Stretchable Sensors for Soft Robotic Grippers in Edge-Intelligent IoT Applications

The rapid development of electronic material and sensing technology has enabled research to be conducted on liquid metal-based soft sensors. The application of soft sensors is widespread and has many applications in soft robotics, smart prosthetics, and human-machine interfaces, where these sensors can be integrated for precise and sensitive monitoring. Soft sensors can be easily integrated for soft robotic applications, where traditional sensors are incompatible with robotic applications as these types of sensors show large deformation and very flexible. These liquid-metal-based sensors have been widely used for biomedical, agricultural and underwater applications. In this research, we have designed and fabricated a novel soft sensor that yields microfluidic channel arrays embedded with liquid metal Galinstan alloy. First of all, the article presents different fabrication steps such as 3D modeling, printing, and liquid metal injection. Different sensing performances such as stretchability, linearity, and durability results are measured and characterized. The fabricated soft sensor demonstrated excellent stability and reliability and exhibited promising sensitivity with respect to different pressures and conditions.

Automated summary

The development of electronic material and sensing technology has allowed for research on liquid metal-based soft sensors. These sensors have a wide range of applications in soft robotics, smart prosthetics, and human-machine interfaces, providing precise and sensitive monitoring. They can be easily integrated into soft robotic applications due to their flexibility and deformability, which traditional sensors lack. Liquid-metal-based sensors have been extensively used in biomedical, agricultural, and underwater applications. In this research, a novel soft sensor embedded with liquid metal Galinstan alloy in microfluidic channel arrays was designed and fabricated. The sensing performances, including stretchability, linearity, and durability, were measured and characterized, showing excellent stability, reliability, and promising sensitivity to different pressures and conditions.