Triboelectric Self-Powered Wearable Flexible Patch as 3D Motion Control Interface for Robotic Manipulator

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators and sensors can be applied as human− machine interfaces to the next generation of intelligent and interactive products, where flexible tactile sensors exhibit great advantages for diversified applications such as robotic control. In this paper, we present a self-powered, flexible, triboelectric sensor (SFTS) patch for finger trajectory sensing and further apply the collected information for robotic control. This innovative sensor consists of flexible and environmentally friendly materials, i.e., starch-based hydrogel, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and silicone rubber. The sensor patch can be divided into a two-dimensional (2D) SFTS for in-plane robotic movement control and a one-dimensional (1D) SFTS for out-of-plane robotic movement control. The 2D-SFTS is designed with a grid structure on top of the sensing surface to track the continuous sliding information on the fingertip, e.g., trajectory, velocity, and acceleration, with four circumjacent starchbased hydrogel PDMS elastomer electrodes. Combining the 2D-SFTS with the 1D-SFTS, three-dimensional (3D) spatial information can be generated and applied to control the 3D motion of a robotic manipulator, and the real-time demonstration is successfully realized. With the facile design and very low-cost materials, the proposed SFTS shows great potential for applications in robotics control, touch screens, and electronic skins.

An epidermal sEMG tattoo-like patch as a new human–machine interface for patients with loss of voice

“…[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] . One of the major trends is to apply textiles made of functional yearns and coatings or to use flexible materials to fabricate devices for detecting physiological signals [24][25][26] , conducting drug delivery 27 , and realizing intuitive humanmachine interfaces [28][29][30][31] . Another trend is the thin-film technique for stretchable electronics and wearables, including epidermal sensors, the epidermal electronic system (EES), and electronic tattoos (e-tattoos), which have demonstrated a wide range of functionalities, including physiological sensing [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] , on-skin display 44 , ultraviolet (UV) detection 45 , transdermal therapeutics 34 , human-machine interface (HMI) 46 , prosthetic electronic skin 47 , and skin-adhesive rechargeable batteries 48,49 .…”

Multifunctional Skin‐Inspired Flexible Sensor Systems for Wearable Electronics

“…Typically, triboelectric and piezoelectric effects are two reliable approaches to convert mechanical energy to electricity for wearable electronics. Since the first report of flexible triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) by Fan et al, several groups have been involved in applying TENGs on skin‐inspired sensors, targeting at the realization of battery‐free monitoring and diagnostic systems . For instance, Pu et al reported a mechnosensational TENG (msTENG)‐based noninvasive micromotion sensor that is capable of translating eye blink into control command based on a multifilm structure, which could be flexibly mounted behind an eyeglass arm ( Figure a) .…”

Development Trends and Perspectives of Future Sensors and MEMS/NEMS

“…The 3D information of the mobile stage can then be used for the control of a nano-manipulator in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Moving forward, flexible wearable interfaces will be of increasing importance to enable intuitive interactions between humans and machines [174][175][176]. Figure 11c shows an intuitive glove interface, with four textile-based sensors to achieve full interacting functionality [174].…”