As tech heavyweights such as Apple (AAPL.O) and Amazon (AMZN.O) spend heavily on custom cutting-edge chips, companies using legacy chips are also looking to introduce custom silicon.
Inverters adjust the speed of an air conditioner's motor to save energy.
The custom chips, to be made by Taiwan's TSMC (2330.TW), cost more than off-the-shelf alternatives but offer better energy efficiency and allow a reduction in the use of other components, according to a Daikin executive.
The company, which developed Japan's first packaged air conditioner in 1951, is also working on customised power modules, which help manage the air conditioner's electricity supply.
The number of air conditioners globally is expected to more than triple to 5.6 billion units by 2050, according to the International Energy Agency.
Persons:
Sam Nussey, Taiwan's TSMC, Yuji Yoneda, Daikin, Jamie Freed
Organizations:
Daikin, REUTERS, Rights, Daikin Industries, Apple, European Union, International Energy Agency, Thomson
Locations:
Tokyo, Japan, Osaka, United States