Rapid-Response, Widely Stretchable Sensor of Aligned\nMWCNT/Elastomer Composites for Human Motion Detection

Abstract

We\nstudied the use of carbon-nanotube- (CNT)-based strain sensors\nas components of a textile-based, wearable sensing system for real-time\nmotion detection. In the stretchable sensor, millimeter-long multiwalled\nCNTs (MWCNTs) are unidirectionally aligned and sandwiched between\nelastomer layers. We synthesized urethane resin to make the elastomer,\nwhich exhibits low elasticity and an affinity for human skin. The\naligned CNT layer was formed by stacking CNT webs drawn from a spinnable\nCNT forest. The stretchable sensor can be stretched up to 200% and\nexhibits a short sensing delay of less than 15 ms. The gauge factor\nexceeds 10, which indicates high sensitivity. Moreover, the device\nis thin and as soft as human skin. The demonstrated flexibility and\nconformable nature make this material ideally suited for wearable\nsensors, specifically for a textile-based, wearable, real-time, human\nbody motion-sensing application.