Pub Date : 2026-01-30DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117543
Yan Zhao , Zirui Yang , Chengchen Gao , Zhenchuan Yang
Mn-Co-Ni-O (MCNO) thin films are essential for uncooled infrared microbolometers owing to their high thermal sensitivity, yet conventional MCNO architectures are limited by performance and fabrication challenges. This work presents a novel suspended bridge microbolometer design with cantilever anchors optimized for MCNO integration, incorporating a post-annealing step after polyimide release to ensure compatibility with organic sacrificial layer removal. Additionally, an electrode and beam synchronous patterning process enables narrower bridge beams with thermal conductivity of ∼10−6 W/K for improved responsivity. These advances allow the MCNO film to achieve high normalized voltage responsivity (4.13 ×104 V/W), low resistivity (5.78 Ω·cm), strong thermal stability, and a broad dynamic range, representing an 813-fold enhancement over conventional MCNO devices. Furthermore, the microbolometer demonstrates effective 1/f noise suppression (normalized noise factor ∼10⁻²⁸ cm³) and a 43-fold reduction in thermal noise, positioning MCNO as a leading material for large focal plane arrays.
{"title":"Ultra high responsivity bridge uncooled infrared microbolometers based on Mn-Co-Ni-O thin-film","authors":"Yan Zhao , Zirui Yang , Chengchen Gao , Zhenchuan Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117543","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117543","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mn-Co-Ni-O (MCNO) thin films are essential for uncooled infrared microbolometers owing to their high thermal sensitivity, yet conventional MCNO architectures are limited by performance and fabrication challenges. This work presents a novel suspended bridge microbolometer design with cantilever anchors optimized for MCNO integration, incorporating a post-annealing step after polyimide release to ensure compatibility with organic sacrificial layer removal. Additionally, an electrode and beam synchronous patterning process enables narrower bridge beams with thermal conductivity of ∼10<sup>−6</sup> W/K for improved responsivity. These advances allow the MCNO film to achieve high normalized voltage responsivity (4.13 ×10<sup>4</sup> V/W), low resistivity (5.78 Ω·cm), strong thermal stability, and a broad dynamic range, representing an 813-fold enhancement over conventional MCNO devices. Furthermore, the microbolometer demonstrates effective 1/f noise suppression (normalized noise factor ∼10⁻²⁸ cm³) and a 43-fold reduction in thermal noise, positioning MCNO as a leading material for large focal plane arrays.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117543"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-30DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117544
Jianwei Hou , Yanbin Wang , Fengming Ye , Jiaxiang Wang , Mengqiu Li , Mingzhi Yu , Faheng Zang , Dezhao Li , Xiaojun Guo , Zhuoqing Yang
Chip-scale atomic magnetometers (CSAMs) facilitate high-precision measurements of ultra-weak magnetic fields, which are increasingly vital for portable applications, biomedical sensing, including magnetoencephalography (MEG) and magnetocardiography (MCG) and resource exploration. As a pivotal component, the laser source provides the specific wavelengths required to induce spin polarization in alkali metal atoms within the vapor cell. However, conventional Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) are often limited by the stringent requirements for miniaturization and low magnetic interference in atomic magnetometers, primarily due to the induced magnetic fields generated by the integrated temperature-controlled coil. To address these challenges, this paper presents a laser emitter with Magnetic-field-suppressed Coils (LEMC). By configuring opposing current directions in adjacent windings, the magnetic fields generated by the energized wires are locally attenuated, achieving a significant suppression of the macroscopic induced magnetic field. Simulations of various current direction layouts demonstrate the superiority of the double-layer coil configuration in reducing magnetic interference. A silicon substrate with a deposited Si3N4 thin film serves as the thermal interface layer to ensure a precise temperature response. Experimental results demonstrate a residual magnetic field sensitivity of 0.49 nT/mA at a distance of 2 mm from the coil surface, while maintaining a temperature control stability of ±0.005°C at 80°C. The experiments also validated the stable temperature regulation of the coil and the wavelength tunability of the VCSEL. The proposed design represents a viable approach for applications in atomic sensors based on quantum mechanics principles.
