FotoNation, SEMFIVE announce collaboration for development of TriSilica perceptual AI chip family using Samsung Foundry

GaryPageau , , ,
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FotoNation Ltd., a Galway, Ireland-based perception recognition company, and SEMIFIVE Inc., a leading global provider of custom AI semiconductor solutions, announced a strategic collaboration agreement under which SEMIFIVE will lead turnkey development for TriSilica, FotoNation’s ultra-low-power perceptual AI chip family. TriSilica is an ultra-low-power, compact-footprint perceptual AI silicon platform designed to support multimodal sensor inputs, including audio, mmWave, spectral, infrared, and RGB.

“FotoNation is a pioneer in in-device computational imaging solutions, and its Vision AI technology is redefining what is possible at the edge,” said Brandon Cho, CEO and co-founder of SEMIFIVE. “We are excited to help bring FotoNation’s sophisticated TriSense IP Core solutions into high-performance silicon. This partnership reinforces SEMIFIVE’s technical leadership and serves as a strategic anchor for our expansion across the European semiconductor landscape.”

The collaboration marks SEMIFIVE’s first European deal, expanding its presence in the European market and building on its track record in the United States, China, Japan, and India. By leveraging its advanced semiconductor platforms, SEMIFIVE continues to strengthen its position as a global partner of choice for innovators seeking high-performance, custom AI ASIC solutions.

A decisive factor in securing this project was SEMIFIVE’s expertise in high-complexity, low-power IC design and integrated packaging technologies, which the company has proactively developed.

“Our partnership with SEMIFIVE and its custom semiconductor capabilities will be a core driver for commercializing FotoNation’s next-generation, ultra-high-performance, low-power sensor-fusion SoCs,” said Petronel Bigioi, CEO of FotoNation. “We expect this collaboration to become a major turning point in advancing image processing and sensor-fusion technology to meet the demands of the rapidly growing edge AI market.”

The initial product, the TS-210, is planned for a Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) shuttle scheduled for the end of this year. The target foundry process is Samsung Foundry’s 8nm Low Power Ultimate (8LPU) process.

FotoNation Ltd. is an Irish AI company that designs and offers silicon and IP built around a single conviction: eliminate unnecessary data before inference begins. Its TriSense IP-core brings together neural ISP, sensor fusion, and  AI for perceptual cognition under extreme power constraints. Its TriSilica chip family adds industry-first high-capacity bonded memory, translating that architecture into production silicon for devices that perceive, adapt, and act. FotoNation’s technology is embedded in more than 4 billion products worldwide, with contributions to dozens of top-tier tape-outs across consumer and edge AI markets.

SEMIFIVE Inc. is a pioneer of platform-based SoC design, working with customers to implement innovative ideas into custom silicon in the most efficient way. SoC platforms offer a powerful springboard for new chip designs and leverage configurable domain-specific architectures and pre-validated key IP pools.

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Gary Pageau is principal of InfoCircle LLC, continuing his marketing communications career. InfoCircle LLC is a marketing and communications consulting firm, specializing in business-to-business markets. For nearly 25 years, he was with PMA International, serving most recently as Publisher, Content Development and Strategic Initiatives. His primary responsibilities included overseeing the Association’s editorial department, marketing research unit, education and corporate relations department.