#paper sensor

[meriemscienceandpaper]

Magnetics Technology International - Annual 2017

Magnetics Technology International - Annual 2017

Our visionary article with my exchange students from this summer, Autumn Pratt and Jennifer Blackburn, and my collaborator Hongli Zhu appeared in the Magnetics Technology International 2017.

[meriemscienceandpaper]

Jennifer Blackburn, from Purdue University, will work on the packaging of multi-stacked paper-based sensors

I will be advising Jennifer’s Research and Science Project at the University of Hanover. She will be working with me this summer on developing an improved (electronic) packaging method for multi-stacked paper-based sensors. 

This is what Jennifer thinks about what may be expecting her this summer:

““Innovation” is the word that rings in my ears when I consider engineering and I believe that Ms. Akin’s work regarding paper-based sensors is just that. I chose the field of industrial engineering because I wanted to make an impact, to take existing technology and make it the best it can be, although, I will admit that I never considered improving paper. 

Now that I have been exposed to the idea I find it thrilling that renewable, inexpensive organic materials are being considered as a base for high-tech electronics. Paper is such a common object in our daily lives that is often overlooked. I see paper-based sensors as an opportunity for paper to become revitalized in today’s technological world. Incorporating circuitry into the same kind of paper that we use today and working them into established paper-based processes could allow seamless integration of sensors into daily life.

I have spent eighteen months of my college career working as a manufacturing engineer at the orthopedic device manufacturer, Zimmer Biomet. The devices produced there include joint replacements, parts for trauma repair, and surgical instruments. Because of the nature of these products, the industry is highly regulated. This is a great for us as consumers because it means the products are safe, but it also demands a lot of documentation, and one of the biggest delays we faced was paperwork errors. For this reason, I would love to see data verification built into paper forms to prevent errors before they arise and paper-based sensors could facilitate that. An especially great aspect is that the paper forms with which the operators are familiar would not disappear, new functionality would simply be introduced. 

I spent the majority of my time at Zimmer Biomet in the packaging department. I believe that in the packaging sector there is a lot of prospect for paper-based engineering built into the boxes and other paper packaging materials. From encoding the device history record directly into the packaging to including sensors that indicate excessive heat or moisture or broken seals, making paper smarter offers many opportunities for advancement in packaging technology.

I am honored to have been chosen to work on this project. I hope to provide a unique perspective to Ms. Akin’s team this summer and do what I can to make emerging paper-based technology the best it can be.”

Jennifer Blackburn, Purdue University