Q: What industries will see the biggest increase in the use of embedded systems?
By Doug Patterson, VP of global marketing, Aitech Group
Defense and aerospace will remain some of the highest usage areas for embedded computing boards and systems, if not emerging as the highest over the next few years. The reasons are mainly economies of scale—volumes in the military and aerospace markets are typically below where it makes ROI sense for a large defense contractor to create, manufacture and maintain their own board designs for several years. Factor in the technology upgrades needed to deal with increasing levels of component obsolescence, and it makes more sense for the primes and sub-tier M&A contractors to buy versus build.
By Dan Cusick, strategic business development, Laird Connectivity
A study by Transparency Market Research concluded that the global embedded system market will increase by 6.4 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2015 and 2021, reaching $233.19 billion U.S. in 2021. Currently, the automotive industry is the largest application segment in the global embedded systems market. However, advanced embedded systems are finding significant growth in many other markets, including medical.
Healthcare providers around the globe know it is imperative that patient health information is accurate, accessible and captured in near real time. The market continues to demand smart devices with interoperability to healthcare systems such as EMR, billing, and asset management to drive accuracy of data and workflow efficiencies. Medical device connectivity has many unique requirements beyond what is demanded by the typical wireless customer. These mission-critical applications require robust and reliable wireless connectivity with the ability to integrate multiple wireless technologies using the same antennas. This ensures the coexistence of multiple wireless technologies without interference.
For example, as portable medical equipment for both in-hospital and in-home care becomes more prevalent, so too does the use of data collection through these healthcare devices. Embedded systems are improving medical care through big data and analytics via these portable medical devices. Intelligent embedded systems are used to gather actionable medical data and securely deliver it to the cloud for patient monitoring and more. This includes continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines that apply mild air pressure on a continuous basis to keep the airways open in people who are not able to breathe spontaneously on their own. Adding wireless connectivity to a CPAP machine allows doctors to better record and analyze breathing patterns and to confirm treatment is being administered.
By Quan Vu, director of business development, Cepton Technologies, Inc.
The automotive industry is seeing a burgeoning demand for more embedded systems to be integrated into cars, shuttles, trucks and beyond. Today’s cars integrate a number of sensors for infotainment systems, bringing passengers navigation information, entertainment options, and more, along with sensing systems on the front and back of cars to help detect obstacles. We’ll see automakers take these detection capabilities to the next level by equipping cars with 3D lidar sensors. While lidar technology has captured the public’s attention for its potential to make self-driving cars a reality, lidar technology will become a mainstream sensor on public roads long before we’ll see Level 5 automation.
In fact, over the next few years automakers will install lidar systems in cars to enable features like braking assistance and steering guidance. Lidar will be used in tandem with cameras and/or radar to provide cars with a 3D perception view of their surrounding environment to make intelligent navigation and safety decisions, regardless of road conditions and or environments. We’ll then see lidar sensors as one of the critical and main sensors used to enable Level 4 autonomous features and assume more control over steering capabilities. Eventually, more advanced 3D lidar will become the defacto sensors enabling fully autonomous vehicles on roads everywhere. As a car’s level of autonomy increases, so too does the number of embedded systems in it. For example, a fully autonomous vehicle lighting systems might be capable of analyzing information from the car’s lidar sensors to automatically flash hazard warning lights in an emergency situation.
By Marc Pegulu, vice president of IoT and wireless products, Wireless and Sensing Products Group, Semtech
This year will bring continued growth in embedded systems for the smart building and home markets as businesses and consumers continue to look at ways to leverage Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled goods to create efficiencies. Smart home products like smart thermostats, sprinklers and door locks are already helping consumers conserve energy and improve home security. Connected products that provide building owners with access to its network for consistent and remote monitoring are also becoming commonplace as organizations look at better ways to conserve energy and predict when maintenance is necessary. Two key factors—security and cost savings—will continue to push these markets forward to touch even more applications and use cases.
Key to this growth is connectivity that is long range to enable scalability. We’ll increasingly witness more manufacturers turn away from short range solutions to IoT technologies that provide flexibility and interoperability with a variety of different applications and implementations. LoRa technology provides both low power qualities and long range capabilities to provide outdoor connectivity for all devices within property limits. Specifically for these markets, LoRa can penetrate dense building materials making it an optimal choice for IoT-connected smart home and building devices.
While homeowners and property managers are usually the groups we look at as beneficiaries of embedded smart home and building technologies, another group will also emerge: commercial real estate companies. By embracing integrated IoT solutions enabled by LoRa technology, real estate businesses will equip properties with services that reduce maintenance and operating costs, while also creating value for their tenants.