Flexible and Printed Sensor Devices

Course title

1M993370

Purpose of class

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the emerging field of flexible and printed electronics, bridging the gap between traditional rigid semiconductor technology and novel flexible applications. It aims to equip students with the fundamental knowledge required to design, fabricate, and characterize low-cost sensor devices. By the end of the course, students will understand how to select appropriate materials and printing methods to create functional devices for next-generation applications in healthcare, robotics, and wearable technology.

Course content

This course covers the fundamentals of flexible and printed electronics with a focus on low-cost sensor device platforms. Topics include the motivation for flexible electronics and comparison with rigid semiconductor technologies; properties and selection of flexible substrates; printable conductors, semiconductors, and dielectric materials; charge injection and transport in thin films; solution-based processing and printing techniques such as screen printing, inkjet printing, and gravure printing; device building blocks including thin-film transistors and printed circuit elements; flexible sensor types including piezoresistive, capacitive, and electrochemical sensors; basic electrical and electromechanical characterization methods; system integration with wearables and IoT platforms; and mechanical, electrical, and environmental reliability considerations for flexible sensor devices. Case studies from current research and industry are used to connect theory with real applications in healthcare, robotics, and wearable technologies.

Goals and objectives

Students will be able to identify key functional materials and flexible substrates and select appropriate printing techniques for fabricating flexible sensor devices.
Students will be able to explain the operating principles of piezoresistive, capacitive, and electrochemical sensors and analyze their performance using basic electrical and electromechanical characterization methods.
Students will be able to design a basic workflow for a flexible sensor device, from material and process selection to device integration, and evaluate its suitability for targeted applications such as healthcare, robotics, and wearable systems.

Relationship between 'Goals and Objectives' and 'Course Outcomes'

	Assignments	Midterm	Final	Total.
1.	10%	20%	10%	40%
2.	10%	15%	15%	40%
3.	10%	0%	10%	20%
Total.	30%	35%	35%	-

Language

English

Class schedule

	Class schedule	HW assignments (Including preparation and review of the class.)	Amount of Time Required
1．	Course overview Overview of flexible and printed electronics; comparison with rigid semiconductor technologies; application drivers for flexible sensor devices.	Read Lecture Notes	150minutes
2．	Flexible substrates Properties of polymer substrates (PET, PI, PEN), paper, textiles, and thin glass; mechanical and thermal constraints in sensor fabrication.	Read Lecture Notes	150minutes
2．		Assignment 1	100minutes
3．	Printable functional materials Printable conductors, semiconductors, and dielectrics for flexible sensors; material selection criteria.	Read Lecture Notes	150minutes
4．	Charge transport and interfaces Charge injection and transport in thin films; role of contacts and interfaces in printed sensor devices.	Read Lecture Notes	150minutes
4．		Assignment 2	100minutes
5．	Printing techniques and process integration Screen printing, inkjet printing, and gravure printing; resolution limits, defects, and post-processing.	Read Lecture Notes	150minutes
6．	Device building blocks Thin-film transistors and printed circuit elements for flexible sensor platforms.	Read Lecture Notes	150minutes
6．		Assignment 3	100minutes
7．	Flexible sensor architectures and signal conditioning Basic sensor device architectures; transduction pathways (mechanical/electrical/chemical to electrical signal); simple readout circuits; noise, sensitivity, and basic performance metrics.	Read Lecture Notes	150minutes
8．	Midterm Exam Written examination covering Weeks 1–7	Review lecture notes and textbook chapters 1–12	200minutes
9．	Sensor operating principles (1): Mechanical and electrical sensors Piezoresistive and capacitive sensors; device structures, sensitivity, drift, and basic design considerations.Sensor Principles (1): Piezoresistive Working mechanisms, strain gauges, and pressure sensing architectures	Read Lecture Notes	150minutes
10．	Sensor operating principles (2): Electrochemical sensors Potentiometric, amperometric, and impedimetric sensing; printed electrode configurations; basic signal readout and stability issues.	Read Lecture Notes	150minutes
11．	Application I: Wearable healthcare sensors Design of wearable health monitors, smart bandages, and non-invasive sweat sensors; system constraints and user-interface considerations.	Read Lecture Notes; Research Paper Reading	150minutes
12．	Application II: Robotics and human–machine interfaces Flexible tactile, pressure, and strain sensors for robotics and soft actuators; integration challenges in deformable systems.	Read Lecture Notes; Research Paper Reading	150minutes
12．		Assignment 4	100minutes
13．	Application III: IoT and environmental monitoring Flexible sensors for environmental and infrastructure monitoring; packaging, deployment, and reliability trade-offs in real-world settings.	Read Lecture Notes; Research Paper Reading	150minutes
13．		Assignment 5	100minutes
14．	Final Exam Comprehensive examination focusing on Principles and Applications (Weeks 9–13)	Comprehensive review of all course materials	200minutes
Total.	-	-	2700minutes