Thursday 21 March 2024 - Materials Informatics: The Data Revolution and AI Boom come to Materials R&D - The latest commercial developments in the field, including the impact of new industry interest in the age of AI; Assessment of the different strategic approaches being adopted; The key technology pillars required for a MI approach; Industry pain points; Application case studies

The battle to secure communications is intensifying. Over the last twenty years hacking has grown into a lucrative enterprise. This global challenge is anticipated to worsen as the volume and value of data transmitted rises. The impact on society could be catastrophic, with the average cost of a data-breach already surpassing millions of dollars.

Advanced semiconductor packaging technologies like 2.5D and 3D hybrid bonding, along with emerging solutions like silicon photonics, are critical in optimizing system performance and fostering the next wave of AI and HPC chip innovation.

Apple's Vision Pro has recently grabbed all the headlines in the spatial computing world, following years of hype and rumors of Apple bringing a headset to market. The Vision Pro is thought to be merely the opening salvo of the tech giant's strategy, with see-through augmented reality (AR) devices expected to be the endgame.

Wednesday 14 February 2024 - Quantum Communication Technology: How Can Physics Protect Our Data Security? What is quantum communication technology and what is the state of the industry? What are the competing quantum random number generator technologies, how do they work and what are the opportunities and challenges? What is quantum key distribution, and how is it being used in quantum networks? How will the quantum communication market evolve both short, medium, and long term - and when are the key inflection points for commercial value creation?

Healthcare systems around the world are being put under increasing strain every year. Key challenges they face include overburdened medical staff and a steady rise in patients with chronic health conditions that require high levels of care.

Ross and Rachel's relationship in the TV series Friends was characterized by its on-again, off-again nature, with the inevitability that they end up together in the end. Tesla started its full self-driving hardware with radar in 2016, it began the break-up with radar in 2021, and radar was removed from production entirely in 2021.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the world as we know it; from the success of DeepMind over Go world champion Lee Sedol in 2016 to the robust predictive abilities of OpenAI's ChatGPT, the complexity of AI training algorithms is growing at a startlingly fast pace, where the amount of compute necessary to run newly-developed training algorithms appears to be doubling roughly every four months.

Quantum communications technology seeks to improve data security, which is increasingly compromised in the modern world. The world is generating higher and higher volumes of data, with increasing concerns about its sensitivity.

Electric motors are a core component of electrification in the automotive market. The market has heavily relied on rare earths for the permanent magnets used in these motors, but, as many will be aware, there is a drive to eliminate these rare earths due to their price volatility and environmental impact. Alternative motor technologies can often present a new and increased demand for copper.

IDTechEx have launched a new monthly podcast, 'Tomorrow's Tech by IDTechEx', bringing you up to date technology trends. In each episode our host will interview an industry expert from IDTechEx, offering insights into a range of emerging technologies.

Semiconductor packaging technologies have evolved from initial 1D PCB levels to the cutting-edge 3D hybrid bonding packaging at the wafer level. This advancement facilitates single-digit micronmeter interconnecting pitches, achieving over 1000 GB/s bandwidth with high energy efficiency.

In 2024, augmented reality headsets are now affordable enough that some average consumers received a pair last Christmas, yet they are unlikely to form the top fashion craze for the year. In 2013, Google Glass was the first commercial AR device to enter the public consciousness.

IDTechEx's market research report, "AI Chips for Edge Applications 2024-2034: Artificial Intelligence at the Edge", projects that the global AI chips market for edge devices will grow to US$22 billion by 2034, with the consumer electronics industry vertical taking the largest chunk of this revenue figure, at just over 45% by this date.

Due to rising labor costs and labor shortages, coupled with the surge in e-commerce and logistics demands, the mobile robotics market is rapidly expanding. IDTechEx's forecast indicates that the annual market size for mobile robotics in logistics and delivery is set to approach US$150 billion, marked by a robust double-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next two decades.

Computers on wheels. That's how people currently see cars. Practically everything that happens in a vehicle is being monitored and actuated by a microcontroller, from opening windows to calculating the optimal fuel-air mixture for the current torque demand. But the surface has only just been scratched in terms of how much computing power is making its way into vehicles.

The battery deservedly takes the major focus when it comes to technology development in EVs. But an EV's powertrain has to act holistically to operate with optimal performance and interact with the passenger cabin's conditioning system. This means that the thermal management of the motors, power electronics, and how this all interacts is just as important as the battery.

AR and VR (augmented and virtual reality) headsets are well on their way to establishing themselves as the next important category of computing devices. Mixed reality-capable VR headsets like Meta's Quest 3 and the upcoming Apple Vision Pro are demonstrating the true power of spatial computing. VR headsets for home gaming have sold by the million, while AR glasses have carved out a place in the industry.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are gaining significant traction as a conductive additive at the cathode of lithium-ion batteries (LiB), a market driven in turn by the electrification of vehicles. This success has seen an explosion in the global production capacity of CNTs, with players racing to establish themselves as a leading supplier to the energy sector. However, the potential application areas for CNTs extend far beyond batteries. In this article, IDTechEx assesses the effects of increasing capacity and how this surge in supply will open opportunities for CNTs beyond the LiB market.

Every decade, a new telecom generation emerges, with 5G currently being commercialized, offering faster data rates, low latency, and enhanced reliability. 6G is characterized by Tbps data rates, microsecond latency, and extensive network dependability.