scholarly journals Flexible Tactile Electronic Skin Sensor with 3D Force Detection Based on Porous CNTs/PDMS Nanocomposites

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuguang Sun ◽  
Jianhai Sun ◽  
Tong Li ◽  
Shuaikang Zheng ◽  
Chunkai Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tangential Force ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Normal Pressure ◽  
Sensing Element ◽  
Tactile Sensors ◽  
Force Detection ◽  
Human Machine Interaction ◽  
Electronic Skin ◽  
Piezoresistive Sensor

Abstract Flexible tactile sensors have broad applications in human physiological monitoring, robotic operation and human–machine interaction. However, the research of wearable and flexible tactile sensors with high sensitivity, wide sensing range and ability to detect three-dimensional (3D) force is still very challenging. Herein, a flexible tactile electronic skin sensor based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocomposites is presented for 3D contact force detection. The 3D forces were acquired from combination of four specially designed cells in a sensing element. Contributed from the double-sided rough porous structure and specific surface morphology of nanocomposites, the piezoresistive sensor possesses high sensitivity of 12.1 kPa−1 within the range of 600 Pa and 0.68 kPa−1 in the regime exceeding 1 kPa for normal pressure, as well as 59.9 N−1 in the scope of < 0.05 N and > 2.3 N−1 in the region of < 0.6 N for tangential force with ultra-low response time of 3.1 ms. In addition, multi-functional detection in human body monitoring was employed with single sensing cell and the sensor array was integrated into a robotic arm for objects grasping control, indicating the capacities in intelligent robot applications.

A Flexible Tactile Sensor Based on Porous Graphene Sponge for Tiny Force Measurement

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingfeng Zhu ◽  
Yancheng Wang ◽  
Xin Wu ◽  
Deqing Mei
Keyword(s):  
Force Measurement ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Tactile Sensor ◽  
Tactile Sensors ◽  
Force Detection ◽  
Pressure Sensing ◽  
Porous Graphene ◽  
Graphene Sponge ◽  
Healthcare Monitoring ◽  
Working Principle

Flexible tactile sensors have been utilized for epidermal pressure sensing, motion detecting, and healthcare monitoring in robotic and biomedical applications. This paper develops a novel piezoresistive flexible tactile sensor based on porous graphene sponges. The structural design, working principle, and fabrication method of the tactile sensor are presented. The developed tactile sensor has 3 × 3 sensing units and has a spatial resolution of 3.5 mm. Then, experimental setup and characterization of this tactile sensor are conducted. Results indicated that the developed flexible tactile sensor has good linearity and features two sensitivities of 2.08 V/N and 0.68 V/N. The high sensitivity can be used for tiny force detection. Human body wearing experiments demonstrated that this sensor can be used for distributed force sensing when the hand stretches and clenches. Thus the developed tactile sensor may have great potential in the applications of intelligent robotics and healthcare monitoring.

scholarly journals Development of Fully Flexible Tactile Pressure Sensor with Bilayer Interlaced Bumps for Robotic Grasping Applications

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 770
Author(s):  
Lingfeng Zhu ◽  
Yancheng Wang ◽  
Deqing Mei ◽  
Chengpeng Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Sensor ◽  
Tactile Sensor ◽  
External Pressure ◽  
Robotic Hand ◽  
Sensing Element ◽  
Tactile Sensors ◽  
Human Machine Interaction ◽  
Tactile Information ◽  
Sensing Range ◽  
Intelligent Robotics

Flexible tactile sensors have been utilized in intelligent robotics for human-machine interaction and healthcare monitoring. The relatively low flexibility, unbalanced sensitivity and sensing range of the tactile sensors are hindering the accurate tactile information perception during robotic hand grasping of different objects. This paper developed a fully flexible tactile pressure sensor, using the flexible graphene and silver composites as the sensing element and stretchable electrodes, respectively. As for the structural design of the tactile sensor, the proposed bilayer interlaced bumps can be used to convert external pressure into the stretching of graphene composites. The fabricated tactile sensor exhibits a high sensing performance, including relatively high sensitivity (up to 3.40% kPa−1), wide sensing range (200 kPa), good dynamic response, and considerable repeatability. Then, the tactile sensor has been integrated with the robotic hand finger, and the grasping results have indicated the capability of using the tactile sensor to detect the distributed pressure during grasping applications. The grasping motions, properties of the objects can be further analyzed through the acquired tactile information in time and spatial domains, demonstrating the potential applications of the tactile sensor in intelligent robotics and human-machine interfaces.

