Distinguished Lecture to discuss the flexible future of electronics

Moore’s Law describes a trend in the computing industry in which the number of transistors on a chip doubles approximately every two years. This rapid advancement has allowed us to make massive strides in computer technology. But smaller size and higher speed are not the only directions in which electronics can progress.

On April 23, Kevin Dowling will speak at ASU about rethinking the mechanics of traditional electronics. His Distinguished Lecture is titled “Freed from the wafer: Making and deploying electronics that are thin, stretchy and conformal.”

Dowling is the vice president of research and development at MC10, a company based in Cambridge, Mass. that develops thin, conformal and stretchable silicon devices. These technologies could have applications in consumer electronics, medical devices, industrial products and defense systems.

One potential application involves development of bio-compatible devices. These devices could be placed on or in body tissue to take measurements and diagnose conditions. The result would be continuous data, providing direct physiological information that gives a far more complete picture of the body's state than current technology allows.

Before joining MC10, Dowling was vice president of strategic technologies for Philips Color Kinetics and chief robotics engineer for PRI Automation. He has also consulted for many companies, including Shell Oil and Apple. He holds more than 65 U.S. patents and many additional foreign patents.

The event will take place from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., April 23, in the Biodesign Institute auditorium on the Tempe campus. For more information, contact Tyna Chu, 480-965-9485, tyna.chu@asu.edu.