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Aerosol-jet-printed, conformable microfluidic force sensors.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Pace, Alizée 
Husmann, Anke 
Ćatić, Nordin 

Abstract

Force sensors that are thin, low-cost, flexible, and compatible with commercial microelectronic chips are of great interest for use in biomedical sensing, precision surgery, and robotics. By leveraging a combination of microfluidics and capacitive sensing, we develop a thin, flexible force sensor that is conformable and robust. The sensor consists of a partially filled microfluidic channel made from a deformable material, with the channel overlaying a series of interdigitated electrodes coated with a thin, insulating polymer layer. When a force is applied to the microfluidic channel reservoir, the fluid is displaced along the channel over the electrodes, thus inducing a capacitance change proportional to the applied force. The microfluidic molds themselves are made of low-cost sacrificial materials deposited via aerosol-jet printing, which is also used to print the electrode layer. We envisage a large range of industrial and biomedical applications for this force sensor.

Description

Keywords

aerosol-jet printing, capacitance, conformable force sensor, flexible electronics, interdigitated electrodes, microfluidics, soft robotics

Journal Title

Cell Rep Phys Sci

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2666-3864
2666-3864

Volume Title

2

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
European Research Council (639526)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/P007767/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (2277393)
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