Soft sensor material could make clothes smarter
Wiring-free sensor material can add electronic functionality to objects and be used in medical devices
Researchers from Purdue University in Lafeyette, Indiana are to unveil a new material for flexible sensors, along with a method for processing the signals they produce, at an upcoming conference in Canada.
The material has applications in sport, smart clothing, medical sensing and prosthetics, they claim, and can sense in real time, without any delays, and with no need for wiring.
The material, called iSoft, is made of carbon-filled silicon rubber, which has piezoresistive properties; that is, its electrical resistance changes when it is deformed. Because these properties are intrinsic to the material, it does not need any wiring or electronics within the sensor itself; just a series of electrodes around the edge of the rubbery sheet.
Carbon-filled silicon rubber has been investigated for soft sensor applications before, but the sticking-point has previously been rebound elasticity, which causes a signal delay while the material returns to its original shape. The Purdue team has developed an algorithm called dynamic baseline update (DBU) that compensates for this.
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
CCC Report Finds UK Climate Targets Still Within Reach
In 1990 67% of the UK´s electricity came from coal-fired power stations and even without renewables the transition to gas was a major contributor to...