Ran Li
Research Mentor: Kenn Oldham
Mentor Department: Mechanical Engineering, Engineering
Author(s): Not Available
Session: Session 4 (1:00 PM – 1:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 29
Abstract
Soft sensing technology is already widely used to detect electrical signals in the medical field. However, mechanical signals are more difficult to transduce because they require flexibility from an electrically sensitive material. Polydimethlysiloxene (PDMS)-based sensors can be very flexible, but poor adhesion between PDMS and metals leads to high manufacturing cost for PDMS-based soft sensor systems. In this study, we introduce a low-cost PDMS-carbon nanotube (CNT) sensor designed to capture strain through an electrode design. The sensor consists of a PDMS–CNT composite layer stacked with copper foil and soldered wiring. The detailed process of manufacturing will be introduced in the paper. We then test this sensor by examining the relationship between multiaxial strain and changes in capacitance and resistance to see if it responds to electrical signals. This approach significantly reduces costs, enables scalable mass production, and provides resistance to bacterial adhesion, all of which make this sensor suitable for medical applications.
