Biosensors are used prolifically across the global healthcare market for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases and health conditions such as diabetes, cancer and infectious diseases. Due to the increasing global population, as well as a growing trend of decentralisation and technological advancement, the total addressable market for medical biosensors is expected to grow markedly over the next ten years. This masterclass will detail these factors and draw conclusions on the impact they will likely have on the global medical biosensor market. Opportunities for capitalizing on current and upcoming trends will be outlined, including discussion of the likely areas of expansion in the addressable market for biosensors in healthcare.

 

 

 

This masterclass will provide a critical analysis of incumbent and emerging biosensor technologies in the context of the whole market, and how the competitive landscape is expected to change over the next decade.

 

Since the first introduction by Sony in 1990s, lithium-ion batteries have become one of the most familiar and common battery technologies in our life. The technologies involved are relatively mature and the facilities are in place. With the expansion of existing manufacturing plants by battery giants such as Samsung SDI, LG Chem and Panasonic, economy of scale has been achieved.

 

However, with so many advantages, the improvement of lithium-ion batteries is slow compared with other electronic components, both in terms of performance and cost reduction. The liquid electrolyte used in the traditional lithium-ion batteries may cause serious safety concerns.

In addition, with the development of wearable devices, printed electronics, internet of things (IoT), robotics and electric vehicles, batteries with more features, more powerful performances and lower costs are required. Those factors have motivated players to find bigger opportunities.

Therefore, the battery industry is explored based on a number of different dimensions. Interests have been aroused in:

 

 

All the areas listed above indicate new opportunities. Those areas may be influenced by each other and may have some overlap. For instance, batteries with better technologies may be used in ESS and EV applications, providing better safety and better performance. A thin-film battery is also flexible, and can be made by printing, or based on all solid-state components, or be very small. Market growth of these areas is affected by the costs. Except the last one (ESS and EV applications), the others are also limited significantly by technology maturity.

 

This masterclass will focus on several angles from those listed above: battery thickness, battery mechanical properties, battery manufacturing method and battery materials, especially on flexible, thin-film, printed and solid-state batteries. The following bullet points will be addressed in the masterclass:

 

 

Designed for those who are new to these disruptive technologies, to understand the big picture and to assess the challenges and opportunities, this masterclass will arm you with knowledge of the latest developments in 3D printing applications and technologies. The class will cover:

 

 

 

 

Analysts will cover each of the following technology options; the advantages and disadvantages of each; case studies; applications; suppliers and manufacturers; costs; technical challenges and opportunities:

 

 

This masterclass provides you with a full assessment of this complex and rapidly changing technology.

 

Designed for those who seek to understand the big picture to assess the challenges and opportunities in relation to printed, flexible and organic electronics, this masterclass will arm you with the latest knowledge of the applications and technology developments involving printed electronics. The class will cover:

 

 

Analysts will cover how each of the following technology options work; the advantages and disadvantages of each; market size and forecasts; case studies; suppliers; costs; technical and market challenges and opportunities:

 

 

 

This masterclass provides you with a full assessment of this complex and rapidly changing technology from analysts that have studied the topic since 2002.

 

The printed electronics industry is largely being driven forward by innovation in materials. In fact, the material end of the value is currently where most of the action and value is. Every large material and chemical company in the world is involved and the business landscape is full of SMEs and start-ups hoping to commercialize their latest innovative materials.

 

The advanced material space is inevitably highly diverse and complex. On the technical side, printable materials must fulfil a variety of roles ranging from conducting to insulating, rigid to stretchable, transparent to light-emitting, screen to inkjet printing, thermal to photo-curing, etc.

 

On the commercial side, printable materials must satisfy the challenging performance and price requirements exacted by devices, applications, and markets that fall under the greater umbrella term of 'printed electronics'. This is a diverse and broad group that includes displays and lighting, photovoltaics, transistors and memory, smart packaging, etc

 

The materials business remains the most exciting, dynamic, and innovative part of the printed electronics industry. In this class, we have selected some of the most important and/or promising materials of the printed electronics industry. For each material, we will describe the business context within which it competes, the latest technological progress, the primary application requirements, and the critical technical and business challenges facing the suppliers.

