CPEIA and IEEE sign MOU to promote adoption of printable, flexible electronics

This MOU will open opportunities for the printable electronics industry to use IEEE's technical research, industry and standards development base for developing solutions

2 Jun 2016 | Editor

The Canadian Printable Electronics Industry Association and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), have entered into a strategic partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the CPEIA and the IEEE Ottawa Section to introduce printable and flexible electronics (PE) to IEEE members as a toolset for developing new products and applications and enhancing existing ones.

This MOU will open opportunities for the printable electronics industry to use IEEE's strong technical research, industry and standards development base for developing solutions. The volunteer IEEE membership will have an opportunity to apply their knowledge, skill and career paths. These solutions will also create opportunities for applying printable electronics to development and humanitarian initiatives through IEEE.

The MOU is a non-financial commitment between the two organizations to collaborate on a number of initiatives over the next three years with options to renew. These include participation in technical working groups and educational events such as webinars, technical seminars and conferences.

Peter Kallai, President and CEO of the CPEIA, said, "PE offers engineers, researchers and other technology developers a whole new set of building blocks for applications in automotive, aerospace, defence, mobile communications, consumer electronics, health, intelligent buildings and connected homes." Peter, added, "With its extensive global network, IEEE is a fantastic partner to help us reach a broader audience of innovators and build a stronger PE sector in Canada. IEEE members are the inventors who advance science and technology in their everyday research and development work; they are also the engineers who make everyday decisions about what technologies to use or include in a host of technology products. We are proud to partner with the IEEE – this is a major milestone for the CPEIA."

Janet Davis, Chair of the IEEE Ottawa Section, said, "There is a natural fit between the IEEE and the CPEIA." Janet, added, "Our members can take advantage of PE technologies to add intelligence to everyday objects at a fraction of the cost of conventional technologies, and develop this industry right here in Canada. We welcome the opportunity to work together with the CPEIA to advance PE technologies."

CPEIA workshops at IEEE events

The CPEIA and the IEEE have already begun to collaborate, to foster greater understanding among the IEEE membership of PE applications and their advantages versus conventional electronics.

In May in Montreal, the CPEIA hosted a special full-day session on PE at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), the world’s premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and systems. Topics included flexible electronic circuits, printed organic photovoltaic antennas, aerosol jet printing for rapid prototyping and low-cost manufacturing methods.

In July in Montreal, the CPEIA will host a half-day session at the IEEE’s 17th International Symposium on Antenna Technology and Applied Electromagnetics (ANTEM), which will focus on printed antenna technologies.

About CPEIA

Established in 2014, the Canadian Printable Electronics Industry Association (CPEIA) brings together key Canadian and international players in industry, academia and government to build a strong Canadian printable, flexible and wearable electronics sector and ecosystem. The Association is the united voice for the sector and implements critical development strategies to facilitate growth through networking, stimulate R&D and investment, build a strong supply chain and drive the broad adoption of PE by end customers in a range of Canadian industries, including Intelligent Packaging, Intelligent Buildings, Aerospace and Defence, Automotive and Industrial Applications, Health and Wellness, Intelligent Documents, and Consumer Electronics and Wearables.

Source: CPEIA

About IEEE

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE) is a non-profit, technical professional association of more than 421,000 members worldwide. The IEEE acronym is most popularly pronounced I triple E. Through its members, the IEEE is a leading authority in technical areas ranging from computer engineering, biomedical technology and telecommunications, to electric power, aerospace and consumer electronics, among others. Through its technical publishing, conferences and consensus-based standards activities, the IEEE produces 30 percent of the world’s published literature in electrical engineering, computers and control technology, holds annually more than 300 major conferences and has nearly 900 active standards with 700 under development.

Through its members, the IEEE is a leading authority in technical areas ranging from computer engineering, biomedical technology and telecommunications, to electric power, aerospace and consumer electronics, among others. IEEE has always been the champion and information provider of advanced technologies and innovations, including printable electronics. Many IEEE members are the world leaders in printable electronics research; many other IEEE members are involved in the commercialization or implementation of the printable electronic technology.

IEEE Canada is the legal and official presence of IEEE in Canada. It is the largest technical professional association in Canada with over 18,000 members across the country. Many of our members are technology leaders, business leaders and practitioners in industry. Some of the members are business executives, key engineers or chief technology officers; others are lead researchers with academic institutions or governmental policy boards in Canada.

The IEEE Ottawa Section, part of IEEE Canada, represents more than 1,800 individual members and serves to organize and promote local events significant to electrical, computing, and software engineering. It will serve as the CPEIA’s champion to other IEEE sections.

Source: IEEE