In the latest episode of Behind SafeTouch: Meet the Consortium, we speak with Max Fischer from Fraunhofer ISIT, the partner responsible for manufacturing the iST microfilm at the heart of the SafeTouch project.
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, SafeTouch aims to revolutionise hygiene through the development of smart, self-decontaminating microfilms for high-touch surfaces in hospitals, public spaces, and transportation.
Fraunhofer ISIT’s role in SafeTouch is focused on one of the project’s core technical challenges: turning the iST concept into a physical, manufacturable film. As Max explains, the iST microfilm is the component that delivers the rapid thermal activation needed to eliminate pathogens on contact.
“The role of Fraunhofer in the SafeTouch project is to manufacture the iST film. The iST film is the main component that will heat up and kill those bacteria.”
Getting there requires a multi-step fabrication process, each stage presenting its own engineering challenges. The work begins with building a rigid test structure with a heater pattern, using established but demanding microfabrication techniques such as double-sided lithography and etching. From there, the team moves to one of the more novel challenges: making glass flexible enough to conform to real-world surfaces like door handles and bed rails, while retaining its structural and thermal properties.
A further step involves creating reliable electrical connections through the film, linking the heater surface to the electronics beneath. Multiple methods are being evaluated, and the final stage will require combining the solutions developed for flexible glass and electrical contacts into a single, integrated manufacturing process.
“We have to combine the method we found for the contacts and the method we found for the flexible glass — we have to combine them together to get the iST film ready.”
This integration challenge is what makes Fraunhofer ISIT’s contribution critical. The iST film must not only function as designed, but be manufactured reliably and at a scale that supports real-world deployment in hospitals and care facilities.
Watch the full interview with Max to learn how Fraunhofer ISIT is engineering the iST microfilm from concept to fabrication.
This interview is part of the Behind SafeTouch: Meet the Consortium video series, where we introduce the people and expertise shaping this innovative project.