 

 

For each material above, we will describe the technological as well as the commercial aspects. More specifically, the following will be assessed:

 

 

This session is based on IDTechEx research conducted on advanced functional materials since 1999, in addition to world class academic experts.

 

Structural electronics (SE) is one of the most important technological developments of this century. The topic involves electronic and/or electrical components and circuits that act as load-bearing, protective, or integrated structures. This can take the form of completely replacing "dumb" structures or having the electronics conformally placed upon them.

 

A key focus will be the competitive route into introducing electronics into 3D structures. This includes In-mold electronics (IME), molded interconnect devices (MID), 3D printing of electronics (3DPE), and aerosol jet printing. Each have differing complexity, players, and ultimately applications, which will be explored within this class.

 

The class will expand into other areas where electronics can be included into structural or semi-structural applications, such as the use of smart skins in transportation, sensors for failure detection in the energy sector, opportunities for solar in windows, and full design rethinks as concepts like "massless energy" are explored.

 

 

 

Global trends and the market outlook is provided based on new IDTechEx research on the topic matter.

Graphene is billed as the wonder material of our time. It has received tremendous media attention and is the recipient of large sums of research and commercialization funds. Today, an army of researchers around the global is advancing the technology, whilst numerous companies are now seeking to commercialize it.

 

In this class, we will look at the past, the present and the future of graphene commercialization, looking at the market complexity/fragmentation, pricing as well as investment/revenue/profitability trends, go-to-market strategies, grand technical and commercial challenges, and so on.

 

We will then examine the graphene technology itself, looking at the material characteristics of different graphenes, reviewing the different production processes, and assessing a big range of potential applications from electronic inks to battery materials, from various composite fillers to functional coatings. At all times, we will seek to highlight the latest prototypes and commercial launches, whilst making our application assessment as data-based and quantitative as possible.

 

Non-graphene 2D Materials are also now at the forefront of the next wave of research with many hoping that it will lead to the establishment of a diverse family of complementary 2D materials covering the full range of material characteristics. In this class, we will highlight some of the ways for making non-graphene 2D materials whilst reviewing the latest technical progress on a few select 2D materials.

 

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were also once billed as the wonder material of our time. They have therefore been there and done that, and interestingly, CNTs are now quietly making a commercial comeback after doing their time in the wilderness of the disillusionment period.

 

In this class, we will provide a historical perspective on how CNT commercialization has progressed in the past decade, and will consider its future, demonstrating that it has finally entered into a major volume growth phase. Here too, we will provide a brief review of types of CNTs, of the different production processes, and of the key existing and emerging applications and market trends.

 

It is hoped that this class will give you a strong understanding of the technology as well as the market potential and current commercial progress of these most famous of nanomaterials.

 

Wearable technologies has become the new hot topic. Indeed, it is estimated that the total addressable market will grow to $100 billion in the next decade. But while many are targeting healthcare applications, few have actually succeeded. In this context, it is necessary to have a critical look at the market trends, and to assess what it means in terms of growth and profitability.

 

On the technology side, most of the existing products leverage the components that have been developed over the years for the mobile phone industry. However, there are exciting new technologies coming up, from flexible displays to biometric sensors. This session will introduce the new materials and technologies that will enable future wearable devices.

 

 

Tumbling battery costs have gradually opened up portable electronics markets that simply did not exist a decade ago: the next logical step is large-scale vehicle electrification. IDTechEx has been following electric vehicles from their very inception and it is clear that we will witness a revolution in the transport sector sooner than previously thought.

