Sharp Spinning off Semiconductor Business

Pretty interesting... not sure what it means, but it deserves to be watched.



Japan Times


Sharp will set up two wholly owned subsidiaries that will absorb the semiconductor-related operations to be spun off, the company said Wednesday.

One of the two units will focus on semiconductors and sensors and the other on semiconductor lasers.
Sharp Chairman and President Tai Jeng-wu told reporters that the company’s management resources are limited in the field of semiconductors so he wants to tap overseas and domestic resources, showing eagerness to forge alliances with other firms including Sharp’s parent, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. of Taiwan.

Currently, Sharp manufactures semiconductor-related products at its plants in the prefectures of Hiroshima and Nara.

Kipman - European Inventor Award finalist

Thanks Bob! great find.

My highlights and emphasis....

Not so much about Kipman, but about what can happen with his invention -- and what will happen with the company that has the key technology for the display.

You and I are not alone in thinking that this technology is going to change the world profoundly.

European Patent office


"The resulting mixed-reality experience integrates computers seamlessly into daily activities - both at work and play."


Societal benefit

Some industry insiders believe that mixed-reality devices, like the HoloLens smart glasses, could replace smartphones. Experts at Gartner predict that, by 2020, 30% of web browsing sessions will be done without a screen.**** Major drivers for the technology include consumer demand for assisted navigation, gaming and live translations. In fact, by 2020, 100 million consumers will rely on augmented reality - as mixed reality is sometimes called - for personal shopping assistance (comScore).

Developers are currently creating a host of applications for Kipman's data glasses in the Windows Mixed Reality software environment of Windows 10. For example, the thyssenkrupp industrial group includes the glasses in their metering and quality control operations, while the famous American medical institution Cleveland Clinic offers an interactive digital human anatomy curriculum. In 2017, while operating on a patient to remove a malignant muscular tumour, Spanish surgeons used the HoloLens to simultaneously view live diagnostic pictures from magnetic resonance imaging and radiography data feeds.
Economic benefit

Perfected over the course of seven years, the HoloLens was first introduced by Microsoft as a prototype in 2015. It features Kipman's patented sensors for the company's Kinect video game controller. The HoloLens is currently available as a development edition aimed at software programmers for EUR 2 556. An enterprise version costs EUR 4 260.

Microsoft has sold around 50 000 HoloLens units, relatively few compared with sales of over one million virtual-reality headsets in the third quarter of 2017 alone. But the corporation, which earned EUR 73 billion during the fiscal year 2017, is strategically "seeding" the market for mixed-reality products through strategic development partnerships with companies such as Lowe's, Boeing, Saab and Volvo.

Consulting firm Digi-Capital estimated the world market for augmented- and virtual-reality devices at EUR 3.3 billion in 2016. The firm projects that, driven by next-generation mobile augmented-reality hardware, the market will reach EUR 85 billion by 2021. Once Microsoft has built an attractive mixed-reality library, products such as the three-dimensional teleconferencing app Holoportation could well join bestsellers like the Office 365 commercial suite with over 100 million users.


**** "Without a screen" is a key phrase... currently virtually zero web browsing sessions are done without a screen -- talk about a growth opportunity.

Personal computer sales are roughly 200 Million / year (statista)  That could be 60 million units of near-eye displays or pico-projection. 

New Microvision LiDAR video

Missing Stock, Hololens Speculation

Generally the old becomes scarce or unavailable, right before the new appears....

RoadtoVR

With so much momentum, it’s surprising to see that both the HoloLens Commercial Suite and Development Edition have been out of stock from Microsoft for what appears to be several weeks now. We reached out to the company to ask when stock is expected to return, but the company didn’t offer any timeline.

“Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition and Commercial Suite are out of stock and unavailable from Microsoft Stores. For customers looking to purchase HoloLens, please visit HoloLens.com for a listing of HoloLens resellers as well as rental options,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Road to VR.

We looked into the official HoloLens reseller for the US and Canada, Insight, but found that HoloLens is out of stock there too.

