Roadmap on printable electronic materials for next-generation sensors
Authors: Pecunia Vincenzo , Petti Luisa , Andrews Joseph B , Ollearo Riccardo , Gelinck Gerwin H , Nasrollahi Bahareh , Jailani Javith Mohammed , Li Ning , Kim Jong H , Ng Tse Nga , Feng Hanru , Chen Zhizhou , Guo Yupeng , Shen Liang , Lhuillier Emmanuel , Kuo Lidia , Sangwan Vinod K , Hersam Mark C , Fraboni Beatrice , Basiricò Laura , Ciavatti Andrea , Wu Haodi , Niu Guangda , Tang Jiang , Yang Ge , Kim Doup , Dremann Derek , Jurchescu Oana D , Bederak Dmytro , Shulga Artem G , Costa Pedro , Perinka Nikola , Lanceros-Mendez Senentxu , Chortos Alex , Khuje Saurabh , Yu Jian , Ren Shenqiang , Mascia Antonello , Concas Mattia , Cosseddu Piero , Young Robert J , Yokota Tomoyuki , Somoya Takeo , Jeon Sung Jae , Zhao Naixin , Li Yuning , Shukla Darpan , Wu Shuang , Zhu Yong , Takei Kuniharu , Huang Yubin , Spiece Jean , Gehring Pascal , Persaud Krishna , Llobet Eduard , Krik Soufiane , Vasquez Sahira , Costa Angeli Martina Aurora , Lugli Paolo , Fabbri Barbara , Spagnoli Elena , Rossi Arianna , Occhipinti Luigi G , Tang Chenyu , Yi Wentian , Ravenscroft Dafydd , Kandukuri Tharun R , Abideen Zain Ul , Azimi Zahra , Tricoli Antonio , Rivadeneyra Almudena , Rojas Sara , Gaiardo Andrea , Valt Matteo , Galstyan Vardan , Zappa Dario , Comini Elisabetta , Noël Vincent , Mattana Giorgio , Piro Benoît , Strand Elliot , Bihar Eloise , Whiting Gregory L , Shkodra Bajramshahe , Petrelli Mattia , Moro Giulia , Raucci Ada , Miglione Antonella , Cinti Stefano , Casson Alexander J , Wang Zixin , Bird David , Batchelor John C , Xing Le , Johnson Liam S J , Alwattar Aula A , Kyndiah Adrica , Viola Fabrizio Antonio , Caironi Mario , Albarghouthi Faris M , Smith Brittany N , Franklin Aaron D , Pal Arnab , Banerjee Kaustav , Johnson Zachary T , Claussen Jonathan C , Moudgil Akshay , Leong Wei Lin 
Published: March 2024

The dissemination of sensors is key to realizing a sustainable, ‘intelligent’ world, where everyday objects and environments are equipped with sensing capabilities to advance the sustainability and quality of our lives—e.g. via smart homes, smart cities, smart healthcare, smart logistics, Industry 4.0, and precision agriculture. The realization of the full potential of these applications critically depends on the availability of easy-to-make, low-cost sensor technologies. Sensors based on printable electronic materials offer the ideal platform: they can be fabricated through simple methods (e.g. printing and coating) and are compatible with high-throughput roll-to-roll processing. Moreover, printable electronic materials often allow the fabrication of sensors on flexible/stretchable/biodegradable substrates, thereby enabling the deployment of sensors in unconventional settings. Fulfilling the promise of printable electronic materials for sensing will require materials and device innovations to enhance their ability to transduce external stimuli—light, ionizing radiation, pressure, strain, force, temperature, gas, vapours, humidity, and other chemical and biological analytes. This Roadmap brings together the viewpoints of experts in various printable sensing materials—and devices thereof—to provide insights into the status and outlook of the field. Alongside recent materials and device innovations, the roadmap discusses the key outstanding challenges pertaining to each printable sensing technology. Finally, the Roadmap points to promising directions to overcome these challenges and thus enable ubiquitous sensing for a sustainable, ‘intelligent’ world.