Force Sensing As An Enabler For Novel HMI (Sensors Europe 2019)

 

Dr Andy Austin is a Chartered Physicist and Product Development Engineer at Peratech. Andy has worked across the spectrum of conductive materials development, from lab scale material characterization to new product introduction and business case development. He is currently working closely with Peratech's R&D and Strategic Marketing teams to help define and develop future product requirements. His interests include next generation human-machine-interactions, flexible and printable electronics, energy harvesting materials, flexible batteries and composite health monitoring. Andrew has a degree in Physics from the University of Manchester and a PhD in Electronics from the University of York.

Peratech was started in 1996, to commercialise the development of a new substance called Quantum Tunnelling Composite (QTC); a unique nano-tech, electro-active composite that is extremely sensitive to external stimuli. It uses quantum physics, in a simple way, to respond to various mechanical and electrical inputs.

 

QTC can be put onto and into textiles, films and other surfaces and matrices to make them sensitive to force, human touch and other stimuli. It is now being used increasingly in telephone and computer touch-screens, white boards, robot 'skins' and many other sensing devices in the form of QTC bulk, powders, coatings and inks.