Research Articles

Though battery-electric models currently make up only a small fraction of total global truck sales (around 0.4% in 2021), it is already clear that the transition from diesel combustion engines to zero-emission technologies is well underway.

A floor that can feel when you fall, a warmth that wanders from room to room with you; could the house of the future take care of you?

Tuesday 29 November 2022 - This webinar includes case studies showing successful commercialization examples from 2022 across multiple market sectors; Discussion of anticipated announcements in 2023; Brief assessment of the status and potential of printed/flexible electronics; and Identification and assessment of technological gaps likely to be an R&D focus in 2023

Ever wondered how a touch-sensitive screen works? The answer is capacitive sensing, which can detect the presence of your finger through the protective glass sheet and doesn't require any pressure.

IDTechEx's new research report, "Metamaterials Markets 2023-2043: Optical and Radio-Frequency", analyses the technology and markets for both classes of electromagnetic metamaterials. Defined as materials that utilize periodic structures to achieve potentially revolutionary capabilities, metamaterials have drawn much attention due to their applications across telecommunications, consumer electronics, and aerospace.

Robotics and automation have gained significant momentum during the past two decades. However, with the recent global turmoil, the increasing likelihood of recession, unprecedented inflation in many countries, and geopolitical tensions, many challenges in the manufacturing industry have been exacerbated.

2022 was a turbulent year for Extended Reality (XR). The popularization of the metaverse concept raised massive interest in Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) devices as the gateway to this future vision of the internet, with excitement gathering over an expected revolution in how we communicate.

The field of nanocarbons is not new and it has certainly been the victim of too much hype and false dawns, but things have changed. Across 2022 and into the decade ahead, CNTs and graphene will enter different phases of their industrial expansion.

IDTechEx's latest report, "Sustainable Electronics Manufacturing 2023-2033", explores how the environmental impact of manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs) and integrated circuits (ICs) can be reduced through innovative materials choices and processing methods. This includes implementing low-temperature processing, eliminating superfluous wasteful steps, recycling and re-using materials where possible, and adopting novel approaches where the long-term potential is foreseen.

As the world adopts more wearable technology into our daily lives, the next generation of electronic wearables are ascending: the electronic skin patch. In diabetes and heart monitoring, electronic skin patches have already transformed the industry. These devices may well enable a revolution for the rest of healthcare and beyond.

Rapid growth in the Li-ion market is expected over the next ten years. IDTechEx forecast the Li-ion battery market will reach over US$430 billion by 2033. Electric vehicles (EV) and transportation will represent the largest market. By 2033, battery electric cars will constitute over 90% of Li-ion demand, by GWh, by 2030.

The occurrence of fires in electric vehicles (EVs) is less common than their combustion engine counterparts, in total number but also in terms of the rate per miles traveled. However infrequent, it is extremely important to protect the vehicle's occupants and prolong the time for a fire to exit the battery pack for as long as possible.

With their ability to fully control growing environments through LEDs, sensors, and HVAC systems, vertical farms achieve great control over the quality and consistency of their crop. However, this degree of control comes at a cost, a very literal one. Vertical farms are notoriously power-hungry and require large amounts of energy to operate.

Rising healthcare costs, an aging population and an increasing prevalence of chronic diseases are driving the uptake of remote patient monitoring (RPM) technologies. In their recent report, Remote Patient Monitoring 2023 - 2033: Technologies, Markets and Opportunities, IDTechEx forecasts the market for medical devices supporting RPM to reach US$45 billion by 2033.

Ever-increasing levels of vehicle autonomy are poised to revolutionize both personal and freight transport, reducing time spent sitting in traffic and ushering in new transportation modes such as robotaxis. Of course, autonomy and even ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) requires vehicles to constantly have a clear picture of their surroundings.

The advent of DNA sequencing has revolutionized our understanding of biology, bringing an unparalleled level of insight into genetics. DNA sequencing also offers the potential for highly personalized healthcare: by incorporating a patient's genomic information into their health records, treatments may potentially be tailored towards individual patients. The IDTechEx report, "DNA Sequencing 2023-2033: Technologies, Markets, and Forecasts" explores the technologies and markets of the US$8.2 billion DNA sequencing industry.

Wednesday 16 November 2022 - Wireless Charging for EVs: More Than Just a Premium Aftermarket Accessory? Webinar attendees can expect to learn about the componentry, players and commercialization of the technology

Innovations for the next generation of consumer devices. Miniaturized sensors, such as motion trackers and optical heart rate sensors, are the technology that underpins smartwatches and fitness trackers.

The most comprehensive assessment on the commercialization of flexible, wearable electronic skin patches spanning 13 applications including historic data, 10-year market forecast, interview-based player profiles, and technology analysis.

