FLEXING RESEARCH MUSCLE IN ELECTRONICS
Mechanical engineering professor Pradeep Lall uses additive manufacturing techniques to blaze trails in the field of flexible hybrid electronics.
By Virginia Speirs
Flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) is one of the most rapidly emerging fields of electronic research in the engineering discipline.
By using a breadth of flexible materials, researchers are discovering new ways of making pliable electrical components, such as batteries and circuits.
The functionality and practicality of additive manufacturing allows FHE technology to accomplish this goal. Pradeep Lall, the John and Anne McFarlane Endowed Distinguished Professor of mechanical engineering and director of the National Science Foundation Center for Advanced Vehicle and Extreme Environment Electronics, is a trailblazer of FHE research, especially with additive manufacturing. Lall has been studying flexible hybrid electronics for more than 20 years and has specialized in FHE research since he began his career at Auburn University in 2002.
One of the reasons Lall came to Auburn for this research was his interest in design of electronics for operation in extreme conditions and harsh environments, which is a major research thrust at Auburn.
“The unique thing we have here at Auburn is we have a very strong background in extreme environment electronics,” Lall said. “It is a wonderful compliment to be able to bring additive manufacturing into the harsh environment community. The bulk of the work has been largely focused on subtractive manufacturing in the past, so the fact that we can print things additively brings a higher level of control, now that we can support systems for very long periods of time.”
With additive manufacturing, Lall and his team are able to be more creative with the materials they can print, which paves the way for a more flexible product, he said. There are three different platforms for additive creation of circuits that Lall is able to work with – Aerosol-Jet printing, InkJet printing and direct-write and screen-print based methods. These forms of printing allow for a wide range of materials to be used for FHE circuit printing, Lall said.
A very applicable use for FHE technology is its ability to wrap around a curved surface, such as a wrist. One recent project of Lall’s has piqued the interest of companies and organizations such as NASA. The project is an FHE bracelet that has the ability to sense the health conditions of a person in an extremely harsh environment. The bracelet is able to detect potential health risks, such as abnormal pulse, anxiety levels and overall health by monitoring physiological functions, such as cortisol levels, he said.
“We have two programs going on with NASA currently, both are very exciting,” Lall said. “They are both related to what is called an astro-sense platform. One of the programs we are attempting to develop is an additively printed human body sensor that can monitor the state of stress in the human body. One of the common indicators of stress is cortisol, which is in the sweat itself, and we’re developing sensors to be able to monitor and correlate the cortisol to a stress or anxiety level that a person may be undergoing.
“A second aspect of the program is to develop additively printed sensors of various types to better understand the states where the temperatures are very low,” Lall continued. “For example, on a planet where there is a great degree of temperature difference on the lighter side from the shady side, there can be a difference of a hundred degrees or more. To be able to explore extreme environments from an unmanned vehicle using additively printed sensors is a technology that has never been available before.”
Another recent advancement of Lall’s is the ability to additively print multi-layer antennas, he said. The antennas are designed for data transmission, and can be mounted on the side of airborne, unmanned vehicles and can be conformally mounted on the body of the vehicle itself. This is another technological advancement that has a particular interest from NextFlex National Manufacturing Institute. Lall has worked on a number of flexible-hybrid electronics sponsored contracts encompassing flexible batteries, multi-layer z-axis interconnects, reliability test protocols, flexible encapsulation. Lall serves as the technical-lead for Auburn University’s participation as a Tier-1 founding academic member of NextFlex. In this role, Lall serves on the Technical Council of the Institute and as academic co-lead of the asset monitoring TWG.
Lall is using FHE technology to break the stereotype that rigidity equals strength, he said. Lall wants to prove, with flexible technology, that electronics do not have to be inflexible to be strong. The NextFlex manufacturing institute bridges the chasm that normally exists between fundamental research and technology realization in high-volume manufacturing, explained Lall.
“The challenge of flexible electronics is that you need robustness and ruggedness, but you don’t want it at the cost of flexibility,” Lall said. “Flexible electronics proves we can have technology that is flexible and robust at the same time. Generally, we like to associate stronger things with more rigid ones.”
