The WASP project aims at bringing the much-needed step change in flexible and wearable electronics by developing a new industrially driven enabling printing technology for the definition of electronic devices and circuits on paper, a flexible and foldable substrate, which is low cost, disposable, biodegradable, easily obtainable in nature and compatible with high speed roll-to-roll processes. The proposed technology is based on an environmentally friendly process and addresses the needs for future circular economy, as well as that for cheap, flexible and lightweight, multi-functional electronics. At the end of the project, a demonstrator will be released, able to sense biometric parameters (i.e., humidity, pH, glucose levels) and to communicate to an external reader, developed on purpose within the WASP activity.
The main challenge of WASP is making everyday objects such as bandages, diapers or patches “intelligent”, acquiring new features and becoming capable of monitoring our biomedical parameters, with the additional advantage of being environmentally friendly. This will be possible starting from the study of prototypes to industrial design on a large scale.
All the components will be connected on a specifically designed integrated system-on-paper, which will be then positioned inside the diaper or hygiene products. Picture in the left shows a schematic representation of the proposed intelligent paper based system integrated on healthcare diapers and bandages.
