Latest Printed Electronics News & Analysis from IDTechEx

The demands placed on new, high-tech materials are continually increasing, and existing material systems are reaching their limits. Due to their exceptional electrical and mechanical properties, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene and their composite materials offer high potential for use in diverse applications such as photovoltaics, sensors, semiconductor devices, displays, conductors, smart textiles and energy conversion devices (e.g., fuel cells, harvesters and batteries). (12 Mar 2010)

Bayer MaterialScience LLC, a subsidiary of Bayer AG and part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business, has acquired Artificial Muscle, Inc. (AMI) of Sunnyvale, California. AMI is a pioneer and leader in the field of electroactive polymers for the consumer electronics industry. (11 Mar 2010)

How many times have you misheard a crucial train departure time? Multiple cone speakers in public speakers interfere with each other, creating audio anomalies. A new 'flat flexible laminate', loudspeaker technology directs the sound into the space it needs to be heard, reducing distortion and ensuring key announcements are heard. (10 Mar 2010)

Interest in Printed Electronics from major consumer brands worldwide is constantly increasing. A testimony to that is the ever-growing number of end-users presenting at the latest IDTechEx Printed Electronics conference this coming April, as well as the variety of industries they represent. (10 Mar 2010)

MuTracx BV, a technology spin-out from Océ Technologies, have secured additional funding of US$11.3M for the Lunaris project. Lunaris is an industrialized solution for the jetting of etch resist for Printed Circuit Board (PCB) inner layers. The additional funds have been raised from multiple sources and bring the total post spin-out funding to US$17.5M. (09 Mar 2010)

Mitsubishi aim to begin full-scale mass production with a launch of illumination appliances in 2011. (09 Mar 2010)

Scientists and engineers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are developing the electronics for a third-generation artificial retina. (08 Mar 2010)

Researchers at Purdue University have created a magnetic "ferropaper" that might be used to make low-cost "micromotors" for surgical instruments, tiny tweezers to study cells and miniature speakers. (05 Mar 2010)