Flexible Electronics and Its Future

Possibilities

The wide range of flexible substrates is changing the technology game of the world. This flexible electronics technology is changing the capability of all electronic products, and gadgets because flexible devices are so lightweight, have outstanding mechanical flexibility, way better than rigid substrates, and are ductile. This technology is about in-depth knowledge of electrical engineering, textile electronics, organic molecules, and material science. If you want to understand the true potential of these flexible devices, first you have to understand all of their uses, expectations, and technology. You will understand the trends of these electronics in this age, and what we should expect from this technology in the future.

Introduction to the history of flexible electronics

Comfortable, stretchable, or substrate form of electronics that we can use for better purposes is called Flexible Electronics, a thin-film device. The ability to stretch, conform, or bend themselves is the uniqueness of these electronics. The manufacturer uses soluble conducting polymers, flexible transistors, metal oxides, liquid metal, functional layers, metal nanoparticles, organic materials, and organic transistors to manufacture these electronics by solution process.

They use flexible plastic or metal foil as the main substance, but they also use different forms of flexible glass substrates, paper, electronic circuits, and metal foil. (Metal foils such as copper)

Flexible substrates were first introduced to the world at the start of the 20th century (1903). A man named Ken Gileo presented these Flexible circuits by placing a patent. He invented an electronic gadget with a paraffin-coated sheet that had a metal conductor installed on it. In the past few years, lots of electronics companies are using these flexible circuits to make them highly flexible, and get good electrochemical performance. Instead of using consumer electronics, hundreds of electrical companies are using the flexible circuit in their products to provide better results, and performance.

Reasons behind the fame of flexible electronics technology

Flexible and stretchable electronics are gaining popularity because of their attractive characteristics, and use of organic materials. As hundreds of companies have recognized their true potential and benefits, flexible sensors are being used in different countries, and different technologies. They are becoming very popular in the world because of the following reasons: 

1. Not so expensive:

A middle-class man always buys a technology that comes under his budget. In the beginning, a flexible circuit was so expensive because they were rare, and they lacked innovation.

Now, they are available at a low cost, because so many electrical companies have accepted their manufacturing, and they are bringing new, and latest flexible technologies day by day. All of this has led to flexible electronic devices at a low cost and greater innovation. 

2. Flexibility:

We are aware that development and research on flexible substrates are still on the road to success. Still, with the current technology, flexible electronics are providing so many benefits to the users as compared to consumer electronics. Unlike traditional devices, they will have good electrical properties under bad circumstances. With the passage of time and innovation, people will use a flexible substrate at much cheaper rates.

3. You can modify them according to the task:

Everything is about the easy and personalized experience of the users, and a flexible circuit board has the ability to do so. Smart bands are a good example of this technology. Smart brands have different sensors and a mixture of systems that display the tracked information to the users. Sometimes, these devices can help people in recording their health and share it with someone they want.

So, flexible electronics have the ability to mold themselves right according to the task they are performing. This is why they are also called”implantable electronics”.

4. Innovations:

Hundreds of companies are trying to bring out some new changes, and innovations in flexible electronics to improve their applications. The biggest innovation of flexible electronics is that they now use different sensors, and systems to display.

Folding televisions are the best example of these innovations. You have seen an electronic gadget that can convert itself from being a tiny device to a big television. This is because of the flexibility that is increasing day by day.

5. Very easy to be carried away:

This is one of the best benefits of flexible electronics. Traditional electronics like television, or computers are not manufactured to be carried away to anywhere.

Using this technology, companies have built smartphones that you can use for various outcomes such as betting on new casinos or just reading the news while you’re on the move, just so you can easily carry them. This technology was achieved by using thin-film circuits.

What kind of professions use flexible substrates?

Professional electronics companies and researchers of different industries use flexible electronics. If you want to get a clear meaning of how these electronics are being used all over the world, continue reading.

1. Advertisements:

Flexible circuits are gaining so much popularity in the marketing world, especially in digital signage. Different companies use digital signage to deliver messages from one end to another end, just so the messages can be adjusted whenever needed. Digital signs are best to play message videos or audio at any time you want. Instead of using heavy glass to display messages, flexible electronics use some sort of plastic for this purpose.

2. Vehicle manufacturers:

The automobile industry is using flexible electronics in cars as well. They are looking for some innovations in automobiles. In a recent survey, professionals predicted that by 2025, there will be 25 million cars that will have the biometric system installed in them. This system will assist the users to make the car more personalized, and secure. This system will have sensors, and cameras installed behind the steering wheel that will recognize the driver and it will adjust the music, seat, side mirrors, and air condition accordingly. 

3. Biometric system:

Companies often rely on biometric fingerprint systems in different devices. Now, lots of companies are trying to upgrade this system using flexible electronics. They use flexible sensor arrays in this matter. These printed sensors are capable of scanning the fingerprint more deeply by scanning the veins and adding extra layers to the fingerprint. These arrays are very durable, thin, and light, and they make flexible electronics more natural.

4. Developers of smart technologies:

Smartphones and different devices are taking over the market like a storm. The technology market is growing day by day, from smartphones to smartwatches, from computers to pocket laptops, and much more. Because of their glass structure, these devices have become more delicate.

To improve the structures, the manufacturers are using flexible electronics because these electronics come in a unique shape, and it can give the manufacturers and users more creativity. What are the current trends of flexible devices?

