SHEFFIELD, England, April 8 (UPI) -- In the near future, shopping or using products may include video or interactive content displaying on screens attached to packages, according to researchers in England.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield say a process to cheaply print electronics, and attach low-cost electronics and a screen to paper-based packaging, could herald the next generation of packaging.
Displays that light up, offer information or allow customers to interact using keyboards printed into the packaging could be used to enter a message in a greeting card, or eventually be complex enough to include timed signals on pregnancy tests or hair-dye kits, the researchers said.
Chris Jones from Novalia said: "The paper-based packaging industry is worth billions of dollars," Chris Jones, a product development specialist at Novalia Printed Electronics, said in a press release. "This innovative system we have developed with the University of Sheffield could give manufacturers a way to gain market share by being able to distinguish its products from competitors."
Related
In a study published in the IEEE Journal of Display Technology, the researchers detail the process of screen-printing a series of capacitive touch pads and connecting tracks onto paper using graphite ink. The researchers then use LED arrays and small, battery-powered electronics to power them.
Researchers also said printing could potentially be done on other surfaces in the future.
The researchers said they are working to create fully organic displays on a plastic substrate, though the devices need to be cheap and flexible enough for packaging -- which will require further time for development.
Professor David Lidzey from the University's Department of Physics and Astronomy said: "Labels on packaging could become much more innovative, and allow customers to interact with and explore new products," said David Lidzey, a professor at the University of Sheffield. "The use of displays or light emitting panels on packaging will also allow companies to communicate brand awareness in a more sophisticated manner."
