Omnidirectional Bending Sensor with Bianisotropic Structure for Wearable Electronics

Abstract

Bending sensors are critical to the advancement of wearable electronics and can be applied in the dynamic monitoring of flexible object morphology. However, current bending sensors are constrained by sensing range and precision, especially in full-range detection. The maximum sensing range of existing flexible bending sensors is 0–240°. This study introduces a bianisotropic responsive structure into the design of an all-textile bending sensor, thereby realizing 0–360° full-range omnidirectional bending sensing. First, the project elucidated the sensing mechanism of the piezoresistive bianisotropic structured bending sensor and identified critical factors through a numerical simulation method. Then, the bianisotropic structured bending sensors were produced through the stitch method and analyzed on their electromechanical performance. Further, the recognition model for both bending angle and direction parameters was developed via numerical calculation, achieving a high accuracy with an error rate of 2.82%. Last, according to the ergonomics of body joints, the sensors were customized and validated in body joint monitoring scenarios. This work significantly enhances the performance of flexible bending sensors in sensing range, accuracy, and comfort for the wearer. The versatility of this bending sensor positions it as a promising candidate to supplant traditional heavy equipment or rigid devices, particularly in wearable joint motion monitoring and soft robotics.