2016 North American Anisotropic Magneotoresistance Sensors Technology Innovation Award

Transcription

1 2016 North American Anisotropic Magneotoresistance Sensors Technology Innovation Award 2016

2 Contents Background and Company Performance... 3 Industry Challenges... 3 Technology Attributes and Future Business Value of Memsic... 3 Conclusion... 7 Significance of Technology Innovation... 8 Understanding Technology Innovation... 8 Key Benchmarking Criteria... 9 Best Practice Award Analysis for Memsic... 9 Decision Support Scorecard... 9 Technology Attributes Future Business Value Decision Support Matrix The Intersection between 360-Degree Research and Best Practices Awards Research Methodology Best Practices Recognition: 10 Steps to Researching, Identifying, and Recognizing Best Practices About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan 2 We Accelerate Growth

3 Background and Company Performance Industry Challenges The anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) sensor undergoes an increase in resistance when current is applied in the same direction as the magnetic field and a decrease in resistance when the current is applied at a 90 degree angle to the magnetic field or force. The AMR sensor is a type of magnetic field sensor that uses permalloy (an alloy comprising about 80% nickel and 20% iron) deposited on a silicon wafer in the form of a resistive strip. AMR sensors have well-established key benefits, particularly in high-field applications, compared to Hall magnetic sensors. Such benefits include a wider air gap; the ability to be more sensitive, particularly at room temperature; the ability to be more immune to vibrations; and to consume less power. However, AMR sensors have primarily been used in low-field measurement applications, and Hall-effect ICs with integrated interface electronics and high-volume batch processing can provide a low-cost solution. In competing with Hall sensors (Hall ICs), AMR sensors face the challenge of cost. Another key challenge in AMR sensors is to achieve cost and size reductions continuously in such sensors. MEMSIC, Inc. (Andover, Massachusetts) can design AMR sensors that provide a cost that matches (or could improve upon) Hall sensors, while also offering higher bandwidth, higher dynamic range and sensitivity, and lower power consumption than Hall sensors. Such capabilities can offer opportunities for the company s AMR sensors to supercede Halleffect sensors in key applications, including consumer electronics and the industrial arena. Furthermore, MEMSIC can provide a single-chip solution that can integrate a 3-axis AMR sensor to provide information with respect to the X, Y, and Z axes, along with integrated signal conditioning. This single-chip solution, created using wafer-level packaging, provides a more compact and cost-effective sensing solution, compared to competing combo sensors that use separate chips. MEMSIC has overcome the challenge of making low-cost, high-performing AMR sensors for key consumer electronics and industrial applications. Through investment in process, design, and manufacturing capabilities, MEMSIC has enabled AMR sensor technology to be positioned to take market share away from lower-cost, lower-performance magnetic sensing technologies such as Hall sensors. Frost & Sullivan 3 We Accelerate Growth

4 Technology Attributes and Future Business Value of MEMSIC, Inc. Industry Impact MEMSIC s AMR sensors provide high performance at a low cost, compared to competitors magnetic sensing technologies. The company s AMR sensors are not negatively affected by drift and have enhanced bandwidth, accuracy, and sensitivity at an economical cost. The company s ability to design such sensors demonstrates its best practice strategy of optimizing AMR sensors to impact key applications in the sensor industry. MEMSIC s best practices strategy rests on designing sensitive yet economical AMR sensors that can successfully compete against widely established Hall sensor technology or other magnetic sensor products and technologies. In addition, the strategy rests on creating multi-sensor smart chips containing an expanding suite of sensors to measure different parameters, along with wireless communications capability. MEMSIC s AMR technology is geared to provide high performance at an attractive price point, compared to competitors. The AMR technology is increasingly impacting different industries and applications in such areas as consumer electronics and the industrial arena. Moreover, through process and design modifications, MEMSIC has created AMR sensors with an extended magnetic field range of 100 gauss, even when measurements occur at a 45 degree angle. This capability enables AMR sensors to be more widely used, beyond low-field applications. Leveraging advancements in integrated sensing, silicon IC processing, and the company s low-cost and high-volume manufacturing capability, MEMSIC s AMR sensors have become widely implemented in consumer electronics applications such as smartphones and tablets, which is evidence of the key capabilities and benefits of the company s AMR sensors. Furthermore, the company s AMR sensors are expanding into diverse applications such as current sensors for applications such as servers and smart traffic control (e.g., identifying the presence of a vehicle for applications such as locating an empty parking space). Product Impact MEMSIC can achieve AMR sensor products that perform better than competitors products at an economical price. The company offers magnetic sensors and sensor-based modules for key applications such as consumer electronics (e.g., cell phones and tablets) and industrial requirements. The company s AMR sensor product portfolio includes magnetic sensors in small IC packages. Such sensors are configured as 2-axis or 3-axis magnetic sensors and contain on-chip signal processing and integrated I2C bus. Frost & Sullivan 4 We Accelerate Growth

