Podcasts · Business

The Hardware Podcast with Fexingo: Chips, Devices, and Electronics Engineering Conversations

Fexingo

231 episodes

Lucas and Luna sit down at a lab bench cluttered with oscilloscopes and prototype boards to talk about the engineering decisions that shape the chips powering modern life. Each episode takes one piece of hardware — a new RISC-V core, a GaN power amplifier, a MEMS accelerometer — and examines its design trade-offs, yield challenges, and market positioning. They discuss why Intel’s 20A node matters for foundry customers, how TSMC’s CoWoS packaging affects AI accelerator supply, and what the CHIPS Act subsidies mean for domestic fab construction. Lucas brings the component-level knowledge (threshold voltages, die sizes, lithography steps); Luna pushes on the system-level implications (thermal constraints, software compatibility, supply chain risk). The listener is someone who reads datasheets for fun, follows EDA tool announcements, or needs to decide between an FPGA and an ASIC for their next product. No hot takes on Apple’s latest chip — just a careful look at what the die shot reveals and whether the architecture will trickle down to mid-range devices. Can a country really onshore advanced semiconductor manufacturing in a decade? How do you test a chip with billions of transistors? And what does the shift to chiplets mean for the engineer designing a PCB today? #SemiconductorIndustry #ChipDesign #HardwareEngineering #Electronics #TSMC #Intel #RISCV #GaN #MEMS #EDA #ASIC #FPGA #CHIPSAct #DieShot #EngineeringConversations #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Episodes page 3 of 5

  1. On-Chip Microtransformers Shrink Isolated Power

    · 6:31 · S3 E131

    Lucas and Luna explore how microtransformers integrated directly onto silicon are revolutionizing isolated power conversion. They discuss recent research from the University of Twente demonstrating a 5-kilovolt…

  2. How Chips Use On-Chip Microfluidic Cooling for Dense Heat Management

    · 8:09 · S3 E130

    Episode 130 of The Hardware Podcast dives into on-chip microfluidic cooling — a technology where tiny channels etched directly into silicon circulate coolant to remove heat from high-density chip hotspots. Lucas and…

  3. How Chips Use On-Chip Atomic Clocks for Precision Timing

    · 8:03 · S3 E129

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into the world of chip-scale atomic clocks (CSACs). They explore how these miniature timekeepers, shrinking a technology once confined to laboratory racks…

  4. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Acoustic Resonators for RF Filtering

    · 10 min · S3 E128

    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how on-chip acoustic resonators are transforming radio frequency filtering in modern electronics. They dive into the mechanics of bulk acoustic wave and surface acoustic wave…

  5. How Chips Use On-Chip MicroLEDs for Neural Stimulation

    · 11 min · S3 E127

    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a cutting-edge application of on-chip microLED arrays: optogenetic neural stimulation. They dive into how these microscale light emitters are being integrated directly onto…

  6. How Chips Use On-Chip Triboelectric Generators for Energy Harvesting

    · 7:31 · S3 E126

    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how on-chip triboelectric generators are enabling energy harvesting from mechanical motion—vibration, typing, footsteps—to power sensors and IoT devices without batteries. They…

  7. How Chips Use On-Chip Rad-Hard Design for Space Electronics

    · 9:29 · S3 E125

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore on-chip radiation-hardened design for space electronics. They focus on how the European Space Agency's latest microcontroller, the LEON5, uses triple…

  8. How Chips Use On-Chip Optical Interconnects for Speed

    · 8:13 · S3 E124

    Lucas and Luna explore how on-chip optical interconnects are breaking the bandwidth bottleneck in data centers and AI accelerators. They focus on a specific 2025 breakthrough: a CMOS-compatible silicon photonic…

  9. How Chips Use On-Chip Microbatteries for Autonomous Sensor Power

    · 13 min · S3 E123

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the emerging technology of on-chip microbatteries—tiny energy storage units integrated directly onto silicon chips. They discuss how researchers at MIT…

  10. On-Chip Microsprings for Ultra-Reliable Chiplet Interconnects

    · 9:13 · S3 E122

    Episode 122 of The Hardware Podcast dives into a microscopic engineering innovation that's quietly reshaping semiconductor packaging: on-chip microsprings. Lucas and Luna explore how these tiny compliant…

  11. How Chips Use On-Chip Quantum Key Distribution for Secure Communication

    · 13 min · S3 E121

    Lucas and Luna explore how chipmakers are integrating quantum key distribution (QKD) directly onto silicon photonic chips, enabling ultra-secure communication for data centers and critical infrastructure. They break…

  12. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Quantum Dots for Single-Photon Emission

    · 9:19 · S3 E120

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into the emerging world of on-chip quantum dots — nanoscale semiconductor particles that can emit single photons on demand. They explore how researchers at…

  13. On-Chip Electrochemical Sensors for Real-Time Water Quality

    · 8:31 · S3 E119

    Lucas and Luna dive into on-chip electrochemical sensors that can detect heavy metals and contaminants in water in real time. They explore how MIT spinout Ionsense integrates microelectrode arrays with custom ASICs to…

