Bioinspired Multifunctional E‐skin for Robot Dynamic Tactile Real‐Time Feedback Systems Using Triboelectric Sensors and Electrochromic Devices

Abstract

Designing efficient robot dynamic tactile feedback systems remains a great challenge, especially in disaster relief and human-computer interaction, because they need to provide timely tactile and visual data. Herein, a novel bioinspired electronic skin (e-skin) is proposed based on self-powered triboelectric sensor (TES) arrays and electrochromic device (ECD) arrays. Single-electrode TES arrays (TESA) are used to detect pressure distribution at the different positions of the robot. The ECD arrays (ECDs) are used as the real-time visualization window to provide feedback on the pressure distribution by the change in the color of the e-skin.The bioinspired e-skin arrayed system possesses a similar capability to Chameleon, displaying the pressure information on the contact surface between the robot and object in real-time via interactive color-changing capabilities, such as the location, degree, and distribution. Moreover, the proposed e-skin can be used as a feedback system for large-scale curved robot surfaces due to its flexibility, large-scale process, and excellent compatibility. Thus, the novel design, large-scale process, and self-powered advantages make it a good candidate to pave the way for developing human-robot interactions as robot dynamic tactile real-time feedback systems.

Recent Advances in Tactile Sensory Systems: Mechanisms, Fabrication, and Applications

“…This device can be attached to fingers conformally to measure the strain and movement of the fingers, and then analyze the signals and recognize different gestures via a neural network. In addition, Sun et al [ 139 ] proposed a multifunctional e-skin that mimicked the chameleon’s ability to change color according to the pressure it feels, based on two types of self-powered devices: triboelectric sensor (TES) arrays and electrochromic device (ECD) arrays. The TES arrays measured the pressure at different parts of the robot, and the ECD arrays showed the pressure by changing the color of the e-skin.…”

Temperature Sensors Integrated with an Electrochromic Readout toward Visual Detection

“…Researchers have designed and fabricated various electrochromic devices (WO 3 //PANI, V 2 O 5 //PANI, WO 3 //ITO, etc.) that can adapt to different sensing systems. − For example, Ha et al integrated a strain sensor with an ECD based on V 2 O 5 thin films and polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers, in which the color mode changes from yellow to dark blue as the strain increased . Up to now, many research studies have made remarkable pioneering achievements in the field of electrochromic sensors.…”