Once again, Apple is changing the way we communicate. The new Smart Connector, launched in the iPad Pro last November, utilizes two-way conductive communication that creates an instant connection.   Apple’s recently released iPad Pro is changing (once again) how we communicate. The built-in 12.9-inch Retina display is not the big news. The real excitementRead More

Given consumer demand for mobile products that offer more services in real time, designers need to take advantage of the most effective technologies available – wireless and photonic.   They say oil and water don’t mix, and for the most part that is true. To some degree, the challenges associated with mixing wireless connectivity andRead More

As the Internet of Things starts to take hold, how do people engage and interact with the plethora of new connected devices? ABI Research shares an infographic that maps out the significance of current trends in human-machine interface technology.   Machines and computing solutions are increasingly prevalent in our surroundings. People need to interact withRead More

Is it for the sake of technology advancement, broader customer appeal, or just a good business opportunity? Bishop & Associates’ David Brearley looks at why connector giants expand into sensors.    You may have noticed there have been several acquisitions of sensor companies by connector companies in recent years. TE Connectivity, for example, acquired MeasurementRead More

Using robots and imaging technology to make autopsies more efficient and less costly may seem like a no-brainer, yet when we look at the tech at work, virtual autopsies remain controversial around the world.   Who’s afraid of a dead body? Based on the success of television shows like CSI and Bones, it looks likeRead More

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