TI Launches Kilby Labs

Introduction

Four years before I was born, Jack Kilby invented something that has changed my life, and has been a part of my life for every day of it. And here we are today: recognizing his accomplishment by establishing a center where we hope to enable the future Jack Kilbys of TI.

Our job C as engineers C is to solve problems. And we do that a lot at TI. That is certainly what Jack did. He imagined a device that would miniaturize electronics. Im sure he thought this would solve a number of problems in the late 50s. But just as with all great inventions, no one C not even Jack C would imagine the tremendous impact this solution would have: paving the way for calculators, notebook computers, iPods, and a host of other electronic devices.

And I guess that is really the true magic about innovation and invention: it not only solves problems, but also creates entire new markets that could hardly even be imagined. With true innovation C you just never know where things are going to lead. In fact, even fifty years later, were just beginning to see the impact Jacks invention will have on peoples lives all over the world.

The Vision for Kilby Labs

Today, we are gathered to celebrate Jack Kilbys great invention C to look back on all the things Jack made possible. And also to look forward, to the problems yet to be solved and the solutions yet to be imagined.

We at TI have a unique responsibility to continue building on Jacks legacy, and on the revolution he set in motion more than 50 years ago. And this is our vision for Kilby Labs C

• That it will continue to push innovation forward
• By bringing together some of the brightest minds in our industry
• And giving them the time, the space and the resources they need to explore their ideas, devise completely new solutions, and then go build them.

Kilby Labs will not be what one might consider a traditional research facility, with a permanent staff of people working in a think tank type setting. Instead, Kilby Labs will be a living environment, where passionate, dedicated, innovative engineers will be able to take the time to test the seemingly crazy ideas, and to make what most consider to be impossible. a reality.

Let me give you an example. About a year or so ago, a terrible tragedy struck the city of Minneapolis when a bridge collapsed. Many people were injured; many died. That bridge was under stress, and the bridge knew it C but that bridge didnt know how to tell anyone. We look at that bridge and wonder what if.

• What if we could build a remote, ultra low power data acquisition system to gather information about that bridge, monitor its safety, and alert local authorities when anomalies are detected?
• What if we could build these systems using low cost semiconductor technology C enabling each bridge to have thousands of monitoring points?
• What if we could power these systems C not using traditional power cords C which of course would add significant weight to the bridge and alone add significant stress to the bridge were trying to monitor; no, not using traditional power cords, but rather using the energy of the bridge itself C taking the vibrations caused by vehicles passing over, and converting these vibrations to electricity to power these systems.essentially creating a self-powered system that would monitor the bridge throughout its lifespan?
• What if we could put these on every major bridge around the world? How much safer could we make the world?
• What if we could use a similar concept to install millions of miniature, low-cost, self-powered smoke detectors throughout the forests in California C alerting authorities nearly real time when small brush fires flare up C and enabling fire crews to control these fires minutes after flare up? How many lives would be saved? How many homes would be spared? How much of the billions spent repairing the destruction would be avoided?

When we say breakthrough, when we say solve problems and when we say improve lives, this is what we are talking about. These are the kinds of problems we hope Kilby Labs will solve. So no C Kilby labs wont be a traditional Think Tank. It will be a Do Tank C and we have aspirations to Do A Lot.

I hope youve had a chance to see the replica of Jack Kilbys lab that weve built for this event. In designing the new Kilby Labs, weve taken a lot of ideas from Kilbys original 1958 lab, which integrates office, design and test spaces in one area. Our plan is to convert the second floor of the Kilby Center building into flexible lab and office space built around this concept. The initial area will house up to about 100 engineers, working in small teams; we plan to have 20 to 25 projects active at any given time. A typical office will be no more than 15 feet from a lab bench, so a team can take an idea from theory to practice in less than about10 steps.

Our vision for Kilby Labs is that it will combine experience and fresh ideas by bringing together innovators from TI and from universities around the world. Partnerships are an essential part of TIs innovation strategy.

Rich and I spend a lot of time at customers, on university campuses and with the innovators working at TI. And Ive got to tell you, this is by far the best thing about our jobs. These innovators truly understand the power of technology, of being connected. And they have a great passion for making a difference. These folks have a simple goal in life: to change the world. And to make it a better place.

The Kilby Labs Leadership Team

Id like introduce the leadership team that is going to help them do just that. Martin Izzard is vice president and director of TIs Digital Signal Processing Research and Development Center. Venu Menon is vice president and manager of TIs Analog Technology Development. Martin and Venu will provide the overall strategic guidance for Kilby, and will be the backbone of the management support team.

Im truly honored to introduce the inaugural director of Kilby Labs, Ajith Amerasekera. Ajith holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Physics. Ajith has a passion for technology, for innovation, and a healthy disdain for the status quo. His knowledge, experience and people skills give him the right combination to lead teams to breakthrough innovations. Ajith will provide leadership for all the Kilby innovators, and will set the overall direction for the labs research.

Martin, Venu and Ajith will join key leaders from across TI to form a Kilby Labs Review Board. The review board members include:

• Kevin Ritchie, senior vice president, TIs technology and manufacturing group
• Melendy Lovett, president of TIs Educational Technology group
• Art George, senior vice president of TIs High-Performance Analog group
• Dave Heacock, senior vice president of TIs High-Volume Analog and Logic group
• John Van Scoter, senior vice president of our DLP Products
• Mark Dennisen, vice president and manager of TIs strategic marketing organization

• Mike Hames, senior vice president of TIs Application-Specific Products group
• Steve Anderson, senior vice president of our power management business
• Gregg Delagi, senior vice president of TIs Wireless Terminals Business Unit

All of us are incredibly excited about what Kilby Labs might bring to our future C and are excited as well for the new markets and the new customers that Kilby Labs will enable.

Conclusion

Let me close with a few final comments. Today, we are setting in motion a new initiative at TI. And we are doing that on the anniversary of what is arguably the greatest invention of the last half century. We walk in the shadow of technological genius. We stand on the shoulders of a giant. We follow the footsteps of a man who ventured down a road that was never taken C and that road now is the foundation for everything electronic.

We do so with an audacious goal: to enable the next breakthrough innovation; to create the next disruptive technology; to make possible the next Jack Kilby. We believe, like Jack, that as engineers we have a responsibility to solve problems. That is the mission, the motivation, the driving force behind the new Kilby Labs.

Thank you.