Reinforcing Organic Electronics Research & Development

The Nitto Denko Asia Technical Center (NAT) located at Fusionopolis in Singapore where much R&D is carried out. NAT is a branch of Nitto Denko's core tech center in Japan; and in relation to its other worldwide R&D centers, NAT undergoes product development utilizing fundamental R&D developed in Japan and the US.

NAT is currently undertaking the firm's integrated organic optoelectronic sensing device project, which includes Nitto Denko's collaboration with A*STAR Data Storage Institute (DSI), A*STAR Institute of Materials Research & Engineering (IMRE) and Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on three separate but concurrent research projects in the development of novel organic electronic sensing devices. 

Nitto Denko believes that the collaboration will result in breakthrough technologies, particularly in the field of organic electronics, which will lead to miniaturized, affordable and highly sensitive sensor products. These current R&D efforts are expected to converge medicine and electronics, yielding consumer products for the healthcare industry.

Bridging Consumer Electronics, Medicine

According to NAT's general manager Dr Visit Thaveeprungsriporn, the research activities NAT carries out zigzag between medical and opto-electronics. Multi-dimensional skills are required to bridge the two fields, and this is one of the reasons why the center is set up in Singapore.

"The R&D projects will fuse Nitto Denko's specialty knowledge and technology in polymer waveguides with expertise from the DSI (complex vibration numerical/experimental analysis), the IMRE (organic electronics) and the NTU (photonic research)," said Thaveeprungsriporn. He explained that although each project has its own defined goals and objectives, it is still part of a big picture which will bring forth unique differentiated products when combined. It is expected to take at least 18 months or more for any or all three of the projects to produce the desired outcomes.

"These projects require full integration of multi-disciplinary knowledge which is very challenging; and it will be highly rewarding as the outcome of the project can create new markets," remarked Thaveeprungsriporn. 

"Organic-based sensing products require several breakthrough technologies in design, manufacturing, and material to realize their potential, and our goal is to develop organic-based sensing devices for healthcare-related consumer products."

Please see here for full article by Nikkei Electronics Asia.