Apple REALLY wants you to use Amazon Alexa

Not sure what to make of this yet, but it's not an expected development.

There's a lot more cooperation between these big companies than most people would expect. Foxconn, for example makes phones for a number of huge players in smartphones, including Apple and Samsung.


Motley Fool

Apple Insider

Few new product categories within consumer electronics show the type of insane growth and adoption as smart speakers. Pioneered by Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) and its sleeper hit Echo, smart speaker sales are skyrocketing as consumers place devices in multiple rooms around their homes, accessing music-streaming services and controlling smart-home gadgets. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has mostly missed out on that boom though, as its HomePod didn't launch until earlier this year and is priced at a massive premium compared to the competition.

The tech titan rarely makes cross-platform plays, but Apple Music is one of those exceptions; the service has also been available on Android for years.

New Member of the Board of Directors

MobileIron

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 19, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MicroVision, Inc. (MVIS), a leader in innovative ultra-miniature laser display and sensing technology, today announced it has elected Simon Biddiscombe to its board of directors. 

Biddiscombe brings more than 20 years of management and financial expertise in leadership positions at growing technology companies.  He is currently Chief Executive Officer and board member at MobileIron where he leads the company’s overall business strategy and is responsible for day-to-day-operations.  Prior to MobileIron Biddiscombe worked in key leadership positions at several companies focused on technology innovation including QLogic where he served as Chief Financial Officer and eventually Chief Executive Officer; Mindspeed Technologies where he served as Chief Financial Officer and Wyle Electronics where he served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP including work at its Silicon Valley technology accounting and audit practice.  Biddiscombe holds a BA in business studies from the University of Glamorgan and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. 

“Simon Biddiscombe brings extensive leadership in business strategy, operations, finance and management and is a tremendous addition to the MicroVision board of directors,” said Brian Turner, Chairman and Independent Director at MicroVision.  “Simon has an impressive background in leading technology innovation at growing companies and we are very pleased to have Simon join our board.”   

“I look forward to serving on the MicroVision board of directors and working with Brian, my fellow directors and management at this exciting time,” said Biddiscombe.  “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to join the board and help MicroVision realize its vision of bringing innovative laser beam scanning technology such as interactive display and sensing solutions to market with major technology companies.”   

New Video from Microvision.

New Video....

Feedback from consumers about what's coming for smart speakers and IOT devices suggests there will be a lot of demand for this.

Facebook Adding Features to Portal

By itself maybe not so interesting, but it is interesting what features the public are demanding for these devices. Chat alone (awesome video chat even) isn't enough. Need to be able to browse, get information and play music and games.

Gadgetwire

Facebook has also added a new feature of AR Story Time tales, seasonal AR masks, in-call musicsharing through iHeartRadio beyond Spotify and Pandora.

This vital update by Facebook can play a key role in repositioning Portal as not only a video chat device but more in the line with Amazon Echo Show and Google Home Hub.

When Facebook Portal was first launched in October, the device didn’t have much of a reason to exist beyond giving Facebook a way to try its hand at hardware.

But a lot of people who are feeling okay with bringing a Facebook camera and microphone into their homes seemed slim, especially after a lot of people complained about its lack of features.

TESLA & AR Claiming some turf

I'm not a legal guy, but the text of the patent reads like it's some kind of legal shotgun, hoping to land on some use of AR that someone else hasn't already claimed.

Whether that's the case or not, it appears they're planning to use AR to improve their manufacturing processes.

In the text of the patent application (it's an application, not a grant) they use the "in some embodiments" phrase a lot, which is what makes me think they're just trying to claim some turf in AR -- just in case there are any specifics some of the other players missed.

It could mean they intend to come up with their own version (hardware / software) of AR devices, and this could be an interesting addition to the space. 

MVIS will still have the best near-eye display.

Google has already been using wearable tech.The image shows multiple black Tesla Model S vehicles in view with a screenshot from APX’s “Skylight” software in the top-right hand corner. This is a familiar view for those who have used Glass before — the device is actually capable of capturing similar shots itself called Vignettes. In the screenshot, the software shows what is purportedly a vehicle’s VIN number, and various options for a factory worker to act on.

