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Luo J, Zhou X, Zeng C, Jiang Y, Qi W, Xiang K, Pang M, Tang B. Robotics Perception and Control: Key Technologies and Applications. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:531. [PMID: 38675342 PMCID: PMC11052398 DOI: 10.3390/mi15040531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The integration of advanced sensor technologies has significantly propelled the dynamic development of robotics, thus inaugurating a new era in automation and artificial intelligence. Given the rapid advancements in robotics technology, its core area-robot control technology-has attracted increasing attention. Notably, sensors and sensor fusion technologies, which are considered essential for enhancing robot control technologies, have been widely and successfully applied in the field of robotics. Therefore, the integration of sensors and sensor fusion techniques with robot control technologies, which enables adaptation to various tasks in new situations, is emerging as a promising approach. This review seeks to delineate how sensors and sensor fusion technologies are combined with robot control technologies. It presents nine types of sensors used in robot control, discusses representative control methods, and summarizes their applications across various domains. Finally, this survey discusses existing challenges and potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Luo
- School of Automation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.L.); (X.Z.); (K.X.)
- Chongqing Research Institute, Wuhan University of Technology, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhou
- School of Automation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.L.); (X.Z.); (K.X.)
| | - Chao Zeng
- Department of Informatics, University of Hamburg, 22527 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Yiming Jiang
- School of Robotics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China;
| | - Wen Qi
- School of Future Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China;
| | - Kui Xiang
- School of Automation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.L.); (X.Z.); (K.X.)
| | - Muye Pang
- School of Automation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.L.); (X.Z.); (K.X.)
| | - Biwei Tang
- School of Automation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.L.); (X.Z.); (K.X.)
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2
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Packheiser J, Hartmann H, Fredriksen K, Gazzola V, Keysers C, Michon F. A systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis of the physical and mental health benefits of touch interventions. Nat Hum Behav 2024:10.1038/s41562-024-01841-8. [PMID: 38589702 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01841-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Receiving touch is of critical importance, as many studies have shown that touch promotes mental and physical well-being. We conducted a pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42022304281) systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis encompassing 137 studies in the meta-analysis and 75 additional studies in the systematic review (n = 12,966 individuals, search via Google Scholar, PubMed and Web of Science until 1 October 2022) to identify critical factors moderating touch intervention efficacy. Included studies always featured a touch versus no touch control intervention with diverse health outcomes as dependent variables. Risk of bias was assessed via small study, randomization, sequencing, performance and attrition bias. Touch interventions were especially effective in regulating cortisol levels (Hedges' g = 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24 to 1.31) and increasing weight (0.65, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.94) in newborns as well as in reducing pain (0.69, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.89), feelings of depression (0.59, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.78) and state (0.64, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.84) or trait anxiety (0.59, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.77) for adults. Comparing touch interventions involving objects or robots resulted in similar physical (0.56, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.88 versus 0.51, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.64) but lower mental health benefits (0.34, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.49 versus 0.58, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.73). Adult clinical cohorts profited more strongly in mental health domains compared with healthy individuals (0.63, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.80 versus 0.37, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.55). We found no difference in health benefits in adults when comparing touch applied by a familiar person or a health care professional (0.51, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.73 versus 0.50, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.61), but parental touch was more beneficial in newborns (0.69, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.88 versus 0.39, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.61). Small but significant small study bias and the impossibility to blind experimental conditions need to be considered. Leveraging factors that influence touch intervention efficacy will help maximize the benefits of future interventions and focus research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Packheiser
- Social Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Helena Hartmann
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Translational and Behavioral Neuroscience, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
- Clinical Neurosciences, Department for Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Kelly Fredriksen
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Valeria Gazzola
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Christian Keysers
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frédéric Michon
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Yu H, Guo H, Wang J, Zhao T, Zou W, Zhou P, Xu Z, Zhang Y, Zheng J, Zhong Y, Wang X, Liu L. Skin-Inspired Capacitive Flexible Tactile Sensor with an Asymmetric Structure for Detecting Directional Shear Forces. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305883. [PMID: 38060841 PMCID: PMC10853706 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Flexible pressure sensors based on micro-/nanostructures can be integrated into robots to achieve sensitive tactile perception. However, conventional symmetric structures, such as pyramids or hemispheres, can sense only the magnitude of a force and not its direction. In this study, a capacitive flexible tactile sensor inspired by skin structures and based on an asymmetric microhair structure array to perceive directional shear force is designed. Asymmetric microhair structures are obtained by two-photon polymerization (TPP) and replication. Owing to the features of asymmetric microhair structures, different shear force directions result in different deformations. The designed device can determine the directions of both static and dynamic shear forces. Additionally, it exhibits large response scales ranging from 30 Pa to 300 kPa and maintains high stability even after 5000 cycles; the final relative capacitive change (ΔC/C0 ) is <2.5%. This flexible tactile sensor has the potential to improve the perception and manipulation ability of dexterous hands and enhance the intelligence of robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Yu
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
| | - Hongji Guo
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
| | - Jingang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Tianming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
| | - Wuhao Zou
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Peilin Zhou
- College of Mechanical and Electrical EngineeringHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhou450002China
| | - Zhuang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
| | - Yuzhao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Jianchen Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Ya Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Xiaoduo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
| | - Lianqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of RoboticsShenyang Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent ManufacturingChinese Academy of SciencesShenyang110016China
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Long S, Dang X, Huang J. FOESO-Net: A specific neural network for fast sensorless robot manipulator torque estimation. Neural Netw 2023; 168:14-31. [PMID: 37734136 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2023.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Contact torque sensing allows robot manipulators to cooperate with humans and detect accidental collisions in real time to ensure safety. Most sensorless torque estimation schemes, which are based on linear observer approaches, cannot compromise between non-negligible noise and high observation bandwidth. Therefore, fast time-varying nonlinear torque observation cannot be satisfied. To achieve this challenge, a customized network called FOESO-Net based on a novel fractional-order extended state observer is carefully designed in this paper. The network firstly chooses momentum as the benchmark state for torque estimation, which can avoid joint acceleration and model's inverse inertia matrix solution. Then, a fractional-order extended state observer (FOESO) is proposed from the perspective of momentum control to better adapt to the nonlinear fast time varying torque. In addition, a fractional-order neural network and a weight update neural network parallel architecture are constructed to enable fractional-order and dynamic weight-based adaptive learning of FOESO parameters. Formal analysis and proofs are made to show that the error of FOESO-Net is convergent. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by numerical simulations and a real collaborative robot platform. Moreover, compared with existing methods, the FOESO-Net based torque estimation method can reduce the estimation error and response time, which illustrates the superiority of the designed method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shike Long
- School of Electronic Engineering and Automation, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China; School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Guilin University of Aerospace technology, Guilin 541004, China.
| | - Xuanju Dang
- School of Electronic Engineering and Automation, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China.
| | - Jia Huang
- School of Electronic Engineering and Automation, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China.
