Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions (CAES) says it has seen a 30 percent increase in the demand for its ASICs that support the rapid sequencing of patient samples to detect the coronavirus.
The company’s ASICs are used in equipment that delivers the genomic sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the COVID-19 infection. Sequencing enables medical researchers to understand how the virus is transmitted and how it evolves.
Responding to the global pandemic, countries are seeking faster means to analyze samples to diagnose and treat COVID-19 patients.
CAES ASICs are also used by a leading global supplier of computed tomography (CT) scanners, which help diagnose respiratory conditions.
“We entered the medical market twenty years ago, employing the same advanced engineering, development and manufacturing expertise that we developed in the space industry. Today, we are proud that our ASIC solutions are able to contribute to the world’s fight against the coronavirus,” said Shawn Black, the CEO of CAES.
CAES develops digital and mixed-signal ASICs that perform in harsh environments, including space and medical radiology. Cobham’s space heritage has yielded strong capabilities for producing high reliability and high radiation hardness semiconductors.