As the 3D printing boom continues to drive the demand for 3D printable files and contract manufacturing service, MIC (Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute) recent findings show that patent deployment is highly concentrated on Data Processing and Control System technologies, which accounts for 38.6% and 45.4%, respectively.
Using data mining techniques, Data Processing can be further divided into four important subclasses, including Human-Machine Interface, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence-Specific Applications, and Information Security.
The Taipei-based ICT research institute found that international vendors concentrate more on Human-Machine Interface (237 patents), followed by Cloud Computing (223 patents), Artificial Intelligence-Specific Applications (67 patents), and Information Security (48 patents).
"Newcomers are advised to invest more on Human-Machine Interface, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence-Specific Applications, and Information Security which can create service and quality differentiation as their patent deployment share is still relatively small," says David Chen, senior industry analyst with MIC.


