The evolution of embedded technology continues to reshape established boundaries. This shift was particularly evident at Embedded World 2026 in Nuremberg, where our team spent three days exploring the latest industry developments and gaining a comprehensive view of where the market is heading.

While our visit followed a carefully structured professional agenda, some of the most valuable insights came from beyond the planned meetings. This is one of the exhibition’s greatest strengths. Even when you arrive with clear objectives, you inevitably encounter solutions that challenge your assumptions and open up new perspectives for everyday development work. In the following, we present a selection of these insights.

Rigid-flex PCBs remain the go-to solution when circuits need to conform to complex geometries. Their key advantage lies in their ability to withstand repeated bending while supporting tight bend radii. In addition, eliminating bulky connectors enables more compact designs.

However, our experience at the exhibition reinforced a well-known trade-off. Rigid-flex designs typically require custom stack-ups, which increases both manufacturing complexity and cost.

Semi-flex solutions, on the other hand, offer a compelling middle ground. These designs use standard FR4 material in a thinned configuration, allowing for limited bending. While they are not suitable for dynamic flexing, they are ideal for shaping during assembly. Thanks to fixed layer stack-ups and the possibility of pooled manufacturing, semi-flex PCBs can be a highly cost-effective option, especially for small to medium production runs.

This contrast clearly highlights a fundamental principle. Selecting the right technology always depends on the specific application environment.

The FPGA landscape is still largely dominated by closed ecosystems, but we are starting to see meaningful shifts. Some emerging players are actively working to change this.

For example, Cologne Chip offers FPGA solutions supported by open-source toolchains. This represents a significant step forward for companies looking to reduce vendor lock-in or gain greater control over their development workflows.

At the same time, FPGA-based System-on-Module solutions continue to play a key role, particularly in simplifying integration for complex systems.

System-in-Package solutions are increasingly positioning themselves as an alternative to traditional System-on-Module architectures. Their primary advantage is compactness, which is an essential factor in applications where every square millimeter counts.

This level of integration, however, comes with added complexity. BGA packaging increases both design and manufacturing challenges and requires higher engineering expertise as well as more precise production technologies.

System-in-Package is a clear example of a broader industry trend. Miniaturization often goes hand in hand with increased complexity.

One of the most interesting developments we observed was in the field of human-machine interfaces. Several manufacturers showcased solutions that combine the flexibility of touchscreens with the tactile feedback of mechanical controls.

The concept is simple and effective. Mechanical elements such as buttons or rotary knobs are mounted on the surface of a touchscreen and physically actuate it. This approach delivers tangible feedback without requiring additional electrical integration.

The result is reduced system complexity and a significantly improved user experience. This can be particularly valuable in environments where reliable feedback is critical, such as industrial control interfaces.

At the same time, haptic feedback technologies are reaching new levels of maturity, with some solutions now convincingly replicating the feel of mechanical switches.

Based on what we saw at Embedded World 2026, engineering decisions are increasingly made at system level. PCB technology, integration approach and interface design are no longer separate topics but tightly linked choices that directly impact performance and manufacturability. The challenge is not access to new technologies, but using them in a way that fits the actual application.

In October 2025, Brussels will host the world’s largest and most influential bus industry event, Busworld Europe 2025. During the event, from October 4th to 9th, we invite professionals interested in public transportation, vehicle manufacturing, and mobility technologies to visit the HC Linear exhibition stand — including you.

This year, Busworld Europe will focus on sustainable mobility solutions, the latest digital innovations, and future transportation trends, featuring over 500 exhibitors showcasing transport technology solutions from around the globe.

HC Linear awaits visitors at Hall 4, Stand 417. We will showcase our latest products, services, and technological innovations. This exceptional opportunity offers a chance for personal meetings with our partners, clients, and industry decision-makers.

If you have any questions or would like to pre-register for the event, please feel free to contact us at
. We offer our partners free admission to the event—please reach out to our colleagues for a voucher code!

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We look forward to welcoming you and your colleagues in October in Berlin at Busworld Europe 2025 — where the future of transportation begins!

Every year InnoElectro is an important meeting point for the electronics industry. This year again, many manufacturers and distributors presented their latest developments, from PCB manufacturing and testing to automation and robotics solutions.

Below is a brief summary of the main technological trends and types of tools that have been highlighted this year.

There are still two main solutions for automatic optical inspection (AOI) on the market: 2D and 3D systems. 3D AOI equipment is capable of providing a perspective view of the PCB under inspection, but many manufacturers stress that 2D mode remains important for detailed inspection of solder defects.

Several exhibitors presented automated soldering units that use a soldering iron head and solder wire dispenser moving on an X-Y-Z axis. These devices perform soldering one at a time, similar to manual soldering, but work at a steady and fast pace. They have the advantage of not requiring flux spray and allow for denser part layouts.

The conference section of the exhibition also featured a number of interesting presentations, including on the role of artificial intelligence in PCB and hardware design. It was concluded that AI can currently mainly make suggestions based on previous designs, but that their final adoption and integration remains an engineering responsibility.

The exhibition was also an opportunity for young engineers and university students to showcase their own developments. BME students, for example, presented their rocket project “Prometheus“, which has been successfully competing in international competitions.

InnoElectro 2025 has once again confirmed its role as one of the most important industrial meeting places in the region. The wide spectrum of technologies and solutions presented illustrated the evolution of the electronics industry, with a focus on automation, reliable quality control and new types of integrated systems.

If you’re interested in these trends or have questions about a specific technology solution, we’re happy to discuss our experience. Contact us at one of our contact details!

The embedded systems industry is evolving at an incredible pace, making it essential to stay ahead of the latest technological advancements. This year’s Embedded World, held in Nuremberg from March 11–13, once again proved to be a key event for the sector, attracting professionals from around the world.

With over 32,000 attendees from 80 countries, the event highlighted the strong international interest in embedded technology. Our development engineers at HC Linear Ltd. were on-site to explore the latest trends firsthand and exchange insights with industry experts.

We took the opportunity to visit several of our partners’ booths, learning about their newest products and developments while discussing key technical questions. The event also provided an excellent platform to forge new business relationships and potential collaborations.

This year’s exhibition featured cutting-edge innovations in WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 technology, with Panasonic Industry’s booth standing out for its demonstrations of Matter and PanMaX services alongside their WiFi 6 modules.

Two major conferences complemented the exhibition: the Embedded World Conference and the Electronic Displays Conference. With over 200 hours of expert-led sessions, these forums delved into the latest advancements shaping the industry. A key focus was the integration of AI and machine learning into embedded systems, unlocking new possibilities in real-time data processing and decision-making.

Cybersecurity was another hot topic, with companies showcasing advanced hardware and software security solutions designed to protect systems from cyber threats and ensure data integrity. Given the increasing emphasis on security from our customers, these developments are particularly relevant for us.

One of the event’s highlights was the Embedded Award 2025, recognizing groundbreaking innovations across nine categories. Some standout winners included:

• AI & Machine Learning: Ambiq‘s heartKIT™, an ultra-low-power AI-powered heart monitoring solution for battery-operated devices.
• Hardware: Cadence Design Systems’ Base System Chiplet, showcasing the advantages of chiplet-based architectures over traditional SoCs.
• Embedded Vision: Team Group Inc.’s D500R WORM SD / microSD cards, offering state-of-the-art data protection features.

Embedded World 2025 provided us with valuable insights into the future of embedded technology, reinforcing the importance of innovation, security, and efficiency. It was a fantastic opportunity to deepen professional connections and explore cutting-edge solutions that could shape the next generation of embedded systems.
Want to learn more about how these technologies can be applied in real-world scenarios?
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