Keywave Technology and ESMT Launch Collaborative Smart-Space Sensing Initiative at Microelectronics UK 2026

New collaboration brings together Keywave’s radar-based human presence sensing and ESMT’s wireless connectivity technology to demonstrate privacy-conscious occupancy monitoring for real-world environments

London, 30 September 2026 – Keywave Technology and Elite Semiconductor Microelectronics Technology Inc. (ESMT) have launched a new collaborative initiative at Microelectronics UK 2026, demonstrating how advanced radar sensing and wireless semiconductor technologies can be integrated to create smarter, more responsive spaces without relying on cameras.

Unveiled at Microelectronics UK at Excel London on 29–30 September, the collaboration brings together Keywave Technology’s KW307 24GHz human presence and spatial sensing technology with ESMT’s ER8130 Sub-GHz wireless platform in a live application demonstrating occupancy and location monitoring. 

The demonstration represents an important step for both companies in translating semiconductor innovation into practical Internet of Things (IoT) applications, combining sensing at the edge with wireless connectivity.

Seeing a space differently, without a camera

At the heart of the demonstration is a simple question: what can a space tell us without a camera?

Visitors can see the joint technology monitoring two spaces in real time, showing whether each space is occupied and where a person has been detected on a corresponding room plan.

Keywave’s KW307 is designed to detect both moving and stationary people, including subtle human micro-movements, and provide target distance and angle information. This enables applications to determine not simply that movement has occurred, but whether someone remains present and where they are located within a sensing area. 

The demonstration uses an accessible washroom as an illustrative application, an environment in which knowing whether somebody is present could be valuable but in which conventional camera-based monitoring would be inappropriate.

The joint concept also explores how sensing could form part of a wider assistance application, for example by identifying a prolonged stay or receiving a manual call-for-help, which could then prompt an assistance response.

Combining sensing intelligence with wireless connectivity

The collaboration brings complementary semiconductor capabilities together.

Keywave's KW307 has been developed for human-presence and spatial sensing applications and is designed to provide usable presence and location information directly to applications. Keywave identifies potential applications including smart buildings, occupancy monitoring, lighting and HVAC control, energy management, smart appliances and other human-aware IoT products. 

ESMT's ER8130 is a Sub-GHz SoC built around a 32-bit Arm Cortex-M3 core, supporting low-power wireless communications, multiple modulation formats and Wireless M-Bus, alongside NFC support. ESMT positions the platform for long-range, low-power IoT applications requiring reliable communications and energy efficiency.

Together, the technologies demonstrate how sensing, processing, real low-power consumption and wireless connectivity can be combined into a practical smart-space application, providing a platform for the two companies to explore wider commercial and technology opportunities.

Collaboration from semiconductor technology to real-world application

The launch at Microelectronics UK provides a highly relevant setting for the collaboration. The event brings together the UK's microelectronics community across semiconductor design, engineering, advanced manufacturing and applications, with its Semiconductors UK programme specifically focused on the connection between UK chip design and wider global semiconductor strategy. 

For Keywave and ESMT, the joint demonstration highlights the value of collaboration across the semiconductor ecosystem, moving beyond individual components to show what becomes possible when complementary technologies are brought together around a real customer need.

Jenny Cheng, CEO of Keywave Technology said:

“This collaboration is about turning semiconductor technology into something people can immediately understand and see working. Our KW307 can detect presence and spatial position without the need for a camera, and working with ESMT has allowed us to demonstrate how that sensing capability can form part of a practical connected application. Microelectronics UK is an ideal place to launch this collaboration and to start conversations with partners about where the technology could go next.”

SC Lee, BD Head of ESMT Wireless Applications Business said:

“The joint demonstration with Keywave shows the potential created when advanced sensing and wireless connectivity are brought together. ESMT continues to develop wireless technologies for emerging IoT applications, and this collaboration provides a practical example of how our ER8130 platform can contribute to connected, intelligent environments.”

A platform for future smart environments

Beyond the accessible-washroom demonstration, the underlying sensing and connectivity technologies have relevance across a broader range of IoT and smart-building applications.

Keywave identifies occupancy monitoring, smart buildings, lighting and HVAC control and energy-management systems among the potential application areas for KW307, while ESMT positions ER8130 for low-power IoT scenarios where stable wireless transmission and energy efficiency are important. 

The two companies will use the Microelectronics UK launch to engage with the semiconductor, electronics, IoT and smart-building communities and explore further opportunities for technical and commercial collaboration.

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About ESMT

Elite Semiconductor Microelectronics Technology Inc. (ESMT) is a fabless IC design company with product portfolio covering memory, mixed-signal, audio amp. and connectivity chip technologies. Its ER8130 is a single chip platform solution with highly integrated Sub-1GHz/NFC wireless SoC designed to deliver long-range connectivity, zero-trust hardware security, and ultra-long battery lifetime for smart IoT applications.

https://www.esmt.com.tw/en

About Keywave Technology

Keywave Technology is an RF semiconductor company developing sensing and RF technologies for connected and intelligent devices. Its KW307 24GHz technology is focused on human-presence and spatial sensing, including detection of stationary presence and the reporting of target location information such as distance and angle.