Resistive Strain Sensors Research Articles

Resistive Self‐Sensing Controllable Fabric‐Based Actuator: A Novel Approach to Creating Anisotropy

AbstractDesigning advanced soft robots with soft sensing capabilities for real‐world applications remains challenging due to the intricate integration of actuation and sensor capabilities, which require diverse materials and complex procedures. This paper introduces a fabric‐based robotic technology featuring an “all textile‐based self‐sensing pneumatic actuator” and a low‐cost resistive strain sensor created through simple sewing techniques. The novel approach eliminates the need for additional strain‐limiting woven fabric, simplifying the manufacturing process. It also enables the development of bioinspired motions such as bending, twisting, and snake‐like movements. The electromechanical behaviors of the sensor and bending actuator are tested for their performance under positive air pressure. Through mathematical modeling, the actuator's sensing capacity is estimated accurately, providing precise feedback for pressure and position control. Different closed‐loop controller types, including On–Off and Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) control, are evaluated for their effectiveness. Furthermore, the practical application of the sensing actuator is demonstrated by integrating it into a wearable glove, showcasing its enhanced sensing capabilities for finger‐like soft wearable robotic applications. This research tackles the challenges associated with designing advanced soft robots with integrated sensing capabilities, offering a promising fabric‐based solution that can drive significant advancements in real‐world applications.

Ultra-sensitive, highly linear, and hysteresis-free strain sensors enabled by gradient stiffness sliding strategy

Developing strain sensors with both high sensitivity and high linearity has always been the goal of researchers. Compared to resistive strain sensors, capacitive strain sensors have incomparable linearity advantages, but have always been limited by low sensitivity. Here, we report a gradient stiffness sliding design strategy that addresses this problem, significantly improving sensitivity while maintaining high linearity. By controlling the distribution of the locally enhanced electric field and the heterogeneous deformation of the substrate, a strain sensor with excellent performance is successfully prepared, exhibiting a giant gauge factor (9.1 × 106) and linearity (R2 = 0.9997) over the entire sensing range, together with almost no hysteresis and fast response time (17 ms). The gradient stiffness sliding design is a general strategy expected to be applied to other types of sensors to achieve ultra-high sensitivity and ultra-high linearity at the same time.

Micromesh reinforced strain sensor with high stretchability and stability for full‐range and periodic human motions monitoring

AbstractThe development of strain sensors with high stretchability and stability is an inevitable requirement for achieving full‐range and long‐term use of wearable electronic devices. Herein, a resistive micromesh reinforced strain sensor (MRSS) with high stretchability and stability is prepared, consisting of a laser‐scribed graphene (LSG) layer and two styrene‐block‐poly(ethylene‐ran‐butylene)‐block‐poly‐styrene micromesh layers embedded in Ecoflex. The micromesh reinforced structure endows the MRSS with combined characteristics of a high stretchability (120%), excellent stability (with a repetition error of 0.8% after 11 000 cycles), and outstanding sensitivity (gauge factor up to 2692 beyond 100%). Impressively, the MRSS can still be used continauously within the working range without damage, even if stretched to 300%. Furthermore, compared with different structure sensors, the mechanism of the MRSS with high stretchability and stability is elucidated. What's more, a multilayer finite element model, based on the layered structure of the LSG and the morphology of the cracks, is proposed to investigate the strain sensing behavior and failure mechanism of the MRSS. Finally, due to the outstanding performance, the MRSS not only performes well in monitoring full‐range human motions, but also achieves intelligent recognitions of various respiratory activities and gestures assisted by neural network algorithms (the accuracy up to 94.29% and 100%, respectively). This work provides a new approach for designing high‐performance resistive strain sensors and shows great potential in full‐range and long‐term intelligent health management and human–machine interactions applications.image

Double layered asymmetrical hydrogels enhanced by thermosensitive microgels for high-performance mechanosensors and actuators

