The University of Washington campus in Seattle is a short drive from companies such as Amazon and Microsoft that are famous for their disruptive technology. Engineers at the school hope their new telephone will also become a game changer in the competitive world of consumer electronics.

Robots used to be thought of strictly as stationary machines. They were bolted to a floor, table, ceiling or wall and that’s where they stayed. But, that’s beginning to change.

Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting is one of the hottest segments in the electrical equipment industry today. And, as more consumers seek energy-efficient alternatives to traditional incandescent and fluorescent products, global shipments of LED fixtures, luminaires and modules are expected to grow more than 12 percent annually over the next five years.

Jabil Inc., a U.S.-based global manufacturing services company with electronics design, supply chain, production and product management capabilities, is investing heavily in metal additive manufacturing.

General Electric envisions a big future for metal additive manufacturing technology.

The era of digital manufacturing, Industry 4.0 and smart factories is here. It promises to improve productivity, drive operating efficiencies and transform the way many types of products are mass-produced. Benefits include optimized efficiency and reduced assembly line errors.

Rechargeable batteries are used in everything from consumer electronics and medical devices to power tools and electric vehicles. But, the ubiquitous devices can be a pain to constantly charge.

Most people associate additive manufacturing with plastics. However, a slew of new materials and processes are now available that enable engineers to print a variety of metal components.

By 2030, electronics content will account for 50 percent of an automobile’s total production cost. Earlier this decade, it was only 30 percent.