Smart Materials Replace Components in a Box
Smart Materials Replace Components in a Box: Billion Dollar Opportunity
It is a technological megatrend providing billion-dollar business opportunities. The unique new IDTechEx Research report “Smart Materials as Structural Electronics and Electrics 2019-2029” explains how structural materials can be electronically, electrically, mechanically, magnetically and optically smart nowadays.
Sep 21, 2018 – Dr Peter Harrop
It is a technological megatrend providing billion-dollar business opportunities. The unique new IDTechEx Research report Smart Materials as Structural Electronics and Electrics 2019-2029 explains how structural materials can be electronically, electrically, mechanically, magnetically and optically smart nowadays. For example, the report explains how electrically smart device casing and aircraft fuselages can save up to 60% of space and weight, increase reliability tenfold and make new things possible such as a vehicle body nervous system. These are mainly load-bearing or conformal smart materials.
“Massless energy” is one example. This is structural energy harvesting and storage making a vehicle lighter and smaller with the same passenger and cargo space. Add implants that think and react and self-powered, self-aware responsive city infrastructure from bridges to fences. Multifunctional electricity-generating windows already exist. The benchmarking and analysis is presented in information-packed infograms and concise text and graphs.
Smart Materials as Structural Electronics and Electrics 2019-2029 is intended to be of particular interest to investors, researchers, manufacturers, purchasers and users. It serves those involved in value-added material – plastics to ceramics, composites, concrete, glass, carbon allotropes, 2D compounds and more. Those making devices and structures that do not yet employ electrically smart casing, trim or bodywork will learn how to reposition in time. That spans those concerned with wearables, electronic and electrical devices, road vehicles, boats, ships and aircraft to roads, bridges, buildings and more.
The actual examples given embrace sensors, energy harvesting, energy storage, transport, shipping, aerospace. Many companies and researchers are presented. The ongoing research and analysis is the result of intense travel and interviewing by PhD level IDTechEx experts able to carry out technical interviews in local languages. IDTechEx even shares privileged information from its own events on this subject and there are drill down reports on specifics for those wanting more after reading this report and employing its free 30 minutes of consultancy.
The 238-page report, Smart Materials as Structural Electronics and Electrics 2019-2029 emphasises the business opportunities arising and the technological and adoption roadmap with lessons of success and failure identified. The Executive Summary and Conclusions has many new infograms and forecasts easily assimilated by those unable to read the whole report. Then comes the Introduction looking at history, definitions, capabilities and dreams but minimising the nostalgia and maximising the lessons leading to benefits to society and billion-dollar new businesses.
Chapter 3 addresses the functions and formats of required smart materials, with particular emphasis on the largest opportunities, those in electrical and electronic load-bearing materials, smart film and coatings. So far, the most popular way of making the load-bearing and conformal forms is in-mold electronics and electrics so this gets a chapter of its own: then comes other manufacturing technology and its smart material feedstock and output. That has sections on conformal 3D printing, molded interconnect devices, notably laser direct structuring then 3D printed electronics and spraying of photovoltaics and other functions.
Of course, all this will transform everything from wearable electronics to healthcare and internet of things nodes but large structures are very important too. The last chapter covers these including vehicles, aircraft, ships, buildings, bridges and roads. These advances are staggering: they enable huge drones to be aloft for years on sunshine alone, beaming the internet to billions, and solar roads that charge vehicles at speed and devices off grid. Here comes the energy- independent electric vehicle with almost all diagnostics, electricity production and storage, illumination and temperature control in the bodywork. Smart Materials as Structural Electronics and Electrics 2019-2029 gives best practice and all the gaps in the market for electrically smart materials.
To find out more visit www.IDTechEx.com/structural or email research@IDTechEx.com.
On Tuesday November 13, 2018 IDTechEx analysts will be giving an introductory masterclass to the topic which will review the applications and underlying technology for structural electronics, assessing what is happening and what is still needed. Progress by key technology type is given including key suppliers and technology roadmaps. The masterclass ‘Smart Materials for Structural Electronics and Electrics’ will be held at the Santa Clara Convention Center, CA and is one of 25 expert led sessions taking place on 13 and 16 November as part of the IDTechEx Show!
The IDTechEx Show! presents the latest emerging technologies at one event, with eight concurrent conferences and a single exhibition covering 3D Printing, Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage, Graphene, Internet of Things, Printed Electronics, Sensors and Wearable Technology. The conference and exhibition takes place on November 14-15. For more details on the event and to register for the Smart Materials masterclass visit www.IDTechEx.com/usa.