Material ConneXion released Connected, the third installment of the Material Revolution report series. Focusing on the incredibly fast-growing field of connected materials and manufacturing processes, Connected aims to provide a broad yet current look at how materials are enabling seamless integration and effective connection between us and our world, bringing the user the latest and most effective solutions for embedded tech, smart materials and lightweight high-performance smart fabrics.
"Achieving the combination of performance and form demanded by flexible electronics has required a completely new set of material types, manufacturing processes and testing procedures, some of which have come from the fabric world, others from the printing world, but all of which are testing the limits of what materials can do today," said Dr. Andrew H. Dent, VP Library and Research at Material ConneXion. "Through this report, we aim to provide a greater awareness of the requirements for developing an integrated electronics system, and an inspirational perspective on what can be accomplished."
Every day, our world becomes more connected. As our devices, appliances, transportation, apparel, homes and workplaces increasingly communicate with us-and each other-seamless technological integration is imperative. More importantly, the materials in which our technology is integrated must perform just as well while maintaining, and sometimes enhancing, the connectedness we desire. In order to provide usable insight and perspective on this quickly evolving industry, Material ConneXion's award-winning consulting team, ThinkLAB, has curated this particular report to serve as a digestible, enjoyable and insightful resource and guide to understanding connected technology.
The report is broken into topics or material categories, in order to highlight the parts that make any electronic system work: batteries, substrates, circuitry, coatings, components, screens and displays. Included in this world are materials that are of current interest within the broader topic of "connected", such as smart fabrics, e-textiles, printed electronics, medical and sportswear sensors and devices worn on the body, as well as flexible interactive packaging. The report contains in-depth descriptions of new materials, as well as case studies and a comprehensive glossary.