Conducting polymers such as polypyrrole (PPy) can be deposited on various substrates to obtain conductive electroactive coatings. While electrochemical coatings are generally considered to be more effective, chemical coatings are more industrially suitable, especially on complex substrates. In this work, we aimed to explore the electro‐chemo‐mechanical response of conductive fiber scaffolds (CFS) prepared by coating PPy (chemically) on glucose‐gelatin nanofibre scaffolds. Electroactivity was readily observed in both aqueous and propylene carbonate solutions of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, with mainly anion activity in both cases. A higher actuation response was achieved in the aqueous solutions with strain in the range of 1.2% and stress in the range of 3 kPa. Under both cyclic voltammetry and square wave potential steps driving, stable actuation for over 100 cycles was maintained. In addition to actuation, the CFS samples exhibited concurrent sensory properties, in sensing current densities and mechanical load. The PPy‐coated CFS material functioning as both an actuator and a sensor is envisaged to have potential applications in smart materials, soft robotics or e‐skin. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48533.

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The present paper reports on the development of an autonomous, lightweight, and robust insole pressure sensor array system. The system measures plantar pressure on the go and channels the information to a mobile device but also stores it onboard, enabling post-measurement data analysis. The collected data can be used to analyze posture and gait but also to measure the performance of an athlete. The application is not limited to sports as abnormal plantar pressure distribution is of interest for several fields of medicine, among them the early detection of diabetic foot ulceration. The materials, methods, and approaches considered and tested during the development are discussed. The target system is aimed at high signal reproducibility for periodic measurements, high response frequency and long-term stability.