5 MEMSIC s AMR sensor technology, available in dual-axis and tri-axial configurations, inherently provides key enhanced functionality such as high accuracy, sensitivity, stability, low-power consumption, low noise, and high bandwidth. In addition, the technology provides superior performance compared to competing products with respect to parameters such as accuracy, resolution, signal to noise ratio, and range. The company leverages the key features and capabilities of its AMR sensor technology to create products that can extend its reach into new applications such as current sensing. Manifesting the company s best practice of ongoing product development aimed at applications that expand its market reach, MEMSIC is sampling a new AMR current sensor that offers higher bandwidth, dynamic range, sensitivity, and a higher frequency range. The AMR sensor can detect current with better than a 2% accuracy over the operating temperature range and has an increased bandwidth of 1 megahertz. The sensor can sense AC or DC current and provides bi-directional current sensing through an isolated lowimpedance current path. Moreover, MEMSIC is developing more advanced monolithically integrated sensor solutions that conserve space and power and are more cost effective. For example, the company is developing a solution that integrates an accelerometer and AMR sensor monolithically on a single chip to achieve a smaller size and lower power. Scalability The inherent distinguished capabilities of MEMSIC s AMR sensors, such as its stability and freedom from drift, high bandwidth, low power, superior accuracy, and response time, enable the company to enhance continuously the capabilities and functionality of such sensors to address a wider range of applications, including low-cost, high-performance applications. The company leverages its key capabilities in diverse types of sensors such as thermal accelerometers and AMR sensors to provide highly sophisticated sensing solutions. MEMSIC s best practices strategy rests on continuously increasing the cost versus performance benefits of its AMR sensors to enable new generations of products with improved performance at an economical cost. The company continuously develops sensors of reduced size with superior integration capabilities. For example, MEMSIC has developed multi-function sensors that integrate an AMR sensor and accelerometer on a single chip. This innovative multi-function solution provides enhanced motion sensing for applications such as mobile phones, tablets, and wearable computing. Furthermore, MEMSIC leverages its capabilities in sensor fusion to design and provide solutions (e.g., electronic compassing and orientation solutions) for multi-degree (e.g., 9) of freedom internal navigation systems. The company demonstrates best practices by focusing on improving the functionality, size, and application diversity of its AMR sensors. Frost & Sullivan 5 We Accelerate Growth

6 Visionary Innovation MEMSIC demonstrates best practices by designing its AMR sensors to address key future needs and applications for magnetic field sensors. For example, the company s AMR sensors can be used in compasses for location-based services, where high accuracy (e.g., 1%) is required. This level of accuracy would elude the capabilities of conventional Hall sensors. Location-based services are offered through a mobile device such as a cell phone to identify or locate a person or object. MEMSIC cultivates opportunities for its AMR sensors in soft gyros, consisting of accurate accelerometers and AMR sensors. Soft gyros can create electronic compasses that use accelerometer and magnetometer measurements to gauge a device s rate of rotation, without requiring a gyro sensor that consumes board space and power consumption and adds cost to the system. MEMSIC has been an early recognizer of and participant in the opportunities for sensor fusion, in which data from sensors that measure different parameters are combined to improve significantly system performance and detection capability. For example, MEMSIC offers inertial systems, including attitude heading reference systems and high-end navigation systems that use AMR sensors, accelerometers, and gyros. Based on its understanding of future market opportunities, MEMSIC s strategy is to achieve a balance between industrial and consumer applications, including mobile phones and tablets. The company can reduce the cost, size, and power consumption of its solutions for consumer applications, while simultaneously creating larger, higher performing sensors for industrial applications. MEMSIC s sensor development is focused on shrinking the size of its sensors and adding integrated functionality to realize more fully the expanding array of Internet of Things applications, including wearable computing, in which sensors that detect multiple parameters such as magnetic fields will integrate with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) electronics and wireless networking to provide more effective, real-time communication of vital information about a person or the environment. MEMSIC s capabilities in single-chip and multi-function sensing solutions enable the company to capture new and future applications that pertain to the Internet of Things concept. Application Diversity MEMSIC demonstrates best practices by designing its AMR sensor technology to serve diverse markets and applications. The company leverages such technology to create a compelling value proposition that rests on combining high performance with low cost. Frost & Sullivan 6 We Accelerate Growth

