传感器作为智能装备的自主输入装置，相当于人的各种感觉器官。 智能装备对于外界环境的感觉主要有视觉、位置觉、速度觉、力觉、触觉等。 智能传感器是智能装备获取外界环境信息的窗口，其研发过程可以分为两个阶段：第一阶段，探索需求，从未满足的需求中诞生出新型传感器；第二阶段，为更贴合产业化应用， 研发焦点向控制成本转变。以 3D 激光雷达为例，已经开始进入第二阶段，未来成本有望下降。

近期 8寸晶圆呈现满载，预示 2Q16 可能将出现一波还算不错的「急单+短单的订单行情」，这主要是因为部分零组件近期出现急单回补，然后再加上非苹果阵营为了刻意避开苹果大军的订单排程，因而提前在 2Q16 下单 book 产能，因此近期最上游的半导体出现订单回笼的现象，特别是集中在 8 寸晶圆厂这边。

An exoskeleton is a wearable robot that combines human intelligence and machine power. It is widely used for rehabilitation applications such as tendon therapy and physical exercise, and supports finger flexion and extension movements. People suffering from hip or knee weakness can use these robots to prevent common accidents, including slipping. In addition, exoskeletons provide efficient therapy causing minimal fatigue in individuals, and enhance the therapy beyond the practitioner's abilities. They are also used for military, industrial, construction, and personal use applications.

A transfer switch shifts electrical loads or distribution systems between two power sources; it is an essential part of standby or emergency power system. Transfer switches are used in a broad range of applications, such as data centers, hospitals, diagnostic, and other health care centers, factories, warehouses, and other commercial set-ups such as financial institutions. These facilities require uninterrupted power supply for continuous operations, and therefore, use auxiliary power source, such as a generator or backup utility feed.

Smart cards are pocket-sized cards that are embedded with integrated circuits. These smart cards can be used for individual identification and authentication by organizations in various sectors, including banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI); transportation; government; and healthcare. Furthermore, these smart cards can be used by enterprises to provide authorized access to individuals within secured premises to ensure data security. Smart cards can be also used for enhancing various applications, such as payments and transit ticketing, as they increase efficiency for the end-user.

Material testing covers a wide range of application and materials that include metals, concrete, composites, and ceramics. Material testing is primarily used to determine the physical properties of materials such as tensile strength, torsion, and elasticity. This process can be carried out through four types of equipment: hardness testing machines (HTMs), impact testing machines (ITMs), servo hydraulic testing machines (SHTMs), and universal testing machines. Each equipment serves a different purpose and involves testing materials for specific physical properties.

A sensor is a device that detects changes in its immediate environment by picking stimulus changes and updates the system electronically. Sensors are engineered to detect chemical, physical, and process changes. A sensor sends out electronic signals, which are measured and recorded, and based on the information a corrective change is executed. There are many types of automotive sensors, such as pressure sensors, wheel speed sensors, temperature sensors, fluid-level sensors, and emission sensors, among others.

Test and measurement equipment are used for analyzing and measuring electronic and mechanical devices throughout their lifecycle. Also, they are utilized in the initial design, development, verification, maintenance, and repair of electronic.

LED lights are used in different application segments such as residential, architectural, industrial, office, retail, hospitality, and outdoor. As these lights are highly efficient and moderately priced, they can address key issues such as energy crises, resource scarcity, and climate change. Light consumes 20% of total power worldwide, and people can save, on average, up to 40% on energy every year just by using LED lights

An ABS is an automobile safety system that helps motor vehicles maintain tractive contact with the road surface while braking. ABS is broadly classified under active safety systems that work on cadence-braking and threshold-braking principles. It prevents the wheels from locking, thereby avoiding uncontrollable skidding after the application of brakes. ABSs were first introduced in the 1980s and gained popularity in the 1990s in developed countries, such as the US and Canada

Autoclaves are used to sterilize diagnostic equipment, laboratory glassware, and surgical instruments by subjecting them to high-pressure steam at 249oF for 15-20 minutes, based on the nature of the material inside. The use of an autoclave for sterilizing materials and for treating biomedical waste is fast, safe, and convenient. Autoclaves are commonly used in laboratories and medical facilities. The most common type of autoclave is a metallic cylindrical vessel with temperature and pressure control knobs or switches on top.

