The Rise of Conformal Electronics

Wong Hin Kai A0098451

Xia Liang Zhou A0103269

Thilani Abeysinghe A0082206

Chen Zhao A0098564

Qu Xian A0104376

Tay Gee San A0098527

a shapely future for circuits

high-performance electronics that can stretch, twist and expand

conventional electronics are rigid and brittle

printed, flexible electronics lack performance and reliability

thin means flexible

how do we make electronics thin and conformable?

but being flexible is not enough

build a stretchy mesh with electronics on thin islands

connected by springy bridges

print mesh onto thin plastic which holds the entire mesh together

build body-worn stickers which seamlessly measure our body activity

breathable waterproof

yet

core technology deployed to allow conformal coupling to the human body

all on an ultrathin patch that mounts onto the skin like a temporary tattoo

digital health - moderate development cycle

- high growth potential

- white space opportunity

modular system with onboard sensing, processing, power and communication

wireless connectivity

informed user

continuous data

analysis

seamless sensing

digital health - moderate development cycle

- high growth potential

- white space opportunity

high degree of body conformance

comfortable, almost

unnoticeable

rigid, brittle

restricted movements

high mobility

digital health - moderate development cycle

- high growth potential

- white space opportunity

wearable digital monitor

limited mobility

health wear

easy to apply

modular, diverse substrates

digital health - moderate development cycle

- high growth potential

- white space opportunity

wearable digital monitor

health wear

complex connections

proprietary textiles only

Skin Patch

Wearable Digital Monitor

Health Wear

High

Low

digital health - moderate development cycle

- high growth potential

- white space opportunity

sports & fitness - short development cycle

- rapid uptake with high volumes

- short product cycle

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Number of Physical Analysts, 2011-12 Season

number of

analysts

ranking

sports & fitness - short development cycle

- rapid uptake with high volumes

- short product cycle

tracks your every step

total distance, speed, height

but it is restricted to monitor performance only

sports & fitness - short development cycle

- rapid uptake with high volumes

- short product cycle

Real-Time Data Transmission

High Accuracy High Mobility

• Stretchable, Durable

• Traditional Material

• Revolutionary Technology

Low Cost

Seamless Sensing

sports & fitness - short development cycle

- rapid uptake with high volumes

- short product cycle

Full Spectrum Monitoring

Conventional

Wrist Band

Skin Patch

High

Low

sports & fitness - short development cycle

- rapid uptake with high volumes

- short product cycle

medical device - long development cycle

- low volumes with high margins

smart balloon catheters

stretchable polymer-electronic

composites

ultrathin sensors embedded on surface of

balloon provide direct sensory feedback

springy interconnects that can expand

several times of original length

conventional

catheter

medical device - long development cycle

- low volumes with high margins

better understanding of “what‟s happening at the far end of the catheter”

improves the placement of stents and artificial heart valves

* Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

medical device - long development cycle

- low volumes with high margins

inefficient and

time-consuming

• second catheter to freeze tissue and kill cells causing

arrhythmia

conventional method

efficient catheter for mapping and ablation

• first catheter to identify and

map abnormal tissue

2 1

medical device - long development cycle

- low volumes with high margins

passive, manually-activated, and

skills dependent

• largely „analog‟ systems

• subjective treatment

decisions

conventional method

digital, and intelligent system

Conventional Catheter

Smart Balloon Catheter

High

Low

medical device - long development cycle

- low volumes with high margins

military device - long development cycle

- low to moderate volumes with high margins

high-efficiency gallium arsenide PV cells

stamped on as a grid, with metal islands millimetres across rising up from the

substrate

ultrathin, flexible and stretchable solar

directly integrated into fabrics, helmets

military device - long development cycle

- low to moderate volumes with high margins

conventional solar

stretchable

lightweight

high efficiency

extreme mobility

rigid, heavy, low mobility portable solar

lower efficiency, not stretchable

military device - long development cycle

- low to moderate volumes with high margins

solar soldier – australia‟s vision

hardy, durable

inconspicuous

obvious, low concealment

feeble, fragile

military device - long development cycle

- low to moderate volumes with high margins

Stretchable Solar

Conventional Solar

Portable Solar

High

Low

0 50 100 150 200 250

2011

2016

2025

Global Flexible Electronics Market *

US$B

* Source: International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI)

digital health - moderate development cycle

- high growth potential

- white space opportunity

Rising Healthcare Needs ascending healthcare expenses • 20% of global GDP by 2020

limited professional resources • 1 physician, 2 nurses, and 2 hospital beds per

704 population in 2011

growing elderly population • 1 in every 6 people > age 65 in 2025

– increasingly prone to numerous health risks

– shortage of funds

US’ medicare hospital fund to bankrupt by 2024

– more demands on eldercare providers

average of 3.1hrs per day spent on eldercare

activities by informal providers in the US

0

10

20

2000 2010 2020

% GDP

Scope of

Activities

Cash Flow

R&D

Design

Venture Capital

Suppliers

Individuals Organizations Professionals

Distributors

Component

Manufacturers

OEM

Agents

Retailers

Partners

- Revolutionary and Patented Technology

- Strategic Alliances with Established Brand Names

- Leveraging Existing Industries

- Non-existing Complementary Assets

- Unestablished Sector Branding and Reputation

- Favorable Market Conditions

- Limitless Applications; Infinite Possibilities

- Research Grants and Awards

- Competitors / Imitators

- Raw Materials Costs

- Stringent Government Regulations

reshaping electronics

will change your way of life