Canadian Microelectronic industry is ready for greater challenges

The largest gathering of its kind for representatives from all areas of the Canadian microelectronic industry participated in a two-day symposium in Gatineau QC this week, demonstrating their support towards innovations in all sectors of this nation’s economy.

Nearly 300 participants ranging from academic network, industrial leaders, R&D centers and partners, assembled under the theme ‘Innovation by Design’, a symposium described as enabling the microelectronic systems industry to demonstrate its ability to support and develop technologies for the digital life.

Symposium 2014 was hosted by the MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI) in collaboration with CMC Microsystems and the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC). The event presented a diversified and captivating program and was addressed to all industries using electronic components. Several speakers and panelists from the academia and industry ecosystems demonstrated the important role played, as well as the beneficial impacts of microsystems in areas such as information and communications technology, aerospace, transports, environment and health. Other speakers addressed topics on the process surrounding the commercialization of advanced manufacturing.

Statistics show that the information and communications technology sector distinguished itself through vibrant research and development, as the industry accounted for 2.8% of GDP in 2011. It also generated 6.2% of the national growth since 2002, and also produced 30% of all private R & D in 2011, according to Industry Canada.

“We must not forget that the electronic systems industry supports a number of important sectors of our economy. Electronic systems are ubiquitous in our everyday lives and its use is rapidly increasing,” says Normand Bourbonnais, CEO of C2MI. “Let’s just think about the automobile industry that continues to improve not only the driving experience, but the safety and comfort of the vehicle by adding electronic components. Let’s think about the medical industry where sensitive surgeries can now be performed remotely with greater accuracy through mechatronics. Microelectronics is part of many innovations that change and improve our lives, which make information and services accessible from anywhere around the world.”

Since its official opening in 2012, C2MI members devoted their research efforts in microsystems prototyping. Their activities are designed to accelerate the commercialization of products required by the markets in which they evolve and to improve the tools, materials, techniques and tests in a unique collaborative Centre. As part of its recent activities, the Centre has greatly contributed to the development of new markets such as photonics, infrared imaging, energy sensors, LEDs, CMOS high power electronic and mono memories.

In May, the Université de Sherbrooke, in association with IBM Canada through a unique business-university partnership, launched the IBM-NSERC Industrial Chair on Canada’s innovative packaging of microelectronic chips. C2MI, with its state-of-the-art facility and technology for advanced packaging provides an unprecedented opportunity to introduce students to an industrial environment.