Ultra-thin film sensor developed to read pulses, vein patterns
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An extremely thin sensor worn around the finger or arm can measure pulses and scan fingerprints and vein patterns, thereby preventing identification mix-ups among medical patients and nursing care residents, the device’s developers said.
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The scientists from the University of Tokyo and Japan Display Inc. said Jan. 21 that the sensor equipment works like a camera.
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It consists of a thin film transistor and an optical sensor placed on a sheet. Development of the sensor was based on organic electroluminescence technology, they said.
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“Both the high-resolution imaging and high-speed data readout were realized at the same time,” said Takao Someya, an electrical engineering professor at the university.
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Although it was difficult to place the tiny parts on the thin sheet, the process was completed by lowering temperatures and improving the agent used in the manufacturing process.
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The device is around 0.015 millimeter thick, and it can be bent or pasted on an arm.
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“We will pitch the sensor to the market within three years or so,” said Akio Takimoto, a senior fellow at Japan Display’s R&D Division.
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Under the plan, the sensor will be further refined to measure not only pulses but also blood sugar levels and blood oxygen content. The team is considering adopting a battery so the sensor can be used as a health care appliance for a prolonged period like a wristwatch.
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The development was reported in the British scientific journal Nature Electronics at (https://nature.com/articles/s41928-019-0354-7).
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