Lall is a fellow of NextFlex, America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute, and they have sponsored him in a number of programs in FHE research. Lall has received over $2 million in financial support from various federal agencies and commercial companies in CY2020 in a number of projects related to FHE manufacturing, design and reliability. Auburn’s capabilities have only continued to grow since he started studying harsh environment electronics at Auburn nearly two decades ago, according to Lall.
“Auburn has progressed so much from where we were 20 years ago in terms of the things that we can do,” Lall said. “The resources and the center we have here has grown tremendously and, therefore, our capabilities have grown tremendously.”
Flexible hybrid electronics explained on #GINNing Podcast
By Jeremy Henderson
Published: Jul 19, 2020 7:00:00 PM
Rigid technologies are quickly going the way of the buffalo thanks to the research and vision of Auburn experts like Pradeep Lall.
Listen to the John and Anne MacFarlane Distinguished Professor of mechanical engineering explain why the future of electronics will be flexible.
Flexible Future
Media Contact: Jeremy Henderson, jdh0123@auburn.edu, 334-844-3591
https://eng.auburn.edu/news/2020/07/lall-talks-flexible-hybrid-electronics-on-ginning-podcast
Mechanical professor honored with IEEE Biedenbach Outstanding Engineering Educator Award
By Jeremy Henderson
Published: Jun 8, 2020 10:00:00 AM
Pradeep Lall, the John and Anne MacFarlane Endowed Distinguished Professor of mechanical engineering, is the recipient of the IEEE Region 3 Biedenbach Outstanding Engineering Educator Award for 2020, which recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to the electrotechnology profession through teaching in industry, government or in an institution of higher learning.
Lall, director of the National Science Foundation Center for Advanced Vehicle and Extreme Environment Electronics (CAVE3), was recognized for his contributions to education in the field of additively printed electronics manufacturing and reliability for harsh environment operation.
“Dr. Lall is a world-renowned expert, researcher and teacher in the field of electronics,” said Jeff Suhling, Quina Endowed Professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “I am delighted to see him recognized with the IEEE Biedenbach Award.”
Lall says that one of his professional motivations is to demystify certain aspects of additively printed electronics and harsh environment electronics.
“Through my publications and courses, I try to make the subject more accessible to a wider audience, from high schoolers to practicing engineers,” said Lall, who has been the principal investigator on a number of research initiatives focused on those topics. “The topic of harsh environment electronics has implications in a number of industries including automotive, downhole and defense. The use of additive technologies provides pathways for faster time-to-market and productization of ideas and intellectual property.”
A significant portion of Lall’s research includes partnerships for workforce development. Accordingly, Lall has engaged high school teachers in sponsored research programs that expose students to additive electronics manufacturing at the K-12 level. He has engaged undergraduate students in Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs and generally advises a number of undergraduate students working on research projects on a regular basis.
In his role as director of CAVE3, Lall leads research projects in harsh environment electronics while interfacing with companies and government agencies that fund the center’s research. He leads a sizable team of graduate students in working on a wide range of programs with significant implications in the electronics sector of the nation’s growing additive manufacturing industry.
Lall was part of the founding proposal team for the NextFlex National Manufacturing Institute, which aims to renew and maintain the national focus of flexible electronics manufacturing; Auburn University is a tier-1 academic member of NextFlex. Lall also sits on the Technical Council and Governing Council of the NextFlex National Manufacturing Institute, as well as serves as the academic co-lead for the Asset and Situational Awareness Technical Working Group in NextFlex.
He was named a NextFlex Fellow in 2019.
“Dr. Lall has created a world-class research program in additively printed-electronics manufacturing at Auburn University,” said Christopher B. Roberts, dean of engineering. “This award adds to the recognition of the impact that he has made at the national level.”
