Exhibition Report of Smart Sensing 2023

1.Sensor Ink (IR Transmittable ink)

This ink has a proven track record in applications where the light receiving part of a product that uses a remote control or a sensor in a smartphone is concealed.

 

Characteristic

• Blocks visible light and ultraviolet rays, allowing only infrared rays to pass through.
• The camera lens can be hidden without interfering with the function of the infrared camera (sensor).
• Collaboration with various optical sensors

Ideal for products such as driver monitoring systems and pet cameras where the presence of the camera should be eliminated.

The design can be achieved without interfering with the camera (sensor) function and without making the camera lens look oppressive.

(1)Sensor Ink、(2)Black Ink

 

When you hold your hand behind the printed material with (1) and (2) printed on it, you can see your hand in the (1) part when you check the transparency of the infrared camera.

 

2.Practical examples of non-contact products using sensor ink

1.Smart surface

Characteristics

• Realistic wood grain reproduced by high definition printing technology
• Backlight can be turned on and off simply by holding up a hand.
• Sensor ink can be used to cover the sensor part without interfering with performance.
• Dead front printing allows text to be displayed on the wood grain.

The design can be simple with a wood grain or other design under normal conditions, and can display text or marks as needed.

 

Exhibition Cooperation: NS Advantech Co., Ltd.

 

Structure

 

Various other design can be reproduced.

Below is printed material with screen printing to reproduced a stone grain pattern.

 

Carbon-like design is also available.

Exhibition Cooperation: Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc.

 

2.Non-contact button

Characteristic

• Lights up when the sensor detects a finger
• Depending on the sensor, the distance at which the finger is approached and the time it takes for the sensor to react can be adjusted (to prevent malfunctions).
• Button with a design that conceals the sensor part can also be used.

These products can be used in places that are touched by an unspecified number of people, such as elevators, and in products that require convenience, such as faucets.

 

Below is a demonstration unit that imitates an elevator button.

Exhibit Cooperation: Elevisor Japan Inc., TOA Electronics, Inc.

 

Configuration of screen printing

 

3.Collaboration of haptics technology and dead front decoration

This is a collaboration products of haptics technology (ex. gives the feeling of pressing a button or icon that is not actually there.) used in smartphones, games, and VR, etc. and dead front decoration.

 

Characteristic

• Dead front decoration in a single black color with no design is also possible.
• Pressing a finger on a blacked-out screen causes vibration to be transmitted to the finger and the backlight to turn on.
• Icons can be displayed where none were previously displayed.

Icons can also be specified in desired colors.

White-out design is also available.

 

4.Electromagnetic wave shielding ink

Characteristic

• Reflects the electromagnetic wave from outside
• Contributes to weight reduction of final products by replacing other shielding materials (metal plates) with printed materials
• Can be applied directly to products (spray painting)
• Shield function can be applied to the necessary areas and as often as needed.
• A wide range of frequencies (0.1 MHz to 90 GHz) can be shielded with a single type of ink.

 

Comparing the plastic without Electromagnetic wave shielding ink (left) and the plastic with Electromagnetic wave shielding ink (right), it is confirmed that the plastic with Electromagnetic wave shielding ink is better shielding than the plastic without it.

 

Principle of reflective type

When an electromagnetic wave hit the ink layer, some reflects and the other shields as electric current.

 

Performance

Below are the results of shielding effects measured against frequency

 

How to use

(1) Screen printing: Shield function can be printed in the shape of the required area.

 

(2) Spray Painting: Can add electromagnetic shielding function by spraying ink directly on the product.

 

Left: ① Screen Printing                                                                        Right: ② Paint

 

Type of electromagnetic wave shielding inks

Electromagnetic wave shielding ink are available in MRX-HF (for plastic) and GLS-HF (for glass). Both inks can be used for electromagnetic shielding and decoration.