Hard times for burglars and safecrackers: Empa researchers have developed an invisible “keypad” made of printed, transparent electronics. Only authorized persons know where to enter the access code.
At first glance, Empa researcher Evgeniia Gilshtein’s idea seems inconspicuous – or more precisely, invisible. What initially looks like a simple transparent film conceals a whole new level of security. Invisible buttons are printed with conductive ink on the transparent carrier material, the position of which is known only to insiders. Such circuits can be connected to a door lock as an access code, for instance. If the buttons on the polymer film are pressed in the correct order, the door opens.
