DEEPX, a Seoul-based fabless semiconductor company developing ultra-low-power AI inference chips for physical AI applications, has secured 27 commercial purchase orders across eight countries within seven months of starting mass production of its first-generation AI chip - a pace that industry observers describe as highly unusual for an emerging fabless company at such an early stage of commercialization.The orders span seven major Physical AI application domains, including robotics, smart factories, edge AI servers, industrial AI, surveillance, AI IT services, and smart cities, with deployments now active across Asia, North America, and Europe.Global Expansion at Unusual SpeedThe ramp-up was slow at first: only two orders came in during the first five months after production began. But the company added 25 additional orders in less than three months in 2026, indicating rapidly accelerating commercial adoption.While some semiconductor startups have achieved limited international shipments, DEEPX's simultaneous expansion across multiple countries and application domains at this pace is highly unusual, according to industry observers. The company's chips are now being deployed across eight countries spanning Asia, North America, and Europe.Early Global Supply Chain ExecutionDEEPX established a global distribution network early in its commercialization phase through partnerships with Avnet, DigiKey, and WPG. Industry analysts note that it is rare for an emerging fabless semiconductor company to secure a global supply chain at such an early stage of mass production.In Europe, DEEPX signed a distribution agreement with Avnet Silica - the European arm of Avnet - establishing a regional supply chain ahead of broader market entry. Avnet Silica has already identified more than 30 prospective customers across high-performance embedded segments including smart city infrastructure, autonomous mobile robots (AMR), machine vision, and smart factories. Both companies are actively expanding purchase contracts as European industrial demand for edge AI inference accelerates.Partner Ecosystem: From Silicon Vendors to AI Software LeadersA key driver of DEEPX's commercial momentum is a cross-industry partner ecosystem spanning semiconductor vendors, industrial computing platforms, and open-source AI software leaders - reflecting a deliberate strategy to position its silicon as an embedded AI standard rather than a point solution.Renesas Electronics: Has integrated DEEPX NPUs into more than three types of industrial boards combining Renesas application processors, delivering solutions applicable to smart factory deployments. The collaboration between a tier-one AP semiconductor company and an AI chip startup has been widely noted as an uncommon signal of hardware ecosystem maturity.Sixfab and Raspberry Pi: Have jointly developed and released an AI HAT module built around the DX-M1, alongside a real-time smart traffic analysis solution using the CES 2026 Best of Innovation-winning 'ALPON X5' AI PC that integrates DEEPX products.AAEON (ASUS subsidiary), IEI, WeLink, Endrich, Toradex, and Lanner: Industrial system developers have deployed customized AI hardware solutions for smart cities, automated logistics, and security systems powered by DEEPX chips, extending the company's reach across diverse embedded application segments.Ultralytics & Network Optix: Ultralytics, developer of the widely-adopted YOLO vision AI model family, has demonstrated 'Open-Source Physical AI Alliance' workloads running on the DEEPX NPU with a one-click deployment flow. Network Optix has validated an intelligent Video Management System capable of managing thousands of camera feeds simultaneously using DEEPX inference.New Products: DX-M1M and DX-AIPlayerAlongside its commercial order momentum, DEEPX has launched two mass-production product lines designed to reduce integration friction for industrial developers across its key markets:DX-M1M (M.2 Module): A standard M.2 form factor module embedding the DX-M1 AI chip, designed to drop into existing industrial PCs and edge servers. The format allows customers to add powerful AI inference capability without redesigning hardware, significantly lowering the barrier to deployment.DX-AIPlayer: An edge AI acceleration solution integrating the DEEPX NPU with a high-efficiency CPU board. Positioned as a 'one-stop' platform covering the full workflow from model development to industrial deployment, the product enables developers to implement vision AI applications without complex integration overhead.Large-Scale Global PoC StrategyThe company attributes its rapid adoption to a large-scale pre-production engagement strategy. In the semiconductor industry, it typically takes 9 to 18 months from PoC initiation to full production deployment in customer applications. To shorten this cycle, DEEPX began working with customers well before mass production began.Over more than one year prior to production, the company collaborated with approximately 350 global companies, supporting proof-of-concept testing and system integration. This approach created a large pipeline of customers already familiar with the silicon and ready to transition into commercial orders once production began.Physical AI Moving from Concept to RealityCEO Lokwon Kim pointed to the growing volume of PoC activity as the clearest signal that physical AI is no longer a forward-looking concept. "Many people still view Physical AI as a concept for the future. But when we look at the growing number of PoC projects with global companies today, it becomes clear that Physical AI is already becoming a reality," he said.On the commercial order milestone, Kim was direct. "Securing 27 commercial orders within seven months is one of the early signs that this transition is already happening in the industry." With distribution in place across Asia, North America, and Europe, and a partner ecosystem spanning silicon vendors, industrial platform makers, and open-source AI software leaders, DEEPX appears positioned to expand its commercial footprint across multiple regions simultaneously. If the current order velocity holds, the company's ambition to establish its NPU as the default physical AI inference chip for embedded developers worldwide may be closer to reality than the industry expected.

