In an article series, TechBlick (www.TechBlick.com) will highlight various innovation trends in the diverse area of printed, hybrid, in-mould, and 3D electronics. Their goal is to demonstrate progress and state-of-the-art on various fronts ranging from R2R on-paper printing to thin ICs to conductive inks to stretchable substrates to in-mould electronics and beyond.

Printable electronics could cause a proliferation of smart, connected devices, from household appliances that can communicate with each other to medical diagnostic sensors that can be placed on the body to forgo invasive procedures. But the variety of printing surfaces poses a challenge, since a method used to print on a flat object may not be safe for use on human skin or applicable for complicated textures and shapes.