NextFlex — America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute

The DoD MIIs seek to revitalize the U.S.’s domestic manufacturing capability through domestic public-private partnerships that enhance America’s strategic competitiveness while enabling the military of tomorrow. This is achieved through three primary activities hosted by the institutes: - Advancing research and development (R&D) to promote American innovation while modernizing our military capabilities - Growing manufacturing ecosystems to enhance the Nation’s competitiveness - Furthering education and workforce development to train Americans of all ages and backgrounds for jobs of the future The ability of the military to respond to an emergency depends on our Nation’s ability to produce needed parts and systems, healthy and secure supply chains, and a skilled U.S. workforce. The DoD MIIs connect organizations and activities to better enable the affordable, rapid transition and delivery of defense-essential technologies. NextFlex focuses on five flexible hybrid electronic (FHE)-enabled application areas: human health and performance monitoring, structural health (e.g., bridges, buildings, aircraft wings) and asset monitoring, soft robotics, flexible power, and integrated antenna arrays. NextFlex convenes institute members to collaboratively identify and actively overcome manufacturing challenges in commercializing FHE-enabled systems and devices. Before the institute, there was no comparable facility for FHE anywhere in the world. The DoD MIIs seek to revitalize the U.S.’s domestic manufacturing capability through domestic public-private partnerships that enhance America’s strategic competitiveness while enabling the military of tomorrow. This is achieved through three primary activities hosted by the institutes:
- Advancing research and development (R&D) to promote American innovation while modernizing our military capabilities
- Growing manufacturing ecosystems to enhance the Nation’s competitiveness
- Furthering education and workforce development to train Americans of all ages and backgrounds for jobs of the future

The ability of the military to respond to an emergency depends on our Nation’s ability to produce needed parts and systems, healthy and secure supply chains, and a skilled U.S. workforce. The DoD MIIs connect organizations and activities to better enable the affordable, rapid transition and delivery of defense-essential technologies.

NextFlex focuses on five flexible hybrid electronic (FHE)-enabled application areas: human health and performance monitoring, structural health (e.g., bridges, buildings, aircraft wings) and asset monitoring, soft robotics, flexible power, and integrated antenna arrays. NextFlex convenes institute members to collaboratively identify and actively overcome manufacturing challenges in commercializing FHE-enabled systems and devices. Before the institute, there was no comparable facility for FHE anywhere in the world.