Canadian printable, flexible electronics leaders recognized

The Canadian Printable Electronics Industry Association (CPEIA) delivered the inaugural Innovation and Commercialization Award winners during its annual symposium yesterday. The winner for CPES2016 Commercialization Award was Memtronik Innovations, for rapidly responding to a market need for an innovative new solution in the retail industry.

The winner for CPES2016 Commercialization Award was Memtronik Innovations, for rapidly responding to a market need for an innovative new solution in the retail industry.

In the space of a month, Memtronik implemented a novel concept in capacitive touch and illuminated displays for a top provider to the consumer market for global brand owners and retailers. Memtronik used its unique expertise with human-machine interfaces, integrated electronics precision printing with DuPont materials, and surface mount assembly capabilities, to develop and ship its innovative prototypes within days. These integrated printed circuits combine multiple functions with capacitive sensors, conductive adhesive, and controlled LED lighting, for use in 3D demo displays. Memtronik is expecting, and will be able to fulfill, volume orders quickly and locally, creating an innovative new solution for a multi-million-dollar market.

The winner for the CPES2016 Product Innovation Award was Myant & Co., for its latest breakthrough of integrating technology into textiles. Just two weeks ago, Myant released Vagalume – a collection of stylish athletic apparel that enhances visibility for safety at night, using electroluminescent technology.

The winner for the CPES2016 Product Innovation Award was Myant & Co., for its latest breakthrough of integrating technology into textiles. Myant released Vagalume – a collection of stylish athletic apparel that enhances visibility for safety at night, using electroluminescent technology.

Vagalume means ‘firefly’ in Portuguese. Conventional reflective technology relies on an external light source to be visible. Myant’s Vagalume emits its own light which is visible under any conditions and from any angle. Functional enough to light up when you want it to, Vagalume is as thin as paper, as flexible as fabric and machine washable. Active people have the ultimate combination of style and function to light up the night.

Symposium held at Sheridan College this week

Canada’s Printable, Flexible and Wearable Electronics Symposium (CPES2016), held this week at Sheridan College in Oakville ON, showcased the convergence of research and development, industry expertise, commercial effort and government activity that gives Canada a tremendous opportunity in the explosive global market for printable, flexible and wearable electronics (PE), according to Peter Kallai, president and CEO of the CPEIA and Chair of the CPES Organizing Committee.

“This year’s Symposium was once again a smashing success,” Kallai says. Responding to the feedback received last year, CPES2016 broke new ground to focus on industrial applications in a host of market verticals, including health care, consumer products, intelligent buildings, connected homes, smart packaging, smart auto parts and aerospace. In fact, more than half of this year’s attendees were from industry.

“Our first award winners are representative of over 100 outstanding Canadian organizations that are pioneering great innovations with printable, flexible and wearable electronics,” Kallai adds. “Printable electronics can add smart functions to ordinary objects – these are technologies and applications that will drive the Internet of Things and impact a wide range of end user verticals, including those we explored during CPES. I applaud Myant and Memtronik for their efforts to commercialize new products that will help put Canada on the map in this exciting emerging market.”