scholarly journals Study on the forming and sensing properties of laser-sintered TPU/CNT composites for plantar pressure sensors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Zhuang ◽  
Yanling Guo ◽  
Jian Li ◽  
Yueqiang Yu ◽  
Kaiyi Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Thermoplastic Polyurethane ◽  
Selective Laser Sintering ◽  
Conductive Polymer ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Sensing Element ◽  
Resistance Response ◽  
Detection Range

AbstractConductive polymer composites (CPCs) combining with specific microstructures (micropores, microcracks, etc.) can exhibit unique resistance response changes, which can be widely regarded as an effective way to improve sensing performance. This study takes advantage of the characteristics of the formation of tiny pores between crystal grains during selective laser sintering (SLS) processing to introduce a microporous structure into the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/carbon nanotube (CNT) sensing element to prepare a three-dimensional porous conductive structure. The effect of the SLS process on sensing sensitivity, accuracy, and density was studied, and its sensing and forming mechanism were discussed. By adjusting SLS process parameters to control the performance of porous structure sensor elements, a final TPU/CNT sensor element with a wide pressure detection range, high sensitivity, a fast response time, and good stability and durability was developed. Finally, the optimal performance of the developed flexible pressure sensor was successfully used to detect the pressure distribution of the human foot. This study provided a simple and effective research method to develop high-performance flexible pressure sensors.

scholarly journals Facile Fabrication of 3D Porous Sponges Coated with Synergistic Carbon Black/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes for Tactile Sensing Applications

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1941 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousef Al-Handarish ◽  
Olatunji Mumini Omisore ◽  
Wenke Duan ◽  
Jing Chen ◽  
Luo Zebang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Black ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Tactile Sensor ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Wearable Electronics ◽  
Tactile Sensors ◽  
Multiwalled Carbon ◽  
Human Machine Interaction ◽  
External Compression ◽  
Sensing Applications

Recently, flexible tactile sensors based on three-dimensional (3D) porous conductive composites, endowed with high sensitivity, a wide sensing range, fast response, and the capability to detect low pressures, have aroused considerable attention. These sensors have been employed in different practical domain areas such as artificial skin, healthcare systems, and human–machine interaction. In this study, a facile, cost-efficient method is proposed for fabricating a highly sensitive piezoresistive tactile sensor based on a 3D porous dielectric layer. The proposed sensor is designed with a simple dip-coating homogeneous synergetic conductive network of carbon black (CB) and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) composite on polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) sponge skeletons. The unique combination of a 3D porous structure, with hybrid conductive networks of CB/MWCNTs displayed a superior elasticity, with outstanding electrical characterization under external compression. The piezoresistive tactile sensor exhibited a high sensitivity of (15 kPa−1), with a rapid response time (100 ms), the capability of detecting both large and small compressive strains, as well as excellent mechanical deformability and stability over 1000 cycles. Benefiting from a long-term stability, fast response, and low-detection limit, the piezoresistive sensor was successfully utilized in monitoring human physiological signals, including finger heart rate, pulses, knee bending, respiration, and finger grabbing motions during the process of picking up an object. Furthermore, a comprehensive performance of the sensor was carried out, and the sensor’s design fulfilled vital evaluation metrics, such as low-cost and simplicity in the fabrication process. Thus, 3D porous-based piezoresistive tactile sensors could rapidly promote the development of high-performance flexible sensors, and make them very attractive for an enormous range of potential applications in healthcare devices, wearable electronics, and intelligent robotic systems.

A highly sensitive piezoresistive sensor based on CNT-rGO aerogel for human motion detection

2021 ◽  
pp. 002199832110201
Author(s):  
Hao Zhu ◽  
Shengping Dai ◽  
Xiaoshuang Zhou ◽  
Xu Dong ◽  
Yaoyao Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Human Motion ◽  
Body Motion ◽  
Highly Active ◽  
Human Motion Detection ◽  
Piezoresistive Sensor ◽  
Stress Changes ◽  
Redox Method

In recent years, Flexible sensors have emerged as a highly active field due to their promising applications in artificial intelligence systems and wearable health care devices. However, achieving a high sensitivity in a wide pressure range is still a challenge. Here, a three-dimensional network structure CNT-rGO aerogels were prepared by a hydrothermal redox method, which can effectively enhance the mechanical strength and enrich the electrical conductivity paths. Moreover, the CNT–rGO aerogel-based piezoresistive sensor exhibited a fast response time (∼300 ms), wide working range (0∼3.5 kPa−1), high sensitivity (11.8 kPa−1), and good stability (∼2000 cycles). So the piezoresistive sensor can be employed to monitor and distinguish both large motions (e.g., weight placed on the aerogel) and subtle motions (e.g., pronounce and pulse), which shows potential applications in measuring pressure distribution, distinguishing tiny stress changes, and monitoring human body motion.