There are the following leading trends of flexible electronics:

1. Medication and healthcare:

Companies are manufacturing wearable medical devices day by day. A patient can wear these devices like a jacket, and it will display the information about any medical issues on a monitor. Besides these wearable technologies, industries are inventing better and better technology using flexible electronics.

Moreover, researchers are developing different devices using flexible circuits. For example, companies are manufacturing stretchable sensors to comfort the patient while providing all the necessary data to the doctor. Furthermore, gas sensors are a very impressive innovation of flexible electronics. With these advanced technologies, doctors can receive all the necessary information by the breathing of the patient.

2. Structural electronics:

Thousands of companies are now working on structural electronics because they have found its true potential and importance. Using the old traditional electronics that use printed circuits and protective sheets, flexible electronics are giving opportunities to the manufacturers to add “smart skins” in the traditional electronic devices. This way, those old devices can be replaced by flexible electronics that are much better.

3. Three-dimensional electronics:

These electronics are in-mold electronics. They are made of lightly weighted parts, they can allow quick turn-around times, and few components are needed to coordinate. This form of flexible displays is very useful that’s why they will continue to upgrade.

4. Hybrid technology:

Hybrid technology is the combination of traditional technology and flexible electronics, and hybrid devices are mainstream functional materials. This is a way to bring innovation to both old, and new electronics. Because the structure of old electronics is already built, the performance and production process of hybrid electronics is much easier. These hybrid electronics beat traditional electronics in every aspect of their performances, like comfortability, lightweight structure, and thinness.

Hybrid technology is a great innovation in many industries. Through hybrid electronics, users can get the power, and structure of old electronics, and the compatibility, comfort, malleability, and flexibility of new electronics.

5. Conductive Inks:

Industries are using flexible electronics for manufacturing conductive inks. Companies are using this in conjunction with IC (integrated circuits.) the researchers are working on this to provide the best 5G connection and coverage. Most importantly, users can draw a functional circuit using functional inks. If we use traditional IC, it will be difficult for the integrated circuit package to cover the 5G network more efficiently. This is why conductive polymers or organic small molecules can be used for this purpose. Moreover, they are used as printed electronics, and screen printing

Future predictions of flexible electronic devices:

So, you have understood everything about its uses, and its current trends. Now, you should be aware of its future applications. Thousands of companies are already working to expand their manufacturing of flexible electronics. Few future predictions of flexible displays are given below:

1. Development of industries:

The industry of every country will take advantage of flexible electronics. As mentioned above, automobile companies are already using flexible electronics to invent new technologies. Lots of industries are trying to maximize their production system by using compact sensors. As traditional disposable electronics use many interconnections to work properly, flexible electronics are changing this trend. Using flexible circuits, companies can fit the connections in a compact system. This way, we can achieve new capabilities of the equipment, and we can make the product less bulky.

2. Medical and health care:

The medical industry around the world is gaining attention because they have adapted flexible electronics. In the future, researchers are trying to bring out some new ideas.

Some of them are given below:

•       Electronic skins: With this technology, professionals can detect every medical issue of the patient. The patient has to wear this electronic skin, and it will calculate the pulse of the patient, concentration of oxygen in his blood, and body temperature. By wearing electric skin, the user can observe his medical condition, and deliver it to his doctor as well.
•       Ultraviolet radiation tracking: Ultraviolet radiations are very harmful to human health. With this technology, users will be able to know how much harm that the UV radiations have caused them during the day. Moreover, he can also note how much harm it is causing at the current moment. All the information will be transferred to your smartphone, or your health professional. This technology will also inform you about whether you can get more radiation, or you should go straight to your home.
•       Flexible circuits in lenses: According to research, it has been predicted that the contact lenses will have polymers that are electrically conducted.

Using this, the users will be able to send pictures, and videos straight to their lenses (application of printed electronics). Moreover, these lenses can also check the glucose, and heartbeat level of the user, and will display the recorded information to the user.

3. In energy:

The printable solar panel is the greatest invention of flexible electronics. Still, electronic materials, and OPVs (organic photovoltaic) are bringing new opportunities for the solar system. In the future, you will not have to place solar cells on your roof, the OPV system could have solar energy storage on your fabric. Some people have seen this technology in the form of clothes that can generate solar energy. People have used this technology in charging their phones, and laptops.

This system can absorb sunlight and will transfer it to the solar cells. These systems are not only easy to place in your homes, but they will be cheaper than other devices. The reduction in the prices will be because of OPVs as they use polymer-based layers for the semiconductor and flexible light-emitting diodes for high energy density. On the other hand, traditional solar panels use expensive conventional semiconductors for thermal conductivity, like amorphous silicon.

4. Wearable devices:

We know that these wearable devices are still working in medications, but the future is much brighter. Today, wearable electronics take huge amounts of batteries, and area to fit in. Because of these batteries, the size of the devices is much larger than it should be. In the future, the devices will be manufactured in the form of a jacket and will have excellent mechanical properties.

Conclusion:

Flexible, and organic electronics are improving day by day, and they have a bright future coming. Still, they are much better than conventional electronics. So many companies are still taking advantage of this technology, and they are still doing further research. Some companies are looking forward to using them in artificial intelligence. We are sure that the growth will never stop, and flexible electronics will continue opening doors for everyone who wants to utilize them.