Sheet-based flexible technologies for mechanical sensing

Abstract

Flexible electronic technologies offer the potential for the co-integration of mechanical sensors that measure the state of the flexible surface under actuation or deformation. This format of sensor offers significant opportunities for the instrumentation of existing systems for a range of applications such as touch, measurement of acoustic field, and the detection of deformation modes of a system. Beyond the instrumentation of existing systems, flexible devices can themselves serve as actuators, allowing for sheet-based robotic devices, as well as the development of sensor formats for challenging applications.