Karsan, the world's technology-oriented mobility brand in next-generation public transportation, increased its turnover by 11% to 330 million Euros in 2025. Karsan, which generated 220 million Euros of turnover from electric vehicle sales, saw a 43% increase in its exports to 197 million Euros. Aiming to maintain its growth in Europe, Karsan plans to begin driverless autonomous public transportation operations in 2026. Stating that Karsan e-JEST and e-ATAK models preserve leadership in their segments in the European public transportation market, Karsan CEO Okan Bas said, "Turkiye is Europe's production base in bus & midibus manufacturing. Karsan conducted 80% of the electric minibus and bus exports from Turkiye to Europe between 2019 and 2025."Emphasizing that they aim to maintain their growth in Europe by boosting their EV sales in 2026, ranking among the top 5 players in Europe in the next five years, Okan Bas mentioned, "Of course, we are aware that our presence in the existing markets is not sufficient to achieve this target.Accordingly, we will expand into new markets. We will focus on some northern countries in 2026. We do not operate in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, or Germany. In these markets, we will first initiate our organizational structuring. We will also increase our strength in the Spanish and Polish markets we entered last year. We aim to expand our electric vehicle fleet in Europe to exceed 2,800 units, representing over 30% growth. Autonomous mobility is among our strategic focal points. We will concentrate on Europe with the 8-meter Autonomous e-ATAK, and on America with the 6-meter Autonomous e-JEST. In the autonomous mobility field, we have started our efforts to remove the safety driver from the vehicle. We aim to initiate fully driverless operations in Stavanger by Q3 2026. Towards the end of 2026, we will add another electric vehicle to the product range. We constantly strengthen our presence by expanding our product range and accelerating our development in technology."Playing a leading role in transforming public transport globally with the vision of "One Step Ahead in the Future of Mobility", Karsan has left behind another successful year. Karsan, which has leveraged strong momentum in public transport with electric and autonomous vehicles, continues to strengthen its global presence through a vehicle park in 27 countries. The brand, which has made a significant contribution to the transformation of public transportation with over 2,100 electric vehicles, has set a higher target for 2026.Karsan e-JEST and e-ATAK maintain leadership in Europe!Noting that they completed the year 2025 with a turnover of 330 million Euros, Karsan CEO Okan Bas said, "We increased our total turnover by 11% compared to 296 million Euros in 2024. Electric vehicles account for 220 million Euros of this figure. Thus, we enhanced our electric vehicle turnover by 59 million Euros. Our electric vehicle turnover, which delivered a significant growth of 37%, also accounted for 67% of our total turnover. Last year, we increased our export turnover by 43 % to 197 million Euros. We boosted our EBITDA from 32 million Euros in 2024 to 54 million last year."Mentioning that they, as Karsan, focus on three technologies: electric, autonomous, and hydrogen, Okan Bas continued: "Since 2021, we have had presence in the market with our 6-8-10-12 and 18-meter full-electric product range. In the European urban electric public transport market, which grew by 39% last year, we could advance one position. In 2025, we increased our market share in Europe by 0.5 points to 5%. Thus, we rose from 8th to 7th in the ranking. During this period, e-JEST became the leader in the electric public transportation minibus market with 30% share, while e-ATAK secured a 25% share, leading the electric midibus class. Karsan e-JEST, which was the leader of its segment for the first time in 2020, has not ceded this title to any of its competitors for 6 years. In 2025, our 10-meter e-ATA model became the leader in the 10-meter electric bus market in Europe by gaining a share of 26%."Goal: Increasing the share of exports in turnover to more than 70%!Underlining that they have ranked among the top four in nine countries across Europe, Okan Bas said, "In this regard, we are the market leader with 34% in Romania and 50% in Croatia. Karsan is the second brand with 12.5% in Italy and 19.5% in Bulgaria. In addition, we are among the third brands in France, Portugal, and Greece, and the top four in Poland and Switzerland." Stating that their brand is the pioneer and leader of the Turkish electric public transportation market, Karsan CEO Okan Bas said: "In 2025, 69 electric public transport vehicles were sold in Turkiye. We, as Karsan, sold all of these. A total of 139 Karsan electric vehicles are deployed in Turkiye. Turkiye is also Europe's production base in bus and midibus manufacturing. Our country has produced one out of every two buses in Europe. Karsan conducted 80% of electric minibus and bus exports from Turkiye to Europe between 2019 and 2025. In 2025, we increased our electric vehicle exports by 15%, reaching 555 units. As of today, the part of our exports in our total turnover is nearly 60%. We intend to raise this rate to more than 70% in three years."Autonomous e-JEST goes to the World Cup!Asserting that Karsan's global electric vehicle park has reached 2,130 units, Okan Bas stated, "As of today, our electric vehicles continue to carry passengers in 27 countries on three continents. In 2025, we expanded our electric vehicle fleet by 40%. We have achieved a very significant success by winning 40% of the tenders we have participated in. We have also gained notable experience and operational competence in autonomous mobility. We have undertaken 16 projects in 12 countries with Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK, the first Level-4 Autonomous bus carrying ticketed passengers globally. 