This report characterizes the markets, technologies, and players in printed and flexible sensors. The latest technical innovations are explored across eight printed sensor technology areas, with numerous application case studies for each technology. It reveals significant opportunity, with the printed and flexible sensor market forecast to grow to over US$960M by 2034.
Sensors, of which a subset are printed and flexible, are vital in modern life. They measure a vast quantity of physical parameters, acting as the interface between the physical and digital worlds. Printed sensors are relatively self-explanatory – they are sensors that are printed using solution processable functional inks onto rigid or flexible substrates. Printed sensors can therefore be produced in large areas and volumes, using established manufacturing techniques at significantly reduced costs.
Printed and flexible sensors can measure a plethora of physical interactions, including touch, force, pressure, displacement, temperature, electrical signals, as well as detecting gases. One of the earliest, and now most ubiquitous, printed sensor technologies is printed force sensors, which are found in cars for seat belt occupancy detection. Printed sensors find applications in commercial sectors such as automotives, healthcare, wearables, consumer electronics, industry, and logistics.
While force sensor markets are established and dominate revenue share, other printed and flexible sensor technologies are poised for growth over the next decade. Printed sensors are emerging in consumer electronic devices, from laptops to power tools, and are projected to continue growing. Also, the offering of large area, lightweight sensing makes printed and flexible sensors well-suited for integration in automotives. Emerging automotive applications include battery health monitoring and human machine interfaces, employing printed sensors for pressure, force, gas, and temperature sensing. Specifically, multifunctional printed sensors are evolving quickly to meet market demands, with disruptive potential within existing sensors industries, in addition to unlocking wholly new and novel sensing solutions.
Printed sensor annual revenue, segmented by technology, 2024-2034. Source IDTechEx
This report critically evaluates eight printed sensor technologies, covering printed piezoresistive sensors and force sensors (FSRs), piezoelectric sensors, photodetectors, temperature sensors, strain sensors, gas sensors, capacitive touch sensors, and wearable electrodes. The report also discusses areas of innovation in manufacturing of printed sensors, including focus on emerging material options as well as the technology underlying the manufacturing process. This report characterizes each application of printed sensors, discussing the relevant technology, product types, competitive landscape, industry players, pricing, as well as key meta-trends and drivers for each sector. The report also contains detailed printed and flexible sensors market forecasting over 10 years for each of the key printed sensor technology areas.
The research behind the report has been compiled over many years by IDTechEx analysts. It builds on existing expertise in areas such as sensors, wearable technology, flexible electronics, stretchable and conformal electronics, smart packaging, conductive inks, nanotechnology, future mobility and electronic textiles. The methodology involved a mixture of primary and secondary research, with a key focus on speaking to executives, engineers, and scientists from companies developing printed and flexible sensors. As such, the report analyses all known major companies and projects, including over 35 profiles.
Source: idtechex.com