Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology work in biomimetics - copying nature. Moths led to the radar invisible spy plane. Trees led to the Eiffel tower and the immensely strong giant water lily leaf, stood on its side, inspired the design of Crystal Palace in London in 1850.
The latest biomimetic advance at MIT is a polymer film with the structure of a gecko's feet giving extremely impressive grip even in water. No adhesive is involved. The microstructure relies on Van der Waals forces. The film could form a useful smart substrate for e-labels and skin patches. The MIT researchers are targeting a smart bandage first.
IDTechEx is offering a multiclient study of the e-label of the future. It will lead participants to billion dollar businesses in the materials, the labels and the extra sales of consumer, healthcare, military and other products that will result.
The study will assess the phasing and costing of relevant new technologies over the next few years and the consumer needs for e-labels. This will be translated into the price-volume sensitivity of a range of possible e-labels with market sizes for the materials, inks and labels and the brand enhancement possible. All resulting intellectual property will be owned by the participants.
The planned methodology is shown below but the precise program of this international techno-marketing research will be decided by participants. E-labels will offer electronic texture and color change, speech, wireless programming, sound, aroma release, video projection and much more.
They will often use smart substrates that act as loudspeakers or sensors or are electroactive or "gecko adhesive".
However, this is too much choice for the optimal product ranges to come from hit and miss marketing. Only those companies identifying what most sectors need, from aerospace to consumer goods, matched to what will be possible, will create the product ranges that can achieve billion dollar sales.
Sadly, today's e-labels and e-packaging are designed for specific niche applications so they will never achieve the necessary economy of scale and therefore competitive pricing and functionality for very large sales.
IDTechEx is uniquely placed to lead clients to the big time because it has the multi-lingual, technically qualified staff located across the world that are familiar with this subject. IDTechEx has the databases of information and the key contacts among potential users plus creative design resource to lead you to the breakthroughs. For more, contact Dr Peter Harrop.
For more attend Printed Electronics Europe 2009.
