EMV 2026: Designing for Immunity from the Very First Prototype
After attending EMV 2026 in Cologne, I’ve been reflecting on how much this field is evolving. We are well past the days when Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) was just a final compliance box to tick before a product launch. Today, immunity and interference control have become core pillars of hardware engineering right from the earliest design phases.
What I appreciated most about this edition was its practical focus on bridging industrial needs with technical development. The inclusion of formats dedicated to “Live Experiments and Demonstrations” was a total success. Seeing experts analyze coupling mechanisms and interference sources directly on real testbeds—rather than just scrolling through theoretical slides—provides immense value for those of us working in the lab.
The level of instrumentation in the exhibition area was outstanding. I stopped by the Rohde & Schwarz booth, where they showcased, among other very interesting things, their latest analysis solutions and test receivers for emissions and immunity—essential tools when trying to characterize signals in complex electromagnetic environments. Meanwhile, the team at Lumiloop demonstrated their optical sensor systems and laser-powered probes. The ability to perform high-speed electric field measurements without introducing metallic elements that distort the field is a brilliant solution for critical testing environments.
I also took some time to check out Wavecontrol’s latest developments in EMF meters and safety probes, a necessary reminder that emission control also has a direct impact on environmental safety. Additionally, the on-board troubleshooting demonstrations by Langer EMV-Technik and the presence of the VDE Institute made it clear that optimizing design at the printed circuit board level remains at the very heart of the challenge.
How does all of this connect with current research?
Witnessing this commercial and technological showcase only reinforces the relevance of the DN iSENSE project. While the exhibition demonstrated how the industry successfully tackles day-to-day EMC and system coexistence, DN iSENSE takes these same immunity concepts into a much more critical and specific arena: the detection of Intentional Electromagnetic Interference (IEMI) and High-Power Electromagnetic (HPEM) threats.
The industry’s need for faster, more accurate awareness systems in PCB design aligns perfectly with this approach. By developing embedded sensing structures integrated directly into the printed circuit boards, the goal is to enable the hardware itself to identify and alert against a targeted electromagnetic attack. Seeing the latest instrumentation breakthroughs in Cologne provides us with key tools and methodological perspectives to keep designing solutions that safeguard critical infrastructure against these high-priority threats.
Next year, EMV will move to Stuttgart. For those of us immersed in hardware and electromagnetics research, the takeaway is clear: the boundaries between circuit design and electromagnetic security no longer exist.
An article by Mario Valderrama