Innovation in Sensor Technology as the Driver of Growth

As more organisations implement industrial IoT and linked technologies for factory automation, predictive maintenance, and collaborative robotics ("cobots") that work alongside employees, sensors are likely to be employed across the entire continuum of industrial environment.

Fremont, CA: Sensor component demand has risen dramatically in the aftermath of the pandemic. Increased sensor utilisation, in turn, is stimulating greater innovation and assisting businesses to increase the return on their investment on the connected and data-driven technologies. As more organisations implement industrial IoT and linked technologies for factory automation, predictive maintenance, and collaborative robotics ("cobots") that work alongside employees, sensors are likely to be employed across the entire continuum of industrial environment.

That being said, sensors are also facilitating software innovations for vertical farming and smart agriculture. In addition, sensors are becoming important technologies for enabling transportation electrification, particularly in battery management systems where accurate temperature and voltage detection are necessary for safe operation.

This rising usage of sensors in such a wide variety of devices would need modifications in other design aspects, particularly connections, which is one of the primary reasons driving sensor innovation. Traditionally, most sensors were physically attached—plugged into the device, vehicle, or equipment. As connected sensors become more functional and are employed in wider applications, connection technology must also improve to keep up.

For example, an increase in the amount of data generated necessitates the provision of greater data rates. To enable reliable data transmission, cables will require EMI/RFI shielding. Furthermore, installing sensors in harsh-environment and outdoor applications is necessitating IP67 or higher ratings for both the sensors and the connectors. Connectors in a medical context may require IP68 watertight sealing, easy cleaning, and secure mating with locking systems. Overall, the tendency in innovation is to bring sensors, connectors, and cables closer to the physical environment.