{"title":"A low-magnetic-field laser emitter module with dual-layer microcoil for chip-scale atomic magnetometer applications","authors":"Jianwei Hou , Yanbin Wang , Fengming Ye , Jiaxiang Wang , Mengqiu Li , Mingzhi Yu , Faheng Zang , Dezhao Li , Xiaojun Guo , Zhuoqing Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117544","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117544","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chip-scale atomic magnetometers (CSAMs) facilitate high-precision measurements of ultra-weak magnetic fields, which are increasingly vital for portable applications, biomedical sensing, including magnetoencephalography (MEG) and magnetocardiography (MCG) and resource exploration. As a pivotal component, the laser source provides the specific wavelengths required to induce spin polarization in alkali metal atoms within the vapor cell. However, conventional Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) are often limited by the stringent requirements for miniaturization and low magnetic interference in atomic magnetometers, primarily due to the induced magnetic fields generated by the integrated temperature-controlled coil. To address these challenges, this paper presents a laser emitter with Magnetic-field-suppressed Coils (LEMC). By configuring opposing current directions in adjacent windings, the magnetic fields generated by the energized wires are locally attenuated, achieving a significant suppression of the macroscopic induced magnetic field. Simulations of various current direction layouts demonstrate the superiority of the double-layer coil configuration in reducing magnetic interference. A silicon substrate with a deposited Si<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> thin film serves as the thermal interface layer to ensure a precise temperature response. Experimental results demonstrate a residual magnetic field sensitivity of 0.49 nT/mA at a distance of 2 mm from the coil surface, while maintaining a temperature control stability of ±0.005°C at 80°C. The experiments also validated the stable temperature regulation of the coil and the wavelength tunability of the VCSEL. The proposed design represents a viable approach for applications in atomic sensors based on quantum mechanics principles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117544"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117539
Yaling Mao, Minjuan Gao, Changhao Qian, Ning Zhang, Runtian Miao, Xingyu Fan, Yueqin Li
Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanocomposite hydrogels have recently emerged as promising candidates for soft hydrogel actuators. However, achieving autonomous response to external stimuli while providing real-time feedback on their motion states remains a key challenge for PNIPAM hydrogel actuators. Herein, conductive polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles were homogeneously incorporated into PNIPAM networks via multiple in situ polymerization steps. Through direct adhesion to a passive PAA-Fe³ ⁺/clay hydrogel layer, a bilayer hydrogel actuator with the configuration PNIPAM/PPy//PAA-Fe³ ⁺/clay was successfully fabricated. This hydrogel actuator exhibited rapid bending deformation under thermal stimulation, enabling swift object grasping and lifting actions in hot water. The PPy network infiltrated within the hydrogel matrix served as an effective photothermal agent, facilitating stable and repeatable temperature elevation under NIR light irradiation. Therefore, the PNIPAM/PPy hydrogel achieved diverse biomimetic functionalities, including the simulation of hand gestures, the closure of Venus flytrap-mimetic leaves, the operation of fluid valves, and the programmable bending of flower petals. Notably, the PNIPAM/PPy hydrogel exhibited excellent electrical conductivity (1.24 ± 0.04 S/m) and could be fabricated into strain sensors with a gauge factor (GF) of up to 3.44, accompanied by fast response speeds and exceptional durability. Leveraging these integrated properties, the PNIPAM/PPy hydrogel is capable of detecting bending and weight-lifting actuations through real-time resistance changes, thereby achieving self-sensing actuation capabilities within the monolithic material. This distinctive design highlights the material’s promising potential for applications in soft robots.
