U.S. scientists are working on a touch-sensitive plastic material which can also serve as a flexible screen.
A team of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has developed flexible electronics, which emits bright light differently depending on the intensity of contact. The sheet of plastic could enable new computer interfaces are installed in robotics or the dashboard of cars. Also use as a wall decoration or interactive mobile screen would be conceivable.
The new “electronic skin” is based on earlier work of electrical engineer and computer scientist, Ali Javey. His group developed processes that are based on methods from the traditional silicon manufacturing to reliably apply various organic and inorganic components on plastic substrates. Such systems are much more flexible than rigid standard electronics based on silicon wafers. Flexible components could open up many new application fields of medical sensors, enclose the organs, to rolling or folding screens. The problem there is that the so-buildable circuits are not particularly powerful. Javeys group had already a network of high-resolution pressure sensors, which consisted of nanowires developed that cover a relatively large plastic surface. Touch could be so accurately read digitally. The aim of the work is new, it was now to develop a pressure sensor in the form of an array, can interact directly with the people, says the researcher. therefore Javey and his colleagues decided their “electronic skin” optically allow to react. For this purpose they are combined, a conductive, pressure-sensitive material which is rubber-like, organic light emitting diode (OLED) and thin film transistors are composed of enriched carbon nanotube semiconductors. This results in an array of touch sensitive, light-emitting pixels. While such a system would be rather easy to manufacture silicon-based polymers in the looks quite different. “That’s why this is one of the most complex systems of its kind ever to be shown,” says Javey proud. The many different materials and components that have c! ombined the researchers is impressive, says John Rogers, professor of Materials Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who knows the study. Rogers, whose group works even on flexible electronic sensors, says the results illustrate that the nano research now leads to practical systems with unique functions. According Javey might Production Systems and methods for production of conventional LCD monitors for the production of its “electronic skin” are used. His group also has plans to push digital components directly on plastic. These procedures are still at an early stage, but could enable efficient production of very large interactive surfaces. <- Googleoff: all ->
