Five component trends to watch in 2020

By Gina Roos, editor-in-chief

In 2019, we saw a number of new innovations from startups to leading component suppliers. These new technologies and components, including 3D imaging, haptics, and mmWave, focus on bringing new features and functionality to both existing and emerging end- product markets. But at the same time, component designers also have to keep in mind power requirements, miniaturization, and flexibility in design.

Here are five component trends that are on the cusp of taking off in the industry.

LiDAR sensors in vehicles
In automotive designs, LiDAR sensors are now being used in combination with cameras, which identify road users, signs and traffic lights, and radars that enable an accurate distance range. Although it’s still the early days for LiDAR technology, automotive system engineers are working on LiDAR designs to meet resolution, range, accuracy, and latency requirements. Advances like Cepton’s LiDAR sensors, based on its Micro-Motion Technology (MMT), that recognize and track objects from all four corners of the vehicle to provide a precise 3D image of the surrounding environment and RoboSense’s RS-LiDAR-M1Pre LiDAR that incorporates a laser, a 2D MEMS scanning mirror, and a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor and claims a detectable range of 200 meters, will go a long way to drive the adoption of this technology in 2020.

Related article:
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MicroLEDs
What’s not to like about microLEDs? These devices match incumbent OLED technology in terms of response time and viewing angles and exceed OLED in brightness, ruggedness, and power consumption. Big markets include augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), wearables, and other mobile devices. The big drawback is still commercialization and related costs, though a lot of progress is being made as the technology matures. And one supplier making some big inroads is Plessey Semiconductors, which has demoed microLED displays for headsets, which achieve 10 times the resolution, 100 times the contrast ratio, and up to 1,000 times the luminance of traditional OLEDs with just half the power consumption. So high-volume production of microLEDs may be around the corner, even as early as 2020.

Related article:
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5G chipsets
Let’s face it: 2020 is going to be a big year in the rollout of 5G infrastructure, along with 5G-enabled services. This translates into a big need for 5G devices, ranging from the infrastructure to the smartphone. Leaders like MediaTek, Qualcomm, and Samsung are already launching chipsets that promise to simplify the transition to 5G communications. Also watch for big 5G announcements in other component areas as manufacturers gear up for the arrival of 5G.

Related article:
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Haptic technologies in VR/AR
Haptic technologies, such as piezoelectric actuators and a new category of flexible actuators, and associated drivers are now opening up new opportunities in VR/AR devices and other wearables. There has been early haptics activity in the VR market, but new technologies that deliver benefits in the areas of scalability, flexibility, size, weight, and cost will make these devices a lot more attractive to XR designers as they strive to deliver a better user experience on mobile phones, tablets, and other consumer devices. 

Related articles:
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Lithium-sulfur batteries
Has the time come for commercial lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries that claim higher energy density and lower cost compared to lithium-ion batteries? 2020 may be a pivotal year for the long-emerging technology, particularly for electric and hybrid vehicles, though the technology is well-suited for other applications such as drones and energy storage systems. In early 2019, more than a dozen European organizations decided to partner on the development of Li-S battery technology for EVs/HEVs, indicating a big push toward commercialization.

Related article:
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This article was originally published on sister publication EE Times.