Sensors

A research team has developed a robot that can assist standing up, walking, and sitting down by estimating the user's state using a small number of sensors. They have developed a technique for a robot to estimate a user's state with few sensors by calculating center of gravity candidates. Knowing the state of the user, such as whether they are trying to stand up or sit down, makes it possible to provide assistance as necessary.

From wide-ranging body movements as minute as a pulse to the various movements of joints, muscles and limbs, wearable pressure sensors placed directly on the skin may be used in myriad ways to monitor health. Other types of skin sensors can monitor health indicators through measurement of sweat and temperature on the skin's surface.

Scientists have shown how electricity is transported in printed 2D materials, paving the way for design of flexible devices for healthcare and beyond.

Recon Health announced its partnership with greenTEG to integrate greenTEG's proprietary CALERA core body temperature sensor solution for continuous and non-invasive core body temperature measurement into Recon Health's Virtual Care Patch for remote patient monitoring and diagnostics.

At FIRA 2021, IDTechEx watched a demonstration of SABI AGRI's latest product Zilus, an add-on system enabling autonomous driving.

IDTechEx attended FIRA 2021 where Meropy introduced its new products.

Semiconductors are moving away from rigid substrates, which are cut or formed into thin discs or wafers, to more flexible plastic material and even paper thanks to new material and fabrication discoveries. The trend toward more flexible substrates has led to fabrication of numerous devices, from light-emitting diodes to solar cells and transistors.

There are many circumstances where self-healing would be a highly desirable aspect of materials used. This premium article examines the formats and formulations of self-healing materials.

The potential for self-healing materials is huge but progress is slow. This premium article outlines the roadmap to 2042.

CEA-LETI is the main department of the French research center CEA. Based primarily in Grenoble, it covers many aspects of semiconductor manufacturing, and has recently extended its scope to cover hybrid electronics. IDTechEx visited CEA-LETI on 1 December 2021

Presentation given by IDTechEx Senior Technology Analyst Dr Matthew Dyson at CEA LETI in Grenoble, France on December 1st 2021.

Self-healing materials are a new megatrend. The need is massive, from saving trillions of dollars lost yearly by collapsing buildings and bridges to bionic man and woman living better and longer. In saving the planet and preserving resources, long life from self-healing beats recycling any day.

Some studies have shown that nicotine, an addictive substance in electronic cigarettes, increases the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. But to get a full understanding of its potential health effects, a real-time nicotine monitoring device is needed.

Smart buildings aim to bring digital technologies into the fabric of the building, rather than just to objects within it. They will utilize a wide range of emerging technologies, such as semi-transparent photovoltaics on windows, moisture sensors for leak detection, and printed heaters with wall panels.

Developing and installing sensors that accurately measure the amount of feed in the silos in each pig farm and designing algorithms that can achieve a more efficient distribution of feed from production plants to each farm. The study was carried out on some 500 silos on farms in the province of Girona, Spain, as well as in Wales, on the Swedish island of Gotland and in the area surrounding Manchester, England.

Researchers have developed a test to reveal bacterial contamination in dairy products well before they have a chance to reach anyone's lips. Researchers have proven a method that will allow producers, packagers and retailers to detect bacterial contamination in milk products simply by reading a signal from a test printed inside every container.

Radar is fundamental to automotive safety and critical to achieving emerging level 4 autonomy. While today more than 50% of new cars are shipped with one or more radars, by 2042 all new vehicles will come with multiple radars as they become a key enabler for future mobility modes, according to IDTechEx's latest report, "Automotive Radar 2022-2042".

Next2U Solutions has developed software to determine a driver's physical and emotional state based on algorithmic analysis of thermal imaging of a face combined with facial recognition software. IDTechEx interacted with a demonstration at the Huawei Smart Cockpit Workshop in December 2021.

Wearable sensor can detect multiple chronic wound biomarkers to facilitate timely and personalised wound management.

Micro-sized cameras have great potential to spot problems in the human body and enable sensing for super-small robots, but past approaches captured fuzzy, distorted images with limited fields of view.