MENU

Flexible organic circuit makes fever alarm

Flexible organic circuit makes fever alarm

Technology News |
By eeNews Europe



The armband, developed by research groups lead by Professor Takayasu Sakurai at the Institute of Industrial Science and Professor Takao Someya at the Graduate School of Engineering, combines a flexible amorphous silicon solar panel, a piezoelectric speaker, temperature sensor, and a power supply circuit created with organic components in a single flexible, wearable package.

The organics circuits are based on CMOS FETs that operate at 12V.


The armband is 30 cm long and 18 cm wide, and can be worn either directly on the skin or on top of clothing. The device is designed so that the thermal sensor is located between the arm and the body. The organic power supply circuit is located under the piezo film speaker to reduce surface area. Source: 2015 Sakurai Lab/Someya Lab.

The armband is for monitoring of health indicators, such as heart rate and body temperature, in infants and the elderly and in patient care. Such sensors need to be light, flexible and wireless for patient comfort and low-cost so they can be disposable for reasons of hygiene. Conventional sensors on rigid printed circuit boards do not meet those objectives the researchers said. The University of Tokyo’s flexible solution incorporates organic components that can be inkjet printed on a polymer film.

Next: A number of firsts
 


 

The fever alarm armband includes the first organic circuit able to produce an audible output, and the first to incorporate an organic power supply circuit, the researchers claim. The thermal sensor detects when the temperature reaches a pre-set value in the range 36.5 to 38.5 degrees C.

“Our fever alarm armband demonstrates that it is possible to produce flexible, disposable devices that can greatly enhance the amount of information available to carers in healthcare settings,” says Professor Someya. “We have demonstrated the technology with a temperature sensor and fever alarm, but the system could also be adapted to provide audible feedback on body temperature, or combined with other sensors to register wetness, pressure or heart rate.”

The armband is being reported the International Solid State Circuits Conference, taking place this week in San Francisco.

 

 

Related links and articles:

 

www.u-tokyo.ac.jp

News articles:

Plastic Logic splits, forms FlexEnable

Flexible multi-touch printed sensors ready ahead of screens

Crocus senses flex in flexible displays

Flexible film temperature sensors aim at wearable devices

Startup raises funds for organic semiconductors

 

If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :    eeNews on Google News

Share:

Linked Articles
10s