LOPEC 2024 Shows Sustainability on Mobility and Smart Living Applications

Wolfgang Mildner, fellow of the OE-A and General Chair of LOPEC, explains how this year’s LOPEC focus topics have been selected and how they will come to life at the event.

LOPEC is the world's leading event for flexible, organic and printed electronics. From March 5-7, 2024, it will take place in Munich and showcase under the focus topics Mobility and Smart Living. The Mobility focus will demonstrate how printed electronics enable the automotive and avionics vehicle technology to be more lightweight, integrated and intelligent. The Smart Living focus aims to make the health sector future-ready.

Printed electronics is an innovative technology that enables thin, lightweight, flexible and cost-effective electronic components. It can be applied to various materials such as paper, foil or textiles and thus opens up new fields of application and markets.

LOPEC comprises an exhibition and a conference that cover all areas of the value chain: from research and development to materials and processes to systems, components, applications and services. Visitors can learn about the latest trends, products and solutions and exchange with experts from all over the world.

As the application areas are manifold, they cover a variety of industries. Every year, the international LOPEC Strategic Advisory Board (LOPEC SAB) discusses and decides on the focus topics. The focus topics represent the most active and dynamic application areas. The SAB Board is an international group of representatives from market participants (e.g. LOPEC exhibitors), which I have the pleasure and honour to chair.

This year, once again, Mobility and Smart Living have been selected. These topics re-present applications in related industries like automotive or healthcare. A third topic was discussed and added: sustainability. Sustainability is incorporated as part of the production and the resulting products. It will be communicated as the overall umbrella and guideline for all applications.

The focus topics drive the general content of LOPEC. They form the basis for the call for papers for the conference agenda, encompassing business, technical and scientific talks. They are referenced in the exhibition by specific marks for exhibitors who showcase products relating to these topics. Additionally, they are highlighted in the products featured at the LOPEC Innovation Showcase. The focus topics help attendees, visitors and participants find the right content, exhibitors or products related to their specific interest.

Smart Living

The focus topic Smart Living is crucial for the health sector. The health sector can bene-fit from printed electronics in many ways. For example, printed sensors can facilitate health monitoring of patients by measuring vital parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure or skin conductivity and transmitting them wirelessly. Electronic labels for packaging and devices can also enhance the safety and quality of drugs and medical devices by detecting tampering, monitoring the supply chain or automatically documenting the administration of a drug.

Smart Living also includes emerging technologies for energy generation and storage. New form factors, based on the fundamental capabilities of printed electronics – thin, lightweight and flexible – enable innovative applications like transparent solar cells, easily integrated into buildings or vehicles or even used in agriculture applications.

Mobility

Printed electronics is not only beneficial for the health sector, but also for the automotive industry. Flexible, organic and printed electronics offer new possibilities for design, functionality and safety in cars and trucks. For example, printed heaters and sensors can improve the comfort and performance of seats, seat belts and air bags. OLED displays and taillights can create stunning visual effects and save energy. Printed antennas can enhance the connectivity and communication of vehicles. In-mold electronics can integrate touch surfaces and components into the car interior.

These are just some of the examples of how printed electronics can transform the mobility of the 21st century. LOPEC is thus the ideal platform to discuss and experience the potentials and challenges of printed electronics for the health sector, the automotive and the emerging energy field.

Caption: Wolfgang Mildner is owner of MSWtech in Nuremberg (Germany), fellow ot the OE-A and General Chair of LOPEC. He ist also a regular contributor to OPE journal.

This article was published first in OPE journal, issue 46.

Pictures: Wolfgang Mildner, LOPEC