Featured Articles
  • The Power of Having Options

    The input/output panel of AI equipment is a prime example of how evolving demands have spawned the introduction of alternative solutions that address bandwidth demand, signal density, field serviceability, energy efficiency, thermal management, and utilization of both copper and fiber optic options. Most people would agree that having multiple choices to solve a problem isRead More

  • Connectivity Is Reshaping Police and Security Vehicle Fleets

    Police and security patrol vehicles are adopting new and emerging technologies from both the military and automotive worlds. This unique market combines defense-grade signal integrity demands with automotive-grade ruggedization requirements, often in the same harness. Police and security patrol cars have become mobile electronics platforms, with huge investments in recent years outfitting these fleet vehiclesRead More

New Technologies

Sensors Make it Plain Sailing for a Smart Ferry

A smart ferry equipped with sensors and LoRaWAN gateways can track and monitor passenger comfort and cargo for a sustainable and reliable supply chain. Figure 1 The Stena Line ferry, MV Hollandica is equipped with a dual-band network using Semtech’s LoRa devices in the LongAP Pro gateway. (Image courtesy of SkyLab) Equipping the Smart FerryRead More

Return to Normal: DesignCon 2023

After two years of pandemic disruption, this year’s high-speed trade show rebounded with an impressive array of smaller, cooler, and faster than ever interconnects. The 28th edition of DesignCon convened at the Santa Clara Convention Center January 31 through February 2, marking the return to its traditional venue and time slot. Concerns that recent techRead More

Pluggable Optical Transceivers Continue to Evolve

System engineers must balance priorities of reach, thermal management, panel density, backward compatibility, power consumption, multiple sourcing, and cost when selecting optical transceivers. Pluggable I/O transceivers in standardized configurations have proven to be a cost-effective solution to the challenges of creating high-speed optical networks. They have emerged as a leading interface for current and next-generationRead More

Coherent Optics: Lighting the Path to High-Speed Data Communications

In the past, coherent optics have been cost-effective only in extremely long intercontinental and undersea links. Recent advances have made this solution more accessible to designers looking for ways to increase data transfer speeds, extend channel lengths, and grow system capacity. Designers of high-performance computing and telecommunications equipment, as well as internet service providers, areRead More

Robust Fiber Optics are Flying High in Satellites and Low-Altitude eVTOL Aircraft 

Understanding how different flavors of fiber-optic technologies function in demanding aerospace applications can help designers select the most robust options. UAM (urban air mobility) and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft promise a greener, cleaner alternative to ground transport in cities. Constellations of LEO (low Earth orbit) satellites are launching a new era ofRead More

Market for Smaller LC Duplex Fiber Connectors Makes Big Gains 

The market for sub-LC duplex size fiber optics connectors is on a tear — and growth in this category bodes well for the connector industry as a whole. By upgrading the single LC fiber interface on a transceiver to multiple smaller (half or quarter size) interfaces, broadband service providers can dramatically increase cabling fabric densitiesRead More

Sensors Provide a Clear Vision for Minimally Invasive Surgery

Sensor-guided technologies help surgeons  push the barriers of surgical innovation. Thanks to sensor-guided medical technologies such as robot-assisted surgery, endoscopic diagnostics, and electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy, surgeons are able to perform precise medical procedures with minimally invasive surgery (MIS), accelerating patient recovery and improving outcomes. Robotic arms combined with 3D visualization of the site allow doctorsRead More

Harsh Environments No Longer Derail Reliability of Railroad Crossings

New connector technologies help make rail crossings safer, easier to maintain, and more resistant to weather and other environmental challenges. From Boston to Los Angeles and all around the world, drivers experience the frustration of waiting at a railroad crossing for a train to pass. While watching the passing rail cars, many of us lookRead More

Connectivity Innovations in Aerospace Applications

The unique connectivity requirements of the aerospace market continue to motivate ongoing innovation. Minimal size and weight, resistance to shock and vibration, high data rate speeds, and high reliability are critical attributes for even the smallest components in aircraft. The MIL-DTL-38999 series of connectors has been around since the 1960s. Its smaller contacts and higherRead More

Search for Alternative Energy Production is Spurring Innovation

Electronic power and signal connectors will play a key role in the exploration, development, management, and distribution of sustainable energy production. A funny thing happened on the way to American energy production independence. Reducing our reliance on not-so-friendly foreign countries for such a critical resource had become a national security priority. Starting around 2009, aRead More

Sensors Take Center Stage as the Need for Data Grows

Updated: July 2024 Smart connectivity has grown out of the need for better information gathering. Sensors allow more data than ever to be collected at the source and transmitted to stakeholders where it can be analyzed quickly for decision-making, troubleshooting, maintenance, safety, and other critical functions. Sophisticated sensors are employed to gather and transmit specific,Read More

EV Battery Connectors Go the Extra Mile

EV batteries are improving and the new interconnect products that support them are optimized to manage the high voltage flow of power throughout the vehicle with great safety and efficiency.  Range anxiety — the fear that an electric car’s battery will run out of power and leave you stranded on the side of the roadRead More

Analysis of the World’s Top 100 Electronic Connector Manufacturers
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