Automakers are moving away from incandescent bulbs at increased speeds, eliminating a longstanding connector market. Opportunities for interconnect suppliers to shift gears and merge into more advanced automotive LED lighting applications abound. Much of the automotive industry’s attention is focused on the requirements of safety systems and autonomous driving, but there’s a similar revolution happeningRead More

Coating connectors with a dry powder that hardens when cured can bestow benefits in terms of connector strength and protection. For that reason, some connector suppliers are eyeing the move to powder. By Jean Thilmany Connector suppliers often cover their products — or at least part of their product — with an opaque coating thatRead More

Higher speeds have pushed designers to find creative ways to manage conflicting issues of speed, density, signal integrity, and reach. But as we look past 112Gb/s, the picture is getting fuzzier. Traditional backplane architecture has served the electronics industry exceptionally well for nearly 70 years. The advantages of modularity, manufacturability, repairability, as well as theRead More

Most of the connectors used in the small, hand-launched military UAVs typical of swarming drones are very small, lightweight, low-profile, D-shaped, or flat-nano connectors. By Ann R. Thryft Military UAV In a swarm of robots or a natural swarm of ants or bees, all units communicate with each other and act collectively. Swarm robotics looksRead More

As sensors increasingly work in tandem with connectors in IoT applications, some companies are expanding their expertise to encompass both of these elements.  Much like human eyes and ears, electronic sensors detect, measure, and report data on physical properties that enable electronic systems to react. Sensors of all types are proliferating as they become theRead More

The Internet of Things is expanding into every aspect of infrastructure, putting greater demands on the sensors and connectors that keep these systems on constant guard. Electricity was just the beginning. Today’s built environment has integrated technology into every aspect of the form and function of buildings of every type.  Our homes, schools, office buildings,Read More

The growing complexity of automotive electronics and wiring is prompting automakers to augment geometric models with functional tools. By Terry Costlow Modeling and Simulation Tools Automakers are relying more on electronic technologies to differentiate products and add safety systems that pave the way to autonomous driving. The resulting increase in complexity is prompting OEMs toRead More

In the past 20 years, connectivity has become a defining feature for vehicle performance, function, and experience. By Amphenol RF Rapid Evolution of the Connected Car The automotive industry has seen monumental changes in recent years as the Internet of Things (IoT) has infiltrated nearly every function of cars, from in-vehicle entertainment systems to performanceRead More

Accessible gaming and a new console? Yes, please. This year’s E3 show revealed modest but solid innovations for gamers — and new opportunities for connectors. This year, for the second year, the general public could attend the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, the video gaming industry’s premier trade show. Those of us who couldn’t makeRead More

Silicon photonics products are now on the market. Why are they necessary and what does this mean for interconnect manufacturers? By Neil Shurtz In 1965, Fairchild Semiconductor’s Gordon Moore published his famous paper outlining a future where innovation would allow the number of transistors on an integrated circuit to double every couple of years. Remarkably,Read More

As drones take a larger role in military operations, the pressure is on to reduce size and weight. A new generation of SWaP-optimized connector products will help. By Ann R. Thryft Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are getting smaller and more powerful as the overall miniaturization trend expands across the broad range of military equipment. AlsoRead More

High-performance interconnects that transmit power, data, and signal in military-grade radios, tablets, GPS systems, and headsets are helping military personnel fulfill their duties and get home safely. By Amy Goetzman We’re hearing the term “future soldier” a lot lately. If that sounds like a fancy name for robot, you wouldn’t be entirely off-base; tens ofRead More