Where does MEMS sensor technology come from, and where is it headed?
MEMS sensors are installed in every smartphone, but can also play an important role in industrial technology. It has greatly expanded our capacity for recording certain mechanical measured variables and responding to them very quickly. But: What technology lies behind the acronym MEMS, and what currently untapped opportunities does its use offer in professional applications? […]
Just a vision for the future or reality: The potential of humanoid robots in German industry
Automation has long since become an integral part of industry, but until now specialised machines and industrial robots have dominated production halls. Today, however, humanoid robots represent the next stage of development in the focus of research and industry. With a human-like appearance, advanced sensor technology and artificial intelligence, they are designed to be flexible […]
The future of energy storage
With the expansion of renewable energies, the topic of energy storage is becoming increasingly important. The fluctuating supply of wind and solar power into the grid poses a challenge for energy suppliers and consumers who wish to intelligently balance supply and demand and ensure the security of supply. Modern storage technologies are a central element […]
Machine customers — how non-human stakeholders will change our everyday work
A few years from now, will a company’s most important customer actually be a machine rather than a person? Although that might sound like science fiction right now, it could soon become reality thanks to continuous technological advancements. Machine customers, also known as custobots (customer robots), are algorithms that independently manage solutions and perform services. […]
Human-robot collaborations pave the way for SME 4.0
It’s time to turn our attention to SMEs and the skilled labour sector! For several years now, there has been a noticeable increase in the use of human-robot collaboration (HRC) in German SMEs. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) predicts that in future it will not only be large companies such as those operating in […]
Smart factories with development boards
When the Raspberry Pi Foundation launched the first development board, the Raspberry Pi B, in 2012, the primary goal was to provide students with cost-effective hardware for their own projects. This idea was such a success that more than 40 million Raspberry Pi boards have been sold to date. The growing popularity of development boards, […]
Everything in one box: smart control cabinets for greater industrial efficiency
Rapidly improving new technologies and continual innovation in industrial automation are posing new challenges in control cabinet design. This begs the question: How can companies future-proof the design of their control cabinets to meet the requirements of modern technology? Tobias Thelemann, Product Manager for Mechanical Components and Electrical Installation at reichelt elektronik, defines the strategies […]
AI in network management
Automated security and compliance, dynamic resource allocation, intelligent capacity management and network performance optimisation are just some of the benefits of using artificial intelligence in network management. All of these factors enable companies to increase efficiency and quality of service while reducing costs, giving them a competitive advantage in the market. However, implementing AI in […]
Important aspects relating to network security when selecting Industry 4.0 solutions
Improving efficiency and identifying potential savings are just some of the benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT). For example, when operating systems are connected to a network via the IoT, controls can be maintained by monitoring and collecting data from the system and analysing the saved data, which can significantly improve productivity. However, the […]
The Quantum Minimalists
How does a highly complex physical laboratory setup become a marketable product? The secret lies in reduction, says Dr Robert Staacke, whose startup focuses on optical quantum sensors: Strip things down until only the essentials remain, and use minimal functions that will fit inside a practical housing—instead of overloaded optical tables—and can be understood without […]
