Researchers have successfully created an extremely sensitive pressure sensor for electronic skin, inspired by the human brain’s nervous system. This innovative technology has potential applications in various devices, including AI-powered digital health gadgets, and is anticipated to be used in a range of fields, such as transparent displays and wearables, thanks to its clear and flexible properties.
Collaborating with Professor Jaehyuk Lim from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Jeonbuk National University, Professor Youngu Lee from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology (DGIST; President Kunwoo Lee) has made significant advancements in developing an ultra-sensitive pressure sensor for electronic skin, drawing inspiration from the human brain’s nervous system. This technology is poised for future applications, including AI-driven digital healthcare devices, and is likely to find use in diverse areas such as transparent screens and wearable technology, owing to its transparency and adaptability.
Pressure sensors are instruments designed to detect minor changes in force and convert them into signals. They are commonly found in smartphones and health monitoring devices to sense touch, heart rates, and muscle activities. Similar to human skin, the electronic skin using pressure sensors can recognize minimal pressure changes, making it suitable for various applications like wearables, medical monitoring tools, and robotic sensory systems. For electronic skin to serve more functional roles, it needs to improve beyond mere pressure detection, enhancing sensitivity, transparency, and flexibility. This has led to numerous studies aiming to boost performance.
The research team, under Professor Lee’s leadership, developed a pressure sensor that mimics the neurological signaling of the human brain. The brain communicates quickly and intricately through a collaboration between neurons and glial cells. To replicate this, the team created a network of nanoparticles, resulting in a pressure sensor that is highly responsive to light touch.
This newly developed pressure sensor is not only extremely sensitive but also transparent and flexible. It can detect subtle changes, such as variations in heart rates and finger movements, as well as the pressure exerted by water droplets. Impressively, it maintains stable performance even after 10,000 uses and does not deteriorate in hot or humid conditions.
Professor Lee from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at DGIST commented, “This research has led us to develop a tactile sensor ideal for next-generation electronic skin characterized by transparency and flexibility. We hope ongoing exploration of the sensor’s operational mechanisms will pave the way for artificial tactile sensors that emulate human skin and advance the technological development of transparent displays for commercial use.”
The study was a collaborative effort involving Jiwoo Koo, a PhD candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University; Dr. Jongyoon Kim from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at DGIST; Dr. Myungseok Ko from Jeonbuk National University; Professor Youngu Lee of DGIST; and Professor Jaehyuk Lim of Jeonbuk National University. Funding for this research came from the National Research Foundation of Korea’s Mid-Career Research Project and the Sustainable Solar Energy Use Engineering Research Center Project, with results published in the October 2024 issue of the Chemical Engineering Journal, a respected journal within the chemical engineering community.
