With the shift towards electric vehicles, end-users are becoming less concerned about traditional differentiators like engine horsepower and are placing greater emphasis on smart interior functions. This trend is compelling automotive OEMs to invest more efforts in enhancing interior features, thereby adding greater value to their products and distinguishing them from other vehicles.

IDTechEx have launched a new monthly podcast, 'Tomorrow's Tech by IDTechEx', bringing you up to date technology trends. In each episode our host will interview an industry expert from IDTechEx, offering insights into a range of emerging technologies.

Semiconductor packaging technologies have evolved from initial 1D PCB levels to the cutting-edge 3D hybrid bonding packaging at the wafer level. This advancement facilitates single-digit micronmeter interconnecting pitches, achieving over 1000 GB/s bandwidth with high energy efficiency.

Wednesday 17 January 2024 - 2.5D advanced semiconductor packaging technologies: current status, existing barriers, future development trend, target markets, player analysis; 3D advanced semiconductor packaging technologies: current status, existing barriers, future development trend, target markets, player analysis; Market outlook for 2.5D and 3D packaging technologies

Graphene has long been touted as a wonder material, capable of enabling countless next-generation technologies. The market is beginning to mature, and successful application areas are starting to emerge. These applications range from energy storage to thermal management and composites.

Driver monitoring systems (DMS) have gained considerable momentum, driven by the escalating SAE autonomous driving levels and regulatory frameworks in key regions like the USA, Europe, China, Japan, and others.

Computers on wheels. That's how people currently see cars. Practically everything that happens in a vehicle is being monitored and actuated by a microcontroller, from opening windows to calculating the optimal fuel-air mixture for the current torque demand. But the surface has only just been scratched in terms of how much computing power is making its way into vehicles.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are gaining significant traction as a conductive additive at the cathode of lithium-ion batteries (LiB), a market driven in turn by the electrification of vehicles. This success has seen an explosion in the global production capacity of CNTs, with players racing to establish themselves as a leading supplier to the energy sector. However, the potential application areas for CNTs extend far beyond batteries. In this article, IDTechEx assesses the effects of increasing capacity and how this surge in supply will open opportunities for CNTs beyond the LiB market.

Friday 1 December 2023 - Following the Money - Enabling Materials (conductive inks, CNTs and graphene); Comparisons of applicable 2D and 3D manufacturing processes; Outlook for key components including sensors, batteries and displays; Market drivers and needs

Thursday 30 November 2023; MicroLED technologies and manufacturing processes; Values and challenges; MicroLED applications and analysis; Application roadmap; Current development status

Friday 24 November 2023 - Advanced Semiconductor Packaging: Materials, Technology, Market Outlook - Advanced semiconductor packaging markets and their mid-long-term opportunity; Player analysis - the dynamics of advanced semiconductor packaging battleground; Industry barriers: Manufacturing challenges and material requirements; Research direction for Advanced Semiconductor Packaging

As reported by Nvidia's Q2 financial statement, its second-quarter data center's revenue was a record US$10.32 billion, up 141% from the previous quarter and up 171% from a year ago. With the increasing demand for high-performance servers in data centers, IDTechEx has seen challenges in data center thermal management and tremendous opportunities in this industry.

Thursday 12 October - An introduction to EMI shielding for electronics, including the transition from board/enclosure level shielding to package level shielding; How trends in semiconductor packaging such as heterogeneous integration will affect EMI shielding requirements and demand for novel deposition capabilities; Emerging materials for EMI shielding, including particle-free (molecular) conductive inks and MXenes

2022 saw the aerogels market take a large leap forward with the success of electric vehicle (EV) batteries as an application. Historic growth has been steady for other applications, but with the growth fuelled by the EV market, there is the opportunity for several other applications to take advantage of the scaling production volume.

It is no secret that electronic devices are becoming increasingly compact, with greater functionality contained in smaller volumes. As such, increasing efforts are being made to mount integrated circuits (ICs) and other components such as antennas closer together, sometimes within the same semiconductor package.

Can digital and/or high throughput manufacturing be applied to circuit boards? Can stretchable electronics be produced without sacrificing processing capabilities? Flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) is an emerging manufacturing methodology that aims to resolve both of these questions.

The increasing power density of data center racks, driven by technologies like cloud computing, generative AI, and crypto mining, has led to the exploration of liquid cooling as a thermal management solution.

Aerogels have experienced steady market growth historically, reaching a market of just under US$450 million in 2022. Progress has been somewhat slower than some would expect; this has largely been due to competition with lower-cost incumbent insulation materials.

The market for nanomaterials, especially nanocarbons, continues to grow - reflecting the potential to unlock several next-generation technologies. Most notable for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is incorporation in lithium-ion batteries, with production ramping up to fulfill demand, while major players are making acquisitions and expanding, leading to market consolidation.

Thursday 17 August 2023 - An introduction to FHE, including motivating factors; Discussion of recent innovations and commercial developments within FHE; Identification of technological gaps and potential solutions; A roadmap for how the industry will develop, spanning both technologies and applications.