The Internet of Things (IoT) has taken yet another giant leap with the introduction of the “connected home.”
Except for some convenience features now and then, household appliances have always performed the same functions for the past decade. Recently, however, smart appliances were introduced, and while it is a welcome change, it made product assembly more complicated, forcing engineers to rethink the way they design products.
The New Connected Home
Unlike traditional appliances that run on certain presets but lack learning capabilities, smart appliances adapt to the home and its inhabitants – its environment. Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute director Martial Herbert says that in its most advanced stages, smart machines will learn through high-performance sensors that can acquire and share significant amounts of data.
In time, smart appliances will be capable of learning based on the needs of its consumer and, in time, they will be able to act on behalf of the user without the need for human intervention. Regardless if automated or managed by a user, smart appliances will also have the ability to sync up with their whole environments.
A Challenge for Engineers
The arrival of automated appliances, however, caused a shift towards data-centric manufacturing, which will, in turn, change the way device engineers will work down the road.
The presence of companies that offer adaptive, all-encompassing electronic manufacturing services will become relevant, as the manufacturing workforce of the future will require new functions, skills, and even organizational structures. At the core level, product development will shift from mainly mechanical engineering to interdisciplinary system while product testing will move from mostly electronic to wireless infrastructure. As the features of the products become advanced, the assembly and test process must also change and adapt.
Allazo Electronics offers services that are scalable to your needs to bring your electronic device designs to life, from design development to prototype fabrication, to high-volume production. Since 2002 we have served all industrial segments, with PCB assembly, electromechanical device manufacturing and assembly, wire and cable harness fabrication, and device rework. Our partnership structure offers best-in-class capabilities while keeping costs low.
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