Collaboration Evolves at Analog Devices Catalyst event

ADI Catalyst to deliver a 3.4TWh formation capability for Electric Vehicle batteries by 2030.

I arrived in Limerick on June 15th as part of the media contingent on a press tour of a new centre of collaboration by Analog Devices International called ‘Analog Devices (ADI) Catalyst’. Martin Cotter, President of ‘ADI Catalyst’ presented the new co-creation centre as an initiative to meet the challenges ADI’s customers face in their respective industry segments. Joe Barry, VP of Systems & Technology then delivered an overview of the communications function which ADI Catalyst fulfils. His outline of how Analog Devices contributes towards solving customer problems was revealing. Analog Devices chipsets underpin many key industries as a critical component.

Collaboration Evolves at Analog Devices Catalyst event

The group’s journey then continued to the ADI Catalyst testbeds. The first stop in this qualitative tech space was at the 5G testbed demonstrating private 5G network use in factory automation. The requirement for communications where WiFi was not rated as reliable enough was the problem to be solved by the team. Peader Forbes, Marketing & Applications Director with the Transceiver group gave an overview of connectivity testing using an Analog Devices motion detector for a robot moving in a theoretical factory space.

His team also gave insights into Analog Devices O-RAN contributions, as interoperability among 5G service providers is increasingly important. All in all, the transceiver group made excellent points around 5G, and also the future of 6G networks. Energy consumption reductions are no longer a luxury, but a requirement for sustainable networks.

Next up was Vincent Troy, Senior Director of Automotive Electrification. Vincent brought us through the background of their current battery projects, where extendability and range in automobiles is now a critical requirement. He went into their wireless battery control solutions, and how one project will deliver many results. If they are to hit their battery formation (charge/discharge ability) target of 3.4TWh by 2030; then taking the process of battery manufacture, and its implementation into vehicles must be insightfully detailed in research and development.

The next stop for our group was with Fionn, who brought us through his service connectivity implementation in the cabins of electric vehicles. This, along with a development focus on level 4 and 5 ADAS systems completed his project summary. Our next stop was with a key customer of ADI Catalyst, which is Johnson & Johnson. We saw 3 modular robotics units in a mock production line with independent controllers that communicate via high-bandwidth wireless devices.

These horseshoe-shaped devices looked as versatile as the robotics units they served in the mock production line. Changing one robotics unit in an automated production line can lead to very costly line changes. With modular designs like these; line assembly, redefinition and implementation can take on an entirely new cost profile.

We then stopped off at the smart factory project where we heard about how energy savings was a key requirement in factory automation. Physical infrastructure and the bridge to the digital space are shortening in Europe. With the continuing development of associated security features supporting its development, it’s a project bound for success. Our next stop was with Enda around magnetic chips involving no persistent memory. He gave us an overview of how they worked, which is based on magnetic imprinting.

Car safety was the one example presented, which completed my understanding of this innovative chip in action. Our next stop was with Olive and her project around physical building management and infrastructure. Retrofitting older buildings is a huge undertaking. This is where the innovations from Olive’s project come into scope as a key enabler for success.

The final stop of the testbed tour was with Ken’s group in consumer projects. It was an interesting walk-through of development projects around augmented reality goggles and glasses, along with personal audio devices. I tried the augmented reality headset for the first time. As a prototype, I was blown away by the responsiveness and detail in the artificial render element, along with how integrated it seems to be into my physical world surroundings. A truly impressive piece of work.

After the testbed tour, I got to sit down and talk with Leo McHugh, Vice President of the Industrial Automation group. Our chat focused on company culture and how Analog Devices arrived at a decision to once again step outside the box and launch a co-creation space involving multiple industries, which vary in innovation capability. Leo pointed out that the chipsets of Analog Devices are integral to many brand leaders, but Analog Devices remained an obscure contributor to a larger audience. This brand limitation problem required an innovative solution. He pointed out that the first problem to solve was what they do.

Analog Devices by culture solve problems. After turning a problem into a growth vector for Analog Devices, the team worked with key customers to solve end-user problems since 2010. The success enjoyed by the company led to Analog Devices Catalyst. The journey thus continues for Analog Devices and its customers in co-creating new products. Designed into industry niches, the centre offers an open co-creation space, along with isolated working environments for customers with intellectual privacy requirements that prohibit participation in the general co-creation space.

Analog Devices have consistently shown that they are not afraid to step outside of convention and be driven by a vision for their business. This lies at the heart of their innovation-orientated culture. The press tour told a story of a company, who in keeping touch with their cultural roots extended forward with purpose as experienced navigators in solving problems for industry. This versatility and connectedness make them one to watch both now, and into the future.

John Mulhall @johnmlhll | john@maolte.ie is a writer with Irish Tech News for over 6 years and also Founder, Writer, and Engineer with Maolte Technical Solutions Limited. You can learn more about John and his new company at https://maolte.ie

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