12 of them have been implemented, and 4 will be initiated soon. As a result of these efforts, we have accumulated 160,000 kilometers of road experience, serving 60,000 passengers autonomously. We observe that the demand for autonomous solutions is increasing. In our first three years, we commissioned seven projects, and in 2025, we executed nine new ones. The most substantial factors that increase interest in autonomous mobility are high operating costs, difficulty in finding drivers, and, of course, accidents. Since we saw potential in this field, we developed and unveiled an autonomous version of our e-JEST model. In Autonomous e-JEST, we brought together the four years of experience from Autonomous e-ATAK and the seven years of public transportation experience of e-JEST. After the launch, we immediately received 10 orders for Autonomous e-JEST from the USA. We will deliver these vehicles in the second half of 2026, and they will be used at the World Cup.”Karsan have reached 65% of our sales target!Unveiling Karsan's goals for 2026, Okan Bas said, "We have 60 years of automotive experience. We have reached a power of 2,500 people. I always say that when these 2,500 employees focus on a common goal, a different kind of power emerges. We set up our system to take this advantage. Our primary goal is to grow our electric sales further and increase their share in our total sales to 80%. We wish to grow in 2026 by maintaining a 5% market share. In the medium term, we want to be among the top five brands in Europe in the next 5 years. We, of course, know that our presence in existing markets is not sufficient to do this, and we will expand into new markets. We will focus on some northern countries in 2026. We do not operate in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, or Germany. In these countries, we will first initiate our organizational structuring. These are all the most challenging countries in Europe to operate in. We will enter new markets and be stronger in Spain, for instance, which we penetrated last year. We also need to get stronger in Poland, where we have very serious plans for 2026."Reminding that they have allocated some of this year's production for last year's orders, Okan Bas continued: "Today, we have met 65% of our 2026 target with the confirmed orders. We are currently producing these orders. In the meantime, we continue to collect new ones. Although we had nearly no orders 4-5 years ago, today we are entering the new year with a strong order portfolio thanks to our growing business volume. In 2026, we aim to sell approximately 700 electric vehicles. In Europe, we have created plans to boost our electric sales to more than 2,800 units, coinciding with an increase of over 30%. Autonomous mobility is among our focal points.""We will concentrate on Europe with the 8-meter Autonomous e-ATAK, and on America with the 6-meter Autonomous e-JEST. Our goal is to expand and effectively manage the market. There are two critical points: Removing the safety driver from the vehicle and Type approval. In the first half of 2027, we would like to secure Type approval for autonomous vehicles. Our tests to completely phase out the safety driver have also started. We aim to initiate fully driverless operations in Stavanger by Q3 2026.""Karsan has two fundamental strategies. One of them is that, as Karsan, we want to be a strong brand in the global market within this change. The second is to produce on behalf of global brands. We are transforming from a traditional automotive company to a mobility technology company in this evolving world. This is how we position ourselves clearly. In other words, we believe that no traditional automotive company will survive in the long term. This is how we handle this change. In this transformation, we concentrate on where we focus. In addition, towards the end of this year, we will add another electric vehicle to the product range. So, we are constantly expanding our presence through our product range and technological progress. We think that the hydrogen technology will have a share of around 10% in the total bus market, particularly in public transportation. In this regard, we have a strategic partnership with Toyota. We sold our first 2 vehicles to Italy last year and received 3 new orders. In this field, too, we will grow step by step."

Tescan will showcase its integrated semiconductor failure analysis solutions at SEMICON China 2026, covering key stages from non-destructive testing and defect exposure to sample preparation, analysis, and structural verification. The company aims to help customers improve defect localization efficiency and analytical accuracy in response to growing demand from advanced packaging and other applications.As advanced packaging, MEMS, and highly integrated semiconductor devices continue to evolve, the industry is placing greater demands on the speed, precision, and cross-platform coordination of failure analysis workflows. At this year's exhibition, Tescan will present a complete workflow from defect discovery to root-cause verification, helping laboratories improve efficiency and accelerate problem-solving.Defect DiscoveryTescan UniTOM HR 2 supports millimeter-scale non-destructive testing and delivers sub-micron, high-resolution 4D visualization and analysis. Its second-generation system combines Dynamic to Detail Imaging technology with the Panthera AI denoising algorithm to further enhance 4D image quality and defect detection efficiency during rapid scanning.Defect ExposureTescan FemtoChisel helps accelerate workflows for critical-region exposure. Under specific application conditions, the femtosecond laser processing platform can increase sample preparation speed by up to 5x while enabling cleaner cross-sections with lower thermal impact. This helps reduce focused ion beam (FIB) rework and improve overall analytical efficiency and result reliability.Sample Preparation and AnalysisTescan's Ga+ focused ion beam system has been upgraded with the second-generation Orage 2 ion column, which, under specific application conditions, can improve automated transmission electron microscope (TEM) sample preparation efficiency by up to 40%. Tescan SOLARIS X 2 Plasma FIB-SEM also supports applications in advanced integrated circuit packaging, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and display device testing, including TEM sample preparation, cross-sectioning, delayering, and in situ nanoprobing.Verification and Correlative AnalysisTescan leverages STEM imaging, EDS elemental mapping, and 4D-STEM capabilities to help users better understand the relationship between material structure and function. Tescan TENSOR, a highly automated analytical STEM platform, is optimized for 4D-STEM measurement and integrates precession electron diffraction technology to support process development and failure analysis.During the exhibition, Tescan will host a series of on-site technical talks from March 25 to 26 at E4-4590 in the Productronica China exhibition area. Visitors can also meet the Tescan team at booth T4-4446 during SEMICON China 2026 in Shanghai from March 25 to 27. Tescan welcomes semiconductor manufacturing and analysis professionals to connect with its technical team and discuss real-world analytical challenges and application needs.

