Bill Cummings of Thin Film Electronics interview with Raghu Das from IDTechEx at the Printed Electronics USA exhibition. Thinfilm is creating printed systems that include memory, sensing, display, and wireless communication. Thinfilm’s roadmap integrates technology from an ecosystem of partners to enable the Internet of Everything by bringing intelligence to disposable goods. For more information see http://www.thinfilm.no and http://www.IDTechEx.com
Category: IDTechEx
EMS shows MIMO Baby by Rest Devices, Wins Best Commercialization Award at the IDTechEx Show!
Posted by – February 18, 2016
Engineered Materials Systems won “Best Commercialization Award” at IDTechEx Printed Electronics USA. This award was given for the use of their stretchable conductive ink in the successful commercial product MIMO Baby, made by Rest Devices. Rest Devices developed breakthrough wearable technology that combined capacitive sensing, blue tooth transmission of real-time biological data, and a clever way to integrate chip and power. What they lacked was a conductive ink that would meet their requirements of soft, stretchable and durable. Engineered Materials Systems submitted their flagship silver conductive ink, CI-1036 which worked very well according to Rest Devices engineers and was a key enabler to commercialization of MIMO Baby. CI-1036 is applied to proprietary film and insulated with a proprietary top-coat. This combination is reported by Rest Devices to withstand 90 wash/dry cycles of the MIMO Baby kimono with the failure mode not due to the conductive circuitry. Engineered Materials Systems, Inc. (EMS, Inc). is a global manufacturer of conductive inks, insulators, conductive adhesives for the printed electronics market. EMS has developed a highly stretchable/ flexible conductive ink for wearable electronics. For more information see http://emsadhesives.com/ and http://www.IDTechEx.com
Sensoria Smart Socks, coaching runners
Posted by – February 18, 2016
Interview with Sensoria at the IDTechEx Wearable USA event. Sensoria’s vision is The Garment is The Computer. Headquartered in Redmond, (WA) Sensoria Inc. is a developer of IoE (Internet of Everyone) wearable solutions that improve people’s lives. Sensoria’s proprietary e-textile sensor platform enables Sensoria powered garments to deliver actionable information to health and fitness users in real-time. For more information see http://www.sensoriafitness.com/ and http://www.IDTechEx.com
The Danish Technological Institute development of nanomaterials for printed electronics
Posted by – February 17, 2016
Interview with The Danish Technological Institute at the Printed Electronics USA event, part of the IDTechEx Show! The Danish Technological Institute develops, applies and disseminates research- and technologically-based knowledge for the Danish and International business sectors; for example, a range of nanomaterials for printed electronics applications. For more information see http://www.teknologisk.dk and http://www.IDTechEx.com
Jones Packaging anti-counterfeiting using T+Sun Touchcode touchscreen sensitive coding
Posted by – February 7, 2016
Jones Packaging specialize in printed packaging, contract packaging and medication dispensing and delivery products. For more information see http://www.jonespackaging.com filmed at at http://www.IDTechEx.com Printed Electronics USA
Infratab Cold Chain Freshness Monitoring System
Posted by – February 7, 2016
Infratab makes Freshtime, a freshness-monitoring system of RFID- and NFC-enabled tags that monitor elapsed time and the temperature of perishable items (food, medicines, flowers , blood, adhesives, ammunition etc). Freshtime integrates these variables in a 100-point metric that tells users concurrently “how fresh” the product is. For more information see http://www.infratab.com Filmed at at the Internet of Things Applications exhibition, part of the IDTechEx Show!
