TECHNOLOGY AWARDS

The annual printed electronics award winners were announced at the IDTechEx Awards Dinner in Berlin, Germany on April 3rd. The awards recognize outstanding progress in the development and commercialization of printed electronics, an industry that produces a huge amount of technical innovation which will be used in many products.

The entries were judged by Professor Iain McCulloch, Imperial College London, UK and Professor Elvira Fortunato, University of Lisbon, Portugal.

IDTechEx Printed Electronics Europe 2012 Awards Announced:

1	2	3	4	5	6

1	Best Technical Development Manufacturing Award - VTT

2	Best Technical Development Materials Award - Heliatek

3	Academic R&D Award - University of California (UCLA)

4	Best Product Development Award - ThinFilm

5	Best Commercialization Award - Printechnologics

6	Best Poster and Best in Show Award - exhibition booth - Lappeenranta University of Technology and Printechnologics

1
	Best Technical Development Manufacturing Award - VTT

VTT won this award for building up a printed electronics pilot factory capability. The facility includes a R&D printing environment from small lab scale material testing to proof-of-production. In addition to extensive roll-to-roll printing facilities pilots are available e.g. for thermal nanoimprinting, printing in nitrogen atmosphere, laser processing and post-processing.

Printed Electronics Awards Web site

2
	Best Technical Development Materials Award - Heliatek

Helitek won this award for achieving the world record in OPV efficiency using new oligomer absorber materials. With this new type of absorber material, Heliatek was able to set two new efficiency world records in the field of low temperature processed organic solar cells. All materials that have been used in the currently best solar cell with an efficiency of 9.8 % are suitable for production. Best modules (122cm²) with a series interconnection show efficiencies of up to 9.0% on the active area. This shows the excellent scalability of the process.

One judge commented: "Heliatek materials have reached unparalleled performance for small molecules and have significantly stimulated this area."

Printed Electronics Awards Web site

3
	Academic R&D Award - University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

UCLA in collaboration with Aneeve Nanotechnologies has developed the first fully printed ink-jet CNT transistor technology platform. These unique transistors employ the superior electronic performance of semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs), going beyond materials such as amorphous silicon and metal oxide semiconductors that are typically used in display backplane applications. Performances such as µ= 50cm²/(Vs), Ion/Ioff= 1000, Vth=1.0V have been demonstrated.

Printed Electronics Awards Web site

4
	Best Product Development Award - ThinFilm

Thinfilm won this award for the creation of the world's first printed, rewritable memory device addressed with complementary organic circuits, combining Thinfilm's polymer-based memory technology with PARC's transistor technology. Designed for commercial production, Thinfilm addressable memory is the first step in integrating Thinfilm memory with other devices such as sensors, displays, power sources and antennas.

One judge commented: "The ThinFilm product is very significant for Printed Electronics."

Printed Electronics Awards Web site

5
	Best Commercialization Award - Printechnologics

Printechnologics won this award for producing more than 20 million "Touchcodes" in 2011 which were used in a wide variety of markets. Touchcode bridges the gap between physical products and digital contents. Within seconds common paper communicates with smartphones, tablets or information displays just by a simple touch - without using a camera or any other special reading device. Thus, the technology creates a seamless unity between products and digital contents for the first time.

Printed Electronics Awards Web site

6
	Best Poster - Lappeenranta University of Technology Best in Show Award - Printechnologics

This award was chosen by attendees at the event, who voted for what they thought was the most impressive exhibitor. The winner was Printechnologics.

Of the posters in the exhibit area, the best poster was awarded to Professor Cameron from Lappeenranta University of Technology in Finland.

 

Printed Electronics Awards Web site

IDTechEx Printed Electronics Awards recognize company innovation, success and development. The award ceremony will be held at the industry's largest gathering - Printed Electronics/Photovoltaics Europe, bringing together companies from around the world.

The Awards are hosted by IDTechEx, a leader in providing independent global research and analysis on the development and application of printed and potentially printed electronics (organic, inorganic, composite) and photovoltaics.

If you would like your organization to be recognised for outstanding achievements in the following categories simply follow the entry instructions. Any organisation operating with the photovoltaics, printed or partially printed, organic or thin film electronics market is welcome to apply

You can enter one or more of the following categories:

1. Technical Development Materials Award.

This award will be given to the most significant technical development over the last 24 months (April 2010 - April 2012) in the field of material development.

2. Technical Development Manufacturing Award.

This award will be given to the most significant development of a manufacturing device, process or production plant in the industry over the last 24 months (April 2010 - April 2012).

3. Product Development Award.

This award will be given to a company who has launched a new product based on photovoltaics or printed electronics and is in the process of bringing it to market. The category will be assessed on the technical development of the product, its potential market, and benefits it brings over alternatives.

4. Best Commercialization Award.

This is the award given to an actual commercial success with an end product using photovoltaics or printed electronics. Judges will look for success in terms of products sold and revenues generated.

5. Academic R&D.

This award will be given to an academic research organization that has made a significant contribution over the past 24 months to the understanding of the principles and accrued knowledge behind printed electronics or photovoltaics.

6. Best in Show Award!

IDTechEx are delighted to announce a new award, voted for by attendees, for what they think is the most impressive company exhibiting at the Printed Electronics USA tradeshow. This will be judged by attendees at the event and the award presented at the gala awards dinner.

7. Best Poster Award!

For the first time this year, the posters will be judged for the best in show poster award. The winner will be announced during the Awards Dinner on the evening of 3 April 2012 and featured widely in publicity afterwards. We are also giving the winning poster the opportunity to present in the tradeshow theatre on Wednesday 4 April.

The independent panel of judges include:

The winners will be announced at the Printed Electronics/Photovoltaics Award Dinner as part of Printed Electronics/Photovoltaics Europe Conference.

Submission Instructions

Please submit the following:

• Name of organisation
• Award(s) applying for
• Title of project
• Approximate 200 word summary of project
• Approximate 500 word explanation of why you should win the award with suitable evidence and examples of success
• Please provide a contact for publicity purposes
• Please provide a contact for the project
• Judges may request further information on your submission
• Submissions should not contain confidential data
• Companies that apply will not be named
• The winners will be announced at the Printed Electronics Awards Dinner on April 3, 2012

If you need further information contact:

Technical Development Manufacturing Award Winner "We are truly honored to win the 2009 Printed Electronics Award for Manufacturing. There is no better validation for your efforts than recognition by your industry and peers" Joel Domino, President of Kent Displays

Technical Development Device Award Winner "IDTechEx has been a great information source and rallying point that has followed the growth of the printed electronics field closely. Add-Vision is proud to have its technology progress towards bringing printed organic electronics to enabling products recognized by IDTechEx. We also continue to benefit from the cross cut of suppliers, investors, technology providers and product developers we interact with at IDTechEx events." J. Devin MacKenzie, Chief Technical Officer Add-Vision, Inc

Technical Development Materials Award Winner "Receiving the Technical Development Organic Materials Award was a great honor for all of us at Polyera. We are very proud of our team and our achievements on organic n-type semiconductors in the past years. We will continue to work hard and to develop enabling materials solutions for the Printed Electronics and Organic Photovoltaic Industry" Polyera