Cincoze has announced the latest addition to its Rugged Computing - DIAMOND product line: the DX-1300 high-performance compact industrial computer. The DX series, already used for numerous large-scale projects, has garnered a strong reputation for its high performance, compact design, and comprehensive functionality. The newly released DX-1300 builds on this legacy, featuring the latest Intel Core Ultra 200S processor, a compact footprint of 242×173×75 mm, rich I/O, and versatile expansion options to meet a wide range of application needs. The DX-1300 serves as the ideal edge computing platform for high-end image processing, AI inference, and multitasking data integration applications in space-constrained environments.Heterogeneous Computing in an Ultra-Compact ChassisThe DX-1300 is powered by the Intel Arrow Lake-S platform Core Ultra 200S processor, featuring an integrated CPU, GPU, and NPU hybrid computing architecture that delivers up to 36 TOPS of AI computing power. Compared to the previous generation, AI inference performance has increased by up to 3.5 times, supporting demanding edge AI applications such as real-time video analysis, smart inspection, and data analytics. Furthermore, it supports up to 96GB of 6400 MHz DDR5 CSODIMM memory, significantly enhancing data transfer efficiency and reducing latency. This bolstered performance still fits in a chassis measuring only 242x173x75 mm—a footprint comparable to an 11-inch iPad—making it perfect for integration into equipment control cabinets, production line machinery, and in-vehicle systems where space is at a premium.Versatile Expansion and High-Speed Data TransmissionThe DX-1300 offers versatile application support through high-speed wireless connectivity—including 5G, Wi-Fi, and GNSS—and flexible storage options that balance NVMe speed with SATA capacity. Its robust I/O features up to 10 GbE LAN and USB 3.2, while optional M12 connectors ensure stability in high-vibration environments. For vision-centric deployments, modular expansion supports up to 12 LAN or 8 PoE ports, ideally suited for complex industrial camera systems.Rugged Reliability and Market CertificationUpholding Cincoze's consistent rugged design philosophy, the DX-1300 features a wide operating temperature range (-40°C to 60°C) and a wide-range DC power input (9 to 48VDC), ensuring stable operation in harsh industrial environments. To meet the demands of various vertical markets, the DX-1300 has passed MIL-STD-810H military standards and UL safety certifications. It also complies with railway EMC standard EN 50121-3-2 and fire protection standard EN 45545-2. These certifications make it particularly suited to manufacturing and railway applications where stability is critical, and installation space is limited. As the key edge computing core, the DX-1300 enables long-term, stable system operation and minimizes downtime risk.For more information, please visit Cincoze, or contact us by email. 

Carbon black is a critical functional material underpinning the performance of tires and industrial rubber products. Its production involves a high-intensity, continuous operational model where any unscheduled downtime leads to increased defective or off-grade products, wasted energy, and significant instability across the entire production line.As Taiwan's only specialized carbon black manufacturer, Linyuan Advanced Materials Technology Co. Ltd – a core production site within the global network of Continental Carbon – has long prioritized real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance. Recently, the company deployed a comprehensive suite of ASUS AI-driven Predictive Maintenance and Health Management (AISPHM) solutions. This strategic move aims to gain advanced visibility into equipment status without disrupting production pace, thereby driving a robust digital transformation in maintenance operations.Historically, Linyuan Advanced relied on manual inspections and basic digital tools for vibration diagnosis. However, as production scales expanded and environmental constraints intensified, traditional architectures struggled with necessary immediacy, continuity, and comprehensiveness.Hsieh-Ho Tsai, Deputy Director of the Plant Manager's Office, noted that in brownfield factory environments, the construction costs and cabling complexity for wired fixed sensor systems are prohibitively high. This necessitated a search for a more flexible, scalable technical pathway to achieve comprehensive coverage.Empowering Maintenance Transformation for High-Intensity Processes via Scalable, On-Premise Edge AIAddressing these challenges, Linyuan Advanced implemented the ASUS AISPHM solution. Leveraging a robust three-tier architecture comprising wireless sensing, edge computing, and AI modeling, the company systematically reconstructed its maintenance protocols. This established a complete loop evolving from real-time sensing to predictive analytics, laying a deployable and scalable foundation for smart maintenance in high-intensity continuous manufacturing."During the evaluation phase, we prioritized the unique requirements of petrochemical material processing, specifically the need for long-term stability, uninterrupted operation," said Tsai. "Crucially, operational technology, or OT, data must remain on-premise. With equipment anomaly interpretation requiring accumulated domain expertise, key deciding factors included the vendor's capacity to provide responsive, local technical support, and the system's ability to allow continuous fine-tuning and expansion aligned with actual production dynamics.”After weighing critical factors such as cybersecurity governance, system stability, and long-term trust, Linyuan Advanced selected ASUS. With its deep-rooted experience in industrial and enterprise markets, ASUS offered a mature, autonomous technology solution with responsive local R&D support. The brand's reputation for reliability provided the assurance of a stable, sustainable partnership, securing the role of ASUS and the wider ASUS group as the trusted technology partner for this smart transformation.The deployed ASUS AISPHM solution encompasses three core layers: sensing, computing, and analysis. At the frontend, ASUS AISSENS wireless vibration sensors capture real-time equipment status. The intermediate layer utilizes the ASUS PE2100U industrial computer for on-site data aggregation and edge analysis. Finally, the backend AISPHM platform performs equipment health assessments, long-term trend comparisons, and anomaly alerts, forming a one-stop, integrated, and