Quantum dots have been developed since the early 80's but it is only recently that they made an appearance in consumer products such as TVs and tablet computers. IDTechEx Research has published a new market report on quantum dots titled Quantum Dots 2016-2026: Applications, Markets, Manufacturers, and as part of this study we have looked at their impact on the display industry. Is this the technology that will enable LCD to rival OLED?

The graphene industry is at a critical juncture for many small to medium sized companies: it is time for them to generate revenues and pre-empt any pending cash flow issues. These companies cannot often afford to take the long view, which many research groups and government are rightly taking.

Europeans won the Nobel Prize for their work on graphene but they are not necessarily winning on the commercial front. In fact, it is the Chinese who might overtake them.

Advanced microelectronics are moving on from the Moore's Law era to be More-than-Moore. Denser chips have higher internal and external clock rates, and higher power dissipation.

Jetting binder on layers of plastic powder was originally developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1993. This binder-on-powder process was the first to be known as 3D Printing technology.

RFID is thriving, reaching total sales of $10.1bn in 2015 with a large scope ahead for continued roll-out in many established markets and growth in new markets. However, companies must consider their positioning as many new players enter the market while the value chain consolidates, finds IDTechEx Research in the new detailed report, RFID Forecasts, Players, Opportunities 2016-2026 which covers the entire industry.

Graphene finds users in California (Our most exciting graphene conference so far).

Perovoskite photovoltaics promises over 20% efficiency, low cost materials and even flexible, transparent and stretchable versions dearly needed for new applications. Record power to weight ratio is needed for the electric vehicle end game, the land vehicles, boats and aircraft described in the IDTechEx report, Energy Independent Vehicles 2016-2026.

The printed electronics equipment and consumables supplier base consists of over 100 global organizations, according to IDTechex Research in their report Printing Equipment for Printed Electronics 2015-2025. The majority of these are based in Europe, followed by a roughly even share of US and Asian based companies. Within Europe itself, Germany is home to more equipment makers than other European countries.

Haptics are an essential feature of the UX platform in many electronic products today. Whether as notification provision in a vibrating smartphone, tension building in a video game controller, or input confirmation in an industrial scanner, this billion dollar industry is something that most people will experience every single day.

This video provides an overview of the opportunities for sensors in wearable technologies.

Thin, flexible batteries in 2025 set to become a $400 million market in 2025 mainly by enabling new products.

In 2020 flexible barrier manufacturing for flexible electronic devices such as displays will be a market worth more than US$184 million according to IDTechEx Research. That equates to 3.8 million square meters of flexible barrier films for electronics.

Proper selection of thermal interface materials is crucial for the efficiency of electronic devices, has been proven to reduce the cost of ownership, reduce system power consumption and increase operational lifetime.

Core applications of PV and touch panels continue to grow demand, but new opportunities emerge in the form of wearable technology, circuit boards and structural electronics.

A new wave of printers targeting printed circuit boards are enabling rapid, local prototyping while protecting company IP, finds IDTechEx Research.

Everyone wants portable products. Miniature high density circuits, often housed in airtight enclosures are required, so we can use our devices everywhere, including in wearable technologies. Heat management is therefore a big problem, particularly as the trend of consumers demanding smaller, faster operating electronics continues.

Announcing a new initiative - the IDTechEx Launchpad.

High Power Energy Harvesting: Off-Grid 10W-100kW 2016-2026 is the title of a new IDTechEx report examining a newly significant off-grid energy market.

In 2012 a tsunami of media hype began around consumer 3D printing that turned a lacklustre 30-year-old technology into a household name and created massive growth in the industry even among large established players.