By David Savastano

Printed and flexible electronics (PE) systems are drawing attention form end-users, and Printed Electronics USA 2014, organized by IDTechEx and running Nov. 19-20 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA, will bring attendees news and insights from brand owners.

With some PE systems already commercialized and more PE applications moving toward pilot production, end-users and designers are looking at ways they can utilize flexible and printed electronics. can bring to their products. Printed Electronics USA 2014 will provide insights into new technologies, with 200 presentations and 200 exhibitors expected to be on hand.

Today’s keynote session will bring the perspective of some of the largest brand names in the world to attendees.

“Our event drives business and adoption of printed electronics by being user focused,” IDTechEx CEO Raghu Das said. “We expect 2,500 attendees and approximately 200 exhibitors – significantly up on last year.”

Das will lead off the keynote session with his introductory remarks. He will be followed by Chris Turkstra, senior director head of product and strategy for Samsung, who will discuss “From Sensors and OLEDs to Products Customers Love.”

Wearables are the next topic, with Dr. Qaizar Hassonjee, vice president innovation for adidas Wearable Sports Electronics, analyzing “Wearable Technologies Enabling Athletes to Unleash Their Best.”

“Automotive Applications for Printed Electronics,” the next talk, will the focus of the presentation by Ashutosh Tomar, principal engineer (research) at Jaguar Land Rover Research.Das then returns to give a more in-depth talk on “Printed Electronics 2014-2024: Progress, Money and Opportunities.”

Printed and flexible electronics in lighting follows, with Dr. Adam Scotch, R&D manager, Osram Sylvania Inc., covering “Challenges and Opportunities for Printed Electronics in the Lighting Industry.” Wes Lindquist, design engineering manager,
Hallmark Cards, will offer his insights into “Pulp Fiction: The Use of Printed Electronics in Consumer Paper Products.”

Anwar Mohammed, senior director, Flextronics, then returns to the area of wearables with “Stretchtronics – Stretchable Electronics for Wearable and Emerging Applications.”

There are also a wide variety of technologies that are related to PE, and Printed Electronics USA 2014 will co-locate many of these hot topics. The co-located programs include Graphene LIVE! USA 2014; Internet of Things Applications USA 2014; 3D Printing LIVE! USA 2014; Wearable Technology LIVE! USA 2014; Supercapacitors USA 2014; and Energy Harvesting & Storage USA 2014.

After the keynote talks, Day 1 offers eight concurrent sessions. Sensors and Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing are the topics for Track 1. In particular, the Sensors session has speakers form ISORG, Tactonic Technologies, Novasentis, Electrozyme and KWJ Engineering.

Track 2 covers Smart Labels, Smart Packaging and New Products Enabled by Printed Electronics, with talks scheduled from Jones Packaging, Thin Film Electronics, Soligie and T+Ink. Track 2 also analyzes Displays and Lighting, with Panasonic, LunaLEC AB and Electro-LuminX Lighting Corporation among the presenters. Track 3 covers Energy Harvesting: Photovoltaics.

Track 4 includes Graphene Live! and Supercapacitor USA 2014. Track 5 is Internet of Things 2014, including talks by Osram Sylvania and Cisco Systems, among others. Track 6 discusses Wearable Technology LIVE! USA 2014, Track 7 looks at Energy Harvesting & Storage USA 2014, and Track 8 discusses at 3D Printing LIVE! USA 2014.