OptIntegral project will develop advanced LED advertising displays using in-mould hybrid integration of TOLAE (Thin, Organic and Large Area Electronics) and photonics components. The project will combine the intrinsic TOLAE benefits of thin lightweight bendable structures and in-mould integration with automated high reproducibility assembly, to produce a revolutionary optical design concept that brings better display resolution, lower costs and energy saving.
The aim of OptIntegral is to prove the viability of the technology, and demonstrate the flexibility, sustainability, and cost effectiveness of this revolutionary manufacturing process. This should enable a wide range of diverse LED display products to be manufactured competitively within the EU labour market.
OptIntegral will initially develop three different large area display prototypes - 3D glasses-free, lightpipe and backlit - for retail, transportation and hospitality sectors. These prototype displays will be manufactured and demonstrated by three European SME, and will be evaluated using recent developments in eye-tracking and EEG. We expect the superior performance difference identified across both communication and metacommunication to facilitate the introduction of TOLAE based products into what are highly competitive markets.
In addition, three current LED Display Manufacturers in the EU will enlarge their portfolio to set up pilot manufacturing lines and co-develop demonstrators adapted to their customers’ needs. The novel processes used in OptIntegral, combining Roll-to-Sheet and Roll-to-Roll manufacture of flexible electronics with In-mould hybrid integration of the optoelectronics within the optics, will open the way to a wide choice of materials and process designs. This, along with a program of social impact evaluation, will be achieved during the 3 year timescale of the project, with the goal to be on the market with a sound, fully-supported business case one year after the end of the project.
OptIntegral: a three year project which started on 1st February 2015, has secured secure € 5,675,337 of European funding . The consortium comprise nine European partners from 5 European countries including EURECAT Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya (EURECAT), Simulacions Optiques S.L.(SNELL) and Asociación Española de Normalización y Certificación (AENOR) from Spain, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) and Neonelektro Oy (NEO) from Finland, LumyComp Design Ltd. (LUMY) and Megatex Commerce Ltd.(MEGATEX) from Bulgaria, Holografika Hologramelőállító Fejlesztő és Forgalmazó Kft.(HOLOGRAFIKA) from Hungary and University of Bath (UBATH) from the UK.
