title: A skin-inspired organic digital mechanoreceptor.
abstract: Human skin relies on cutaneous receptors that output digital signals for tactile sensing in which the intensity of stimulation is converted to a series of voltage pulses. We present a power-efficient skin-inspired mechanoreceptor with a flexible organic transistor circuit that transduces pressure into digital frequency signals directly. The output frequency ranges between 0 and 200 hertz, with a sublinear response to increasing force stimuli that mimics slow-adapting skin mechanoreceptors. The output of the sensors was further used to stimulate optogenetically engineered mouse somatosensory neurons of mouse cortex in vitro, achieving stimulated pulses in accordance with pressure levels. This work represents a step toward the design and use of large-area organic electronic skins with neural-integrated touch feedback for replacement limbs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin C-K
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Tee
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chortos
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berndt
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda Kim
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ariane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tom
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Allister
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ziliang Carter
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tien
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Won-Gyu
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Huiliang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ho-Hsiu
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Bianxiao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Deisseroth
authors.affiliation: Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Tse Nga
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. zbao@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Zhenan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008465:Mechanoreceptors; D051379:Mice; D058117:Neural Prostheses; D062308:Optogenetics; D011312:Pressure; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*; D014110:Touch; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D014173:Transistors, Electronic