9 - Electrospun nanofibers for tactile sensors

Abstract

Extensive research efforts have been made in developing advanced materials for applications such as human-machine interaction, physiological signal detection, electronic skin, and soft robots. Novel nanomaterials and nanostructures have been recently exploited for flexible tactile sensors because of their flexibility, electrical performance, and processibility. Electrospun nanofibers, owing to the inherent advantages of lightweight, high porosity, good permeability, excellent flexibility and conformability, and easy integration with the human body/clothing, are emerging in the forefront as active materials for tactile sensors. This chapter discusses the recent development of flexible tactile sensors based on electrospun nanofibrous materials. The electrospinning technique, the characteristics of electrospun nanofibers, as well as the methods for functionalization of nanofibers are introduced first. Different transduction methods of tactile sensors and their requirements for the active sensing materials are then briefly discussed. Thereafter, the recent advances on tactile sensors based on electrospun nanofibers are presented from the aspects of transduction mechanisms and the corresponding materials.