Plastic electronics pioneers get £8.4million to support R&D
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A range of specialist plastic electronics businesses are to receive investments amounting to £8.4million to support research and development into the technology.
The investments were announced by Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts, pictured, who said: "It is early days for this emerging field, but plastic electronics will give rise to a range of new exciting products. Looking ahead, this technology offers enormous potential to help our local environment, improve our everyday standard of living and support the nation's economy."
According to Willetts, the global market for plastic electronics is forecasted to grow to as much as $120billion by 2020. "The funding I've announced today is important in supporting UK businesses to be world leaders in one of the key industries of the future. Commercially exploiting the outputs of the UK's world leading science and research base has a vital role to play in helping our economy to grow."
Eight projects receive £7.4m to help build the supply chain and to overcome the barriers to UK exploitation of plastic electronics technology. A further £1m has been offered by the Technology Strategy Board to five projects to encourage UK businesses to use plastic electronics in their product development by producing demonstrators with potential for real commercial value.
Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board said: "Very sophisticated plastic electronics technology already exists, but we believe there are huge opportunities out there for much broader incorporation of the technology into products. The challenge is to entice companies, especially those from the design sector, to work with the technology."
Two of the projects being funded are TOPDRAWER and MORRIS.
TOPDRAWER: Thin Organic Prototypes, Design, Research, Applications with Enduser Recognition
Led by Thorn Lighting, and involving Cambridge Display Technology, Tridonic, Pilkington, Conductive Inkjet Technologies and Durham University, this project seeks to show that it is possible to manufacture a printed lighting panel – or polymer light emitting diode (PLED) luminaire – that can be used in a range of designs. The aim is to produce the UK's first printed ultra high efficiency PLED luminaire.
The consortium will develop and demonstrate a printed manufacturing process that will then be integrated into attractive designs that have been created through consultation with potential end-users. This manufacturing process will then be proved and tested by the TOPDRAWER team within the Printable Electronics Technology Centre.
This project will help to build a comprehensive UK PLED lighting supply chain and accelerate the development of a UK printed luminaire manufacturing process.
According to Thorn Lighting's Dr Geoff Williams: "This is an excellent show of confidence in PLED technology and Thorn's consortium by the Technology Strategy Board. This will strengthen the global position of UK PLED technology."
Morris: Manufacture Of Really Reflective Information Surfaces
This three year programme aims to develop large reflective information surfaces made by printed/plastic electronic processes. Applications are expected to include command/control rooms, electronic whiteboards and electronic wallpaper.
The project is led by Hewlett-Packard, in partnership with Timsons and PETEC. Its aim is to develop the specification for a pilot line and material set; projected costs and yields; demonstration devices; components; and processes and equipment. It will then use these figures to secure investment in pilot, and then full, manufacturing.
HP Laboratories' Dr Adrian Geisow said: "It was really encouraging to hear that the 'Morris' proposal had been selected. It will be challenging to deliver, but we believe that it is well aligned with the competition's goal of building the UK supply chain in plastic electronics, as well as being an exciting project in its own right."