 

On the materials development side, the trend is towards faster, safer and more energy-dense batteries. These three factors are at odds with each other, meaning that battery makers will only adopt certain electrode or electrolyte chemistries once all of the underlying problems have been solved. This is the case of sulphur cathode and solid-state electrolytes, but also silicon-dominant anode materials.

 

In terms of manufacturing, there is a strong uncertainty over the reliable supply of some raw materials, like lithium and cobalt; others like graphite are experiencing a shift from natural to synthetic sources. After years of dominance in battery manufacturing by Japan and Korea, China is now leading in terms of added production capacity, with some companies claiming to be able to manufacture up to 100 GWh/year within the next few years.

 

While the spotlight is often on automotive vehicles, there are many more interesting markets undergoing a transition, including niche sectors like industrial vehicles, mining vehicles, drones, and marine vessels. Each market has different performance specifications, and LiBs will adapt to each case scenario.

 

Li-ion batteries are currently dominating the stationary energy storage market as well but Redox Flow Batteries (RFBs) are gradually increasing their market-share. Flow battery adoption is currently limited by their high initial capital cost, leading the main players in the sector to adopt different business models. Lithium-air batteries and drop-in technologies like sodium-ion and are also being investigated, but they are still at an early stage.

 

This masterclass will arm you with the latest knowledge of 3D printing materials - what exists, what is coming and what is needed. Learn what the key players are offering, areas of research and development activity, trends and market sizing. Specifically, the masterclass will cover:

 

 

Analysts will appraise each of the following types of materials for 3D printing:

 

 

They will cover the advantages and disadvantages of 3D printing with each, key suppliers, costs, performance specifications and limitations, and the impact of new emerging options.

 

 

 

This masterclass provides you with a full assessment of this complex and rapidly changing subject.

 

This masterclass assesses the range of printing and non-printing manufacturing options for printed, organic and flexible electronics. Attendees will learn about the technology capabilities, market applicability, key players, trends and opportunities. The class will cover:

 

 

 

 

The following printing types will be covered:

 

 

 

 

 

 

This session is partly based on IDTechEx research of over 100 relevant suppliers.

 

Quantum Dots (QDs) are a growing commercial and development frontier in the display industry. Nearly all major displays manufacturers have successfully deployed them as remote color converters in LCDs to widen the color gamut. The QD technology however is changing both at the level of materials, deposition techniques, and integration methods.

 

In this class, we first introduce the basics of quantum dot materials, outlining their key characteristics and performance metrics. We here consider Cd as well as Cd-free alternatives such as InP, organic or inorganic perovskite QDs, and others. We show the state-of-the art performance levels as well as the improvement trends of these material compositions. Furthermore, we highlight key material shortcomings and highlight and discuss emerging technology developments needs and directions. We cover market trends and relate all performance metrics/levels and technical development needs to application requirements.

 

We then consider how QDs deliver value in displays and how they are integrated in displays. Here, we consider the technology roadmap, examining edge optic (obsolete), enhancement film (growing), direct-on-glass-integration, color-filter-on-LCD or OLEDs (emerging), direct on-chip (emerging), as well as emissive solution-processed QLED. In all cases, we describe the technology, discuss the current commercial and state-of-the art status, outline the technical and commercial challenge that still need to be addressed, and offer insights about future developments.

 

 

From mature LCD displays to OLED displays, large OEMs have started to show tremendous interests in a self-emissive display technology: microLED displays. Enabled by the combination of LEDs, backplanes and mass transfer techniques, microLED displays are considered to be the next-generation display technology with their value propositions such as long lifetime, low power consumption, high luminance, high contrast, wide color gamut, transparency, sensor integration capability, etc. The supply chain is immature and many technical details are still be discussed. In this part we will give the attendees an introduction of micro-display, focusing the following aspects:

 

 

 

XR products captured the consumers imagination during the early 2010's with the release of various devices, for example Google Glass in 2013. In the decade since, there have been a wide range of applications for such devices, from gaming, uses in education, to enterprise such as remote assistance and hands-free working. Technology advances have driven smaller, faster, and more powerful devices for users. The next decade promises many new and exciting products, allowing a more immersive experience for users.