{"title":"Multi-responsive and self-sensing flexible actuators based on conductive polypyrrole/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels","authors":"Yaling Mao, Minjuan Gao, Changhao Qian, Ning Zhang, Runtian Miao, Xingyu Fan, Yueqin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117539","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117539","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanocomposite hydrogels have recently emerged as promising candidates for soft hydrogel actuators. However, achieving autonomous response to external stimuli while providing real-time feedback on their motion states remains a key challenge for PNIPAM hydrogel actuators. Herein, conductive polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles were homogeneously incorporated into PNIPAM networks via multiple in situ polymerization steps. Through direct adhesion to a passive PAA-Fe³ ⁺/clay hydrogel layer, a bilayer hydrogel actuator with the configuration PNIPAM/PPy//PAA-Fe³ ⁺/clay was successfully fabricated. This hydrogel actuator exhibited rapid bending deformation under thermal stimulation, enabling swift object grasping and lifting actions in hot water. The PPy network infiltrated within the hydrogel matrix served as an effective photothermal agent, facilitating stable and repeatable temperature elevation under NIR light irradiation. Therefore, the PNIPAM/PPy hydrogel achieved diverse biomimetic functionalities, including the simulation of hand gestures, the closure of Venus flytrap-mimetic leaves, the operation of fluid valves, and the programmable bending of flower petals. Notably, the PNIPAM/PPy hydrogel exhibited excellent electrical conductivity (1.24 ± 0.04 S/m) and could be fabricated into strain sensors with a gauge factor (GF) of up to 3.44, accompanied by fast response speeds and exceptional durability. Leveraging these integrated properties, the PNIPAM/PPy hydrogel is capable of detecting bending and weight-lifting actuations through real-time resistance changes, thereby achieving self-sensing actuation capabilities within the monolithic material. This distinctive design highlights the material’s promising potential for applications in soft robots.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117539"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aiming at the problem of single perception modality in existing tactile sensing systems, this paper designs and implements a multimodal visual-tactile sensor tailored for robotic grasping. This sensor adopts a modular hierarchical design and integrates three functional modules: the texture perception layer, the temperature and force perception layer, and the visual perception layer. The texture perception layer achieves high-precision 3D shape reconstruction through translucent elastomer and a dual-layer surface reflection coating, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.0512 mm. The temperature and force perception layer utilizes thermochromic materials and a 5 × 7 marking point array to achieve temperature and multi-dimensional force perception respectively, among which the response time of the thermochromic material is 0.1 s and the recovery time is 0.2 s. The visual perception layer adopts transparent PDMS material to ensure visual information acquisition in a non-contact state. By integrating sensors into the UR5e robotic arm system and combining the YOLOv11 object detection algorithm with ArUco visual positioning technology, a complete vision-guided robotic grasping system was constructed. Through the grasping experiments with three distinct fruit types, namely mandarin, lychee, and nectarine, the effectiveness of the multimodal collaborative perception was validated across object recognition, pose detection, texture reconstruction, and temperature and force perception. The experimental results demonstrate that this sensor enables comprehensive information acquisition ranging from macro-level scene understanding to micro-level contact details. This improves the environment adaptability and operational precision of robots while optimizing robotic tactile perception technology.