continuously evolving predictive maintenance ecosystem.A standout feature of the ASUS system is the high flexibility of its AI models. Designed for carbon black production – and in particular, powder transport – the ASUS system allows for granular parameter adjustments based on actual operating conditions. Such precision significantly enhances anomaly detection accuracy.According to Tsai: "Carbon black production is a high-intensity, continuous process inherently accompanied by persistent vibration disturbances. This makes context-aware AI vital; without integrating this specific process knowledge, false positives would be inevitable".The ASUS solution enables model fine-tuning for individual units based on specific RPM, bearing models, and structural parameters. Beyond the software's inherent flexibility, these AI models are fine-tuned by certified vibration analysts to verify baseline modeling and anomaly interpretation. Furthermore, remote technical support ensured that any initial parameter calibration or connectivity issues were resolved in real-time, rapidly stabilizing the overall system.Before full-scale expansion, ASUS provided sensors and a trial system for a pilot program, while Linyuan Advanced deployed its own WiFi network to test the solution on critical assets. The results verified stable, lossless data transmission. By combining this data with Linyuan's existing operational expertise, the team successfully established a vibration anomaly detection model tailored specifically to the carbon black plant, laying a solid empirical foundation for large-scale deployment.Following successful validation, Linyuan Advanced leveraged government resources to expand the rollout. The initial target extends vibration monitoring to 100 sets of rotating equipment. The deployment strategy adopts a unit-by-unit expansion while simultaneously building the database. Currently, 20 critical assets are live with real-time transmission, and this systematic approach is gradually accumulating a high-value database of equipment health, creating a high-value data asset through scale.From Operation to Governance: Establishing a Scalable Roadmap for Maintenance EvolutionIn practical operation, the system architecture comprises four layers: Front-end Sensing, On-site Transmission, Backend Server, and Monitoring Analysis. Sensors measure multi-axial vibration spectrum and surface temperatures of rotating equipment such as fans and pumps. Data is transmitted via gateways and industrial WiFi, overcoming cabling challenges and construction costs.The backend industrial computer performs full-spectrum analysis to build a historical vibration database. The AI prognostic mechanism utilizes the stable state following annual overhauls as a baseline model, continuously comparing it against real-time waveforms. Upon detecting anomalies, the system triggers alerts, allowing staff to verify with manual measurements and schedule planned maintenance, thereby significantly mitigating unplanned shutdown risks.Regarding digital governance, Linyuan Advanced maintains a strict on-premise OT architecture. All critical data is processed within the plant, adhering to group cybersecurity protocols and zone-based management to ensure absolute data sovereignty and risk control. Looking ahead, Tsai positions the Taiwan site as the primary validation hub. Once operational procedures and engineering capabilities are fully mature, the company plans to evaluate expanding this standardized, replicable smart maintenance architecture to overseas plants in the US, India, and Turkey. Given the homogeneity of process conditions across these sites, this global rollout is expected to further fortify the group's overall operational resilience.Tsai emphasizes that smart maintenance is a continuously evolving journey, not a one-time implementation. Building on the foundation of vibration monitoring, future roadmap items include integrating Generative AI analysis modules. These will automate reporting, helping engineering teams simply query equipment history and accelerate decision-making.Additionally, the company plans to implement video AI to create an intelligent environment, health, and safety (AIEHS) management platform, specifically targeting access control, personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance, and high-risk behavior detection, prioritizing scenarios that deliver tangible safety value.Linyuan Advanced places a high premium on system scalability and long-term upgrade flexibility – hence its choice of ASUS equipment to power its evolution. The goal is to extend analysis dimensions as the platform matures, avoiding redundant investments or the need to rebuild from scratch. When smart maintenance successfully integrates equipment, data, processes, and personnel capabilities, it transforms from a mere supporting tool into a core governance capability underpinning process stability and operational resilience.ASUS AISSENS sensors at Linyuan Plant capture real-time vibration data for AI proactive maintenance. Credit: ASUSHsieh-Ho Tsai, Deputy Director of the Plant Manager’s Office: AISPHM enables proactive monitoring. Credit: ASUS

The global helium market is currently facing an unprecedented supply shock, driven by geopolitical instability in the Middle East. As of March 2026, disruptions at Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world's largest helium production complex and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz to Western commercial shipping have removed approximately 30% to 38% of global helium output from the market .This crisis presents a severe, immediate risk to the semiconductor fabrication and high-capacity storage manufacturing sectors, which are heavily concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in Taiwan, South Korea, and mainland China.For trade executives and procurement leaders in Greater China, the situation demands urgent reassessment of supply chain resilience. Helium is a finite, non-renewable, and irreplaceable gas critical to advanced technology manufacturing. With regional inventories estimated at roughly six months for major semiconductor fabricators and significantly less for other sectors, the window for strategic mitigation is rapidly closing.Production Halts and Logistics BottlenecksHelium is not synthesized, it is extracted almost exclusively as a byproduct of natural gas processing . This makes Qatar the dominant supplier outside the United States, responsible for roughly one-third of the world's 190 million cubic meters of annual helium production. On