 

One of the more well-known, consumer uses of VR headsets, is in gaming applications. Companies such as Oculus, HTC, and Sony, have created a range of products which consumers can use for a total immersive gaming experience. However, there are also other applications for XR products. For example, in workplace and enterprise environments, with applications such as remote assistance and workplace training. In particular, AR and MR products are being used in manufacturing and industry to increase worker efficiency and help guide new workers through complicated workflows with augmented guidance.

 

Augmented, virtual and mixed reality are in a market which has received high levels of funding in the previous decade and will continue to grow in the future. It is also a technology which will impact many different aspects of day-to-day life in both non-consumer and consumer environments. This masterclass aims to provide a deeper dive into this exciting, growing, market.

 

 

This masterclass introduces the three types of XR (cross reality): Augmented (AR), Virtual (VR) and Mixed (MR) realities. Attendees will learn about the key technologies the devices use, the range of different devices currently available, applications of XR and current trends and opportunities.

 

The research discussed in this class is based from IDTechEx's database of 100 products and details of over 80 companies. Some of the key topics covered are:

 

 

 

The conductive ink and paste business is one of the largest in the printed electronics space. Indeed, conductive inks have commercially roared ahead whilst many more complex and higher profile forms of printed electronics devices/systems have struggled.

 

Conductive ink and paste technology is also wonderfully adaptive, enabling it to continually rejuvenate itself to stay relevant and enabling it to find markets in all manners of applications from textiles to military equipment.

 

This is also a market where everything has changed since 2014. The market leadership in traditional volume markets has changed hands with previously low-cost low-quality suppliers rising to the top. The paste manufacturers are now all in search of new emerging markets in the hope that future growth in some will compensate for the decline or the loss of market share in the traditional sectors. Consequently, most paste makers have hugely diversified their product offerings addressing a diverse array of nascent markets each with a different set of technology and market challenges/opportunities. These are exciting times in the conductive ink business.

 

In our masterclass we will cover the main existing and emerging conductive ink and paste technologies such as firing-type pastes, PTFs, nanoparticle inks, particle free inks and silver substitutes such as various copper ink technologies.

 

We will then cover a broad range of conductive ink applications, giving our attendees a comprehensive understanding of core/existing and emerging markets. In particular, we will focus on applications which are most relevant to the themes of our conferences. These include:

 

 

This masterclass will provide a comprehensive overview of this topic, discussing the entire value chain and product landscape. The class is structured following the value chain, starting with material choices. Typical material choices by substrate type will be shared, including discussion of the challenges around washability, wear resistance, contact resistances, and so on. This links closely with manufacturing processes, of which many different options are available (from printed electronics, to textile processes such as knitting, embroidery and weaving, to traditional electronics manufacturing processes).

 

In addition to these technology details, this masterclass will cover application needs for electronic textile products. The majority of case studies in this sector are related to apparel; fitting closely with the "wearable technology" space, we will discuss the different application sectors which are being explored and will look at how these products are currently measuring up against various competitive options. We will also look at a variety of non-apparel e-textile products, of which there is an increasing number today. Again, we will look at the potential application areas and opportunities in this area.

 

This class is built on over 5 years of continuous research from IDTechEx, including site visits and interviews with many of the leading players. Many of these companies will be mentioned throughout the class as specific case studies. The full list of case studies and sections covered by IDTechEx can be seen in the IDTechEx report on E-textiles, which forms the basis of much of the content in this class.

 

 

Teething problems are emerging as policymakers around the world transition from carrot to stick to grow electric vehicle markets. Despite several years of accelerated growth, China, the world's top auto market, saw a decline in its new energy vehicle sales in 2019. At the same time, overall passenger car sales seem to have reached a tipping point, peaking in 2017.

