Material Gains

Alun MorganGrowth in the consumer sector is a reason for us to celebrate and a signal for us to change.

The consumer sector is arguably the most powerful aspect of today’s immense electronics industry, influencing our quality of life and our perception of it. The standards of functionality, appearance and quality are far above the norms of just a few years ago, and many of us own far more of these luxuriant items than previous generations could have dreamed.

The consumer electronics market is worth $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion today and could hit $3 trillion by 2030. That represents 30-50% of the total global electronics market, which is about $4 trillion right now. This is a success worth celebrating, as it indicates rising standards of living worldwide as economies develop and prosperity increases. We all benefit from this.

Read more: Rethinking Consumer Electronics: From Short Lifespans to Sustainable Design

Alun MorganTechnology that keeps us moving naturally is the juice for better living.

Wearable technology and robotics have brought many exciting and helpful innovations to our work and lives. Yet the most exciting developments – adaptive and protective clothes made from smart fabrics, the witty humanoid home concierge – remain more science fiction than science. Bringing the two together, however, offers an exciting way forward that’s ready to explore right now.

Wearable robotics have already been commercialized in industrial exoskeletons, which some companies are introducing to give workers increased strength and endurance when performing physically demanding tasks. There are exciting developments in prosthetics, too, empowering specialists to restore not only the appearance of a limb such as a hand or arm, but also the strength and fine dexterity.

Read more: Exoskeletons, Festivals and the Future of Wearable Robotics

Alun MorganEverything is changing in high-performance substrates, from materials technology to engineering priorities.

Materials science is a quiet contributor to high-performance electronics, playing a huge yet mostly unseen role, enabling everything from smartphones and automotive systems to 5G radio access, communication infrastructures and high-performance computing systems. That conventional-looking circuit board, which the user may never see or think about, is anything but ordinary underneath. While ICs sit serenely on the surface, the processes going on inside couldn’t happen without the engineering that created the substrate beneath. Demand for improvement is ever-present, and many avenues may be explored in search of a solution.

Read more: Materials Innovation Beneath the Surface

Alun MorganIt might be time for a 50-year-old concept to catch on in PCB fabrication.

Back in 1978, at the first Printed Circuit World Convention in London, the proceedings described a novel additive technique for producing printed circuit boards on epoxy glass-based laminate. It was a complete contrast to the subtractive approach that was typical at the time and still dominates today. Now, as we strive to achieve ever finer circuit geometries, and sustainability of manufacturing processes has become a prime concern, additive processes could offer a way forward.

Read more: Can Additive Processing Build on Advanced IC Substrate Demand?

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