MONTEREY, CA – Craig Herndon, a Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division employee was recognized for his contributions to advancing the flexible hybrid electronics ecosystem.

Herndon is the program manager for the DoD executive agent for Printed Circuit Board and Interconnect Technology. He received the NextFlex 2019 Fellow Award.

NextFlex is a consortium of companies, academic institutions, non-profits, and state, local, and federal governments that have a shared goal of advancing US manufacturing of FHE. Herndon was one of nine recipients. The award recognizes efforts made to implement FHE into workforce development initiatives.

“This is a huge honor, especially being included with the group of nine that were selected as 2019 fellows,” said Herndon. “I’ve been working with the NextFlex Institute since its inception in 2015 to promote the possibilities that FHE brings to defense. Those capabilities are astounding. FHE enables the replacement of bulky and rigid form factors with flexible and wearable devices attached directly onto substrates for consumers, even human skin.

“When people think of electronics, they might think of the commonly used green, rigid circuit boards,” said Herndon. “This emerging FHE technology enables wearables, medical Internet of Things applications, defense applications, and much more. FHE won’t necessarily replace existing technology, but by expanding from electronics based on rigid and fragile circuit boards to flexible electronics components mounted on substrates, such as plastics and textiles, the DoD expects to deliver revolutionary capabilities to future warfighters.

“FHE will enable low-profile and unobtrusive wearable sensors that will monitor cognition, fatigue, hydration, heat stress, cardiorespiratory response, and other factors to provide actionable data to individual warfighters and their commanders. FHE will enable the military to equip aircraft with conformal or integrated antennas that deliver additional communication capabilities without increasing drag.”