Electronic Skin Based on a Cellulose/Carbon Nanotube Fiber Network for Large-Area 3D Touch and Real-Time 3D Surface Scanning

Electronic skin (E-skin) based on tactile sensors has great significance in next-generation electronics such as biomedical application and artificial intelligence that requires interaction with humans. To mimic the properties of human skin, high flexibility, excellent sensing capability, and sufficient spatial resolution through high-level sensor integration are required. Here, we report a highly sensitive pressure sensor matrix based on a piezoresistive cellulose/single-walled carbon nanotube-entangled fiber network, which forms its own porous structure enabling a superior pressure sensor with a high sensitivity (9.097 kPa(-1)), a fast response speed (<2 ms), and orders of magnitude detection range with a detection limit of 1 Pa. Furthermore, the remarkable device expandability based on the ease of patterning and scalability allows easy implementation of a large-area pressure sensor matrix which has 2304 (48 x 48) pixels. Combined with a real-time pressure distribution monitoring system, a flexible 3D touch sensor that simultaneously displays plane coordinates and pressure information and a scanning device that detects the morphology of the soft body 3D surface are successfully demonstrated.

Automated summary

A highly sensitive pressure sensor matrix has been developed based on a cellulose/single-walled carbon nanotube entangled fiber network, offering superior performance including high sensitivity, fast response speed, and large detection range. This sensor technology enables the creation of flexible 3D touch sensors and detailed pressure distribution monitoring with real-time capabilities.