Printed and Organic Electronics’ Potential for Intelligent Sensor Networks

global ABI Research: Printed and organic electronics technologies are likely to find a place at the table as RFID and other "intelligent sensor networks" evolve towards the end of this decade. These cutting-edge technologies are already starting to find applications in the automotive industry, and organic components are finding their way into mobile phones. Silicon and other inorganic materials still rule the roost in the design of "ubiquitous networks" such as RFID systems. RFID is the first iteration of intelligent sensor networks. There will be many additional waves. Companies that are looking to create such networks in and beyond the supply chain must take a serious look at the printed and organic electronics market and understand where, when and how they can be applied as intelligent sensor networks evolve. Organic and printed electronics will certainly play a role in this market, says Michielsen. Will organic chips replace silicon circuits in RFID tags? Will printed inks replace metallic antennas? Those questions are yet to be answered, and the answers will come from companies such as 3M, Dow Chemical, DuPont, Infineon, Motorola and Siemens, all of which are active in organic electronics R&D. On the printed electronics side, Dai Nippon, Precisia, and Xerox are among the growing number of committed researchers. These technologies have the potential to make RFID tags cheaper and antennas more effective, and to play a role in biological and chemical sensing, while enabling new applications, cheaper components and additional capabilities. They should start to move out of the laboratory and become commercially available from 2008-2010. Printed & Organic Electronics: IC, Antenna and OLED Opportunities in Displays, RFID, Photovoltaics and Batteries

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