According to Sandler Research, the integration of IR cores in smartphones is increasing the prospects of the IR sensors market. The decline in IR sensor prices and demand for highly functional smartphones will have a positive combined effect on IR sensor adoption. The use of wafer-level packaging technology during the manufacturing of IR sensors has helped vendors reduce production costs.
According to Sandler Research, the integration of IR cores in smartphones is increasing the prospects of the IR sensors market. The decline in IR sensor prices and demand for highly functional smartphones will have a positive combined effect on IR sensor adoption. The use of wafer-level packaging technology during the manufacturing of IR sensors has helped vendors reduce production costs.
The report analyzed key players in the global infrared sensors market like Excelitas, Murata, FLIR and Hamamatsu. The other prominent vendors in the market are DRS Technologies, General dynamics, L-3 communications, Nippon Avionics, OMRON, Raytheon, Sofradir, TestoAG, Texas Instruments, Vigo systems S.A. The report says the technological advancements are expected to intensify the competitive environment in this market, and the leading vendors are expected to scale up their investments in the market during the forecast period.
The global IR sensors market has projected to reach a market size of over US$556 million by 2019. In terms of range, the global IR sensor market is dominated by medium wavelength infrared (MWIR) and long wavelength infrared (LWIR) detectors. MWIR and LWIR find their applications in IR thermography and passive vision enhancement for military and civil applications.
The market is currently witnessing the emergence of IR sensors in home automation for securing doors and windows, lighting, and electrical appliances, etc. R&D activities involving advanced tracking technologies are expected to further propel the demand for IR sensors during the forecast period.
The lower prices are increasing its adoption in consumer electronic equipment and communications devices. Advancements in packaging technology, such as micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMSs) and 3D integrated circuits, have helped the industry reduce the size, power consumption, and cost of sensors. This has helped original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to integrate IR sensors with smartphones, tablet PCs, televisions, fans, air conditioners, DVD players, ovens, and other commercial devices — all without compromising on design and cost.
To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated from the following application segments: Security, Smart homes and Testing and measurement. The report also analysis market based on technology: Thermopile, Pyroelectric, Microbolometers, InGaAs and MCT. This research report estimates the IR sensor market in APAC to record a little over US$239 million in revenue, until 2019. The market is augmented by the presence of some of the major IR sensor vendors such as Murata, Hamamatsu Photonics, and Nippon Avionics in the APAC region. Increasing military budgets in some Asian countries, such as China, India, Pakistan, South Korea, and Japan is also booming the demand for military equipment with IR sensors.
Further, the report states that due to the high production cost of IR sensors based on InGaAs, the adoption rates of gas and fire detection equipment are falling in the residential sector. The dependency of IR sensors on IR rays is a technical challenge for vendors.