Japanese writer and publicist based in Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Automotive, construction, medicine, food production - with advances in AI technology, we are entering an era where sensors are embedded everywhere to manage and harness data. To support the ever-increasing demand for sensors, TracXon, based in Eindhoven in the southern Netherlands, manufactures IoT (Internet of Things) products using sustainable printed electronics technology. The company is currently working towards a fully recyclable, circular production system.
IoT sensor devices manufactured by TracXon (Photo: TracXon)
IoT technology, which connects devices to the internet, is now seen everywhere, from home appliances and air conditioning systems to industrial machinery and smartwatches. In many products, sensors within IoT devices detect sound, heat, vibrations, and other parameters, collecting data and transmitting it to people or other devices via the internet. For example, this technology enables room temperature control using a smartphone.
As technologies such as self-driving and telemedicine fully penetrate our lives in the future, the demand for IoT devices that utilise sensors is expected to grow even more. Strategic consulting firm McKinsey & Company forecasts that the global IoT market will reach $12.5 trillion by 2030.
“We are entering a trillion-sensor economy where everything from buildings to automobiles, logistics, medicine, and food production...... are measured and monitored with integrated sensors. AI technology manages and controls data to increase productivity and efficiency in all industries. The number of sensors required each year is expected to reach 1 trillion worldwide in the near future, and we want to scale our production to the level where we can manufacture IoT devices in the hundreds of millions. But it must be done in a sustainable way,” explains Ashok Sridhar, CEO of TracXon.
Currently, TracXon mainly produces IoT devices for the logistics and healthcare industries. For logistics, the company manufactures tags that use sensors to manage position and temperature, etc. For healthcare, it produces wearable devices that can be applied directly to the skin to monitor various vital signs remotely.
These products are based on Hybrid Printed Electronics (HPE) technology. It combines electronic devices, such as sensors and electrical circuits printed on thin, bendable flexible film, with components such as chips and LEDs made from semiconductors and other materials.
“The optimal solution for sustainable manufacturing of IoT devices is HPE technology. Conventional printed circuit boards (PCBs) are very wasteful because they cover the entire board with copper and go through an etching process that removes the copper with chemicals until a circuit pattern is obtained. HPE, on the other hand, prints only what is necessary onto a film, eliminating waste, and it does not use any water, which is not the case in traditional PCB etching.
Ashok Sridhar, CEO of TracXon (Photo: TracXon)
“Another advantage is that HPE is its thinness and lightweight. When transporting large quantities, a few grams of difference per product is a big issue. Moreover, HPE can be mass-produced using high throughput roll-to-roll printing machines (a process where sensors and electronic circuits are continuously printed on flexible substrates, which are then rolled back up),” says Sridhar.
However, traditional PCB technology cannot simply be converted to HPE technology.
“To mass-produce complex IoT devices using HPE technology, expertise in design tools, processes, and materials is essential. This is why TracXon, with its years of experience and extensive knowledge in HPE technology, holds a huge advantage within the industry," Sridhar explains.
TracXon is a startup that emerged in 2022 from the advanced R&D institution "Holst Centre," based in Brabant, the Netherlands. The company has already expanded its customer base to eight countries and plans to scale production to one million units in the first two quarters of next year.
"Currently, we print electronic circuits using roll-to-roll printing machines and then test them on an inspection machine on a separate line, but we plan to fully automate this process by integrating inspection into the same production line."
While the company's primary focus is currently on IoT devices, they are also developing products that integrate extremely small "micro LEDs" into transparent films. This technology can be used to turn building windows or car sunroofs into lighting or digital signage.
"We can embed 10s of thousands of LEDs in a 250mm x 250mm film. Since the components are so tiny, incorporating this film looks like ordinary transparent glass during the day, but when the LEDs are turned on at night, it becomes lighting or signage."
The company is already working on prototypes with customers in the automotive and construction industries.
Large-area LED Lighting Foil (Photo: TracXon)
TracXon is primarily expanding its business in Europe but is looking to grow its presence in the Japanese market. One of their key focus areas is wearable devices in the healthcare sector.
"Japan is experiencing significant population ageing, while there is a shortage of younger healthcare workers. Therefore, they need to introduce wearable healthcare devices to the market. Measuring and managing patients' vital signs at home remotely and taking early action before illnesses become more serious will be beneficial in reducing the burden on medical professionals and lowering healthcare costs,” emphasises Sridhar.
Another important theme is sustainability.
"By transitioning from traditional electronics to printed electronics, Japanese companies can benefit from more sustainable industries. Additionally, we aim to collaborate with Japanese companies to establish a more circular production process in the future, such as extracting and reusing materials like silver from used HPE devices," says Sridhar.
Collaboration with Japanese companies and research institutions has already begun. If you are interested in contributing to the transition to sustainable next-generation electronics, please use the contact details below.
Contact: TracXon
Ashok Sridhar, CEO
ashok.sridhar@tracxon.tech
www.tracxon.tech