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Baruah RK, Yoo H, Lee EK. Interconnection Technologies for Flexible Electronics: Materials, Fabrications, and Applications. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1131. [PMID: 37374716 DOI: 10.3390/mi14061131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Flexible electronic devices require metal interconnects to facilitate the flow of electrical signals among the device components, ensuring its proper functionality. There are multiple factors to consider when designing metal interconnects for flexible electronics, including their conductivity, flexibility, reliability, and cost. This article provides an overview of recent endeavors to create flexible electronic devices through different metal interconnect approaches, with a focus on materials and structural aspects. Additionally, the article discusses emerging flexible applications, such as e-textiles and flexible batteries, as essential considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratul Kumar Baruah
- Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Tezpur University, Assam 784028, India
| | - Hocheon Yoo
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Kwang Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
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6
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Long S, Dang X, Sun S. An Improved Adaptive Super-Twisting Momentum Observer to Estimate External Torque for a Robot Manipulator. J INTELL ROBOT SYST 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10846-023-01814-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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7
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Xia X, Yang J, Liu Y, Zhang J, Shang J, Liu B, Li S, Li W. Material Choice and Structure Design of Flexible Battery Electrode. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2204875. [PMID: 36403240 PMCID: PMC9875691 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202204875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
With the development of flexible electronics, the demand for flexibility is gradually put forward for its energy supply device, i.e., battery, to fit complex curved surfaces with good fatigue resistance and safety. As an important component of flexible batteries, flexible electrodes play a key role in the energy density, power density, and mechanical flexibility of batteries. Their large-scale commercial applications depend on the fulfillment of the commercial requirements and the fabrication methods of electrode materials. In this paper, the deformable electrode materials and structural design for flexible batteries are summarized, with the purpose of flexibility. The advantages and disadvantages of the application of various flexible materials (carbon nanotubes, graphene, MXene, carbon fiber/carbon fiber cloth, and conducting polymers) and flexible structures (buckling structure, helical structure, and kirigami structure) in flexible battery electrodes are discussed. In addition, the application scenarios of flexible batteries and the main challenges and future development of flexible electrode fabrication are also discussed, providing general guidance for the research of high-performance flexible electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangling Xia
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringShanghai UniversityShanghai200072China
| | - Jack Yang
- Materials and Manufacturing Futures InstituteSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringThe University of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Yang Liu
- College of SciencesInstitute for Sustainable EnergyShanghai UniversityShanghai200444China
- Shaoxing Institute of TechnologyShanghai UniversityShaoxing312000China
| | - Jiujun Zhang
- College of SciencesInstitute for Sustainable EnergyShanghai UniversityShanghai200444China
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringFuzhou UniversityFujian350108China
| | - Jie Shang
- Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and EngineeringChinese Academy of SciencesNingbo315201China
| | - Bin Liu
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringShanghai UniversityShanghai200072China
| | - Sean Li
- Materials and Manufacturing Futures InstituteSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringThe University of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Wenxian Li
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringShanghai UniversityShanghai200072China
- Materials and Manufacturing Futures InstituteSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringThe University of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
- College of SciencesInstitute for Sustainable EnergyShanghai UniversityShanghai200444China
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8
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Roy AC, Kumar N, Subramanya SB, Gupta A, Kumar A, Bid A, Venkataraman V. Large-Area 3D Printable Soft Electronic Skin for Biomedical Applications. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2022; 8:5319-5328. [PMID: 35895720 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Soft electronic skin (soft-e-skin) capable of sensing touch and pressure similar to human skin is essential in many applications, including robotics, healthcare, and augmented reality. However, most of the research effort on soft-e-skin was confined to the lab-scale demonstration. Several hurdles remain challenging, such as highly complex and expensive fabrication processes, instability in long-term use, and difficulty producing large areas and mass production. Here, we present a robust 3D printable large-area electronic skin made of a soft and resilient polymer capable of detecting touch and load, and bending with extreme sensitivity (up to 150 kPa-1) to touch and load, 750 times higher than earlier work. The soft-e-skin shows excellent long-term stability and consistent performance up to almost a year. In addition, we describe a fabrication process capable of producing large areas and in large numbers, yet is cost-effective. The soft-e-skin consists of a uniquely designed optical waveguide and a layer of a soft membrane with an array of soft structures which work as passive sensing nodes. The use of a soft structure gives the liberty of stretching to the soft-e-skin without considering the disjoints among the sensing nodes. We have shown the functioning of the soft-e-skin under various conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijit Chandra Roy
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Navin Kumar
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | | | - Ananya Gupta
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Aloke Kumar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Aveek Bid
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
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9
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Bhattacharjee S, Sen S, Samanta S, Kundu S. Study on the role of rGO in enhancing the electrochromic performance of WO3 film. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.140820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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10
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Liu F, Deswal S, Christou A, Sandamirskaya Y, Kaboli M, Dahiya R. Neuro-inspired electronic skin for robots. Sci Robot 2022; 7:eabl7344. [PMID: 35675450 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abl7344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Touch is a complex sensing modality owing to large number of receptors (mechano, thermal, pain) nonuniformly embedded in the soft skin all over the body. These receptors can gather and encode the large tactile data, allowing us to feel and perceive the real world. This efficient somatosensation far outperforms the touch-sensing capability of most of the state-of-the-art robots today and suggests the need for neural-like hardware for electronic skin (e-skin). This could be attained through either innovative schemes for developing distributed electronics or repurposing the neuromorphic circuits developed for other sensory modalities such as vision and audio. This Review highlights the hardware implementations of various computational building blocks for e-skin and the ways they can be integrated to potentially realize human skin-like or peripheral nervous system-like functionalities. The neural-like sensing and data processing are discussed along with various algorithms and hardware architectures. The integration of ultrathin neuromorphic chips for local computation and the printed electronics on soft substrate used for the development of e-skin over large areas are expected to advance robotic interaction as well as open new avenues for research in medical instrumentation, wearables, electronics, and neuroprosthetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyuan Liu
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) Group, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow, UK
| | - Sweety Deswal
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) Group, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow, UK
| | - Adamos Christou
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) Group, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Mohsen Kaboli
- Department of Research, New Technologies, Innovation, BMW Group, Parkring 19, 85748 Garching bei Munchen, Germany.,Cognitive Robotics and Tactile Intelligence Group, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Ravinder Dahiya
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) Group, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow, UK
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11
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High-Sensitivity Pressure Sensors Based on a Low Elastic Modulus Adhesive. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22093425. [PMID: 35591116 PMCID: PMC9103123 DOI: 10.3390/s22093425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
With the rapid development of intelligent applications, the demand for high-sensitivity pressure sensor is increasing. However, the simple and efficient preparation of an industrial high-sensitivity sensor is still a challenge. In this study, adhesives with different elastic moduli are used to bond pressure-sensitive elements of double-sided sensitive grids to prepare a highly sensitive and fatigue-resistant pressure sensor. It was observed that the low elastic modulus adhesive effectively produced tensile and compressive strains on both sides of the sensitive grids to induce greater strain transfer efficiency in the pressure sensor, thus improving its sensitivity. The sensitivity of the sensor was simulated by finite element analysis to verify that the low elastic modulus adhesive could enhance the sensitivity of the sensor up to 12%. The preparation of high-precision and fatigue-resistant pressure sensors based on low elastic modulus, double-sided sensitive grids makes their application more flexible and convenient, which is urgently needed in the miniaturization and integration electronics field.
