Wearable Hybrid Device Capable of Interactive Perception with Pressure Sensing and Visualization

Abstract

A wearable interactive device that can synchronously detect and visualize pressure, stimuli will supplement easily identifiable in situ signals with conventional sensing that outputs only electronic signals. Currently, most interactive devices are composed of physically connected separate pressure sensors and display elements, which do not conform to the development of miniaturization and high integration. The realization of combining these two functions in one device with a simplified configuration is still only beginning to be explored. Inspired by the two-in-one response of the octopus, which can both sense and visualize stimuli, an integrated hybrid device based on ionic sensing and electrochromic display is proposed for interactive pressure perception. By efficiently reusing the electrodes and ionic gel, the device enables quantitative sensing and direct color changing in response to pressure. Benefiting from its excellent comprehensive performance, the applications are explored and verified, including the interactive perception of pressure information, hiding and display of visual information under pressure regulation, and repeated writing and erasing on flexible boards. Notably, multiple customized systems with improved design flexibility are implemented to provide remote monitoring and visual warning of behavioral states and physiological parameters. This study diversifies solutions to realize a direct link between pressure detection and visualization.

Functional microneedles for wearable electronics

“…In a capacitance-based sensor, the microneedle part acts as the dielectric layer. 77 The introduction of such a microneedle-like structure can greatly improve the sensitivity of the capacitance-based sensor. To theoretically explain this, the capacitance per unit area of a parallel-plate capacitor is defined as C ¼ ε r ε 0 d (ε r : permittivity of the dielectric layer, ε 0 : permittivity of the free space, d: distance between the parallel plates).…”

Cephalopods as a Natural Sensor-Display Feedback System Inspiring Adaptive Technologies

“…56 Inspired by cephalopod dual function of simultaneous pressure detection and visualization, Guo et al have fabricated a hybrid device that responds to pressure changes and generates a capacitance signal from a real-time visual color change. 70 The device is created using magnetron-sputtered tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) on 3-D printed structures layered on an ionic gel (polyvinyl alcohol/H 3 PO 4 ), which is sandwiched between two indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. When pressure is applied, the color of the device changes from yellow to blue due to the redox activity of W 6+ to W 5+ /W 4+ .…”

A Review on PVDF Nanofibers in Textiles for Flexible Piezoelectric Sensors

“…Textiles are essential substrates for wearable electronics because of their inherent structural flexibility, porosity, breathability, and lightweight. 11 At present, different types of wearable flexible sensors have been developed and applied to different monitoring fields (stress, strain, temperature, and pressure), among which piezoresistive, 12 piezocapacitive, 13 triboelectric, 14,15 and piezoelectric 16 flexible sensors are widely studied. Piezoresistive sensors respond to external stimuli through changes in resistance and are known for high sensitivity and low frequency capability.…”