Stretchy pressure sensor targets healthcare boost
Scientists from the University of Chicago have developed a stretchy, flexible pressure sensor that could be widely used in soft robotics, prosthetics and other healthcare settings.
Claimed to be the first of its kind, the sensor is precise enough to detect the pressure from a piece of paper but can still maintain performance when stretched by up to 50 per cent.
This is achieved by a new electrical double layer design, with outside layers are made up of stretchy, conductive nanoparticle paste and elastomer. When pressure is placed on the sensor, tiny micropyramids within the device compress slightly, connecting with an electrode that sends a signal relating to pressure level.
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The elastomer material makes the sensor inherently stretchy, but the researchers increased the stiffness at the bottom of each micropyramid so that they remain intact even when the sensor is stretched and deformed. The device, described in Science Advances, also proved to be robust under repetitive cycles, retaining its sensing capabilities after being stretched 500 times.
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