Scientists have developed a way to turn ordinary paper or cardboard into an interactive electronic device using a new coating they’ve developed. Researchers created an omniphobic coating that can be applied to paper sheets to transform it into human-machine interfaces, such as a music player interface like a digital keyboard or to create interactive food packaging.
The team developed a coating made with highly fluorinated molecules that allow for the printing of multiple layers of circuits onto paper without smearing the ink from one layer to the next. The coating also makes the paper repellent to water, oil, and dust.
While the paper has been integrated with electronic capabilities before, usually batteries or wires have been required, making the technology less than user friendly. The new work is the first time a self-powered paper-based electronic device is demonstrated, they said in a press statement.
Name of Author: Elizabeth Montalbano