 

While short term growth of the overall car market is expected, it will be short lived as major economies become increasingly urbanised and populations choose not to own cars privately amid the rise of low-cost autonomous ride-hailing (particularly in younger demographics).

 

As a result, companies throughout the value chain must look to profitable opportunities away from the imminent car shakeout. Starting with IDTechEx's 20-year outlook on electric cars and 'peak car' scenarios, this masterclass sets the stage for the following two days of conference by providing a detailed overview of multiple categories on land, sea, and air with a view to transferable technologies, outlook for electrification, and the changing market landscape.

 

Flexible, Hybrid Electronics encompasses the combination of conventional electronic components and/or flexible/printed components onto flexible substrates. Often multiple components need to be integrated with different profiles, form factors and sizes. The use of flexible substrates also means that lower temperature attachment processes are preferred, but that can result in challenges around conductivity and reliability. All of these issues and the emerging solutions - from both a manufacturing and materials viewpoint - are covered in this masterclass.

 

The session opens with examples of flexible hybrid devices and their applications. It then provides a deep dive on the appropriate technology areas, covering:

 

 

Substrates bring robustness and can enable flexibility, but at the same time place substantial constraints on the manufacturing process (e.g., thermal budget, dimensional stability) in a way that they can largely determine device performance. Many plastic solutions are now being offered such as PET and PEN but also paper-based substrates are increasingly gaining attention. This session considers the main substrates for flexible hybrid electronics, with appraisal of their relative performance, cost, capabilities, limitations and current and intended applications.

 

 

Analysis of thinned, flexible silicon ICs and progress with other types of flexible ICs, including metal oxide semiconductor based devices is given. Manufacturing options are covered with examples of applications.

 

 

In this session the main types of component attach solutions are covered, including pick and place, flip chip, direct wafer-to-substrate assembly and other types. The applications for each are given, along with challenges and future progress. The key providers are listed.

 

 

This section appraises the key options used for component attach, from conductive adhesives to other emerging types including low temperature solder.

This class will look at the emerging technological trends enabled by next generation sensors in four areas. The class will focus on the key application areas that will undergo large-scale change over the next decade with sensors as the key enabling technology. Whilst end results and applications are varied, the sensing technologies used in each of these sectors have inherent similarities. This class brings these topics together around their component-level building blocks, describing the broad application opportunities available to players in these fields.

 

 

 

This masterclass will provide an overview of key technologies used today in the above-mentioned areas, with particular focus on detection principles, commercial development status, market analysis and future trends. The speaker will detail the technologies, challenges, and opportunities in relevant applications. The following points will be addressed:

 

 

The arrival of global 5th Generation Wireless Systems (5G) is imminent. 5G will not only accelerate the growth and expansion of the telecom industry but it will also redefine and accelerate industries such as automotive, entertainment, computing, and manufacturing. How to benefit directly from the massive market opportunity of 5G, set a task for all business leaders and those responsible for business innovation.

 

This masterclass will provide a holistic view of 5G from various perspectives, including:

 

 

In this forum we will identify the market opportunities in 5G by assessing the case study, key players, successes, failures and market size for each of the following:

 

 

Ten-year forecasts across a range of market segments will be provided with key trends and unmet needs covered throughout the session.

 

 

The arrival of autonomous driving will revolutionise the way people travel. Autonomous cars could liberate people from the driving tasks and potentially enhance road safety and efficiency. Autonomous driving (AD) will also improve travel convenience for those who are unable to drive. Currently the autonomous driving system cost is still very high but with the growing maturity of key technologies such as lidars, radars, cameras, artificial intelligence (AI) software and specialized computers, it is expected the cost of autonomous cars will drop significantly in the coming decade.

