In this article, we will briefly outline the progress in multiple emerging sectors whilst also identifying the latest trendy nascent application areas.

A team of IDTechEx analysts attended CES 2017 in the first week of January. Our aim was to cover all of the latest updates and trends in each of the topics that we cover. In this exclusive premium article, we report our observations in the VR, AR/MR, smartwatch & fitness tracker, sensors, air quality monitoring, displays and haptics spaces.

These past 12 months have seen numerous celebrity deaths, athlete drug scandals and the end of Brangelina however, it was also the year Tesla announced fully automated cars, Alexa became part of the family and Leicester City won the Premier League. As we plan ahead for 2017, IDTechEx analysts have taken a look back over the past 12 months and picked out the most impactful technology launches, acquisitions and products from 2016. Happy New Year from all at IDTechEx!

The very structure of the bus is changing with electrics, mechanics and electronics previously made as "components-in-a-box" being replaced by structural electronics - the roof is the solar, the dashboard is the instruments - all as smart materials.

Debuts in North America; Event Also Features Presentations from Major Car Companies Including Ford, Nissan, Porsche and Toyota

Watch our preview of the IDTechEx Show! coming up in Santa Clara on Nov. 16-17 (www.idtechex.com/usa).

Cornerstone presentations at North America's largest event on emerging technologies cover how new technologies are addressing world's biggest needs

IDTechEx Research analysis showed that the conductive ink business was on the cusp of rapid and comprehensive change. Changing business dynamics has forced many suppliers to change strategy, focusing on many emerging and nascent applications in the hope that some will grow in the future to compensate for the commoditization and/or decline in core markets. In this article, we bring you an update on some of the latest trends and developments.

At this year's CEATEC, Japan's largest consumer electronics show, Honda showed an example of its so-called Micro Commuter electric car with a body that's been constructed using additive manufacturing.

The range of available materials is one of the key hurdles to adoption for industrial 3D printing. 3D printing is being rapidly adopted by product manufacturers all around the world, but it still can't compete with many other manufacturing techniques with respect to material diversity.

On Tuesday 6th September, General Electric caused a stir in the 3D printing industry by announcing plans to buy Arcam and SLM Solutions, for a total of $1.4 billion.

The new IDTechEx Research report 3D Printing Materials 2016-2016 has highlighted the growing market for professionals using desktop thermoplastic extrusion 3D printers.

Following the progress of MakerBot, it is easy to be despondent about the whole desktop 3D printing industry.

The unique new IDTechEx Research report, Microcontrollers and Single-board Computers 2016-2026, is the first to reveal the big picture developing from the close relationship between these devices. It provides newly researched forecasts leading to figures such as $300bn in 2026 for SBC alone.

To date, attendee registrations are up by 17% and exhibiting organizations are up by 27% on last year.

The conductive inks and paste business will generate a demand of 1800 tonnes. IDTechEx Research forecasts that this will grow to 2200 by 2026. This business has come alive again and is now a business where literally everything is changing.

Siemens has opened a production facility for metal 3D printed components in Finspång. The investment of around 200 million Swedish Krona (€21.4 million) is the first step in the company's plans for the mass manufacture and repair of metal parts with additive manufacturing.

German industrial machining and tooling equipment manufacturer, Trumpf, has added another type of metal 3D printing technology to its portfolio. This makes Trumpf the only manufacturer to offer all of the major laser 3D printing technologies.

Ten short years ago 3D printing was almost the exclusive remit of rapid prototyping. Nobody was putting 3D printing into mass production back then.

Two of the leading names in thermoplastic filament manufacturing have formed a powerful partnership, hoping to play an essential role in the industry. There are now over 300,000 thermoplastic extrusion printers in the world, with a total annual filament market of $250m in 2015.