Interactive Screens on Your Packages

Interacting with Electronic Screen on Packaging

Due to a revolutionary development by scientists at the University of Sheffield, consumers would now be interacting with an electronic screen on packaging in the near future instead of reading a label. The scientists have come up with a new kind of digital screen which could one day feature on the packages that could be delivered at home. For instance, one could tap on the display to check from where it came from.

The scientists hadworked together with technology company Novalia in creating new ways of displaying information on packaging a change which could revolutionise the packaging industry. This kind of technology could be utilised in greeting cards or products wherein customers could receive a simple message. Difficult development could comprise of a countdown timer on the side of the packet indicating when a timed product would be available like hair-dye, pregnancy test or home-baking, utilising a traffic light system.

 Published in the IEEE Journal of Display Technology, the team had explained how a screen could be fixed onto packaging to display information. Procedure involves in printing electronic tracks onto paper and fixing low-cost electronics and a polymer LED display to the paper using adhesive which tends to conduct electricity.

Designed & Constructed Touch-pad Keyboard on Paper

Scientists from the University of Sheffield and Novalia working together had designed and constructed a touch-pad keyboard on the paper which enabled a user to selectively drive the LEDs in the display. The research has been supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council- EPSRC and so far, the testing has been on paper though the process can probably be printed on other surfaces.

 The next step of the team is to develop completely flexible organic displays on plastic substrate which could then be fixed on the electronic tracks. The LED devices essentially should be low-cost and adequately flexible to be used on all packaging. Professor David Lidzey from the University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy had stated that labels on packaging can become more innovative and enable customers to interact with and explore new products.

The use of displays or light emitting panels on packaging would also permit companies to communicate brand awareness in a sophisticated way.

Brand Awareness – One of the Probable Uses of these Displays

Chris Jones of Novalia had said that the paper-based packaging industry is worth billions of dollars and this innovative system that is developed with the University of Sheffield could provide the manufacturers with a means of gaining market share by being capable of distinguishing its products from competitors.

Tech firm Novalia had helped in with the development of the new smart labelling and the process it utilised in creating it involves printing electronic tracks on paper and using a conductive adhesive in fixing low-cost electronics and polymer LED on the top.

Amazon and John Lewis could utilise the tech in customising their parcels as well as in creating interactive adverts on their boxes. Chris Jones of Novalia has stated that `brand awareness seems to be one of the probable uses of these displays.