Robots are rolling into new applications, from personal companions to an expanding industrial base. Their complexity and ranges of motion make rugged connectors a pivotal component.   Mention robots to most people today and they think in terms of humanoids similar to those featured in movies such as Star Wars and ExMachina. Few would thinkRead More

Connector makers upgraded lines, extended product families and unveiled new interfaces to meet customer demands for increased circuit density and higher data rates.   2016 Connector Trends In a continuation of trends we’ve seen for several years now, a host of faster, smaller, and more affordable electronic components propelled the connector industry forward in 2016. ConnectorRead More

Fiber has traditionally been the go-to solution for long-distance, high-speed communication links. Fiber optic cable offers huge advantages of bandwidth, low attenuation, and reduced size and weight to transmit hundreds of data channels over a single glass fiber. Look to these suppliers for the products you need.   Fiber Optic Cable Fiber has traditionally beenRead More

It is unclear if Gordon Moore realized what a powerful challenge he created over 50 years ago with his famous theorem. His forecast that the number of transistors in a given space will double every two years set the stage for the development of the incredible computing power that we utilize in a universe ofRead More

Change has been an integral part of human experience since the beginning. What is new is the incredible rate and volume of change that is impacting the entire electronics industry. What disruptive innovations will impact your world?   Over much of its existence, the electronic connector industry has been able to support new interconnect requirementsRead More

The marriage of high-reliability connectors and sensors brings a new facet of connectivity to the interconnect industry.   Connector Manufacturers Connect to Sensors The physical and digital worlds are merging and sensors of all types are on the front line of that evolution. The emerging Internet of Things is essentially a network of connected sensorsRead More

Today we see all types of robotic devices that do everything from vacuum your floors to clean up nuclear waste. Originally focused on industrial and hazardous applications, robots are now appearing in warehouses, hospitals, and even the home. The concept of automated devices that extend human capabilities has sparked the imagination of people for manyRead More

Seeking a way to deliver bandwidth more effectively, some have investigated the removal of high-speed circuits from the PCB by replacing them with discrete or ribbon twin-axial copper cables.   For many years, engineers have bemoaned the eventual limitations of copper printed circuit board conductors in ever-higher-speed circuits: Surely the laws of physics would create barriersRead More

Incredible advances in processor and memory technology have mandated shrinking all other electronic components from chip capacitors to connectors and the circuitry that joins them. The connector industry has responded to these challenges by introducing new classes of high-density microminiature connectors.   A basic pillar of the electronics industry has been its ability to stuff more functionality inRead More

DesignCon 2016 featured 33 interconnect manufacturers, all concentrating on ever-higher speeds and improved signal integrity.   DesignCon 2016 opened in the shadow of preparations for Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium, directly across the street from the Santa Clara Convention Center. With more than 160 exhibitors and 4,800 pre-registered attendees, the exposition and conference continuesRead More

Given consumer demand for mobile products that offer more services in real time, designers need to take advantage of the most effective technologies available – wireless and photonic.   They say oil and water don’t mix, and for the most part that is true. To some degree, the challenges associated with mixing wireless connectivity andRead More

2015 saw great leaps forward in technology, many of which were enabled by developments in connector design and manufacture.      At some point in the future, we may look back at 2015 and recognize it as a year when key technologies came together to enable a continuing series of next-generation products. Bishop & AssociatesRead More