IDTechEx

RavenBrick LLC

Ravenbrick is an American company that manufactures and commercializes thermochromic smart glass technology. The company has both IP in thermotropic and thermochromic smart glass technology. Manufacturing capacity will be ready in Q1 2014. Their patented technology offers a competitive price for clients that are not demanding in terms of aesthetics but prefer energy efficiency and a shorter ROI (around 2.5 years). They have attracted $20 million so far.

Vista Medical

Vista Medical was established in 1989, with the initial aim to develop pressure mapping for medical applications (support surfaces, hospital beds, etc...). They are based in Canada and their holding company (PatienTech) is in the USA. Vista Medical partners with Stryker to help grow the business in the medical bed and support surface market. Last year, they re-launched a whole new product line under the name BodiTrak.

Tactonic Technologies

Tactonic Technologies, LLC was formed in October 2010 to develop and commercialize a new pressure imaging technology. Tactonic has invented a new method for high resolution pressure imaging, called Mechanically Interpolating Pressure Sensing (MIPS). Their core IP is about reducing the amount of material required to build a large sensor array, without sacrificing resolution. The final result is a high resolution pressure mapping using a low resolution sensor array.

KWJ Engineering Inc

In 2007, KWJ merged with Transducer Technology, Inc., adding the development of the next generation of nano-technology based sensors (electrochemical). KWJ's Screen Printed Electrochemical Sensor (SPEC) is a new generation of toxic gas sensor technology. The electrochemical device is based on current measurement (amperometric). SPEC sensors can be fabricated in very small sizes and require only microwatts of power for operation.

Anatomy of the largest EV business: industrial and commercial

For the next decade, the largest electric vehicle sector will be industrial and commercial electric vehicles on land. In great contrast to the hybrid and pure electric cars that come next in market size, industrial and commercial electric vehicles are almost never bought by private individuals. That means that they are almost never bought on up-front price, the criteria being cost-over-life, reliability and performance with any extra life over conventional versions much appreciated.

Tekscan Inc

Tekscan manufactures force sensors but their business model is slightly different than their competitor's . Tekscan is a company manufacturing measurement systems: they make sensors but 3/4 of their business is the integration into a complete instrument for the customers. They specialize in medical applications in particular.

NikkoIA

NikkoIA is a French company making organic-based image sensors with an exclusive worldwide license from Siemens who originally developed the technology. The company has achieved making some prototypes with minimal investment so far. One to watch over the coming years to see if they can create viable commercial products.

plastic electronic GmbH

Based in Austria, the company was founded in 2006 by Niyazi Serdar Sariciftci and Philipp Weissel who wanted to specialize on developing, producing and marketing intelligent multi-layer surfaces. They have developed two families of capacitive sensors: touch sensors for control panels and pressure sensors for store shelves. Plastic electronic is an engineering company, making products using existing materials and processes.

Sensitronics

Sensitronics is one of several companies making force sensing resistors. These sensors can be used for such applications as computer input devices, musical instruments, interactive toys, robotics fingertips, automotive, sports, or medical applications. Sensitronics is based on a licensing model. The company transfers the knowledge to licensed factories around the world where the sensors are produced. Sensitronics have recently designed new variants of their force sensors to better target specific applications.

GlasNovations

GlasNovations is a smart glass company that manufactures and trades Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal smart glass installations and also trades thermochromic smart glass sourced externally.

Graphene LIVE! USA set to become largest graphene tradeshow

Graphene LIVE! will take place on 20-21 November 2013 at Santa Clara, California.

ITO transparent conducting films-technology, drivers, and players

Sputtered ITO is the dominant technology used as a transparent conductive layer in a variety of applications, including LCD and OLED displays and touch screens. ITO has a well-established value chain as well as a high installed and largely-depreciated production capacity.

3D Printing: Retailers get a piece of the action

3D printers for home use are emerging from the relative obscurity of web-based sales - often, one suspects, attached to addresses corresponding to garages in residential districts - into the mainstream of the high street.

CRP Group

CRP Group develop and manufacture the highest performance thermoplastic powders for use with the selective laser sintering 3D printing technique. This profile discusses the challenges the company faces in up-scaling its activities and it's opportunities for the future specifically in respect of its 3D printing activities only.

Webinar Wed 28 Aug: Mobile Phone Indoor Positioning Systems 2014-2024

A free webinar by IDTechEx, on Wednesday 28 August. "Mobile Phone Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS) 2014-2024" will be presented by Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman, IDTechEx.

DropSens

DropSens specialize in the design and manufacture of tools for electrochemists. Their product line is composed of: screen-printed electrodes, reagents, and potentiostats (electrochemical instrument). It is small company with a good know-how and expertise in screen printed electrodes.

Oxford Performance Materials

This profile discusses the position of Oxford Performance Materials within the 3D printing space. The strengths and weakness of the company are discussed, as well as its plans for the future.

Cookson Precious Metals

Cookson Precious Metals are working together with 3D printer manufacturers EOS to develop a market for direct 3D printing of jewelry. This profile discusses the potential market and timeline for bringing the technology to market and focuses only on the activities of CPM from a 3D printing perspective.

Insignia Technologies

Insignia is a Scottish company in low cost smart packaging. Their patented smart pigments are incorporated into plastic food packaging, creating colour changing plastic film which will help minimise food wastage and ensure consumers know when food is fit for consumption.

Printed electronics: the winner is the chemical industry

The chemical industry will end up with most of the added value from printed electronics, one of the fastest growing technologies in the world.