Researchers boast of progress with printed electronics

There's certainly no shortage of researchers working on printable electronics these days, but a group from the EU-funded CONTACT project is now boasting of a "major step" towards being able to print electronics on everyday materials. At the moment, they seem to be focused primarily on printing organic TFT displays directly onto glass plates, which apparently required the use of some aggressive solvents that "attack" the organic materials between the TFT and liquid crystal layers. Their current Labratester 1 printer (pictured above) apparently still has some problems precisely lining up each layer, however, but they say that'll be fixed with the addition of some optical cameras in the Labratester 2 machine they're now working on. Eventually, they say the system could be used to easily and cheaply print displays directly on watch faces or glasses, or even print other electronics onto paper or other fabrics.

[Via Protein Feed, image courtesy of NSMZ]

[TL @ Jul 5th 2008 5:52AM]

should this be on a gadget site?

[Reader @ Jul 5th 2008 7:50AM]

Yes... honestly it's a pretty legit article. Now an article on Tata going eco is something to complain about not being gadget related, but not this so much.

[Metkis @ Jul 5th 2008 5:58AM]

Ugh, now the next Macbook might actually BE the manila envelope.

[Jin Saotome @ Jul 5th 2008 6:07AM]

Can't wait to use a MacBook Air to cut it!

[Metkis @ Jul 5th 2008 6:00AM]

I'm so happy that you will die some day. Kudos.

[andres @ Jul 5th 2008 6:03AM]

to fail.

[JOHN TRACEY @ Jul 5th 2008 6:13AM]

If I've understood the article correctly you'll need to add a registration system I like to suggest you look to the Heidelberg for this they use a pull system that would grab the material which would allow for all the material you wish to use just add a pad of soft rubber for the glass. what about a constant feed system or are planning a single feed

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 5th 2008 7:45PM]

For god sakes, you need to learn how to use proper punctuation! It's exhausting trying to read your post

[j101985 @ Jul 5th 2008 7:16AM]

text

[EndlessRain @ Jul 5th 2008 7:51AM]

text photo

[Mic2000 @ Jul 5th 2008 8:16AM]

Open Playstation3.doc, File, Print...

[Jevanzz @ Jul 5th 2008 8:59AM]

1. Rinse
2. Repeat
3. ????
4. Profit

[Evil @ Jul 5th 2008 8:32AM]

OWO VERY GOOD

[fsx @ Jul 5th 2008 9:20AM]

"paper or other fabrics"? Is paper a fabric in the USA?

[SimonRichards @ Jul 5th 2008 9:34AM]

Yes. Look it up.

[Echo1 @ Jul 5th 2008 3:51PM]

I would love to see this integrated with 3D printers, just image the possibilities.

[hiko36 @ Jul 7th 2008 1:22AM]

@ Echo1

That is the general idea...

[raider @ Jul 5th 2008 9:26AM]

They can do what now ?

[Bob @ Jul 5th 2008 9:40AM]

That's pretty awesome. You could make a re-usable newspaper by printing a flexible display on paper and just "downloading" the day's news to it. Could even do moving images like the newspapers and signs in Harry Potter... That is an awesome concept!

[Alareth @ Jul 5th 2008 11:55AM]

We already have e-paper in use and the tech is improving rapidly.

Amazon's Kindle uses an e-paper display.

[Silivrenion @ Jul 5th 2008 9:46AM]

I'm surprised nobody has already compared this to the obvious - HUD's in cars. I remember some show was talking about the advancements of cars over the next few years, and showed a picture of a full car display in the windshield.. unfortunately with advertisements showing to distract the driver.

[Michael @ Jul 5th 2008 10:26AM]

This is definitely the future of electronics. Imagine the day when they can print off motherboards on flexible polymer plastic sheets the way you can make copies of your resume in a copying machine today. CPU, solid state memory, display and all.

[Michael @ Jul 5th 2008 10:28AM]

What do you do when you need to upgrade?

[Krzysztof @ Jul 5th 2008 11:41AM]

HardWarez anyone?

[broli @ Jul 5th 2008 12:06PM]

Someday this will be as common as printing paper used to be.

[Ace b @ Jul 5th 2008 4:17PM]

guys,guys....cut him some slack.It's is first post.At least wait til his second or third post to shut him down completely.

[Andrew @ Jul 6th 2008 8:18PM]

Awesome concept! I vividly remember my eighth grade science teacher telling our class that microbiology was the future of electronics. Assuming this paper replaces the current type what kinds of new uses will we find for it?

...How much will this change the clothing industry? If people can display advertisements on their clothes then should they be paying to wear them?

[beatrat @ Jul 7th 2008 12:49PM]

but where does the meat go?