Systems and methods for printing sensor circuits on a sensor mat for a steering wheel

A system for hand sensing in a steering wheel comprising:

• a sensor mat comprising:
• a base substrate supporting at least one heating circuit, at least one shielding circuit, at least one sensing circuit, and a plurality of layers of insulating material, wherein the layers of insulating material define a plurality of surfaces in the sensor mat;
• one or more sensing loops comprising a conductive ink on one of the plurality of surfaces of the insulating material;
• one or more shielding loops comprising the conductive ink on another of the surfaces of insulating material within the sensor mat,
• one or more heating loops on the base substrate or on a respective layer of insulating material;
• wherein the shielding loops overlap at least one area within the plurality of surfaces of the insulating material supporting a respective sensing circuit and such that the heating loops, the shielding loops, and the sensing loops are separated by at least one of the layers of the insulating material, wherein the sensing circuits and the shielding circuits comprise respective return traces extending across the respective one of the plurality of surfaces
• and
• an electronic control unit in communication with the sensor mat, the electronic control unit comprising:
• a processor, and
• a power source,
• wherein the processor is configured for receiving a signal from at least one of the one or more sensing loops and determining an indication associated with the signal.