Inkjet Printed Thin Film Electronic Traces on Paper for Low-Cost Body-Worn Electronic Patch Sensors

Abstract

Patch sensors are slowly becoming ubiquitous in the market for wearable devices. They can collect and send data unobtrusively, which is beneficial to several applications in healthcare, sports, and fitness industries. Patch sensor by inkjet printing (IJP) with functional materials on flexible substrates allows design flexibility and portability at a very low cost. In this paper, preliminary results on characterization of IJP resistors printed with a variety of inks on substrates such as paper and polyimide have been reported, followed by a discussion on printed breath-rate and ECG sensors. The results promise a plethora of possibilities in printed circuits.