Could gas sensors facilitate the safe use of wood-burning stoves to combat the energy crisis? With the cost of energy rising dramatically, interest in wood-burning stoves is growing as they become 'more financially appealing than ever'.

IDTechEx Reflects on Trends in 2022. For the past decade, the healthcare industry has looked towards decentralization as a means of relieving the pressure placed on healthcare systems.

Despite strong incumbent materials for certain components, the technology landscape for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells is set to change in many varied ways over the coming years. An increased materials demand in terms of both volume and units, reducing the cost of components, and the emergence of disruptive technologies are all expected, while supply chain agreements are being established and strengthened across the industry. Alongside the growth in demand, emerging trends, and player analysis, IDTechEx detail how the associated materials market for PEM fuel cells is expected to exceed a value of US$7bn by 2033.

Fire Protection Materials for Electric Vehicle Batteries 2023-2033 - Fire protection and thermal runaway propagation limiting materials for electric cars, buses, vans, trucks, scooters, and motorcycles. Ceramics, mica, aerogels, foams, encapsulants, coatings, and PCMs. Material benchmarking and market forecasts.

Thursday 10 November 2022 - Three years after 5G first commercialization, where does 5G stand now? This webinar will discuss the following four key aspects of 5G - 5G deployment overview; open RAN technology; 5G technology; 5G use cases; and 5G future market outlook.

With the innovation of lidar beam steering technologies, continuous lidar cost reduction, as well as the progress of Advanced Driving Assistance System (ADAS) and Autonomous vehicles (AV), lidars are embracing their potential $8.4 billion-dollar market by 2033.

While electric cars will remain the largest electric vehicle market for the foreseeable future in terms of battery demand and market revenue generation, most transport sectors are facing a transition. In this article, IDTechEx summarizes key developments in non-automotive sectors, showing each sector's global battery demand (in 2021) for relative scale.

Wednesday 9 November 2022 - Critical, independent assessment of the incumbent and emerging chemical recycling and dissolution processes; solutions for different polymer types and forms; overview of the key developments and players in this field; analysis of the key market drivers; market outlook on the planned chemical recycling projects; view of the industry pain points and criticisms

Photovoltaics is the fastest-growing energy source. Of the thin film PV technologies, cadmium telluride (CdTe) dominates. It is largely concentrated within the US, where it accounts for 40 % of US utility-scale PV power. In recent years, the commercial efficiency of CdTe panels has been playing a catch-up game with conventional silicon and is currently trailing by ~3 %. Efficiency, however, is not the only deciding factor.

Where does 5G stand three years after its first commercialization in 2019? Let's start with the frequency band. We know that the sub-6 GHz (3.5 - 7 GHz) and millimeter wave (mmWave, >24 GHz) bands are the two new bands among the spectrum covered in 5G. Despite the hype surrounding mmWave, according to IDTechEx's "5G Market 2023-2033: Technology, Trends, Forecasts, Players" report, 53% of 5G commercial/pre-commercial services are actually based on sub-6 GHz, with mmWave accounting only for less than 10% of the market.

Thursday 3 November 2022 - This webinar will break down the complex landscape of sensor types, biometrics, and form factors; highlight innovations in electrode integration; discuss optical sensing advancements; and overview opportunities and challenges for microneedles as wearable sensors

The development of wireless charging systems for electric vehicles (EVs) has slowly picked up momentum over the past decade. This charging solution relies on the principle of resonant inductive coupling to achieve wireless power transfer (WPT) from a ground-based pad to a vehicle-fitted pad. Drivers should simply align their vehicles with the ground pad for charging to begin automatically, eliminating the need to plug in.

The true description of graphene is that of a single atomic layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal array. However, the nanocarbon material landscape is much more complicated than this simple statement, with single-layer, few-layer, multi-layer, graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and both graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) all to be considered as types of graphene.

Thursday 27 October 2022 - This webinar will identify technical and material trends within the polymer 3D printing market; highlight key developments influencing polymer AM's rise, including discussion on relevant players and news; and present IDTechEx's outlook on the polymer AM market

With so much focus being put on 3D printers, it can be easy to lose sight of the many other important sectors that make 3D printing, especially industrial additive manufacturing, possible. It takes an entire ecosystem, including materials, software, post-processing, quality assurance, services, specialized training, and more, for 3D printing to be utilized in high-value industries and applications

Wednesday 26 October 2022 - Natural and Engineered Solutions to Reverse Climate Change. What are the options for Carbon Dioxide Removal and how effective are they? What is the current state of the CDR market? What are the key drivers and hurdles for CDR market growth? What does the future hold for the CDR market?

IDTechEx has launched a new market report providing a technical assessment and independent market outlook on the topic; overall, it is forecast that pyrolysis and depolymerization plants will recycle over 20 million tonnes/year of plastic waste by 2033.