Flexible humidity sensor in a sandwich configuration with a hydrophilic porous membrane

We constructed a wearable and flexible humidity sensor (thickness: 80 μm) in a sandwich configuration, with a hydrophilic poly-tetrafluoroethylene membrane placed between two gold deposited layers, using soft-MEMS techniques. The device was used to measure humidity level, via its electrical conductivity, using a multi-frequency LCR-meter at frequencies ranging from 100 Hz to 100 kHz. The device was calibrated at 100 Hz against moist air over the range of 30–85% RH, which includes normal humidity levels in the atmosphere and physiological air such as breath and evaporating sweat. The response sensitivity of the humidity device was extremely high, even for recovery to dry air; for example response time was less than 1 s for a conductivity shift between humid air of 80% RH and dry air of −60 °C dew point. The sensor performance was reproducible over multiple measurements, with a coefficient of variation of 1.77% (n = 5). The sensor was appropriate for physiological applications, and was successfully used in two non-invasive approaches: to monitor breath air at the mouth, and to measure sweat moisture from the nostrils.