Thermosensitive hydrogels have found extensive applications in soft devices, but they often suffer from limited functionalities, low response rate and small response amplitude. In this work, double layered asymmetrical hydrogels composed of a thermosensitive layer and a non-thermosensitive layer are developed to simultaneously achieve high-performance mechanosensing and actuating properties in a single hydrogel. In thermosensitive layer, thermosensitive microgels are introduced to construct hierarchical structure, which accounts for the enhanced thermosensitive behaviors by cooperative responsiveness. In non-thermosensitive layer, poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (P(AM-co-AA)) hydrogel is constructed. KCl is introduced as conductive component. Mechanosensors for monitoring various mechanical stimuli in daily life have been fabricated utilizing such hydrogels and high gauge factors (GF) have been achieved, 0.38 for resistive strain sensors, 9.40 kPa−1 for piezoresistive pressure sensors and 3.92 kPa−1 for capacitive pressure sensors. Because of the asymmetrical structure, such hydrogels also exhibit outstanding actuating properties with a fast response rate of 863°/min and a bending amplitude about 360°. Interestingly, grasping-releasing of target objects utilizing an octopus-shaped hydrogel actuator and temperature alerting based on hydrogel actuator are also demonstrated. Overall, the double layered asymmetrical ionic hydrogels have provided a new clue to construct hydrogel devices with multiple functionalities and enhanced response properties.

Highly Sensitive Paper-Based Force Sensors with Natural Micro-Nanostructure Sensitive Element.

Flexible paper-based force sensors have garnered significant attention for their important potential applications in healthcare wearables, portable electronics, etc. However, most studies have only used paper as the flexible substrate for sensors, not fully exploiting the potential of paper's micro-nanostructure for sensing. This article proposes a novel approach where paper serves both as the sensitive element and the flexible substrate of force sensors. Under external mechanical forces, the micro-nanostructure of the conductive-treated paper will change, leading to significant changes in the related electrical output and thus enabling sensing. To demonstrate the feasibility and universality of this new method, the article takes paper-based capacitive pressure sensors and paper-based resistive strain sensors as examples, detailing their fabrication processes, constructing sensing principle models based on the micro-nanostructure of paper materials, and testing their main sensing performance. For the capacitive paper-based pressure sensor, it achieves a high sensitivity of 1.623 kPa-1, a fast response time of 240 ms, and a minimum pressure resolution of 4.1 Pa. As for the resistive paper-based strain sensor, it achieves a high sensitivity of 72 and a fast response time of 300 ms. The proposed new method offers advantages such as high sensitivity, simplicity in the fabrication process, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness, providing new insights into the research of flexible force sensors.

Stable Flexible Electronic Devices under Harsh Conditions Enabled by Double-Network Hydrogels Containing Binary Cations.

Hydrogels are increasingly used in flexible electronic devices, but the mechanical and electrochemical stabilities of hydrogel devices are often limited under specific harsh conditions. Herein, chemically/physically cross-linked double-network (DN) hydrogels containing binary cations Zn2+ and Li+ are constructed in order to address the above challenges. Double networks of chemically cross-linked polyacrylamide (PAM) and physically cross-linked κ-Carrageenan (κ-CG) are designed to account for the mechanical robustness while binary cations endow the hydrogels with excellent ionic conductivity and outstanding environmental adaptability. Excellent mechanical robustness and ionic conductivity (25 °C, 2.26 S·m-1; -25 °C, 1.54 S·m-1) have been achieved. Utilizing the DN hydrogels containing binary cations as signal-converting materials, we fabricated flexible mechanosensors. High gauge factors (resistive strain sensors, 2.4; capacitive pressure sensors, 0.82 kPa-1) and highly stable sensing ability have been achieved. Interestingly, zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors containing the DN hydrogels containing binary cations as electrolytes have achieved an initial capacity of 52.5 mAh·g-1 at a current density of 3 A·g-1 and a capacity retention rate of 82.9% after 19,000 cycles. Proper working of the zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors at subzero conditions and stable charge-discharge for more than 19,000 cycles at -25 °C have been demonstrated. Overall, DN hydrogels containing binary cations have provided promising materials for high-performance flexible electronic devices under harsh conditions.