March 2, 2026, Qatar Energy declared force majeure, halting liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing and, consequently, helium extraction. There is currently no confirmed timeline for the facility's restart.Compounding the production halt is a severe logistics bottleneck. Helium from the Middle East must be exported by sea through the Strait of Hormuz, transported in specialized cryogenic ISO containers maintained at -268.9°C. The strait is now effectively closed to Western commercial shipping. Major carriers have suspended crossings, rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. This diversion adds 3,500 nautical miles, 10 to 14 days of transit time, and approximately $1 million in fuel costs per voyage. Crucially, because liquid helium continuously boils off during transit, extended journey times directly reduce the volume of usable product that arrives at Asian ports.Regional ExposureThe Asia-Pacific region is the epicenter of global semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, making it highly vulnerable to this supply shock. South Korea, home to memory giants Samsung and SK Hynix, imported 64.7% of its helium from Qatar in 2025. Taiwan faces similar structural risks, relying heavily on Qatari imports to sustain its foundry operations, led by TSMC. Mainland China is also highly exposed. In 2025, China imported over 4,924 tonnes of helium, with domestic production covering only a fraction of its needs, relying heavily on Qatar and Russia as primary suppliers.While Japan has a more diversified supply chain, drawing roughly half of its helium from the United States, the broader regional reliance on Middle Eastern supply creates a systemic vulnerability. The semiconductor industry accounts for approximately 24% of total global helium consumption, a figure projected to rise to 30% by 2030 as advanced manufacturing processes become more helium-intensive.The Hard Disk Drive CrisisBeyond semiconductors, the helium shortage directly impacts enterprise storage infrastructure. Every hard disk drive (HDD) with a capacity of 10TB or higher is hermetically sealed with helium. Helium is seven times less dense than air, reducing internal turbulence and allowing manufacturers to pack more platters into a single drive. This enables higher storage capacities, lower power consumption, and reduced operating temperatures, a critical factors for hyperscale data centers.The HDD market was already constrained prior to the Ras Laffan shutdown. Leading manufacturers, including Seagate and Western Digital, have reported that their 2026 nearline production is fully allocated, with prices for high-capacity drives surging by 20% to 50% since mid-2025. The current helium crisis guarantees further price escalation and severe availability constraints for models such as the Seagate Exos (20TB–32TB) and WD Ultrastar (24TB–26TB) series.How to Protect Your HDD Supply Chain1. Audit your current HDD inventory. Identify every drive 10TB and above in active inventory, customer BOMs, and open orders. Treat all of them as helium-sealed.2. Contact your Fusion representative about available allocation on affected Seagate Exos and WD Ultrastar models listed in this report.3. Evaluate forward positioning and buffer buying. The window to secure inventory at pre-shortage pricing is closing. Teams that moved early on T-glass and pandemic-era GPU shortages captured measurable value. The same dynamic is in play here.4. Monitor the Strait of Hormuz and Ras Laffan status. Every week without resolution extends the depletion timeline. The six-month semiconductor inventory buffer is active and counting down.5. Keep your eye on supply chain risk. Demand for market intelligence on raw materials has increased significantly since the T-glass situation. This is an opportunity to provide direct value and differentiate from competitors who are not tracking these inputs.Stay Ahead of the Storage and Memory Market ShiftIn a market defined by volatility and vanishing visibility, success depends on how quickly you can act, and who you trust to guide you. At Fusion Worldwide, we help procurement teams make faster, more informed decisions with real-time data, global sourcing expertise, and direct access to components through our new E-Commerce platform. Whether you are navigating constraints HDD models or preparing for what’s next, staying ahead starts with seeing the full picture.Create your Fusion account to access tools that help you act with clarity, not just urgency.(Article Sponsored by Carissa Ng, Vice President of Sales, APAC, Fusion Worldwide)

Tescan  announced the official opening of its upgraded Tescan Korea Demo Lab & Office in Seoul, bringing together its relocated Korea office and enhanced demo lab capabilities in one integrated site. The new platform is designed to strengthen customer engagement in Korea and support semiconductor and academic users through demonstrations, training, and workflow discussions.Korea's semiconductor ecosystem continues to advance around AI-driven memory and advanced packaging. As high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and more complex package architectures scale, teams face increasing pressure to accelerate failure analysis (FA), reliability, and validation workflows while maintaining consistent, decision-ready results."APAC remains a key growth region for Tescan, and Korea is a strategic investment focus as the ecosystem scales AI memory capacity, including HBM, and advanced packaging," said Pavel Sustek, Chief Financial Officer, Tescan. "Our upgraded Seoul site is a direct investment in strengthening Tescan's customer-facing platform in Korea and in supporting semiconductor, materials science, and academic users."The Korea Demo Lab and Office will serve as a regional hub for evaluations, training, and technical discussions , while connecting with Tescan's global Demo Lab network. "By combining office and demo lab functions in one site, we have a stronger platform for customer discussions, workflow validation, and regional engagement," said Sean Lee, Managing Director, APAC, Tescan.The opening ceremony featured a ribbon-cutting attended by H.E. Ivan Jancarek, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Republic of Korea, along with Tescan leadership and representatives from the microscopy community. Attendees included Jong-Seok Yeo, President of the Korea Society of Microscopy (KSM). Their participation reflects the importance of methodology standardization, talent development, and collaboration between industry and academia.

