Xerox breakthrough could yield “smart’’ clothes

Scientists for Norwalk imaging technology maker Xerox Corp. say they have discovered a "silver bullet'' way to imprint electronic circuits onto materials, such as plastic and fabric, that could yield a wide range of cheap, intelligent products.

Xerox's Canadian scientists say they have developed a new silver ink that paves the way for commercialization and low-cost manufacturing of printable electronics.

Applications for the technology include "smart" pill boxes that track how much medication a patient has taken or display screens that roll up to fit into a briefcase. Clothing that monitors body temperature or heart rate may also be possible.

Typically, integrated circuits consist of three components - a semiconductor, a conductor and a dielectric element - mounted onto a silicon wafer that is expensive to produce. With its breakthrough silver ink to print the conductor, Xerox says it has developed all three of the materials necessary for printing plastic circuits.

 "For years, there's been a global race to find a low-cost way to manufacture plastic circuits," said Paul Smith, laboratory manager, Xerox Research Centre of Canada. "We've found the silver bullet that could make things like electronic clothing and inexpensive games a reality today. This breakthrough means the industry now has the capability to print electronics on a wider range of materials and at a lower cost."

Xerox says it will aggressively provide samples of its materials to manufacturers and developers interested in refining and testing the technology.