordshireBusiness Partnership OfficeHatfieldAL10 9AB

Contact: Paul Findlay

Head of Knowledge TransferT: +44 (0)1707 [email protected]/business-services

The University of Hertfordshire hasactive teaching and research inmicroelectronics and digital broadcasttechnologies. It was a DTI-approvedelectronics design support centre foreight years, having completed more

than 50 collaborative projects withindustry with both EU and UK DTIfunding.

It has formed training partnerships withcompanies such as Cadence, Xilinx,Analog Devices, Mitsubishi, Crouzet andPhilips. Material developed at theUniversity of Hertfordshire has beenmarketed internationally and our staff

have led training workshops acrossEurope and the US.

The University was recently designateda centre of excellence in System-on-Chip (SoC) design by Altium Systems,who have sponsored a SoC laboratoryto the value of $500,000. The Universityis seeking collaboration in the followingareas: IP creation; digital ASIC andFPGA design; baseband and RF DSP

design for digital broadcast; designmethodology issues; novel computingarchitectures and embedded internetsolutions.

Relevant postgraduate courses on offerinclude:

MSc Data Communications andNetworks

MSc Advanced Digital Systems;

MSc EmbeddedIntelligent Systems; MSc OpticalCommunication

Systems and Networks; MSC Radioand Mobile

Communication Systems, MScComputer

Engineering and MSc MultimediaTechnology.

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Imperial College LondonDepartment of Electrical and ElectronicEngineeringSouth Kensington CampusLondonSW7 2AZ

Contact: Dr Christos PapavassiliouSenior LecturerT: +44 (0)20 7594 [email protected]/electricalengineering

The Department of Electrical andElectronic Engineering is active inCommunications and Signal Processing;

Optics, MEMS; Digital and AnalogueCircuits and Systems, Power andControl Engineering.

Under the general banner of SoCdesign, research activity is sustained inthe areas of Reconfigurable Digitalsystems, Micropower and RF AnalogueElectronics, Optical and RF MEMS, andnovel devices including power

scavengers and THz detectors. Thecircuit engineering activity isincreasingly focused on process andfault tolerant methodology.

The in-house expertise in ControlEngineering (optimal, non-linear andstochastic control), Communications(adaptive and spatial diversity comms,intelligent networks), Signal processing(real time DSP, audio and image

processing) and power electronicsallows the department to address allaspects of demanding applicationsincluding implantable biomedical andself-powered electronics, MEMS basedsystems, and audio and visual tracking,to name a few examples.

Institute for System Level IntegrationThe Alba CentreAlba Business ParkLivingstonEH54 7EG

Contact: Tony HarkeriSLI DirectorT: +44 (0)1506 469 [email protected]

iSLI sits at the critical interface betweenthe academic and commercialengineering worlds. iSLis mission is toproduce highly skilled design engineersand researchers to meet the needs of

the rapidly changing globalMicroelectronics industry. As acollaboration between four leading UKuniversities (Edinburgh, Glasgow,Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde), iSLI is anintermediary for the commercial sectorto reach academia and vice versa,enabling the free flow of informationbetween academics and industry. TheInstitute provides masters (MSc) and

doctoral (EngD) level post-graduateeducation, continuing professionaldevelopment, leading edge researchaccess and design consultation to thecommercial sector. With its own designteam specialising in development ofwireless sensor networks and opticalMEMS research, iSLI is about makingtechnology relevant and attractive to thecommercial sector to enable the successof new companies and next generation

products.

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University of KentDepartment of ElectronicsCanterburyCT2 7NT

Contact: Peter Lee

Senior LecturerT: +44 (0)1227 [email protected]

The Electronics Department at theUniversity of Kent has three mainresearch groups: Image Processing andVision; Broadband and WirelessCommunications; and Instrumentation,Control and Embedded Systems. Each

group has an active research portfoliowith funding from both the UK andEurope. Current research activitieswithin the groups include imageanalysis, document processing,handwriting analysis, biometrics, neuralsystems, intelligent vision systems, SoCdesign and test, intelligent opticalsensors, parallel processingarchitectures, reconfigurable systems,

antennas and adaptive antenna arrays,non-linear systems, RF and microwaveengineering, optical components andoptical communications.

