Dave Savastano03.27.14
PragmatIC Printing Ltd., based at CPI’s National Printable Electronics Centre, recently announced that it will showcase the world’s first flexible timer based on printed electronics at the IDTechEx Printed Electronics Europe event in Berlin, April 1-2.
The device consists of an electronic logic circuit implemented with thin film metal oxide transistors, powered by a printed battery, and integrated onto a paper substrate. It has four timing sequences and is designed for multi-functional use across four different applications.
The work has been undertaken by a consortium led by IDTechEx, with partners including PragmatIC, Procter & Gamble, printed battery supplier Blue Spark Technologies, conductive ink and photonic curing equipment supplier NovaCentrix and Cal Poly, who designed and printed on the paper substrate.
“We set out to create an integrated, fully functional device that has strong value and need,” said Raghu Das, IDTechEx CEO. I”nvolving end user P&G provided valuable insight into consumer requirements, which resulted in specifying and delivering the world’s first flexible multi-use timer based on commercially available printed electronics. A timer is one of the basic building blocks that will enable many different products in a modular approach. To reflect that, timers were created for different applications to demonstrate the wide applicability of the device.”
Four different application sets were created: a workout timer, a cooking timer, a meeting timer and a children activity timer. Each has four individually controlled timing options, activated by bending or “dog-earing” one of the corners of the paper substrate.
The initial production demonstrates how new applications of electronics in novel form factors can be enabled by printed electronics. Follow-on manufacturing is already planned for later this year, including enhancements to the functionality and even greater integration of the printed electronics.
The device consists of an electronic logic circuit implemented with thin film metal oxide transistors, powered by a printed battery, and integrated onto a paper substrate. It has four timing sequences and is designed for multi-functional use across four different applications.
The work has been undertaken by a consortium led by IDTechEx, with partners including PragmatIC, Procter & Gamble, printed battery supplier Blue Spark Technologies, conductive ink and photonic curing equipment supplier NovaCentrix and Cal Poly, who designed and printed on the paper substrate.
“We set out to create an integrated, fully functional device that has strong value and need,” said Raghu Das, IDTechEx CEO. I”nvolving end user P&G provided valuable insight into consumer requirements, which resulted in specifying and delivering the world’s first flexible multi-use timer based on commercially available printed electronics. A timer is one of the basic building blocks that will enable many different products in a modular approach. To reflect that, timers were created for different applications to demonstrate the wide applicability of the device.”
Four different application sets were created: a workout timer, a cooking timer, a meeting timer and a children activity timer. Each has four individually controlled timing options, activated by bending or “dog-earing” one of the corners of the paper substrate.
The initial production demonstrates how new applications of electronics in novel form factors can be enabled by printed electronics. Follow-on manufacturing is already planned for later this year, including enhancements to the functionality and even greater integration of the printed electronics.