Conventional electrical switches rely on multiple mechanical and polymeric components that are prone to wear, corrosion and failure over time. These limitations are especially critical in demanding environments such as industrial, healthcare, marine, or ATEX settings, where durability, hygiene and safety are essential. Although capacitive alternatives exist, most still depend on multi-component assemblies that increase complexity and limit seamless architectural integration, while maintaining resistance to chemicals, temperature changes and intensive cleaning remains challenging.
To solve these problems, researchers from Universitat Jaume I (UJI), in collaboration with Grupo Porcelanosa, have developed a ceramic tile capable of functioning as a capacitive switch or push-button, fully integrated into a single ceramic body without the need for additional mechanical elements. The technology consists of a ceramic tile manufactured as a single solid block that incorporates conductive ceramic areas within a non-conductive ceramic support. Each zone with a conductive ceramic layer is connected to a capacitance variation measurement module, configured to measure changes in capacitance that occur in the tile when an object, the hand, or a finger approaches any of the electrodes that have been deposited. The system contains no moving parts and can include a protective glazed layer, preserving aesthetics and ensuring durability.
The technology has been prototyped and validated at laboratory and industrial scale, with 20 x 60 centimeter tiles successfully produced and tested in real environments. The innovation was co-developed with Grupo Porcelanosa, which is the current licensee and industrial partner for scaling the technology.
Benefits:
- Single-piece ceramic system without mechanical components.
- High durability and resistance to chemicals, temperature and mechanical stress.
- Easy to clean and highly hygienic due to its non-porous surface.
- Suitable for explosive or hazardous environments, as it does not generate sparks.
- Aesthetic integration into architectural ceramic designs.
The represented institution is seeking to identify specific application niches for the presented technology, with the objective of validating market interest and exploring pilot implementations in real use cases.
Institution: Universitat Jaume I, Instituto de Tecnología Cerámica (ITC) & Instituto de Materiales Avanzados (INAM)
TRL: 7
Protection Status: Granted patent application (WO/2022/129669) in Europe, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, China and United States
Contact: Carlos G. Gredilla | c.gredilla@viromii.com