Flexible & Stretchable Sensors (E-Skin) Patent Landscape
The flexible and stretchable sensors (e-skin) field is in active growth, with Samsung Electronics and the Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech & Nano-Bionics jointly leading at the top of the applicant ranking. China dominates filing jurisdiction and force/pressure measurement remains the dominant technical branch, with several adjacent areas showing sparse coverage relative to their application potential.
Samsung and Suzhou Nano-Tech co-lead a fragmented but growing field
Samsung Electronics and the Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech & Nano-Bionics each hold the top position in the applicant ranking, with the top five filers collectively accounting for roughly 22% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total — a relatively low concentration that signals an open competitive landscape.
The tier gap between the top two and the rest is narrow: TactoTek follows at a clear step down, and the majority of ranked applicants hold two or three patent records each. This spread across academic institutions and small companies suggests the field has not yet consolidated around a small number of dominant incumbents.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 10 | |
| 2 | SUZHOU INST OF NANO TECH & NANO BIONICS CHINESE AC… | 10 | |
| 3 | TactoTek Oy | 5 | |
| 4 | Wootzano Ltd | 4 | |
| 5 | BEIJING INFORMATION SCI & TECH UNIV | 3 | |
| 6 | Shandong University | 3 | |
| 7 | Donghua University | 3 | |
| 8 | Touchlab Ltd | 2 | |
| 9 | Soochow University | 2 | |
| 10 | SHAANXI UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 2 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | BEIJING INST OF NANOENERGY & NANOSYST | 2 | |
| 12 | The University of Akron | 2 | |
| 13 | Jilin University | 2 | |
| 14 | Pegasus Solar Inc. | 2 | |
| 15 | Sharma Anup Kumar | 2 | |
| 16 | Suzhou Leanstar Electronics Technology | 2 | |
| 17 | Michigan State University | 2 | |
| 18 | Zhejiang University | 2 | |
| 19 | UNIV OF ELECTRONICS SCI & TECH OF CHINA | 2 | |
| 20 | Taiyuan University of Technology | 2 |
The joint leadership of a global consumer electronics major (Samsung) alongside a Chinese government research institute (Suzhou Nano-Tech) illustrates a dual-track competitive dynamic: industrial players pursuing device integration and academic institutions advancing materials and sensor science. Both positions are worth tracking for licensing signals and publication pipelines.
Note that the most recent 18–24 months of filings are under-represented due to standard patent publication lag; apparent softness in the latest data points should not be read as a slowdown. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filing activity is expanding and pressure sensing anchors the technology mix
The annual trend and technology composition charts together reveal a field that is broadening both in filing volume and in the range of application domains it touches.
Annual filing trend
Filing volume grew 21% in the recent window. The 2024 data point is the highest recorded in the series, but apparent softness in 2025–2026 reflects publication lag rather than a genuine reversal; the growth trajectory should be read as continuing. Earlier dips (notably 2018) may reflect corpus gaps rather than market pauses.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
Force and pressure measurement (G01L) is by far the dominant branch, reflecting the core sensing function of e-skin. Digital data processing (G06F) ranks second, signalling strong integration with human-computer interaction and display applications. Organic semiconductors (H10K), diagnostics (A61B), and nanotechnology (B82Y) each hold smaller but meaningful shares, pointing to material-level and biomedical application threads that are still developing.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
A flexible electronic skin with single electrode a…
Abstract The invention discloses a flexible electronics skin with single electrode, which comprises a functional layer, wherein the functional layer is a flexible nanofiber membrane. The functional layer is prepared by an electrostatic spinning method, and the lower surface of the functional layer is an electrode layer. The functional layer is transparent… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
Open this patent in Eureka →| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Control method for a function of a touchpad | 193 |
| 2 | 一种压力传感器、电子皮肤和触屏设备 | 190 |
| 3 | Display device and data displaying method thereof | 170 |
| 4 | Display device and data displaying method thereof | 114 |
| 5 | 基于聚合物衬底的单片集成温湿压柔性传感器及制备方法 | 75 |
| 6 | Electronic skin, preparation method and use thereof | 59 |
| 7 | Flexible display device and data displaying method… | 59 |
| 8 | 基于压阻压电柔性传感器复合的压力检测装置及方法 | 52 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the field’s structure means for R&D investment decisions
Four structural signals — maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography — shape the strategic context for any organisation considering entry or expansion in this space.
Growth stage with rising annual filings
The lifecycle evidence places this field firmly in the Growth stage. Annual filing volume is still rising and the 21% recent-window growth rate indicates the field has not reached a plateau. New entrants such as JSR Corporation, the University of Pisa, and Beijing Information Science & Technology University have all appeared in the most recent filing period, consistent with a market attracting fresh participants rather than consolidating.
Growth stageLow concentration leaves room for challengers
The top five filers account for only 22% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, and no single applicant has established a dominant position. With the two co-leaders tied and most ranked entities holding two to three patent records each, a targeted filing campaign in a specific sub-domain could quickly establish a credible position. The field is fragmented enough that focused R&D can translate into relative ranking gains.
FragmentedEarly-stage inter-institutional co-filing observed
Two co-filing relationships are recorded in the evidence: the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China collaborating with its Zhongshan campus, and Donghua University co-filing with the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft Environment Engineering. Both partnerships pair academic research capacity with applied or engineering-focused institutions. The small number of collaborations relative to total applicants suggests that formal IP co-development networks have not yet formed at scale.
