Structural electronics is replacing the old approach of components within an enclosure, with smart materials serving as load-bearing parts and as "smart skin" and electronic textiles. For example, a recent IDTechEx interview with one of the largest car manufacturers in Japan revealed the experimental 3D printing of ultra-lightweight safety seats based on a bird's skeletal structure, now rendered in 3DPE with electricity and electronics embedded within the seat. Meanwhile, teams in Australia, the UK, and the US are demonstrating supercapacitor car bodies using in-mold electronics. Also in Japan, IDTechEx recently learned from a chemical giant that such structural electronic materials are now a top priority for them. Not surprisingly, new IDTechEx reports include "Structural Electronics from 2015 to 2025," "3D Printed Electronics," "Circuit Prototyping 2015-2025," and "Energy Independent Vehicles 2016-2026.".
Dr. Peter Harrop explains the third emerging technological megatrend: electric independent vehicles (EIVs) exist both on and under water, like aircraft and airplanes, and like road and off-road vehicles, they typically rely on the sun, sometimes with other forms of energy harvesting as well, including waves and wind power, to generate electricity for their motors. Most of them rely on flexible photovoltaics with a dramatic roadmap for improvement, including Sumitomo Electric's ultra-lightweight Fresnel lenses with a remarkable 44% efficiency—more kilowatts per vehicle. In addition, modes such as wave, wind, and tidal energy are being added to generate electricity for traction. This multiple onboard energy harvesting will further boost already impressive speed, loads, and duty cycles. EIVs are equally popular on land, sea, and air, while electric vehicles in general are more often found on land, for the time being.
Author: Raghu Das, Managing Director, IDTechEx
