“Flexible electronics refers to the technology of integrating different material and functional components on flexible substrates, to obtain light, flexible and reconfigurable systems.
At Tsinghua University, in Beijing, research led by Xue Feng has been at the cutting edge of this research area, focused on the design and fabrication of flexible integrated circuits.
This research has led to almost 40 authorized patents and has possible applications in everything from wind power generation, heavy industrial machinery, automobile operation, ships and aerospace.
To drive the transfer of this expertise from the lab through to R&D, the Tsinghua University Center for Flexible Electronics Technology (THUFET) was established in September 2017.
Soon after, to build the capacity to pilot designs and build the processes required for industry application, the Institute of Flexible Electronics Technology (IFET) was established at Tsinghua’s Zhejiang campus in November 2017.
With almost 170 employees across many disciplines, per researcher funding higher than many top universities, and state of the art facilities, THUFET and IFET provide a system which enables top PIs to tackle key scientific problems in the field of flexible electronics and to transfer research achievements into industrial products.
Key research projects include an ultrasound device for monitoring blood flow velocity, an ultrasonic patch for accelerating chronic wound healing as well as a monitoring system for cross-country skiing training.
By combining a scientific research team and engineering team, Tsinghua University has built a high-efficiency transformation mode that goes from basic research to industry, ushering in the field of flexible electronic technology to global application, and is already working with partners around the world to take the field to the next level.