The Electronics Systems Design Centre(ESDC) is also based in the department.The ESDC is responsible for technologytransfer activities in the department andin the past has supported the DTIMicroelectronics in Business and

Electronics Design programmes. Duringthis time it has provided support forover 100 design projects withcompanies in the region. It is now aregional representative for theelectronics KTN. Using funding fromSouth East England DevelopmentAgency (SEEDA) it has recentlyestablished a small volume surfacemount technology facility which is usedfor prototyping.

Lancaster UniversityCentre for Microsystems EngineeringEngineering DepartmentLancasterLA1 4YR

Contact: Prof Andrew RichardsonDirector, Centre for MicrosystemsEngineeringT: +44 (0)1524 [email protected]/microsystems

Micro & Nano Systems

Design for Testability

Integration & Packaging TechnologyMixed Signal & AnalogueEngineering

System-on-Chip and System-in-package Design Technology

Electronic Systems Research at theCentre for Microsystems Engineering atLancaster University is focused aroundindustrially-linked projects that address

design challenges associated with nextgeneration integration technologies andthe optimisation of quality, reliabilityand manufacturing economics insystems based on micro- and nano-technology. The team lead a EuropeanNetwork of Excellence in Designtechnology for MNT based systems andare executive Board members for theUK Innovative ElectronicsManufacturing Research Centre.

Specific projects include:

Design-for-Testability and Self-Teststrategies for mixed signal systemsand the extension of to full HW/SWbased condition monitoringsolutions for multi-technologydesigns around System-in-Packageand silicon/polymer platforms.

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Design challenges around 3Dintegration platforms includingmethods of distributing processorand memory resources acrossmultiple stacked devices, modellingperformance and reliability issues

for interconnect structures includingTSVs and systems designmethodologies for emergingnanoscale devices that bridge thegap between quantum level modelsand circuit simulation.

Application of 3D integration andSystem-in-Package Technology tominiaturised health and usagemonitoring systems.

University of LeedsSchool of Electronic and ElectricalEngineeringLeedsLS2 9JTContact: Prof Giles Davies

Director of ResearchT: +44 (0)113 [email protected]/elec

The Research Assessment Exercise(RAE) 5* School is an internationally-recognized centre of excellence for bothteaching and research. Research isconsolidated into two Institutes: theInstitute of Microwaves and Photonics

(IMP) and the Institute of IntegratedInformation Systems (IIIS).The IMP has a history of pre-eminencein high frequency electronics,incorporating fundamentalunderstanding, design, modelling, andfabrication of devices, components, andsubsystems from 1 GHz through toterahertz (THz) frequencies. Its scopenow includes the design, modelling,

and fabrication of quantum-electronicdevices, semiconductornanotechnology, and the emerging fieldof bio-nanoelectronics. The IIIS has anestablished international reputation forcommunications, wireless systems,signal processing, control systems andinstrumentation. Recent expansion intooptical communications and networkinghas broadened its capability andexpertise in heterogeneous IP networks,

complexity and self-organisation insystems, sensors, intelligent wired-wireless systems and user-controllednetworks. Industrial links include allmajor telecommunications companies.

Excellent facilities include GaAs-AlGaAs-InGaAs MBE growth, ananotechnology cleanroom (includingelectron and focused ion beamlithography), microwave measurementfacilities (for system design, andcharacterization to 320 GHz), a terahertzphotonics laboratory (including

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broadband and quantum cascade lasersystems), and a bioelectronicslaboratory suite. High-end computing/CAD tools for modelling/simulation,traffic characterization facilities, apurpose-built wireless infrared test-bed,

a wireless sensor networks test-bed,and ultra-wideband equipment forimplementation of signal processingalgorithms are also available.

