MIJ Expands from Tinnitus Management to Semiconductors and Defense: Healthcare Platform Powered by ‘Physical AI’

https://economist.co.kr/article/view/ecn202510010035

Chuncheon-based MIJ Co., Ltd. (MIJ) is leading the tinnitus treatment field with its tinnitus management platform, ETEREOCARE, and dedicated headset ETEREO TC Square. At the same time, leveraging its in-house fabless design capabilities, the company is expanding its business into healthcare, diagnostics, and defense with the AI edge board PotatoPi and semiconductor/FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array)/SoC solutions. MIJ also joined the Defense Venture Center this year, broadening its network in the defense sector. R&D investments are underway to develop smart hearing aids and bio-semiconductor POCT (point-of-care testing) solutions.

MIJ initially entered the medical device market targeting the tinnitus market, which affects approximately 30% of the global population due to aging and increased noise exposure. Its flagship product, ETEREO TC Square, is a bone-conduction headset that fits snugly behind the mastoid bone, reducing ear strain, enabling prolonged wear, and improving treatment adherence. The headset integrates with a management web platform to track users’ hearing data and deliver personalized tinnitus-adaptation sounds. MIJ plans to obtain FDA approval by 2026 for a global version and expand its product lineup with next-generation AI algorithm models and hearing management solutions for military personnel.

In July 2025, MIJ was listed among Fortune Korea’s ‘Top 40 Innovative Healthcare Companies in Korea’, raising expectations for its global market potential. This recognition underscores international attention on ETEREO TC Square’s global prospects and MIJ’s technological capabilities.

In addition to medical devices, MIJ is growing its second engine of growth in semiconductor IP/FPGA solutions. Leveraging 181 IP cores in-house—covering high-speed interfaces, audio/video processing, AD/DA, and communication protocols—MIJ plans to offer individual IP licenses and FPGA modules/boards starting in 2025. Upcoming products include FPGA modules for medical imaging and military communication equipment, sensor interface SoMs for bio and IoT devices, AI edge cards for real-time medical data processing, and embedded defense SoCs with secure communication processing. This roadmap aligns with Gangwon Province’s strategic focus on semiconductors and defense industries.

The new PotatoPi is an FPGA-based AI edge platform compatible with the Raspberry Pi form factor, targeting educational, maker, and industrial embedded markets. Equipped with IP cores optimized for AI/ML computation and high-speed interfaces, it differentiates performance in edge AI and IoT gateways. MIJ emphasizes long-term stable supply and real-time processing, with plans to develop a global open-source ecosystem and educational FPGA learning kits.

In the medical device portfolio, MIJ is developing smart hearing aids, integrating AI signal processing and app connectivity into portable hearing-assist devices for the OTC (over-the-counter) market, with a target launch next year at an accessible price point.

In diagnostics, MIJ is preparing a POCT platform combining semiconductor technology with biosensing. The first application targets glycated albumin (GA) measurement for diabetes management. By developing a silicon wafer-based biosensor SoC, MIJ aims to allow GA measurements from a small blood sample in minutes, achieving lab-level accuracy and enabling quick, cost-effective blood sugar monitoring in hospitals, pharmacies, and homes. The company plans to validate prototypes and conduct clinical trials at Korean university hospitals in 2025, aiming for market launch in 2027.

MIJ’s fabless-medical device convergence strategy is implemented at a time when national and regional policies align with its goals. Gangwon Province and Gangwon National University support the semiconductor, bio, and healthcare industries through the RISE project, while the Defense Venture Center provides R&D and market access for defense SMEs, enabling MIJ to participate in defense projects. Defense-related initiatives include embedded defense SoCs for secure communication, hearing protection solutions for military personnel, and AI/sensor-based training and diagnostic devices such as the ‘MedicBall’.

Through its ‘Physical AI’ strategy, MIJ aims to integrate continuous data generated from offline medical devices and semiconductor IPs to create a global healthcare platform. By expanding innovations initially developed for tinnitus management into smart hearing aids, AI edge boards, POCT solutions, and defense applications, MIJ aspires to become a globally recognized convergence company in healthcare and semiconductors.

ⓒEconomist (https://economist.co.kr) “Economist: Economic News for Tomorrow”

Reporter: Na Kyung Lee