Batteries can threaten our health and safety. Most forms still have problems of reliability, price, life, weight, size or working cold. Fast charging and discharging and even deep discharge can still be inadequate for many applications. Improving the battery is proving very useful but other workarounds are increasingly attractive, feasible and affordable. 

From mobile phones, TVs, to cars and public screens, displays have become an important component in our daily life to convey information. There is an emerging display type - Micro-LED display, which has the potential to become the next-generation mainstream, with its ability to be fabricated from tiny to huge sizes.

IDTechEx has released a new technical market research report, 'Printed and Flexible Electronics for Automotive Applications 2021-2031: Technologies and Markets', on the current status of printed/flexible electronics in all aspects of automotive design and manufacturing, along with future opportunities created by these transitions.

Each year April 22nd marks Earth Day, a worldwide event that aims to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, activists across the world have used to occasion to push for an increased awareness over environmental issues and lobby for policy changes. The theme of this year's Earth Day is 'Restore Our Earth', with the event focusing on natural processes, emerging green technologies and inno...

With the launch of Micro- and Mini-LED displays by various OEMs and display vendors, the self-emissive LED-based displays have attracted tremendous attention by both investors and end-users. A selection of examples can be found below:

It is easy to make 1000-mile battery-electric vehicles, and the effect on market uptake will be profound. For example, a typical city-dweller today might charge only once every two months and vacation where chargers are rare.

Hydrogen production is getting a considerable amount of interest, particularly in the last year. Because of the large interest, boost by the EU green deal which promotes the adoption of hydrogen technologies to reduce CO2 emissions, IDTechEx has recently investigated the electrolyser market, investigating the technical and market aspects of the different electrolysers systems.

The technology behind Electric Vehicles (EVs) is improving rapidly. Energy density is increasing at the cell- and pack-level with changes to the cathode, anode, pack design and much more. 

Photovoltaics is now a key enabling technology for land solar vehicles and boats. The favourite type is single crystal silicon which is even viable on the sides now. On boats, it used to be protected by an acrylic sheet on either side, making it bendable when being fitted, but that has strength and weathering issues. Now, much stronger, long-life polycarbonate is taking over. For further information, see the IDTechEx report, ‘Solar Vehicles...

As increasing numbers of devices gain electronic functionality, many new applications will require some sort of display. This growth in functional, wirelessly connected devices is an exciting technological transition that could radically reshape how we interact with previously inanimate objects. The opportunities are especially pronounced for low-cost displays that can be incorporated into cheap and even disposable products.

6G Communications will become one of the largest technology investments. It is currently in the healthy first stage and is promising to widely deploy by around 2030. Meanwhile, 5G to ‘Beyond 5G’ awaits.

6G communications is planned to be strongly deployed from 2030. The multibillion-dollar investments in its research have begun. IDTechEx has been first with a commercial appraisal that concentrates on the important hardware, '6G Communications Market, Devices, Materials 2021-2041'.

Traction batteries are the key to electric vehicles (EVs) and present very different material requirements to the combustion engines they help replace. Their meteoric rise will lead to much greater demand for several materials markets which otherwise would see only modest growth.

Many of the world's largest aerospace and automotive companies are ramping up their interest in electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, recognising their potential as a disruptive new transport mode. Toyota, for example have invested nearly $400m in eVTOL startup Joby Aviation whilst Hyundai have announced they are spending $1.5bn over five-years on developing urban air mobility operations. 

Additively manufactured electronics is an emerging approach that takes printed electronics into the third dimension. Printing both structural material and conductive traces offers benefits that include extensive design freedom, rapid development iterations, and more compact devices.

The global fleet of Electric Vehicles (EVs) surpassed 10 million in 2020 in a show of remarkable resiliency to the COVID-19 pandemic which devastated the overall auto market. The conventional wisdom is that, with more consumer price sensitivity amid job losses and recession, sales of EVs not yet at upfront cost parity suffer.

Microorganisms are everywhere. Invisible to the naked eye, they live on our skin, in our gut, and are abundant in the environment around us. While the majority of microorganisms are benign, there are those that humans want to combat - for example, those with the potential to cause life-threatening diseases.

Drone sensors are critical to wider drone adoption. IDTechEx has forecast that the market for drone sensors will be greater than $2.9bn by 2031, according to their recent market research report ‘Drone Market and Industries 2021-2041’.

Growth in global energy consumption has caused CO2 and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to rise, in turn causing an increase in average global temperatures. The combustion of fossil fuels including coal, oil, and natural gas, has been a key driver behind this, providing the underlying driver for the production and use of non-fossil alternative fuels that can help reduce emissions.

Whilst electrification of the passenger car market attracts many of the headlines, commercial vehicle markets, spanning delivery vans, medium-duty trucks, heavy-duty trucks, and buses are also evolving at pace.