New Touch Sensor

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Stanford Reference: 13-161 Abstract Stanford researchers at the Khuri-Yakub Lab have developed a new sensor topology that will enable high-resolution touch sensing and reliable authentication on portable electronics. This sensor technology adds a new touch sensing dimension on a 2D array of sensors for use in touchscreen displays, such as those for smart phones and tablets. Highly sensitive, touch-based touch sensing will enable high-resolution touchscreen that only relies on the pressure applied and will be able to work with all types of stylus including finger, gloved finger, and pen. Additionally, the same concept can be integrated with fingerprint scanning capabilities in a more compact form with less power requirements than current optical fingerprint scanners. The proposed integrated sensor can be fabricated using simple, standard processes. Figure description - Conceptual drawing showing the sensor as a fingerprint scanner. The “mechanical” part (i.e., the cells) is shown integrated with an ASIC to touch the deflection. Some of sensor cells would touch the ridges. Detecting the touched cells is the basis for creating the fingerprint. Stage of Research Proof-of-principle completed Applications Touchscreens including smart phones, tablets, video games Fingerprint Scanner Biometric applications - Today it is possible to add temperature as a biometric sensed variable during the collection of the finger print. Advantages Simple fabrication method using standard processes Improved sensitivity - Adds pressure sensing, providing new dimension to current touchscreens Enables high-resolution touchscreen that only relies on the pressure applied and therefore it would work with finger, gloved finger, pen, etc. More compact and lower power than current optical fingerprint scanners More secure requiring real finger-print shape rather than the pattern of light and dark that makes up the visual impression of a fingerprint with optical devices Flexible design – can mix a high-resolution and low-resolution array of these cells on the same device to simultaneously address multiple needs on a single device Related Web Links Khuri-Yakub Group Date Released 10/4/2016 Related Keywords electronic perception technology   Electronic Materials and Devices   touchscreens   sensor: piezoelectric   tactile sensor   tactile sensation   tactile feedback   sensors: optical sensors   consumer electronics   smartphone application   multi-touch technology   data security   cmut   capacitance measurement    electronic component   biomimetic   app security   optical components   electronic devices   internet security   semiconductor: microcomponents   biosensor   electronic skin   electronics: measurement tool   internet of things   low-power electronic device   materials: electronics packaging   pressure sensors   MEMS: bioMEMS   MEMS sensors   Sensor Networks