With key functionality in many cases commoditized, the success or failure of wearables is increasingly determined in the early stages of the PCB and mechanical integration process where requirements are translated into practical design decisions such as how functions are mapped to PCBs and PCBs are integrated into the enclosure. These decisions determine cost, size, weight and external appearance and other outcomes. The problem faced by designers is that today’s leading design tools largely fail to address this critical early stage of the design process and instead focus on later stages where the detailed design is defined. The failure to choose the right options in the early phases can result in expensive late-stage changes or even a product that fails in the market.
As we welcome increasing numbers of IoT devices into our industries, offices and home lives, we shouldn’t be surprised to see increasing electromagnetic (EM) congestion. Or, as it’s now dubbed , the ‘Interference of Things’.
A customer recently asked me if CR-8000 Design Force could support stretchable flex designs. At first, I found the question odd, until they shared their intent: wearable electronics. The idea of wearable electronic products like head and wrist bands sparked an interesting conversation and piqued my interest.
As we witness the birth of an era of connected devices with smart homes, connected cars and smart networked supply chains and factories, we might imagine that unexpected failures of electronic products would be a rarity. But all too often we hear about cellphones going up in flames, airbags that deploy on their own, or drones falling out of the sky. It is estimated that in the automotive industry alone, global warranties amount to as much as USD 40 billion per year.
Imagine if you could gather product performance information while your product is being used by the customer.
With key functionality in many cases commoditized, the success or failure of wearables is increasingly determined in the early stages of the PCB and mechanical integration process where requirements are translated into practical design decisions such as how functions are mapped to PCBs and PCBs are integrated into the enclosure.
