NextFlex News – March 2021 Newsletter
Dear Members and Friends,
If you’re considering membership with NextFlex, now would be a very good time to join.
Not only is there an active project call – PC 6.0 – out for proposal with $14.3M in funding (Including cost share) available, but later this month, NextFlex will host two half-day member meetings. This members-only virtual event will feature forward-looking talks covering all NextFlex activities, plus opportunities to network around these topics: Automotive, Roadmapping, Modernization Priorities, Standards, Test & Reliability, and FHE Fabs. Project updates from select NextFlex funded projects will also be presented. The objective of these sessions is to engage members in collaborative discussions with NextFlex and with each other, and all employees of member organizations can attend. I am always impressed with the quality and depth of technical exchange during NextFlex meetings and events. Perhaps the time is right for you to consider how you can contribute to our growing member community!
I’m delighted to announce that Binghamton University will soon be delivering our FlexPro Workshop, an immersive technology learning program that introduces the benefits of flexible hybrid electronics to working professionals. This workshop facilitates a deep dive on the design and manufacturability of FHE devices that are lightweight, can conform to curved surfaces, and are designed and manufactured with an all-digital process, meaning, rapid design changes and lower cost are big benefits of FHE. Read more about this elsewhere in this newsletter.
We were invited to provide a technical talk at the upcoming Manufacturing USA / ASME Congressional Briefing on March 24 along with several other institutes. Representing NextFlex will be Dr. Azar Alizadeh, Principal Scientist at GE Global Research in Niskayuna, NY. As many of you know, Azar is a co-lead of the NextFlex Human Health Monitoring Technical Working Group and has led several NextFlex funded projects. Currently she is co-leading a new project that builds on the foundation of a previous NextFlex funded project to develop and implement remote health assessment tools that enable effective tracking of respiratory viral illnesses such as COVID-19. These devices will soon undergo human health studies at the Clinical Research Unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which is a big deal! We are honored to be able to feature such important work on this esteemed panel and I thank Azar in advance for representing NextFlex.
Finally, I was recently interviewed by Design World, in a discussion called, “The Future of Electronics Manufacturing is Flexible Hybrid Electronics.” I got to talk about all of my favorite topics: how we are working together to advance the maturation of FHE technology, how transformative our workforce development programs are, and how well the NextFlex community has adapted and is continuing to advance despite our distributed and socially distanced work. Our progress is impressive despite the challenges, and I encourage you all to keep going! The interview video is available for viewing on demand at nextflex.us.
Keep the good ideas coming,
Malcolm J. Thompson, Ph.D.
Executive Director