The global supply chain is currently undergoing a radical shift. The traditional model of reactive logistics is being replaced by "Next-Gen Infrastructure", a system that isn't just connected, but is inherently intelligent and verifiable. At the heart of this evolution are two technologies often discussed in isolation but increasingly deployed in tandem: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain. These technologies allow supply chains to stay ahead of the curve.AI: The Engine of Predictive LogisticsAi serves as the cognitive layer of modern infrastructure. In the context of the global supply chain, machine learning models process massive datasets, from satellite imagery of port traffic to real-time weather patterns. This proactive stance allows for "agentic" logistics, where AI systems autonomously reroute cargo or adjust manufacturing schedules in response to a geopolitical shift or a semiconductor shortage. However, AI faces a critical vulnerability: the "garbage in, garbage out" dilemma. For an AI to make mission-critical decisions, the data it consumes must be untampered, transparent and verifiable by trusted means.Blockchain: Ensuring Data Integrity and TrustThis is where Blockchain proved the essential spine for AI's brain. By creating a decentralized, immutable ledger, blockchain ensures that every stakeholder in the supply chain, from the raw material miner to the final electronics assembler, is looking at the same single source of truth and verifiable information.Blockchain's utility extends beyond simple tracking: it facilitates the automation of trade finance through smart contracts. As these decentralized systems become standard for enterprise resource planning, the bridge between physical goods and digital assets strengthens.For instance, as firms look to settle cross-border payment instantly or hedge against currency volatility using stablecoins, understanding the logistics of digital finance such as how to get crypto on Kraken, has transitioned from a niche IT interest to a strategic treasury requirement.The Synergy of a Real World ApplicationWhen combined and used in sync, AI and Blockchain technologies create a "Digital Twin" of the global supply chain that is both smart, secure and trusted by major companies.The scenario: An AI detected an impending delay at a major shipping hub.The response: The AI proposes an alternative route.The verification: A blockchain-based smart contract automatically updates the bill of lading, triggersinsurance adjustments, and notifies all parties of the change with a cryptographic timestamp.This dual-stack approach also solves the growing demand for ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) transparency. While Blockchain proved the "Country of Origin" for minerals, AI can simultaneously calculate the real-time carbon footprint of the journey, providing a verifiable audit trail for regulators.Building for the Future and BeyondThe convergence of AI and Blockchain is no longer a theoretical exercise, it is the prerequisite for resilience in an era of global volatility. For the semiconductor and tech industries, this means designing hardware that can handle the computational load of AI alongside the cryptographic demands of a distributed ledger. Organizations that fail to integrate these complementary forces will find themselves operating with a "blind" brain or a "brittle" spring.

iCatch Technology, a leading provider of AI imaging SoCs and vision processing solutions, today introduced PAISB (Physical AI Sensor Bridge), an HSB-aligned ASIC sensor bridge platform designed to enable scalable multi-sensor data ingest for NVIDIA Holoscan-based Physical AI systems.The first product in the platform family, PAISB-E1, will be demonstrated at GTC 2026 running on NVIDIA Thor at ApproPho Booth #3420.As Physical AI systems increasingly rely on multiple high-bandwidth sensors - including cameras, stereo vision modules, and other perception devices - efficient and deterministic data pipelines from sensors to GPU compute platforms have become critical infrastructure. PAISB addresses this challenge by providing an ASIC-based bridge optimized for time-aligned, low-latency sensor streaming into GPU computing environments.Aligned with the NVIDIA Holoscan Sensor Bridge (HSB) architecture, PAISB enables developers to ingest synchronized sensor streams directly into GPU memory, allowing real-time perception workloads to scale across a wide range of Physical AI applications.At GTC 2026, iCatch will demonstrate PAISB-E1 using FoundationStereo Depth as an application example. The system streams synchronized multi-sensor data to NVIDIA Thor, enabling real-time perception pipelines for robotics and intelligent machines."Physical AI systems demand scalable and deterministic sensor-to-GPU pipelines to process massive volumes of multimodal data in real time," said Weber Hsu, President of iCatch Technology. "With PAISB, we are introducing an ASIC-based sensor bridge platform aligned with the NVIDIA Holoscan ecosystem, enabling developers to build high-performance, time-synchronized sensor architectures for Physical AI platforms."The PAISB platform is designed to support a broad range of Physical AI applications, including robotics, industrial automation, medical imaging, broadcast infrastructure, and automotive perception systems. By enabling high-bandwidth, synchronized sensor ingestion into GPU-based computing environments, PAISB accelerates the deployment of AI systems requiring precise perception and real-time decision-making.To learn more about PAISB and explore collaboration opportunities, visit us at ApproPho Booth #3420 during GTC 2026, or schedule a meeting in advance.

