Sensors / IoT

The “internet of things” concept envisions intelligence and communication built into all kinds of consumer products. In addition, smart manufacturing of these products can benefit from the same sensing and communication technologies. Printed electronics offer one low-cost pathway toward this future. However, new low-cost sensor, memory, computing, and communication technologies need to be developed and effectively integrated into a range of manufacturing techniques and consumer products in a scalable, economically sustainable way. Birck is leading a research initiative with two dozen faculty across 10 schools and four colleges to combine advances in roll-to-roll systems, functional printing, and scalable nanomanufacturing to overcome this challenge.