Several printed electronics companies are pushing closer to market with pilots and demonstrators of their technology, partnering with brand owners, and the packaging and converting supply chains.
Initial pilots of a simple printed electronic device that can enable interactive marketing using smartphones have been initiated by Printechnologics, in collaboration with several large brands.
The company's AirCode technology is designed to apply a tag or code to items or packaging. The AirCode device comprises a substrate material and a layer of conductive material formed into logic arrays. The arrays are applied to the substrate-like inks using conventional printing methods. Offset printing works well with the company's technology, enabling customers and printers to create and handle the AirCode like a print certification process.
Once on a product the AirCodes can be 'read' by a multi-touchscreen device, such as a standard smartphone, to access the hidden data. The technology is intended to compete with near-field communication (NFC) tags and quick response (QR) codes. The latter - square, 2D barcodes - are growing in popularity as a marketing tool, appearing in magazine advertising, posters and on product packaging.
Bettering QR codes
According to Printechnologics its AirCode technology is not only economical to produce, because it leverages existing print processes, but is also more secure than QR codes, as well as other types of 2D and matrix barcodes, holograms, and RFID labels. AirCodes contain up to 140 bits for unique encoding.
Several other printed electronics companies are developing technology to enable interactive smart packaging and labels at low cost. Ynvisible has developed a concept that aims to provide product differentiation through a printed electrochromic display that can change at the press of a button.
The Portugal-based firm is initially targeting point-of-sale applications, but is also working on item-level and packaging applications. The company teamed up with Finnish flexible battery maker Enfucell to develop demonstrators of its interactive displays.
Collaboration
Swedish start-up Polyscorp is taking a collaborative approach by working with industrial partners within packaging and other supply chains. Polyscorp provides dynamic display technology based on thermochromic inks, which are inkjet printed.
Inkjet is being used by brands and their converter partners increasingly for producing full-colour, short-run packaging or packaging with variable data or information. The display is activated when the thermochromic substances in the ink are heated up by the ink on the backside of the display. A small driver controls the heat generating area and also functions as a power source for the display, and can be programmed to switch the display in a sequence.
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Printechnologics
The company, formerly Menippos, is commercialising printed electronic circuitry on paper or foil
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Polyscorp
Polyscorp provides dynamic display technology based on thermochromic inks, which are inkjet printed
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Ynvisible targets point-of-sale with electrochromic display technology
Point-of-sale advertising will likely be the first commercial application for an interactive electrochromic display being developed by Portuguese start-up Ynvisible
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