Media Contact: Jeremy Henderson, jdh0123@auburn.edu, 334-844-3591
Mechanical engineering professor named NextFlex Fellow
By Jeremy Henderson
Published: Mar 5, 2019 2:00:00 PM
Pradeep Lall, John and Anne MacFarlane Professor of mechanical engineering, displays an additive printed flexible circuit in front of the Optomec Aerosol Jet 300 Printer.
NextFlex, America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute, recognized Pradeep Lall at its recent FLEX conference in Monterey, California, as an individual who has accelerated the growth of the flexible hybrid electronics industry.
Lall, the John and Anne MacFarlane Professor of mechanical engineering, received the NextFlex Fellow Award for his work in advancing the adoption of flexible hybrid electronics in the manufacturing, defense and aerospace industries, as well as in emerging technologies and medical applications.
Lall is the lead inventor of the AU Biometric Band, a flexible wristband that uses a suite of sensors to monitor body functions.
“The band monitors remote workers,” Lall said. “So, for example, someone working in a hazardous environment— they might be wearing this band, which is monitoring physiological functions continuously and transmitting that information to a paired smartphone.”
The job Lall specifically had in mind when designing the Flexible Biometric Band was the inspection of cramped aircraft fuel tanks. Airline safety literature on the topic warns of claustrophobia, which can lead to a heightened pulse rate and lack of consciousness. Other risk factors in the fuel tank environment, such as low levels of oxygen, can lead to myocardial infarction, stroke or even aneurysm.
The AU Biometric Band was recently highlighted in a Voice of America feature filmed during NextFlex’s 2018 Flexible Electronics Conference and Exhibition.
Lall is a member of the founding proposal team for the NextFlex Manufacturing Institute, which focuses in part on the development of additive manufacturing processes for flexible electronics and the development of protocols that test the reliability of flexible electronics.
Auburn University is a Tier-1 founding member the institute.
Lall serves on the institute’s technical and governing councils. He is also director of the National Science Foundation’s Center for Advanced Vehicle and Extreme Environment Electronics Center at Auburn University, which is equipped with additive machinery that can print electronics using aerosol jet and screen printing processes.
“Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering has a high focus on additive manufacturing in both research and teaching with maker spaces capable of both additive metal and plastic printing to complement additive printed flexible electronics,” said Christopher B. Roberts, dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. “The election of Dr. Lall to the position of NextFlex Fellow highlights the high impact that he has made in additive manufacturing of flexible electronics at a national level.”Media Contact: Jeremy Henderson, jdh0123@auburn.edu,
Lall receives advisory board’s Advancement of Research and Scholarship Achievement Award
At its recent spring meeting, Auburn University’s Research and Economic Development Advisory Board selected Pradeep Lall, the MacFarlane Endowed Professor in Auburn’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, as the 2018 recipient of its Advancement of Research and Scholarship Achievement Award. The award recognizes Lall for his research achievements in the fields of harsh-environment electronics and flexible electronics.
The advisory board is made up of more than 40 industry professionals from across the country who actively support Auburn’s research efforts. The group established the award in 2014 to recognize significant research and scholarly activity that exemplify and advance Auburn’s research and scholarship mission. The recipient of the annual award receives a $25,000 grant to further his or her research.
Lall, director of Auburn’s NSF Center for Advanced Vehicle and Extreme Environment Electronics, is the author or co-author of two books, 14 book chapters and more than 500 journal and conference papers in the field of electronics reliability, safety, energy efficiency, and survivability. He serves on the NextFlex Institute’s technical council and governing council. Lall spearheaded research efforts in flexible electronics and led Auburn’s proposal team for the NextFlex Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute.
A fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Lall has received numerous awards for his research. He is the recipient of the IEEE Sustained Outstanding Technical Contributions Award in 2018 and the National Science Foundation Schwarzkopf Award for Technology Innovation in 2016. With significant funding from public-private partnerships, Lall’s work has proven beneficial to the aerospace and automotive industries and in military vehicles and defense systems.
“The Research and Economic Development Advisory Board has made a great choice in honoring Dr. Lall with this award,” said Jennifer Kerpelman, Auburn’s interim vice president for research. “He is a very accomplished researcher with a strong track record, and his work is a great asset to Auburn University,” she added.
