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Smart trackers are one of the latest innovations in the growing market of wearable and highly portable devices. Intended to help the user track or find items such as keys, critical features include multi-standard wireless connectivity — such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and near field communication (NFC) — as well as reliable sensing and feedback to communicate the devices location. These high levels...

Gaming controllers and peripherals are expected to have fast, accurate controls, reliable haptic feedback, and a long battery life. The nature of these devices means they must also be lightweight, comfortable to hold, and fairly durable. Connectivity options include RF signals, WiFi, Bluetooth, and near field control (NFC), and many controllers and peripherals integrate more than one of these. Oth...

Electronic smart locks are increasing in popularity with the rise of IoT and smart homes, as they provide convenience and a sense of security to consumers. Because they are typically battery-powered, energy efficiency to maximize battery life is crucial. The nature of these devices means they must also offer ease-of-use, stable operation, and the ability to withstand wide temperature ranges and ex...

Air purifiers and humidifiers must be able to reliably improve air quality for end users. The best designs also offer improved energy efficiency, convenience, and low noise. As more and more appliances are expected to be smart-home ready, consumers are demanding new features such as wireless connectivity for ease of control. To meet and exceed customer expectations, designers are challenged with f...

Mobile points of service (POS) offer the same features as other portable POS devices from the convenience of a tablet or smartphone. POS are expected to deliver fast, secure payment transactions amid changing payment methods and rising customer expectations. They must offer high reliability, long battery life, ease-of-use, and quick processing speeds to accelerate checkout times. As retail and ser...

Drone remote controllers must be able to offer consumers the precise, reliable control of drones and multicopters without hindering speed, navigation, or flight time. Wireless connectivity, as well as fast data processing and communication across a broad transmission distance, are crucial to ensure proper control and safety. Many new designs also feature LCD or LED interfaces, or even smartphone c...

An optical network terminal (ONT) unit is a device that connects fiber optics cables to other wiring such as Ethernet and phone lines by converting the signal from optical to electrical and vice versa. Though they draw power from an electrical source, these devices also often have battery backup options in case of a power outage. It is typically part of a larger GPON (gigabyte passive optical netw...

Network-attached storage (NAS) is a data storage option that is quickly growing in popularity. A NAS system is a centralized storage server that is connected to a network and able to be accessed by any authorized user within the network. These systems provide convenience and flexibility by being able to be physically stored and maintained on-site, as well as the ability to have their storage scale...

Fitness machines can be a key component of medical treatment and physical wellness. State-of-the-art medical systems often include next-generation user interfaces, real-time sensing and biometrics, and multi-standard connectivity. With growing concerns about the price of healthcare, reliability and cost are also crucial factors for customers. And of course, to help enhance the abilities of healthc...

Ovens are a key household appliance, and one which consumers expect to be reliable, effective, convenient, and energy efficient. The rise of smart homes has added a new layer of design requirements to new generations of ovens, including durable and intuitive user interfaces, wireless connectivity, smart sensing, and predictive maintenance. IoT capabilities can help keep up with growing consumer ex...

Portable printers are incorporating more features into a small, lightweight packages. New designs are expected to include easier wireless connectivity, support for multiple input types, easy-to-use interfaces, and longer battery runtime. These printers must be able to quickly print high-quality renditions of documents or photos, as well as keep up with energy-saving trends that have increased the ...

Small cell base stations are more useful than ever with the ubiquity of smartphones, rising data usage, and the advent of 5G. However, small cell base station designs must meet these demands as well as weight and volume restrictions, without sacrificing performance or significantly increasing power consumption. Todays wireless market demands reliability and flexibility wherever possible, so new pr...

Wearable fitness and activity monitors compose a sizeable portion of the growing wearables market. These small devices provide consumers a highly convenient option to track and monitor health information, send and receive notifications, and more. They can be worn on the wrist or clipped to a belt, and typically offer multi-standard wireless connectivity — from Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to cellular baseb...

Consumer battery chargers provide at-home recharging for enabled AA and AAA batteries. It is crucial that these devices offer not only the fastest available safe charging rates, but also accurately sense and respond to battery charge information to protect the batteries from damage. In addition, consumers expect them to be highly efficient and have low standby power consumption in a small solution...

E-scooters have quickly risen in popularity in metropolitan areas and quickly growing cities. Lightweight, eco-friendly, and convenient, these e-scooters are two-wheeled battery-operated vehicles that integrate an electric motor and a controller that assists with increased propulsion. Of course, safety, performance, and cost are the greatest concerns for customers in any vehicle. In addition, new ...

USB wall power outlets are becoming an increasingly common feature in smart homes and buildings. Being able to directly plug USB charging cables into wall outlets provides consumers with convenience and the ability to charge and power devices quickly. However, because this is a more direct form of power delivery, it is even more crucial that the power supply be reliable and safe, with the best pos...

Smart speakers are a growing market as end consumers expect more connectivity than ever in their day-to-day environments, and increasingly feature-rich devices available. Of course, any new speaker is expected to maintain exceptional audio quality, low standby power for extended playtime, and offer complete ease-of-use to the consumer. Smart speakers also integrate new features like voice command,...