Elan to dedicate up to 30 percent of R&D to AI

Elan Microelectronics has announced plans to allocate between 15 and 30 percent of its annual research and development budget to speed up its progress with AI technologies over the next three years, the Taipei Times reports.

More than 100 engineers will be assigned to develop and enhance the company’s AI capabilities, and Elan chairman Yeh I-hau said in a statement that Elan plans to launch its first AI chips for 3D facial recognition technology in the second half of 2018. Yeh said that the company plans to target the smartphone market, which ships 1.5 billion units annually, according to the Times. It will also develop AI facial recognition technology for cars.

The R&D will be carried out at Elan’s new “Taiwan AI Academy,” which has enrolled roughly 530 people, including more than 10 Elan executives.

Elan showcased a 3D facial recognition solution integrating hardware and software at the recent Consumer Electronics Show(CES), combining an active light IR camera with deep information to prevent spoofing with photographs, the company says.

Elan posted 12.9 percent revenue growth in 2017, the Times reports, as it pushed into the biometric smartcard market through a pair of previously reported partnerships, one with MagnaChip and one with Jinco and KSID.

Article Topics

3D face recognition  |  AI  |  cars  |  ELAN Microelectronics  |  research and development  |  smartcards  |  smartphones