With Sensors Expo 2018 fading in the rearview mirror, what it accomplished is lighting up the dashboard and the headlights. Attendance was looking like close to three times last year’s event and the exhibits were a third larger in number and size, going wall to wall in the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, CA. Also, educational sessions were more and better focused and the hands-on workshops in the automotive and embedded systems space were better than successful.
More important than increased exhibitors and attendees was the air of realization that was not evident in previous years, or was simmering. The realization, the one exhibitors and attendees are finally getting is that Sensors Expo may focus on sensors and sensor technology, but it is not a categorizable event. One can no longer sit back, for example, and say, “I design power supplies, why do I need to know about sensors”? Or, “we develop security software applications, I don’t need to get involved with hardware affairs.” Oh yeah!?
The tech community is beginning to realize that every application, now and into the future until further notice, will be making extensive use of sensors in both standard and emerging applications. And there’s finally the realization that sensors are universal components that can be used in a plethora of applications without the need for customization or exorbitant R&D expenses. In other words, a pressure sensor measures pressure in any application requiring pressure measurement. There are no such things as dedicated artificial-intelligence pressure sensors, IoT pressure sensors, etc. Pressure sensors can be used in those applications very nicely without a two-dollar marketing title.
This was just one concept people were taking home from Sensors Expo 2018. They also got a look at some of the top trends in the industry. After countless demos and exhibitor visits, here are some of the top areas to watch in the coming months and years.
- Air quality/safety monitoring was a recurring theme. Apparently, the air quality in newly constructed buildings is not quite as good as even the polluted city air outside and needs to be accurately monitored.
- Optical sensors are improving in leaps and bounds. This will impact a wide array of applications from security to autonomous vehicles.
- Embedded systems are the bridge between software and sensors. Designers need to be on top of their embedded game if they plan to be successful in the cloud and on the IoT/IIoT.
- Artificial intelligence applications are on the rise. Not one area or market will not be impacted by this technology. Companies need to get on board now.
- Autonomous vehicles and the technologies driving them, i.e., LiDAR, Radar, ADAS, are evolving rapidly. Standardization will be a big issue shortly.
These are just the tips of the vast resources available at Sensors Expo, which be even greater at Sensors Expo 2019. Here’s what some of the major players are saying about their experiences this year.
“Sensors Expo is important for Murata to be at. I met many potential new customers and took away valuable perspectives on what's new in the market place. It was also positive to see that there was a separate pre-conference track focusing on sensors needed for Autonomous Vehicles.” Ville Nurmiainen, Business Development Manager at Murata Electronics N.A., Inc.
“As a longtime participant of Sensors Expo, I was inspired to see in 2018 how much the show is growing and evolving in response to industry trends and needs. Sensing technologies are providing more accurate, reliable, and timely data, systems are increasingly able to extract valuable longer-term insights for better decision-making and improved outcomes. All of this came to life at Sensors Expo 2018, and I look forward to seeing what’s in store for 2019.” – Tony Zarola, General Manager of Inertial MEMS business at Analog Devices
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“Sensors Expo 2018 was a wonderful experience that gave us an opportunity to discuss the future of printed sensors and sensor systems with customers, partners and suppliers. It provided attendees with great insight on how printed sensors fit into the roadmap of the interconnected world of technology.” Dominic Miranda, Director of Printed Electronics Business Development, Brewer Science, Inc.
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“Sensors Expo 2018 was very well attended and the quality of the people that visited our booth was higher than previous years. We also had very good activity from the Press and all were very interested in our New product releases.” Gary Winzeler, VP Sales & Marketing at DunAn
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“The 2018 Sensors Expo was an improvement over 2017 in regards to attendance across a wide spectrum of interests. There was increased interest in LoRa and Mesh solutions, with greater interest in acquiring complete solutions as opposed to separate hardware and software items. On the sensor front, there was an expansion in the types and capabilities of standard products to support product development.” Bruce DeVisser, Product Marketing Manager at Fujitsu Components America, Inc.
