2015 saw great leaps forward in technology, many of which were enabled by developments in connector design and manufacture.      At some point in the future, we may look back at 2015 and recognize it as a year when key technologies came together to enable a continuing series of next-generation products. Bishop & AssociatesRead More

The new reversible USB Type-C connectors will replace existing USB types. The first PCs and related accessories that incorporate the new USB Type-C connectors are now being released. Type-C connectors are covered by the recently updated Standard USB 3.1 (April 3, 2015) from the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) and will be used with both hostsRead More

As connectors continue to shrink in size, we wonder how much smaller they can go. Bob Stanton of Omnetics discusses the factors that will enable further miniaturization, as well as what limitations there might be.     What’s happening with connector sizes these days? The evolution of connectors in our phones and laptops, the changeRead More

Connector companies are meeting SWaP challenges as we move to mobile and wearable devices, but is there a time or a function when tiny is too small?     Electrical connectors just keep getting smaller as companies push size and weight out of their devices. Connector companies have risen to meet the SWaP (size, weight, and power) challengesRead More

Fiber optic cable may be the best way to achieve the effective monitoring and control necessary to ensure efficiency in offshore wind turbines.   One of the major challenges facing power generation from renewable energy sources is continuous and cost-effective operation. In the case of wind turbines, both offshore and onshore, this cost-effectiveness depends onRead More

Once reserved for large manufacturing operations, networked wire processing equipment is poised to change how small-to-medium wiring harness shops do business, according to Schleuniger’s Pete Doyon.   Having been in the wire processing business for 30 years, I have seen a lot of changes and improvements made possible, primarily, by advances in electronics and software.Read More

IPC/WHMA A-620-B is an excellent tool for everyone involved in the building of wire harnesses because it greatly simplifies best practices for the harness supplier. The WHMA’s Donnie Hill updates us on the latest revisions to the standard.   IPC/WHMA – A-620-B is the current wire harness standard developed jointly by IPC and the Wire HarnessRead More

As consumers try to warm up to Google Glass, Apple’s iWatch, and their Fitbit wristbands, TE unveils its latest “collection”: A Silicon Valley-based incubator team to enable the next generation of wearable devices.   Nicholas Langston, Jr., insists he’s the luckiest guy you’ll ever meet. Langston heads up TE Connectivity’s Wearables Lab in Menlo Park, Calif.,Read More

Military wearables enhance soldier capabilities, but the next generation of battlefield equipment will require an evolution in connector technology.   New wearables, including augmented reality technology and devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), will not (yet) make the new soldier or airman look like Iron Man, although “Iron Man Suit” is the nickname usedRead More

Connectivity will be key to expanding the world of wearables in the future.   The world of technology is going through another transformation. We went from mainframes to desktop PCs in about two decades; from desktops to laptop PCs in one; and from laptops to smartphones and tablets in less than that. Another revolution isRead More

As US politicians debate the future of the Internet, Bishop & Associates’ John MacWilliams makes the case for leaving oversight in the hands of the US.   The World Wide Web evolved out of DARPA Net in the late 1980s, emerging from an NSF/university technology dotcom system, and then as an open Internet in theRead More

From its inception, silicon/CMOS photonics was supposed to revolutionize optical communications, but has yet to come to fruition. How much progress has been made so far?   Both Intel and Luxtera have been working on silicon/CMOS photonics for more than 13 years. While we have a few products, its promise of lower-cost, lower-power-consumption optical devicesRead More