May 13 2015
The IEEE MTT-S 2015 International Microwave Symposium (IMS) will debut Microwave Week's first Wearables + Wireless Pavilion featuring emerging wearable electronics that utilize RF and microwave technologies.
Curated and sponsored by Intel and Wireless Design and Development, the Pavilion will be located at booth #307 in the Phoenix Convention Center as part of the symposium May 17-22, 2015.
Wearable technology continues to emerge as a huge market with a steady stream of solutions from fitness bands to smart glasses. The International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts wearable electronic vendors will ship more than 45 million units in 2015, and grow at a five-year compound rate of 45.1 percent, reaching 126.1 million units in 2019.
"Wearable technology is rapidly penetrating the consumer market; for the microwave and RF industry, this translates into tremendous growth and opportunities," said Vijay Nair, IMS2015 General Chair. "The Wearables and Wireless Pavilion will showcase the innovations that microwave professionals are making with these devices, from fitness bands to smart glasses, and demonstrate the continued impact of microwave and RF technologies on consumers' daily lives."
Wearable electronics have also emerged as a key trend in the symposium's technical sessions and panels. Highlights include a full-day session on wearable electronics organized by Dr. Debabani Choudhury and Professor J.-C. Chiao, a focus session on wearable electronics and technologies for the Internet of Things and the panel "Wearable Electronics- Is it a Fad or the Future of Electronics?" during which participants will discuss potential applications for wearable electronics, debate market trends and address the future of the field.
Additional wearable-focused sessions include:
- "Wearable Electronics with Microwaves" – presented by Debabani Choudhury, Intel Corporation and J.-C. Chiao, University of Texas at Arlington
- "Wearable Devices utilizing Microwaves" – presented by J.-C. Chiao, University of Texas at Arlington
- "Radar Techniques for Wireless Indoor Positioning" – presented by Sheng-Fuh Chang, National Chung Cheng University
- "Miniature Near-field Radar Sensing Technology for Wearable Applications" – presented by Hong-Dun Lin, Taiwan Industrial Technology Research Institute
- "Wearable Wireless Sensors for Seizure Detection and Alert Systems" – presented by Eric Chow, Cyberonics, Inc.
- "Wearable Sensor System for Monitoring Body Kinematics;" – presented by Victor Lubecke, University of Hawaii
- "Wearable Wireless Zero-Power Sensors Utilizing Additive Manufacturing Techniques" – presented by Manos Tentzeris, Georgia Institute of Technology
- "Challenges of Wireless Technologies for Wearable Electronics" – presented by Gernot Hueber, NXP Semiconductors
"The focus on wearable electronics through both the sessions and pavilion makes for a timely and important discussion amidst the transformation into an increasingly connected world," said Janine Mooney, Editor in Chief of Wireless Design and Development. "With the brightest minds and greatest innovations gathered at IMS2015, it's also a reminder that the microwave industry is a driving force enabling that transformation."
IMS has also declared Wednesday, May 20 "#wearableswednesday" to encourage attendees with fitness wearables to take a photo of their step count on the show floor and post it on social media with the hashtag #wearableswednesday. The participant with the most steps will receive a prize.
IMS2015 will be held May 17-22, 2015 at the Phoenix Convention Center as the centerpiece of Microwave Week 2015. It consists of a full week of events, including technical paper presentations, workshops and tutorials, and an exhibition featuring over 620 companies. In addition to IMS2015, Microwave Week includes the collocated RFIC Symposium and the ARFTG Conference.