ST is one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies, with net revenues of US$8.88 billion in 2005 and market leadership that is spread across many fields. According to the latest industry data, ST is the world’s fifth largest semiconductor company. ST offers one of the world’s broadest product ranges, with over 3,000 main types of products. The Company’s sales are well balanced between the industry’s five major high-growth sectors: Communications (38%), Consumer (16%), Computer (17%), Automotive (15%) and Industrial (14%). Since its creation, ST has exhibited an unwavering commitment to R&D. In 2005, ST spent US$1.63 billion in R&D, which was some 18.3% of its 2005 revenues.

 That effort produced 720 patent applications in 2005, maintaining ST’s track record as one of the industry’s most innovative and prolific inventors. ST is also active in numerous collaborative research projects worldwide as well as playing a key role in Europe’s advanced technology research programs (EUREKA clusters such as Medea+) and the Framework Programs of the European Union. It is also a leader in important forward-looking industry initiatives such as ETPs (European Technology Platforms) at the European level or the “Poles de Compétitivité” (e.g. Minalogic near Grenoble and SCS in the Provence area) at the regional level.

STM is primarily involved in the prototyping activity based on the most advanced state-of-the-art technologies and devices, such as integrated hardware and embedded software modules for intelligent sensing and control, based on a range of electronic devices that include low-power microcontrollers and inertial, pressure and acoustic sensing MEMS based devices, CMOS imagers, magnetic and temperature sensors (in WP4 and WP5).