This week, a research team led by Vincenzo Pecunia from Simon Fraser University has made significant strides in the development of printable sensor technologies, aiming to create a more sustainable and intelligent world. The team, consisting of over 100 experts from 57 research institutions worldwide, has produced a comprehensive roadmap for advancing next-generation printable sensor technologies, with the potential to revolutionize sustainability and improve quality of life.
The work, published in the journal Nano Futures, focuses on the integration of sensors into everyday objects and environments, enabling them to acquire sensing capabilities. This advancement could have far-reaching implications, providing real-time data to empower individuals to make informed decisions about resource usage, and to enhance various aspects of life including homes, cities, the environment, security, and healthcare.
Vincenzo Pecunia, the lead author of the research, highlights the myriad ways in which sensors can contribute to making life easier and more sustainable. Examples include sensors for safer medical exams, targeted healthcare, increased agricultural yield, accurate food spoilage detection, and early wildfire detection to prevent catastrophic consequences.
The roadmap developed by Pecunia and his global network of collaborators covers 45 printable sensor technologies that respond to diverse stimuli such as light, radiation, force, temperature, gases, chemicals, and biological substances. The research group has particularly focused on printable optical sensors with applications in various sustainability-focused domains.
One of the key factors in realizing the potential of these sensor technologies is their widespread dissemination to generate a critical mass of data. This necessitates the availability of easy-to-make, low-cost sensor technologies. Pecunia emphasizes that sensors based on printable materials offer an ideal platform, as they can be fabricated from inks using simple methods such as printing and coating at room temperature, requiring minimal energy.
On the other hand, the sensors commonly used today are produced using technologies that are often expensive and have a significant carbon footprint, frequently requiring temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius for production. Pecunia’s research group has been at the forefront of developing printable optical sensors that could play a crucial role in various sustainability-focused applications.
