The EU-based 3Plast research consortium is developing special pressure and temperature sensors that can be printed onto plastic film and affixed to objects to recognize a finger’s heat signal without being touched.

The sensor consists of pyroelectrical and piezoelectrical polymers that can be processed in high volumes, by screen printing, for example. The sensor is combined with an organic transistor.

The companies and institutes involved from industry and research plan to mass produce the sensors cheaply by printing them onto plastic film and affixing to a wide range of everyday objects.