7 Currently, MEMSIC s AMR sensors are widely used in consumer electronics for applications such as electronic compasses. The compasses are used in mobile devices such as cell phones that provide navigation information. While a global positioning system (GPS) provides information about the user s location, the compass indicates the direction in which the user is heading. Moreover, MEMSIC s AMR sensors are being targeted at new, promising applications such as industrial applications, including servers, motor control, solar inverters, power supplies, and smart traffic control. MEMSIC has met the challenge of providing low-cost, high-performing AMR sensors for consumer electronics applications and is finding key opportunities to provide higher performing AMR sensors for industrial applications, including current sensing. MEMSIC leverages its ability to provide smaller, more integrated AMR sensors to drive new applications pertaining to the emerging Internet of Things applications, such as smart chips capable of providing and communicating information from an expanding array of sensing parameters. Customer Acquisition A key differentiator of MEMSIC s AMR sensor technology is its ability to enable the optimal balance of price and performance to address both existing and new customers and markets. An example of the technology s ability to cultivate a new customer base is the company s current sensor, which can provide a highly accurate measurement of current and has the potential to take market share from Hall sensors. The company s AMR sensors have a simpler construction than tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) or giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors. The ability of AMR sensors to provide better performance at a low cost opens up opportunities in expanding applications and for creating a wider customer base. AMR sensors are used in Microsoft tablet computers for compassing. The company exemplifies best practices by leveraging the superior capabilities of its AMR sensors, such as accuracy, resolution, and power consumption, to capture new customers. Conclusion With its ability to develop and offer high-performance AMR sensors that are not compromised by drift, provide multi-axis and multi-function integrated solutions on a monolithic chip, and can effectively compete against and potentially displace low-cost Hall sensors, MEMSIC, Inc. has earned Frost & Sullivan s 2016 Technology Innovation Award in the North American AMR sensor industry. Frost & Sullivan 7 We Accelerate Growth

8 Significance of Technology Innovation Ultimately, growth in any organization depends upon finding new ways to excite the market, and upon maintaining a long-term commitment to innovation. At its core, technology innovation or any other type of innovation can only be sustained with leadership in three key areas: understanding demand, nurturing the brand, differentiating from the competition. This three-fold approach to nurturing innovation is explored further below. Understanding Technology Innovation Technology innovation begins with a spark of creativity that is systematically pursued, developed, and commercialized. That spark can result from a successful partnership, a productive in-house innovation group, or the mind of a singular individual. Regardless of the source, the success of any new technology is ultimately determined by its innovativeness and its impact on the business as a whole. Frost & Sullivan 8 We Accelerate Growth

9 Key Benchmarking Criteria For the Technology Innovation Award, we evaluated two key factors Technology Attributes and Future Business Value according to the criteria identified below. Technology Attributes Criterion 1: Industry Impact Criterion 2: Product Impact Criterion 3: Scalability Criterion 4: Visionary Innovation Criterion 5: Application Diversity Future Business Value Criterion 1: Financial Performance Criterion 2: Customer Acquisition Criterion 3: Technology Licensing Criterion 4: Brand Loyalty Criterion 5: Human Capital Best Practice Award Analysis for Memsic, Inc. Decision Support Scorecard To support its evaluation of best practices across multiple business performance categories, Frost & Sullivan employs a customized Decision Support Scorecard. This tool allows our research and consulting teams to objectively analyze performance, according to the key benchmarking criteria listed in the previous section, and to assign ratings on that basis. The tool follows a 10-point scale that allows for nuances in performance evaluation; ratings guidelines are illustrated below. RATINGS GUIDELINES The Decision Support Scorecard is organized by Technology Attributes and Future Business Value (i.e., the overarching categories for all 10 benchmarking criteria; the definitions for each criteria are provided beneath the scorecard). The research team confirms the veracity of this weighted scorecard through sensitivity analysis, which confirms that small changes to the ratings for a specific criterion do not lead to a significant change in the overall relative rankings of the companies. Frost & Sullivan 9 We Accelerate Growth

10 The results of this analysis are shown below. To remain unbiased and to protect the interests of all organizations reviewed, we have chosen to refer to the other key players in as Company2 and Company3. DECISION SUPPORTSCORECARDFOR TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AWARD Measurement of 1 10 (1 = poor; 10 = excellent) Technology Innovation Technology Attributes Future Business Value Average Rating Memsic, Inc Competitor Competitor Technology Attributes Criterion 1: Industry Impact Requirement: Technology enables the pursuit of groundbreaking new ideas, contributing to the betterment of the entire industry Criterion 2: Product Impact Requirement: Specific technology helps enhance features and functionality of the entire product line for the company Criterion 3: Scalability Requirement: Technology is scalable, enabling new generations of products over time, with increasing levels of quality and functionality Criterion 4: Visionary Innovation Requirement: Specific new technology represents true innovation based on a deep understanding of future needs and applications Criterion 5:Application Diversity Requirement: New technology serves multiple products, multiple applications, and multiple user environments Future Business Value Criterion 1: Financial Performance Requirement: High potential for strong financial performance in terms of revenues, operating margins and other relevant financial metrics Criterion 2: Customer Acquisition Requirement: Specific technology enables acquisition of new customers, even as it enhances value to current customers Criterion 3: Technology Licensing Requirement: New technology displays great potential to be licensed across many sectors and applications, thereby driving incremental revenue streams Frost & Sullivan 10 We Accelerate Growth

