Growing into a Comprehensive Semiconductor and Foundry Company

As innovation in Physical AI begins in earnest, Korean semiconductor sensor specialist Sigetronics announced on the 11th that the company “is growing into a comprehensive semiconductor and foundry enterprise covering ESD, sensors, power semiconductors, and GaN Power RF, based on its own M-FAB production infrastructure.”

Physical AI refers to technology that embeds AI chips inside physical devices such as automobiles, drones, robots, and weapon systems, enabling the devices to autonomously make decisions and operate on their own.

It is regarded as an expanded form of on-device AI, going beyond conventional cloud-based AI by enabling computation and decision-making directly within the device.

Physical AI is composed of three key elements:

Sensors, which mimic human senses such as vision, hearing, and touch to detect external information

AI chips (e.g., GPU, NPU), which analyze and process the sensed data

Actuators, which perform actual actions such as motor control, audio output, or communication

When these elements are organically integrated, a fully autonomous intelligent system is achieved, enabling devices to “sense–decide–act” without human intervention.

At the core of this technology is semiconductor innovation. Key components such as CMOS image sensors, optical and gas sensors, LiDAR, and radar are all based on semiconductor technology. Power and RF devices, along with MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems), are also tightly linked with semiconductor processes. In particular, GaN power and RF devices are emerging as next-generation semiconductor technologies due to their high efficiency and compact size advantages.

The global sensor industry is recognized as a foundational sector for future industries. Its market size is projected to grow from $241.6 billion USD in 2024 to $457.2 billion USD by 2032. In addition, global data generation is expected to reach 157 zettabytes (ZB) in 2025, and the number of sensors required to detect and process this data is forecast to reach approximately 16.3 trillion units by 2030.

In Korea, companies such as Sigetronics, KEC, and i3Systems are drawing attention as strong emerging players. Sigetronics stated, “Through MOUs and joint development with major customers, we are expanding our value chain and supply chain, while strengthening our technological competitiveness in specialized semiconductor fields.”

EDaily, November 11, 2025