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Skin-electrode iontronic interface for mechanosensing

Author

Listed:
  • Pang Zhu

    (Southern University of Science and Technology)

  • Huifeng Du

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Xingyu Hou

    (Southern University of Science and Technology)

  • Peng Lu

    (Southern University of Science and Technology)

  • Liu Wang

    (Southern University of Science and Technology
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Southern University of Science and Technology)

  • Jun Huang

    (Southern University of Science and Technology)

  • Ningning Bai

    (Southern University of Science and Technology)

  • Zhigang Wu

    (Southern University of Science and Technology
    Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Nicholas X. Fang

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Chuan Fei Guo

    (Southern University of Science and Technology
    Southern University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

Electrodermal devices that capture the physiological response of skin are crucial for monitoring vital signals, but they often require convoluted layered designs with either electronic or ionic active materials relying on complicated synthesis procedures, encapsulation, and packaging techniques. Here, we report that the ionic transport in living systems can provide a simple mode of iontronic sensing and bypass the need of artificial ionic materials. A simple skin-electrode mechanosensing structure (SEMS) is constructed, exhibiting high pressure-resolution and spatial-resolution, being capable of feeling touch and detecting weak physiological signals such as fingertip pulse under different skin humidity. Our mechanical analysis reveals the critical role of instability in high-aspect-ratio microstructures on sensing. We further demonstrate pressure mapping with millimeter-spatial-resolution using a fully textile SEMS-based glove. The simplicity and reliability of SEMS hold great promise of diverse healthcare applications, such as pulse detection and recovering the sensory capability in patients with tactile dysfunction.

Suggested Citation

  • Pang Zhu & Huifeng Du & Xingyu Hou & Peng Lu & Liu Wang & Jun Huang & Ningning Bai & Zhigang Wu & Nicholas X. Fang & Chuan Fei Guo, 2021. "Skin-electrode iontronic interface for mechanosensing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24946-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24946-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Ruoxi Yang & Ankan Dutta & Bowen Li & Naveen Tiwari & Wanqing Zhang & Zhenyuan Niu & Yuyan Gao & Daniel Erdely & Xin Xin & Tiejun Li & Huanyu Cheng, 2023. "Iontronic pressure sensor with high sensitivity over ultra-broad linear range enabled by laser-induced gradient micro-pyramids," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Sanwei Hao & Qingjin Fu & Lei Meng & Feng Xu & Jun Yang, 2022. "A biomimetic laminated strategy enabled strain-interference free and durable flexible thermistor electronics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Dongxu Ma & Ming Ji & Hongbo Yi & Qingyu Wang & Fu Fan & Bo Feng & Mengjie Zheng & Yiqin Chen & Huigao Duan, 2024. "Pushing the thinness limit of silver films for flexible optoelectronic devices via ion-beam thinning-back process," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Jinhui Zhang & Haimin Yao & Jiaying Mo & Songyue Chen & Yu Xie & Shenglin Ma & Rui Chen & Tao Luo & Weisong Ling & Lifeng Qin & Zuankai Wang & Wei Zhou, 2022. "Finger-inspired rigid-soft hybrid tactile sensor with superior sensitivity at high frequency," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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