Holst Centre Smart Clothing with flexible displays and sensors
Posted by – January 31, 2016
Category: Displays, Sensors, Health, Printed Electronics, Smart Clothing, Exclusive videos, IDTechEx
Holst Centre at Printed Electronics USA, shows wearable technology applications of their products and prototypes. Holst Centre is an independent R&D center that develops technologies for wireless autonomous sensor technologies and flexible electronics. The Holst Centre’s business model is to partner with industry and academia based around roadmaps and programs. For more information see http://www.holstcentre.com and http://www.IDTechEx.com
NovaCentrix PulseForge Demo at IDTechEx Printed Electronics USA
Posted by – January 27, 2016
Stan Farnsworth from NovaCentrix gives a tour of NovaCentrix’s PulseForge equipment at the IDTechEx Printed Electronics USA event. NovaCentrix is focused on technologies and materials to enable manufacturing in Printed Electronics. The PulseForge photonic curing tools process high-temperature materials on low-temperature substrates. Applications include drying, sintering, annealing, or reacting metallic, non-metallic, and semiconductor inks, without damaging temperature sensitive substrates such as foils and plastics. For more information see http://www.novacentrix.com and http://www.IDTechEx.com
NthDegree Nth Light, Flexible Printed LED Lights
Posted by – January 25, 2016
NthDegree’s ultra-thin, flexible, lightweight LED lights are printed on either a flatbed screen press or a high speed roll-to-roll printing press. Filmed at the Printed Electronics USA event. For more information see http://www.ndeg.com/ and http://www.IDTechEx.com
Ohmatex world’s thinnest USB Cable and Astronaut Monitoring Kits
Posted by – January 25, 2016
Interview with Ohmatex at IDTechEx Wearable USA. Ohmatex develops products and solutions for integrating electronics into textile. Ohmatex products include textile cabling and washable connectors which provide conductivity and connectivity for smart garments and wearable devices. Ohmatex currently has a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a garment with NIRS (Near Infra-Red) and EMG sensors to monitor leg muscle activity during astronaut training. In 2012 Ohmatex developed a medical compression stocking that measures changes in leg volume for patients suffering from edema (fluid retention) of the lower limbs. For more information see http://www.ohmatex.dk and http://www.IDTechEx.com
Energy Harvesting award: NASA Langley, Virginia Tech and National Institute of Aerospace
Posted by – January 22, 2016
The Best Technical Development within Energy Harvesting and Storage Award went to NASA Langley Research Center, in collaboration with the National Institute of Aerospace, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina State University for the development of their multistage force amplification piezoelectric energy harvester, a device with such demonstrated increases in power output, that it is truly advancing piezoelectric energy harvesting power from milliWatts to the Watt level. Read more at: http://www.IDTechEx.com
Connected Yard pHin IoT Smart Pool Sensor
Posted by – January 22, 2016
A part of Andy Rubin’s Playground Global incubator, Connected Yard presents their pHin Smart Swimming Pool sensor and maintenance service “Uber for Pools”, conceived and developed to simplify caring for swimming pools, pHin consists of a floating water sensor, a mobile app, unique chemical pods and access to an on-demand service network of qualified technicians. pHin simplifies pool maintenance with 24/7 water chemistry monitoring, mobile notifications and convenient chemical delivery. It is estimated that the U.S. market alone comprises more than 14 million residential pools and hot tubs. Connected Yard Phin won the Best IoT Technology Development award at http://www.IDTechEx.com
Ortiz Industry Smart Clothing
Posted by – January 21, 2016
Claire Ortiz, CEO of Ortiz Industry talks at the IDTechEx Wearable USA event about their integration of advanced materials for performance apparel, including a performance sports shirt with zoned cooling and lactic acid control with incorporated printed electronics silver paste sensors working with DuPont and others to integrate smart functionalities into clothing. For more information see http://ortizindustry.com/ and http://www.IDTechEx.com
DuPont printed electronics for displays, photovoltaics, automotive and more
Posted by – January 17, 2016
Interview with DuPont at the IDTechEx Show! DuPont Microcircuit Materials manufactures specialized inks for a variety of printed electronic applications in the display, photovoltaic, automotive, biomedical, telecommunication and consumer products markets. DuPont Microcircuit Materials’ stretchable/formable ink developments are also designed for use in wearable and in-mold electronics applications.
For more information see http://www.mcm.dupont.com and http://www.IDTechEx.com.
Fraunhofer IIS Bluetooth Smartwatch Powered by Human Wrist Thermal Harvesting
Posted by – January 13, 2016
Mr Peter Spies from Fraunhofer IIS presents human heat powered smartwatch prototype at Energy Harvesting & Storage USA exhibition, part of the IDTechEx Show! Founded in 1985, Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Erlangen, Germany, ranks first among the Fraunhofer Institutes concerning headcount and revenues. Fraunhofer IIS is the main inventor of mp3 and universally credited with the co-development of AAC audio coding standard. In close cooperation with partners and clients the Institute provides research and development services in the following areas: Audio and video source coding, multimedia realtime systems, digital radio broadcasting and digital cinema systems, integrated circuits and sensor systems, design automation, wireless, wired and optical networks, localization and navigation, imaging systems and industrial X-ray technology, highspeed cameras, medical sensor solutions and supply chain services. For more information see http://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/ and http://www.IDTechEx.com
OWL WORKS 3D Prints Notre Dame Cathedral
Posted by – January 13, 2016
OWL WORKS LLC. is a startup company based in San Jose, CA and Seoul, Korea presenting their latest 3D printer at IDTechEx at 3D Printing USA. They started from a small DIY group of individuals with various experiences, knowledge and skills, to deliver their product concepts to the world. Recently, they’ve introduced the Morpheus, a volume desktop resin 3D printer. For more information see http://www.morpheus3dprinter.com/ and http://www.IDTechEx.com
LinnStrument with Tangio Printed 3D Force Touch
Posted by – January 12, 2016
Phi Bui of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music plays the LinnStrument at the Printed Electronics USA event, a one-of-a-kind expressive, polyphonic multi-dimensional MIDI controller. At the heart of the LinnStrument is a custom touch sensor designed by Roger Linn Design and fabricated by Tangio Printed Electronics. Like any fine musical instrument, LinnStrument must have highly consistent touch sensitivity across its surface, and this is provided by Tangio’s precise fabrication process. LinnStrument’s patent-pending multi-touch technology captures three dimensions of each finger’s movement, polyphonically. As a solution for haptic and expressive input in automotive, consumer electronics and medical devices, Tangio Printed Electronics, creates flexible 3D touch sensors that can be inside the most advanced, touch-sensing products in the world.
