Flexible, printed tactle, friction, and temperature sensor array for artificial skin

Abstract

This paper describes printed, flexible, tactile, friction, and temperature sensors for the applications of an artificial electronic skin (e-skin). Conventional e-skin reported previously does not have the capability to detect friction in addition to tactile and temperature that allows us to imitate human functionalities and hold an object without dropping and/or breaking. This is due to difficulty of device fabrication on a flexible substrate. Furthermore, a printing technique is required to realize macroscale and low-cost flexible devices for the practical application. Here, we address these two challenges by arranging the structure of devices and developing the inks and printing technique.