{"title":"Design and application of multimodal visual-tactile sensor for object information perception","authors":"Shixin Wang, Ling Weng, Lanyang Hao, Shichao Zuo, Zipeng Yang, Mingyuan Wang, Xiaotao Du","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117529","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117529","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aiming at the problem of single perception modality in existing tactile sensing systems, this paper designs and implements a multimodal visual-tactile sensor tailored for robotic grasping. This sensor adopts a modular hierarchical design and integrates three functional modules: the texture perception layer, the temperature and force perception layer, and the visual perception layer. The texture perception layer achieves high-precision 3D shape reconstruction through translucent elastomer and a dual-layer surface reflection coating, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.0512 mm. The temperature and force perception layer utilizes thermochromic materials and a 5 × 7 marking point array to achieve temperature and multi-dimensional force perception respectively, among which the response time of the thermochromic material is 0.1 s and the recovery time is 0.2 s. The visual perception layer adopts transparent PDMS material to ensure visual information acquisition in a non-contact state. By integrating sensors into the UR5e robotic arm system and combining the YOLOv11 object detection algorithm with ArUco visual positioning technology, a complete vision-guided robotic grasping system was constructed. Through the grasping experiments with three distinct fruit types, namely mandarin, lychee, and nectarine, the effectiveness of the multimodal collaborative perception was validated across object recognition, pose detection, texture reconstruction, and temperature and force perception. The experimental results demonstrate that this sensor enables comprehensive information acquisition ranging from macro-level scene understanding to micro-level contact details. This improves the environment adaptability and operational precision of robots while optimizing robotic tactile perception technology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117529"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117524
Daoyuan Wang , Jinjun Deng , Yuchao Yan , Binghe Ma , Jian Luo , Weizheng Yuan
The measurement of wall shear stress using MEMS hot-film sensors has received considerable attentions. However, the substrate heat losses and axial diffusion effects fundamentally constrain the sensitivity and spatial resolution of MEMS hot-film sensors. In this work, a novel trapezoidal sandwiched dual-layer hot-film sensor with both reduced substrate and axial diffusion effects is proposed and micro-fabricated. This paper aims to verify and clarify the improvements in steady-state response and the space-resolved capacity of hot-film sensors using the proposed dual-layer active thermal insulation strategy. Both static calibration experiments and numerical simulations were conducted to achieve this. The trapezoidal sandwiched dual-layer sensor shows over 100 % improvement in output voltage sensitivity compared to its single-layer counterpart within a wall shear stress range from 0 to 5 Pa. We emphasize and clarify that the widely used sensitivity metric based on total heating power is inadequate for dual-layer hot-films. Instead, a more preferable metric relating to the relative net heating power, reveals that the newly proposed sensor exhibits 11 times the sensitivity of its single-layer counterpart and 6 times that of the previously reported dual-layer sensors. Besides, the effective sensing length of the trapezoidal sandwiched dual-layer sensors is no more than twice its physical size. Meanwhile, axial diffusion is greatly reduced, based on which the well-known conflicting constraint between spatial resolution and edge effects of conventional hot-films could be loosened. The confirmed reductions in substrate and axial diffusion open new opportunities for high-quality wall shear stress measurement using thermal sensors in the future.
{"title":"Trapezoidal sandwiched dual-layer hot-film sensors for highly sensitive and spatial-resolved wall shear stress measurement: A static investigation","authors":"Daoyuan Wang , Jinjun Deng , Yuchao Yan , Binghe Ma , Jian Luo , Weizheng Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117524","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117524","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The measurement of wall shear stress using MEMS hot-film sensors has received considerable attentions. However, the substrate heat losses and axial diffusion effects fundamentally constrain the sensitivity and spatial resolution of MEMS hot-film sensors. In this work, a novel trapezoidal sandwiched dual-layer hot-film sensor with both reduced substrate and axial diffusion effects is proposed and micro-fabricated. This paper aims to verify and clarify the improvements in steady-state response and the space-resolved capacity of hot-film sensors using the proposed dual-layer active thermal insulation strategy. Both static calibration experiments and numerical simulations were conducted to achieve this. The trapezoidal sandwiched dual-layer sensor shows over 100 % improvement in output voltage sensitivity compared to its single-layer counterpart within a wall shear stress range from 0 to 5 Pa. We emphasize and clarify that the widely used sensitivity metric based on total heating power is inadequate for dual-layer hot-films. Instead, a more preferable metric relating to the relative net heating power, reveals that the newly proposed sensor exhibits 11 times the sensitivity of its single-layer counterpart and 6 times that of the previously reported dual-layer sensors. Besides, the effective sensing length of the trapezoidal sandwiched dual-layer sensors is no more than twice its physical size. Meanwhile, axial diffusion is greatly reduced, based on which the well-known conflicting constraint between spatial resolution and edge effects of conventional hot-films could be loosened. The confirmed reductions in substrate and axial diffusion open new opportunities for high-quality wall shear stress measurement using thermal sensors in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117524"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117527