 

Mobility services enabled by autonomous driving technology, which allows fleet operators to eliminate the biggest operation cost - the human driver - will offer a cheaper alternative to purchasing and owning a private car. In the next two decades, we expect mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) will grow rapidly to meet the increasing travel demand and in the meanwhile gradually replace private driving. In this class, we will address the peak-car scenario in the context of autonomous MaaS adoption and how it is going to impact on the automotive industry. Key market players in autonomous driving will be analysed with their latest developments introduced.

 

Perception technology is critical for ADAS and high-level autonomy. The required sensor suite can be diverse, including camera vision, night vision, lidar, and radar. In this class, we cover the following:

 

Camera: we briefly touch upon various emerging camera technologies that are expected to support ADAS and high-level autonomy functions. These include high-res global shutter camera technologies, and NIR and SWIR sensors using silicon or silicon-hybrid technologies

 

Lidars: we cover lidar technologies in depth. Here, we consider all the technology choices that must be made in making a lidar and explore their consequences. We cover various laser source and photodetector technologies. We discuss, in length, the various existing and emerging beam steering technologies that exist today. These include rotating mechanical, MEMS, optical phase array, flash, liquid crystal, and many others. We discuss the operation principle, the merits, the design and production challenges, the readiness level, and the current and potential performance level of each beam steering technology. We also discuss market trends, looking at investment trends segmented by technology options. Finally, we provide our technology roadmap, offering our view and insight into how the technology landscape will evolve in the next decade.

 

Radars: radar technology is already used in automotive to enable various ADAS function. In this talk, we consider multiple technology trends and their consequences. In particular, we examine the shift towards higher frequencies, the shift towards small-node CMOS or SOI technology, high on-chip function integration, trends in packaging technologies, substrate material requirements, and the rise of large antenna arrays. We consider how these emerging trends will improve the angular, range, and velocity performance of radars and densify their point clouds, enabling the training of deep learning algorithms. These trends will lead to 4D imaging radar which can be considered an alternative to lidars.

 

This masterclass will give an overview of sensors made with printed electronics processes. Participants will learn about the technology, target markets and value proposition of these devices. Areas where printing adds value will be outlined for each type of sensor (pressure, temperature, optical, touch, electrochemical, etc.). Advantages of flexible and stretchable sensors, as well as large-area sensors will also be covered and the leading companies in each segment will be presented.

 

During the session, IDTechEx will show the latest trends and identify the commercial opportunities. It will include:

 

1. The market size today and forecast

 

2. Detailed assessment of emerging printed sensor technologies including: capacitive, force, pressure, temperature, optical, gas and other sensor types. For each sensor type the following will be provided:

 

 

With the growing market for electric vehicles, the topic of thermal management becomes increasingly important. Greater demand is being put on electric vehicles in terms of performance and faster charging, with this comes an increase in the requirement to thermally manage the vehicle effectively. This includes not just performance and longevity requirements but also safety.

 

This masterclass will cover thermal management technologies currently used throughout the battery pack, the power electronics and the motors in electric vehicles as well as emerging technologies in these fields. In addition to the technologies themselves, the market for each of these fields today will also be covered, along with forecasts for the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Range sells electric cars yet designing a vehicle with the largest possible kWh does not necessarily provide the greatest range. Improvements to powertrain components, such as motor efficiency, are just as pivotal as battery energy density gains for enabling OEMs to create attractive and competitive offerings. This is amplified by the fact that the largest cost component of electric vehicles increasingly shifts towards power electronics and electric motors, as battery prices tumble.

 

This masterclass provides an introduction and overview of current electric traction motor technology choices from leading OEMs, broken down by application across vehicle categories beyond cars. It will explore the constraints, the possibilities, key trends and provide a ten-year market outlook.

 

 

As electric vehicles penetrate more mobility segments, it becomes advantageous to move to higher voltages allowing smaller and lower cost electric motors, components, wiring and greater efficiency. The greatest swing is for pure electric vehicles, with many now at 600V - 800V, but full hybrids are also trending in the same direction to 200V - 400V.