EDOM Technology (TWSE: 3048), Asia's best solutions partner, will participate in NVIDIA GTC for the third consecutive year under the theme "From AI to Action: Physical AI in Motion." Together with ecosystem partners, EDOM will showcase its latest AI computing platforms, key components, and system integration capabilities. At Booth #242, EDOM will present physical AI and robotics solutions powered by NVIDIA Jetson hardware and software resources, demonstrating how AI technologies are being developed and deployed across diverse fields such as smart healthcare, vision recognition, and speech understanding. The showcase will highlight EDOM's capability to connect the AI ecosystem and accelerate industry innovation through integrated solutions.During the GTC exhibition, EDOM Technology plans to demonstrate several innovative applications that combine physical AI with edge computing. With the introduction of the NVIDIA Jetson Thor, AI inference and control architectures can now be integrated into a single system, providing a high-performance computing foundation for real-time closed-loop control and multimodal sensing, and accelerating the real-world deployment of multimodal intelligent robots.In the robot interaction showcase, EDOM collaborates with Algoltek to present "Dexterous Hand AI."Powered by 4D AI Vision technology and vision-action models, the system can recognize and predict audience hand gestures in real time and respond accordingly. This demonstration highlights low-latency AI inference and instant feedback, while also presenting a complete Sim-to-Real workflow, from virtual simulation to physical deployment. EDOM also partners with Nexuni to present "AI Workforce: Embodied Intelligence." Built on the NVIDIA Thor platform, the system enables dual-arm robot manipulation through few-shot learning. The demonstration shows a service robot performing household tasks, including object recognition, grasping, and fabric folding. Because fabric is a highly deformable material, handling it requires complex visual perception, state estimation, and coordinated dual-arm control. By leveraging Jetson Thor's edge AI inference and real-time dynamic path correction, the system continuously adjusts its movements during the folding process, improving task success rate and operational stability. This highlights the potential of physical AI in smart manufacturing, human-robot collaboration, and service robotics.In the area of enterprise AI and smart biotech applications, EDOM collaborates with Avalanche Computing to showcase the "Secure Offline Generative AI" platform. Combining enterprise-grade private LLMs with real-time speech intelligence, the platform runs on the NVIDIA Jetson edge platform, enabling low-latency offline speech recognition and semantic analysis. This allows generative AI to deliver real-time interaction within highly secure enterprise environments. EDOM is also working with CyteSi to present the "Software-Defined High-Throughput Wet Lab," an AI-driven laboratory automation platform. CyteSi's EWOD (Electrowetting-on-Dielectric) technology digitally controls micro-droplets with precision, supporting workflows such as NGS sample preparation, drug discovery, and synthetic biology research. The system uses NVIDIA Jetson as its edge computing core, integrating biochips from Japan Display Inc. (JDI) with real-time image analysis capabilities to provide an intuitive user interface and highly efficient experimental workflow, advancing AI adoption in smart biotech research and automated laboratories.In addition, EDOM will showcase the "NVIDIA Jetson Thor Peripheral Ecosystem," integrating a range of EDOM-certified peripheral components, including high-speed storage, Wi-Fi 6/6E and 5G communication modules, GMSL and MIPI cameras, 10G high-speed networking, sensors, camera modules, and high-speed I/O interfaces. This ecosystem helps developers rapidly build next-generation robotics and physical AI systems. Through comprehensive hardware integration and platform support, EDOM assists robotics developers in accelerating product design, deployment, and mass production, further expanding the physical AI and Jetson Thor ecosystem.Jeffrey Yu, CEO of EDOM Technology, stated, "The key to physical AI lies not only in computing performance, but in comprehensive hardware–software integration and ecosystem collaboration. Through NVIDIA's Three-Computer architecture and the Jetson Thor platform, we help customers build scalable, production-ready, end-to-end AI solutions - from model training and simulation validation to edge deployment." He further noted that EDOM is not just a hardware supplier, but is committed to integrating peripheral modules, AI software frameworks, and partner resources to help enterprises accelerate the adoption of AI and robotics technologies.EDOM Technology invites industry professionals, developers, and partners to visit Booth #242. Attendees are also welcome to check out the in-person session featuring Wilson Yen, Product Director at EDOM. The talk explores how EDOM leverages NVIDIA "Three Computers" architecture to help enterprises transform AI models into real-world applications, covering key domains such as computer vision, robotics, and edge AI. Participants are encouraged to add this session to their personal GTC schedule to experience firsthand the innovation of physical AI in action, and to explore the future of intelligent robotics and edge AI. Register now through EDOM's dedicated link to enjoy special GTC Conference registration offers.