Ultra-sensitive sensors - prospects for artificial skin

For a long time, touch has always played an important role in developing robots as well as improving the quality of fake limbs used for people with disabilities. But creating artificial skin is even more difficult, because engineers need to study how the skin feels the lightest, flexible and low-energy use. The new sensor developed by Stanford University (USA) scientists can meet all of these requirements, marking a new step in creating fake leather like real leather.

>>>Comprehensive health monitoring device

Chemical engineering professor Zhenan Bao said the device is a semiconductor device made of semiconductor polymer with flexible properties.'If we use a hand to press on a piece of rubber, it will deform. When deformed, it will change the amount of charge that can be stored and affect the current flowing into the semiconductor material, ' explains lead researcher Bao, who explains why the new sensor is highly sensitive, while also know it works even when bent, such as wrapping around a body part.

Experts tested the sensor on the wrist of a man and found it could record the pulse faster than how to catch the pulse with normal fingers. According to them, manual pulse detection can only detect the strongest pulse of a blood vessel, while a flexible sensor can record weaker (vascular) pulse waves. Stiffness of the arteries can be a sign of diabetes damage or blood fat content.

In the near future, Professor Bao and his colleagues will integrate more wireless connectivity for the device to help patients from having to carry on their bulky medical surveillance devices during the healing period. The ultimate goal of experts is to create a full range of artificial skin that feels like our skin.