A Review of the Opportunities and Processes for Printed Electronics (Part 5): The Future of PE

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

• integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal and other specialized functions
• antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal

RFID can be either passive (using no battery), active (with an on-board battery that always broadcasts or beacons its signal) or battery-assisted passive (BAP), which has a small battery on board that is activated in the presence of an RFID reader. In 2011, passive tags start at $0.05 each and can go as high as $5 for special tags meant to be mounted on metal or withstand gamma sterilization. Active tags for tracking containers and medical assets or monitoring environmental conditions in data centers start at $50 and can go up to over $100 each. BAP tags are in the $3 to $10 range and have the capability of sensing temperature and humidity. (See OE-A roadmap in Figure 1).

There are other RFID-like sensors that are inexpensive or disposable, especially for medical/patient monitoring. Biometric data like temperature, blood pressure, blood oxygen and electrical measures (EKG/ECG) can be measured and utilized for laboratory or patient monitoring. When matched with display technology, simple medical appliances can be created at low cost (Figure 4).

Sensors/medical/appliances

The market for low-cost, disposable sensors can be quite large. Environmental, safety, energy, medical, communication, personal safety and identification are just some of the potential applications.

Figure 4: RFID in medical applications.

Toys/novelties

Toys are a natural for PE. Simple circuits using PE sensors and batteries can be manufactured at low cost and placed into toys or novelties like singing or speaking greeting cards. A simple flash memory IC is attached like an RFID. PE printed memory and OLED displays are possible, with PV for battery charging. Adding sensors makes various forms of human interaction possible.

Wearables and fashion

The next PE application will surely be fashion and clothing. PE will offer the opportunity to customize clothing, colors and fashions, and can even incorporate messages utilizing PE energy collection, storage and display. It is even possible to preprogram fashions and patterns in small cards to allow users to purchase an item and customize it, like customizing ring tones for mobile phones. Implementation can be achieved by embedding PE devices on a garment or by using OLED coatings on yarn to be woven. Glass fiber light pipes that bring the display from a more convenient location are also possible.

Signage and advertising

As the cost of PE displays come down, they will appear in magazines, signs and advertising. The October 2010 copy of Esquire magazine had an e-paper active matrix display printed onto its cover. More and more, because of its color and motion, PE temporary and disposable displays will play a role in attracting customers.

Information memory

PE memory is never going to approach the scale or size of semiconductor memory. However, there will be requirements for smaller, simpler memory for displays, sensors, medical toys and clothing. ThinFilm (Oslo, Norway) said that 40-bit passive memory arrays are in test production, and engineering samples will be available in late 2011. A 121-bit memory array is planned for production in 2012. It is aimed at ticketing, archiving and other applications that can use encryption for user-programmed stored identification. Thin Film projects prototypes for addressable memory in 2011 and the transfer of 128-bit memory to production in 2012, aimed at ID tags, sensor tags, disposable price labels and other smart labels. Thin film typically works with ferroelectric polythiophene active layers such as poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS).

The future

The coming generation of printed electronics, printed circuits and advanced integrated printed circuits appears to be headed down a path which is both familiar and new. Although the concept of printing both rigid and flexible circuits has a long history, those who pioneered early solutions would be amazed to see the developments currently underway. Similarly, those engaged in the current effort to expand the horizons of flexible printed electronics will be amazed at the technologies that will build on what is happening at this moment. Printing technology, beginning with Gutenberg's invention, has altered the course of human history by making knowledge more accessible to more people. The coming generation of printed electronics will build on and advance Gutenberg's efforts to create and provide printed products that improve the spread of knowledge and information using new products. Printed electronic readers and displays, made possible by recent and developing technologies, will facilitate the expansion of global education more cost-effectively than paper books.

One way to view the future is the OE-A Roadmap on Printed Electronics Applications, seen in Figure 1. Whether one of the technologies mentioned or technologies yet to be developed will dominate the future of printed electronics is an open question. What is a bit more certain is that flexible base materials printed using printed electronics solutions and processed in roll-to-roll fashion will be an element of successful future technologies. Practical industrial printing solutions that are currently evolving or yet unimagined make the future of printed electronics an exciting mystery.

You can read the Part 1 of this article series here; Part 2 here; Part 3 here; and Part 4 here.

Editor's Note: This paper has been published in the proceedings of SMTA International.

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