How ugly can the chip business get?
The semiconductor industry has been through so many ups and downs over the course of more than 60 years. If anyone should know how to get through the turmoil, it’s the chip makers who have become the elder statesmen of Silicon Valley.
But the greatest recession since 1929 is pulling the chip industry deeper into the mud than ever before. Sales fell 28 percent in January compared to a year ago. It’s getting ugly. Not quite… Continue Reading
Artificial Muscle to be powered by $20M
Artificial Muscle, a maker of actuators powered by an electroactive polymer, raised $20 million in a second funding round. The company’s release is here.
The company, founded by SRI International, builds components such as auto-focus lens positioners and a “universal” actuator whose movements are controlled in a muscle-like fashion by a special polymer that converts electrical energy into mechanical motion. It hopes to expand use of its technology into medical, automotive, energy and industrial applications.
The… Continue Reading