Borong Chen , Hongxin Hong , Qian Wei , Yuhang Han , Hao Wu
Self-powered sensing arrays for human–machine interaction (HMI) offer a promising alternative to conventional systems by eliminating the need for external power supplies. However, scaling such arrays often requires multi-channel readout architectures, which introduce wiring complexity and compromise robustness. To address this, we present a damage-tolerant, self-powered sensor array that uses an impedance-modulated single-channel readout (ISR-SA) for multi-site sensing with minimal hardware. The array’s parallel units are uniquely encoded by modulated resistors, which connect to the readout loop upon activation, converting spatial information into a single channel with distinct electrical signatures. To mitigate misinterpretation arising from analogous voltage peaks, we introduce a machine learning-based demodulation framework that leverages both peak voltage and signal shape features. This approach achieves 98.3 % recognition accuracy under manual pressing and sustains stable performance over 34,000 s of continuous operation. Moreover, the system exhibits damage tolerance, maintaining functionality even when some sensors fail. We demonstrate practical applicability through a self-powered numeric keyboard and a virtual vehicle controller, offering a low-power, minimally wired HMI solution suitable for integration into Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable devices.
{"title":"Self-powered sensing arrays with single-channel readout and damage-tolerant capability","authors":"Borong Chen , Hongxin Hong , Qian Wei , Yuhang Han , Hao Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117527","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117527","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Self-powered sensing arrays for human–machine interaction (HMI) offer a promising alternative to conventional systems by eliminating the need for external power supplies. However, scaling such arrays often requires multi-channel readout architectures, which introduce wiring complexity and compromise robustness. To address this, we present a damage-tolerant, self-powered sensor array that uses an impedance-modulated single-channel readout (ISR-SA) for multi-site sensing with minimal hardware. The array’s parallel units are uniquely encoded by modulated resistors, which connect to the readout loop upon activation, converting spatial information into a single channel with distinct electrical signatures. To mitigate misinterpretation arising from analogous voltage peaks, we introduce a machine learning-based demodulation framework that leverages both peak voltage and signal shape features. This approach achieves 98.3 % recognition accuracy under manual pressing and sustains stable performance over 34,000 s of continuous operation. Moreover, the system exhibits damage tolerance, maintaining functionality even when some sensors fail. We demonstrate practical applicability through a self-powered numeric keyboard and a virtual vehicle controller, offering a low-power, minimally wired HMI solution suitable for integration into Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117527"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-28DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117521
Xiaofeng Yu , Dong Mei , Gangqiang Tang , Lijie Li , Yanjie Wang
In soft robotics, pneumatic actuation is highly valued for its quick response, eco-friendliness, and affordability. Pneumatic systems are essential in pneumatic soft robots, as their movements depend on pressure states. However, existing pneumatic systems often face challenges such as large size, single type of pressure output, the ability to provide only a single type of air pressure, and the inability to expand air branches. These problems hinder the development of integrated and intelligent pneumatic soft robots. In this work, we designed a miniature pneumatic system to provide hardware support for the integration and intelligence of pneumatic soft robot. The miniature pneumatic system using minimal components can expand the air branches according to the robotic requirements, and each air branch can independently program the output positive and negative pressure. Based on the design concept and system configuration, special inflation and deflation strategies, along with closed-loop pressure control strategies, have been proposed to achieve precise pressure control. Subsequently, we designed and manufactured a prototype pneumatic system with three independent air supply branches. Experimental results indicate that the pneumatic system can achieve a wide pressure range from −63–102 kPa, and the speed of inflation and deflation is controllable. Finally, we demonstrated three robotic applications and designed relevant algorithms to verify the feasibility and practicality of the pneumatic system. The proposed pneumatic design can meet the pressure control requirements of various soft robots driven by both positive and negative pressure. It can serve as a universal miniature pneumatic system, which is significant for the development of untethered pneumatic soft robots.
