Myant Inc. Weaves Its Way Into Wearable Technologies P.10
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OCTOBER 2018 CANADA’S INFORMATION LEADER FOR ELECTRONIC ENGINEERS AND DESIGNERS EPT.CA TEST & MEASUREMENT How to add RF and lower compliance costs p.12 SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT How to insulate your products against the electronics shortage p.16 MEDICAL ELECTRONICS Preparing for the surgical robot boom p.18 TEXTILE COMPUTING Myant Inc. weaves its way into wearable technologies p.10 180619_8-1Mill_CoverBanner_EPT_CA.indd 1 6/19/18 11:33 AM PA_JulyAug2018_DigikeyEPT_Oct2018_AMS.indd banner.indd1 1 2018-06-212018-09-27 12:5712:56 PM 180830_DNA_EPT_CA.indd 1 8/27/18 4:01 PM EPT_Oct_DigiKeyFP.inddEPT_Oct2018_AMS.indd 2 1 2018-09-242018-09-27 10:3812:56 AMPM 10 12 INSIDE OCTOBER 2018 Columns COVER STORY 4 EDITORIAL TEXTILE COMPUTING E-textiles emerge 10 Toronto-based Myant Technologies creates from runway fabrics that incorporate electronics 8 WEST TECH REPORT CVAN lends support TEST & INSTRUMENTATION 16 to entrepreneurs 12 Add RF capability and lower compliance costs at the same time 15 New Products In every issue 7 NEWSWATCH SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT 18 21 PRODUCT SOURCE 16 Protect your product designs against 21 AD INDEX electronic component shortages 22 TEARDOWN Oppo Find X MEDICAL ELECTRONICS 18 Sugical robots emerge into mainstream 19 New Products Cover photo: Myant Technologies Myant photo: Cover Myant, top) & Schwarz, Rohde Systems da Vinci Robotic from Images, Getty (this page, Photos @EPTmagazine October 2018 / EP&T 3 EPT_Oct_EPTHouse.indd 1 2018-09-20 12:58 PM Untitled-3 1 2018-09-20 10:05 AM 180830_DNA_EPT_CA.indd 1 8/27/18 4:01 PM EPT_Oct_DigiKeyFP.indd 1 2018-09-24 10:38 AM EPT_Oct2018_AMS.indd 3 2018-09-27 12:56 PM EDITORIAL Canada’s information leader for Presents Smart fabrics evolve electronic engineers and designers OCTOBER 2018 Volume 40, Number 7 EDITOR Stephen Law beyond the runway [email protected] · (416) 510-5208 WEST COAST CORRESPONDENT Sohail Kamal In development around reliability, cross-com- and many more. [email protected] for decades, the patibility & standards, equip- The best part is that Canada ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Scott Atkinson integration of ment suitability, materials can boast having a leading player [email protected] · (416) 510-5207 electronics and availability and overhead costs in this emerging sector – Toron- ACCOUNT MANAGER Joanna Malivoire textiles known have been prohibitive in many to-based Myant Technologies [email protected] · direct 866-868-7089 as electronic emerging market opportunities. Inc., which operates an ART DIRECTOR Andrea M. Smith textiles (e-tex- However, thanks to significant 80,000-square-foot facility that [email protected] tiles) or smart investment and partnerships, houses advanced robotic knit- CIRCULATION MANAGER Anita Madden fabrics have begun to achieve some of these barriers are being ting machines. Supported by [email protected] some commercial success. lowered, with more players able state-of-the-art 3D digital fabri- Tel: 416-442-5600 ext. 3596 OPTIMALLY Textile computing refers to to make more advanced e-textile cation, Myant enables the ACCOUNT COORDINATOR Tracey Hanson the integration of biometric sen- products at less prohibitive pric- world’s only end-to-end textile [email protected] DESIGNED sors and actuators into the very es. These developments improve computing capacity, from re- VICE PRESIDENT - EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER yarns or fibres of a textile prod- the chances that emerging search and development through Tim Dimopoulos uct. Alongside those sensors and e-textile products have against end production. [email protected] MAGNETICS actuators is hardware with built- incumbent options, according Since its formation in 2010, PRESIDENT & CEO Mike Fredericks in software that transmits the to an IDTechEx report. Myant has forged its way by as- data from your body via Blue- sembling multi-disciplinary EP&T is published eight times per year by Offering thousands tooth to your phone, watch or There is an teams of designers, engineers ANNEX BUSINESS MEDIA other device. unquestionable and scientists, to create the form 111 Gordon Baker Road of part numbers While e-textiles markets re- potential when factors and the hardware and Suite 400 CSE187L CST-1005 main in relative infancy today, software that will deliver both the Toronto, ON M2H 3R1 standard, off the shelf. combining the Tel (416) 442-5600 many industry players are lining comfort, feel and sensing capacity and the user Fax (416) 510-5134 CURRENT SENSE / LOW 50/60 HZ CURRENT SENSE up to offer the next generation of look of textiles with experience that will deliver real www.annexweb.com FREQUENCY TRANSFORMERS TRANSFORMERS smart textile products. From value-ad for its partners and the functionality, SUBSCRIPTION RATES clothing to bandages, bed linen their customers. In addition, Canada – $57.50 one year; $92.50 two years to industrial fabrics, new