Flexible Capacitive Tactile Sensor Based on Micropatterned Dielectric Layer.
Flexible tactile sensors are considered as an effective way to realize the sense of touch, which can perform the synchronized interactions with surrounding environment. Here, the utilization of bionic microstructures on natural lotus leaves is demonstrated to design and fabricate new-type of high-performance flexible capacitive tactile sensors. Taking advantage of unique surface micropattern of lotus leave as the template for electrodes and using polystyrene microspheres as the dielectric layer, the proposed devices present stable and high sensing performance, such as high sensitivity (0.815 kPa-1), wide dynamic response range (from 0 to 50 N), and fast response time (≈38 ms). In addition, the flexible capacitive sensor is not only applicable to pressure (touch of a single hair), but also to bending and stretching forces. The results indicate that the proposed capacitive tactile sensor is a promising candidate for the future applications in electronic skins, wearable robotics, and biomedical devices.
i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 398 Ruoshui Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China.
Tie
T
Li
i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 398 Ruoshui Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China.
Hui
H
Luo
i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 398 Ruoshui Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China.
Lin
L
Qin
i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 398 Ruoshui Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China.|School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore.
Xuewen
X
Wang
i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 398 Ruoshui Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China.
Zuoping
Z
Xiong
i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 398 Ruoshui Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China.
Haiyan
H
Ding
i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 398 Ruoshui Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China.
Yang
Y
Gu
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore.
Zheng
Z
Liu
i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 398 Ruoshui Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China. tzhang2009@sinano.ac.cn.
Ting
T
Zhang
D001701:Bionics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D025802:Electric Capacitance; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D000070116:Lotus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008863:Microspheres; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D011312:Pressure; D014110:Touch
D011137:Polystyrenes
capacitive sensors; flexible pressure sensors; lotus leaves; polystyrene microspheres