Living & Infrastructure

This is borne out by the Germany Digitalisation Index from the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems FOKUS, which examines the state and progress of digitalisation across the German federal states, with particular attention to advances in digital infrastructure, digital daily life and digital public administration. Between 2023 and 2025 it rose by 4.4 points alone.

Sensor technology, data analytics and AI-supported systems make processes more efficient, safer and more convenient. For people, that means shorter response times, personalised services and a higher quality of life. Three technology trends are pushing this development especially hard: first, artificial intelligence, which enables data-based decisions in real time; second, the Internet of Things (IoT), which connects physical objects intelligently; and third, edge computing, which processes data right where it is created and so reduces latency. Together, these technologies form the foundation for an increasingly autonomous, adaptive and resilient infrastructure in everyday life and in industry.

As early as 2024 (the most recent study currently available), a Eurostat survey found that 70.9% of the EU population used internet-capable devices, including smart TVs and streaming devices as well as fitness trackers and smartwatches. The main drivers are more capable mobile and network infrastructures, falling connectivity costs and rising demand for real-time data, automation and more efficient processes. For people, this means more convenience, for instance through intelligent mobility, connected health applications, lower energy consumption and faster digital services.

Among the most important technology trends, first, 5G enables new applications from Industry 4.0 to telemedicine through low latency and high network capacity. 6G mobile technology is also in the starting blocks, and will complete the merging of the physical and virtual worlds. Secondly, Wi-Fi 7 is gaining importance because it delivers higher data rates and more stable connections for a growing number of devices in buildings, offices and public spaces. Thirdly, processing is shifting further to the edge of the network: edge and cloud computing distribute compute loads more flexibly, shorten response times and relieve central data centres. Fourthly, AI-supported networks are shaping the development: they detect faults faster and make operating ever more complex device and service ecosystems more efficient.

Sensors capture physical and chemical quantities such as temperature, pressure, movement or substance concentrations, providing the data basis for intelligent, automated systems.

The establishment of MEMS technology (micro-electromechanical systems) has considerably lowered the cost of pressure, inertial and microphone sensors. As a result, they are now standard components in smartphones, wearables and IoT edge devices. In consumer electronics alone, several billion MEMS sensors ship every year.

Additional demand comes from smart-city initiatives that systematically integrate connected sensor infrastructures into municipal structures. Applications for monitoring air quality, optimising energy use or improving public safety highlight the central role of sensor technology for urban systems. Funding programmes such as Horizon Europe provide substantial resources for this, particularly to speed up the market launch of robust, energy-efficient and low-maintenance solutions for use in complex urban environments.

Modern sensor networks are increasingly designed with sustainability in mind. The focus is on energy-efficient topologies, approaches to local energy harvesting and the use of recyclable materials, combining ecological requirements with technological performance.

In 2025, according to the Eurostat study "Digitalisation in Europe", more than a third of people in the EU (35%) used generative AI tools.

Edge AI, meaning artificial intelligence that runs directly on devices rather than in the cloud, plays an increasingly important role here. It enables real-time decisions, saves energy and protects sensitive data, because that data never has to leave the device. In the smart home, for example, edge AI lets voice assistants, smart-home controls and security cameras react without latency. Energy-saving heating and lighting controls also use local AI models to learn habits and adjust automatically. Edge AI shows its strengths particularly in healthcare. Wearable sensors such as smartwatches evaluate heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar or breathing patterns right on the body. Thanks to local inference, alerts can be issued immediately, for instance in the event of cardiac arrhythmia or falls.

A central trend in edge AI is the development of especially compact and energy-efficient models that run on resource-constrained devices. At the same time, data protection is gaining importance: local processing reduces the risk of data leaks and meets stricter regulatory requirements. Edge AI also enables more personalised services, because devices can learn individual usage patterns on the spot, without central profiles.

Electrifying our everyday world goes far beyond gains in comfort: it is a central lever for greater energy efficiency and therefore for a climate-neutral future.

The term "All Electric Society" describes a society in which almost all energy needs, whether heat, mobility or consumption, are met electrically. The aim is to replace fossil fuels in everyday life entirely with electricity from renewable sources. Studies show that this shift not only cuts CO₂ emissions dramatically but also raises overall energy efficiency, because electrical systems often incur fewer losses than combustion-based alternatives.

What is barely visible in daily life drives electrification decisively: advances in electronics and semiconductor technology. Three key developments stand out here, each directly affecting how much energy we use day to day:

• Sub-2-nanometre structures: Chips with structures below 2 nm allow 30% more transistors in the same area, at 25% lower energy demand.
• New materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN): These wide-bandgap semiconductors handle higher voltages with lower losses and are already used in efficient power supplies and household UPS systems.
• Photonics and packaging: Optical data transmission at chip level and advanced packaging technologies cut energy demand while increasing performance, a key to more efficient everyday devices.

The "All Electric Society" is more than a purely technical project; it is a societal shift that ties energy efficiency and electrification inseparably to our daily lives.

From the smartphone to the smart home, it regulates voltage, current and thermal losses in real time, and so plays a decisive part in battery life, system stability and overall energy efficiency.

The next generation of energy-management systems builds on three central electronics trends:

• Wide-bandgap semiconductors (SiC & GaN): Power semiconductors made from silicon carbide and gallium nitride deliver markedly lower switching losses and higher efficiency than conventional silicon. They are already used in more compact power supplies, DC/DC converters and household UPS systems, lowering energy demand while increasing power density.
• Intelligent power-management ICs: Modern controller chips monitor voltage, temperature and load conditions to the millisecond. They adjust operating parameters dynamically, detect inefficiencies early and enable predictive energy optimisation, a key to long-lasting, resilient systems.
• 48 V and 800 V architectures: Higher voltage levels reduce conduction losses and allow slimmer cable cross-sections. These standards are increasingly taking hold in the consumer space too, for example in energy-intensive home appliances or decentralised storage systems, contributing directly to greater everyday efficiency.

Power management is therefore no longer an isolated technical topic but an integral part of sustainable system architectures. It combines advances in materials, intelligent control and new voltage standards into a holistic approach, and it is what makes the "All Electric Society" truly energy-efficient in the first place.