Possibility of Monitoring the Dynamic Impact of the Rolling Stock on the Track Superstructure Using Strain Gauges and Vibrometry

One of the priority tasks in development of railway transport is to raise its efficiency by increasing the time between repairs for both the track superstructure and the rolling stock. Solving this problem is impossible without timely, complete, and reliable information about the dynamics of interaction of the rolling stock with the infrastructure. To organise monitoring of dynamic processes, completely different types of primary transducers are used: resistance strain gauges, fibre-optic sensors, dynamometers (force sensor pads), accelerometers, acoustic emission sensors. This implies relevance of the scientific and technical problem of comparative testing of sensors of different types to assess the information content of their signals and justify the criteria for choosing primary transducers when solving specific monitoring problems.The objective of the study is to comparatively test removable resistive strain sensors, optical polarisation strain sensors and accelerometers under a passing train and to evaluate their information content to control rail depression and detect defects on the running surface of wagon wheels.The study using finite element modelling and a physical model of a rail as of a beam on an elastic foundation, substantiates the relationship between longitudinal deformations and vertical accelerations of the rail foot. Comparative tests of removable strain-resistive and optical polarisation strain sensors and accelerometers were held on an experimental section of track under a passing train. A signal processing algorithm has been developed and the equivalence of strain gauges and vibrometers for determining the depression of a rail under a passing train has been proven. Acomparison has been made of the pulse components of the signals of deformation and vibration acceleration during movement of a wheel with a defect on the running surface, and the requirements for the frequency characteristics of the sensors and their mounting on the rail surface have been substantiated.

Fabrication and characterization of Screen-printed Graphite and Nickel Based Thick Film Resistive Strain Sensor

Piezo resistive properties of thick film resistors are shown by a variety of nanomaterials, in which graphite and nickel are used to study the piezo resistive response in this paper. The present work proposes to fabricate stain sensor on substrates like PVC, and transparent plastic sheet. Screen printing method is used for patterning of sensor on the substrates with two different inks namely piezo resistive ink made of graphite and nickel powder and conductive ink made of silver. Change in resistance of the fabricated sensor is noted for the changes in force applied on the sensor and corresponding gauge factor is observed to be around 10.5 and 11 for PVC and OHP respectively. The screen-printed strain gauge performance is investigated and presented in this paper. This study of mechanical test results demonstrate that the sensor can be used for micro strain detection in various applications.

Influence of Laser Power on Achieving Ultra Low Stiffness in Resistive Strain Gauges Through on Laser Bonding Transfer‐Patterning of Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) onto Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Film

AbstractThis study describes a novel stretchable and very sensitive strain gauge enabled by laser‐joining carbon nanotubes, resulting in unique architectures forming macroscopic web networks. The stiffness of the resistive strain sensor created by laser material patterning is reduced significantly, from 1.5824 to 0.142 kN m−1, corresponding to a change in laser power from 0 to 0.436 W. Many benefits of laser‐based bonding include precise and flexible local pattern production with minimal energy impact on the flexible substrate. Furthermore, the maximum Gauge factor of the sensor exhibits diverse trends with different strains, generating values of GF = 12.8 for strains less than 2.5% and GF = 165 for strains greater than 2.5% during extension‐retraction cycles. These disparities are the result of a dynamic fight between network degradation and regeneration.

Highly sensitive strain sensors with ultra-low detection limit based on pre-defined serpentine cracks

In this study, we introduce a novel resistive strain sensor with high sensitivity, excellent linearity, and an ultra-low detection limit by simply modulating ohmic contact within pre-defined conductive cracks.