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12
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Bounakoff C, Hayward V, Genest J, Michaud F, Beauvais J. Artificial fast-adapting mechanoreceptor based on carbon nanotube percolating network. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2818. [PMID: 35264589 PMCID: PMC8907247 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04483-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Most biological sensors preferentially encode changes in a stimulus rather than the steady components. However, intrinsically phasic artificial mechanoreceptors have not yet been described. We constructed a phasic mechanoreceptor by encapsulating carbon nanotube film in a viscoelastic matrix supported by a rigid substrate. When stimulated by a spherical indenter the sensor response resembled the response of fast-adapting mammalian mechanoreceptors. We modelled these sensors from the properties of percolating conductive networks combined with nonlinear contact mechanics and discussed the implications of this finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Bounakoff
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
| | - Vincent Hayward
- Sorbonne Université, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Jonathan Genest
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - François Michaud
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Jacques Beauvais
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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13
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Liu J, Bao S, Wang X. Applications of Graphene-Based Materials in Sensors: A Review. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:mi13020184. [PMID: 35208308 PMCID: PMC8880160 DOI: 10.3390/mi13020184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
With the research and the development of graphene-based materials, new sensors based on graphene compound materials are of great significance to scientific research and the consumer market. However, in the past ten years, due to the requirements of sensor accuracy, reliability, and durability, the development of new graphene sensors still faces many challenges in the future. Due to the special structure of graphene, the obtained characteristics can meet the requirements of high-performance sensors. Therefore, graphene materials have been applied in many innovative sensor materials in recent years. This paper introduces the important role and specific examples of sensors based on graphene and its base materials in biomedicine, photoelectrochemistry, flexible pressure, and other fields in recent years, and it puts forward the difficulties encountered in the application of graphene materials in sensors. Finally, the development direction of graphene sensors has been prospected. For the past two years of the COVID-19 epidemic, the detection of the virus sensor has been investigated. These new graphene sensors can complete signal detection based on accuracy and reliability, which provides a reference for researchers to select and manufacture sensor materials.
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14
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A Hybrid Microstructure Piezoresistive Sensor with Machine Learning Approach for Gesture Recognition. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11167264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Developments in flexible electronics have adopted various approaches which have enhanced the applicability of human–machine interface fields. Recently, microstructural integration and hybrid functional materials were designed for realizing human somatosensory. Nonetheless, designing tactile sensors with smart structures using facile and low-cost fabrication processes remains challenging. Furthermore, using the sensors for recognizing stimuli and feedback applications remains poorly validated. In this study, a highly flexible piezoresistive tactile sensor was developed by homogeneously dispersing carbon black (CB) in a microstructure porous sugar/PDMS-based sponge. Owning to its high flexibility and softness, the sensor can be mounted on human or robotic systems for different clinical applications. We validated the applicability of the proposed sensor by applying it to recognizing grasp and release forces in an open setting and to classifying hand motions that surgeons apply on the master interface of a robotic system during intravascular catheterization. For this purpose, we implemented the long short-term memory (LSTM)-dense classification model and five traditional machine learning methods, namely, support vector machine, multilayer perceptron, decision tree, and k-nearest neighbor. The models were used to classify the different hand gestures obtained in an open-setting experiment. Amongst all, the LSTM-dense method yielded the highest overall recognition accuracy (87.38%). Nevertheless, the performance of the other models was in a similar range, showing that our sensor structure can be applied in intelligence sensing or tactile feedback systems. Secondly, the sensor prototype was applied to analyze the motions made while manipulating an interventional robot. We analyzed the displacement and velocity of the master interface during typical axial (push/pull) and radial operations with the robot. The results obtained show that the sensor is capable of recording unique patterns during different operations. Thus, a combination of the flexible wearable sensors and machine learning could yield a future generation of flexible materials and artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) devices.
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15
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Oh HS, Lee CH, Kim NK, An T, Kim GH. Review: Sensors for Biosignal/Health Monitoring in Electronic Skin. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:2478. [PMID: 34372081 PMCID: PMC8347500 DOI: 10.3390/polym13152478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Skin is the largest sensory organ and receives information from external stimuli. Human body signals have been monitored using wearable devices, which are gradually being replaced by electronic skin (E-skin). We assessed the basic technologies from two points of view: sensing mechanism and material. Firstly, E-skins were fabricated using a tactile sensor. Secondly, E-skin sensors were composed of an active component performing actual functions and a flexible component that served as a substrate. Based on the above fabrication processes, the technologies that need more development were introduced. All of these techniques, which achieve high performance in different ways, are covered briefly in this paper. We expect that patients' quality of life can be improved by the application of E-skin devices, which represent an applied advanced technology for real-time bio- and health signal monitoring. The advanced E-skins are convenient and suitable to be applied in the fields of medicine, military and environmental monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeon Seok Oh
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Chungbuk National University (CBNU), 1, Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju-si 28644, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea; (H.S.O.); (C.H.L.); (N.K.K.)
| | - Chung Hyeon Lee
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Chungbuk National University (CBNU), 1, Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju-si 28644, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea; (H.S.O.); (C.H.L.); (N.K.K.)
| | - Na Kyoung Kim
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Chungbuk National University (CBNU), 1, Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju-si 28644, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea; (H.S.O.); (C.H.L.); (N.K.K.)
| | - Taechang An
- Department of Mechanical & Robotics Engineering, Andong National University (ANU), 1375, Gyeong-dong-ro, Andong-si 36729, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea;
| | - Geon Hwee Kim
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Chungbuk National University (CBNU), 1, Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju-si 28644, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea; (H.S.O.); (C.H.L.); (N.K.K.)
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Quasi-Passive Resistive Exosuit for Space Activities: Proof of Concept. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11083576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The limits of space travel are continuously evolving, and this creates increasingly extreme challenges for the crew’s health that must be addressed by the scientific community. Long-term exposure to micro-gravity, during orbital flights, contributes to muscle strength degradation and increases bone density loss. In recent years, several exercise devices have been developed to counteract the negative health effects of zero-gravity on astronauts. However, the relatively large size of these devices, the need for a dedicated space and the exercise time-frame for each astronaut, does not make these devices the best choice for future long range exploration missions. This paper presents a quasi-passive exosuit to provide muscle training using a small, portable, proprioceptive device. The exosuit promotes continuous exercise, by resisting the user’s motion, during routine all-day activity. This study assesses the effectiveness of the resistive exosuit by evaluating its effects on muscular endurance during a terrestrial walking task. The experimental assessment on biceps femoris and vastus lateralis, shows a mean increase in muscular activation of about 97.8% during five repetitions of 3 min walking task at 3 km/h. The power frequency analysis shows an increase in muscular fatigue with a reduction of EMG median frequency of about 15.4% for the studied muscles.
