top 5 challenges for testing today’s consumer electronics - averna test guru

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TOP 5 CHALLENGES

FOR TESTINGTODAY’S CONSUMER

ELECTRONICS

TESTING MORE TECHNOLOGY IN LESS TIME1.

Most consumer devices used to have just a few functions. Today, feature-rich products are the norm and product designers are constantly adding more capabilities to smartphones, car infotainment systems and other devices. That means more functionality, connectivity, so�ware, and security features to validate.

Test engineers are under enormous pressure to ensure all of the technologies work to spec and “play nicely” together. Yet with an ever-expanding list of use cases to consider, as well as budget, equipment and human resource shortfalls, many struggle to get quality products to market rapidly.

Top 5 Challenges for Testing Today’s Consumer Electronics / Averna* “The Next Big OS War Is in Your Dashboard,” Wired

TEsT ThIs! A cAr CoNsOlE CaN HaVe mOrE ThAn 100-MiLlIoN LiNeS Of cOde.*

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One example of a common test dilemma is the fact that many of the legacy hardware instruments simply do not have the integrated signal processing or IP* necessary to properly test all the di�erent RF standards being integrated into popular consumer devices.

Consequently, the testers have to buy and integrate expensive new instruments, build additional test stations, or develop RF signal or IP toolkits, adding considerable complexity and costs to their projects, o�en leading to longer test times and slower production throughput.

TESTING MORE TECHNOLOGYIN LESS TIMETop 5 Challenges for Testing Today’s Consumer Electronics / Averna

* Intellectual property.

“ Today, your cellphone has more computer power than all of NASA back in 1969, when it placed two astronauts on the moon ... The Sony PlayStation of today, which costs $300, has the power of a military supercomputer of 1997, which cost millions of dollars.” – Michio Kaku, Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100

BATTERY AND POWER MANAGEMENT ISSUES2.By equipping even the smallest wearable and portable devices with a multitude of power-hungry features such as GPS, sensors, video, phone and camera, product designers have placed an enormous strain on device batteries. Not only do they need to be ever smaller, they need to be ever more powerful.

It’s not surprising, then, that designers are scrambling to �nd alternatives to traditional batteries and better ways to store and manage device power. This dilemma is compounded by the fact that consumers tend to be unforgiving when their latest gadget dies overnight or worse – runs out of power while in use.

BAtTeRy iSsUeS MaKe mE FeEl UnEmPoWeRed!

Top 5 Challenges for Testing Today’s Consumer Electronics / Averna

All this turmoil in the widening consumer electronics market has impacted the test industry. New micro-batteries and innovative power sources are challenging engineers to �nd the most e�ective ways to test capacity, drain rate, rechargeability, cycle life and other parameters to ensure robust batteries for their devices.

Some new wearable devices are even powered by body heat, which leads to interesting issues with testing thermo-electric technology. For example, how can you easily emulate body heat, movements, and constantly changing environments of typical users (e.g., under hot sun, in air-conditioned cars, outdoors in winter)?

BATTERY AND POWERMANAGEMENT ISSUES 2Top 5 Challenges for Testing Today’s Consumer Electronics / Averna

USER EXPERIENCE-CENTERED PRODUCT DESIGNS3.

As OEMs create and market the next big consumer products, users’ needs and behavior are paramount. Instead of designing electronic products from circuit boards and technical functions out to user interfaces, the emerging strategy is to design products according to expected user behavior and experience (UX).

This shi� has put quite a strain on some test organizations. Devices now have dozens of features, user options and input methods to test, including device position, hand/�nger movements, pressure, voice commands, and sensor inputs. Much test infrastructure needs to be refactored to cover these endless possibilities.

I wAnT A GaDgEt ThAt fItS And EnHaNcEs mY LiFeStYle.


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While personalized products are the dream for consumers, their complexity has spelled major issues for some third-party players near the end of the product lifecycle. Since many of these devices are in high demand and feature-rich, they retain considerable value even when damaged and returned to the vendor.

Many companies that do returns-screening/reverse logistics (3PLs) are scrambling to implement the instruments, diagnostics, and �xtures necessary to support each new version of these products. Complicating their e�orts are sizeable amounts of embedded IP – IP that most vendors can’t or won’t share with third parties.

USER EXPERIENCE-CENTEREDPRODUCT DESIGNSTop 5 Challenges for Testing Today’s Consumer Electronics / Averna

WEARABLE HEALTH AND PERSONAL DEVICES4.Appropriately, the latest hot products are ones that can actually take your temperature, and a whole lot more. They can record heart rates, help maintain health and �tness goals, support smart accessories, and share data. For example:• Medical: Blood-pressure, oxygen, and glucose

monitors, hearing aids, armbands• Fitness: Activity and emotional monitors,

pedometers, sleep sensors, smart watches• Work/lifestyle: Head-up displays, hand-worn

terminals, smart glasses and clothing*

Yet because of their advanced technology and the crucial data they process, there may be regulatory compliance (e.g., FDA, FCC, EC) and other issues, lengthening test and launch cycles.

*See “Wearable Electronics Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2020,” Persistence Market Research Top 5 Challenges for Testing Today’s Consumer Electronics / Averna

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SAMPLE WEARABLE FEATURES & FUNCTIONS TO TESTLifestyle/Fitness/Behavior• Ambient, skin, and heart-rate sensors• Pedometers and thermometers• Gestures, arm or body motions

Communication/Connectivity• Phone, microphone, and audio• Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, GPS• Web, email, texting, social media

Usability/Security• Screen brightness and UV sensors• Gyroscopes and position sensors• User log-ins, interfaces, and security

Physical Components/Inputs• Case, screen, battery durability• Swipes, taps, pressure

4WEARABLE HEALTH AND PERSONAL DEVICESTop 5 Challenges for Testing Today’s Consumer Electronics / Averna

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LIGHTERAND TOUGHER COMPONENTS5.

Related to many of the other top trends in consumer electronics is the rise in durability testing. Not so long ago, many mass-market electronics products were disposable, meaning that it was more cost-e�ective to provide the consumer with a new unit than to try to repair a defective one.

That meant that products were not necessarily designed to be robust or subjected to a wide range of (mis)use, accidents, environmental conditions, etc. If consumers broke a cellphone or other device, they could just get a replacement. Besides, a better model was probably already on the market.

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5LIGHTER AND TOUGHER COMPONENTS

Today, given increasing device cost, complexity and function, many of these attitudes and habits are falling by the wayside. Consumers depend on their devices like never before and expect them to function under almost all conditions, while protecting their crucial personal and work data.

That means that if a much-loved device fails or the screen cracks, users are turning to a�er-market suppliers for accessories and �xes – or complaining online if the problem can’t be resolved. OEMs are thus investing more in durability testing to make their devices tougher, which is good news for both consumers and brands.


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top 5 challenges for testing today’s consumer electronics - averna test guru

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