MIJ Expands From Tinnitus Care to Semiconductors and Defense… Pursuing Market Growth Through ‘Physical AI’

https://www.hankyung.com/article/202510134477O

MIJ is pushing forward with the commercialization of FPGA modules and boards. The company is preparing FPGA modules for video and audio processing used in medical imaging and military communication equipment, sensor-interface SoMs (system-on-modules) for bio and IoT devices, AI edge cards for real-time medical data processing, and embedded defense SoCs equipped with secure communication processing. This roadmap aligns with Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province’s strategic focus on semiconductor and defense industries.

The new PotatoPi is an FPGA-based AI edge platform compatible with the Raspberry Pi form factor, targeting markets ranging from education and makers to industrial embedded systems. Equipped with IP cores optimized for AI/ML computations and high-speed interfaces, the platform differentiates performance in edge AI and IoT gateways while emphasizing stable long-term supply and real-time processing. The company also plans to build a global open-source ecosystem and launch FPGA learning kits for education.

Within its medical device portfolio, MIJ is developing a smart hearing-assist device. The company is restructuring its digital healthcare pipeline around this smart hearing-aid project, integrating AI-based signal processing and app connectivity. MIJ aims to launch an affordable OTC (over-the-counter) portable hearing-assist device next year.

In diagnostics, MIJ is preparing a bio-semiconductor POCT (point-of-care testing) platform that integrates semiconductor technology with biosensing. The first application targets glycated albumin (GA) measurement used in diabetes management. MIJ is developing a silicon-wafer-based biosensor SoC that will enable portable POCT devices to measure GA levels within minutes using a small blood sample. The technology has the potential to transform diabetes care in hospitals, pharmacies, and homes by offering fast, low-cost, lab-grade GA results—useful for assessing short-term glucose control and complementing HbA1c. The company aims to validate prototypes and conduct clinical trials with major university hospitals in Korea by 2025, with plans for market launch in 2027.

MIJ’s fabless–medical device convergence strategy is progressing in alignment with national and regional policy trends. Gangwon Province and Kangwon National University are supporting semiconductor, bio, and healthcare industry development through the RISE program, while the Defense Venture Center provides R&D and business support for small and mid-sized defense companies—creating an environment for MIJ to participate in defense initiatives. In the defense sector, the company is pursuing projects such as embedded defense SoCs for secure communication, hearing-protection solutions for military personnel, and AI- and sensor-based training/diagnostic equipment like the “MedicBall.”

Through its “Physical AI” strategy, MIJ aims to integrate continuous data generated across offline medical devices and semiconductor IPs, evolving into a global healthcare platform provider. By leveraging its proprietary technology and the regional innovation ecosystem, the company plans to expand its tinnitus-focused innovations into smart hearing aids, AI edge boards, POCT diagnostics, and defense technologies—positioning itself as a leading convergence company in the healthcare and semiconductor industries.

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