The Internet of Things calls for wearable devices that provide reliable health monitoring and communication functions while being imperceptible. The SoWe project leveraged a technological innovation in the field of stretchable electronics and developed during the ERC Starting Grant ESKIN to explore the feasibility and potential commercialization of wearable and high-performance electronic skins.
The innovation consists in a stretchable biphasic thin metal film that combines high metallic electrical conductivity, high reversible deformability, and real-world robustness. The technology, for which a patent application is under consideration, triggered interests from a variety of fields including consumer electronics, medical technology, robotics, textiles, raw chemicals and materials, and watchmaking.
In the course of the SoWe project, the team has investigated the feasibility of commercial exploitation of stretchable electronics technology to be worn on the hand and/or the wrist. First, the manufacturing process of the wearable system matured to become compatible with industrial processes. Efforts in process development resulted in a four-step, automated manufacturing process, each being fully compatible with commercially available tools. A simplified quality management system was implemented, monitoring each step of the manufacturing process and tracking steps contributing to the decrease in yield and driving up the cost. Next, systematic evaluation in terms of reproducibility, performance and reliability was conducted and led to the manufacturing of robust demonstrators. The physical, functional prototypes can be manipulated and worn, highlighting their mechanical robustness. The SoWe technology was displayed under the name “feeltronix” during various conferences and industry fairs.
Discussions and exchanges during national and international conferences, and with potential commercial partners allowed to further identify needs from this emerging field but also appreciate remaining challenges in this competitive manufacturing environment. The business strategy to push forward the technology has progressed but the potential commercialization routes remain under evaluation.
