Photovoltaics is now a key enabling technology for land vehicles and boats. The favorite type is single crystal silicon - it used to be protected by an acrylic sheet on either side, making it bendable when being fitted, but that has strength and weathering issues. Now, much stronger, long-life polycarbonate is taking over.

We are looking for entrepreneurial, enthusiastic people to join IDTechEx to apply their technical knowledge. You will be involved with technology scouting, market research and consultancy in a rapidly growing, exciting, global firm.

For a long time, graphene has been cited as the wonder material that will change the world. The reality has been very different; disillusionment has started to grow as the hype has not translated into revenue. Is the "tipping point" finally approaching?

6G Communications is coming to your smartphone around 2030, according to Samsung and others, but it can only succeed if it deploys smart surfaces everywhere. Essential to this is printed electronics.

Additively manufactured electronics is an emerging approach that takes printed electronics into the third dimension. IDTechEx divides the sector into two aspects: 'fully additive' and 'printing onto 3D surfaces'. Both have multiple application opportunities that IDTechEx believes will develop over the next decade.

Conductive inks are a long-established technology, however, technology rarely stands still, and there is extensive innovation within the conductive ink space. Particle-free inks are an especially promising example with multiple advantages and applications.

The smart surfaces essential to 6G communications will be over $7 billion in 2034 - find out more in the upcoming webinar Thursday 1 April 2021.

In February 2021, The US agency DARPA awarded contracts to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation and Martin Defense Group (formerly Navatek) to build demonstration versions of the new Manta Ray unmanned underwater vehicle with an energy-harvesting system to power it indefinitely, allowing the robot submarine to carry out missions lasting months or years without returning to base or refueling.