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“Sensors Expo 2018 in San Jose attracted both the largest companies looking to develop IoT and emerging AI applications as well as those looking to produce high-performance sensing products. Nearly every major sensor vendor was on the floor with their new innovations.” Dave Simpson, Director of Marketing, Industrial Sensors at Integrated Device Technology (IDT)
“Sensors Expo is typically a great resource to catch up on emerging trends in sensing, and in 2018 did not disappoint. There were some exciting new product launches, and a great opportunity to catch up with key suppliers and customers in the sensor space, especially IoT applications.” –Debra Deininger, Director of Gas Sensing at Integrated Device Technology (IDT)
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Sensors Expo 2018 continues its tradition of being an outstanding event. This year, InvenSense and the full family of TDK group companies participated because we are able to take advantage of showcasing our comprehensive range of sensor solutions applicable to the IoT, Industry 4.0 and established automotive and industrial applications to quality attendees. We were also able to meet with our eco-system partners, current and potential customers all in one location. TDK will definitely be at next year’s Expo.” David A. Almoslino, Senior Director, Corporate Marketing at InvenSense, A TDK Group Company
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“Sensors Expo, with its strong focus on sensors, connectivity, and systems, provides Maxim with the opportunity to participate in technical, business, and educational discussions with customers and experts from around the world.” Andrew Burt, executive business manager, Industrial & Healthcare Business Unit at Maxim Integrated.
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“It's becoming clear, with every edition of the show, that Sensors Expo -in the heart of Silicon Valley- is the must attend event in the Americas for Melexis. The conference’s exclusive focus on sensors and sensor integrated systems allows us to grasp the latest trends in IoT/IIoT, emerging sensor technologies etc. in just one or two days. On another level, it's just a great place to showcase our technology to potential customers and branding Melexis.” Dr. Joris Roels, Marketing Manager Temperature Sensors at Melexis.
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“Massive deployment of IoT is ramping quickly, and location is a critical part of many solutions. We spoke to numerous companies looking for location solutions to use either with sensors or without, including a bicycle manufacturer who wanted to add location functionality to every bike sold; an agricultural company looking to track grain trucks in relation to combines or other farm machinery; a spirits distributor who wants to track kegs of beer; and many other interesting applications. Determining the location of a “thing,” as well as the intelligence that comes via tracking the journey of that “thing” enables an entirely new set of use cases. We’re on the cusp of the next industrial revolution and Sensors Expo is an exciting place filled with unlimited possibilities.” Ed Chao, CEO of PoLTE
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“Sensors Expo 2018 was a great event for ST - we had hundreds of visitors at the booth, two fully booked hands-on sessions, and the VL53L1X Time of Flight sensor was awarded the 2018 Gold Innovation Award Winner. It was a great place to meet with existing and potential new customers and we look forward to even more success at the event next year.” Edoardo Gallizio, Microsystems Sr. Product Marketing Manager at STMicroelectronics
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“As a new company, we were all very pleasantly surprised with the welcome we received and the affirmation of a need for our product. We felt very warmly received by visitors and fellow exhibitors alike, and I hope that next year brings the same positive energy and memories that this year brought our company.” Alex Beam, Vice President of Tako, Inc.
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“Sensors Expo 2018 provides us with the opportunity to meet with engineers and discuss how TE’s extensive sensor portfolio can help them drive the next generation of innovation. With advanced sensing solutions that help transform concepts into smart connected creations, TE is helping to create a smarter, safer, sustainable and more productive future.” Dr. Sean Gough, Sr. Director of Product Management for TE Connectivity, Sensor Solutions.
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“As Thales was a first time exhibitor and attendee to Sensors 2018 we found numerous opportunities to showcase our NavChip IMU to both product developers and media attendees. We look forward to Sensors 2019.” Louis M Taddeo, Dir. Bus. Development, Thales Visionix
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“I thought that Sensors Expo 2018 was well attended with a variety of sensor types. Here are trends that I noticed: (1) a push for lower power with the goal of deploying sensor nodes for months or years; (2) a growing interest in IoT and building out the complete value chain from sensor to cloud analytics for turnkey IoT solutions; (3) and a mind boggling diversity of application areas on display. Sensors are not just smartphone components - our entire civilization (agriculture, infrastructure, transportation, businesses, homes, cities, healthcare) is becoming sensor enabled - you could say everything is eating sensors!” Matt Crowley, CEO of Vesper
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“Sensors Expo 2018 was my 31st of 33 events including the inaugural. As a marketing consultant specializing in sensors, I strongly recommend to my sensor clients that exhibiting at Sensors Expo must be at the top of their marketing priority list. It is not just the only game in town, but it is constantly improving its value to exhibitors and attendees over the years. My comment is based on my participation as an exhibitor, client support person, attendee and presenter at Sensors Expo 2018.” Roger H. Grace, President of Roger Grace Associates.
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Be sure not to miss your second chance for even greater insights and sensor revelations. Register for Sensors Expo West 2018 in Rosemont, IL, October 16-17.