Bend, stretch, and touch: Locating a finger on an actively deformed transparent sensor array
Autor: | Yuta Dobashi, Shahriar Mirabbasi, John D. W. Madden, Justin K. M. Wyss, Mirza Saquib Sarwar, Claire Preston |
---|---|
Rok vydání: | 2016 |
Předmět: |
touch sensor
Materials science Capacitive sensing stretchable Electronic skin 02 engineering and technology Bending 010402 general chemistry 01 natural sciences Capacitance GeneralLiterature_MISCELLANEOUS wearable Sensor array flexible touch sensor capacitive Electrical conductor Research Articles Multidisciplinary business.industry SciAdv r-articles proximity 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology Flexible electronics 0104 chemical sciences Optoelectronics Electronics transparent hydrogel 0210 nano-technology business Tactile sensor Flexible Electronics Research Article |
Zdroj: | Science Advances |
ISSN: | 2375-2548 |
Popis: | A stretchable, transparent touch pad and proximity sensor made using silicone and gel operates while being bent and stretched. The development of bendable, stretchable, and transparent touch sensors is an emerging technological goal in a variety of fields, including electronic skin, wearables, and flexible handheld devices. Although transparent tactile sensors based on metal mesh, carbon nanotubes, and silver nanowires demonstrate operation in bent configurations, we present a technology that extends the operation modes to the sensing of finger proximity including light touch during active bending and even stretching. This is accomplished using stretchable and ionically conductive hydrogel electrodes, which project electric field above the sensor to couple with and sense a finger. The polyacrylamide electrodes are embedded in silicone. These two widely available, low-cost, transparent materials are combined in a three-step manufacturing technique that is amenable to large-area fabrication. The approach is demonstrated using a proof-of-concept 4 × 4 cross-grid sensor array with a 5-mm pitch. The approach of a finger hovering a few centimeters above the array is readily detectable. Light touch produces a localized decrease in capacitance of 15%. The movement of a finger can be followed across the array, and the location of multiple fingers can be detected. Touch is detectable during bending and stretch, an important feature of any wearable device. The capacitive sensor design can be made more or less sensitive to bending by shifting it relative to the neutral axis. Ultimately, the approach is adaptable to the detection of proximity, touch, pressure, and even the conformation of the sensor surface. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
Externí odkaz: |