{"title":"Branch-scalable universal miniature pneumatic system with programmable positive and negative pressure for soft robots","authors":"Xiaofeng Yu , Dong Mei , Gangqiang Tang , Lijie Li , Yanjie Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117521","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117521","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In soft robotics, pneumatic actuation is highly valued for its quick response, eco-friendliness, and affordability. Pneumatic systems are essential in pneumatic soft robots, as their movements depend on pressure states. However, existing pneumatic systems often face challenges such as large size, single type of pressure output, the ability to provide only a single type of air pressure, and the inability to expand air branches. These problems hinder the development of integrated and intelligent pneumatic soft robots. In this work, we designed a miniature pneumatic system to provide hardware support for the integration and intelligence of pneumatic soft robot. The miniature pneumatic system using minimal components can expand the air branches according to the robotic requirements, and each air branch can independently program the output positive and negative pressure. Based on the design concept and system configuration, special inflation and deflation strategies, along with closed-loop pressure control strategies, have been proposed to achieve precise pressure control. Subsequently, we designed and manufactured a prototype pneumatic system with three independent air supply branches. Experimental results indicate that the pneumatic system can achieve a wide pressure range from −63–102 kPa, and the speed of inflation and deflation is controllable. Finally, we demonstrated three robotic applications and designed relevant algorithms to verify the feasibility and practicality of the pneumatic system. The proposed pneumatic design can meet the pressure control requirements of various soft robots driven by both positive and negative pressure. It can serve as a universal miniature pneumatic system, which is significant for the development of untethered pneumatic soft robots.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117521"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wearable flexible sensors are crucial for biopotential signal monitoring, but their performance is often hindered by electromagnetic interference (EMI) because of the weak nature of biosignals. Developing a sensor with both stretchability and electromagnetic shielding capabilities remains an important area of research. In this study, we proposed a wearable flexible sensor with outstanding EMI shielding and dependable signal acquisition for surface electromyography (sEMG) and electrooculography (EOG) signals. The flexible sensor employed a Ni/CCF@PDMS film with stencil-printed Ag/AgCl electrodes. The composite formed a continuous conductive network, and its microstructure and dielectric loss collectively enabled a maximum EMI shielding effectiveness of 39.82 dB across the X-band. The flexible sensor also demonstrated remarkable mechanical stretchability, withstanding strains of up to 55.6 % with a corresponding tensile stress of 1.49 MPa, ensuring dependable performance under dynamic motion. The Ni/CCF@PDMS film integrated with Ag/AgCl electrodes formed a flexible sensor that reliably and effectively captured biosignals generated by arm movement, hand gestures, and eye blinks. This work offers a promising strategy for developing EMI-resistant, flexible sensors suitable for wearable bioelectronic applications.