An accurate respiratory rate estimation algorithm for a rubber fiber respiratory sensor

Respiratory measurement is a crucial indicator for assessing health status; however, current methods for measuring respiratory rate and frequency are passive and not intuitive. This study investigates peak detection algorithms using a resistive strain sensor integrated into a garment for respiratory rate monitoring. The sensor, constructed with CNT material and a flexible rubber substrate, exhibits high conformity to the body’s contours. Designed for respiration measurement, the sensor maintains a low 6% strain for optimal sensitivity, demonstrating a 4% decrease after 800 repetitions of 10% elongation. Garment design emphasizes cohesion between the sensor and fabric, achieved through a piping technique. Respiratory measurement relies on a resistive sensor principle, where abdominal volume changes induce tension, altering resistance. Three peak detection algorithms are evaluated: the window size algorithm, low-pass filter, and FIR filter. The window size algorithm shows a 93% matching rate for normal breathing but requires manual adjustments based on breathing speed. The low-pass filter reduces noise but introduces lag, challenging peak matching. The FIR filter effectively detects peaks at increased speeds, achieving a matching rate exceeding 98%. The study concludes that the choice of algorithm depends on respiratory scenarios, with the window size algorithm suitable for regular cycles, the low-pass filter for real-time monitoring, and the FIR filter for accelerated respiratory rates. The study primarily explores static situations, indicating the need for future research on dynamic respiratory movements to enhance algorithm versatility.

Resistive strain sensors based on carbon black and multi-wall carbon nanotube composites

Strain sensors have garnered considerable interest, particularly in human motion and health monitoring, owing to their high stretchability and sensitivity. In this paper, resistive strain sensors comprising carbon black (CB)/Ecoflex and multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/Ecoflex with high sensitivity and large mechanical strain are presented. These sensors were developed using solution casting and dip-coating techniques. In addition, toluene and acetone were used to enhance the adhesion of CB and MWCNT to the Ecoflex substrate, thereby increasing electrical conductivity, sensitivity, and flexibility of the sensors while maintaining their high stretchability. Toluene-treated strain sensors exhibited the highest sensitivity for both CB/Ecoflex and MWCNT/Ecoflex strain sensors. As a result, the CB/Ecoflex sensor with toluene treatment achieved the highest gauge factor (GF) of ∼1131, which is 19 times higher than the original samples without surface treatment. Meanwhile, a GF of ∼106 is exhibited by the MWCNT/Ecoflex sensor, with toluene treatment improving sensitivity by a factor of 2 over untreated samples. These promising findings demonstrate the potential and prospects for flexible and wearable sensor applications.

Robust integration of "top-down" strategy and triple-structure design for nature-skin derived e-skin with superior elasticity and ascendency strain and vibration sensitivity

The rapid advancement of bio-integrated electronics in recent years has been paralleled by increased interest in the research of stretchable, elastic, conductive, and multi-dimensional sensing electronic skin (e-skin) due to its potential integration with electronic devices and soft tissues. In this work, we presented the fabrication of a nature-skin derived e-skin, denoted as S-P/G@PU e-skin, achieved through an on-demand "top-down" strategy and a triple structure design, employing integrated in-situ polymerization, impregnation, and encapsulation techniques. The collagen fibers weaved hierarchical 3D structure of natural skin, was strategically employed to host conductive polypyrrole and combined with a binary solvent system of glycerin and water. Subsequently, this composite natural skin was coated with polyurethane films, resulting in the engineering of the S-P/G@PU e-skin. This innovative e-skin exhibited remarkable properties, including high tensile strength (8.76 MPa), excellent elasticity (0–180 %), anti-freezing capacity, moisture retention, substantial conductivity (6.3 S/m), and outstanding multi-dimensional sensing capabilities. Importantly, the S-P/G@PU e-skin functioned as both a slow adaptive resistance strain sensor and a fast adaptive single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator, making it a versatile sensing system that enabled real-time monitoring of various physiological signals from the human body and wide-frequency vibration signals from devices such as cellphones and motors. This study serves as a proof of concept for transforming nature-skin into e-skin, showcasing the potential for integrated wearable electronics, artificial intelligence, and human-machine interfaces.

Highly sensitive strain sensors based on dispensing technology for human–machine interaction

Flexible strain sensors have stable and sensitive sensing performance under deformation conditions such as pressing, bending, and stretching. However, the preparation process of high-performance strain sensors is still very complex, which also limits the application and production of sensors. At the same time, most sensors are unstable and inefficient, so they cannot meet people’s expectations for high sensitivity and stability. In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a resistive strain sensor based on dispensing technology, with carbon black and polyurethane mixture as printing ink. Then, a sensor-sensitive layer with a right-angle serpentine structure is printed directly by air pressure extrusion. The sensor can detect changes at 0.1% strain and withstand 2400 tensile cycles while maintaining a sensitivity of 28.07 in the range of 0%–40%. In addition, the sensor can accurately and stably reflect the changes in different joints of the human body. At the same time, the data glove based on the strain sensor shows great application potential in the fields of gesture recognition and human–machine interaction.

