E-Thread technology wins innovation prize
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Dominique Vicard and Jean Brun, researchers at French technology centre CEA-Leti, have received the Avantex Innovation Prize for the use of the E-Thread technology in textiles.
E-Thread is a microelectronic packaging technology developed by Leti that allows for a chip to be connected directly to a set of two conductors. These can provide the functions of antenna, power and/or data bus.
According to Leti, this allows an x10 improvement in size, assembly time and reliability compared to classic microelectronic packaging. The E-Thread assembly can then be incorporated in a yarn and used by the textile and plastic industries. Leti adds that electronics such as LEDs, RFIDs or sensors can then be integrated into materials and objects.
The Avantex jury said 'electronics integrated in textiles during the textile processing and not simply by adding the components in a last step will be a significant step forward'.
E-Thread is used within the European FP7 PASTA project (Platform for Advanced Smart Textile Application) and is said to be a 'key technology asset' of a startup company to be created by Leti later in 2013.
* For more on wearable electronics, see Technology Watch in the next issue of New Electronics.
