Flexible Tactile Sensors for Robotic Applications

Abstract

Low-cost production of strain/pressure sensors with high sensitivity, fast response, good stability, and repeatability that can give a detailed signal (in 3 dimensions) is one of the critical challenges and missing gap for the practical applications of flexible advanced materials in human motion detection, health monitoring, wearable electronics, and e-skins. In this report, we display a simple route to achieve a lightweight sensing device based on two sensing mechanisms that will provide a signal of the mechanical deformation applied along three axes. The new function of the sensor will be accomplished by implying two sensing mechanisms in the fabricated sensor. A combination of piezoresistivity and piezoelectricity is to be introduced via Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). Mxene was then utilized to give the sensor better properties like higher sensitivity, faster response, and stable compression-release signals to the strain/pressure stimuli. To meet the required 3D touch sensor, a way to make a composite between PVDF material and another piezoresistive material must be studied and discovered. The result was a well-designed PVDF/Mxene/CNTs tactile sensor that can detect a wider range of touch and motion with a sensitivity of 81.6 to 1% of strain. This paper concludes the work that has been done for the piezoresistive part of the tactile sensor.

Date of Award	Dec 2022
Original language	American English
Supervisor	Lianxi Zheng (Supervisor)