INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS FEATURE
Covid-19 accelerates innovation in industrial applications
Tim Congdon, technical program director at CCL Design UK explores COVID-19’s impact on surfaces
W
hen the Covid-19 lockdown was enforced in March, many
manufacturers like CCL Design UK were quick to respond and mobilise operations to help the fight against the pandemic, the implications of which, were only just starting to unravel. In fact, recent research conducted by ByteSnap Design found that almost two thirds (58%) of manufactures from a range of industries helped in the fight against Covid-19, with almost 1 in 5 (19%) stepping up to help with the ventilator challenge. One of the other really interesting
findings from this study was that innovation is leading the way in how electronics manufacturers are responding to the pandemic. Of course, this sector is used to
innovating when times are good, but what we have seen is a real acceleration in the development of interfaces in those everyday electronics that had been advancing steadily prior to the pandemic. At the same time, the crisis has also led to the development of new applications and a reassessment of the everyday items we touch to decide whether they are actually fit for purpose in this new world. A good example of this are touch
screens. Of course, most of us are used to touch screen technology, on phones, oven controls and fast-food chain interfaces. These have generally been driven by ease and simplicity of use and arguably have only been enhanced by Covid-19 for improved access. What probably isn’t so evident is the development of the screens themselves. In fact, most of these screens are very complex and have multiple coatings applied to enhance their effectiveness. For example, some of the coatings CCL Design UK combine can include anti smear or anti fingerprint coatings, anti-glare, shatter proofing, to name but a few. The latest coatings to be added to this
list are antimicrobial coatings, which may take the form of additional layers or an applied coating. These antimicrobial layers and coatings are finding their way into public spaces, office environments, and even our industrial surroundings as a way to prevent common viruses from spreading and encourage good practice.
Like most of the diseases, infectious
agents are spread through airborne droplets produced from sneezing or coughing. We’ve all seen the BBC News simulation of the virus spreading in a supermarket environment, but these body fluids can settle on surfaces anywhere, and be transmitted person- to-person if an individual touches these respiratory droplets. And, although we all need to keep up the regime of regularly hand washing and sanitising, antimicrobial surfaces have been shown to be highly effective at inhibiting the growth of potentially harmful bacteria such as MRSA, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia Coli and Listeria Monocytogenes, and it clearly has a role to play with Coronavirus. Of course, part of the attraction of
these antimicrobial coatings is that they can be applied to most surfaces, which means that in the event we have to touch control interfaces we are not going to risk catching or passing on any virus or germs. So, touch screens and touch controls, which typically use capacitive touch or similar technologies are continuing to grow in popularity. But what is changing is the technology
that is going on behind these surfaces. Where in the past we would have used bulky light sources, light pipes, and electronics, CCL Design, has replaced these with thin film technology using ultra-thin LED light sources and printed flexible printed circuits. This then leads to the possibility to form imbedded flexible electronics into 3D forms which give better robustness, are more cost effective, and extremely light and more aesthetically pleasing. In addition to the innovations in
coatings and touchscreen technology, we can take a further step forward and venture into the world of sensory controls and associated technology. This is a very exciting area, and advancing the most, as we now have the ability to print flexible electronics and light products with very thin
/ ELECTRONICS
Figure 1:
Anti-microbial replaceable surfaces
Figure 2:
Social distancing durable marking
electronics by adding sensors that can react to movement, sound, and facial recognition. Again, as a result of the pandemic, demand for these products is on a steep upward curve as they are starting to enter our everyday lives – driven once again by lack of contact to inhibit the spread of the virus. As a result, commonplace items in the office such as water dispensers become simple risk-free items which just require gestures to activate. Another good example of where this
technology can really play an important role is in the automotive industry. If you
Figure 3:
Sensor interface - lit up by wave of hand then activated by hand
movement close to icon or just: activated by hand movement
venture into some of the most recent modern electric vehicles it is not hard to imagine where this technology can lead. In search of light weight, low energy, highly decorative, comfortable lighting, although technology may be influenced now and in the future by virus prevention, environmental considerations overall will also determine the pathway forward. The innovations we are seeing today
to better manage the spread of Covid-19 will continue in the future as the determination shown by the electronics industry to innovate during this crisis will not evaporate when the pandemic has passed. CCL Design UK
www.ccldesignelectronics.com
ELECTRONICS | FEBRUARY 2021 27
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