Ultrahigh moisture resistance, highly sensitive and flame retardancy wearable strain sensor for agile water rescue, fire alarm and human motion detection

Smart fabrics provide considerable inspiration for the construction of wearable electronic devices due to their excellent skin affinity and breathability. However, the limited tolerance to high humidity environments and the flammable nature of fabrics impedes broader practical applications. In this paper, by an advanced and effective method, phytic acid doped (PA-) polyaniline (PANI) was polymerized in-situ on cotton fabric deposited by carbon black (CB), and then modified by non-fluorine hydrophobic particles, a flexible breathable fabric-based strain sensor (HPCF) with ultrahigh moisture resistance, flame retardancy and environmental resistance was successfully prepared. The obtained sensor shows high sensitivity (16.14 kPa−1) in the detection range of 0–2 kPa, fast response/recovery time (82/40 ms) and high cycle stability (>10,000 cycles). Thanks to its excellent hydrophobicity (WCA = 153°) and flame retardancy properties, the material enables the detection of human movement (such as finger/wrist/elbow/knee/foot movement) under a variety of harsh conditions (extremely high temperatures, underwater, acid, alkali, salt and blown sand environments). More importantly, it can be further applied to remote detection of potentially dangerous scenarios. HPCF can successfully transmit the Morse code signals of “SOS” and “HELP” sent by drowning people, and realize water rescue. In case of fire, it serves as a fire warning sensor to realize agile (1 s) fire alarming. The highly sensitive and versatile HPCF fabric sensor enables physical condition monitoring for fire and rescue personnel working in high temperature and humidity environments, which is of great value for all human activities carried out in harsh environments.

Highly Efficient 3D-Printed Graphene Strain Sensors Using Fused Deposition Modeling with Filament Deposition Techniques

ABSTRACT Graphene is a two-dimensional (2D) material known for its exceptional strength and high electrical conductivity, making it an ideal substance for resistive strain sensors. Recently, fused deposition modeling (FDM) in three-dimensional (3D) printing has gained attractiveness as a promising process due to its ability to produce 3D structured strain sensors by layer-by-layer melting and depositing conductive polymer composites. To ensure reliable strain sensors, comprehending how sensor properties change based on strain direction is crucial. In this study, graphene-based sensors with different slicing angles were successfully fabricated using FDM, enabling systematic study of the effect of strain angles on the performance of graphene-based sensors. The alignment of graphene filaments relative to the direction of applied strain was found to impact the gauge factor (GF) and other important sensor parameters. Our results showed that the 45° pattern exhibited higher sensitivity and stability compared to the 180° pattern, while the GF was greater for the 180° pattern. Additionally, we demonstrated high reliability and linearity through 1000 bending tests. The findings of this study will contribute to the growing body of research on FDM-fabricated graphene-based strain sensors.

Liquid Metal‐Based Sensor Skin Enabling Haptic Perception of Softness

AbstractHaptic perception of softness is a unique feature of the human skin that relies on the concurrent measurements of the lateral deformation and compression of the skin during object manipulation. This is challenging to implement in robotics because of combined requirements in sensing modalities, skin format, robotic structures, and synthetic materials. A soft sensory skin supporting distributed and bimodal mechanical sensing over large surface area and suitable for robotic hand manipulation is reported. Resistive pressure and strain sensors are prepared with spray‐coated liquid metal films embedded in a silicone matrix. Object softness is computed through a calibrated model based on both sensor response curves and the stiffness of the carrier robot. The soft sensory skin enables localization and discrimination of softness that promise interesting future implementation for robotic palpation or precise teleoperation.

