Today, paper companies are working with universities and research labs to program the brains right into the sheet. Given that paper is made in layers, it doesn’t take much of a mental leap to imagine a smart film as an embedded layer.

According to Lars Gadda, Vice President, Research & Development at M-real, "The difference between intelligent paper and traditional paper will be the functions that will be integrated in the structure and coating of the papers."

The intelligent solutions closest to everyday use are paper and board packages that make use of radio frequency identification (RFID). Their operation is based on data-loaded microchips and antennas for the transfer of information in package labels, which enables large amounts of information to be transferred with the product.

"Information stored in RFID facilitates product distribution," says Gadda.  "It also ensures the origin of the products which makes counterfeiting more difficult."