Thinfilm has deal for 1.3 billion units of printed smart memory tags per year and can roll to roll print one kilometer of memory

At the 8-11 minute portion of this video, there is discussion that Thinfilm Norway has had printed memory for a while. The memory only has 20 bits of memory in the square centimeter or so of space. This is enough to count to one million or so. Now they have a deal with Xerox to apply these counters to Xerox ink cartridges so that you will know exactly when to replace the cartridge. Each one costs less than one dollar. The volume licensing deal from Xerox likekly will be a penny or a few pennies per cartridge.

High end electronics still require silicon electronics. Low end electronics that you want cheap, large area and everywhere then you want to use printed electronics.

Two important trends are coming together—the advent of low-cost, disposable electronics and the proliferation of near field communication (NFC) protocols, particularly in smart devices.

Thinfilm is producing electronics in a fundamentally new way, using roll-to-roll printing. This allows electronic labels that offer a cost-per-function untouchable by any other technology. Rather than $15+ for integrated systems, Thinfilm will be able to produce electronic labels with memory, sensing, display, and/or wireless communications for tens of cents. We are currently producing memory labels on a high-volume, roll-to-roll process, producing electronics by the kilometer. We have also shown our proof-of-concept for the first integrated systems, Thinfilm’s temperature-sensing label, combining sensing, data storage, and display. With over a decade and a half of R&D behind us, printed electronics has come of age.

Though many of Thinfilm’s initial electronic labels will be stand-alone (such as a temperature indicator on a package), an even greater number will be readable via close-proximity wireless communications. One example is reading by NFC-enabled devices such as smart phones. Other systems, though, will use proprietary protocols to establish product differentiation.

The Internet of Things is accelerating, and with cheap, disposable electronics, the applications are numerous. Temperature-sensing devices able to electronically record and communicate min/max temperatures at 1/10th the price of silicon alternatives. Sensors that can record exposure to light, humidity, and even toxic gases. Dynamic pricing displays that automatically discount a product after a certain period of time, or electronic shelf labels that are lightweight, flexible, and disposable. One-time-use medical devices such as a blood oxygen sensor for use in home care. Memory devices that allow authentication of a branded refill in consumer packaged goods.

Smart memory on a plastic card

Sheet of NFC barcode chips



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