Electronics innovation wins global award

A plastic-enclosed electronics manufacturing system, developed at Griffith University, has won a Global Innovation Award. Created by Professor David Thiel and Madhu Neeli, the technology will now feature at the Innovation Showcase, TechConnect World 2013 in Washington, DC, which features industry-vetted emerging technologies to an expected 4000 attendees from 70 countries.

Professor Thiel, from the Centre for Wireless Monitoring and Applications, said he hoped the exposure would spark interest from electronics manufacturing companies.

“The full commercialisation of this circuit technology would deliver a considerable return to Griffith, but it is the environment which will benefit most,” Professor Thiel said.

“Circuits in Plastic is a clean solution to existing highly polluting technology because it utilises far fewer toxic components such as lead and other carcinogens.”

Neeli said this will significantly alleviate the worldwide problem of ever-growing electronic waste (e-waste), which the United Nations currently estimates is between 20 and 50 million tonnes each year.

“Millions of people are affected by electronics pollution in underdeveloped and developing countries both during manufacturing and at the end of the product’s life,” Neeli said.

“This technology would prevent future health problems associated with current electronics manufacturing technology.”

The Director of Strategic Development at TechConnect, Jennifer Rocha, congratulated the Griffith research team on their award.

“The innovations submitted for consideration came from academic technology commercialisation offices, early-stage companies and small business innovative research (SBIR) awardees, as well as government and corporate research laboratories,” Rocha said.

“The winning submissions will now go on show at the TechConnect Innovation Showcase being staged in Washington, DC, on May 14 and 15.”