IDTechEx

Smart textiles boost connectivity between wearable sensors

Over the past decade, a major trend in electronics has been the development of sensors, displays and smart devices which are seamlessly integrated onto the human body. Most of these wearable devices are singularly connected to a user's smart phone and transmit all data via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi signals. But as consumers wear increasing numbers of wearable devices, and as the data they transmit increases in sophistication, more innovative connection methods are being sought after.

An Introduction to Lidar & 3D Sensors

This article provides an analysis of lidar and 3D sensor technologies for applications in machine autonomy, which includes advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). Insights from interviews IDTechEx recently conducted with lidar players are also included.

Toyota (2019)

Dr Peter Harrop explores Toyota's progress with pure electric vehicles in 2019.

Lithium-ion battery prices may rise

EVs are and will remain by far the largest market for LIB. LIB supply commitments increase all the time with China the most ambitious. Thailand is getting into LIB battery making in a big way and may offer 50-100 GWh in 2030, helping to close the gap in supply vs demand. The Europeans may do the same eventually. However, just one successful EV car model can need 100GWh/year.

BMW Group and Tencent partnership for future mobility

BMW China Automotive Trading Ltd and Tencent signed an agreement to work together on building the BMW Group China High Performance D³ platform. The BMW Group will use the platform to develop automated driving technologies and products which suit the complex local traffic conditions and meet local customer demands.

Exceptional sense of touch for robots, prosthetics

Robots and prosthetic devices may soon have a sense of touch equivalent to, or better than, the human skin with the Asynchronous Coded Electronic Skin, an artificial nervous system developed by a team of researchers.

Improving accessibility of cold spray additive manufacturing

3D printing of metal-based parts, also known as metal additive manufacturing technologies, is a rapidly growing industry with significant potential for new uses in the automotive and aerospace industries, among others.

Dermal tattoo sensors detect blood pH change, metabolite levels

The art of tattooing may have found a diagnostic twist. A team of scientists in Germany have developed permanent dermal sensors that can be applied as artistic tattoos.

CATL and Toyota partnership for New Energy Vehicle batteries

The two companies have also commenced discussions that cover a wide range of fields, including: supply of batteries, new technology development, product quality improvements, and the reuse and recycling of batteries.

Chip that converts wasted heat to usable energy

A researcher has discovered a way to produce more electricity from heat than thought possible by creating a silicon chip, also known as a "device," that converts more thermal radiation into electricity.

Autotalks and Datang successfully completed Chinese C-V2X testing

Autotalks and China's Datang have successfully tested chipset-level interoperability of their respective solutions for C-V2X direct communication.

New EMI shielding tech boosts performance for new 5G mobile standards

Electromagnetic interference is increasingly becoming a problem today - especially for new generation mobile phones and 5G technology. To meet this challenge, Heraeus now offers a new complete solution consisting of silver ink and printer for EMI shielding. This system is both less expensive and more effective than all other options available today.

Fujitsu harnesses quantum-inspired digital annealer technology

The application of Fujitsu's next-generation architecture allows for the nearly instantaneous calculation of the optimal arrangement of multiple planar magnets to maximize the strength of the magnetic field in a device.

Electric bus demand surging outside China

In electric vehicles, China is not what it used to be. Electric bike demand collapsed five years ago, and electric bus demand followed two years ago. With electric buses, the reason was entirely a precipitous drop in government financial support of demand and production, the peak being accentuated by pulling forward to grab subsidies while there were available. In 2020 they will be zero but despite this, in 2027 China plans that full electrification of its bus fleet will be complete.

Sheaths become mighty new layer in artificial muscles

Over the last 15 years, researchers have invented several types of strong, powerful artificial muscles using materials ranging from high-tech carbon nanotubes to ordinary fishing line.

Changing a Century Old Paradigm for Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

The next wave of devices for diabetes management is wearable insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors. These devices are already in use today and uptake is increasing. The devices remove a significant number of pain points from current technologies.

A crystal clear step closer to commercial solar cells

A synthetic approach developed by researchers generates homogeneous and defect-free crystals that could fast-track the commercialization of perovskite solar cells.

Koolen invests in hydrogen bromine flow battery maker Elestor

Koolen Industries has signed the agreement for a multi-million investment in the electricity storage company Elestor BV. After years of research and development, Elestor is at the verge of introducing its revolutionary hydrogen bromine flow battery to the market.

Artificial "muscles" achieve powerful pulling force

As a cucumber plant grows, it sprouts tightly coiled tendrils that seek out supports in order to pull the plant upward. This ensures the plant receives as much sunlight exposure as possible. Now, researchers have found a way to imitate this coiling-and-pulling mechanism to produce contracting fibers that could be used as artificial muscles for robots, prosthetic limbs, or other mechanical and biomedical applications.

The new MINI Cooper SE, fully electric

Urban mobility with purely electric drive can now also be experienced in hallmark MINI style. The new MINI Cooper SE combines sustainable mobility as the first solely electrically powered model of the British brand.