prod- connectivity and Myant’s R&D team remains fo- USA – $101.00 per year ucts are appearing throughout a intelligence of cused on finding and developing International – US$138.00 per year Single copy – Canada $15 variety of verticals as this technol- electronics next generation yarns and fibers, ogy area is increasingly explored. as well as new sensing and actu- CIRCULATION [email protected] According to industry re- As with e-textiles, there is ation processes. Tel: 416-442-5600 ext. 3552 searchers IDC, market fore- tremendous reliance on the suc- Among its most recent initia- Fax: 416-510-6875 or 416-442-2191 casts show underwhelming cess of the extended emerging tives, Myant has focused on ISSN 0708-4366 (print) results thus far globally. How- technology ecosystem; which partnering with companies and ISSN 1923-3701 (digital) ever, the slowdown represents includes conductive inks, institutions in order to democra- PUB. MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40065710 more of a sign that the market is stretchable electronics, wearable tize manufacturing in the func- Return undeliverable Canadian addresses in transition. technology, printed electronics, tional and computing textile to: EP&T Circulation Department, 111 Gordon Baker Rd. Suite 400, Toronto, “Vendors are slowly moving printed and flexible sensors, In- industry, and support innovation ON M2H 3R1 beyond first-generation devices ternet of Things, emerging ener- to make it more accessible to and experiences. The wearables gy storage, and many more. educators, inventors, students, of tomorrow will play a more The big picture for e-textiles is medical professionals, research- prominent role in communica- extremely exciting. There is an ers, and idea makers. The goal for tion, digital health care, home unquestionable potential when Myant CEO Tony Chahine is IoT, and enterprise productivity combining the comfort, feel and that it will enhance the fabric of © 2018 EP&T. All rights reserved. Opinions that will make last year’s options look of textiles with the function- Canada in the long run. expressed in this magazine are not necessarily FS24-100-C2 WSU120-1000 VPM48-1040 look quaint,” says Ramon Lla- ality, connectivity and intelli- To get a better sense of what those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions or CLASS 2/3 TRANSFORMER WALL PLUG - INS POWER TRANSFORMER CHASSIS mas, research director at IDC. gence of electronics, and these Myant is doing to create a validity of the claims in items reported. All In the last few years, research broad-brush industry sectors beachhead in E-textiles, be sure advertising is subject to the publisher’s MOUNT : TOROIDAL MEDICAL SERIES approval. Such approval does not imply any group IDTechEx has witnessed give only part of the picture. to turn to page 10 for our exclu- endorsement of the products or services a developing maturity in the E-textile products are being ex- sive Q&A interview. advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the e-textiles value chain. While plored in many exciting niches, standards of the publication. Occasionally, companies have been able to from body motion capture, to STEPHEN LAW EP&T will mail information on behalf of manufacture and sell e-textile prevention of diseases and side Editor industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. products for decades, challenges effects, to improving road safety, [email protected] If you prefer not to receive this information, STOCKED AND DISTRIBUTED BY ELECTRO SONIC please contact our circulation department. Connect with EP&T magazine PRINTED IN CANADA @EPTmagazine facebook.com/EPTmag/ [email protected] ept.ca 4 ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY / October 2018 EPT.CA E-SONIC.COM | 1-800-56-SONIC EPT_Oct2018_AMS.indd 4 2018-09-27 12:56 PM EPT_Oct_ElectroSonic.indd 1 2018-09-17 9:00 AM Presents OPTIMALLY DESIGNED MAGNETICS Offering thousands of part numbers standard, off the shelf. CSE187L CST-1005 CURRENT SENSE / LOW 50/60 HZ CURRENT SENSE FREQUENCY TRANSFORMERS TRANSFORMERS FS24-100-C2 WSU120-1000 VPM48-1040 CLASS 2/3 TRANSFORMER WALL PLUG - INS POWER TRANSFORMER CHASSIS MOUNT : TOROIDAL MEDICAL SERIES STOCKED AND DISTRIBUTED BY ELECTRO SONIC E-SONIC.COM | 1-800-56-SONIC EPT_Oct_ElectroSonic.inddEPT_Oct2018_AMS.indd 5 1 2018-09-272018-09-17 12:56 9:00 AMPM Download Today! . EPT_Oct_Protocase.inddEPT_Oct2018_AMS.indd 61 2018-09-062018-09-27 10:5812:56 AMPM NEWSWATCH FLEXIBLE ELECTRONICS “When we took a close look at panel builders, we noted they integrate off- QUEEN’S U UNVEILS the-shelf modular product solutions to ROLLABLE TOUCH-SCREEN the maximum extent possible,” Flana- A Queen’s University research team gan says. “Most often, they use prod- has taken a page from history, rolled it ucts which mount to industry standard up and created the MagicScroll – a DIN rails, directly to cabinet walls, or rollable touch-screen tablet designed to sub-panels within cabinets.” to capture the seamless flexible screen real estate of ancient scrolls in a mod- ENTERPRISE OF THINGS ern-day device.