Fingerpad‐Inspired Multimodal Electronic Skin for Material Discrimination and Texture Recognition. Issue 9 (8th February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, Giwon; Son, Jong Hyun; Lee, Siyoung; Kim, Seong Won; Kim, Daegun; Nguyen, Nguyen Ngan; Lee, Seung Goo; Cho, Kilwon
• Is Part Of: Advanced science. Volume 8:Issue 9(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-02-08
• Subjects: biomimetic materials -- electronic skin -- sensors -- stretchable electronics; Science -- Periodicals; 505
• DOI: 10.1002/advs.202002606
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2198-3844

Abstract

Abstract: Human skin plays a critical role in a person communicating with his or her environment through diverse activities such as touching or deforming an object. Various electronic skin (E‐skin) devices have been developed that show functional or geometrical superiority to human skin. However, research into stretchable E‐skin that can simultaneously distinguish materials and textures has not been established yet. Here, the first approach to achieving a stretchable multimodal device is reported, that operates on the basis of various electrical properties of piezoelectricity, triboelectricity, and piezoresistivity and that exceeds the capabilities of human tactile perception. The prepared E‐skin is composed of a wrinkle‐patterned silicon elastomer, hybrid nanomaterials of silver nanowires and zinc oxide nanowires, and a thin elastomeric dielectric layer covering the hybrid nanomaterials, where the dielectric layer exhibits high surface roughness mimicking human fingerprints. This versatile device can identify and distinguish not only mechanical stress from a single stimulus such as pressure, tensile strain, or vibration but also that from a combination of multiple stimuli. With simultaneous sensing and analysis of the integrated stimuli, the approach enables material discrimination and texture recognition for a biomimetic prosthesis when the multifunctional E‐skin is applied to a robotic hand. Abstract : Fingerpad‐inspired multimodal electronic skin (E‐skin) is developed by mimicking functional and geometrical properties of a human finger. This multifunctional device can identify and distinguish not only mechanical stress from a single stimulus such as pressure, tensile strain, or vibration but also that to a combination of multiple stimuli, enabling material discrimination and texture recognition for a biomimetic prosthesis.