Biometric Sensor Manufactured with Novel Soft Circuit Board Technology

Remote healthcare is becoming increasingly important for society. On-body devices designed to detect vital signals, dispense medications, and perform other functions should be soft and conformable to maximize comfort and effectiveness. Rigid printed circuit board materials like FR4 are too rigid to conform to a human body in action. Even conventional flex circuit materials like polyimide are too stiff for many applications. Researchers at Panasonic fabricated a functional soft circuit proof of concept using a pliable, high-temperature resistant, non-silicone polymer substrate in combination with conventional print-and-etch PCB fabrication and SMT processes. This presentation describes the fabrication and demonstration of this unique sensor device.