Integrated capacitive sensor devices aerosol jet printed on 3D objects

A functional capacitive sensing device with five touch points was fabricated on the curved surfaces of polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene piping. The capacitive touch sensor points and conductive traces were printed with an Optomec (TM) Aerosol Jet printer using silver nanoparticle ink. We present a solution to a common problem with hybrid printed electronics of transitioning from the printed electronic components on a three-dimensional object to traditional rigid circuit board electronics. We highlight the need for CAD/CAM technology as an essential tool for printing on three-dimensional surfaces. The capacitive touch sensor library of an Arduino Uno Bard Rev 3 microcontroller enabled the detection of contact at the printed touch points. Corresponding LEDs attached to the surface of the pipe light up to indicate contact at the touch points. This hybrid printed electronic device presents a fully integrated and functioning electronic device printed on a three-dimensional surface and highlights the requirement of multidisciplinary knowledge for the field of hybrid printed electronics.