AI technologies are being used to help analyze rapidly growing data sets, which is generating substantially more data and further increasing demand for ever more powerful connectors. Artificial intelligence has become a prominent element in many advanced system designs, including leading sensing and analysis tools used by data centers and military agencies. Though AI is a high-level software technology, it’s having a major impact on the development of electronics, including connector designs that can accommodateRead More

The newly announced USB4 will handle the high speeds and data operations required by connected and automated systems. But first, USB 3.2 is about to make its appearance in the marketplace. USB 3.2 connectors will begin to appear in a variety of devices over the next few months. Announced in late 2017, the latest USBRead More

As video traffic increases and image quality improves, the quality of the cable used to transmit and receive the broadcast has never been more important. Fiber optic cable is getting the signal across. There are many reasons that broadcasters are moving from copper to fiber optic cable, including high-bandwidth performance and real-time and reliable transmissions.Read More

Product designers have to account for the real possibility that a small consumer device will get splashed on or dropped into the drink. The right waterproof connector can save the day. Spilling a drink or splashing water on portable device chargers and ports has long resulted in inevitable device damage. However, the increased prevalence ofRead More

A network of authorized secondary distributors stocks rare or discontinued connectors. Every year, thousands of new connector designs enter the market. Many of these products meet the needs of new applications, but others replace a previous generation of a similar product. Typically, component manufacturers anticipate these changes and reduce production towards the end of aRead More

e-waste, air pollution, and water contamination are toxic legacies of the electronics industry. But new products and projects are aiming to change that, along with five electronics industry sustainability initiatives that guide the next generation of global electronics development. There is no denying it: The electronics industry contributes heavily to pollution. According to the WorldRead More

In traditional office environments, Ethernet connections are typically made using the standard RJ45 connector. However, when Ethernet migrates to industrial environments, a wide range of contaminants come into play, making M12 connectors a more durable choice. Ethernet first came into use in computer networking technologies in the 1980s, providing communications on local and wide areaRead More

The Connected Factory Exchange (IPC-CFX) is a new IoT standard that guides Industry 4.0 applications. As Industry 4.0 comes into widespread use, the global trade association IPC saw a need to develop a standard to guide applications that operate within these connected and automated smart factory systems. The new Connected Factory Exchange, or IPC-CFX, isRead More

Underwater connectors in military electronics designed for submarines and other deep-sea applications must endure pressure, temperature cycling, seawater corrosion, and different types of shock. One of the harshest environments military electronics systems must withstand is the deep sea. Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) that dive deep must stand up to high pressure, while submarines must withstandRead More

USMCA would impact more than a $1 trillion in trade between the US, Mexico, and Canada. Guidance on issues like IP protections and the automotive supply chain have high relevance to the electronics industry. The electronics industry is joining those calling for a finalization of the US-Mexico-Trade Agreement, or USMCA. In February, the USMCA Coalition,Read More

Emerging traffic management equipment represents a bright new market for advanced sensors and many types of related connectors. I like to consider myself reasonably adjusted to the challenges of living in the 21st century, except one: We continue to labor under the dictates of traffic control systems technology that dates from the early part ofRead More

Ethernet is the leading network protocol in LAN applications. Today, it’s gaining ground in transportation, automotive, and industrial applications, thanks to new cabling strategies. In the early 1980s, at the start of the Ethernet era, coaxial cabling dominated and cheap yellow Ethernet cable became ubiquitous. In the 1990s, the focus shifted to cabling solutions basedRead More