16 December, 2008
category: RFID
MysticMD Inc. has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation. The $98,622 grant will fund the development of a screen printable conductive ink for RFID antenna applications.
MysticMd is an advanced materials company which develops nanocoatings and nanofilms used to improve the function of a variety of products, while making manufacturing processes cheaper and easier. The projected bendable RFID antennas which would result from the newly funded research are expected to cost about 90% less than comparable copper antennas, offering improved reliability and encouraging expansion of the technology.
Under the terms of the grant, MysticMD will develop and print a conductive ink, and form an antenna for an ISO 15693 compliant system. Identica Holdings Corp., a developer biometric identification and security solutions, will test the new antenna. If the results are positive, MysticMD will seek SBIR Phase II funding to build prototypes for commercial applications in situations where low cost and reliability are critical.