Flexible electronics in toys in the form of sensors

Flexible electronics and its integration in plastic materials, also known as plastronics, offers countless development possibilities of innovative products, providing a response to demands form different sectors, such as the energy, packaging and automotive industries.

One of these applications is the integration of pressure-sensitive sensors in toys. For its development, AIJU, the technological research institute for Children Products and Leisure and AIMPLAS, have developed during 2017 the project FLEXSENS.

Thanks to this project, a specific pressure-sensitive sensor was developed to be applied in the toys sector. For that purpose, the design and development of flexible pressure sensors, its integration by means of In Mould Labeling (IML) and in composite materials (in the case of huge sensors), as well as the improvement of a previously developed communication protocol widening the traditional toy’s interactivity were needed.

This project, which has just started its second year, aims at obtaining different prototype toys as demonstrators of the technology that will be used as a basis for SMEs to be involved in the future exploitation of results.

The project FLEXSENS has the support of the Regional Ministry of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Employment through the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE) and is co-funded by the EU ERDF funds within the Comunitat Valenciana’s 2014-2020 ERDF operational programme.