IoT Smart things

Convenient, helpful, and eco-friendly: Welcome to the fascinating world of smart things

Smart consumer devices like smart speakers, mobile devices, home entertainment devices but also wearables are becoming more intelligent, helping to make life consistently easier and more convenient. And they are increasingly turning into proactive voice-operated assistants, digital wallets and health trackers.

AI
Enabling AI
Article

Jun 16, 2025

From wrist to world: The magic of smart technology

Are you one of those people who never takes off their smartwatch? If yes, this daily routine might sound familiar to you: In the morning, you are gently woken up by your smartwatch, you check your e-mails and news on it over a cup of coffee, and when you leave for work you lock the apartment door with it. On the go you use your smartwatch as contactless payment device to buy a small breakfast, and then pay for a subway ticket with it. When you arrive at the office, the watch provides access to the office building, and later you use it to pay for your lunch in the canteen. Then it's time for the gym, where the watch tracks your sporting achievements for today. In between, telephone calls are made. And in the evening, the smartwatch even serves as a remote control for the TV. When you finally call it a day and go to sleep there is still no rest for your smartwatch as it checks all vital functions to ensure a restful sleep. And to think what could come next!

But what's behind this fascinating world of smart devices? How is it that a wristwatch can take the pulse, recommend great restaurants nearby, and pay for the groceries? What makes a phone smart, and how is it that a smart speaker understands us so well?

The ever-connected consumer

We live in a world, where technology shapes almost every aspect of our daily life. One area that particularly fascinates consumers are “smart things”. No wonder! There are so many innovative features of these increasingly intelligent little voice-controlled assistants, digital wallets and health trackers that can make our lives more convenient. And the upcoming new use cases and possibilities sound very promising as well.

But consumers' demands on their devices are constantly rising: It's no longer enough for them to be easy to use and make our daily lives more convenient. They should also be energy-efficient, safe, and best of all, anticipate what we want next.

Imagine a world where technology is hidden away, fitting perfectly into your daily routine. You won’t need to issue constant commands or fiddle with buttons anymore. Instead, your home simply understands what’s happening around you. Because these devices can think for themselves, they react to your needs instantly, making life easier without you even having to ask.

Fact is: no IoT without microelectronics

The truth is, smart devices are only as good as the technology that powers them. And that's where Infineon comes in, providing the building blocks for a world of smart things. From sensors that can "see" and "hear" to microcontrollers that enable EdgeAI to process and analyze data directly at the source, every component plays a crucial role in bringing these devices to life. For that, it's essential to have the right building blocks in place. By leveraging Infineon's expertise in microelectronics, designers and engineers can focus on creating smart devices that are not just powerful and efficient, but also truly intelligent and responsive on their own.

At the heart of every smart device lies a complex array of microelectronic components. Infineon's comprehensive portfolio is designed to help innovators bring their ideas to life:

  • Versatile sensors like the XENSIV™ 60 GHz radar sensors, MEMS microphones, PAS CO2 sensors, XENSIV™ digital barometric pressure sensors or the CAPSENSE™ solutions make IoT devices smarter, enabling the “things” involved to “see”, “hear”, “feel”, “smell” and therefore understand their surroundings and bring elegant, reliable, and easy-to-use capacitive-touch sensing functionality to your design. They are like “the point of beginning” of each IoT system, as they capture environmental information and convert it into digital data. 
  • Microcontrollers for smart things like the PSOC™ 6 MCU, the XMC™ microcontroller family, the AURIX™ TriCore™ or the CAPSENSE™ controllers make products smart by collecting, processing, analyzing and communicating data. They bridge the gap between high performance and low power. 
  • Edge AI solutions, led by the PSOC™ Edge microcontroller family and supported by the DEEPCRAFT™ AI Suite and Imagimob Studio, provide the intelligence layer. These solutions enable devices to process complex data locally and make autonomous decisions in real-time, ensuring the highest level of privacy and responsiveness without needing the cloud.
  • Depending on “smart” decisions, power semiconductors convert the control signals into action such as motion, light, and heat. CoolGaN™ HEMTs, CoolSiC™ MOSFETs, CIPOS™ IPMs or iMOTION™ ICs are perfect examples for solutions for the IoT. Additionally, wireless power is becoming increasingly integral for the multifaceted world of smart things. Infineon offers safe and efficient wireless charging solutions for inductive and resonant topologies.
  • Reliable connectivity is the IoT’s heartbeat. Today’s requirements for mobile-device and wireless applications are increasingly strict due to 4G/5G. Infineon’s AIROC™ portfolio of Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® products as well as the OPTIGA™ Connect family for secured cellular connectivity based on eSIM stand for reliable and high-performance connectivity. Infineon is also a market leader in USB and USB-C, with more than 1 billion units shipped since 2008.  
  • Security solutions like the OPTIGA™ Trust M, the OPTIGA™ Authenticate, the OPTIGA™ TPM or the PSOC™ 64 Security Line give “things” a trustworthy identity and enable the growth of new business models. They protect sensitive data, intellectual property and personal privacy, and can contribute significantly to public safety.

Smart technology is taking off

As we look to the future, it's clear that the possibilities for smart technology are endless. From the wrist to the world, we're in the middle of a revolution that will change the way we live, work, and interact with each other. And at the heart of it all is the magic of microelectronics now bolstered by Edge AI to process and interpret data right at the source, powering the devices that will shape our tomorrow. With the ability to make our lives easier, safer, and more convenient, smart technology has the potential to transform industries and societies around the world. Whether it's in healthcare, transportation, or education, the impact of increasingly autonomous smart devices will be felt far and wide. So, what's next? The future is full of possibilities, and it's up to us to shape it.