The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the major event for the electronics industry. This year’s show, which starts tomorrow and runs through Jan. 8 in Las Vegas, features the latest in appliances, displays, sensors, wearables and much more.
 
CES 2016 set records for visitors and exhibition space, as 177,393 attendees walked through the 2.47 million square feet of exhibition space. It is a huge show, and some printed and flexible electronics manufacturers are among the companies attending CES 2017.
 
In order to educate attendees about potential applications for flexible and printed electronics, the OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association) will host “Printed Electronics: Enabling the Future,” which will feature the three hour-long discussions. These sessions, scheduled for Jan. 6, will cover the Internet of Things (IoT), automotive, healthcare and wearables, and will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center in room N264.
 
Stan Farnsworth, chief marketing officer at NovaCentrix and OE-A vice chair North America, noted that printed electronics is already being implemented on a large production scale with many products already on the market.
 
“However, this is just the beginning of the impact we will see from the printed electronics applications,” Farnsworth added.
 
These sessions are:
• 1-2 p.m.: Printed Electronics: Key Enabling Technology for IoT, moderated by Jeremy Burroughes, CTO, Cambridge Display Technology and OE-A chairman.
 
Speakers include Farnsworth; Erwan Le Roy, EVP business development and GM, NFC Solutions and Smart Sensor Products, Thin Film Electronics; PragmatIC CEO Scott White; Richard Harding, global head of business development – Photovoltaics, EMD; and Heliatek CEO Thibaud Le Séguillon.
 
• 2:15-3:15: Printed Electronics Applied in Automotive will be moderated by Farnsworth.
 
Speakers on the opportunities for automotive, including touch screens, displays and sensors, include Wolfgang Clemens, head of product management, PolyIC;  Thomas Kolbusch, VP, Coatema Coating Machinery; Nina Riegel, senior engineer innovation management, OSRAM OLED; and Simon Jones, commercial director, FlexEnable.
 
• 3:30-4:30: Printed Electronics Advancing Healthcare & Wearable Innovations will be led by Constanze Ranfeld, project manager, OE-A.
 
Among the speakers will be Burroughes; Ralph Liedert, key account manager, VTT – Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.; Jie Zhang, VP, Changzhou Changzhou Institute of Printed Electronics Industry Corp Ltd.; and MSWtech CEO Wolfgang Mildner.
 
Award-Winning Products
 
Flexible and printed electronics products are receiving notice, with at last two products earning innovation awards.
 
Nanoco Group plc is an honoree for its cadmium-free CFQD quantum dot technology for LED grow lighting, as well as its Deep Red CFQD Fine Color Film for sustainable plant growth. The compnay will be showcasing this solution at Venetian Suite 30-330.
 
“Cadmium is a highly toxic and carcinogenic material that has huge adverse effects to end consumers and customers, who rightfully do not want them in their supply chain,” said Torsten Schanze, GM, Nanoco Lighting. “It was imperative that we provided our customers with a heavy-metal free alternative that they could handle without fear of contaminating their factories and employees. We saw a gap in the market for a tuneable grow light solution that could be customized to fit the specific growing conditions of different plants.
 
“We developed the Deep Red CFQD Fine Color Film technology for LED grow lamps so that customers could easily integrate them into their existing indoor farms and increase yield while saving energy and space,” Schanze added. “We have a number of customers trialing our products now. ”
 
eMagin Corporation was named a CES 2017 Innovation Awards honoree for BlazeSpark, which offers advanced NIR night vision technology for consumers.
 
“A growing number of outdoor enthusiasts are expanding their daytime sports and activities into the night,” Dan Cui, chief marketing officer for eMagin’s HMD Group, said. “Mountain biking, hiking, and wildlife viewing, to name a few, will be a singular experience using our innovative night vision technology.”
 
Exhibitors on Hand
 
There is a wide range of companies on hand showcasing their newest products at CES 2017. In addition to Le Roy’s talk during the OE-A session, Thin Film Electronics is showcasing its latest products and collaborations at the Venetian.
 
“We are going to be at CES, where we have a demo and will be holding a number of meetings,” said Bill Cummings, Thin Film Electronics’ SVP, corporate communications.
 
Quantum Materials will show its heavy metal-free quantum dot film at CES 2017.
 
“We are excited to present our QD display film to leading display manufacturers at CES seeking to incorporate advanced quantum dot technology into their TV, monitor and mobile device offerings,” said Stephen Squires, Quantum Materials CEO and chairman.
 
Heliatek will exhibit its HeliaFilm organic solar cells with ENGIE, a strategic partner, at the OpenInnov pavilion at the Sands Expo, Level 1 Hall G, Eureka Park Next – Booth 51720 to 51531.
 
Flex Tech Alliance will be at Sands, Halls A-D – 40736 (Smart Home Marketplace). Blue Spark Technologies will show its TempTraq wireless thermometer in Sands, Halls A-D – 43653 (Wearables Marketplace)
 
Valencell, a sensor specialist for wearables, will be exhibiting at Tech West, Sands Expo, Level 2, booth 44330. The company will showcase its Benchmark Sensor Systems, which are used for audio earbuds, smart watches, fitness bands and more. The company will also show how its technology is appearing in products from leading manufacturers, including Bose, Samsung, Sony and Jabra. Firstbeat Technologies Oy, which also has sensors in the marketplace, will be at the Venetian Palazzo Hospitality Suites.