Centrifugal pumps are utilized in operations such as circulating coolants or lubricants throughout machines and equipment. They find extensive use in industrial applications and others in which such machines and equipment are used.

In 2015, the global thin film semiconductor deposition market was valued at $7.35 billion and is anticipated to reach $14.2 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 14.08%. In terms of geography, APAC was the largest contributor — it accounted for 70.7% of the market in 2015, and is likely to account for 71.08% in 2020. The presence of a significant number of semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) and mobile device manufacturers in APAC is one of the major reasons for the high revenue contribution from this region.

Since World War II, the defense forces are using different radar systems and technologies to detect and track insights and information. Radars determine range, angle, and velocity of an object. They are also used to map and locate weather conditions for the army, air force, and naval operations. Receivers and transmitters are vital components of a radar system since radio waves and signals are used to locate the requisites. Spacecraft, aircraft, ships, and vehicles are some of the principal employers of radar technology.

Smart materials are specialty building materials whose properties change when subject to external stimuli such as stress, temperature, moisture, pH, or magnetic field. The change in the smart materials is an inherent property and not due to an external force. Smart materials have been on the market for many years and serve a large number of end-use applications, including construction, transport, medical, and leisure. Smart materials can be classified as piezoelectric materials, shape memory alloys, magnetostrictive materials, thermoelectric materials, and rheological fluids.

The use of light as an instrument of precision creates numerous opportunities for sensing technology and analytics. Photonic sensors are devices that have the capability to sense light and release electrical pulses. Since their introduction, the devices have evolved continuously and are being used in several industries. The use of photonic sensing technology has the following benefits.

Couplings are used to connect two shafts together at their ends for transmitting power. Couplings find a wide range of applications in end-user industries such as oil and gas, steel and rolling mill, pulp and paper, wood manufacturing, mining, and general manufacturing. These devices play a crucial role in:

The global telecom sector has grown significantly in the last 5-10 years. Wired telecom infrastructure has witnessed a revolution with the entry of cellular systems. Technological advances have made it essential for telecommunication networks to have a continuous supply of power in order to function effectively. Uninterrupted power supply can be achieved through grid or diesel generator sets. However, growing concerns about environmental and climate change issues have fueled the need for telecom towers that utilize clean energy. Renewable power sources such as solar and wind are used to power these towers. In case of grid failure, batteries are used to provide backup as standby power to telecom towers.

Circuit breakers are electrical switches that protect electric circuit from short-circuiting and overloading. These switches are designed to detect overloading and cut power supply automatically. Fuse prevents electricity overload by melting a wire inside the circuit and thus protecting all electrical and electronic devices connected to the circuit. Switches that open and close a circuit electronically are known as relays.

Wireless chargers are part of a wireless charging system that consists of a transmitter and a receiver. The receiver is attached to the device, which has to be charged, while the transmitter is part of the wireless charger connected to the main supply or power source. The global wireless chargers market is expected to grow rapidly, at a CAGR of 33.14% in terms of revenue. The potential markets for wireless chargers include the US, Japan, and South Korea.

A busbar is a metallic strip or bar capable of conducting electricity. It is an essential component of the electrical power grid that enables the grid to conduct electricity while reducing power loss simultaneously. The materials used for busbar construction and its dimensional specifications determine the maximum current it can safely conduct. Low power rating busbars are used in electrical systems of small-scale buildings or residential construction and warehouses. Medium power rated busbars are employed in electrical substations, while high power rated busbars are used in the smelting industry.