Pilot lab pioneers gesture control over robots

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Smart sensors have been developed that can give people living with limb disabilities the ability to control robotic prostheses, machinery, and motorised wheelchairs using alternative muscle movements and bio-signals.

An advanced e-skin prototype that has soft electronic circuits integrated with commercial hardware, which can be produced at NTU’s new pilot laboratory for soft electronics
An advanced e-skin prototype that has soft electronic circuits integrated with commercial hardware, which can be produced at NTU’s new pilot laboratory for soft electronics - NTU Singapore

The sensors have been developed at a pilot laboratory at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), a facility that allows the rapid prototyping ultrathin and stretchable soft electronics that detect bioelectric signals from skin, muscles and organs, and transmit these signals to control robots or other electronic devices.

NTU researchers developed these soft electronics devices by combining in-house designed soft materials and processes with commercially available hardware components.

This hybrid combination allows the NTU team to integrate many types of sensors on the market, such as wireless connectivity, accelerometer, temperature sensing, and monitoring vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and more.

Encased in a gel-like skin, the sensors are soft, flexible and stretchable. They adhere to the skin, enable joint movement, and come in various sizes and thicknesses, ranging from centimetres to sub-microns.

Leading these developments, NTU Professor Chen Xiaodong has been a pioneer in soft electronics over the last decade and holds over 50 patents.

His most recent breakthrough is a new biocompatible material that can shrink and wrap around soft tissues like the heart when moisture is applied.

The developed materials achieved conformity and flexibility that enables real-time heart monitoring and reduces the risk of implant rejections.

"We aim to address some of humanity's most pressing challenges, from climate change to healthcare advancements. My goal is to establish a new centre of excellence for soft electronics, building a team of industry experts and commercial partners to swiftly bring these technologies to market,” Prof Chen said in a statement.

To kickstart the scaling-up process, Prof Chen has established the pilot laboratory which aims to co-develop and produce soft electronic devices with industry partners, including SMEs.

Through joint projects, Prof Chen hopes to establish industry standards that will facilitate the mass production of soft electronics in the future and develop the necessary expertise for this emerging industry.

soft robotics