Technology is evolving fast, and the days of stiff, rigid electronics are fading. Flexibility is the future, and one of the biggest breakthroughs making it happen is inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensors.

These ultra-thin, highly sensitive sensors are completely transforming wearable tech, healthcare devices, robotics, and smart systems. Instead of bulky sensors that struggle to adapt to movement, these bendable, stretchable sensors can be printed directly onto flexible materials—making them perfect for motion tracking, health monitoring, and responsive robotics.

This is more than just an upgrade—it’s a whole new way of designing smart technology that can move and adjust in real time without losing precision. Expect to see these sensors shaping the future of everything from prosthetic limbs to automated home security.

1. Inkjet-Printed Piezoelectric Sensors: Built to Bend, Made to Last

Tech is moving fast, and the old-school rigid sensors we once relied on are struggling to keep up. With wearable devices, robotic limbs, and smart healthcare monitors, we need something tougher—something that can bend, twist, and flex without losing accuracy. That’s where inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensors come in.

Unlike traditional sensors that crack under pressure, these super flexible sensors don’t just survive extreme bending—they thrive in it. Scientists, including Giulia Mecca, Roberto Bernasconi, and Valentina Zega, have created sensors that maintain peak performance even when repeatedly bent and stretched. Their research shows that these sensors deliver a consistent 850 mV electrical signal, even after constant use. That’s huge for industries like healthcare, robotics, and smart tech, where precision matters.

Why Regular Sensors Don’t Cut It

Most sensors fall into one of two categories:

1. Piezoresistive sensors, which detect strain by measuring resistance changes.
2. Piezoelectric sensors, which generate an electrical charge when stretched or compressed.

Piezoresistive sensors are affordable, but they require an external power source and don’t handle temperature changes well, which can make readings unreliable. Piezoelectric sensors are self-powered (meaning they work without an energy source), making them way more efficient—but the usual piezoelectric materials like ceramics are too stiff and brittle for flexible applications.

That’s where the inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensor changes the game. Scientists combined P(VDF-TrFE), a piezoelectric polymer, with inkjet-printed silver electrodes on a flexible polyimide base to create a bendable sensor that’s accurate, durable, and easy to manufacture.

What Makes Inkjet-Printed Sensors So Powerful?

The magic is in the materials:

• Silver electrodes printed with inkjet technology → Offers excellent conductivity and flexibility.
• P(VDF-TrFE) piezoelectric polymer layer → Responds to strain by producing reliable electrical signals.
• Polyimide (Kapton) substrate → Ultra-flexible, heat-resistant, and built to last.

This stacked structure, printed using drop-on-demand (DOD) inkjet technology, eliminates bulky manufacturing steps, making it fast, efficient, and eco-friendly. Less waste, lower costs, more customization—what’s not to love?

Built for Real-World Use

Lab tests prove these sensors can handle constant bending while keeping their accuracy. Researchers tested them at different bending speeds:

• 838.9 mV at 100 bends/hour
• 856.7 mV at 200 bends/hour
• 852.6 mV at 400 bends/hour

Even after hundreds of cycles, the signal stayed strong, proving these sensors can handle repetitive movement without breaking down.

This kind of reliability is huge for prosthetic limbs, fitness trackers, and robotic arms, where precision and durability are non-negotiable.

The Science Behind Their Sensitivity

A key part of what makes inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensors so effective is a process called poling—it’s like tuning an instrument so it plays the right notes. Scientists tested different poling temperatures to see what worked best:

• At 60°C, sensors produced a weak 48.1 mV output.
• At 80°C, sensors generated 850 mV output, proving it was the ideal setup.

Getting the poling temperature right makes the sensors more sensitive and more reliable, perfect for motion tracking, prosthetics, and smart wearables.

Beyond Motion Tracking: Sound and Vibration Detection

These sensors aren’t just great at detecting movement—they can pick up sound and vibrations too. Researchers tested them with different inputs and found:

• Hammer strikes near the sensor caused strong voltage spikes.
• A chair moving across the floor triggered measurable signals.
• Speech at a 5 cm distance produced clear readings.

This means inkjet-printed sensors could be used for speech recognition, security systems, industrial safety monitoring, and more.

