Microsphere-Assisted Robust Epidermal Strain Gauge for Static and Dynamic Gesture Recognition

A novel and robust epidermal strain gauge by using 3D microsphere arrays to immobilize, connect, and protect a multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) pathway is presented. During the solvent deposition process, MWNTs sedimentate, self-assemble, and wrap onto surface of polystyrene (PS) microspheres to construct conductive networks, which further obtain excellent stretchability of 100% by combining with commercially used elastomer. Benefiting from its 3D conductive pathway defined by microspheres, immobilized MWNT (I-MWNT) network can be directly used in practical occasions without further packaging and is proved by tape tests to be capable of defend mechanical damage effectively from external environment. By parameter optimization, the strain sensor with 3 µm PS spheres obtains stable resistive responses for more than 1000 times, and maintains its gauge factor (GF) of 1.35. This thin-film conductive membrane built by this effective construction method can be easily attached onto fingers of both robot and human, and is demonstrated in sensitive epidermal strain sensing and recognizing different hand gestures effectively, in static and dynamic modes, respectively.