A "smart" polymer cast that automatically seals itself around a broken arm, a membrane that can sense where it has been cut, and pneumatic actuators that can be cut and reconfigured into different shapes are some possible applications for a new self-healing material.

Ynvisible and Evonik announce a collaboration in the field of printable electronics and introduce a first joint technology demonstrator. The collaboration combines Evonik's printable battery materials with electrochromic displays from Ynvisible, opening up novel product design possibilities for Internet-of-Things and other everyday smart product applications.

A tiny sail made of the thinnest material known - one carbon-atom-thick graphene - has passed initial tests designed to show that it could be a viable material to make solar sails for spacecraft.

Graphene is hailed as the first two-dimensional material and was first isolated in 2004. Since then, initiatives like the EU-funded Graphene Flagship project have enabled the discovery of thousands of other two-dimensional and layered materials. Here, Kari Hjelt, the Graphene Flagship Head of Innovation, explains the potential of these materials in healthcare applications.

Warning bell: widespread toxin deployment planned in electronics and electrical engineering

Amorphous silicon appears in solar watches and a few similar applications but it has hydrogen in the lattice limiting life, and efficiency improvement is virtually over.

Utilizing a newly developed dielectric polymer ink and conductive ink from Nano Dimension, HENSOLDT succeeded in assembling the world-wide first 10-layer printed circuit board which carries high-performance electronic structures soldered to both outer sides. Until now, 3D printed boards could not bear the soldering process necessary for two sided population of components.

A team has developed a wearable, non invasive Vitamin C sensor that could provide a new, highly personalized option for users to track their daily nutritional intake and dietary adherence.

The prospect of the widespread commercialization and application of flexible electronics has kept researchers worldwide searching for ingenious ways to enhance their performance and durability. From wearable smart devices to solar cells and health sensors, flexible electronics holds much promise in many engineering fields. Unfortunately, flexible devices are usually as fragile as they look; mechanical deformations, such as bending, can induce the formation and propagation of microscopic cracks that ultimately cause devices to fail.

Flexible hybrid electronic (FHE) promises to combine the functionality of conventional rigid electronics with the flexibility of printed electronics. A prototypical FHE circuit, in which an integrated circuit is combined with multiple other elements, includes (for example) printed sensors, an antenna, a thin film battery and even thin film PV. Not all components need to be included, or even printed, for a circuit to count as FHE, but it must include as a minimum both printed and placed functionality.

An important new trend is buying electrics and electronics you customise to function not just shape. See the new IDTechEx report, "Complete Electronics as Smart Material, User-Customized 2020-2040". Builders, textile manufacturers, those doing home improvement and others are starting to buy electrically-smart materials direct from materials companies, bypassing the electronics industry.

Water and wastewater industries and networks are everywhere. They supply homes, businesses and industries. They are one of the most important infrastructures in many countries. Yet they are not monitored as closely as other utilities industries. However, change is coming. There are many new sensors and products available which can provide a greater insight into this large and wide-ranging industry.

C3Nano Inc has closed an initial equity investment from lead investor Nitto Denko, as the first step in an anticipated $15 million funding round. Nitto Denko Corp is a major supplier of films and touch panel display products for the global smartphone, tablet, and display industries. The two companies will collaborate on further development of the supply chain channel for the global flexible display market.

Researchers have discovered that certain crystals are more flexible and stretchable compared to current materials used for electronic applications. These new materials could therefore be used for making sensors and in robotics.

Bioplastics, polymers derived from biological feedstocks, are a potential solution to the environmental problems caused by plastic - they are made from renewable resources and often biodegrade. Despite this, bioplastics have historically struggled to compete with fossil-based plastics, which are often far cheaper. But, are things beginning to change?

Join the free virtual conference from IDTechEx covering opportunities with printed electronics on 27 May. Additional speakers include Neotech AMT, Roartis and Ynvisible. Join over 1,000 registered attendees.

Ynvisible Interactive Inc announces a Business Transfer Agreement to acquire the printed electrochromic displays business of rdot AB of Gothenburg, Sweden. The deal expands Ynvisible's client list, strengthens the Company's sales and marketing team and brings new assets to its digital marketing and product creation.

An international team of scientists has developed colour-changing, flexible photonic crystals that could be used to develop sensors that warn when an earthquake might strike next. The wearable, robust and low-cost sensors can respond sensitively to light, temperature, strain or other physical and chemical stimuli making them an extremely promising option for cost-effective smart visual sensing applications in a range of sectors including healthcare and food safety.

Researchers have developed ultra-light tattoo electrodes that are hardly noticeable on the skin and make long-term measurements of brain activity cheaper and easier.