11 Criterion 4: Brand Loyalty Requirement: New technology enhances the company s brand, creating and/or nurturing brand loyalty Criterion 5: Human Capital Requirement: Customer impact is enhanced through the leverage of specific technology, translating into positive impact on employee morale and retention Decision Support Matrix Once all companies have been evaluated according to the Decision Support Scorecard, analysts can then position the candidates on the matrix shown below, enabling them to visualize which companies are truly breakthrough and which ones are not yet operating at best-in-class levels. DECISION SUPPORTMATRIX FOR TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AWARD(ILLUSTRATIVE) High Memsic Competitor2 Future Business Value Competitor3 Low Low Technology Attributes High Frost & Sullivan 11 We Accelerate Growth

12 The Intersection between 360-Degree Research and Best Practices Awards Research Methodology Frost & Sullivan s 360-degree research methodology represents the analytical rigor of our research process. It offers a 360-degree-view of industry challenges, trends, and issues by integrating all 7 of Frost & Sullivan's research methodologies. Too often, companies make important growth decisions based on a narrow understanding of their environment, leading to errors of both omission and commission. Successful growth strategies are founded on a thorough understanding of market, technical, economic, financial, customer, best practices, and demographic analyses. The integration of these research disciplines into the 360-degreeresearch methodology providesan evaluation platform for benchmarking industry players and for identifying those performing at bestin-class levels. 360-DEGREE RESEARCH: SEEING ORDER IN THE CHAOS Frost & Sullivan 12 We Accelerate Growth

13 Best Practices Recognition: 10 Steps to Researching, Identifying, and Recognizing Best Practices Our awards team follows a 10-step process (illustrated below) to evaluate award candidates and assess their fit with our best practice criteria. The reputation and integrity of our awards process are based on close adherence to this process. STEP OBJECTIVE KEY ACTIVITIES OUTPUT 1 Monitor, target, and screen Identify award recipient candidates from around the globe Conduct in-depth industry research Identify emerging sectors Scan multiple geographies Pipeline of candidates who potentially meet all bestpractice criteria 2 Perform 360-degree research Perform comprehensive, 360-degree research on all candidates in the pipeline Interview thought leaders and industry practitioners Assess candidates fit with best-practice criteria Rank all candidates Matrix positioning all candidates performance relative to one another 3 Invite thought leadership in best practices Perform in-depth examination of all candidates Confirm best-practice criteria Examine eligibility of all candidates Identify any information gaps Detailed profiles of all ranked candidates 4 Initiate research director review Conduct an unbiased evaluation of all candidate profiles Brainstorm ranking options Invite multiple perspectives on candidates performance Update candidate profiles Final prioritization of all eligible candidates and companion best-practice positioning paper 5 Assemble panel of industry experts Present findings to an expert panel of industry thought leaders Share findings Strengthen cases for candidate eligibility Prioritize candidates Refined list of prioritized award candidates 6 Conduct global industry review Build consensus on award candidates eligibility Hold global team meeting to review all candidates Pressure-test fit with criteria Confirm inclusion of all eligible candidates Final list of eligible award candidates, representing success stories worldwide 7 Perform quality check Develop official award consideration materials Perform final performance benchmarking activities Write nominations Perform quality review High-quality, accurate, and creative presentation of nominees successes 8 Reconnect with panel of industry experts Finalize the selection of the best-practice award recipient Review analysis with panel Build consensus Select winner Decision on which company performs best against all best-practice criteria 9 Communicate recognition Inform award recipient of award recognition Present award to the CEO Inspire the organization for continued success Celebrate the recipient s performance Announcement of award and plan for how recipient can use the award to enhance the brand 10 Take strategic action Share award news with stakeholders and customers Coordinate media outreach Design a marketing plan Assess award s role in future strategic planning Widespread awareness of recipient s award status among investors, media personnel, and employees Frost & Sullivan 13 We Accelerate Growth

14 About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best in class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best practice models to drive the generation, evaluation and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages almost 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 31 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit Frost & Sullivan 14 We Accelerate Growth