New battlefield strategies that network dismounted soldiers for “any-sensor, any-shooter” tactics are driving technological changes in digital gear enabled in part by advanced interconnects. By Matt McAlonis, Engineering Fellow, Aerospace Defense and Marine, TE Connectivity, and Franck Kolczak, Senior Business Development Manager-Defense Market, TE Connectivity combat Today’s entertaining real-time-strategy (RTS) games and virtual-reality (VR) headsetsRead More

Applications that reach high temperatures require rugged connectors that can withstand these harsh operating environments. A variety of spring and contact materials should be considered.  The consumer electronics market segment dominates product manufacture. Consequently, vast sums of design, packaging, and reliability criteria are focused on meeting consumer market buying patterns at the lowest possible cost.Read More

Designing for harsh-environment connectivity elicits a number of challenges. This guide will help you ask the right questions to determine the proper rugged connectors for your demanding application. Rugged connectors are built for harsh-environment conditions. Both the internal and external components of rugged connectors are made to withstand challenging environments, including exposure to moisture orRead More

Medical device manufacturers depend on innovative connectivity products to keep ahead of changes to the regulatory environment, as well as ongoing demand for low-cost, disposable solutions, reusable medical devices, and high-resolution imaging products.  While the quality and reliability of electronic equipment is vital for every industry, it is most critical in the medical industry, whereRead More

Wearable medical devices are providing life-changing solutions for patient care and represent a major medical market trend. These medical technologies depend on specialized components and systems that are lightweight, low-profile, flexible, and comfortable. Market demand for wearable medical devices is continuing to grow across multiple medical market segments. Leading the charge are wearable, digitally connectedRead More

Rugged fiber optic connectors are available in a range of sizes, form factors, densities, termini, cabling options, and more. Evaluate your project goals and operating environment to narrow down the field. 1. Understand Your Target and the Technology Tradeoffs Needed to Hit It  As with any project involving electronics, the kinds of components selected dependRead More

Rugged and durable M12 connectors have a long history, but connected industrial technologies have inspired new modifications, improvements, and utility. Although M12 connectors have been in widespread use for decades — long before the Internet of Industrial Things (IIoT) or Industry 4.0 was even a concept — they have recently become the preferred connector for IndustrialRead More

As priorities for deep-space applications change, demand is increasing for low-cost, commercial off-the-shelf connectors that can endure the rigors of space. Deep-space exploration keeps bringing us new information about the sun, the moon, and the planets. For example, data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter recently helped researchers determine that the Moon isn’t dead because itRead More

A comprehensive test regimen can help determine the suitability of microwave coaxial cable assemblies for the final frontier. By Aidan Doran, Senior Product Manager, Space, and John Lewis, Director of Product Management, Defense and Space, Carlisle Interconnect Technologies test Reliability can be defined as performance over time, and in deep-space applications, nothing is more importantRead More

Designing a service bot to function in microgravity is a unique challenge. Engineers at Airbus developed an autonomous robot assistant for the International Space Station using commercially available interconnects. By Traci Browne and Paul Golata for Mouser Electronics robot Of the more than 225 visitors to the International Space Station (ISS) in the past 20Read More

Most designated wilderness areas are uniquely and specifically devoid of human development. But even these remote places can’t escape the reach of smartphones and other technologies. Smartphones have become an indispensable part of everyday life as well as an important tool for serious scientific, educational, healthcare, and public safety pursuits. Early smartphones fused the functionalitiesRead More

This rigorous testing process helps ensure that connectors are durable enough to withstand temperature extremes, use cycles, and other operating conditions. Designers need to know that the components they specify will perform as promised in a finished product. Components reliability can be assured through a variety of testing protocols that are based on the typeRead More