Smart clothing, incorporating sensors and electronics, tracks physiological signals and provides user feedback. Brands track performance and health statistics, while smart clothing connects to other devices for various applications.
Fremont, CA: Engineers must anticipate electrical engineering trends as technology's future impacts various industries, pioneering new ways of interacting with technology. Check out this overview of four future directions in electronics and electrical engineering to determine how to impact and prepare for the future.
Wireless Power Transfer
Wireless power transfer (WPT) is a groundbreaking electrical engineering innovation that uses electromagnetic fields to transmit electrical energy, enabling contactless charging, powering, and data communication. Developed by physicists, WPT eliminates the need to chase chargers and untangling cords. It can be transferred through various materials and has potential applications in smart homes, automotive, industrial machinery, wearables, and remote areas. It can power multiple devices.
Wearable Tech
Wearable technology has evolved significantly since the first step counter, leading to devices that send texts, make calls, and alert wearers of health conditions. It has also become life-saving, with electrical engineers developing wearable pieces to prevent injuries and workplace accidents. Smart clothing, incorporating sensors and electronics, tracks physiological signals and provides user feedback. Brands track performance and health statistics, while smart clothing connects to other devices for various applications.
Electric Power Distribution and Supply
Smart grids and microgrids are becoming more efficient power generation methods. Smart grids use digital technology to monitor electricity flow, improve reliability, and promote renewable energy sources. Microgrids, consisting of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources, provide power for smaller community-based areas on the island or in connected modes. They offer reliability, cost-effectiveness, sustainability, efficiency, and scalability, allowing customers to generate power and sell surplus currents. This trend has the potential to change electricity delivery infrastructure.
Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles are gaining popularity due to their environmental benefits and charging stations. Governments worldwide are setting benchmarks to accelerate their adoption, with the Biden administration aiming for half of all vehicles sold by 2030 to be electric. Major automotive companies like Tesla, Ford, Honda, and Toyota are investing in electrification, with experts predicting over 125 million electric vehicles by 2030.
