Printed, Flexible and Organic Electronics

Electronics embedded within the structure of bridges, walkways, EVs, aircraft and more, have the potential to be a $60 billion market by 2025.

Over the past five years there have been a large number of companies developing Transparent Conductive Film (TCF) alternatives for Indium Tin Oxide (ITO). Including material providers and film providers, research and events firm IDTechEx has profiled almost 100 organizations working across more than 12 types of transparent conductive film technologies.

In this article we focus on the current status of the main printed electronics technologies for components in consumer goods and healthcare applications, providing for each one market drivers, case studies and key suppliers, cost structures and challenges.

Analyst views of the Internet of Things (IoT) vary drastically depending on how one defines the topic. As a result, there is the potential for much hyping.

Mobile phones and associated wearable electronics are now part of what is called the Internet of People. The Internet of Everything (IoE) is a term that describes the massively connected world ahead of us.

Wearable technology for humans is all the rage. As "the next big thing", it involves head-on clashes between some of the largest companies on the planet. Those interested in such technologies would therefore be wise to take a look at wearable technology for animals.

The heart of the e-textile business as it emerges is electric and electronic functionality from sensing to light emission, achieved entirely by use of e-fibers.

IDTechEx's report Organic Photovoltaics 2013-2023: Technologies, Markets, Players analyses the latest developments in this field. This report gives an overview of the greater photovoltaic business landscape, assesses the organic photovoltaic technology at material and component level, and delivers detailed market forecasts.

Wearable electronics is a very fragmented industry when it comes to manufacturers. Even mature sub-sectors have no clear leaders in what will be a $70 billion plus business in 2024 with 12,000 developers and manufacturers as newly calculated by analysts IDTechEx.

So far, there is very little true e-textile in production - that is, textiles with electronic and/or electric functionality based on weavable e-fibers. That is now changing.