Imagine a digital price tag or shipping label that is printed like a newspaper but can be read wirelessly from meters away. Instead of using heavy metals or batteries that pollute the earth, these tags are made from biodegradable, plant-like materials. They capture energy from radio waves in the air to send their ID, making them completely waste-free.
Traditional RFID tags rely on silicon and critical raw materials, creating significant e-waste and high production costs for single-use logistics applications.
A green UHF wireless tag capable of rectifying a 400 MHz wave and a sustainable printed integrated 4-bit shift register.
If you are a shipping provider dealing with massive amounts of plastic and metal e-waste from tracking labels — this project developed a printed UHF wireless tag that operates without batteries and uses biodegradable materials to reduce lifecycle costs.
If you are a medical supplier dealing with the need for sterile, disposable tracking for equipment — this project developed organic electronics that are safe for the environment and independent of critical raw materials.
If you are a retailer dealing with the high cost and environmental impact of traditional RFID tags — this project developed a green, printed identification tag capable of remote readout over meters of distance.
Based on available project data, the project aims for drastically reduced costing compared to any available passive RFID technology by using printed organic electronics.
The project focuses on sustainable ink formulations specifically designed for large-area printing tools, suggesting a path toward industrial-scale manufacturing.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project is coordinated by Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia with a consortium of 7 partners.
The technology is designed to operate at Ultra-High Frequency (300 MHz – 3 GHz), allowing it to be compatible with standard UHF remote powering and readout infrastructure.
The project period runs from 2025-01-01 to 2028-12-31, indicating that the foundational technology is currently under development.
The consortium consists of 7 partners across 6 countries, showing a strong academic-led research base with 4 universities and 2 research institutes. While the industry ratio is low at 14% (1 SME), the inclusion of an SME ensures a bridge toward commercial application for these organic semiconductors.
Contact Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
Contact us to explore licensing opportunities for biodegradable UHF tags.
