IDTechEx

FLEX 2013

The FLEX 2013 conference and exhibition took place in Phoenix, Arizona between the 30th of January and the 1st of February 2013.

Transparent conductive films, touch surfaces and haptics at TCF LIVE!

IDTechEx are pleased to launch TCF LIVE! - a new conference and tradeshow covering the latest technologies and application of transparent conductive films (TCF) - covering raw materials through to the full range of applications.

GM investing $200 million to expand powertrain engineering

General Motors will invest $200 million into its Global Powertrain Engineering Headquarters to build a new 138,000 sq.-ft. test wing, which is expected to be completed during the second half of 2014.

Electric vehicles land, water and air in 2013 - PART TWO

In this article, we look at other aspects of what will and will not happen with electric vehicles land, water and air in 2013, whether they are hybrid or pure electric.

Electric vehicles land, water and air in 2013 - PART ONE

The hybrid and pure electric vehicle business will continue to prosper in 2013, with profits and growth the norm in most sectors. Laws will proliferate that make electric vehicles the only way to go.

Optotune AG

Found in 2008 as a spin-off from ETH Zurich, where Manuel Aschwanden, the CEO, developed this technology together with the Nanotechnology Group. Optotune are a material manufacturer and component or device manufacturer. The core competence lies in the optoelectromechanical design of optical systems, in the understanding of materials and in the control of accurate and clean manufacturing processes. They produce the dielectric in-house and have own formulations for the electrodes.

Volume carbon nanotube applications from 2016 onwards

IDTechEx predicts that the market for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for electronics applications, currently still in its infancy, will reach $50M in 2013.

Via Motors' commercial EVs succeed

IDTechEx has been proved right in forecasting considerable growth in industrial and commercial electric vehicles, notably in the sectors of light industrial, buses and outdoor forklifts. The sector will pass the ten billion dollars mark as early as 2015 Both hybrid and pure electric versions of these are in demand and there is none of the nervousness about lithium-ion batteries that we see in the air industry, which, for special air-related reasons, has many magnitudes greater failure rates including fires.

Global sales agreement between Kleenspeed Technologies and Leo Motors

KleenSpeed Technologies and Leo Motors announce a global sales agreement to jointly represent and sell their products and services.

Where is the printed thin film transistor technology now?

IDTechEx has assessed the technology and the markets for printed thin film transistors and has tracked developments for the past four years.

Carbon Nanotubes find niche markets in supercapacitors for aviation

IDTechEx found companies that are focusing in niche markets for supercapacitors where the use of carbon nanotube technologies represents a justifiable value proposition.

Supercapacitors to the rescue

Supercapacitors are improving much faster than lithium-ion batteries and their marketing is now more imaginative, many applications not involving batteries being opened up.

Boeing Dreamliner: Implications for electric vehicles

IDTechEx analysts have ten years of experience of the lithium-ion traction battery business and in this article they comment on the implications for electric vehicles land, water and air of these Dreamliner batteries that are not for traction, apparently misbehaving.

3M

Principle Analyst Dr Harry Zervos recently updated IDTechEx's profile on 3M, covering their activity in the production of flexible barrier films.

Ioxus

Ioxus manufactures and commercializes supercapacitors, for transportation and industrial applications. They are a private company based in Oneonta, New York USA.

Supercapacitors to the rescue

They call it the Bad Dreamliner because the new Boeing jet has been beset with electrical problems. When new, the Airbus A380 also had electrical problems but they were caught at an early stage. This time it has been more dramatic. In one instance a fire raged in the belly of a Boeing 787 parked at Logan International Airport in the USA. Flames were doused that emanated from the lithium-ion battery compartment. Investigations continue to determine the precise origin of that problem but the air industry is acutely aware that lithium-ion batteries have caused extreme incidents before.

Electric cars: Success by a different route

Everything about an electric car is facing total change. Different materials for bodywork, structural components leading to smart skin, laminar electrics, printed electronics and totally new components are coming along.