Northeastern U-Silicon Valley to host flexible sensor workshop
San Jose, CA. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) SF Bay Area MEMS and Sensor Chapter is convening an expert one-day workshop on flexible printed sensor technologies at the San Jose campus of Northeastern University-Silicon Valley on Thursday, October 13.
Exponential growth is expected for flexible, printed, and organic large-area electronics and sensors. These new printed electronics and sensors are fabricated on flexible plastic substrates, which offer clear advantages including mechanical flexibility, lighter weights, and lower profiles.
The use of flexible plastic substrates enables low-cost, high-speed manufacturing of devices over large areas by using printing technologies in a Roll-to-Roll production line. Targeted applications include wearables, environmental monitoring, and e-health.
PK Agarwal, regional dean and CEO of Northeastern University-Silicon Valley, will host this daylong event at the school’s new campus in San Jose. Attendees will exhibit various types of flexible sensor applications at the event.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awarded $75 million to FlexTech Alliance to build and manage a San Jose-based hub for a federal Manufacturing Innovation Institute for Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FFE MMI). The DoD award comes with $250 million in matching grants from industry and academia for the creation of an R&D consortia headed by MIT for the development of “functional fabrics.” The funds will be applied to validate the potential of “smart fabrics” technologies for consumer and military wearable applications.
The event’s morning session will feature expert insights on flexible electronics. The afternoon session will be devoted to sensors, followed by an interactive panel discussion on the future of this rapidly growing market and the potential barriers to commercialization.
Organizers include Roger Grace, Roger Grace Associates (general chair); Ramesh Ramadoss, IEEE (technical chair); Brent Lunceford, IEEE (exhibits chair), and Rick Davis, Northeastern University (alumni chair).