University of LiverpoolDepartment of Electrical Engineeringand ElectronicsBrownlow HillLiverpoolL69 3JG

Contact: Prof Stephen HallHead of DepartmentT: +44 (0)151 794 [email protected]/eee

The Solid State Electronics group hasabout 25 staff, has been active for 30years and encompasses both siliconand polymer based electronics. Device

work includes full design, simulation,realisation and characterisation of novelstructures, dual gate vertical MOSFETswith SiGe HBT on SOI and polymertransistors with Schottky contacts.

Design of low voltage/low poweranalogue and mixed signal circuits onSi and SOI substrates continues thestrong track record in SOI and is aimed

mainly at medical applications. There iscollaboration through the groupsmembership of EUROSOI EU ThematicNetwork. The group also has design andfabrication experience of fully-depletedSOI and low power adder circuitsincorporating a variety of logic styles(PowerPack consortium).

There is activity on novel neuromorphicdevices for spike dependent plasticity,

which can be implemented in a CMOStechnology (funded by EPSRC). ATechnology Strategy Board (TSB)Project PPM2 is concerned withprecision passive components. A micro-machining project has realised theworlds smallest miniature massspectrometer.

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School of Computer ScienceOxford RoadManchesterM13 9PL

Contact: Prof Steve Furber

ICL Professor of Computer EngineeringT: +44 (0)161 275 [email protected]/apt

The Advanced Processor Technologies(APT) group in the School of ComputerScience has a decade of experience inthe design of self-timed (clockless)embedded processor cores and relatedSoC technology, and is a recognised

world leader in the application ofself-timed techniques to large-scaleembedded designs. Its programme ofresearch currently includes multi-coreprocessor architecture, hardwaresupport for large-scale neural networks,tools for asynchronous design andadvanced signal processing systems.

There is significant electronic systems

activity in the School of Electrical andElectronic Engineering in the areas offine-grain processor arrays and visionsystems. The Microelectronics andNanostructures groups activityembraces new nano-technologymaterials through novel devices tointegrated circuit design and SoCs.Devices spanning the 1GHz to 1THzbands are fabricated and tested. Thegroup is also is also developing

technologies for the internationalSquare Kilometre Array (SKA) radiotelescope including super low noisereceivers at ~2GHz using advanced InPtechnology.

Newcastle UniversitySchool of Electrical, Electronic andComputer Engineering (EECE)Newcastle upon TyneNE1 7RU

Contact: Prof Alex YakovlevProfessorT: +44 (0)191 222 [email protected]/eece/research/

The EECE Research Groups knownnationally and internationally forexpertise in key technology areasprovide knowledge to address crucialproblems between technology and

design in the following areas:

Strained Si technology for highspeed low power Integrated circuits;SiC for high temperature highpower electronics; reliability of ICinterconnects; Nanowires; sensors;device fabrication; novel electricaland material characterization; nmscale strain characterization; C-AFM

techniques; technology CAD;Diffusion and vacancy engineering;Atomic Layer Deposition. TheSchool maintains class 100cleanrooms together with extensiveelectrical and materialcharacterization facilities.

Microelectronics system design:asynchronous system, securehardware and synchroniser design;synthesis and verification;

metastability modelling andcharacterisation; on-chip timingmeasurements; logarithmic scaleprocessors; self test for SoC,concurrent error detection; designfor testability and testing for hightemperature SOI technologies.

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Communications and SignalProcessing: 4G systems; Nonlinearsignal processing and blind sourceseparation; Mobile pervasivedevices; Coding, and security;Biomedicine; Biometrics; Digital

video coding and image analysis;Neural networks.

