Short Course 2

Printable Electronic Sensors for Individual and Environmental Health Monitoring

Joseph Andrews
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Abstract: Nanomaterials have had a tremendous impact on enabling new electronic inks with increased function and stability. In this short course, I will present how nanomaterials can improve the processability and performance of two specific printable sensing devices: a cross-capacitance biological sensor and a distributed soil nutrient sensor. The discussion will include insight into the ink development, print processing, sensing mechanisms, and achievable sensitivity for both devices. As we progress towards a more connected future, low-cost and effective sensing nodes can enhance health and well-being throughout global populations. Printed electronic sensors are an attractive option towards achieving this goal of enhanced individual and environmental health monitoring.

Biography: Joseph Andrews is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, jointly appointed in the Mechanical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering Departments. During his career, Joseph has experience in several successful and diverse projects in the printed nanomaterial space, from the invention of printed tire tread-depth sensors to fully printed biological assays. His work has been recognized by multiple awards, including the NIH F31 Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award and the IEEE Sensors Best Student Paper Award in 2017. His invention of the printed tire-tread depth sensor has also achieved commercial success and was recently commercialized through a company, Tyrata, Inc. Joseph has also worked with Microsoft Research, contributing to their efforts in the flexible electronics space. Currently, Joseph's group at UW-Madison is focused on impacting the field of printed electronics through developing new inks from nanomaterials. He is also interested in continuing his work with fully-printed sensors, particularly biological sensors that rely on electrical transduction and printed biological recognition elements.