Researchers from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a design for flexible pressure sensor. This is highly likely to gain broader applicability. The research team form KAIST created a piezoresistive pressure sensor that is of high uniformity. Further, it has low hysteresis through chemically grafting a conductive polymer onto a template porous elastomer template.
The KAIST team has identified that the consistency of shape and size of pores has direct relation with the sensor’s uniformity. Further, the research team notes that increasing the size and shape of the pores increases the sensor’s characteristics.
Research to Help in Gaining Deep Insight about Uniformity and Hysteresis of Pressure Sensors
Professor Steve Park, department of materials science and engineering, KAIST is leading the study. He states the newly invented sensor displays higher uniformity that consists of randomly shaped and sized pores.
Many electronic equipment such as human-machine interfaces, electronic skin, wearable healthcare devices, robots, and touch screens make extensive use of these sensors. Elastomer-conductive material composites based piezoresistive pressure sensors come with substantial potential owing to the numerous benefits that they offer, such as economic and simple fabrication process.
Scientists have carried out several research projects in a bid to enhance the performance of piezoresistive pressure sensors. The results of those researches emphasized in increasing sensor sensitivity. Several applications do not require sensitivity optimization of the composite-based piezoresistive pressure sensors, irrespective of its importance. However, sensor-to-sensor hysteresis and uniformity are essential in the realization of any application.
Professor Park remarks that this newly invented technology would help generate deep insight about the vital issues that plague pressure sensors. He also expects that the technology would also help play a significant role in widening the scope of commercialization.
