Every year, with the exception of the pandemic, the CES show in Las Vegas is the ultimate technology showcase. Organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), CES highlights the latest trends and newest products that are either in the marketplace or in the pipeline.

CES 2024, this year’s program, was held at 12 official venues around Las Vegas. According to the CTA, there were135,000 attendees this year. They checked out 2.5-plus million net square feet of exhibits, a 15% increase over CES 2023. There were more than 4,300 exhibitors at CES 2024, including more than 1,400 start-ups in Eureka Park. Advances in AI, automotive, entertainment systems, wearables and so much more were among the topics in conference halls and on the trade show floors. There were also interesting advances in areas where flexible and printed electronics are involved.

OLEDs at CES 2024

It will come as no surprise that televisions and displays were among the highlights at CES 2024, with LG Display’s OLEDs among the most intriguing. Among its most interesting introductions were on the automotive side: LG Display highlighted its ultra-large automotive display solutions, including the 57-inch Pillar-to-Pillar (P2P) LCD, the world’s largest automotive display, and the 32-inch Slidable OLED, the largest slidable panel, for the first time. The 32-inch Slidable OLED is concealed in the ceiling and can be extended downward to form a large interior screen.

LG Display also introduced its Ultra-large P-OLED P2P, a combination of a 12.3-inch P-OLED display cluster and 34-inch P-OLED center fascia display to form a singular display.

On the home TV side, LG Display introduced its OLED TV panel, which offers its latest META Technology 2.0; new gaming displays; and its lineup of Transparent OLEDs, including 30-, 55-, and 77- inch displays.

OLEDWorks was also active at CES 2024, introducing Atala, its new automotive lighting brand. Atala features OLEDWorks’ line of automotive qualified OLED lighting products designed for Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs.

“The new Atala brand allows us to provide more focused attention to our automotive customers,” said Kathleen Miller, OLEDWorks’ director of marketing, in announcing the new branding. “Atala will offer the highest performing, automotive qualified OLED technology, and opportunities that are catered to the unique needs and requirements of the industry.”

The OE-A Pavilion

Once again, the OE-A hosted the OE-A Pavilion, where members highlighted the latest from the organic and printed electronics industry. Among the participants were Almax, Brewer Science, Coatema Coating Machinery GmbH, Enfucell Oy, Heraeus Deutschland GmbH, Holst Centre, Innovation Lab GmbH, Interlink Electronics and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. 

Klaus Hecker, managing director of the OE-A, said that CES 2024 was a success for its members.

“At the OE-A Pavilion, the representatives of our member companies have had a busy and inspiring time,” Hecker noted. “The OE-A pavilion at CES 2024 provided again great visibility for the OE-A and the printed electronics community. We had so many interesting and deep conversations about printed electronics with visitors and made many new contacts; there was no dull moment. The OE-A member companies exhibiting at the OE-A Pavilion were very satisfied with the level of traffic at the pavilion, and real business was made.”

Hecker observed that the OE-A member companies attending CES 2024 reported that interest is growing in printed electronics.

“Visitors are coming with specific projects and questions, so the quality of the discussions is very different from five or six years ago when we organized the first OE-A pavilions at CES,” Hecker said. “We are seeing a lot of interest from electronics professionals, but also from end-user industries such as automotive, medical and, of course, consumer electronics. People now have a good understanding of the benefits and advantages of flexible and printed electronics, and they want to make use of them in their products.”

Hecker added that at the OE-A’s CES networking event, it was clear that CES is the place to be for our industry, as it showcases the most innovative trends in consumer electronics.

“The printed electronics industry is increasingly merging with the traditional electronics business, offering solutions that save energy, weight and raw materials,” he noted, adding that most exhibitors are committed to being part of the OE-A Pavilion at CES 2025.

Hecker did have some time to look around CES 2024, and he pointed out some of the highlights he saw at the show.

“CES 2024 was a great event and a powerful showcase for flexible and printed electronics,” he observed. “For me, it is a highlight that flexible and printed electronics are an integral part of the big trends at CES, such as AI/industrial metaverse, sustainability, medical and mobility.