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17
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Xie C, Zhang M, Du W, Zhou C, Xiao Y, Zhang S, Chan M. Sensing-range-tunable pressure sensors realized by self-patterned-spacer design and vertical CNT arrays embedded in PDMS. RSC Adv 2020; 10:33558-33565. [PMID: 35515030 PMCID: PMC9056716 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra06481e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A pressure sensor design suitable for a broad sensing range with high sensitivity and good stability is highly desirable for the detection of various pressures and meeting the requirements of different applications. Herein, we report sensing-range-tunable piezoresistive pressure sensors realized by self-patterned-spacer design. In the sensors, the two CNT-array layers embedded in PDMS are separated by the proposed self-patterned spacer. With this structure, the realized sensors with large initial resistance designed show tunable response thresholds from 300 Pa to 6.5 kPa while maintaining high sensitivity, which are realized by controlling the spacer thickness and the CNT length. Besides, the vertical CNT arrays have a large specific surface area, which can dramatically change the resistance of the pressure sensors and lead to high sensitivity with nearly 50 kPa-1. Benefiting from the designs of the self-patterned spacer and the advantageous combination of CNTs and PDMS, the pressure sensors also exhibit a rapid response/relaxation time of 24/32 ms, and good long-term stability with durability test over 10 000 loading/unloading cycles. On the other hand, the realized pressure sensors with small initial resistance designed show a typical piezoresistive characteristic. For applications, the pressure sensors with large initial resistance designed are suitable for the anti-noise applications with pressure thresholds to filter unnecessary noise and save power consumption, while the pressure sensors with small initial resistance designed show the capability of detecting mechanical forces and monitoring human physiological signals. Moreover, the self-patterned design and fabrication method of the spacers also show potentials to be applied in the existing works to further enhance or adjust the performance of those pressure sensors, showing great flexibility. This design demonstrates great potentials to be applied in future advanced flexible wearable systems such as health monitoring, human-machine interaction and the Internet of Things.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Xie
- School of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Min Zhang
- School of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Wei Du
- School of Electronics and Information, South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510641 China
| | - Changjian Zhou
- School of Electronics and Information, South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510641 China
| | - Ying Xiao
- Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Hong Kong
| | - Shuo Zhang
- School of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Mansun Chan
- Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Hong Kong
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18
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Process Parameters for FFF 3D-Printed Conductors for Applications in Sensors. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20164542. [PMID: 32823712 PMCID: PMC7472618 DOI: 10.3390/s20164542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
With recent developments in additive manufacturing (AM), new possibilities for fabricating smart structures have emerged. Recently, single-process fused-filament fabrication (FFF) sensors for dynamic mechanical quantities have been presented. Sensors measuring dynamic mechanical quantities, like strain, force, and acceleration, typically require conductive filaments with a relatively high electrical resistivity. For fully embedded sensors in single-process FFF dynamic structures, the connecting electrical wires also need to be printed. In contrast to the sensors, the connecting electrical wires have to have a relatively low resistivity, which is limited by the availability of highly conductive FFF materials and FFF process conditions. This study looks at the Electrifi filament for applications in printed electrical conductors. The effect of the printing-process parameters on the electrical performance is thoroughly investigated (six parameters, >40 parameter values, >200 conductive samples) to find the highest conductivity of the printed conductors. In addition, conductor embedding and post-printing heating of the conductive material are researched. The experimental results helped us to understand the mechanisms of the conductive network’s formation and its degradation. With the insight gained, the optimal printing strategy resulted in a resistivity that was approx. 40% lower than the nominal value of the filament. With a new insight into the electrical behavior of the conductive material, process optimizations and new design strategies can be implemented for the single-process FFF of functional smart structures.
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Li F, Akiyama Y, Wan X, Okamoto S, Yamada Y. Measurement of Shear Strain Field in a Soft Material Using a Sensor System Consisting of Distributed Piezoelectric Polymer Film. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 20:E3484. [PMID: 32575659 PMCID: PMC7348798 DOI: 10.3390/s20123484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Measurement of the internal stress and strain distributions within soft materials is necessary in the field of skin contact safety. However, conventional interactive force sensors cannot efficiently obtain or estimate these distributions. Herein, a shear strain sensor system consisting of distributed built-in piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer films was developed to measure the internal shear strain field of a soft material. A shear strain sensing model was mathematically established, based on the piezoelectricity and mechanical behavior of a bending cantilever beam, to explain the sensing principle. An experiment in three-dimensional measurement of the shear strain distribution within an artificial skin was designed and conducted to assess the sensitivity of the sensing model. This sensor system could visualize the shear strain field and was sensitive to different contact conditions. The measurement results agreed well with the results of numerical simulation of the substrate, based on contact mechanics. The proposed sensor system was confirmed to provide a new sensing method for the field of shape analysis. The sensor system can be applied to develop sufficiently sensitive electronic skin and can significantly contribute to skin damage analysis and skin contact safety assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyu Li
- Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan; (Y.A.); (X.W.); (S.O.); (Y.Y.)