Nascent ecosystemChina leads filings; US and EPO are secondary markets
China is the dominant filing jurisdiction, followed by the United States and the European Patent Office. India and WIPO PCT filings are present but small. This geographic skew reflects both the concentration of academic applicants based in China and the manufacturing infrastructure for flexible electronics in that market. Organisations seeking broad protection should evaluate whether US and EPO coverage adequately mirrors their commercial priorities.
China-ledGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| University of Electronic Science and Technology of China | University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Zhongshan Institute | 1 |
| Donghua University | Beijing Institute of Spacecraft Environment Engineering | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Samsung focuses on digital integration; Suzhou Nano-Tech anchors materials and sensing
The two co-leaders occupy different technical niches, making their competitive positions complementary rather than directly overlapping at the patent level.
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics holds 10 patent records and concentrates its e-skin filings in electric digital data processing (G06F), covering touch-input and human-computer interaction. Its secondary emphasis on optical control and modulation (G02F) ties e-skin sensor output to display integration — consistent with its broader consumer device strategy. Momentum data does not flag Samsung as a recent accelerator, suggesting a stable, established portfolio position rather than a surge.
patent records: 10Suzhou Inst. of Nano-Tech & Nano-Bionics (CAS)
The Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech & Nano-Bionics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences also holds 10 patent records, with its filing emphasis split across force and pressure measurement (G01L), digital data processing (G06F), and general semiconductor devices (H10D). This broader technical spread reflects a materials-to-device research mandate. It is the dominant academic presence in the ranking and a likely source of technology licensing or spin-out activity.
patent records: 10| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| University of Electronic Science and Technology of China | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Beijing Information Science and Technology University | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches in organic semiconductors, diagnostics, and temperature sensing
Several IPC branches sit at the periphery of the dominant G01L cluster with low patent-record counts relative to their potential role in e-skin systems. These represent areas of relative sparsity — not validated market gaps — but their technical adjacency to core e-skin functionality makes them worth monitoring.
H10K · Organic Semiconductors (OLED etc.)
With only 13 patent records and a 3% share among the observed branches, organic semiconductor filings remain sparse relative to the foundational role that organic transistor and OLED technology plays in conformable display and sensing skins. The technical path from flexible OLED substrates to integrated sensing arrays is established in academic literature; an entrant with existing H10K expertise could extend into e-skin by combining substrate and sensor claims. Entry would require materials chemistry depth and access to thin-film deposition know-how.
Search this in Eureka →A61B · Diagnosis & Surgery
Only 10 patent records appear under the medical diagnostics and surgical devices branch, representing a 3% share. Given the widely cited potential of e-skin for continuous vital-sign monitoring, wound assessment, and surgical haptic feedback, the sparse coverage here is notable. The technical value is plausible — G01L-type pressure and G01K-type temperature sensors are already present in the corpus — but combining them into certified medical-device claims requires regulatory pathway investment that may explain the current sparsity. Organisations with existing medical-device infrastructure are better positioned to pursue this route.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | G01L 1 · Force & pressure measurement | G06F 3 · Electric digital data processing | G06F 1 · Electric digital data processing | H10K 71 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) | A61B 5 · Diagnosis & surgery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Strong · 9 | Strong · 9 | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 2 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Absent | Strong · 10 | Moderate · 5 | Absent | Absent |
| TactoTek Oy | Absent | Strong · 5 | Strong · 5 | Absent | Absent |
| Wootzano Ltd | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Donghua University | Strong · 3 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Beijing Information Science and Technology University | Strong · 3 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Shandong University | Strong · 3 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 95 patent families in the flexible and stretchable sensors (e-skin) space. This total is the base for trend and lifecycle analysis; applicant rankings are derived from patent records, which can exceed the family count when a family is filed in multiple jurisdictions.
Samsung Electronics and the Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech & Nano-Bionics (Chinese Academy of Sciences) are tied at the top of the ranking. TactoTek ranks third, followed by Wootzano Ltd, with Beijing Information Science & Technology University, Shandong University, and Donghua University each holding three patent records.
Force and pressure measurement (G01L) is by far the largest branch, followed by electric digital data processing (G06F). These two branches reflect the core sensing and signal-processing functions of e-skin systems. Organic semiconductors (H10K), diagnostics (A61B), and nanotechnology (B82Y) are present but substantially smaller.
The evidence places the field in the Growth stage, with a 21% increase in filings over the recent window. The 2024 data point is the highest in the annual series. The most recent 18–24 months are understated due to publication lag, so the growth trajectory should be treated as continuing rather than plateauing.
China is the dominant filing jurisdiction, followed by the United States and the European Patent Office. India and WIPO PCT each have a small number of filings. The heavy China weighting reflects both the concentration of academic applicants based there and the region’s manufacturing role in flexible electronics.
Yes. Momentum data identifies JSR Corporation, the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, the University of Pisa, and Beijing Information Science & Technology University as new entrants in the most recent filing period, each filing three or fewer recent patent records from a near-zero prior base. These entrants signal ongoing interest from both industrial materials suppliers and academic institutions across multiple geographies.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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