Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1330321
70 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2021 there was always a better one coming up. At some point, you're never going to own one be- cause you're always waiting. Eventually, you'd say, "Is this a safe jumping-in point?" Other- wise, you'll have nothing forever (laughs). Holden: If someone in the fashion industry came to you and said, "We want to experiment with wearable electronics. We're interested in what fabrics are compatible. Where do we find the ink and the machine that somehow can print conductive or other electronic com- ponents or circuits on a fabric and cure them?" Could they come to you? Carignan: Yes. That's mostly a characteriza- tion exercise for FTIR and things. Within SUSS MicroTec, they've placed an inkjet system at Electro Polymers. Admittedly, it doesn't do full size; it will do something like an 8 x 12 area. These units were placed at companies, and that's where we'll do our trials. They also have an R&D center that's in the Netherlands, which also has anything from a full-size print- er to a smaller R&D printer. In the example that I gave you with this niche application, we wanted to test a number of inks. We gave one company a system so that they can directly do that kind of work. With other types, where they want to use a standard ink, and there isn't a big emphasis on chang- ing the formulation, then we would do it in Europe. We would say, "Supply us some sam- ples, we'll print them, and we'll help evaluate them." At times, I use my lab from an optical standpoint to help do some of the reporting. Holden: The fashion industry would dwarf the PCB industry. Carignan: That's the promise of wearable elec- tronics. I'm being monitored for my heart rate for medical reasons. Today, you're sticking and jabbing, and you're trying to measure all these things, and you say, "You know what? Every piece of clothing I have measures these things. And if necessary, they're sending signals out to me, either on my phone or to a remote ser- vice." There's also potential for GPS to combat child abductions, etc. Some would argue this is a lack of privacy, but there's an age where it says, from the med- ical side, "We improve the quality of your life and the safety of your kids, all through print- ed electronics." I see this as commonplace in the future, where I know how many steps I've done. It will all be in our clothes and connect- ed, and we'll accept it. Overall, there are more positives than negatives. Johnson: This was incredibly helpful. Thank you for your time today. Carignan: Thank you. PCB007