Flexible Sensors Printing

About

  Track Code: 2016-KRAM-67277 Tags   3D printing, composites, electronics, Materials and Manufacturing, Micro & Nanoelectronics, robotics, sensors, wearables Background The manufacture of flexible electronics that exhibit the durability necessary for use on fabric substrates has always been a challenge. Wearable circuitry needs to exhibit an appropriate flexibility, durability, and adhesion to fabric substrates to be useful, yet present techniques rely on adhering electronics to fabric surfaces through resource-intensive processes that result in relatively delicate products with limited usefulness. Technology Summary Researchers at Purdue University have developed a single-process manufacturing method, similar to 3D printing, which enables the rapid manufacture of wearable electronics at a fraction of the cost. This method prints flexible sensors into a fabric substrate resulting in embedded sensing devices with dramatic increases in sophistication and resilience. This discovery extends to the production of multi-material sensors in a single manufacturing step, sets the stage for the next generation of wearable electronics with greater sensitivity and durability, and leads to the possibility of many new, more capable applications. Advantages Single-step manufacturing Increased sensitivity Inexpensive and smarter circuitry integrated into fabrics Potential Applications Manufacture of flexible, substrate embedded electronics Wearable electronics Health monitoring Quantified self Security/defense Stage of Development Process validation in lab