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Self-Powering Smart Cities

The cost of renewable energies such as tidal and wave power in the open sea, wind and solar power have come down greatly in recent years but they are rarely considered viable for base power, largely because of the energy storage needed.

Facebook cancels Aquila microgrid drone

Google has cancelled its Titan drone project with a drone the size of an airliner first launched August 2015, intended to beam the internet to over one billion people lacking it. This 5kW microgrid was intended to stay up for weeks or years.

Phoneme project creates new haptic communications future

Communication could step beyond reading a cellular phone screen with a new technique by researchers to learn and read messages through a person's sense of touch.

Preparing for the surgical robot boom

With greater investment from healthcare organisations and surgical robot technology about to become generic, the conditions are perfect for a boom in the surgical robotics market. But how can design engineers and technical medical staff ensure these new systems operate reliably and safely?

Haptics in Ready Player One: an analysis of fact and fiction

As Ready Player One is released in cinemas around the world, IDTechEx are also releasing their latest market research report after four years covering the haptics industry.

Drones: large size means large market

The hobbyist market for drones has turned out to be something of a passing fad. Professional use is enduring and growing with modest numbers and a strong software and services aspect.

Tactical Haptics

Tactical Haptics exhibited as part of the NSF pavilion in Eureka Park at CES 2018. They were demonstrating their latest configurable gaming controller containing frictional haptics. IDTechEx visited their booth.

Off Grid Steals the Emperor's Clothes

On grid electricity has demonstrated outstanding reliability, flexibility and cost advantages for the last century, off grid production declining as a percentage of the mix - the "use it if you have to" option. However, as off grid costs have tumbled and grid prices have rarely dropped at all, it is off grid sources that increasingly claim the crown of reliability, flexibility and cost.

Stretchable and Conformable Electronics: Heading Toward Market Reality

Stretchable and conformal electronics are more than just novelties. This article by IDTechEx analysts Dr Khasha Ghaffarzadeh and James Hayward, first published in SID Information Display, describes how many of the simpler and less glamorous aspects of stretchable and conformable devices have already been commercialized or are very close to being commercialized.

Wearables to boost security of voice-based log-in

A security-token necklace, ear buds or eyeglasses eliminate vulnerabilities in voice authentication -- the practice of logging in to a device or service with your voice alone.

Make Electricity Where You Need It

While grid load from electric vehicles is expected to rise in the near future. Engineers are already looking for solutions to make electric vehicles function independently of the grid.

Large companies target energy independent electric vehicles

The IDTechEx report, Energy Independent Electric Vehicles Land, Water, Air 2017-2037 covers markets, technology timelines, energy harvesting and extreme powertrain efficiency involved. Constantly updated, it now reveals backing of many large companies.

The myth of EV charging station proliferation

Charging station manufacturers would have you believe that they will swamp the world with their products although they typically have no payback. The argument is that they are essential for the deployment of the pure electric on-road vehicles considered vital in combatting both global warming and deaths in cities from noxious emissions.

Helping robots to correct errors on-the-fly and learn from each other

New stochastic separation theorems proved by mathematicians could enhance capabilities of artificial intelligence.

Energy Independent Electric Vehicles: Big Companies & New Technologies

EIVs are an idea whose time has come.

Facial analysis can reveal rare diseases

Globally about 350 million people have one of over 7,000 known rare diseases. The journey to a diagnosis for these children averages seven years from symptoms to diagnosis, in which time they see an average of seven doctors.

Can commercialisation of VR jump-start the haptics industry?

Haptics are key technologies found as an essential feature enhancing the user experience in many very familiar products today. Whether as notification provision in a vibrating smartphone, tension building in a video game controller, or input confirmation in an industrial scanner, haptics technologies have now reached billions of electronics devices.

Manned Electric Aircraft: Progress and Potential

Recently, there has been a sharp increase in development activity with electric aircraft, as examined in the new report from IDTechEx Research, Manned Electric Aircraft 2017-2027.

Electric vehicle rally for Europe's green future

Starting in Copenhagen on May 24 and finishing in Monte Carlo on June 1 electric vehicle rally EV Trophy will be held to support the green future of Europe.

Order a pizza with your shoes

Ordering pizza may never be easier, or more fun, than right now thanks to Pizza Hut.