2. Cost-Effective and Sustainable Manufacturing: A Smarter Way to Build Sensors

Technology is evolving fast, and the way we manufacture electronics needs to keep up. Industry 5.0 focuses on efficiency, sustainability, and smart production, and traditional sensor manufacturing just isn’t cutting it. It wastes too many materials, costs too much, and lacks the flexibility needed for modern devices. Inkjet printing changes all that.

Researchers like Giulia Mecca, Roberto Bernasconi, and Valentina Zega have shown that inkjet printing can create highly flexible, functional sensors while slashing material waste, lowering production costs, and making customization easy. This means better sensors that are cheaper, greener, and built for the future.

Why Traditional Sensor Manufacturing is Outdated

Regular sensor manufacturing is wasteful, expensive, and slow.

• Uses too much material → Many parts go unused and end up as waste.
• Requires multiple complex steps → Adding extra time and costs.
• Lacks flexibility → One-size-fits-all designs don’t work for specialized applications.
• Consumes lots of energy → Increasing environmental impact.

Inkjet printing solves these problems by offering a faster, more efficient, and eco-friendly alternative. Instead of cutting and shaping bulky materials, inkjet printing lays down thin layers precisely, making sensors lighter, more adaptable, and easier to produce at scale.

Inkjet Printing Makes Mass Production Easier

One of the biggest advantages of inkjet-printed sensors is how quickly and affordably they can be produced. Using drop-on-demand (DOD) inkjet technology, researchers print sensors layer by layer, allowing precise control over thickness, shape, and size.

The study by Mecca et al. proves that this technique cuts production costs significantly, while still creating high-performance, multi-material sensors that are durable enough to withstand extreme bending conditions.

This makes inkjet printing perfect for large-scale production, especially in industries like wearable tech, robotics, and healthcare that rely on small, sensitive, and flexible electronics.

Customization is Key for Future Tech

Old-fashioned sensor manufacturing can’t keep up with the demand for customized tech. Devices today need to be tailored to fit specific uses, like:

• Wearable health monitors that track movement.
• Soft robotic sensors that bend with flexible materials.
• Smart prosthetics that respond to body motion.

Inkjet printing makes it easy to modify sensor designs on demand, adjusting thickness, layout, and functionality without needing an entirely new production process. This flexibility is huge for industries pushing the boundaries of biomedical tech, AI-driven automation, and personalized gadgets.

Inkjet Printing is Better for the Planet

Beyond cutting costs and improving flexibility, inkjet printing is also a major win for sustainability. Traditional manufacturing methods waste tons of materials, but inkjet printing uses only what’s needed, keeping environmental impact low.

Here’s why it’s more sustainable:

• Less material waste → Precise ink deposition prevents excess use.
• Lower energy consumption → Fewer production steps mean less energy used.
• Fewer harmful chemicals → Reducing industrial waste compared to standard manufacturing.

With growing concerns over climate change and resource depletion, industries need greener solutions, and inkjet printing is leading the way in sustainable sensor technology.

3. Inkjet-Printed Sensors Are Changing Healthcare and Robotics

Technology is getting smarter, and flexible electronics are playing a huge role in this transformation. Wearable prosthetics, soft robotics, and biomedical sensors need to be lightweight, adaptable, and sensitive to work effectively, and that’s exactly what inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensors deliver.

Instead of stiff, bulky sensors that struggle with movement, these ultra-thin, bendable sensors can handle stretching and flexing while still providing high-precision data. The research by Mecca, Bernasconi, Zega, and their team at Politecnico di Milano proves that these sensors maintain accuracy even under extreme bending conditions, making them a game-changer for healthcare and robotics.

Soft Robotics: Sensors That Move with You

Soft robotics is all about creating machines that mimic human movement—whether for assistive devices, medical rehabilitation, or industrial automation. Standard sensors aren’t built for this level of flexibility, but inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensors are.

They are designed to:

• Bend and flex easily → Making them perfect for artificial muscles and robotic arms.
• Detect motion changes instantly → Providing real-time feedback to robotic systems.
• Stay reliable under stress → Ensuring long-term durability without performance drops.

Since piezoelectric sensors generate their own power, they don’t need external energy sources like traditional sensors, making them ideal for soft robotic applications. These sensors are paving the way for adaptive robotic hands, smart grippers, and exoskeletons that respond naturally to human movement.

Wearable Prosthetics: Smarter, More Responsive Devices

The world of prosthetic limbs has seen incredible advancements, but motion tracking and responsiveness still need improvement. Sensors in prosthetics should be lightweight and flexible, allowing the wearer to move naturally without feeling restricted.

Inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensors provide key advantages in prosthetic applications:

• Improved motion detection → Helping users control prosthetic limbs more intuitively.
• Soft, comfortable design → No stiff, uncomfortable materials that limit mobility.
• Customizable shapes and sizes → Adapts to different prosthetic designs and user needs.

With these sensors embedded in next-gen prosthetics, people can expect more natural movement, better control, and higher comfort in everyday activities.

Healthcare Monitoring: Real-Time, Wearable Health Tracking

Health tracking has moved beyond basic fitness bands—today’s wearables need to monitor real-time movement and physiological signals for applications like rehabilitation, injury prevention, and disease tracking.

Researchers found that inkjet-printed sensors can accurately pick up subtle motion changes, including:

• Body movements for rehab patients → Helping track improvements in mobility.
• Changes in posture and muscle strain → Providing data for physiotherapists.
• Small vibrations from external forces → Detecting environmental influences, such as nearby movements or sound waves.

In one experiment, these sensors detected hammer strikes, chair movements, and even voice inputs, proving their ability to track detailed physical interactions. This technology could revolutionize wearable medical devices, offering continuous monitoring without discomfort.

4. Making Smart Homes and Buildings Even Smarter

The way we build, monitor, and interact with our surroundings is changing fast. From smart homes and offices to aerospace, naval engineering, and structural safety, modern environments need better ways to track movement, vibrations, and environmental shifts. That’s where inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensors step in. These thin, flexible sensors can be placed almost anywhere, giving real-time data without complex installation or bulky hardware.

Researchers like Mecca, Bernasconi, Zega, and their team have shown how these sensors can withstand extreme conditions while providing accurate, reliable measurements—making them perfect for next-gen smart buildings, transportation, and even product packaging.

Smarter Homes: Sensors That Work Behind the Scenes

Smart homes are built around automation, where heating, lighting, and security systems adjust to their surroundings without needing human input. But for these systems to work, they need sensors that can detect movement, vibrations, and environmental changes instantly.

Inkjet-printed sensors offer key advantages in home automation, such as:

• Monitoring foot traffic and security → Tracks movement inside the home and detects unusual activity.
• Structural health tracking → Identifies early signs of wear and tear in walls, floors, and foundations.
• Optimizing energy use → Works with heating and cooling systems to adjust temperature based on real-time occupancy data.

Unlike traditional sensors that require wires, complex installation, and costly maintenance, inkjet-printed sensors are thin, flexible, and easy to integrate into different surfaces—from walls and floors to appliances and furniture.

Smart Buildings and Infrastructure: Making Cities Safer

Cities are constantly evolving, with skyscrapers, bridges, and tunnels needing regular maintenance and structural monitoring. Instead of waiting until a problem becomes dangerous or expensive to fix, inkjet-printed sensors provide continuous monitoring, detecting stress, vibration, and potential damage before failures happen.

Why does this matter?

• Sensors can track small structural changes over time, preventing costly repairs.
• Flexible, lightweight design makes them easy to install on bridges, tunnels, and roads.
• No need for external power—these sensors generate electricity from movement, making them highly efficient and sustainable.

With these sensors integrated into architectural materials, engineers can build self-monitoring structures, creating safer cities while reducing maintenance costs and increasing lifespan.

Aerospace and Naval Engineering: Tracking Movement in Extreme Conditions

Airplanes, ships, and submarines operate in some of the harshest environments, where pressure changes, temperature shifts, and structural stress can impact performance and safety. Inkjet-printed sensors bring highly precise movement detection to these industries, offering:

• Real-time tracking of mechanical stress → Helps engineers assess wear-and-tear on aircraft wings, ship hulls, and other critical structures.
• Lightweight integration → Does not add bulk or weight, making it perfect for aerospace applications.
• Durability under extreme conditions → Can handle high pressures, temperature swings, and constant movement without losing accuracy.

Instead of relying on large, complex monitoring systems, these compact, flexible sensors give aerospace and naval engineers fast, accurate data, helping to prevent damage before it becomes a serious issue.

Smart Packaging: Tracking Products from Factory to Customer

It’s not just homes and buildings that benefit from smarter sensors—packaging and logistics are also seeing big improvements with inkjet-printed technology.

