Sensor Industry Helps IoT Development

Introduction: With the rise of the global Internet of Things boom, at present, the government attaches great importance to the Internet of Things and sensors from the government to the entire industry. In July 2011, the “Electronic Components Industry's Twelfth Five-Year Plan” recently released by the China Electronic Component Industry Association will also be particularly applicable to intelligent, networked sensors for the Internet of Things industry, as well as sensors for environmental monitoring and security monitoring. Included in the list of key development products.

Sensitive components and sensors are the basic products in the electronic information equipment manufacturing industry and are the key components in the development of new electronic components. In recent years, under the guidance and support of a series of national policies to strengthen the development and application of sensors, China has formed a certain industrial base for sensors, and has made considerable progress in technological innovation, independent research and development, and achievement transformation. A number of new sensors based on MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) technology are entering the market. The sensor design technology, material control technology, production technology, reliability technology and test technology have been continuously developed and the mass production capacity has been gradually improved. Traditional sensors such as mechanical sensors, gas sensors, temperature sensors, optical sensors, and voltage-sensitive sensors not only have gradually increased their share in the domestic market, but also have some exports.

Consumer electronics applications worth attention

With the rise of the global Internet of Things boom, at present, the government attaches great importance to the Internet of Things and sensors from the government to the entire industry. In July 2011, the “Electronic Components Industry's Twelfth Five-Year Plan” recently released by the China Electronic Component Industry Association will also be particularly applicable to intelligent, networked sensors for the Internet of Things industry, as well as sensors for environmental monitoring and security monitoring. Included in the list of key development products.

Sensors are the basic components of the Internet of Things, especially new sensors using MEMS and other technologies. They have a closer relationship with the Internet of Things. Under the influence of the Internet of Things, sensor applications will enter a new stage of development.

MEMS sensors are widely used in automotive electronics, aerospace, consumer electronics, defense systems, industrial control, medical life sciences, and communications. However, the classification market is mainly divided into four types, namely, consumer electronics (including mobile phones), Automotive, medical electronics market and high-end MEMS market. Among them, consumer electronics is particularly worthy of attention because it is the most widely used and fastest-growing field. Microphones, gyroscopes and acceleration sensors are all important items in this field.

In 2012, MEMS technology and industrial markets continued to show growth in 2011. In addition to the automotive, consumer electronics and mobile phones, as well as the inkjet head and automotive markets, sales in the high-end MEMS market were the fastest growing areas. The high-end market mainly refers to products used in harsh environments, with high accuracy and high reliability, which are higher in price than the general consumer market. That is, these sensors and actuators are not applicable to the bulk market of consumer electronics and automobiles. It is applicable to the fields of industry, transportation, energy, medical, optical communication, aerospace and defense. Sales of MEMS devices and sensors in such markets have made a lot of achievements.

Micro-nano is the mainstream manufacturing technology

In the years to come, in terms of technology, MEMS technology and micro-nanotechnology will remain the mainstream manufacturing technologies for sensors. The MEMS processing technology has basically matured. How to further improve the MEMS process design capability and how to make the existing MEMS technology practical as soon as possible is a key issue that we urgently need to solve. In the application market, while the automotive market and the medical market continued to develop, the application of MEMS products further expanded, especially in the consumer electronics field, opening up a huge market for them. The strong sales momentum of mobile phones, tablet computers, game controllers, and digital cameras has led to a significant increase in sales of MEMS devices and sensors. In the coming years, smart phones and automotive electronics will be the two major markets for MEMS applications. Motion sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure compasses) in mobile phones and tablets will become the hottest technologies.

In recent years, China's sensor market has maintained a sustained growth. In 2011, the market continues to grow at a rate of over 15%.

Looking forward to 2012, the sensor market will continue to use MEMS technology, micro-nano technology, and network technology as the mainstream technologies, with automotive, consumer electronics, medical, and high-end applications as the main application markets, and further increase the research and development of its own core technologies. To expand the scope of practical applications in the Internet of Things, with the development opportunity of the Internet of Things, to achieve a leap forward in the sensor industry.