Electrek

ZDNet

In some embodiments, the AR glasses may be in the form of safety glasses. The AR device captures a live view of an object of interest, for example, a view of one or more automotive parts. The AR device determines the location of the device as well as the location and type of the object of interest. For example, the AR device identifies that the object of interest is a right hand front shock tower of a vehicle. The AR device then overlays data corresponding to features of the object of interest, such as mechanical joints, interfaces with other parts, thickness of e-coating, etc. on top of the view of the object of interest. Examples of the joint features include spot welds, self-pierced rivets, laser welds, structural adhesive, and sealers, among others. As the user moves around the object, the view of the object from the perspective of the AR device and the overlaid data of the detected features adjust accordingly. The user can also interact with the AR device. For example, a user can display information on each of the identified features. In some embodiments, for example, the AR device displays the tolerances associated with each detected feature, such as the location of a spot weld or hole. As another example, the overlaid data on the view of the object includes details for assembly, such as the order to perform laser welds, the type of weld to perform, the tolerance associated with each feature, whether a feature is assembled correctly, etc. In various embodiments, the AR device detects features of a physical object and displays digital information interactively to the user. The data associated with the object of interest is presented to help the user more efficiently perform a manufacturing task.”

F -you Leakers... Google

The kind of attitude that causes strict NDAs for new technology.

Business Insider

He said, according to The Times: "The narrative is that leaking is bad and that the number one priority is to prevent any leaks."

Poulson said that Google was not alone in trying to suppress employee revolts, pointing to similar movements at Microsoft and Amazon. He said the back-and-forth between workers and executives is not "going to be a short battle."

Getting Attention

Newspapers and magazines like writing stories. 

Among the best stories to them are those where there is something more interesting  alongside it: There's an accident, a bystander helps. The bystander is a very interesting person. The media runs with it. People relate, they eagerly consume more news about the accident and the person. 

No matter which way the story goes -- if it's popular -- people go too far. They get either too depressed or too optimistic.

Outside of investing the favorite story is about fear. If it bleeds it leads. Fear sells in investing stories as well. The investing stories that really get legs, however are those where hype and excitement over potential riches lead the headlines.

In those cases, the story is more important than the product. Shake Shack was such a company. It's a cool story. There is enthusiasm about the product, so investors pile in -- far beyond where it makes sense to pile in. At one point, the market cap of the company was equal to about $50 million per restaurant, which I consider to be lunacy.

Bitcoin. They're selling precisely nothing. Zero - access to a prime number in their roster of prime numbers. Yet the price of a bitcoin rose last year to $19,783. All on a story on hype. ($3,400 today, and probably it will continue to fall.)

GoPro. Another company that traded very high on a story. Far higher than it should have. It was at $93 once upon a time, with no investing moat, and tons of competition. ($5 now.)

At the moment, MicroVision is virtually unknown by the public, there isn't a story. Non disclosures are tough things.

Take Hololens separately from Microvision. It is virtually unknown by the public. If you're diligent about following technology, you know about it. It only pops up occasionally, like when they announced an army contract, but even then, it shows up in tech news, very rarely a blip in the mainstream media. Yet, if you follow it -- if you've tried it -- you have little doubt it will change the world.

The last time the Financial Times wrote about it (according to my search) was in March of this year - nine months ago.)


I'm at about 99% certainty that MVIS's near eye display will be in Hololens.
I'm at about 99% certainty that interactive laser displays will be included in Amazon Echo.. 

Mr. Tokman had the wisdom to be playing the long game. The long game, in my view is about to pay off. 
When the story is told, it will be good. Really good. 

Google Search "Hololens Army"
Tactical Augmented Reality

Microvision, AR and Army


The video below has been seen 949 times. (probably 200 of those came from it being linked here.) NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT THIS YET.



The Pokemon Stampede will work for you.

Global Economic Impacts of Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality for Enterprise Alliance