  14. How Chips Use On-Chip Lidar for Autonomous Navigation

    · 8:55 · S3 E118

    This episode dives into the integration of lidar directly onto silicon chips, a breakthrough that could make autonomous navigation cheaper and smaller. Lucas explains how researchers at MIT and the University of…

  15. On-Chip Silicon Photonics for Data Center Interconnects

    · 10 min · S3 E117

    Lucas and Luna explore how silicon photonics is moving from lab curiosity to production inside data centers. They focus on a specific case: Intel's recent demonstration of an integrated photonic engine that replaces…

  16. How Chips Use On-Chip Flow Cytometers for Blood Analysis

    · 11 min · S3 E116

    Lucas and Luna explore how semiconductor manufacturers are integrating flow cytometry — traditionally a bulky lab instrument — directly onto a chip. They discuss the engineering breakthroughs that make on-chip blood…

  17. How Chips Use On-Chip Capacitors for Energy Storage

    · 7:56 · S3 E115

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the emerging trend of integrating supercapacitors directly onto silicon chips for energy storage. They focus on a specific development from researchers at…

  18. How Chips Use On-Chip Ultrasonic Transducers for Gesture Recognition

    · 14 min · S3 E114

    This episode explores a new frontier in human-machine interface: on-chip ultrasonic transducers that enable touchless gesture recognition. Lucas and Luna break down how these tiny MEMS devices work, from generating…

  19. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Spectrometers for Food Freshness Detection

    · 9:39 · S3 E113

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into a surprising application for on-chip spectrometers: telling you if your milk has gone bad. They explore how tiny spectrometers integrated into…

  20. How Chips Use On-Chip Terahertz Sensors for Security Scanning

    · 7:33 · S3 E112

    This episode of The Hardware Podcast dives into on-chip terahertz sensors — a technology that could replace bulky airport body scanners with a tiny silicon die. Lucas explains how researchers at the University of Texas…

  21. How Chips Use On-Chip Magnetic Field Sensors for Contactless Current Sensing

    · 8:51 · S3 E111

    Episode 111 of The Hardware Podcast explores how semiconductor designers are embedding tiny magnetic field sensors directly into chips to measure electrical current without physical contact. Lucas and Luna dive into…

  22. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Biofuel Cells for Self-Powered Implants

    · 8:40 · S3 E110

    Episode 110 of The Hardware Podcast explores on-chip biofuel cells that generate electricity from glucose in the human body. Lucas and Luna discuss how researchers at the University of California San Diego have…

  23. How Chips Use On-Chip Microfluidic Cooling for High-Performance Computing

    · 8:20 · S3 E109

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how chipmakers are integrating microfluidic cooling directly onto silicon to manage the extreme heat in high-performance computing and AI accelerators.…

  24. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Neural Networks for Real-Time Inference

    · 8:15 · S3 E108

    This episode of The Hardware Podcast explores the emerging trend of integrating neural network accelerators directly onto chips for real-time inference at the edge. Lucas and Luna discuss how on-chip neural networks…

  25. How Chips Use On-Chip Chemical Sensors for Real-Time Sweat Analysis

    · 9:22 · S3 E107

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into the emerging world of on-chip chemical sensors designed for real-time sweat analysis. They explore how companies like Graphwear and SweatLabs are…

  26. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Atomic Clocks for Precision Timing

    · 9:42 · S3 E106

    Lucas and Luna explore the cutting edge of chip-scale atomic clocks, focusing on how CSACs are shrinking atomic timing into a chip form factor. They discuss the breakthrough at NIST in 2024 that achieved a fractional…

  27. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Digital Twins for Real-Time Simulation

    · 11 min · S3 E105

    In episode 105 of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into the emerging use of on-chip digital twins — miniature virtual replicas of a chip's own circuits running in real time on the same silicon. They explore…

  28. How Chips Use On-Chip Spectrometers for Chemical Analysis

    · 10 min · S3 E104

    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how semiconductor companies are integrating miniature spectrometers directly onto chips, enabling real-time chemical analysis in everything from smartphones to medical…

  29. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Microfluidics for Lab-on-Chip Diagnostics

    · 14 min · S3 E103

    Episode 103 of The Hardware Podcast dives into the world of lab-on-chip diagnostics. Lucas and Luna explore how microfluidics are being integrated directly onto silicon chips to create portable, low-cost medical…

  30. How Chips Use On-Chip Pressure Sensors for Medical Implants

    · 8:31 · S3 E102

    This episode dives into the growing role of on-chip pressure sensors in implantable medical devices. Lucas and Luna discuss how microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) pressure sensors are being integrated directly into…

  31. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Photonic Transceivers for Ultra-Fast Data

    · 9:20 · S3 E101

    Episode 101 of The Hardware Podcast explores the cutting-edge integration of photonic transceivers directly onto silicon chips, bypassing traditional copper interconnects. Lucas and Luna break down the physics of…

  32. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Gas Sensors for Air Quality

