The Truly Integrated Circuit Is Printed and Flexible
Paper-e
Also newly arrived is the Paper-e of the New University of Lisbon, which is an inspired way of printing transistor circuits by making the gate of the transistor the paper substrate itself.
Interestingly, these transistors, made with the superior, new zinc oxide based printed semiconductors, have much better characteristics than one would expect at first sight and the physics of this is currently being clarified. Needless to say, all the above smart papers for printed electronics can be environmental and biodegradable.
Printed smart shelf
Plastic Electronic GmbH in Austria specialises in capacitive printed electronic structures. For example, its smart shelf consists of polymer film that deforms when things are placed on it and the crossbar conductive patterns on both sides monitor the change in capacitance and thus the position and relative weight of what is on the shelf.
Now NTERA, Inc., a leader in all-printed, flexible, colour change display technologies, and Plastic Electronic GmbH, have entered into a license agreement to develop advanced printed electronics products using NTERA's flexible printed electrochromic displays.