It’s hard to get through the day without hearing or reading about AI. Most of it is about the great things it will do — or the terrible things it will do — but there is a consensus that it will change our lives. Once you start digging into the details, you learn that it relies on huge amounts of data, which are stored in giant data centers, otherwise known as the “cloud.” That works fine for generative AI, or to sort through tons of data to extract meaningful information. But, cloud data is not as useful for real-time systems. So, it’s helpful to think of AI being used in two major application areas: one is data analytics, and the other is manipulation of data for real-time automated systems. AI in real-time systems needs real-time data, and the source of real-time data is sensors. As I wrote in an earlier blog, “Without sensors there would be no IoT, or IIoT, or Industry 4.0.”

Atlas Technologies’ customer, VolkVac Instruments, needed a UHV chamber small enough and light enough to easily carry by hand. It needed to connect to another UHV chamber to allow transfer of samples under vacuum to a chamber in a new location. The sample handoff had to occur without opening the chambers or requiring bake-out. And the chamber had to be completely non-magnetic to allow transport of samples with delicate magnetic properties.

When we last heard from MELD Manufacturing, the large-scale 3D printer supplier was taking first place in the Robotics/Automation/Manufacturing category at the 2018 Create the Future (CTF) contest.

Used to discover hidden heat patterns, thermal imaging cameras (TICs) can also save lives. Firefighters use them daily to see through smoke, locate and rescue victims, and stay better oriented during response missions. They’re also used in everyday life. TICs use color to show the relative temperature of an object, which allows you to see where you might have leaky outlets, drafty doors, missing insulation, and more.

This application paper explores the role of sensors in medical pump design. It covers how force, bubble, and temperature sensors help improve safety, accuracy, and reliability—especially in critical care settings. With practical examples and insights from TE Connectivity, this is a valuable resource for engineers looking to design smarter, more dependable medical devices without increasing cost or complexity.