Disruptive Technologies, the creator of the world's smallest wireless sensors, together with Norwegian partner Ex-Tech Group, have deployed an Internet of Things sensor solution that is delivering significant cost and maintenance savings for COSL, one of the most innovative oil production rig companies in Europe.

This premium article explores the PRINSE'22 event. It will look into the most interesting and commercially relevant presentations from the event, with a focus on integrated electronics, manufacturing, wearable technology, and biological sensing.

The growth potential for AM materials differs from printing equipment, as operational legacy printers continue to consume materials. Therefore, this segment of the 3D printing value chain represents a tremendous opportunity.

Researchers have developed the first perovskite solar cell with a commercially viable lifetime, marking a major milestone for an emerging class of renewable energy technology. The team projects their device can perform above industry standards for around 30 years, far more than the 20 years used as a threshold for viability for solar cells.

The creation of high-resolution extrusion printing—think 3D printing but with ink that conducts electricity—has enabled researchers to explore the potential of wearable human motion devices.

This premium article introduces cell-to-pack and cell-to-body, looking into their advantages and disadvantages. It will also explore key OEM and battery supplier examples in the market, as well as recent announcements.

A team of engineers and their colleagues have developed a new design strategy and 3D printing technique to build robots in one single step. The breakthrough enabled the entire mechanical and electronic systems needed to operate a robot to be manufactured all at once by a new type of 3D printing process for engineered active materials with multiple functions (also known as metamaterials). Once 3D printed, a "meta-bot" will be capable of propulsion, movement, sensing and decision-making.

Ynvisible Interactive Inc has signed a distribution agreement with Switzerland headquartered Computer Controls AG to distribute Ynvisible's products and solutions for battery-driven or battery-less IoT devices.

IDTechEx's new report, "Perovskite Photovoltaics 2023-2033", explores the diverse range of opportunities presented by perovskite PV, including gaps in demand, supply chain innovation, and emerging applications.

The skin of cephalopods, such as octopuses, squids and cuttlefish, is stretchy and smart, contributing to these creatures' ability to sense and respond to their surroundings. A Penn State-led collaboration has harnessed these properties to create an artificial skin that mimics both the elasticity and the neurologic functions of cephalopod skin, with potential applications for neurorobotics, skin prosthetics, artificial organs and more.  

Imagine a more sustainable future, where cellphones, smartwatches, and other wearable devices don't have to be shelved or discarded for a newer model. Instead, they could be upgraded with the latest sensors and processors that would snap onto a device's internal chip — like LEGO bricks incorporated into an existing build. Such reconfigurable chipware could keep devices up to date while reducing our electronic waste.

Researchers have developed a tiny sensor for detecting pesticides on fruit in just a few minutes. The technique uses flame-sprayed nanoparticles made from silver to increase the signal of chemicals. While still at an early stage, the researchers hope these nano-sensors could help uncover food pesticides before consumption.

Wearable sensors — an important tool for health monitoring and for training artificial intelligence — can be waterproof or can measure more than one stimuli, but combining these factors while maintaining a high level of precision in the measurements is difficult.

Thursday 23 June 2022 - Mass-digitization trend is predicted to cause the gas sensor market to surpass $8 billion by 2032. The gas sensor market is a complex combination of multiple technologies and applications - and understanding where true opportunities for commercial success exist is challenging.

Sharp Corporation has achieved a conversion efficiency of 32.65%, the world's highest, in a lightweight, flexible, practically sized solar module developed as part of the "Research and Development of Solar Cells for Use in Vehicles" project.

As paint thinner, ink and adhesives dry, they can release volatile organic compounds, which can negatively impact health. Typically, one of those VOCs is xylene, which exists as three isomers with the same elements but slightly different arrangements. Because the isomers are so similar, they're hard to monitor separately. Now, researchers have developed an electric nose with porous metal-organic framework films that can accurately distinguish xylene isomer mixtures.

Air quality concerns are on the rise globally, with urban pollution the dominant cause. However, radon accumulation and unpleasant aromas are often bigger problems in rural locations, creating opportunities for gas sensors that offer continuous monitoring and even odor categorization.

Soldering technology is thousands of years old, but is still an essential component in electronics assembly, without which none of our advanced electronic devices would function. Though the soldering process has seen some refinement in modern times, it is still accomplished by heating the soldering metal alloy to its molten state and applying the metal hot at contact points to create a conductive solder joint.

In a new study, scientists find that holes can improve technology, including medical devices. The study describes an entirely new way to make a solar cell: by etching holes in the top layer to make it porous. The innovation could form the basis for a less-invasive pacemaker, or similar medical devices. It could be paired with a small light source to reduce the size of the bulky batteries that are currently implanted along with today's pacemakers.

Studies have linked chronic lack of sleep to physical ailments, such as diabetes and heart disease, as well as mental health issues. Those interested in getting a better handle on what's happening to them at night have two primary options. They can take a sleep test conducted in a medical facility, or they can use an app through a smartphone or smart watch — a much more convenient, but less accurate choice. Recognizing the need, many groups have begun developing new sleep monitoring systems using triboelectric nanogenerators.