A Graphene-Based Flexible Pressure Sensor with Applications to Plantar Pressure Measurement and Gait Analysis.

Cunguang Lou,Tie Liang,Chenyao Pang,Shuo Wang,Mingtao Run,Lei Huang,Xiuling Liu

doi:10.3390/ma10091068

Cunguang Lou, Tie Liang + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ma10091068

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Abstract

In the present study, we propose and develop a flexible pressure sensor based on the piezoresistive effect of multilayer graphene films on polyester textile. The pressure response results from the deformation of graphene conductive network structure and the changes in resistance. Here, we show that the graphene pressure sensor can achieve a sensitivity value of 0.012 kPa, the measurement range can be as high as 800 kPa, and the response time can reach to 50 ms. Subsequently, a stable in-shoe wireless plantar pressure measurement system is developed and dynamic pressure distribution is acquired in real-time. Overall, the graphene textile pressure sensor has the advantage of wide dynamic range, flexibility and comfort, which provides the high possibility for footwear evaluation, clinical gait analysis and pathological foot diagnosis.

Highlights

The foot is the terminal link of the kinematic chain in human locomotion and it experiences repetitive stresses from bearing the weight of the human body on a daily basis
A pressure sensor based on flexible conductive sponges has been reported and applied in electronic skin [13], textile sensor with silver coated polyester yarns was developed for plantar pressure measurement [14], and graphene nanoplatelets and carbon nanotubes were screen printed on substrates to develop flexible resistive pressure sensor [15]
We have demonstrated a pressure sensor based on a multi-layer graphene taking textile fabric as the support body

Summary

Introduction

The foot is the terminal link of the kinematic chain in human locomotion and it experiences repetitive stresses from bearing the weight of the human body on a daily basis. The plantar pressure can be obtained by footprint method, force plate, pressure shoes and insoles [5,6]. A pressure sensor based on flexible conductive sponges has been reported and applied in electronic skin [13], textile sensor with silver coated polyester yarns was developed for plantar pressure measurement [14], and graphene nanoplatelets and carbon nanotubes were screen printed on substrates to develop flexible resistive pressure sensor [15]. Tian et al developed flexible and ultra-sensitive resistive pressure sensor with a foam-like structure based on laser-scribed graphene (LSG) [26], while the dynamic response range (50 kPa) is not large enough for plantar pressure measurement. The real-time plantar pressure distributions were obtained and used for quantitative gait analysis

Materials and Measurement System

Results and Discussion

Conclusions