Exclusive: Printed electronics pack enables intelligent sun screen concept

A sun lotion aerosol can that uses printed electronic sensors has been declared the winner of a design challenge posed by Crown Packaging to design students at London's Brunel University.

A number of concepts produced during a competition for design students have illustrated the potential of smart printed electronics to disrupt the packaging segment.

These include transplanting functions already shown on smart labels directly onto a range of different packaging materials and containers. The winning design, sun screen container Smart Tan, shows the potential for a pack design tailored to its end use to actually deliver an enhanced product to the user.

Crown Packaging
The project was organised by international packaging firm Crown Packaging. It drew on its existing relationships both with Brunel University's Centre for Packaging Technology and the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI).

Six mixed teams of postgraduate engineering and design students were set the challenge to produce future packaging concepts.

The CPI provided insight to the students on the potential of printed sensors, communication circuits and other components during the project.

Cormac Neeson, director of external partnerships at Crown Packaging, spoke to +Plastic Electronics. He says: 'Crown has a long history with working with Brunel on collaborative engineering and packaging design. One area we have been looking at recently is printed electronics. People across the company have been very impressed with the students' work and enthusiasm.'

Exclusive: Printed electronics pack enables intelligent sun screen concept

Subscribe today for full access to exclusive Tire Hub content.