IDTechEx

IIMAK conductive inks for printed electronics industry

With over 25 years experience in developing and manufacturing inks, IIMAK is introducing a new electrically conductive screen ink featuring a silver alternative to the Printed Electronics Industry.

Widening government support for printed electronics

This year, the world's largest event on printed electronics, "printed Electronics USA" will reflect the widening government support for printed electronics. Beyond the burgeoning programs at universities and government research centers, this is particularly evident in military and electric vehicle work. The US Army reflects this in two presentations. One is an overview of materials printing capabilities and prototype development for US Army applications and the other concerns direct write approaches to nanoscale electronics.

Future electric vehicles could run unlimited distances

Here, Masahiro Hanazawa at Toyota Central R&D Labs. and Takashi Ohira at Toyohashi University of Technology (Toyohashi Tech) propose a potentially revolutionary solution for powering EVs capable of running unlimited distances. The basic concept stems from electric railways, where each car of the train is power from an overhead wire while the car runs on tracks.

New approach to e-bike batteries

IDTechEx Technology Analyst Harry Zervos interviewed Leyden Energy's Aakar Patel, discussing the company's battery technology, the attributes that make it a technology that's attracting the interest of electric vehicle, consumer electronic, smart grid and EV developers as well as the company's prospects and aims for the future.

Printed Electronics: What can we do better?

IDTechEx has tracked the printed electronics market since 2002. We have conducted extensive research programs, run our own events internationally and attended most other relevant events. Being impartial, we state the good and the bad. So what have we learnt?

Peak car - different electric vehicles needed

We all know about peak oil but peak car has arrived in many respects. Thus although we shall enjoy two decades of rapidly rising sales of electric cars, starting with the decade of the hybrid, the ceiling of the number of cars needed overall is going to drop. In many countries, we have already reached both peak car ownership and peak per-person car travel, though of course the emerging countries are compensating for this temporarily.

E-reader sales triple annually

Sriram Peruvemba, Chief Marketing Officer for E ink, reported at a conference last week that E book readers could hit 25 million to 30 million units this year - about three times the number sold in 2010.

Oxford Yasa Motors in racing, motorcycles and sports cars

Oxford YASA Motors has an axial flux synchronous motor technology with exceptional power to weight ratio that it is putting into racing cars, motorcycles and sports cars with partners in Malaysia and elsewhere.

Rusnano/Plastic Logic to Trial E-readers in Schools

In a recent meeting between Rusnano CEO Anatoly Chubais and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Chubais stated that the Russian Education Ministry will be testing a thousand e-book readers in schools in several regions across Russia over the next year. While not confirmed, IDTechEx believe these to be the Plastic Logic E-readers (given Rusnano's investment in Plastic Logic, and that the manufacturing facility will be in Zelenograd, where Plastic Logic will have a facility).

Visit to Polaris Industries

IDTechEx visited Polaris Industries in Switzerland to learn more about this acquisitive and highly successful company that grew 20% last year, when so many others were fighting for survival. Polaris Industries is world leader in off-road vehicles with $2 billion in sales. It owns lifestyle motorcycle brands Victory and Indian as well as having leadership in snowmobiles and a rapidly growing military activity including small pure electric vehicles.

The BMW Group showcases its visions of future mobility

The BMW Group showcases its visions of future mobility in the shape of the BMW i3 Concept and BMW i8 Concept studies. Unveiled for the first time, these concept vehicles provide a glimpse of the first electrically powered production cars from the new BMW i sub-brand, due to be launched as the BMW i3 in 2013 and the BMW i8 in 2014.

Electronic Brand Enhancement for CPG to Reach $1.7 Billion in 2022

According to IDTechEx research in the new report "Brand Enhancement by Electronics in Packaging 2012-2022" the global demand for electronic smart packaging devices is currently at a tipping point and will grow rapidly from $0.03 billion in 2012 to $1.7 billion in 2022. The electronic packaging (e-packaging) market will remain primarily in consumer packaged goods CPG reaching 35 billion units that have electronic functionality in 2022.

Wireless sensor networks: creating a $2 billion market in 2021

According to IDTechEx research in the new report Wireless Sensor Networks 2011-2021, WSN will grow rapidly from $0.45 billion in 2011 to $2 billion in 2021.

Solar Gard attracts great interest

The recent increase in range of typical pure electric vehicles from 160 km/100 miles to 240 km/150 miles is due to many small but significant advances and there are many more of these to come. One is solar protection.

Energy harvesting markets analysed: a $4.4 Billion Market in 2021

In 2011, IDTechEx research finds that the amount of money spent on energy harvesters will be $0.7Bn, with several hundred developers involved throughout the value chain.

New emphasis at the largest printed electronics event

This year's Printed Electronics USA will take place in Santa Clara on November 30 and December 1. Analysts IDTechEx who organise the largest event on the subject, have paid a lot of attention once more to the end user streams. Their presence and contributions to the latest instalment of the successful series of events will be appropriate to the new direction of this burgeoning industry.

DLR Airbus A320 ATRA taxiing with fuel cell-powered nose wheel

Back in March IDTechEx reported on the work of DLR who had recently finished development on a fuel cell-powered electric nose wheel. The system is now out of the laboratory and onto the runway for real-world testing in collaboration with Airbus.

High-density, temperature tolerant battery development

Last week IDTechEx reported on work at Stanford University tackling the issues of low energy and power densities in lithium-ion batteries using sulphur particles. Now another significant problem associated with electric vehicle batteries is being explored by US based company Leyden Energy by exchanging traditional battery chemistries.

Fuel cells rescued by batteries

Fuel cells were originally considered to be replacements for internal combustion engines used in traditional vehicles and replacements for traction batteries used in pure electric vehicles.

Electric Vehicle Range Extenders - Rival Approaches

Led by the Japanese and with Hyundai of Korea, the Europeans and the Americans coming up fast, we are in the decade of the hybrid vehicle, with much more being spent on them than on pure electric vehicles. This is because traction batteries alone cannot affordably provide sufficient range in most of the large applications by land, sea or air.