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/商业潜力首先是从这些3-d交互显示器与大规模生产的电子设备的集成开始。从小尺寸(手表、智能手机)到大尺寸(协作工作场所显示器)，增加压力和温度敏感度可以将输入和功能引入一个全新的水平。除了提高功能和工作效率外，这些显示器还可以扩大老年人和残疾人基于手势输入的能力。多点触控显示屏市场规模超过100亿美元，而且还在持续增长，显示出巨大的商业机会。然而，压敏和温敏相结合的薄膜可以在显示器之外有更广泛的应用。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(例如，监测血压、核心温度、伤口愈合)的设备。另一个合乎逻辑的应用是机器人技术，其中组合的压力和温度传感器阵列可以起到电子皮肤的作用，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，预计它们的成本较低，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度，从而显著增加物联网。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目专注于开发同时对压力和温度做出响应的多点触控显示器，以创造真正的三维互动显示体验。一些商业触摸屏已经提供了压力敏感性，这可以将用户的输入扩展到屏幕上，但包括对温度的敏感性可以允许用户在屏幕上输入。也是。现在，通过使用一种新型的透明、基于聚合物的薄膜压力和温度传感器阵列，可以将温度和压力灵敏度引入显示器。这些传感器阵列使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同时具有压力和温度敏感性的单一透明薄膜，并将该薄膜集成到显示器的玻璃下。这首先需要通过试验层压和沉积技术，在不降低其中任何一种的灵敏度的情况下，将压力和温度敏感薄膜结合在一起。另一项关键活动将是通过调整材料组成来提高温敏薄膜的透明度。最后，需要通过广泛的投入测试来评估玻璃罩下该胶片的感光度。

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.