Unlocking the Internet of Everything with flexible chips

An Internet of Everything has long been promised, but progress has been hindered by semiconductor availability, cost, and concerns around sustainability. Could a new approach help to achieve a smarter, more connected future?

From smart manufacturing to predictive maintenance, digital transformation is already impacting every facet of business and industry. But the hyperconnected Internet of Everything (IoE) – and the promised efficiency and insight – has remained elusive, despite the market potential being huge. McKinsey estimates the global value of the IoT alone to be up to $12.5 trillion by 2030; amplifying the level of connectivity to encompass billions of smart items could see that figure soar.

So why hasn’t the IoE materialised?

In part, it’s a matter of supply: ubiquitous connectivity is reliant on abundant supply of semiconductors – yet existing methods of semiconductor fabrication would struggle to satisfy the demand for billions of smart items. IoE devices typically don’t use the latest, cutting-edge chips, but instead tend to rely on so-called ‘legacy’ chips.

Despite the name, legacy chips are not old technology. They’re constantly being adapted for new requirements and applications and play a central role in a manufacturing economy.

Their importance was underlined during the recent pandemic, when demand outstripped supply. The world watched in disbelief as entire production lines ground to a halt and everything from cars to TVs went unshipped, hampering an already beleaguered economy.

So, if supply is what’s holding back the IoE, why don’t we just make more chips?

The fact is that expanding the production of legacy chips isn’t easy. They’re often produced in fabrication plants (fabs) using older equipment, and this equipment is less readily available. Furthermore, building a new fab is costly and time-consuming, requiring tens of billions of dollars and maybe two years or more to get up and running.

Sustainability is also an issue. Many of these legacy fabs were built when carbon emissions were less of a consideration. Newer fabs tend to be highly efficient, with carefully considered wastewater programmes and an emphasis on energy reduction.

The long lead times and costs associated with chip manufacture are also a factor; ubiquitous connectivity requires a low-cost solution that can be swiftly proliferated, at scale.

Existing modes of chip production are ill-suited to realising an IoE. To sustainably achieve pervasive connectivity, we need to look to new methods and materials.

Unlocking the Internet of Everything

Instead of relying on traditional, outdated modes of semiconductor fabrication, new methods of manufacturing combined with advanced materials are signalling a radical shift in the semiconductor industry. Flexible integrated chips remove the need for the complex, high temperature processes required for silicon chip fabrication, and instead rely on simple spin-coating of polyimide onto a glass carrier. This process takes place at lower temperatures, requiring significantly less energy, water and chemicals. This has a dramatic impact on the carbon footprint, as well as set-up costs and production timescales. 

In fact, flexible chips can be delivered in as little as four weeks. The implications for innovation are multiple: rather than adhering to ‘right-first-time’ workflows, designers can take advantage of rapid cycle times to amend and refine designs on the fly, iterating to achieve optimal performance. Low non-recurring engineering costs also lower the barrier to entry, making it cheaper and easier than ever before to bring designs to life.

Connecting everything, everywhere

So what does this mean for IoE?

The flexibility, low cost and low carbon footprint of flexible chips mean they can be easily integrated into everyday objects. This makes them ideal for the IoE and the generation of data to feed AI models, enabling efficiency and insights at scale.

For FMCG, that connectivity might deliver better product authentication, or one-tap consumer engagement to create personalised experiences. In healthcare, their flexibility makes them ideal for wearable patches, which could provide a quick and easy way to monitor wounds or even detect heartbeat irregularities. They could also play an important role in a circular economy, providing a scalable way to track reusable packaging or ensure accurate recycling at end of life.

We’re at the cusp of an IoE revolution, but we can only truly capture the value if intelligence can be deployed at scale. Flexible chips are the key to unlock that potential and finally make the IoE a reality.