Tapecon, Inc.: Evolving business through UB research partnership
Tapecon, Inc. is a century-old, family-owned specialty manufacturer that integrates printing and advanced materials expertise to deliver high-performance components for medical devices, electronics, aerospace and industrial equipment. But as the company looked toward the next 100 years, it needed to lean into new capabilities to continue its track record of success.
As part of its strategic growth, Tapecon is expanding its portfolio of healthcare-related sensor applications, leveraging its unique technical capabilities as a key market differentiator. To find the technologies it needed to pursue this path, the company hosted a showcase event at the University at Buffalo, a long-time collaborator, and invited faculty to share current research projects that aligned with Tapecon’s manufacturing capabilities. In return, researchers would have unprecedented access to company resources including investment, development, prototyping and commercialization needed to bring their ideas from concept to market-ready solutions.
At the event, Tapecon met Filip Stefanovic, PhD, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, who is developing a high-density, wearable sensor to measure muscle activity—the first of its kind small enough to adhere directly to the skin. With Tapecon’s manufacturing support and medical-grade adhesive technologies, together they could significantly accelerate development of a wearable sensor to monitor neuromuscular function in real time for use in post-stroke therapy, astronaut readiness after gravitational transitions and athletic performance measurement. Since day one, the partnership has has taken off.