SBIR Phase I: Highly-sensitive, Self-calibrating Pressure and Temperature Sensors for Next Generation Human-computer Interfaces

这个项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力首先开始于这些3d交互式显示器与大规模生产的电子设备的集成。从小规模（手表、智能手机）到大规模（协作式工作场所显示器），增加压力和温度敏感性可能会带来全新的输入和功能水平。除了提高功能和效率外，这些显示器还可以为老年人和残疾人扩大基于手势的输入能力。多点触控显示器的市场规模超过100亿美元，而且还在持续增长，预示着巨大的商业机会。然而，结合压力和温度敏感的薄膜可以有更广泛的应用，而不仅仅是显示。这些传感器的自然延伸是可穿戴设备，特别是那些旨在预防和诊断医疗保健的设备（例如监测血压、核心温度、伤口愈合）。另一个合乎逻辑的应用是机器人，其中组合压力和温度传感器阵列可以作为？电子皮肤?模仿人类皮肤对压力和温度的敏感性。最后，由于这类传感器与大规模半导体制造工艺兼容，它们的成本预计会很低，这将使未来的墙壁、窗户、地板和其他表面可以注入压力和温度敏感性，大大增加了物联网。这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）一期项目专注于开发对压力和温度都有响应的多点触摸显示器，以创造真正的三维交互式显示体验。一些商业触摸显示器已经提供了压力感应功能，从而扩展了用户输入。对着屏幕？，但包括对温度的敏感性可以允许用户输入？在屏幕上方？也。现在，通过使用一种新型透明聚合物薄膜压力和温度传感器阵列，可以将温度和压力敏感性引入显示器。这些传感器阵列利用对压力或温度高度敏感的微调透明聚合物。这项研究的目标是开发一种具有压力和温度敏感性的单一透明薄膜，并将该薄膜集成在显示器的玻璃下。这将首先需要结合压力和温度敏感的薄膜，而不降低其中任何一个的灵敏度，通过层压和沉积技术的实验。另一项关键活动是通过调整材料组成来提高温度敏感膜的透明度。最后，这种薄膜在玻璃罩下的灵敏度需要通过广泛的输入测试来评估。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project begins first are foremost with integration of these 3-d interactive displays with mass produced electronic devices. From the small scale (watches, smartphones) to the large scale (collaborative workplace displays), adding pressure and temperature sensitivity could introduce a whole new level of input and functionality. In addition to improving functionality and productivity, these displays could widen the capabilities of gesture-based input for the elderly and disabled. The multi-touch display market exceeds $10 billion and continues to grow, indicating a massive commercial opportunity. However, combined pressure- and temperature-sensitive films can have broader applications beyond displays. A natural extension for these sensors is wearable devices, especially those aimed at preventative and diagnostic healthcare (e.g. monitoring blood pressure, core temperature, wound healing). Another logical application is robotics, where combined pressure and temperature sensor arrays can function as ?electronic skin?, mimicking the pressure and temperature sensitivity of human skin. Finally, since this class of sensors is compatible with large-scale semiconductor manufacturing processes, they are expected to be low in cost, which would enable a future in which walls, windows, floors, and other surfaces can be infused with pressure and temperature sensitivity, adding significantly to the Internet of Things.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is focused on developing multi-touch displays that are responsive to both pressure and temperature, in order to create a truly 3-dimensional interactive display experience. A handful of commercial touch displays already offer pressure sensitivity, which extends user input ?into the screen?, but including sensitivity to temperature could allow user input ?above the screen? as well. It may now be possible to introduce both temperature and pressure sensitivity to displays by using a new class of transparent, polymer-based, thin-film pressure and temperature sensor arrays. These sensor arrays utilize finely-tuned transparent polymers that are highly sensitive to either pressure or temperature. The goal of this research is to develop a single transparent film with both pressure and temperature sensitivity, and to integrate this film beneath the glass of a display. This will first require combining the pressure- and temperature-sensitive films without deteriorating the sensitivity of either one, by experimenting with lamination and deposition techniques. Another key activity will be to improve the transparency of the temperature-sensitive film by adjusting its material composition. Finally, the sensitivity of this film under a glass cover will need to be evaluated through extensive input testing.