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20
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Zhu M, Sun Z, Zhang Z, Shi Q, He T, Liu H, Chen T, Lee C. Haptic-feedback smart glove as a creative human-machine interface (HMI) for virtual/augmented reality applications. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz8693. [PMID: 32494718 PMCID: PMC7209995 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz8693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Human-machine interfaces (HMIs) experience increasing requirements for intuitive and effective manipulation. Current commercialized solutions of glove-based HMI are limited by either detectable motions or the huge cost on fabrication, energy, and computing power. We propose the haptic-feedback smart glove with triboelectric-based finger bending sensors, palm sliding sensor, and piezoelectric mechanical stimulators. The detection of multidirectional bending and sliding events is demonstrated in virtual space using the self-generated triboelectric signals for various degrees of freedom on human hand. We also perform haptic mechanical stimulation via piezoelectric chips to realize the augmented HMI. The smart glove achieves object recognition using machine learning technique, with an accuracy of 96%. Through the integrated demonstration of multidimensional manipulation, haptic feedback, and AI-based object recognition, our glove reveals its potential as a promising solution for low-cost and advanced human-machine interaction, which can benefit diversified areas, including entertainment, home healthcare, sports training, and medical industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minglu Zhu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576, Singapore
- Center for Intelligent Sensors and MEMS (CISM), National University of Singapore, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
- Hybrid Integrated Flexible Electronic Systems (HIFES), 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
- National University of Singapore Suzhou Research Institute (NUSRI), Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Zhongda Sun
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576, Singapore
- Center for Intelligent Sensors and MEMS (CISM), National University of Singapore, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
- Hybrid Integrated Flexible Electronic Systems (HIFES), 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
| | - Zixuan Zhang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576, Singapore
- Center for Intelligent Sensors and MEMS (CISM), National University of Singapore, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
- Hybrid Integrated Flexible Electronic Systems (HIFES), 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
| | - Qiongfeng Shi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576, Singapore
- Center for Intelligent Sensors and MEMS (CISM), National University of Singapore, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
- Hybrid Integrated Flexible Electronic Systems (HIFES), 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
| | - Tianyiyi He
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576, Singapore
- Center for Intelligent Sensors and MEMS (CISM), National University of Singapore, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
- Hybrid Integrated Flexible Electronic Systems (HIFES), 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
- National University of Singapore Suzhou Research Institute (NUSRI), Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Huicong Liu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chengkuo Lee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576, Singapore
- Center for Intelligent Sensors and MEMS (CISM), National University of Singapore, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
- Hybrid Integrated Flexible Electronic Systems (HIFES), 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608, Singapore
- National University of Singapore Suzhou Research Institute (NUSRI), Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123, China
- NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
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21
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Shih B, Shah D, Li J, Thuruthel TG, Park YL, Iida F, Bao Z, Kramer-Bottiglio R, Tolley MT. Electronic skins and machine learning for intelligent soft robots. Sci Robot 2020; 5:5/41/eaaz9239. [PMID: 33022628 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.aaz9239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Soft robots have garnered interest for real-world applications because of their intrinsic safety embedded at the material level. These robots use deformable materials capable of shape and behavioral changes and allow conformable physical contact for manipulation. Yet, with the introduction of soft and stretchable materials to robotic systems comes a myriad of challenges for sensor integration, including multimodal sensing capable of stretching, embedment of high-resolution but large-area sensor arrays, and sensor fusion with an increasing volume of data. This Review explores the emerging confluence of e-skins and machine learning, with a focus on how roboticists can combine recent developments from the two fields to build autonomous, deployable soft robots, integrated with capabilities for informative touch and proprioception to stand up to the challenges of real-world environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Shih
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Dylan Shah
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University, CT, USA
| | - Jinxing Li
- Departments of Chemical Engineering and Material Science and Engineering, Stanford University, CA, USA
| | | | - Yong-Lae Park
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, South Korea
| | - Fumiya Iida
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Zhenan Bao
- Departments of Chemical Engineering and Material Science and Engineering, Stanford University, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael T Tolley
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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Totaro M, Di Natali C, Bernardeschi I, Ortiz J, Beccai L. Mechanical Sensing for Lower Limb Soft Exoskeletons: Recent Progress and Challenges. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1170:69-85. [PMID: 32067203 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-24230-5_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Soft exoskeletons hold promise for facilitating monitoring and assistance in case of light impairment and for prolonging independent living. In contrast to rigid material-based exoskeletons, they strongly demand for new approaches of soft sensing and actuation solutions. This chapter overviews soft exoskeletons in contrast to rigid exoskeletons and focuses on the recent advancements on the movement monitoring in lower limb soft exoskeletons. Compliant materials and soft tactile sensing approaches can be utilized to build smart sensorized garments for joint angle measurements (needed for both control and monitoring). However, currently there are still several open challenges derived from the needed close interaction between the human body and the soft exoskeleton itself, especially related to how sensing function and robustness are strongly affected by wearability, which will need to be overcome in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Totaro
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Pontedera, PI, Italy
| | - Christian Di Natali
- Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Irene Bernardeschi
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Pontedera, PI, Italy
| | - Jesus Ortiz
- Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Lucia Beccai
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Pontedera, PI, Italy.
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Soni M, Dahiya R. Soft eSkin: distributed touch sensing with harmonized energy and computing. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2020; 378:20190156. [PMID: 31865882 PMCID: PMC6939237 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2019.0156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Inspired by biology, significant advances have been made in the field of electronic skin (eSkin) or tactile skin. Many of these advances have come through mimicking the morphology of human skin and by distributing few touch sensors in an area. However, the complexity of human skin goes beyond mimicking few morphological features or using few sensors. For example, embedded computing (e.g. processing of tactile data at the point of contact) is centric to the human skin as some neuroscience studies show. Likewise, distributed cell or molecular energy is a key feature of human skin. The eSkin with such features, along with distributed and embedded sensors/electronics on soft substrates, is an interesting topic to explore. These features also make eSkin significantly different from conventional computing. For example, unlike conventional centralized computing enabled by miniaturized chips, the eSkin could be seen as a flexible and wearable large area computer with distributed sensors and harmonized energy. This paper discusses these advanced features in eSkin, particularly the distributed sensing harmoniously integrated with energy harvesters, storage devices and distributed computing to read and locally process the tactile sensory data. Rapid advances in neuromorphic hardware, flexible energy generation, energy-conscious electronics, flexible and printed electronics are also discussed. This article is part of the theme issue 'Harmonizing energy-autonomous computing and intelligence'.
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24
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Junior JCVS, Torquato MF, Noronha DH, Silva SN, Fernandes MAC. Proposal of the Tactile Glove Device. SENSORS 2019; 19:s19225029. [PMID: 31752187 PMCID: PMC6891499 DOI: 10.3390/s19225029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
This project aims to develop a tactile glove device and a virtual environment inserted in the context of tactile internet. The tactile glove allows a human operator to interact remotely with objects from a 3D environment through tactile feedback or tactile sensation. In other words, the human operator is able to feel the contour and texture from virtual objects. Applications such as remote diagnostics, games, remote analysis of materials, and others in which objects could be virtualized can be significantly improved using this kind of device. These gloves have been an essential device in all research on the internet next generation called "Tactile Internet", in which this project is inserted. Unlike the works presented in the literature, the novelty of this work is related to architecture, and tactile devices developed. They are within the 10 ms round trip latency limits required in a tactile internet environment. Details of hardware and software designs of a tactile glove, as well as the virtual environment, are described. Results and comparative analysis about round trip latency time in the tactile internet environment is developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- José C. V. S. Junior
- Laboratory of Machine Learning and Intelligent Instrumentation, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil; (J.C.V.S.J.); (S.N.S.)
| | | | - Daniel H. Noronha
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;
| | - Sérgio N. Silva
- Laboratory of Machine Learning and Intelligent Instrumentation, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil; (J.C.V.S.J.); (S.N.S.)
| | - Marcelo A. C. Fernandes
- Laboratory of Machine Learning and Intelligent Instrumentation, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil; (J.C.V.S.J.); (S.N.S.)
