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Peer-reviewedCC BYAdvanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)

Contact-Free Human-Machine Interfaces via Printed Thermopile Infrared Arrays.

  • Zirui Wang1
  • Nan Luo1
  • Amrutha Bose2
  • Muhammad Irfan Khan1
  • Jiayi Liu1
  • Leon Viktor Klinder1
  • Leonard Franke1,3
  • Mohamed Hussein1,4
  • Uli Lemmer1,2
  • Md Mofasser Mallick1,3
4 affiliations
  1. 1Light Technology Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany.
  2. 2Institute of Microstructure Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
  3. 3varmo GmbH, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
  4. 4Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt.
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Abstract

Human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are evolving as key components for advanced sensing in communication and control systems. In particular, contact-free HMIs can facilitate unique advantages in hygiene, durability, and non-destructive sensing. However, spatially resolved sensing platforms remain challenging using bulk approaches. Here, we report flexible infrared interface arrays (TIA1 and TIA2) with ≥10 pixels that exploit the photo-thermoelectric (PTE) infrared sensing properties of Bi-Te-based thermoelectric (TE) materials via a dual-stage energy conversion process: radiation-to-thermal, followed by thermal-to-electric. The p- and n-type TE materials and electrodes were printed on polyimide to fabricate TIAs. After encapsulation with a black absorber, radially patterned silver mirrors are printed on the outer part of the pixels using aerosol jet-printing to partially shield each thermocouple. This induces a localized temperature gradient, hence an output voltage via the Seebeck effect under infrared illumination. The pixels exhibit responsivities of 0.7 VW⁻¹ (TIA1) and 0.9 VW⁻¹ (TIA2), respectively, under CO₂ laser irradiation (10.6 µm), with pixel-to-pixel variation within ± 10%. The TIAs were demonstrated as non-contact handwriting and dialing interfaces, converting human gestures into digital signals. These results pave the way for a self-powered and contactless interface for future human-machine interaction technologies.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{wang2026contactfree,
  title = {{Contact-Free Human-Machine Interfaces via Printed Thermopile Infrared Arrays.}},
  author = {Zirui Wang and Nan Luo and Amrutha Bose and Muhammad Irfan Khan and Jiayi Liu and Leon Viktor Klinder and Leonard Franke and Mohamed Hussein and Uli Lemmer and Md Mofasser Mallick},
  journal = {Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1002/advs.78569},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958729},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Contact-Free Human-Machine Interfaces via Printed Thermopile Infrared Arrays.
AU  - Zirui Wang
AU  - Nan Luo
AU  - Amrutha Bose
AU  - Muhammad Irfan Khan
AU  - Jiayi Liu
AU  - Leon Viktor Klinder
AU  - Leonard Franke
AU  - Mohamed Hussein
AU  - Uli Lemmer
AU  - Md Mofasser Mallick
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/29
JO  - Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
DO  - 10.1002/advs.78569
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958729
AB  - Human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are evolving as key components for advanced sensing in communication and control systems. In particular, contact-free HMIs can facilitate unique advantages in hygiene, durability, and non-destructive sensing. However, spatially resolved sensing platforms remain challenging using bulk approaches. Here, we report flexible infrared interface arrays (TIA1 and TIA2) with ≥10 pixels that exploit the photo-thermoelectric (PTE) infrared sensing properties of Bi-Te-based thermoelectric (TE) materials via a dual-stage energy conversion process: radiation-to-thermal, followed by thermal-to-electric. The p- and n-type TE materials and electrodes were printed on polyimide to fabricate TIAs. After encapsulation with a black absorber, radially patterned silver mirrors are printed on the outer part of the pixels using aerosol jet-printing to partially shield each thermocouple. This induces a localized temperature gradient, hence an output voltage via the Seebeck effect under infrared illumination. The pixels exhibit responsivities of 0.7 VW⁻¹ (TIA1) and 0.9 VW⁻¹ (TIA2), respectively, under CO₂ laser irradiation (10.6 µm), with pixel-to-pixel variation within ± 10%. The TIAs were demonstrated as non-contact handwriting and dialing interfaces, converting human gestures into digital signals. These results pave the way for a self-powered and contactless interface for future human-machine interaction technologies.
SN  - 2198-3844
ER  -