Trucking is getting greener as sensor-based technologies make diesel engines more efficient and lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells offer an alternative to petroleum. Trucking is vital to the way we live. Long-haul trucks carry what’s needed to where it’s needed quickly and affordably, and short-haul trucks trek the final miles between warehouses and stores.Read More
Connected technologies are making cargo and passenger rail transport more efficient, transparent, and secure. Dramatic changes are occurring in rail travel and transport as connected technologies come into use for scheduling, tracking and monitoring, autonomous systems, safety and performance systems, and passenger amenities. Examples around the world show a mode that is leveraging new technologiesRead More
US Army leaders and their industrial partners are looking at new ways to equip dismounted soldiers with lighter weight, wireless, more capable, and more integrated electronic systems. The goal of a major revamp of the Adaptive Squad Architecture (ASA) is to harmonize both the individual dismounted soldier and the squad as an integrated combat platform,Read More
Choosing the right connectors for soldier-worn electronics can help improve soldier effectiveness and safety in the field. The average soldier in the field today carries between 87 and 121 pounds (39 to 59 kilograms) of gear and equipment, including an increasing amount of soldier-worn electronics. Improving battlefield effectiveness starts with ensuring every ounce of thatRead More
ANSI has ratified updates to an embedded computing standard that has important ramifications for military electronics. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recently ratified the VITA 46.0 (commonly known as VPX) baseline standard for critical embedded computing. VITA 46, or VPX, provides Versa Module Europa bus (VMEbus) based systems with support for switched fabric network topologies over a newRead More
The question was simple enough: leave or remain? But nothing has been simple since. As the second deadline for the UK to leave the EU approaches, we take a look at the preparations and obstacles involved in this momentous decision. More than three years ago, on June 24, 2016, the UK was reeling from aRead More
Avnet’s Lou Lutostanski says the promise of full IoT connectivity has been slow to arrive, but it’s real and it’s coming. It’ll just take a little more education, simplification, and standardization to make widespread adoption happen. The Internet of Things (IoT) has been the talk of the town for the past few of years. SoRead More
Designing and specifying cable assemblies for use in harsh environments presents a number of challenges. Industrial equipment can be subjected to harsh conditions, such as high temperatures, water, high humidity, particulate ingress, electromagnetic interference (EMI), vibration, and impact from close proximity to moving factory components. Over time, exposure to these conditions begins to impede assemblyRead More
5G has yet to fully arrive, but low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) activity is already influencing design trends in a wide range of connected products. The number and variety of wireless devices in use across every aspect of society is increasing exponentially, creating new worlds of opportunity for electromechanical component suppliers, not only inside the cellularRead More
Fire poses real risks to sensitive electronics in data centers, building structures, vehicles, and other high-density electronics applications, especially as our reliance on connectivity continues to grow. New materials designed to protect wire and cables from fire improve overall system safety and safeguard critical connectivity functions. Heat presents challenges for electronics. Components and assembled electronicRead More
Sales of electric vehicles are growing, but still account for only 2.1% of new car sales worldwide. What does the industry need to address to reach a tipping point for mass adoption? Electric vehicles (EVs) are a popular theoretical choice but few countries are seeing the driving public’s enthusiasm converting into sales. The International EnergyRead More
As the connected world of the 21st century comes into existence, the next decade will give rise to new technologies like connected vehicles that will continue to transform and automate our everyday lives. To fully realize the potential of these technologies, we still need to overcome some key technical limitations. Edge computing can help. ByRead More
