AsianScientist (Nov. 10, 2017) – A team of researchers in China has developed a jellyfish-inspired electronic skin that mimics the sensitivity range of biological skin and lights up in response to pressure. Their findings are published in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.
An electronic skin that mimics the full range of biological skin’s sensitivity has great potential to transform prosthetics and robotics. Current technologies are very sensitive, but only within a narrow range of weak pressures. Under high pressures that could cause damage, the electronic skins’ sensitivity fades.
In this study, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Hu Bin at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology turned to the Atolla jellyfish for inspiration. This bioluminescent deep-sea creature can feel changes in environmental pressure and flashes dramatically when it senses danger.
Building on the idea of a visual warning in response to a physical threat, the researchers combined electric and optical systems in an electronic skin to detect both slight and high force pressures. They embedded two layers of stretchy, poly-dimethysiloxane (PDMS) film with silver nanowires. These layers produce an electrical signal in response to slight pressures, such as those created by a breeze or contact with a leaf.
Sandwiched in between the silver nanowire electrodes is a PDMS layer embedded with phosphors. This layer kicks in and glows with growing intensity as the physical force increases.
The researchers said that this approach better mimics the wide range of pressures the human skin can feel.
The article can be found at: Zhang et al. (2017) Dual-Mode Electronic Skin with Integrated Tactile Sensing and Visualized Injury Warning.
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Source: American Chemical Society; Photo: Pixabay.
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