Optical Position Sensor Market Report 2025

The optical position sensor market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $2.42 billion in 2024 to $2.66 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to manufacturing precision requirements, growth in the automotive industry, consumer electronics evolution, industrial robotics integration, and medical equipment demand.

The optical position sensor market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $3.9 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to the emergence of smart cities, advancements in autonomous vehicles, expanding robotics in healthcare, increased integration in consumer electronics, and renewable energy expansion. Major trends in the forecast period include application in robotics and automation, use in consumer electronics, demand for non-contact measurement, environmental sensing capabilities, and focus on energy efficiency.

The optical position sensor market is anticipated to experience growth driven by the increasing demand for smart electronic devices. These devices, characterized by their context-aware capabilities and independent computing, rely on optical position sensors for functionalities such as ambient light sensing in smartphones. For instance, in 2022, 57.4 million households in the US were using smart home devices, showcasing a 6.7% increase from the previous year's 53.8 million households. This surge in demand for smart electronic devices is expected to fuel the optical position sensor market's expansion.

A surge in the number of IoT-linked devices is expected to significantly contribute to the growth of the optical position sensor market. These devices, which wirelessly connect to networks for data transmission, utilize optical position sensors for precise monitoring of object positions in real-time. For instance, in 2022, broadband IoT connections reached 1.3 billion, with projections indicating that nearly 60% of cellular IoT connections by 2028 will be broadband IoT connections, primarily through 4G networks. North East Asia leads in cellular IoT connections, anticipated to surpass 2 billion connections. The increasing prevalence of IoT-linked devices is a driving force behind the growth of the optical position sensor market.

Technological advancements are a significant trend gaining traction in the optical position sensor market. Leading companies in the market are focusing on developing innovative sensor technologies to maintain their competitive edge. For example, in November 2023, Maxic Technology Inc., a high-tech design and sales company based in China, introduced the MT3502 optical tracking sensor. This sensor features advanced detection and rotation technology combined with an 850nm VCSEL emitter. The MT3502 is a high-performance, ultra-low-power device designed for real-time movement and rotation angle detection on stainless steel (STS) surfaces. It achieves this by optically capturing sequential surface images and calculating their speed mathematically, offering a rotation angle resolution on STS surfaces as precise as 0.1°.

Leading companies in the optical position sensor market are focused on developing innovative technologies, such as Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) technology, to strengthen their market position. SMA technology is being increasingly integrated into optical position sensors to enhance precision, adaptability, and energy efficiency. For instance, in September 2022, Cambridge Mechatronics Limited (CML), a UK-based company specializing in optical and software solutions, introduced an SMA-based Sensor Shift OIS actuator for optical image stabilization (OIS). This actuator allows advanced stabilization in smartphones by shifting the image sensor rather than the lens. The new product brings a unique approach to OIS in smartphone cameras by precisely controlling the sensor's position using SMA materials, which can change shape in response to temperature changes.

In January 2024, ABB Group, a Switzerland-based leader in electrification and automation, acquired Real Tech for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition allows ABB Group to broaden its optical technology capabilities for smart water management solutions. Real Tech, a Canada-based company, specializes in optical sensors and controller technology, serving a wide range of clients and industries globally.

Major companies operating in the optical position sensor market include Siemens AG, First Sensor AG, Panasonic Corporation, Opto Diode Corporation, Sharp Corporation, Sensata Technologies Inc., Micro-Epsilon Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Melexis N.V., Balluff GmbH, Bourns Inc., Zygo Corporation, STMicroelectronics N.V., Vishay Intertechnology Inc., Infineon Technologies AG, MTS Systems Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., On Semiconductor Corporation, IFM Electronic GmbH, Keyence Corporation, Pepperl+Fuchs GmbH, Rockwell Automation Inc., SICK AG, ROHM Co. Ltd, Banner Engineering Corp., Baumer Group, Omron Corporation, Schneider Electric SE, Panasonic Electric Works Europe AG, Renishaw plc.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the optical position sensor market in 2024. The regions covered in the optical position sensor market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the optical position sensor market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Optical position sensors, utilizing light, ascertain an object's position, displacement, or motion. They gauge distance by tracking the travel time of an optical pulse from a laser to the target and back to a detector.

These sensors come in several types one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and multi-axial. One-dimensional sensors operate along a single axis, using a light source and detector to measure received light intensity. They find use in linear motion control, robotics, and machine tools. Applications span various sectors, including aerospace, defense, automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, industrial, energy, and utilities. They're deployed in machinery, robotic systems, hydraulic cylinders, range finders, autofocus cameras, medical devices, among others.

The optical position sensor market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides optical position sensor market statistics, including the optical position sensor industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with an optical position sensor market share, detailed optical position sensor market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the optical position sensor industry. This optical position sensor market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The optical position sensors market consists of sales linear encoders, rotational encoders, optical distance sensors, and fiber optic sensors. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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