Someone asked me the other day if I’m computer savvy. I paused and eventually replied, “Well, kind of.” To be honest, it all depends on who’s asking. From my daughter’s perspective, I’m a hopeless dolt when it comes to most electronics. She’s pretty much convinced that, if left to my own devices (no pun intended), I’d flounder and eventually give up, preferring to live like a hermit, in the dark, with no phone or TV (or Snapchat, heaven forbid).

To my mother, though, I’m a computer genius. I got her printer to work once, which apparently means that I know everything there is to know about electronics (specifically, her devices and how to configure all of them so they work exactly the way she wants them to). Of course, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. It’s nearly impossible to navigate our world today without at least a working knowledge of the various gizmos that help us all get through every day.

It doesn’t help that the gizmos just keep coming. Smaller, faster transistors continue to enable exponential growth and development in the semiconductor industry, and it can be challenging for those of us who are semi-savvyto keep up with all of the new technologies that result.

Ceramics play a key role in the development of the electronics industry. “As is often the case, engineered ceramics are behind the scenes—enabling the impressive semiconductor fabrication process by delivering consistent performance despite stringent thermal, chemical, electrical, mechanical, dimensional, and cleanliness requirements,” writes CoorsTek’s Dean Warner. Read “Semiconductor-Grade Ceramics Enable Future Electronics” to learn more.

Industries ranging from automotive to biomedical are also benefiting from the unique properties of advanced ceramics, and the industry showcased its latest innovations at the recent Ceramics Expo 2017. If you weren’t able to attend, be sure to take a look at “It’s a Wrap” to see some highlights.