Sensors / IoT and Nanomanufacturing
The “internet of things” concept envisions intelligence and communication built into all kinds of consumer products. In addition, smart manufacturing of these products can benefit from the same sensing and communication technologies. Printed electronics offer one low-cost pathway towards this future. However, new low-cost sensor, memory, computing, and communication technologies need to be developed and effectively integrated into a range of manufacturing techniques and consumer products in a scalable, economically sustainable way. The Birck Nanotechnology Center at Purdue University is leading a research initiative with two dozen faculty across ten Schools and four Colleges to combine advances in roll-to-roll systems, functional printing, and scalable nanomanufacturing to overcome this challenge. Given Purdue’s strengths in Pharmacy, Health and Human Sciences, and Food/Agriculture, there is particular interest in focusing efforts on smart thin films towards these sectors. With available roll-to-roll manufacturing lines, Birck Nanotechnology Center is uniquely positioned to take sensor concepts all the way to pilot scale manufacturing. These roll-to-roll lines are also equipped with metrology tools to optimize and ultimately control the quality of the sensors.
- SMART Films Preeminent Team
- SMART Film Consortium
- SMART Films Workshop Presentations
- Manufacturing Capabilities