A wing-structured sensor with multiple mechanical stimuli differentiation capabilities toward multifunctional applications

Wearable sensing electronics capable of detecting and differentiating multiple mechanical stimuli are promising devices in the applications of healthcare monitoring, robotics, etc. However, most wearable sensors are developed for detecting only uniaxial mechanical stimuli, which severely hinders their practical applications that usually involve complex mechanical stimuli. Here, a wing-like multifunctional sensor (WMS) consisting of pressure sensing module in the middle and stretching sensing module in both wings is developed with the capability of detecting and differentiating pressure, stretching, convex and concave bending through distinct electrical signals variation trends. The hierarchical in-situ filling porous as pressure sensing layer and micro-wrinkled carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/Ag nanoflakes as stretch sensing layer achieve high sensitivity over a broad range in both pressure (sensitivity of 0.25 kPa⁻¹ at 500 kPa) and strain sensing (Gauge factor of 140 at 150%). The pressure and stretch sensing module can work without interfering with each other, which is realized by structural design of lower Young's modulus stretch sensing module and higher thickness and compressibility pressure sensing module. Then WMS is demonstrated in accurate detection of human kinesthesia, human-computer interface, identification of objects of various hardnesses and sizes by robotic gripper, and perception of environmental information through a crawling robot.