Internal Medical Semis and TSM

[Arthur Hanson]

Capsule transmits live gas reports from inside the gut

Not only can semi devices be worn, but now they can travel through the body. Next will be semis that are injected. Medical, robotics and automation are going to be the largest markets for semis. The semi market is going to grow in ways we haven't even imagined and is almost virgin ground when you consider semis in the scheme of things are very young devices. TSM as having the broadest portfolio of IP in the market with the largest ecosystem has the brightest future for the breadth and depth of what they can do for their customers. I don't see any other company even coming close, number two is Samsung and they are significantly behind in many ways, notably the trust factor as the legal battles between them and Apple fully exposed.

 

[Daniel Payne]

Arthur,

I think that this small gut sensor chip would be fabricated by a specialty foundry like X-FAB or Tower-Jazz, instead of a digital foundry like TSMC. MOSIS is another popular choice offering multi-project wafers at lower costs and lower volumes.

 

[Pawan Fangaria]

It could be TI as well. TI is working well in medical vertical and that area is supported by their expertise in sensors.

 

[Arthur Hanson]

I feel this is what Morris Chang was talking about when he said one of TSM's strengths was taking advanced technology to older and larger nodes. This effectively lowers TSM's cap cost by greatly extending their useful life. This is another reason that TSM stated they like to clump their fabs close together for sharing and transferring resources. I see TSM expanding is all directions reaching critical mass. Taiwan has definitely made all types of semiconductor and semiconductor related industries a national priority.

 

[hist78]

I feel this is what Morris Chang was talking about when he said one of TSM's strengths was taking advanced technology to older and larger nodes. This effectively lowers TSM's cap cost by greatly extending their useful life. This is another reason that TSM stated they like to clump their fabs close together for sharing and transferring resources. I see TSM expanding is all directions reaching critical mass. Taiwan has definitely made all types of semiconductor and semiconductor related industries a national priority.

Many people may or may not recognize that Taiwan is really a small place, compare to many US states. For example, Illinois is 4.6 times of Taiwan, Lake Michigan is 1.7 times, and Maryland is only 2000 sq. miles smaller than Taiwan. In certain point of view, not having large available land is a disadvantage to Taiwan. On the other hand, the travel time between TSMC three fab clusters there (Hsinchu, Taichung, Tainan) are really short via toll road or high speed rail service. Using the high speed rail service as an example, station to station:


[table] style="width: 257px"
|-
| style="width: 171px; height: 20px" | Hsinchu ~ Taichung
| style="width: 86px; height: 20px" | 25 mins
|-
| style="height: 20px" | Hsinchu ~ Tainan
| style="height: 20px" | 70 mins
|-
| style="height: 20px" | Taichung ~ Tainan
| style="height: 20px" | 42 mins
|-
[/table]


TSMC's headquarters is located in Hsinchu.

If you consider many US major cities' morning and evening rush hour traffic, this kind of travel time is nothing.

 

[Daniel Payne]

I've visited Taiwan on business for EDA trade shows and customer visits. Very pleasant place, although it took a while to get used to the motor scooters in city traffic. Some of the hardest-working people that I have ever met, so no wonder how far they have come as a country in the semiconductor industry.

 

[Arthur Hanson]

Like it or not, the Asian culture has a tremendous work and discipline ethic. They are the wealthiest ethnic group in the US and many were brought over as virtual slaves and others came as very poor immigrants. China is on its forth rise as an empire and has led the world in tech a couple of times and also been the wealthiest. Also they have very tight family units. Something to learn from. Tech has made this a true multicultural world and all must accept what this brings. Bringing people together is a peaceful, productive manner and bringing out the best in all will be the most valuable skill set of all. I once read a science fiction book about a society that specialty was diplomacy across the galaxy and the challenges one of their representatives had in reaching an agreement with an very aggressive, violent warrior culture. A very good book, but I can't remember the name for I have literally read thousands. Reading in/was an addiction for me.