Sensors

Acreo is working with various kinds of sensor technologies. Together with partners in 3PLAST, a FP7-project supported by the European Commision, Acreo has developed all-printed pyro- and piezoelectric sensor devices that can be integrated with Acreo's electrochemical transistors and electrochromic displays to create all-printed sensor systems.

The pyro- and piezoelectric sensors are based on PVDF-TrFE, hence, this is the active material responsible for the sensing of temperature and pressure fluctuations. An all-printed large area sensor system is achieved upon integrating the novel polymer sensor with an electrochemical transistor, or an organic field-effect transistor, and an electrochromic display on top of a flexible plastic substrate. The sensor output signal is amplified by the transistor device, which thereby controls the colour state of the sensor indicator, e.g. an electrochromic display.

The sensors are activated by e.g. light from an IR laser diode, by human body radiation (finger movement) or by pressure. The figure to the right shows the concept for an integrated pyro- or piezoelectric sensor element.