Lall’s research focuses on the development of methods for assuring survivability of electronics to high shock forces, vibration and extreme temperatures. He is best known for his research in the areas of reliability and prognostics for electronic systems operating in harsh environments, such as:
- Combined exposure to temperature and vibration under the hood of an automobile for electronics mounted on-engine or on-transmission;
- Extreme cold or extreme hot environmental temperatures for prolonged periods of time experienced in military and defense applications;
- High g-forces experienced by electronics inside missiles;
- Corrosive attack of salt fog for electronics operating on ships at sea.
“Electronic systems have taken an increasingly important role in automotive design and operation,” Lall said. “Traditional automotive electronics at one time consisted of climate control and entertainment systems. Roll the clock forward to the present day, and automotive electronics have expanded to include driving assists such as antilock braking systems, traction control systems, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning systems and more. Failure of one of these systems is no longer an inconvenience; it may be critical to the safe operation of the vehicle.”
Article by: Jonathan Cullum | Office of the Vice President for Research
Pradeep Lall wins IEEE Outstanding Sustained Technical Contributions Award
Pradeep Lall, MacFarlane Endowed Professor at Auburn University, left. receiving the Outstanding Sustained Contributions Award from Avram Bar-Cohen, President of IEEE Electronic Packaging Society at ECTC 2018 in San Diego.
Pradeep Lall, MacFarlane Endowed Professor in department of mechanical engineering, is the 2018 recipient of the IEEE’s outstanding Sustained Technical Contributions Award for outstanding sustained contributions to the design, reliability and prognostics for harsh environment electronics systems.
The award recognized Lall’s seminal contributions to the field of harsh environment electronics. Lall is widely credited with the development of leading indicators of failure for prognostics health management of electronic systems to allow for early identification of faults that may impair system operation. Lall is the author and co-author of over 500 journal and conference papers in the field of electronics reliability, safety, energy efficiency, and survivability.
“This award is recognition of Dr. Lall’s international reputation and the impact of his contributions to state-of-the-art innovation,” said Christopher B. Roberts, dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. “His work has positioned Auburn Engineering to be a leader in harsh environment electronics.”
“Electronics is pervasive in today’s consumer products and many of the functions are safety critical”, Lall said. “Take present day automobiles — electronics enables much of the safety critical circuitry in present-day cars,” Lall said. “Examples include lane-departure warning systems, collision avoidance systems and park and drive assist systems. Given the level of criticality and the need for continued reliable operation, it is important that problems be identified much prior to catastrophic failure. Much of the electronics resides under the hood of the automobile where temperatures and vibration loads are very high. Ensuring survivability for sustained operation of electronics is a continuing evolving challenge with the miniaturization of electronics.”
Lall joined the Auburn faculty in 2002 after a distinguished industry career at Motorola, where he worked on the development and manufacture of wireless products such as cellphones and two-way radios.
Lall is a fellow of the IEEE. The award was conferred at the IEEE Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), a premier international event attended by more than 1,700 attendees in San Diego in May. Lall received $3,000 and a certificate for his achievements. IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization for the advancement of technology.
Lall is also a member of the Technical Council and Governing Council of NextFlex and is director of the NSF Center for Advanced Vehicle and Extreme Environment Electronics at Auburn University. He has previously been recognized by the National Science Foundations-IUCRC’s Schwarzkopf Prize for Technology Innovation in 2016. Lall is the recipient of The Alabama Academy of Science Wright A. Gardener Award, the IEEE Exceptional Technical Achievement Award, ASME-EPPD Applied Mechanics Award, SMTA’s Member of Technical Distinction Award, Auburn University’s Creative Research and Scholarship Award, the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering Senior Faculty Research Award, and 20 best paper awards at national and international conferences.