Industries like pharmaceuticals, food delivery, and luxury goods require real-time tracking to monitor temperature, impact, and tampering during shipping. Inkjet-printed sensors allow companies to:

• Track temperature fluctuations → Ensures food and medicine stay within safe storage conditions.
• Detect shock and impact → Alerts companies if fragile products are roughly handled.
• Improve security with tamper-proof seals → Monitors whether a package was opened before delivery.

Because these printed sensors are lightweight and unobtrusive, they can be built directly into packaging without affecting the design or functionality of the product.

5. Inkjet-Printed Sensors: Tracking Sound and Vibrations Like Never Before

Sensors have always been great at detecting movement—but now they’re stepping into sound and vibration tracking, opening new possibilities for speech recognition, security, and industrial automation. Inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensors are proving they can pick up even the smallest disturbances, making them useful in factories, smart homes, and interactive devices.

How Do These Sensors Work?

Every time a surface moves, vibrates, or experiences pressure, piezoelectric sensors generate tiny electrical signals in response. This makes them perfect for detecting even the smallest vibrations, whether from a person walking nearby, a machine running in a factory, or even the sound of someone speaking.

What makes inkjet-printed sensors unique?

• They’re thin and flexible, so they can be placed almost anywhere.
• They don’t need an external power source—they generate energy from movement.
• They’re super sensitive, detecting even minor vibrations in real time.

Researchers like Mecca, Bernasconi, and Zega tested these sensors in real-world scenarios, proving they can detect hammer strikes, chair movements, and even voice inputs. That means they could be used in everything from security systems to smart assistants.

Real-World Tests: How Well Do They Detect Vibrations?

These sensors were tested in different scenarios to see how accurate and responsive they are:

• Hammer Strikes → The sensor detected vibrations from a hammer strike even when placed 30 cm away, proving its ability to track mechanical shocks. This could help engineers monitor structural health and detect wear-and-tear in buildings and machines before it leads to serious damage.
• Chair Movements → When a chair was pushed across the floor, the sensors picked up the vibrations instantly. This is great for smart home automation, where sensors could trigger lights or security features when someone enters a room.
• Voice Inputs → The sensor was placed 5 cm away from a speaker, and it successfully detected vibrations from speech. This opens up possibilities for interactive voice-controlled technology and security systems that detect sound-based disturbances.

These tests prove that inkjet-printed sensors can pick up a wide range of vibrations, making them useful for industrial monitoring, smart buildings, and even AI-driven speech recognition.

Where Can These Sensors Be Used?

These sensors could play a huge role in security, industrial automation, and even smart assistants.

In factories and machines:

• Track vibrations in heavy machinery, detecting early signs of failure before breakdowns happen.
• Monitor shock and stress levels in equipment, helping companies improve maintenance schedules.

For home security and automation:

• Detect tampering → If someone tries to break in through a door or window, the sensor picks up the vibrations and sends an alert.
• Monitor for unusual movements or sounds → Helping security systems become more responsive.

For voice and AI technology:

• Privacy-friendly voice assistants → Instead of relying on microphones, sensors could detect speech vibrations, making them more discreet.
• Gesture and voice-based controls → Users could interact with devices without needing direct contact.
• Silent speech detection for wearable tech → Enabling voice-free communication with electronics.

The Future of Inkjet-Printed Sensors

Inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensors aren’t just a small step forward in technology—they’re completely changing the game. According to research by Mecca et al., these sensors are bringing new levels of flexibility, durability, and efficiency, making them a must-have in industries like wearable tech, robotics, smart environments, and structural sensing.

What makes them different? Unlike traditional sensors, these are thin, stretchable, and highly sensitive, meaning they can bend and adapt to movement without losing accuracy. This makes them ideal for prosthetic limbs, robotic systems, and smart home automation—helping machines and devices interact seamlessly with the world around them.

But the impact goes beyond just better sensors. This next-gen technology is shaping the future of Industry 5.0, where everything is smarter, more connected, and more responsive. Expect to see inkjet-printed sensors leading advancements in healthcare, automation, and intelligent environments, paving the way for a world where technology adjusts to human needs effortlessly.

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Reference

Mecca, G., Bernasconi, R., Zega, V., Suriano, R., Menegazzo, M., Bussetti, G., Corigliano, A., & Magagnin, L. (2025). Inkjet-Printed Flexible Piezoelectric Sensor for Large Deformation Applications. Technologies, 13(5), 206. https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies13050206

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