Innovation in integration: Novalia

19 Jan 2011

UK printed electronics firm Novalia is working on product development projects for its interactive printed media (IPM), that are now approaching commercialisation.

The company, profiled in +Plastic Electronics in 2010 (see +Plastic Electronics 3.1), is working on around 12 partnership projects.

Collaborating with print firm The Northern Way on print trials, some of these are now just weeks from completion, according to the company.

IPM involves adding interactivity and functions to printed media - for instance paper and card. Posters, signage and gift cards are among the various products that Novalia director Kate Stone and her team have developed.

Printing

A range of converting techniques are used to integrate print with electronics that enable the printed item to become interactive. The company uses existing high-volume production processes to manufacture products incorporating a mixture of sensors, displays, lights, speakers, printed batteries and communication devices.

Working with traditional print houses and the customer, the process starts when Novalia undertakes a full assessment of equipment and tools already in place.

Understanding how to use what it has to work with avoids additional setup costs, and helps the company to establish what is possible, recommending where necessary which components, inks and substrates should be used.

Commissioning

Customers provide product designs as part of the commission, which can involve writing interaction and/or software, circuit layout or creating graphics. All design services required by the customer are provided, and Novalia collects a design or royalty fee on the customer products to fund future R&D.

This creates IP around printed electronic devices, methods of manufacture and applications. The IP portfolio created over the last six years can be accessed by the client under a licensing agreement.

Having worked with Tigerprint, a provider of greetings cards, wrapping paper and associated products to UK retail chain Marks & Spencer, the company intends to continue product development and progress to market with its current batch of collaborative projects.

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