- Department of Computer and Automation Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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25
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Yan H, Dai S, Chen Y, Ding J, Yuan N. A High Stretchable and Self–Healing Silicone Rubber with Double Reversible Bonds. ChemistrySelect 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.201902244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yan
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Photovoltaic Science and EngineeringJiangsu Province Cultivation base for State Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Science and TechnologyChangzhou University Changzhou 213164 China
| | - Shengping Dai
- Micro/Nano Science and Technology CenterJiangsu University Zhenjiang 212013 China
| | - Yuewen Chen
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Photovoltaic Science and EngineeringJiangsu Province Cultivation base for State Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Science and TechnologyChangzhou University Changzhou 213164 China
| | - Jianning Ding
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Photovoltaic Science and EngineeringJiangsu Province Cultivation base for State Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Science and TechnologyChangzhou University Changzhou 213164 China
- Micro/Nano Science and Technology CenterJiangsu University Zhenjiang 212013 China
| | - Ningyi Yuan
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Photovoltaic Science and EngineeringJiangsu Province Cultivation base for State Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Science and TechnologyChangzhou University Changzhou 213164 China
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26
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Khan S, Ali S, Bermak A. Recent Developments in Printing Flexible and Wearable Sensing Electronics for Healthcare Applications. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2019; 19:E1230. [PMID: 30862062 PMCID: PMC6427552 DOI: 10.3390/s19051230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Wearable biosensors attract significant interest for their capabilities in real-time monitoring of wearers' health status, as well as the surrounding environment. Sensor patches are embedded onto the human epidermis accompanied by data readout and signal conditioning circuits with wireless communication modules for transmitting data to the computing devices. Wearable sensors designed for recognition of various biomarkers in human epidermis fluids, such as glucose, lactate, pH, cholesterol, etc., as well as physiological indicators, i.e., pulse rate, temperature, breath rate, respiration, alcohol, activity monitoring, etc., have potential applications both in medical diagnostics and fitness monitoring. The rapid developments in solution-based nanomaterials offered a promising perspective to the field of wearable sensors by enabling their cost-efficient manufacturing through printing on a wide range of flexible polymeric substrates. This review highlights the latest key developments made in the field of wearable sensors involving advanced nanomaterials, manufacturing processes, substrates, sensor type, sensing mechanism, and readout circuits, and ends with challenges in the future scope of the field. Sensors are categorized as biological and fluidic, mounted directly on the human body, or physiological, integrated onto wearable substrates/gadgets separately for monitoring of human-body-related analytes, as well as external stimuli. Special focus is given to printable materials and sensors, which are key enablers for wearable electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleem Khan
- College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 5825, Qatar.
| | - Shawkat Ali
- College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 5825, Qatar.
| | - Amine Bermak
- College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 5825, Qatar.
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Haptic Glove and Platform with Gestural Control For Neuromorphic Tactile Sensory Feedback In Medical Telepresence †. SENSORS 2019; 19:s19030641. [PMID: 30717482 PMCID: PMC6386988 DOI: 10.3390/s19030641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Advancements in the study of the human sense of touch are fueling the field of haptics. This is paving the way for augmenting sensory perception during object palpation in tele-surgery and reproducing the sensed information through tactile feedback. Here, we present a novel tele-palpation apparatus that enables the user to detect nodules with various distinct stiffness buried in an ad-hoc polymeric phantom. The contact force measured by the platform was encoded using a neuromorphic model and reproduced on the index fingertip of a remote user through a haptic glove embedding a piezoelectric disk. We assessed the effectiveness of this feedback in allowing nodule identification under two experimental conditions of real-time telepresence: In Line of Sight (ILS), where the platform was placed in the visible range of a user; and the more demanding Not In Line of Sight (NILS), with the platform and the user being 50 km apart. We found that the entailed percentage of identification was higher for stiffer inclusions with respect to the softer ones (average of 74% within the duration of the task), in both telepresence conditions evaluated. These promising results call for further exploration of tactile augmentation technology for telepresence in medical interventions.
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28
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Kim SH, Oh S, Kim KB, Jung Y, Lim H, Cho KJ. Design of a Bioinspired Robotic Hand: Magnetic Synapse Sensor Integration for a Robust Remote Tactile Sensing. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2018. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2018.2853715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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29
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Jiang H, Yan Y, Zhu X, Zhang C. A 3-D Surface Reconstruction with Shadow Processing for Optical Tactile Sensors. SENSORS 2018; 18:s18092785. [PMID: 30149551 PMCID: PMC6163909 DOI: 10.3390/s18092785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
An optical tactile sensor technique with 3-dimension (3-D) surface reconstruction is proposed for robotic fingers. The hardware of the tactile sensor consists of a surface deformation sensing layer, an image sensor and four individually controlled flashing light emitting diodes (LEDs). The image sensor records the deformation images when the robotic finger touches an object. For each object, four deformation images are taken with the LEDs providing different illumination directions. Before the 3-D reconstruction, the look-up tables are built to map the intensity distribution to the image gradient data. The possible image shadow will be detected and amended. Then the 3-D depth distribution of the object surface can be reconstructed from the 2-D gradient obtained using the look-up tables. The architecture of the tactile sensor and the proposed signal processing flow have been presented in details. A prototype tactile sensor has been built. Both the simulation and experimental results have validated the effectiveness of the proposed 3-D surface reconstruction method for the optical tactile sensors. The proposed 3-D surface reconstruction method has the unique feature of image shadow detection and compensation, which differentiates itself from those in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanjun Jiang
- Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Yan Yan
- Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Xiyang Zhu
- Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Chun Zhang
- Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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30
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Robust Tactile Descriptors for Discriminating Objects From Textural Properties via Artificial Robotic Skin. IEEE T ROBOT 2018. [DOI: 10.1109/tro.2018.2830364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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31
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Abstract
Understanding the dynamic phenomena in grasping/cutting processes with scissors is important for the design of surgical robots and virtual reality systems. Here, we show the relationship between the mechanical stimuli and tactile sensations when forceps or scissors are used. Nineteen subjects grasped or cut objects and evaluated the tactile sensations in each of the processes. To conduct the tactile and mechanical evaluation simultaneously, subjects operated scissors that were fixed to a mechanical evaluation system. When subjects grasped urethane resin, stainless steel plate, and adhesive tape, soft, hard, and sticky feels were perceived, respectively. Dry, hard, and creaking feels were perceived in the paper cutting process. In addition, we observed four characteristic tangential force profiles in the processes. Regression analysis suggests the following findings: Hardness is perceived by the change of force and blade movement when the scissors make contact with the object. Stickiness is caused by the increase and decrease of force at the moment of peeling when the scissors break contact with the object. The cutting sensation is affected by fine force fluctuations during the scissors closing and the rapidly decreased force at the moment of cutting completion.