AU Innovation in Flexible Electronics Featured at NextFlex Innovation Day 2018
Auburn University’s Flexible Biometric Band was featured at the NextFlex Innovation Day on Aug 9th, 2018 in San Jose, CA. The intended application for the band is for operators working on the inspection and maintenance on aircraft fuel tanks. The fuel tanks are small, confined spaces in the aircraft, which reside in the fuselage and inside the wings of the aircraft. Inspection and maintenance operations require the operators to climb inside the confined space of the fuel tanks. Oxygen levels in a confined space may become depleted due to oxidation or depletion by another gas. The typical concentration of oxygen in the environment is 20.9 percent. When oxygen levels drop from 19.5 percent to 12 percent, judgment is impaired and personnel may experience an increased pulse and fatigue. If levels drop further, from 12 percent to 6 percent, fatigue, nausea and vomiting will occur. A dual-use aspect of the technology may include the following applications: monitoring of vitals of workers in high-heat environments to determine when workers need to come out of the heat before the effects of heat stress become a physical risk factor and monitoring of an individual worker in a hazardous environment
The multi-sensor biomedical band will be worn by the operator working in a confined space and it’s multiple sensors will measure for the loss of blood oxygenation resulting from depletion of oxygen in the environment in the fuel tank, abrupt changes in the pulse rate resulting from anxiety or claustrophobia, loss of consciousness, myocardial infarction, stroke, bradycardia or
aneurysm. Additional sensors can be added if needed to address a broader range of medical conditions. The raw data from the sensors is gathered by the embedded microcontroller on the wearable band through the GPIO and transmitted via the Bluetooth sensor on the USART port of the microcontroller to the paired smartphone. The LifeSaver App is installed on the smartphone and receives the transmitted data via the Bluetooth module and processes the data checking for imminent danger to the operator. If the status is OK, the app continues to monitor silently. However, if the operator is in imminent danger, or in need of medical attention, the app autonomously contacts emergency medical services with the GPS location of the operator and details the condition of the operator and the nature of the medical condition.
Lall elected VP of publications for IEEE’s Reliability Society
Pradeep Lall, the John and Anne MacFarlane Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, was recently elected vice president of publications for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Reliability Society.
IEEE’s Reliability Society is a technical group within the organization whose work focuses on reliability in the engineering disciplines of hardware, software and human factors. Lall’s election was based in part on his academic credentials, history with the society, scholarly reputation and leadership record. The position is a part of the society’s high-ranking executive committee.
In this role, Lall will lead the society’s publications division and assume responsibility for budgeting, resource issues, page-count allocation and strategic planning. He will also have responsibility for recommending appointment of the editor-in-chief of the Transactions on Reliability journal and appointment of liaisons for the society’s co-sponsored publications. The publications division oversees the Transactions on Reliability journal and Reliability Magazine and has partial ownership of several other IEEE publications.
“Reliability is a key ingredient that makes it possible for companies to introduce new products and services into the marketplace without incurring significant warranty costs,” Lall said. “Companies use warranty duration to signal the quality of the products with premium prices often commanded by products with long warranty.”
A renowned scholar in the field of harsh-environment electronics reliability, Lall has authored more than 470 technical papers on the topic. He joined the Auburn faculty in 2002 and currently serves as director of the Center for Advanced Vehicle and Extreme Environment Electronics and director of NextFlex’s Harsh Environments Node housed at Auburn University. For his research and technical contributions, he received the 2016 Alex Schwarzkopf Award for Technology Innovation from the National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers Program.
An IEEE fellow, Lall has a long history with the Reliability Society, dating back to 1991, and served the society in numerous positions.
Media Contact: , chris.anthony@auburn.edu, 334-844-3447
Lall wins NSF award for technological innovation
Media Contact: , chris.anthony@auburn.edu, 334-844-3447
Pradeep Lall, John and Anne MacFarlane professor of mechanical engineering, has received a top award from the National Science Foundation’s Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers program.
Lall received the 2016 Alexander Schwarzkopf Prize for Technological Innovation for his work as director of Auburn University’s Center for Advanced Vehicle and Extreme Environment Electronics, or CAVE3, which partners with industry, government and academic agencies to address major technological challenges through precompetitive research on automotive and harsh environment electronics. Precompetitive research allows the center to address these challenges before the technologies become commercialized.
