Soft Elastomer Sensor Switching for External Stimulus Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sensor systems are rigid and complex, making them unsuitable for soft robotics applications, and existing soft sensor systems rely on bulky transducers, limiting their use in biologically inspired or miniaturized structures.
Innovation Solution
A stimuli-responsive sensor system composed of soft components, utilizing piezoresistive elastomeric composites that change their electric resistivity in response to small external stimuli, which can be piezoresistive elastomers, which are capable of changing their electric resistivity in response to small external stimuli, which can be piezoresistive elastomers, which are capable of changing their electric resistivity in response to small external stimuli, which can be piezoresistive elastomers, which are capable of changing their electric resistivity in response to small external stimuli.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If rigid transducers are used in sensor systems, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and incompatibility with soft robotics increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the sensing element from rigid to soft by using a soft polymer matrix. This allows the sensor to be integrated into soft robotic structures while maintaining measurement capability through the stimuli-responsive properties of the polymer material itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials consisting of a soft polymer matrix combined with stimuli-responsive particles or fibers. This composite structure enables the sensor to exhibit both the mechanical compliance of soft materials and the sensing functionality of the embedded stimuli-responsive components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If soft polymer measuring elements are used, then adaptability to soft robotics is improved, but transducer bulkiness reduces suitability for miniaturized applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating stimuli-responsive particles or fibers specifically within the polymer matrix at the sensing region. This localized approach enables the sensor to respond to external stimuli without requiring a bulky transducer structure, as the sensing functionality is embedded within the soft polymer material itself.
3Measurement precision
If conventional rigid sensor systems are used, then measurement capability is improved, but user acceptance and safety in human-robot interaction decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a soft polymer matrix as the structural base for the sensor, replacing rigid transducers with a flexible, compliant material. This soft polymer structure not only enables integration into soft robotic systems but also reduces the risk of injury during human-robot interaction while maintaining measurement capability through the embedded stimuli-responsive elements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a highly sensitive evaluation of external stimuli without rigid electronics, enabling integration into soft robotic structures, enhancing user acceptance and reducing injury risk.
Implementation Method 1
piezoresistive elastomeric composites which exhibit a reversible change in their electric resistivity when the piezoresistive elastomeric composite is compressed or stretched
Implementation Method 2
Stimuli-responsive elastomers are elastomers which can undergo large reversible changes in their physical properties in response to small external stimuli. In particular, a reversible change in a volume of the respective elastomer in response to a small external stimulus
Implementation Method 3
Dielectric elastomer switches can generally be piezoresistive elastomeric composites which exhibit a reversible change in their electric resistivity when the piezoresistive elastomeric composite is compressed or stretched
Data Source
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AI summary
Stimuli-responsive sensor system (e.g. chemo-responsive, thermo-responsive, radiation-responsive), a digital logic element comprising a stimuli-responsive sensor system, a robotic system comprising a stimuli-responsive sensor system or a digital logic element and a method of detecting an external stimulus. The stimuli-responsive sensor system comprises a dielectric elastomer switch (1), preferably a pizeo-resistive elastomer) and a stimuli-responsive elastomer (2) that are configured to contact each other at a contact surface (3). The stimuli-responsive elastomer component (2) is configured to exert a pressure (by shrinking or swelling) on this contact surface (3) if an external stimulus interacts with the stimuli-responsive elastomer (2) and the dielectric elastomer switch (1) is configured to detect the pressure exerted on the contact surface (3) by the stimuli-responsive elastomer (2) and to generate an electric output signal in dependence of the detected pressure.