Thursday 18 February 2021 - Emerging 3rd and 4th generation emissive materials for OLED displays; A technological transition that increases the efficiency of organic photovoltaics; Functional inks for lighting; and Low temperature component attachment materials.

The remarkable price increases in particular US stocks, most notably GameStop, made the news last week as the power of retail investors to move markets became clear. On Monday 1st Feb, the BBC reported that silver prices increased by around 10 % as retail investors turned their attention to commodities, reaching a 5-month high of almost $950/kg.

Printing solar panels like newsprint using organic semiconductors is the longstanding aspiration, given the obvious benefits of renewable energy and the potential for low-cost, large-area, energy-efficient production.

Tuesday 2 February 2021 - The webinar includes: Impact of COVID-19 on the markets for different classes of 3D printed materials; Impact on 3D printed materials markets in different geographical regions; and Overall 10-year forecast for the 3D printed materials market.

Multiple drivers are emerging for graphene as the value-added material of choice. One market driver that is perhaps surprising but will have a major impact over the next decade is sustainability.

It is possible with technology to better predict how people use water and monitor its quality. Data brings understanding, and understanding brings better management of a system.

Tuesday 26 January 2021 - Competitive landscape amongst leading actuator manufacturers; comparison of various emerging technology options and their commercial potential; broader themes in haptic feedback and go-to-market approaches and a review from recent industry events (including CES 2021)

Wednesday 13 January 2021 - This webinar, presented by IDTechEx Chairman Dr Peter Harrop, explains how, of the trillions of dollars being spent on smart cities, the advanced materials part is rising to hundreds of billions yearly.

The building of the future may have printed sensors built into the walls, floor, and ceiling to detect water leaks, air quality, usage patterns, and more.

IDTechEx currently have a number of printed electronics related webinars, including 2020 end of year highlights, available to watch on-demand today. These include presentations on printed sensors, micro-LED displays and electronics reshaped.

New report available from IDTechEx - "Haptics 2021-2031: Technologies, Market & Players". This in-depth report includes ERM motors, LRAs, piezoelectric ceramics and polymers, surface haptics, SMAs, electroactive polymers, kinaesthetic and contactless haptic feedback.

Smart cities are now much more ambitious. That means new materials are their biggest enabler, with information and computer technology dropping to an important support role.

Printed/flexible electronics is extremely well suited to wearable skin patches due to its low weight, flexibility/conformality, and potential for high-throughput, low-cost manufacturing of these disposable items.

Digital water networks are beginning to see an increase in interest as the hype around these systems grows.

Despite the promise of and the commercial interest in FHE, some technological challenges remain. One of the most important is developing the ability to robustly attach mounted components to flexible substrates, given the substantial difference in mechanical and thermal properties.

IDTechEx have released a brand new report, "Smart Cities Emerging Materials Markets 2021-2041" - a comprehensive analysis of multifunctional smart materials, bioplastics, structural electronics, composites, 3D printing, graphene, 2D and 3D molecules, 5G, 6G, IOT, new recycling.

In 2020 smart cities have been pivoting reinvented hardware and associated systems.

While the basic smart city ideas are mainly updates, the materials and devices enabling them are certainly new and they do add remarkable new functions.

Radically different robot shuttles are bringing big changes to cities.

Following decades of development, 2021 and 2022 are set to be notable years for the graphene industry, as it finally approaches an inflection point. Some in the graphene sector are now seeing their labors bear fruit in the form of commercial success - but that is not the case for everyone.