“This award is reaffirmation of Dr. Lall’s national reputation and recognition of his seminal contributions to the field of mechanical engineering,” said Christopher B. Roberts, dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. “His work has positioned Auburn Engineering to be a leader in harsh environment electronics research as we address the challenges in this exciting field.”
Lall’s research focuses on the development of methods for assuring survivability of electronics to high shock forces, vibration and extreme temperatures. He is best known for his research in the areas of reliability and prognostics for electronic systems operating in harsh environments.
“Electronic systems have taken an increasingly important role in automotive design and operation,” Lall said. “Traditional automotive electronics at one time consisted of climate control and entertainment systems. Roll the clock forward to the present day and automotive electronics have expanded to include driving assists such as antilock braking systems, traction control systems, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning systems and more. Failure of one of these systems is no longer an inconvenience; it may be critical to the safe operation of the vehicle.”
Founded in 1999 as the Center for Advanced Vehicle Electronics, CAVE3 has over the years expanded its expertise to include extreme environment electronics. Lall has been the center’s director since 2008, following his appointment as associate director in 2004. Lall also directs Auburn’s Harsh Environments Node of the NextFlex Manufacturing Institute, part of a national manufacturing effort on harsh environment electronics led by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Lall joined the Auburn faculty in 2002 after a distinguished industry career at Motorola, where he worked on the development and manufacture of wireless products such as cellphones and two-way radios.
“Dr. Lall’s recognition with the Alex Schwarzkopf Prize is evidence of the societal and transformational impact that Auburn University is making on automotive and harsh environment technologies in everyday life,” said John Mason, Auburn’s vice president for research and economic development.
NSF’s cooperative research centers program was established in 1973 by Schwarzkopf to develop long-term research partnerships among industry, academe and government in areas of mutual interest. The Alexander Schwarzkopf Prize for Technological Innovation has been presented annually since 2003 to an individual or team at a member institution whose research makes an exemplary contribution to technology innovation. More than 100 universities and nearly a thousand researchers are members.
LALL RECEIVES THE 2016 WRIGHT A. GARDNER AWARD OF THE ALABAMA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
Media Contact: , stashml@auburn.edu, 334-844-3591
Pradeep Lall, John and Anne MacFarlane professor in Auburn University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, has received the Wright Gardner Award from the Alabama Academy of Science.
Lall joined the Auburn faculty in 2002 as an associate professor after a successful career at Motorola, where he worked on the development and manufacture of wireless products including cellular phones and two-way radios. He is best known for his research in the areas of reliability and prognostics for electronic systems operating in harsh environments. His contributions to the development of methodologies for prognostication of electronics based on leading indicators of failure have been adopted by the automotive industry for development of next generation on-board diagnostic systems.
“I am honored to receive this award and want to thank the Alabama Academy of Science for this recognition,” Lall said. “The award is a testament to the strong research environment at Auburn University which has provided me the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.”
Lall says that his prior experience in the development of manufacturing processes in high-volume environments has enabled him to bring aspects of the electronics manufacturing industry into the classroom and his research at Auburn. Lall serves as director of Auburn’s NSF-CAVE3 Electronics Research Center, which is dedicated to working with industry to develop and implement new technologies for the packaging and manufacturing of electronics.
Lall also leads a national manufacturing effort on harsh environment electronics established at Auburn as part of a U.S. Department of Defense-led flexible hybrid electronics institute called NextFlex.
“Auburn University’s Harsh Environment Node of NextFlex will help catalyze the establishment of a flexible electronics ecosystem in Alabama through the development of technology product demonstrators and workforce training programs to make an impact on the manufacturing economy in Alabama.”
The Wright Gardner Award was established by the Alabama Academy of Science in 1984 to honor individuals whose work during residence in Alabama had been outstanding. Past recipients nominated for this award have included researchers, teachers, industrialists, clinicians, scholars and active members and office bearers of the Alabama Academy of Science.
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