scholarly journals A Sensitive Piezoresistive Tactile Sensor Combining Two Microstructures

Nanomaterials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuguang Sun ◽  
Jianhai Sun ◽  
Shuaikang Zheng ◽  
Chunkai Wang ◽  
Wenshuo Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Body Movement ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Tactile Sensor ◽  
Tactile Sensors ◽  
Electronic Skin ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Monitoring Applications ◽  
Monitoring Application ◽  
Fast Dynamic

A tactile sensor is an indispensable component for electronic skin, mimicking the sensing function of organism skin. Various sensing materials and microstructures have been adopted in the fabrication of tactile sensors. Herein, we propose a highly sensitive flexible tactile sensor composed of nanocomposites with pyramid and irregularly rough microstructures and implement a comparison of piezoresistive properties of nanocomposites with varying weight proportions of multi-wall nanotubes and carbon black particles. In addition to the simple and low-cost fabrication method, the tactile sensor can reach high sensitivity of 3.2 kPa−1 in the range of <1 kPa and fast dynamic response of 217 ms (loading) and 81 ms (recovery) at 40 kPa pressure. Moreover, body movement monitoring applications have been carried out utilizing the flexible tactile sensor. A sound monitoring application further indicates the potential for applications in electronic skin, human–computer interaction, and physiological detection.

High Sensitivity Pressure Measurement Using Van der Pauw Structure as a Sensing Element

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Cassel ◽  
A. Mishty ◽  
A. Mian
Keyword(s):  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Wheatstone Bridge ◽  
Biaxial Stress ◽  
Sensing Element ◽  
Pressure Sensing ◽  
Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor ◽  
Piezoresistive Sensor ◽  
Biaxial Stress State ◽  
Simple Geometry ◽  
Van Der Pauw

In this paper, we presented is a four-terminal piezoresistive sensor commonly referred to as a van der Pauw (VDP) structure for its application to MEMS pressure sensing. In a recent study, our team has determined the relation between the biaxial stress state and the piezoresistive response of a VDP structure by combining the VDP resistance equations with the equations governing silicon piezoresistivity and has proposed a new piezoresistive pressure sensor. It was observed that the sensitivity of the VDP sensor is over three times higher than the conventional filament type Wheatstone bridge resistor. To check our theoretical findings, we fabricated several (100) silicon diaphragms with both the VDP sensors and filament resistor sensors on the same wafer so both the sensor elements have same doping concentration. The diaphragms were subjected to known pressures, and the pressure sensitivities of both types of sensors were measured using an in-house built calibration setup. It was found that the VDP devices had a linear response to pressure as expected, and were more sensitive than the resistor sensors. Also, the VDP sensors provided a number of additional advantages, such as its size independent sensitivity and simple fabrication steps due to its simple geometry.

scholarly journals Design of a Sensitive Balloon Sensor for Safe Human–Robot Interaction

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 2163
Author(s):  
Dongjin Kim ◽  
Seungyong Han ◽  
Taewi Kim ◽  
Changhwan Kim ◽  
Doohoe Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Strain Sensor ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Tactile Sensors ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Mechanical Crack ◽  
Flexible Strain Sensor ◽  
Contact Sensing

As the safety of a human body is the main priority while interacting with robots, the field of tactile sensors has expanded for acquiring tactile information and ensuring safe human–robot interaction (HRI). Existing lightweight and thin tactile sensors exhibit high performance in detecting their surroundings. However, unexpected collisions caused by malfunctions or sudden external collisions can still cause injuries to rigid robots with thin tactile sensors. In this study, we present a sensitive balloon sensor for contact sensing and alleviating physical collisions over a large area of rigid robots. The balloon sensor is a pressure sensor composed of an inflatable body of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and a highly sensitive and flexible strain sensor laminated onto it. The mechanical crack-based strain sensor with high sensitivity enables the detection of extremely small changes in the strain of the balloon. Adjusting the geometric parameters of the balloon allows for a large and easily customizable sensing area. The weight of the balloon sensor was approximately 2 g. The sensor is employed with a servo motor and detects a finger or a sheet of rolled paper gently touching it, without being damaged.

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