The companies started their collaboration in 2019 and since then successfully worked on different projects such as the development of a COVID-19 smart health patch (see https://is.gd/tezeco) introduced by Byteflies that was launched in 2020.
Together with Henkel, Quad Industries and four other medical and technology companies, Belgium-based Byteflies, a medically certified B2B-services company, has developed a smart health patch for remote patient monitoring. The system was initially set up to monitor the vital functions of patients with heart failure and epilepsy. After the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, the partners leveraged the patch’s potential for coronavirus patients. This new COVID-19 smart health patch allows continuous, remote, and wireless monitoring of patients’ respiration, heart rate, and temperature and is already applied by numerous hospitals in Flanders, Belgium, to monitor up to 300 patients infected with the virus.
Henkel solutions ensure the optimal material performance of the COVID-19 smart health patch and other digitally-enhanced medical applications. The company has developed medical electrodes and conductive inks that enable the patch to be used for five days rather than just one. Quad Industries printed the electronic circuit on a very thin and stretchable foil and integrated the technology into the wearable patches.
With the expansion of their strategic partnership, the two companies now bundle their expertise to enhance the support of manufacturers in the development, commercialization and production of smart printed electronics solutions in markets such as healthcare, hygienics, automotive and furniture and building.
“At Quad Industries we see the growing potential for electronics manufacturers to innovate with new material solutions provided by leading material suppliers such as Henkel,” explains Arne Casteleyn, managing director sales and strategy at Quad Industries.
“By enlarging our strategic partnership with Henkel, we aim to strengthen the creation of printed electronics solutions such as electronic skin patches, stretchable sensors, film heaters or film antennas and even accelerate the time to market.”
In addition to its printed electronics and materials expertise, Henkel Adhesive Technologies provides a portfolio of conductive inks and coatings that enable flexible, cost-efficient and high-performing applications.
“The closer collaboration will enable us to offer our customers a ‘one-stop shop’ for prototyping printed electronics innovations in a matter of weeks,” said Stijn Gillissen, head of printed electronics at Henkel. “As our trusted ecosystem partner Quad Industries will support the prototyping, design creation and manufacturing of printed electronics via flatbed screen printing. This includes the optimisation of printed sensors based on Henkel´s materials know-how as well as the production of high-volume applications.”
