Japan Universities, Firms to Draw Up E-Printing Standard

Tokyo, Nov. 8 (Jiji Press)--Osaka University, University of Tokyo and some 100 companies in Japan will cooperate to draw up an international evaluation standard for next-generation electronic printing technology, it was learned Monday.
The new technology, which prints electronic circuits on flexible materials such as paper and cloth, is expected to be used for a wide range of products such as electronic paper that can become mobile phones.
The move is designed for Japan to take the lead in helping evaluate electronic printing technology in a fair manner.
At present, valuation criteria for circuit and wiring performance differ according to countries and researchers, making fair evaluations difficult, according to Katsuaki Suganuma, professor at Osaka University's Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Electronic printing technology can be also used for clothing and medical supplies that can read information of human body, artificial skins and solar cells. They have communication functions.
Those products can be mass-produced with low costs. Some estimates show the global market for them will grow to 5 trillion yen in 2019 and 40 trillion yen in 2029.
In Japan in May, experts from industry, government and academia formed a study group under Suganuma's leadership to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation among them and help their technologies used overseas.
Aside from printing itself, Suganuma is promoting cutting-edge technologies such as the development of metallic particles that play a role as ink.
Suganuma said Japan is lagging behind in organizational support for advanced technologies. He said he hopes to help Japan roll out new technologies to the world.