    · 7:28 · S2 E100

    Episode 100 of The Hardware Podcast looks at a tiny but crucial innovation: on-chip gas sensors that detect CO2, volatile organic compounds, and more. Lucas and Luna explore how these sensors are being integrated into…

  33. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Drug Delivery for Implantable Devices

    · 9:33 · S2 E99

    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the cutting-edge world of on-chip drug delivery systems used in implantable medical devices. They discuss how microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology enables precise,…

  34. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Antennas for Wireless Interconnects

    · 11 min · S2 E98

    Episode 98 of The Hardware Podcast explores the latest in on-chip antennas for wireless interconnects—a technology that replaces traditional wired buses with millimeter-wave radio links inside a package. Lucas and Luna…

  35. How Chips Are Using On-Chip MEMS Mirrors for LiDAR

    · 10 min · S2 E97

    Episode 97 of The Hardware Podcast dives into a surprising trend in chip design: putting tiny MEMS mirrors directly onto silicon to create solid-state LiDAR. Lucas opens with the 2025 market projection of $2.5 billion…

  36. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Microphones for Audio Sensing

    · 9:20 · S2 E96

    Episode 96 of The Hardware Podcast explores a surprising new trend in semiconductor design: embedding tiny MEMS microphones directly onto chips. Lucas and Luna examine a real-world case from STMicroelectronics, whose…

  37. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Quantum Dots for Single-Photon Emission

    · 9:37 · S2 E95

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into how chipmakers are embedding quantum dots directly onto silicon to create single-photon emitters. They explore a breakthrough from a joint research team…

  38. How Chips Use On-Chip Piezoelectric Fans for Active Cooling

    · 13 min · S2 E94

    Episode 94 of The Hardware Podcast dives into the latest innovation in chip-level thermal management: on-chip piezoelectric fans. These tiny vibrating blades, just millimeters wide, can generate targeted airflow over…

  39. How Chipmakers Are Using On-Chip Optical Clocks for Timing

    · 8:16 · S2 E93

    Episode 93 of The Hardware Podcast explores a critical but often overlooked component in modern chips: the on-chip optical clock. Lucas and Luna discuss how traditional quartz oscillators are reaching their limits as…

  40. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Accelerometers for Vibration Sensing

    · 12 min · S2 E92

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising new frontier in chip design: embedding tiny accelerometers directly onto silicon. These micro-electromechanical systems, or…

  41. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Temperature Sensors to Prevent Overheating

    · 9:21 · S2 E91

    Episode 91 of The Hardware Podcast explores how modern chips are embedding tiny temperature sensors directly on the die to prevent thermal runaway. Lucas and Luna break down a real case: how AMD's Ryzen 7000 series…

  42. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Magnetic RAM for Non-Volatile Memory

    · 11 min · S2 E90

    In Episode 90 of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into the emerging technology of on-chip magnetic RAM (MRAM). They explain how a new generation of chips is integrating MRAM cells directly into the logic die,…

  43. How Chipmakers Are Using On-Chip Batteries for Energy Storage

    · 11 min · S2 E89

    Episode 89 explores how chipmakers are integrating tiny on-chip batteries directly into silicon to provide local energy storage for power-hungry applications like IoT sensors, medical implants, and edge AI devices.…

  44. How Chips Use On-Chip Capacitors to Stabilize Power

    · 10 min · S2 E88

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how chip designers are embedding tiny capacitors directly into silicon to smooth out power delivery and reduce noise. They discuss the physics of…

  45. How Chips Use On-Chip Hall Sensors for Magnetic Sensing

    · 10 min · S2 E87

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how chipmakers are embedding Hall effect sensors directly onto silicon to measure magnetic fields at the microscale. They discuss the physics behind the…

  46. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Transformers for Power Delivery

    · 10 min · S2 E86

    In this episode of The Hardware Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how chip designers are integrating tiny transformers directly onto silicon to solve power delivery challenges. As processors demand lower voltages and…

  47. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Spectrometers for Material Sensing

    · 11 min · S2 E85

    Episode 85 of The Hardware Podcast explores how semiconductor engineers are integrating miniature spectrometers directly onto chips, enabling real-time material identification from chemical analysis to food quality…

  48. How Chipmakers Are Using On-Chip Neural Networks to Manage Power

    · 9:46 · S2 E84

    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how chip designers are embedding small neural networks directly onto silicon to dynamically manage power distribution. They discuss a specific case from a major semiconductor…

  49. How Chips Are Learning to Reroute Around Faults at Run Time

    · 12 min · S2 E83

    Episode 83 of The Hardware Podcast: Lucas and Luna dive into the emerging practice of runtime on-chip fault rerouting — where processors dynamically detect failing circuits and redirect signals through spare pathways…

  50. How Chips Are Using On-Chip Oscilloscopes for Debugging

    · 12 min · S2 E82

    Lucas and Luna dive into the emerging trend of integrating oscilloscope-like circuitry directly onto chips. They explore how on-chip debug tools are helping engineers catch timing errors and signal-integrity issues…

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