The IEC Market Strategy Board (MSB) helps the IEC better understand the challenges of the future. Its 15 members identify the principal technological trends and market needs in the areas where the IEC undertakes its...
It is only the power of hindsight that allows us to grasp the full significance of breakthroughs in science and technology. The first powered flight, for example, lasted only 12 seconds and covered less than 40 metres...
There is a saying in Chinese that it is hard to walk on one foot and it is impossible to clap with one hand. The moral is that it is only by working together and cooperating that we can accomplish many tasks. This same...
Taking its name from the shape that resembles ties worn by many around the world, bow tie analysis was introduced as a hazard and risk analysis method some 40 years ago. It has attracted much attention in the last two...
At different times in life, people may wish to improve their well-being or require diverse levels of assistance. This could mean enhancing home comforts with smart heating and cooling systems or using intelligent...
The news that the first all-woman spacewalk was cancelled in March 2019 because NASA did not plan spacesuits adapted to the women astronauts’ morphology highlighted an issue that has rarely hit the front pages. The world...
Switching on a light, using a smartphone, plugging in a hairdryer, taking the bus, car or electric scooter to work, heating food in a microwave, using a computer or electric drill, the list of our daily interactions with...
The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic is set to transform economies globally in the medium and long term as its adverse consequences spread to more domains. Beyond the oil market, which was immediately negatively affected by...
Quantum computing is a relatively young technology that promises to spearhead a wave of disruption that will transform the way we we live and work. Governments, universities and corporations are investing billions into...
Halogens are generally considered to be any of the group of five chemical elements of the periodic table consisting of fluorine (F), chlorine (CI), bromine (Br), iodine (I) and astatine (At). This group of elements had...
The science fiction movie Her tells the story of a man who falls in love with the virtual assistant on his computer’s operating system. The assistant is personified through a female voice and, using artificial...
Our lives are surrounded by machines for tasks ranging from the mundane to the complex. We rely on them to help us with our daily chores and to make better choices. They allow us to communicate with friends and...
A recent article in Science Robotics suggests that robots could be effective resources in combating COVID-19. They can be used for disinfection, to deliver medicine and food and measure vital signs. A hospital at the...
In recent times, there has not been a more critical need to have access to and use technology, for work, education and in healthcare, to help patients and protect healthcare workers, as the world adjusts to living during...
Cities can benefit from the widespread use of data and technology. However, in order to leverage the benefit of new technologies, standards are needed. Not only do they allow for the provision of competitively priced and...
The brain contains about 100 billion microscopic cells called neurons which together can generate enough electricity to power a low-wattage bulb. Scientists, researchers as well as forward-looking tech companies are...
On 3 February 2020, Frans Vreeswijk officially handed over the reins of the IEC to his successor Philippe Metzger.We have asked Vreeswijk to outline what he sees as major achievements during the eight years of his...
