Japanese and German researchers have used a single-step, laser-based method to produce small, precise hybrid microstructures of silver and flexible silicone. Their technology could one day enable smart factories that use a single production line to mass-produce customised devices combining soft materials with hard materials. [ + ]

Renesas Electronics has announced that its automotive technologies will drive Toyota's autonomous vehicles, which are presently under development and scheduled for commercial launch in 2020. [ + ]

Macquarie University researchers have made a single tiny diamond shine brightly — a behaviour known as superradiance — at room temperature, paving the way for nanodiamonds to be used in navigation, biomedical imaging, solar cells and more. [ + ]

Californian scientists have reported major progress in the development of cathodes made with so-called 'disordered' materials, which could lead to a promising new type of lithium-ion battery. [ + ]

Semiconductor company STMicroelectronics has reported its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended 30 September 2017. [ + ]

A University of Queensland (UQ) research project to develop better batteries for renewable energy has received funding thanks to a joint Queensland–China scheme. [ + ]

UK scientists from Brunel University London have used a 3D printer to create a flexible, wearable equivalent of a battery, in what is claimed to be a world first. [ + ]

US researchers have created tiny semiconductor particles, called quantum dots, into which they can add extra electrons — a treatment that nudges the dots ever closer to producing the desired laser light with less stimulation and energy loss. [ + ]

Australian researchers have used liquid metal to create two-dimensional materials no thicker than a few atoms that have never before been seen in nature. [ + ]

Mouser Electronics has signed several new global distribution agreements recently, adding aconno, Industruino and more to its extensive list of electronics suppliers. [ + ]

US researchers have sent out their assurance that the key materials that make up lithium-ion batteries are likely to have sufficient supply to meet the anticipated long-term demand — so long as we start planning now. [ + ]

University of Edinburgh researchers have alleviated potential fears about using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for wireless communication, revealing that transmitting digital data via LEDs does not make their light dimmer or change their colour. [ + ]

BCC Research has released two reports into the future of the electronics components and solid-state drives markets, respectively, predicting continued growth for each. [ + ]

Force sensor supplier Peratech has received the Electronic Product of the Year award at the British Engineering Excellence Awards (BEEAs). The award was presented to Peratech for its 3D Multi-Touch Matrix sensor, based on its Quantum Tunnelling Composite (QTC) technology. [ + ]

The University of Massachusetts Amherst has received a US$500,000 grant from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2) to support research into flexible hybrid electronics (FHE). [ + ]