Ensembles communicants

15:01 May 26, 2017 

Fantastic, thanks all. Yes, first question was removed as there were too many terms in it!

13:34 May 26, 2017 

I suspect the earlier question got squashed because it was in breach of Rule 2.3 (more than one term)

I don't think I'm inventing any "hidden depths" here: my only doubt is whether or not this meaning applies in this specific context — and my gut feeling is that it does. Talk of 'supervision' and 'fonctionnellement' and 'plate-forme' and 'conditions réelles d'exploitation' all tend to point that way; but only more context as to what these 'ensembles' actually DO will resolve the issue.

I am translating leading-edge electronics material all the time, and I have seen this use of 'communicant' appear in the last few years, and had it confirmed for me countless times, both directly by my customers, and by reliable bilingual references.

In any event, it by no means always has the meaning of 'interconnected' (which can be physical, electrical, etc.) — it is very often used with the sense of 'communicating' — i.e. using some form of (often wireless) communication such as BlueTooth, BLE, Wi-Fi, etc.

13:27 May 26, 2017 

I answered this when you posted it yesterday, but your question seems to have disappeared. I said something like "modular, communicating units/subsystems".
I don't think there are any hidden depths to it as Tony implies.

13:17 May 26, 2017 

You need to be very careful here, as this term is used / abused in many different ways, and has lately become something of a buzzword.

The latest adoption of this term I have come across has had the meaning 'connected' — which is also sometimes rendered literally as 'connecté', but 'communicant' seems to be favoured in some quarters as being more 'buzzy'!
With any luck, your wider context may make it clear if these are indeed 'connected' or not; all about the IoT, connected clothing, etc. etc.

11:39 May 26, 2017 

interconnected