Bionic\nSingle-Electrode Electronic Skin Unit Based\non Piezoelectric Nanogenerator

Abstract

Moravec’s\nparadox shows that low-level sensorimotor skills\nare more difficult than high-level reasoning in artificial intelligence\nand robotics. So simplifying every sensing unit on electronic skin\nis critical for endowing intelligent robots with tactile and temperature\nsense. The human nervous system is characterized by efficient single-electrode\nsignal transmission, ensuring the efficiency and reliability of information\ntransmission under big data conditions. In this work, we report a\nsensor based on a single-electrode piezoelectric nanogenerator (SPENG)\nby electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibers that can\nrealize steady-state sensing of pressure integrating cold/heat sensing\non a single unit. Piezoelectric signals appear as square wave signals,\nand the thermal-sensing signals appear as pulse signals. Therefore,\nthe two signals can be acquired by a single unit simultaneously. The\nSPENG overcomes the shortcoming of electronic skins based on a single-electrode\ntriboelectric nanogenerator (STENG), which can sense only dynamic\nmovement and cannot sense temperature variations. The new sensor configuration\nuses a capacitor instead of the STENG’s ground wire as a potential\nreference, allowing it to be used for truly autonomous robots. At\nthe same time, the traditional advantages of polymer piezoelectric\nmaterials, such as flexibility, transparency, and self-powered advantages,\nhave also been preserved.