As a specialist in printed electronics, Iris ensures that every tiny component, from LEDs to resistors and chips, is in the right place. ‘Everything must work together as a single whole. For each new application, we will devise a new setup. That requires creativity, because it has often never been done before.’
Iris joined TNO for an internship during her higher professional course in applied natural sciences at the Fontys University in Eindhoven. She completed her internship at TracXon, a deep-tech spin-off of TNO that has pioneered the transition from lab-scale to industrial-scale production of hybrid printed electronics. Iris then stayed on as a working student. After a graduation internship at TracXon, she returned to TNO. ‘At that startup, I saw up close how TNO helps new companies grow. That gave me a whole new perspective.’
She has now been working as a researcher at TNO for over two years. ‘I get a lot of freedom here. For example, I got to single-handedly complete the demonstrator for a new soldering method, which my team had been working on for some time.’
Together with colleagues, from process technologists to materials engineers, Iris is always looking for new solutions. Recyclable? Compostable? More complex functions? ‘If we solve those puzzles, a world of applications will open up, such as microLED screens, chip packaging and medical wearables that are both reliable and recyclable.’
The possibilities of printed electronics are endless: from smart patches to recyclable Printed Circuit Boards. Iris explains: ‘Printing electronics allows us to use new materials and shapes. This allows us to make products that are not only technically advanced or more comfortable, but also more sustainable. The process is very sophisticated: first we print conductive paths, then we place tiny parts using pick-and-place technology. The result? Electronics that are thin, flexible, and even stretchable.’
Technology that touches people
Wearables, such as smart patches worn on the skin, are her favourite devices. ‘They measure health parameters in real time, in the hospital or just at home. Thanks to printed electronics, they sit more comfortably on the skin and are less disruptive to a patient’s daily life. We can even add new features, such as ECGs or echocardiograms.’ Recently, Iris saw her work come to life during a test with participants in a room with reduced air pressure. ‘That’s when you realise: my work is really going to help people.’
What I’m working on has often never been done before. But when you succeed, it’s enormously satisfying
Not every issue is straightforward. ‘Sometimes I’m at my wits’ end. You can’t ask anyone how they did that two years ago. What I’m working on has often never been done before. But when you succeed, it’s enormously satisfying.’
Learning by doing
At TNO, Iris is given the space to choose her own path. ‘I learn mostly by seeing and experiencing things. So, I recently visited an international trade fair. I take the ideas that emerged there back to the lab. It’s nice that TNO listens to what I need.’
Working on printed electronics also makes Iris more conscious of sustainability. ‘This summer, a friend wanted to throw away her broken electric piano. I couldn't let that happen! I took it apart, repaired it, and now play it almost every day. Because of my work, I look at electronics differently and I have the skills to fix that piano, for example.’
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This article appeared in the 4TU Career Special 2026, a shared publication by the news editors of Cursor (Eindhoven University of Technology), TU Delta (TU Delft) Resource (Wageningen University & Research) and U-Today (University of Twente).
The magazine came into being in collaboration with industry and is explicitly aimed towards students who are either in the final phase of their studies, or have just graduated.