The core technology of Tangio’s 3D Touch sensor is that of the Force-sensing resistor. Force-sensing resistors are an evolution of membrane switch technology, based on the same user interface design principals and made using similar manufacturing techniques. The force sensor is essentially an analog, multi-position switch, while the membrane switch is simply ON/OFF. What defines a force-sensing resistor is its unique characteristic of dynamic conductance / resistance relative to the amount of pressure applied to the device. In general, the more pressure applied to the surface of the sensor, the greater the conductance / the lower the resistance.
Force-sensing resistors are used for qualitative rather than quantitative or precision measurements. They are found in a wide range of industry applications: automotive, human interface devices, toys, medical equipment, musical instruments, sporting equipment and safety equipment.
This video also features an interview with the National Research Council Canada. The National Research Council (NRC) is the Government of Canada’s organization for research and development. NRC’s Printable Electronics (PE) initiative coordinates key industrial areas – materials, ink, printing, and packaging – as a springboard for a profitable, large-scale PE sector. For more information see http://www.tangio.co, http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/solutions/collaborative/pe_index.html and http://www.IDTechEx.com
Nikola Labs RF recycling Cell Phone Case Extends Battery Life 30%
Posted by – January 12, 2016
Interview with Will Zell, CEO of Nikola Labs at Energy Harvesting & Storage USA. Nikola Labs is creating innovative solutions in wireless power with the mission of powering the next generation of connected devices. Their first product is a RF self harvesting system for smartphones. Embedded in a protective case, this Nikola technology captures wasted RF from the phone and converts it into extra battery life, extending life between charges by up to 30%. This technology can integrate into many devices that transmit RF providing the value of extra battery life through RF recycling. Their second product is a wireless charging solution designed to fully re-charge devices in the same time as a power cord.
For more information see http://www.nikolalabs.co and http://www.IDTechEx.com
UICO duraTOUCH water/sweat/gloves Smartwatches and Phones
Posted by – November 30, 2015
Category: Tablets, Smartphones, Displays, Wearables, Smartwatch, Smart Glass, Sensors, Exclusive videos, IDTechEx, Android
UICO duraTOUCH makes it possible to use Smartwatches and Phones in any weather, with sweaty fingers, under the rain, snow, even while wearing gloves in the winter. As people come to depend on wearable devices and use them everywhere, users want touchscreens to work under any weather condition everywhere and anytime. UICO’s duraTOUCH projected capacitive (PCAP) touch controllers enable touch sensing to work in any environment, with rain, sweat, and using gloves also. duraTOUCH out-performs traditional PCAP that is in devices like Moto360 and Samsung Gear Live. It is ideal for wearable and IoT devices with super-low power requirements like 1X charge per week with wake on touch. duraTOUCH products include duraTOUCH controllers, touchscreens, and duraTOUCH Surface, a bendable wrap-able touch sensing surface. Look for this technology in the next generation of consumer electronics and wearable devices, you will now have technology that UICO previously shipped in millions only to customers in the heavy industrial and medical markets.
Flexible Haptics in Smartwatch wristbands by Novasentis
Posted by – November 30, 2015
Haptic feedback is one of the most important features of Smartwatches and other wearable devices. The Apple watch with its Taptic engine has one of the best haptic actuators in the industry but at the IDTechEx show, the folks at Novasentis were showing technology that aims to do much better. With traditional haptic technologies like LRA and ERM, they are bulky and provide just a solitary, universal buzz which vibrates the entire wearable device. Novasentis has invented a new technology based on electro mechanical polymers which is ultra thin, when they placed this in my hand, I could barely feel its weight, and the material is flexible. So instead of putting a big haptic device in the body of the wearable device, Novasentis proposes that you embed their haptic film right into the strap of the watch since is is so thin and you could have localized vibration and detect the all important patterns all around the wrist to understand different notification categories without even looking at your smartwatch display. This will enable thinner and lighter smartwatches without a big haptic engine inside. Most importantly, Novasentis material allows to offer a range of haptic feedback from very low frequency ‘taps’ to very high frequency audible ‘alarms’. Their idea is to create a haptic language and a wearable device could have as many as 10 or even 100 different haptic ‘feelings’ that a user can get used to and memorize and could get very useful information before having to turn to the display. Novasentis said that 5 OEM’s are currently designing wearable devices with their material and the company is currently raising funds to get their technology into mass production hopefully arriving soon to awesome Smartwatches and other smart device.
