The aerogel market is forecast to exceed $700m within the next decade. This may appear modest for a unique material family that has been known for nearly a century, but after long periods of stagnation and several market failings this would represent a significant growth from the market status in 2020. This article will look at what will be driving this growth.

Investment and development in haptics is accelerating, and the supply chain providing the actuators, drivers and software behind these key components is evolving at a faster pace every year. IDTechEx's latest report on haptics, "Haptics 2021-2031: Technologies, Market & Players", predicts that the industry will be worth nearly $5bn in 2025.

Thursday 25 February 2021 - Solar cars and boats are now mainstream, some never plugging in. The technology of the most advanced ones is being licensed to others, a robot shuttle being next up.

Given the exciting properties, graphene has always been linked as a revolutionary material for the electronics industry. CVD graphene is cited as the ideal solution in providing a perfect single layer produced in a low cost continuous R2R process, but the manufacturing and commercial reality have proved very different. After a long period of research, and with players regularly exiting and entering the field, we are only now starting to see this technology mature and the dawn of the commercial reality.

3D printing offers an efficient method to improve current manufacturing limits across economic sectors such as transport, construction, and medical and dental industries allowing rapid prototyping and on-site production and repairs.

Thursday 18 February 2021 - Emerging 3rd and 4th generation emissive materials for OLED displays; A technological transition that increases the efficiency of organic photovoltaics; Functional inks for lighting; and Low temperature component attachment materials.

The remarkable price increases in particular US stocks, most notably GameStop, made the news last week as the power of retail investors to move markets became clear. On Monday 1st Feb, the BBC reported that silver prices increased by around 10 % as retail investors turned their attention to commodities, reaching a 5-month high of almost $950/kg.

Wednesday 3 February 2021 - 5G communications has come to a phone near you and 6G communications received strong investment in 2020 as we move to its standards, specification and substantial rollout in 2030. However, this time will be different because the objective is far more heroic.

Printing solar panels like newsprint using organic semiconductors is the longstanding aspiration, given the obvious benefits of renewable energy and the potential for low-cost, large-area, energy-efficient production.

Multiple drivers are emerging for graphene as the value-added material of choice. One market driver that is perhaps surprising but will have a major impact over the next decade is sustainability.

The new IDTechEx report, "Transparent Electronics Materials, Applications, Markets 2021-2041", describes a market increasing fivefold from 2021-2031. By 2041 it will be over $23 billion.

Tuesday 26 January 2021 - Competitive landscape amongst leading actuator manufacturers; comparison of various emerging technology options and their commercial potential; broader themes in haptic feedback and go-to-market approaches and a review from recent industry events (including CES 2021)

IDTechEx currently have a number of energy storage related webinars available to watch on-demand. These include presentations on 2020 highlights, solid-state batteries, li-ion recycling, stationary energy storage, hydrogen economy and redox flow batteries.

Wednesday 13 January 2021 - This webinar, presented by IDTechEx Chairman Dr Peter Harrop, explains how, of the trillions of dollars being spent on smart cities, the advanced materials part is rising to hundreds of billions yearly.

IDTechEx currently have a number of printed electronics related webinars, including 2020 end of year highlights, available to watch on-demand today. These include presentations on printed sensors, micro-LED displays and electronics reshaped.

New report available from IDTechEx - "Haptics 2021-2031: Technologies, Market & Players". This in-depth report includes ERM motors, LRAs, piezoelectric ceramics and polymers, surface haptics, SMAs, electroactive polymers, kinaesthetic and contactless haptic feedback.

IDTechEx currently have a number of 3D Printing-related webinars available to watch on-demand. These include presentations on 3D electronics, metal additive manufacturing and the impact of COVID-19 on the 3D Printing Industry.

IDTechEx currently have a number of robotics-related webinars available to watch on-demand. These include presentations on robotic surgery, autonomous cars, robotics in agriculture and sensors.

The brand new IDTechEx report, Transparent Electronics Materials, Markets 2021-2041, is available to order today! This in-depth report explores see-through micro LED, OLED, QD displays, photovoltaic windows, electric darkening, RadarGlass, circuits, metamaterials, heaters and antennas.

IDTechEx investigate the evolution of the hydrogen market and the development of the hydrogen economies of the major countries around the world in their new report "The Hydrogen Economy, Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Production Methods".