PragmatIC to distribute World’s first flexible timer
27 Mar 2014
PragmatIC Printing Ltd, the pioneer in imprinted electronic logic, who are based at CPI’s National Printable Electronics Centre, recently announced that they 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.
Raghu Das, CEO, of technology scouting and events firm IDTechEx, states “We set out to create an integrated, fully functional device that has strong value and need. Involving 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. CPI are speaking and exhibiting at Printed Electronics Europe 2014. The conference and tradeshow brings together end users with suppliers – where “pull” and “push” balance – to provide attendees with that critical insight into the driving needs for the technology, in addition to appraisal of all the key enabling materials, components and manufacturing processes. Leading end users exploring printed electronics, such as Hasbro, Diageo, Electrolux, Boeing, De La Rue, Abbott Diagnostics, Decathlon and Stora Enso, will present their needs and programs.
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