Stretchable, Transparent, Ultrasensitive, and Patchable Strain Sensor for Human–Machine Interfaces Comprising a Nanohybrid of Carbon Nanotubes and Conductive Elastomers
Abstract
Interactivity between humans and smart systems, including wearable, body-attachable, or implantable platforms, can be enhanced by realization of multifunctional human-machine interfaces, where a variety of sensors collect information about the surrounding environment, intentions, or physiological conditions of the human to which they are attached. Here, we describe a stretchable, transparent, ultrasensitive, and patchable strain sensor that is made of a novel sandwich-like stacked piezoresisitive nanohybrid film of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and a conductive elastomeric composite of polyurethane (PU)-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrenesulfonate ( PEDOT: PSS). This sensor, which can detect small strains on human skin, was created using environmentally benign water-based solution processing. We attributed the tunability of strain sensitivity (i.e., gauge factor), stability, and optical transparency to enhanced formation of percolating networks between conductive SWCNTs and PEDOT phases at interfaces in the stacked PU-PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT/PU-PEDOT:PSS structure. The mechanical stability, high stretchability of up to 100%, optical transparency of 62%, and gauge factor of 62 suggested that when attached to the skin of the face, this sensor would be able to detect small strains induced by emotional expressions such as laughing and crying, as well as eye movement, and we confirmed this experimentally.
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Recognizing emotional expressions such as laughing, crying, blinking eyes, and others has been realized by using strain sensors to monitor the associated skin movements.
“Recognizing emotional expressions such as laughing, [46] crying, [46] blinking eyes, [46,103] and others [44,46,103,123] has been realized by using strain sensors to monitor the associated skin movements.”
From Nanomaterial-Enabled Wearable Sensors for Healthcare (2018) · cites this paper as [46]
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- Authors
- Roh, E., Hwang, B.-U., Kim, D., Kim, B.-Y., & Lee, N.-E.
- Affiliations
- Sungkyunkwan University (KR)
- Corresponding author
- Lee, Nae-Eung
- Venue
- ACS Nano
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2015-04-16
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 6252-6261
- ISSN
- 1936-0851 (ISSN-L)
- 1936-086X
- OpenAlex
- W2313024814
- Cited by
- 927
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 33 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 64 · 2023: 75 · 2022: 101 · 2021: 106 · 2020: 124 · 2019: 129 · 2018: 126 · 2017: 83 · 2016: 45 · 2015: 9
- FWCI
- 43.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- ACS Nano (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Research Foundation of Korea (2013R1A2A1A01015232)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Nanomaterials and Printing Technologies
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Carbon Nanotubes in Composites
- Keywords
- stretchable strain sensors, human-machine interaction, single-walled carbon nanotubes, PEDOT:PSS, conductive elastomers, polyurethane, nanohybrid films, piezoresistive sensing, gauge factor, optical transparency, percolation network, eye movement detection, wearable sensors
- MeSH terms
- Elasticity, Electric Conductivity, Humans, Skin, Elastomers, Nanotubes, Carbon
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