Composite Flexible Sensor Based on Bionic Microstructure to Simultaneously Monitor Pressure and Strain.

To achieve the human sense of touch, a strain sensor needs to be coupled with a pressure sensor to identify the compliance of the contacted material. However, monitoring the pressure-strain signals simultaneously and ensuring no coupling effect between the two signals is the technical bottleneck for the flexible tactile sensor to. Herein, a composite flexible sensor based on microstructures of lotus leaf is designed and manufactured, which integrates the capacitive pressure sensor and the resistance strain sensor into one pixel to realize the simultaneous detection of pressure and strain. The electrode layer of the capacitance sensor also plays the role of the resistance strain sensor, which greatly simplifies the structure of the composite flexible sensor and obtains the compact size to integrate more easily. The device can simultaneously detect pressure and deformation, and more importantly, there is no coupling effect between the two kinds of signals. Here, the sensor has high pressure sensitivity (0.784kPa-1 when pressure less than 100kPa), high strain sensitivity (gauge factor=4.03 for strain 0-40%), and can identify materials with different compliance, which indicates the tactile ability as the human skin performs.

(Invited) inkjet-Printed Soft Electronic Devices and Sensors for Wearable Health Monitoring Applications

Stretchable electronic devices and sensors built on thin elastomer substrates may find a wide range of applications in wearable health monitoring devices owing to their ability to conformably adapt to human skin for long-term and comfortable wearing. In this talk, I will present our work on developing intrinsically-stretchable electronic materials that are formulated as electronic inks and patterend using a highly scalable and low-cost inkjet printing process. A variety of soft sensors including silver nanoparticle based ultrasensitive resistive strain sensor and pressure sensor, porous elastomer dielectric based capacitive pressure sensor, and multimodal sensor that can differentiate pressure, strain, and temperature stimuli have all been demonstrated on ultrathin polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate by printing. These devices have been used in applications including motion and gesture tracking, voice recognition, arterial pulse waveform and photoplethysmogram monitoring. In addition, I will also report our work on the development of a unique porous PDMS sponge electrode as a gel-free dry interface for motion-artifact tolerant recording of electrophysiological signals. The porous structure of the soft electrode significantly increases the effective contact area and lowers the electrode-skin impedance, which result in improved signal-to-noise ratio. Compared to commercial rigid electrodes, the soft and thin form factor also makes the spongy electrode well-suited for long-term recording of high quality biopotential signals including electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyography (EMG) on ambulatory patients. As a demonstration of its clinical usage with a focus on maternal and fetal health monitoring, I will show an array of such soft electrodes integrated on a printed patch of textile-based interconnections, and used for recording and spatiotemporal mapping of the uterine contraction patterns from patients in active labor.

A wide-linear-range and low-hysteresis resistive strain sensor made of double-threaded conductive yarn for human movement detection

Yarn-based flexible strain sensors with advantages in wearability and integrability have attracted wide attention. However, it is still a big challenge to achieve yarn-based strain sensors with a wide linear strain range, low hysteresis, and durability synchronously that can be used for full range detection of human body motions. Herein, a new structure, double-threaded conductive yarn with rhythmic strain distribution, is reported to markedly widen the linear strain range of microcrack-based stretchable strain sensors. A new method of winding and thermally adhering hot-melt filaments on the surface of the elastic fiber is used to achieve double-threaded yarn (DTY) with rhythmic strain distribution. The proposed strategy, the integration of heterogeneous materials, is reported to significantly reduce the mechanical hysteresis of composite yarns. Rhythmic strain distribution of the DTY during stretching causes multi-level microcracks in different regions of the carbon nanotube (CNT) conductive layer deposited on the surface of the DTY. Besides, the sensing performance of DTY-based strain sensor can be adjusted by designing the structural parameters. The final prepared flexible strain sensor has the advantages of a wide linear strain range (100%), great sensitivity (GF = 12.43), low hysteresis, rapid response (158 ms), high repeatability (> 2000 cycles at 50% strain), and hydrophobicity, etc. The sensor can monitor human motion repeatedly and stably well, and shows great advantages in flexible wearable devices.