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32
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Bernth JE, Ho VA, Liu H. Morphological computation in haptic sensation and interaction: from nature to robotics. Adv Robot 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/01691864.2018.1447393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Van Anh Ho
- School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Nomi, Japan
| | - Hongbin Liu
- Department of Informatics, King’s College London, London, UK
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33
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Kaboli M, Feng D, Cheng G. Active Tactile Transfer Learning for Object Discrimination in an Unstructured Environment Using Multimodal Robotic Skin. INT J HUM ROBOT 2018. [DOI: 10.1142/s0219843618500019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a probabilistic active tactile transfer learning (ATTL) method to enable robotic systems to exploit their prior tactile knowledge while discriminating among objects via their physical properties (surface texture, stiffness, and thermal conductivity). Using the proposed method, the robot autonomously selects and exploits its most relevant prior tactile knowledge to efficiently learn about new unknown objects with a few training samples or even one. The experimental results show that using our proposed method, the robot successfully discriminated among new objects with [Formula: see text] discrimination accuracy using only one training sample (on-shot-tactile-learning). Furthermore, the results demonstrate that our method is robust against transferring irrelevant prior tactile knowledge (negative tactile knowledge transfer).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Kaboli
- The Institute for Cognitive Systems, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstrasse 21 80333, Munich, Germany
| | - Di Feng
- The Institute for Cognitive Systems, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstrasse 21 80333, Munich, Germany
| | - Gordon Cheng
- The Institute for Cognitive Systems, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstrasse 21 80333, Munich, Germany
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34
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Dolbashid AS, Mokhtar MS, Muhamad F, Ibrahim F. Potential applications of human artificial skin and electronic skin (e-skin): a review. BIOINSPIRED BIOMIMETIC AND NANOBIOMATERIALS 2018. [DOI: 10.1680/jbibn.17.00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Asdani Saifullah Dolbashid
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Centre for Innovation in Medical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mas Sahidayana Mokhtar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Centre for Innovation in Medical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Farina Muhamad
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fatimah Ibrahim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Centre for Innovation in Medical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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35
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Zhao S, Liu M, Guo W, Zhang C. Three Dimensional Distribution of Sensitive Field and Stress Field Inversion of Force Sensitive Materials under Constant Current Excitation. SENSORS 2018; 18:s18030722. [PMID: 29495609 PMCID: PMC5876877 DOI: 10.3390/s18030722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Force sensitive conductive composite materials are functional materials which can be used as the sensitive material of force sensors. However, the existing sensors only use one-dimensional electrical properties of force sensitive conductive materials. Even in tactile sensors, the measurement of contact pressure is achieved by large-scale arrays and the units of a large-scale array are also based on the one-dimensional electrical properties of force sensitive materials. The main contribution of this work is to study the three-dimensional electrical properties and the inversion method of three-dimensional stress field of a force sensitive material (conductive rubber), which pushes the application of force sensitive material from one dimensional to three-dimensional. First, the mathematical model of the conductive rubber current field distribution under a constant force is established by the effective medium theory, and the current field distribution model of conductive rubber with different geometry, conductive rubber content and conductive rubber relaxation parameters is deduced. Secondly, the inversion method of the three-dimensional stress field of conductive rubber is established, which provides a theoretical basis for the design of a new tactile sensor, three-dimensional stress field and space force based on force sensitive materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuanfeng Zhao
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710054, China.
| | - Min Liu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710054, China.
| | - Wei Guo
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710054, China.
| | - Chuanwei Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710054, China.
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36
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Active Prior Tactile Knowledge Transfer for Learning Tactual Properties of New Objects. SENSORS 2018; 18:s18020634. [PMID: 29466300 PMCID: PMC5855872 DOI: 10.3390/s18020634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Reusing the tactile knowledge of some previously-explored objects (prior objects) helps us to easily recognize the tactual properties of new objects. In this paper, we enable a robotic arm equipped with multi-modal artificial skin, like humans, to actively transfer the prior tactile exploratory action experiences when it learns the detailed physical properties of new objects. These experiences, or prior tactile knowledge, are built by the feature observations that the robot perceives from multiple sensory modalities, when it applies the pressing, sliding, and static contact movements on objects with different action parameters. We call our method Active Prior Tactile Knowledge Transfer (APTKT), and systematically evaluated its performance by several experiments. Results show that the robot improved the discrimination accuracy by around 10% when it used only one training sample with the feature observations of prior objects. By further incorporating the predictions from the observation models of prior objects as auxiliary features, our method improved the discrimination accuracy by over 20%. The results also show that the proposed method is robust against transferring irrelevant prior tactile knowledge (negative knowledge transfer).
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37
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Kaboli M, Yao K, Feng D, Cheng G. Tactile-based active object discrimination and target object search in an unknown workspace. Auton Robots 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10514-018-9707-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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38
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Han CJ, Chiang HP, Cheng YC. Using Micro-Molding and Stamping to Fabricate Conductive Polydimethylsiloxane-Based Flexible High-Sensitivity Strain Gauges. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2018; 18:E618. [PMID: 29463012 PMCID: PMC5855300 DOI: 10.3390/s18020618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
In this study, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and conductive carbon nanoparticles were combined to fabricate a conductive elastomer PDMS (CPDMS). A high sensitive and flexible CPDMS strain sensor is fabricated by using stamping-process based micro patterning. Compared with conventional sensors, flexible strain sensors are more suitable for medical applications but are usually fabricated by photolithography, which suffers from a large number of steps and difficult mass production. Hence, we fabricated flexible strain sensors using a stamping-process with fewer processes than photolithography. The piezoresistive coefficient and sensitivity of the flexible strain sensor were improved by sensor pattern design and thickness change. Micro-patterning is used to fabricate various CPDMS microstructure patterns. The effect of gauge pattern was evaluated with ANSYS simulations. The piezoresistance of the strain gauges was measured and the gauge factor determined. Experimental results show that the piezoresistive coefficient of CPDMS is approximately linear. Gauge factor measurement results show that the gauge factor of a 140.0 μm thick strain gauge with five grids is the highest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Jui Han
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
| | - Hsuan-Ping Chiang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
| | - Yun-Chien Cheng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
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39
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García Núñez C, Navaraj WT, Liu F, Shakthivel D, Dahiya R. Large-Area Self-Assembly of Silica Microspheres/Nanospheres by Temperature-Assisted Dip-Coating. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:3058-3068. [PMID: 29280379 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b15178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
This work reports a temperature-assisted dip-coating method for self-assembly of silica (SiO2) microspheres/nanospheres (SPs) as monolayers over large areas (∼cm2). The area over which self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are formed can be controlled by tuning the suspension temperature (Ts), which allows precise control over the meniscus shape. Furthermore, the formation of periodic stripes of SAMs, with excellent dimensional control (stripe width and stripe-to-stripe spacing), is demonstrated using a suitable set of dip-coating parameters. These findings establish the role of Ts, and other parameters such as withdrawal speed (Vw), withdrawal angle (θw), and withdrawal step length (Lw). For Ts ranged between 25 and 80 °C, the morphological analysis of dip-coatings shows layered structures comprising of defective layers (25-60 °C), single layers (70 °C), and multilayers (>70 °C) owing to the variation of SP flux at the meniscus/substrate assembling interface. At Ts = 70 °C, there is an optimum Vw, approximately equal to the downshift speed of the meniscus (Vm = 1.3 μm/s), which allows the SAM formation over areas (2.25 cm2) roughly 10 times larger than reported in the literature using nanospheres. Finally, the large-area SAM is used to demonstrate the enhanced performance of antireflective coatings for photovoltaic cells and to create metal nanomesh for Si nanowire synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos García Núñez
