A common theme in the IDTechEx conference Printed Electronics in Dresden this week was the shortage of creative product design.

Peter Harrop revealed, the printed electronics industry may have started by showing cost advantages with its membrane keyboards, printed RFID antennas, heaters and the like but more and more technical advantages are being discovered with some of the new printed and potentially printed technologies.

The IDTechEx printed electronics suppliers' database offers details on over 600 companies currently active in printed and potentially printed electronics and electrics.

The darkest material ever measured has been created by researchers in the US, making it 4 times darker than the previous recorded record.

3M uses balls with self levelling RFID tags in them for location and identity of gas and other pipelines in the USA - a similar function is now being performed in China.

Chemists and physicists are hard at work developing production processes for graphene - one day it may even be printable.

NanoDynamics will display its selection of metal flakes and powders for printed electronics industry applications at Printed Electronics Europe, April 8-9, 2008 in Dresden, Germany.

Germany's expertise in industrial production, printing processes, and chemicals - all essential elements to printed electronics - make it a leading location for investments.

ImageXpert has recently developed two products that allow for a broader range of printed electronic part inspection.

Soligie Appoints Printed Electronics Veterans Richard Morris & Mark Duarte to Lead Business Development & Sales.

Several universities from around the world are sending the most promising academics to meet companies and explore markets for the technology at Printed Electronics Europe.

MacDermid Electronics Solutions has developed a novel additive circuit formation process called MicroCat.

IDTechEx, along with other analysts, forecast the printed electronics market. While some agree others give widely different figures. After analyzing the industry for nine years, IDTechEx has just completed a new report covering the forecasts of the industry in great detail. Here Raghu Das, CEO, summarises the findings giving that crucial detail behind our forecasts.

Photovoltaic innovator Konarka Technologies reports manufacturing breakthrough using FUJIFILM Dimatix inkjet technology for advanced materials deposition.

Shozo Yanagida to join renewable energy pioneer's advisory board.

New developments in inks and imaging for the printed electronics industry will be presented by DuPont new market development lead Dr. Kerry Adams as part of DuPont Microcircuit Materials' (MCM) participation at IDTechEx Printed Electronics Europe.

Over 600 attendees registered for the IDTechEx Printed Electronics Europe Conference and Exhibition.

Raghu Das summarises some of his findings as he visits the leading giants in Japan.

Speaking to key developers of OLED displays, companies agree that the market for such displays will be at least $0.69 Billion this year, as forecast by IDTechEx.