“LG’s large transparent OLED displays and TVs show the way to truly intelligent windows for automotive, smart home and commercial applications,” added Hecker. “In medical, we saw all kinds of biosensors based on PE. And in mobility. the widespread use of touch surfaces and (curved) OLED displays became mainstream – at least at CES. And the next generation of battery management systems for EVs, heaters and sensors were showcased by OE-A members in the pavilion.”

Ambient Indoor Solar at CES 2024

In terms of flexible and printed electronics, one of the areas that has come up recently is the concept of indoor solar cells, which are powered by ambient lighting. They are ideal for smart buildings, smart homes and the IoT, where it is critical to replace batteries for sustainability and financial reasons.

At CES 2024, there were three ambient lighting specialists – Ambient Photonics, Dracula Technologies and Epishine – who showcased their products.

Ambient Photonics highlighted its dye-sensitized bifacial solar cell (DSSC) technology at CES 2024. These solar cells continue to perform in any indoor light.

“In today’s world, connected electronics require ongoing power, which too often derives from disposable or rechargeable batteries,” said Bates Marshall, Ambient Photonics’ co-founder and CEO in announcing Ambient Photonics’ plans for the show. “Solar power has long been an option for certain low-power electronics like calculators or toys, but it’s taken breakthrough science from Ambient Photonics to develop high-performance solar cell technology for mass-market devices.”

Dracula Technologies highlighted its new LAYERVault, which combines printed low-light organic photovoltaic (OPV) energy harvesting and electrical storage on a single flexible film. The OPV LAYER harvests ambient light for low-power devices, while the energy storage layer ensures autonomy by storing energy for power consumption during periods without ambient light.

“At Dracula Technologies, we’re dedicated to revolutionizing battery-based electronics with a 100% sustainable energy source,” Brice Cruchon, CEO and founder of Dracula Technologies, said in announcing Dracula Technologies’ plans for CES 2024. “LAYER®Vault provides a genuine solution for eco-friendly energy autonomy, already proving its worth in IoT deployments where eliminating batteries is crucial for large-scale success.

Dracula Technologies was located in Eureka Park, the home for innovative companies showcasing new technologies. Jerome Vernet, VP sales at Dracula Technologies, reported that CES 2024 has fast-paced and a f=great opportunity for the company.

“It has been hectic but great,” Vernet said. “Our LAYERVault® has been recognized as a real game changer. We had great leads with strong interest and already got exchanges with few major players only a few days after the show ended.”

Vernet said that sustainability advantages have been key to attendees.

“Energy and sustainability have been raised by almost every lead we met,” said Vernet. “We are already working on quotations for projects.”

Meanwhile, Epishine, a specialist in printed OPVs, and Nichicon, a leading capacitor manufacturer, introduced a self-charging battery concept. Their concept is a combination of Epishine’s high performing solar cells and Nichicon’s LTO-batteries.

“We’re very excited about our partnership with Nichicon. Together, we’ve created a self-charging battery powered by light – a sustainable advancement not only in its technology but also in its potential applications,” said Jonas Palmér, business development director at Epishine, in announcing Epishine’s participation at CES 2024. “It’s a big step in simplifying the design of self-powered electronics, aligning perfectly with Epishine’s longstanding goals.”

Kristina Hagstedt, communication manager for Epishine, said that CES 2024 was great for Epishine.

“CES 2024 provided a good opportunity for us to engage with current trends in technology and to showcase our latest concept together with Nichicon as well as our products,” Hagstedt observed. “The event was great for us to connect with potential partners and to understand more about the market’s needs. Overall, it was a positive and exciting event for our team.”

Hagstedt said that the meetings Epishine had were very productive.

“The feedback we received was positive, with interest shown in the practicality and application of our technology,” she noted. “While I can’t go into specifics, I can say that the discussions were encouraging and opened possibilities for future collaborations.”

Sustainability is an important concept today, and CES 2024 showcased numerous new technologies. Hagstedt said that it is good to see these new developments.

“CES 2024 featured a range of interesting innovations,” Hagstedt concluded. “We noted several advancements in sustainable technology that align with our own focus. It was also interesting to see the growing emphasis on energy efficiency in consumer products. These trends are relevant to our work at Epishine, and being part of this environment was both informative and affirming.”

CES 2025 will be held in Las Vegas from Jan. 7-10, 2025. For more information, please see www.ces.tech.