Stretchable silicon nanoribbon electronics for skin prosthesis

Abstract

Sensory receptors in human skin transmit a wealth of tactile and thermal signals from external environments to the brain. Despite advances in our understanding of mechano-and thermosensation, replication of these unique sensory characteristics in artificial skin and prosthetics remains challenging. Recent efforts to develop smart prosthetics, which exploit rigid and/or semi-flexible pressure, strain and temperature sensors, provide promising routes for sensor-laden bionic systems, but with limited stretchability, detection range and spatiotemporal resolution. Here we demonstrate smart prosthetic skin instrumented with ultrathin, single crystalline silicon nanoribbon strain, pressure and temperature sensor arrays as well as associated humidity sensors, electroresistive heaters and stretchable multi-electrode arrays for nerve stimulation. This collection of stretchable sensors and actuators facilitate highly localized mechanical and thermal skin-like perception in response to external stimuli, thus providing unique opportunities for emerging classes of prostheses and peripheral nervous system interface technologies.

Extremely Stretchable Strain Sensors Based on Conductive Self‐Healing Dynamic Cross‐Links Hydrogels for Human‐Motion Detection

“…The gauge factor is higher than that of the hydrogel without electronic conductor (from 0.09 at 100% strain to 0.53 at 1000% strain), and other piezoresistive electronic strain sensor (0.06 at 200% strain)8 and capacitive soft strain sensors based on ionic conductor (0.348 ± 0.11 at 700% strain) 20. Although some strain sensors exhibit much higher gauge factors, the poor stretchability and lack of self‐healing capability restrict their applications under rigorous mechanical deformations 47, 48, 49…”

Blending Electronics with the Human Body: A Pathway toward a Cybernetic Future

“…In recent years, they have also been integrated into a great variety of organic polymer matrices to yield multifunctional flexible devices with improved electrophysiological sensing capabilities 284, 339, 434. Notably, these properties and functionalities of inorganic components are greatly affected by their crystal structure, phase, size, shape, and their chemical attributes 217.…”

Recent Progress in Electronic Skin

“…Attempts to fabricate multifunctional e‐skins with human‐like perceptive characteristics have also received attention to satisfy the additional wide‐ranging industrial demands 9. These artificial intelligent e‐skins with diverse sensing modules can simultaneously differentiate among various physical stimuli from the complex external environment, including strain, twist, temperature, and humidity 10.…”