Once distinct markets, wearables, smartphones, and tablets are merging into one product segment. What does the future hold for these devices and related technologies?      The smart computing device market includes wearables, smartphones, tablets, and laptops. One can define this segment as a market because these previously distinct product areas are converging – andRead More

Traditionally employed in heavy industrial applications, robots are moving into other industries. In the medical field, they are used for surgery, therapy, diagnostics, and much more.   Robots for specialized medical applications such as surgery bring together robotics and biology, and we’re seeing an increase in the number of robots specifically designed and developed for thisRead More

With pervasive connectivity, powerful features emerge that change the entire automotive ecosystem in the connected car. In recent years, in-car systems have been supplemented by basic Internet connectivity, allowing drivers and passengers to remain “plugged in” to the business and social networks they take for granted when at home or in the office. But whatRead More

The intelligent networking of industrial devices promises to deliver productivity gains, but not all manufacturers are ready to make the leap to the smart factory. Connecting efficiency and productivity is key for the future of the industrial sector.   As the buzz about “Industry 4.0” grows louder, many people believe it may be just around the corner, butRead More

There’s lots of talk about the benefits of the Internet of Things, particularly in the industrial arena, but is there a down side? Arthur Visser asks the question: Are AI and IoT a threat to mankind?   If you have been following the news recently, you probably heard that Professor Stephen Hawking, one of theRead More

Technology disrupters or paradigm shifts often pose serious threats to existing technology, but also open entirely new opportunities to those that recognize and espouse them. Bob Hult examines the drivers and the results when wireless connectivity cuts the cord.   Progress in just about every field of human endeavor tends to advance at a measuredRead More

In the past, industrial connectors have evolved over time rather than at a revolutionary pace. Now, with the anticipation of the Internet of Things, Keith Kufahl of TTI discusses the revolution of the interconnected factory and how design engineers can stay on the cutting edge. The fact that the world of industrial connectors changes atRead More

The connector industry grew in 2014, and that was a result of both evolving product lines and cutting-edge technology. Here, Bob Hult looks back at the year’s trends and products in the annual 2014 Connector Technology Review. Shrinking the size of electronic devices has always been a given in the world of electronic equipment. TheRead More

We’ve reported often about robotics in the industrial arena over the last few years; now Bishop & Associates’s Arthur Visser looks at developments in industrial automation and robotics moving to the next level – service robots at home. “Where do I get the best robot deals?” In the not-so-distant future, you may ask yourself this question. SinceRead More

Bishop & Associates’ Bob Hult offers a plea to engineers, praising all they’ve achieved but requesting a bit of restraint. I recently attended the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, where some of the most sophisticated high-tech equipment and manufacturing processes were on display. I am in awe at our ability to track swarms of space debris as small as aRead More

As wireless and mobile technology advances in the silicon world, interconnect suppliers are developing products for higher speeds and bandwidth with reduced footprints. Dave Jakubowski of Avnet shares his point of view on developing technologies to support the Internet of Things. In thinking about the evolution of electronics — we first had wired devices, thenRead More

Internet of Things Gets Major Boost from IBM and Semtech IBM and Semtech Corporation, a leading supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, announced a significant advancement in wireless technology, combining IBM software and Semtech hardware to create a system capable of transmitting data up to a distance of 15km (9 miles), depending on the environment,Read More