{"id":104242,"date":"2015-09-02T09:50:27","date_gmt":"2015-09-02T13:50:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=104242"},"modified":"2015-09-10T10:06:23","modified_gmt":"2015-09-10T14:06:23","slug":"uconn-joins-flexible-hybrid-electronics-research-consortium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2015\/09\/uconn-joins-flexible-hybrid-electronics-research-consortium\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn Joins Flexible Hybrid Electronics Research Consortium"},"content":{"rendered":"

The University of Connecticut is one of several leading public research universities that will support a new national manufacturing institute for flexible hybrid electronics, an emerging manufacturing field that is expected to revolutionize the electronics industry.<\/p>\n

\"Technician<\/a>
A flexible electric circuit layout. (iStock Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Flexible hybrid electronics refers to a new generation of bendable and wearable electronic sensors and components that offer a broad range of applications from smart bandages in health care, to high-tech military uniforms, to durable embedded sensors in airplanes, bridges, and roads.<\/p>\n

The Manufacturing Innovation Institute for Flexible Hybrid Electronics is the seventh of nine such public-private research consortia envisioned by President Barack Obama\u2019s administration to ensure that the United States continues its leadership on the frontiers of manufacturing.<\/p>\n

“Connecticut’s partnership on the Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute is another recent example of UConn working with the State and industry to bring new opportunities to Connecticut,\u201d says University President Susan Herbst. \u201cThe Institute will engage Connecticut companies and UConn researchers to develop new technologies and manufacturing processes that promote economic development.”<\/p>\n

Flexible hybrid electronics integrates the world of high-tech electronics and high-precision printing to create a new generation of sensor platforms that work the same way as traditional non-flexible circuits yet will conform, stretch, and be lighter and more durable than existing products. Imagine for instance, the rigid green circuit board inside your computer being made instead of a flexible material that can be stretched and bent, opening scores of new possibilities for designs and applications. Another use might involve embedding ultra-thin electronic components into medical tape to allow greater comfort and flexibility in monitoring patients during health care.<\/p>\n

The institute is supported by $75 million in federal Department of Defense funding over five years. Those funds are being matched by $96 million in cost sharing from private and public sources, including private companies, state investments, universities, and non-profit organizations.<\/p>\n

Connecticut\u2019s Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is contributing $2.5 million to the initiative, which will be matched by $2.5 million in federal funds on selected projects. UConn is contributing $2.5 million as well, mainly through the use of Next Gen Connecticut funds that will support the purchase of flexible hybrid electronic equipment and related research associated with UConn\u2019s new Tech Park. The United Technologies Research Center also contributed to the project.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re demonstrating our commitment to seeking \u2013 and securing \u2013 new and innovative sources of support to develop key technologies in our state,\u201d says Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. \u201cJust last month, Connecticut earned a federal designation and access to federal dollars that will support advanced manufacturing primarily in our aerospace and shipbuilding industries. This latest national affirmation builds on and strengthens our state\u2019s reputation as a manufacturing leader.\u201d<\/p>\n

Operating from a central hub in Silicon Valley in San Jose, Calif., the institute will be managed by FlexTech Alliance, a non-profit research and development consortium. Members of the institute\u2019s research consortium will be spaced out around the country via regional \u201cnodes\u201d and will include 96 companies, 11 independent research laboratories and non-profits, 43 universities, and 15 state and regional organizations. UConn is part of the Northeast research node.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe intent of the (Manufacturing Innovation Institute) is to draw in the country\u2019s \u2018best of the best\u2019 scientists, engineers, manufacturing experts, and business development professionals in the field of flexible hybrid electronics,\u201d says Malcolm Thompson, the institute\u2019s executive director-designate.<\/p>\n

Under the FlexTech proposal, Thompson notes, the central Hub provides overall program direction and will create prototypes, among other responsibilities. The Hub will rely on external research sites like UConn for the development of necessary equipment, materials, devices, and other vital components.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are very pleased that we have a key role in the Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute,\u201d says UConn School of Engineering Dean Kazem Kazerounian. \u201cUConn is particularly well suited to contribute to this institute in terms of our faculty expertise, students, facilities, and industry partnerships. The activities associated with this institute will integrate seamlessly into plans for the UConn Tech Park, and will enhance our ability to impact the economic development in the state.\u201d<\/p>\n

UConn has more than 20 faculty researchers working in areas associated with flexible hybrid electronics, and a number of research centers helping advance manufacturing science. Those centers include the Institute for Materials Science, the newly-established FEI Center of Excellence in Microscopy (one of the foremost microscopy facilities in the world), the UTC Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering, and the Center for Hardware Assurance, Security, and Engineering or CHASE.<\/p>\n

The federal project includes an education and training component to prepare a new generation of workers experienced in flexible hybrid electronics.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is great news for Connecticut because the impact of this institute\u2019s activities will go way beyond its initial objective of supporting the defense industry,\u201d says Connecticut DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith. \u201cTo capitalize on the full potential, the integrated circuit, graphics printing, and electronic assembly and packaging industries will have to be engaged in the processes, and the benefits could extend far into the automotive, communications, consumer electronics, medical devices, healthcare, transportation, and agriculture industries.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UConn research will support a new national institute for an emerging manufacturing field that is expected to revolutionize the electronics industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":104247,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2076,179,2227],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[117],"class_list":["post-104242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","category-uconn-health","category-uconn-edu-homepage"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-12 13:53:39","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104242","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/58"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104242"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104242\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104248,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104242\/revisions\/104248"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/104247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104242"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=104242"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=104242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}