 

At the other end of the spectrum, a new category emerges: the 48V full hybrid. The ultimate low hanging fruit, the 48V full hybrid system allows pure electric modes with the smallest and cheapest possible battery.

 

In this session, IDTechEx provides a deep dive into the latest voltage trends by application.

 

 

Electric vehicle producers have responded to consumers' range anxiety by increasing the available range per charge in their vehicles to more than 200 miles. However, ultimately the deployment of electric vehicles will depend on the ubiquity of chargers.

 

This session presents an overview of the markets and technologies for electric vehicle charging including conductive, inductive, and capacitive charging; charger topologies by different levels (Level 1 to Level 3); and the main adopted charging standards. The session will also review enabling technologies such as semiconductor technology, fast charging, battery swapping and robotic charging, which will have a role in new mobility paradigms.

Flexible and foldable displays have finally arrived on the market. As a result, we are witnessing the creation of a new product category. So far we have seen the very first products and many more product iterations can be expected in the years to come. Indeed, we are now right at the beginning of the commercialization journey.

 

At IDTechEx we have been analysing the technology and market trends leading to this point for the past ten years. In this talk, we will help you understand this emerging technology landscape, assessing technology challenges and solutions across all layers of flexible and foldable displays.

 

To this end, we have developed a comprehensive class that will cover all the technologies that are supporting, and will support, the transition of displays from rigid to plastic to flexible and foldable. The outline of the class is as follows:

 

 

By the end of this part of the class you will have developed an in-depth yet comprehensive understanding of the existing and emerging technology options that are likely to form part of the OLED-based flexible/foldable display ecosystem.

 

Subsequently, the class will give a brief overview of other displays technologies that are enabling, or might enable, flexible/foldable displays including LCDs and reflective displays.

 

Finally, we will give an overview of the progress of printed OLED displays, updating our audiences about the status of material performance, processing capability, and commercialization.

 

This session provides the complete picture of the RFID industry, including NFC to UHF (RAIN) RFID. The RFID market and use and potential use of printed electronics for smart packaging is explored in great depth in this session. The masterclass will cover:

 

 

 

 

 

This session is based on research conducted by IDTechEx on RFID since 1999. It will provide an exceptionally comprehensive assessment of the RFID sector.

Electronic skin patches have risen in popularity alongside the meteoric rise in interest around wearable devices peaking in 2014. However, the interest in the area has it's own grounding, with several skin patch product areas experiencing significant growth and becoming markets worth billions of dollars each year.

 

This masterclass will cover the types of electronic skin patch which are in the market today, the technology behind them, and the future prospects for these devices within each of the markets they address. As a diverse product sector unified only by how they are worn, the picture involves a diverse landscape of different devices, markets and players.

 

For example, the two largest markets for electronic skin patches today are in cardiac monitoring and in diabetes management. This masterclass will discuss details of the skin patch products sold today, but also the wider device ecosystem within which they compete. This trend applies across each market sector for electronic skin patches; it is never the case that skin patches are the only possible product to address a certain market need, so in each case, understanding of the underlying market dynamic is required when discussing the prospects of the skin patch product.

 

Beyond diabetes management and cardiovascular options, this session will explore options for electronic skin patch products in a variety of other markets. This includes examples of their use in medical patient monitoring (both inpatient and outpatient), motion sensing, temperature sensing (e.g. fever monitoring, fertility tracking, etc.), drug and cosmetic delivery patches, smart bandages for wound care and more.

 

This masterclass will also deliver background information on the technology behind the products today. In order to make skin patches, the devices must have some degree of interface between usually rigid electronics and the flexible, stretchable human skin. As such, many companies with component and material options for stretchable and conformal electronics are exploring this product area. The masterclass will discuss some of these options and their progress.

 

On the technology side, most of the existing products leverage the components that have been developed over the years for the mobile phone industry. However, there are exciting new technologies coming up, from flexible displays to biometric sensors. This session will introduce the new materials and technologies that will enable future wearable devices.