Soft Sensor-Embedded Glove with Nested Conductive Liquid Metal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soft sensor embedded gloves face challenges in manufacturing ease and performance, particularly in accurately measuring hand movements due to exposure on the outer surface, which affects durability and requires skilled operators for sensor placement.
Innovation Solution
A soft sensor embedded glove design with a soft sensor module integrated into the inside skin pattern, featuring sensors at joint portions to measure flexion and extension, and a method of manufacturing involving a conductive liquid metal-based sensor unit printed on elastic layers, enhancing durability and ease of production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If soft sensors are embedded in the glove, then measurement accuracy of hand movements is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The glove is divided into multiple skin patterns (outside skin pattern and inside skin pattern) with the soft sensor module embedded in the inside skin pattern. This segmentation allows sensors to be integrated without exposing them on the outer surface, maintaining measurement accuracy while simplifying the manufacturing process by organizing components into distinct functional layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft sensor module is nested within the inside skin pattern of the glove, which itself is nested within the overall glove structure along with the outside skin pattern. This nested arrangement embeds the sensors within the glove fabric, improving measurement accuracy while avoiding the need for separate sensor mounting steps that would increase manufacturing complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If soft sensors are placed on the outer surface of the glove, then manufacturing is simpler, but durability decreases and operator skill is required for accurate placement
Solution Approach 1:
The soft sensor module is nested within the inside skin pattern, embedding it within the glove structure rather than placing it on the outer surface. This embedding protects the sensors from external damage, improving durability, while the integration into the inside skin pattern maintains manufacturing simplicity by following the same construction process as the rest of the glove.
Solution Approach 2:
The inside skin pattern acts as an intermediary layer between the soft sensor module and the outside environment. This intermediate structure protects the sensors from direct exposure to external factors that would reduce durability, while still allowing the sensors to function accurately without requiring skilled operators for placement.
3Shape
If the glove structure is modified to embed sensors, then aesthetic appeal is improved, but manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The glove is segmented into an outside skin pattern and an inside skin pattern, with the sensor embedding function assigned to the inside skin pattern. This segmentation allows the outer surface to maintain its aesthetic appearance without exposed sensors, while the manufacturing complexity is managed by treating the inside skin pattern as a separate component that is subsequently integrated.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft sensor module is pre-integrated into the inside skin pattern during its formation, before the inside skin pattern is coupled to the outside skin pattern. This preliminary action embeds the sensors within the glove structure in advance, achieving aesthetic appeal by hiding sensors, while the manufacturing process remains straightforward as it follows the sequential assembly of pre-prepared components.
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 solution allows for improved manufacturing efficiency, enhanced durability, and accurate measurement of hand movements with reduced operator skill requirements, while maintaining aesthetic appeal by embedding sensors within the glove.
Implementation Method 1
forming a sensor unit by printing a conductive liquid metal in a preset pattern on the first elastic layer
Implementation Method 2
a sensor unit formed by printing conductive liquid metal between the first elastic layer and the second elastic layer
Implementation Method 3
a first elastic layer, a second elastic layer arranged on the first elastic layer
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a soft sensor embedded glove including an upper inside skin pattern, a soft sensor module coupled to at least a surface of the upper inside skin pattern, and including at least one soft sensor formed on a joint portion of a finger to measure flexion and extension of the finger, and an outside skin coupled to the upper inside skin pattern and exposed to outside, wherein, in the upper inside skin pattern, a width of a region to which the at least one soft sensor is coupled is less than a width of another region.