- School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies , G12 8QQ Glasgow, U.K
| | - William Taube Navaraj
- School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies , G12 8QQ Glasgow, U.K
| | - Fengyuan Liu
- School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies , G12 8QQ Glasgow, U.K
| | - Dhayalan Shakthivel
- School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies , G12 8QQ Glasgow, U.K
| | - Ravinder Dahiya
- School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies , G12 8QQ Glasgow, U.K
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40
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Designing for a Wearable Affective Interface for the NAO Robot: A Study of Emotion Conveyance by Touch. MULTIMODAL TECHNOLOGIES AND INTERACTION 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/mti2010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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41
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Andreasson R, Alenljung B, Billing E, Lowe R. Affective Touch in Human–Robot Interaction: Conveying Emotion to the Nao Robot. Int J Soc Robot 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s12369-017-0446-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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42
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Taube Navaraj W, García Núñez C, Shakthivel D, Vinciguerra V, Labeau F, Gregory DH, Dahiya R. Nanowire FET Based Neural Element for Robotic Tactile Sensing Skin. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:501. [PMID: 28979183 PMCID: PMC5611376 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper presents novel Neural Nanowire Field Effect Transistors (υ-NWFETs) based hardware-implementable neural network (HNN) approach for tactile data processing in electronic skin (e-skin). The viability of Si nanowires (NWs) as the active material for υ-NWFETs in HNN is explored through modeling and demonstrated by fabricating the first device. Using υ-NWFETs to realize HNNs is an interesting approach as by printing NWs on large area flexible substrates it will be possible to develop a bendable tactile skin with distributed neural elements (for local data processing, as in biological skin) in the backplane. The modeling and simulation of υ-NWFET based devices show that the overlapping areas between individual gates and the floating gate determines the initial synaptic weights of the neural network - thus validating the working of υ-NWFETs as the building block for HNN. The simulation has been further extended to υ-NWFET based circuits and neuronal computation system and this has been validated by interfacing it with a transparent tactile skin prototype (comprising of 6 × 6 ITO based capacitive tactile sensors array) integrated on the palm of a 3D printed robotic hand. In this regard, a tactile data coding system is presented to detect touch gesture and the direction of touch. Following these simulation studies, a four-gated υ-NWFET is fabricated with Pt/Ti metal stack for gates, source and drain, Ni floating gate, and Al2O3 high-k dielectric layer. The current-voltage characteristics of fabricated υ-NWFET devices confirm the dependence of turn-off voltages on the (synaptic) weight of each gate. The presented υ-NWFET approach is promising for a neuro-robotic tactile sensory system with distributed computing as well as numerous futuristic applications such as prosthetics, and electroceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Taube Navaraj
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies Group, School of Engineering, University of GlasgowGlasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Carlos García Núñez
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies Group, School of Engineering, University of GlasgowGlasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Dhayalan Shakthivel
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies Group, School of Engineering, University of GlasgowGlasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Fabrice Labeau
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill UniversityMontreal, QC, Canada
| | - Duncan H. Gregory
- WestCHEM, School of Chemistry, University of GlasgowGlasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ravinder Dahiya
- Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies Group, School of Engineering, University of GlasgowGlasgow, United Kingdom
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43
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Zhou L, Yang Z, Luo W, Han X, Jang SH, Dai J, Yang B, Hu L. Thermally Conductive, Electrical Insulating, Optically Transparent Bi-Layer Nanopaper. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:28838-28843. [PMID: 27704759 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b09471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from abundant and renewable wood is an emerging material with excellent mechanical, chemical, and optical properties. Transparent nanopaper made of CNF (CNF-nanopaper) could potentially replace plastics in electronics due to its excellent optical transparency, mechanical strength, and biodegradability. However, CNF-nanopaper normally has a low thermal conductivity and poor stability in increasing temperatures, which is not suitable for long-term stability and reliability in devices. Herein, for the first time, we report a thermally conductive, electrically insulating, and optically transparent nanopaper using a bilayer design where a thin layer of boron nitride (BN) nanosheets were coated on the CNF-nanopaper. An optical transparency (70%) and a thermal conductivity (0.76 W/m/K) were successfully achieved through a solution-based process at room temperature. Such an optically transparent, electrically insulating, and thermally conductive bilayer nanopaper can find applications in a range of electronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihui Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology , Shanghai 200237, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Zhi Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Wei Luo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Xiaogang Han
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Soo-Hwan Jang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Jiaqi Dai
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Bao Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Liangbing Hu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
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44
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Xin Y, Tian H, Guo C, Li X, Sun H, Wang P, Qian C, Wang S, Wang C. A biomimetic tactile sensing system based on polyvinylidene fluoride film. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2016; 87:025002. [PMID: 26931883 DOI: 10.1063/1.4941736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film has been widely investigated as a sensing material due to its outstanding properties such as biocompatibility, high thermal stability, good chemical resistance, high piezo-, pyro- and ferro-electric properties. This paper reports on the design, test, and analysis of a biomimetic tactile sensor based on PVDF film. This sensor consists of a PVDF film with aluminum electrodes, a pair of insulating layers, and a "handprint" friction layer with a copper foil. It is designed for easy fabrication and high reliability in outputting signals. In bionics, the fingerprint of the glabrous skin plays an important role during object handling. Therefore, in order to enhance friction and to provide better manipulation, the ridges of the fingertips were introduced into the design of the proposed tactile sensor. And, a basic experimental study on the selection of the high sensitivity fingerprint type for the biomimetic sensor was performed. In addition, we proposed a texture distinguish experiment to verify the sensor sensitivity. The experiment's results show that the novel biomimetic sensor is effective in discriminating object surface characteristics. Furthermore, an efficient visual application program (LabVIEW) and a quantitative evaluation method were proposed for the verification of the biomimetic sensor. The proposed tactile sensor shows great potential for contact force and slip measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xin
- College of Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130061, China
| | - Hongying Tian
- College of Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130061, China
| | - Chao Guo
- College of Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130061, China
| | - Xiang Li
- College of Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130061, China
| | - Hongshuai Sun
- College of Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130061, China
| | - Peiyuan Wang
- College of Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130061, China
| | - Chenghui Qian
- College of Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130061, China
| | - Shuhong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, China
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45
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Dang W, Vinciguerra V, Lorenzelli L, Dahiya R. Metal-organic Dual Layer Structure for Stretchable Interconnects. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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46
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Polishchuk A, Navaraj WT, Heidari H, Dahiya R. Multisensory Smart Glove for Tactile Feedback in Prosthetic Hand. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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47
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Kaboli M, Long A, Cheng G. Humanoids learn touch modalities identification via multi-modal robotic skin and robust tactile descriptors. Adv Robot 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/01691864.2015.1095652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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