Oxford UniversityDepartment of Engineering ScienceParks RoadOxfordOX1 3PJ

Contact: C.J. ScotcherSenior AdministratorT: +44 (0)1865 [email protected]

The Department of Engineering Scienceat Oxford is the only unified departmentin the UK which offers accreditedcourses in all the major branches ofengineering our students develop a

broad view of the subject muchappreciated by employers, but can alsochoose from a very wide range ofspecialist options.

Every year the Department ofEngineering Science, one of the largestdepartments in the University, producesaround 160 new engineering graduates.They go off to a huge variety of

occupations into designing cars,building roads and bridges, developingnew electronic devices, manufacturingpharmaceuticals, into healthcare andaerospace, into further study for higherdegrees and in many other directions.Some of our graduates also developtheir managerial, financial orentrepreneurial skills, and go intocommerce, financial services, or starttheir own companies.

We see 60 to 70 students each year takehigher degrees, either MSc or DPhil byresearch, and since October 2006 anumber take a taught MSc course inBiomedical Engineering.

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We have a substantial researchportfolio, including much that is directlysupported by industry. In theDepartment there are no barriersbetween the different branches ofengineering, and we are involved in a

great deal of multi-disciplinary researchcollaborating with groups in otherdepartments from Archaeology toZoology.

Oxford Brookes UniversityDepartment of Computing andElectronicsWheatley CampusWheatleyOX33 1HX

Contact: Dr Khaled HayatlehReaderT: +44 (0)1865 483 [email protected]

The Department of Computing andElectronics engages in teaching,research, and development in a widerange of disciplines including: wired

and wireless data communications,software engineering, computer vision,media-rich computer networks, and webtechnology. Electronic design expertiseincludes high performance electroniccircuits and systems, low-voltage high-speed CMOS line drivers, non-contactinfra-red thermometers, transmission ofmultimedia data over 3G and future 4Gmobile networks, mobile ad-hoc

networks, and voice over IP. There is aprizewinning research group incomputer vision, spanning the rangefrom new probabilistic approaches forsolving hard vision problems, topractical applications in 3D sceneanalysis and content manipulation,surveillance, and special effects for thefilm and computer game industry. Thedepartment engages in consultancywith industry and government, and has

a number of teaching and researchpartnerships with companies includingOxford Metrics Group, Vicon, Avid,Microsoft, Cisco, Nominet, SonyEntertainment and Texas Instrumentsand Calex Electronics. The departmentcan provide a complete service rangingfrom initial conception to a completedevice or software prototype.

Queens University of Belfast

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The Institute of Electronics,Communications and InformationTechnology (ECIT)Northern Ireland Science ParkQueens Road, Queens IslandBelfast

BT3 9DT

Contact: Dr Godfrey GastonECIT Operations DirectorT: +44 (0)28 9097 [email protected]

ECIT brings together, under one roof,internationally renowned researchgroups from Queens University of

Belfast specialising in key areas ofadvanced digital and communicationstechnology. The institutes unique focuson blue skies, strategic and industrialresearch projects puts it in the sameleague as other major worldclass R&Dcentres, with a 40m investment overfive years. The following are the keyresearch areas: advanced wired andwireless networks; high frequency

electronic circuits and antennas;telecommunications software; DSP forcommunications; System-on-Chip;image and vision systems and speechand language processing. There are anumber of state-of-theart laboratorieswhich play a key role in thedevelopment of the research.

ECIT also has a strong business andentrepreneurial focus, providing hot-

housing facilities to encourage andsupport the development and initialgrowth of new companies. Links withindustry are an integral part of theresearch performed within ECIT.

The Semiconductor Research Centrehas expertise and capability in thefollowing areas: enabling technology foradvanced bipolar and MOS Integratedcircuits; novel applications of SOI andburied metal silicide technology; ground

plane noise protection for integration ofdigital and analogue systems; siliconbread-boarding for mm wave integratedcircuits; applications requiring siliconmicro-machining and wafer bonding;thin film circuits and RF MEMS.

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University of SheffieldDepartment of Electronic and Ele

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