{"title":"A Ni/CCF@PDMS-based flexible and electromagnetic interference-shielding surface electromyography/electrooculography sensor","authors":"Lei Zhang , Xuemei Zhang , Zhuoyu Duan , Henning Müller , Manfredo Atzori","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117530","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117530","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wearable flexible sensors are crucial for biopotential signal monitoring, but their performance is often hindered by electromagnetic interference (EMI) because of the weak nature of biosignals. Developing a sensor with both stretchability and electromagnetic shielding capabilities remains an important area of research. In this study, we proposed a wearable flexible sensor with outstanding EMI shielding and dependable signal acquisition for surface electromyography (sEMG) and electrooculography (EOG) signals. The flexible sensor employed a Ni/CCF@PDMS film with stencil-printed Ag/AgCl electrodes. The composite formed a continuous conductive network, and its microstructure and dielectric loss collectively enabled a maximum EMI shielding effectiveness of 39.82 dB across the X-band. The flexible sensor also demonstrated remarkable mechanical stretchability, withstanding strains of up to 55.6 % with a corresponding tensile stress of 1.49 MPa, ensuring dependable performance under dynamic motion. The Ni/CCF@PDMS film integrated with Ag/AgCl electrodes formed a flexible sensor that reliably and effectively captured biosignals generated by arm movement, hand gestures, and eye blinks. This work offers a promising strategy for developing EMI-resistant, flexible sensors suitable for wearable bioelectronic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117530"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The development of rapid, sensitive, and selective biosensors for urea detection is critical for advancing clinical diagnostics and renal health monitoring. In this study, a novel enzymatic urea sensor was developed using laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrodes, strategically functionalized with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to significantly enhance electrochemical performance. Comprehensive morphological and surface chemical characterizations using SEM, EDX, and XPS confirmed successful MWCNT integration, yielding a highly conductive, porous interface optimized for enzyme immobilization. Electrochemical analyses revealed pronounced improvements in electron transfer kinetics and catalytic efficiency upon urease immobilization, enabling robust detection of urea across a physiologically relevant concentration range (100 – 4000 µM) with a low detection limit and limit of quantification as 21.65 µM and 65.61 µM. Exceptional selectivity against common interferents was achieved, along with excellent repeatability, reproducibility, and operational stability, with over 90 % activity retained after prolonged storage. These results highlight the promise of MWCNT-enhanced LIG platforms as high-performance, mediator-assisted electrochemical bio-interfaces for urea detection, providing a foundation for future development of portable and point-of-care diagnostic system.
{"title":"Flexible nanocarbon hybrid laser-induced graphene electrodes for electrochemical Point-of-Care enzymatic urea detection","authors":"Sanjeet Kumar , Khairunnisa Amreen , Satish Kumar Dubey , Sanket Goel","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117532","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117532","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of rapid, sensitive, and selective biosensors for urea detection is critical for advancing clinical diagnostics and renal health monitoring. In this study, a novel enzymatic urea sensor was developed using laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrodes, strategically functionalized with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to significantly enhance electrochemical performance. Comprehensive morphological and surface chemical characterizations using SEM, EDX, and XPS confirmed successful MWCNT integration, yielding a highly conductive, porous interface optimized for enzyme immobilization. Electrochemical analyses revealed pronounced improvements in electron transfer kinetics and catalytic efficiency upon urease immobilization, enabling robust detection of urea across a physiologically relevant concentration range (100 – 4000 µM) with a low detection limit and limit of quantification as 21.65 µM and 65.61 µM. Exceptional selectivity against common interferents was achieved, along with excellent repeatability, reproducibility, and operational stability, with over 90 % activity retained after prolonged storage. These results highlight the promise of MWCNT-enhanced LIG platforms as high-performance, mediator-assisted electrochemical bio-interfaces for urea detection, providing a foundation for future development of portable and point-of-care diagnostic system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117532"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117525
Zhipeng Wei , Houping Wu , Chenchen Li , Yulian Peng , Yingao Xu , Yufeng Wang , Seonggun Joe , Hongbo Wang
The human hand is endowed with unparalleled capacities for object manipulation and tactile perception of the external environment. In this work, we propose a Perceptive Bionic Finger (PBF), which consists of three vacuum-driven clam-inspired rigid-soft hybrid joints, connected with rigid phalanges. The PBF is capable of a maximum bending angle of 135°, with two actively controlled degrees of freedom (DOFs) and one passive DOF. The biomimetic design of the hybrid joints overcomes the drawbacks of low stiffness associated with silicone-rubber-based soft fingers. Magnetic induction-based split angle sensing films are seamlessly integrated into the two rigid plates of each hybrid joint, enabling the detection of bending angle changes as small as 0.1°. The high-resolution proprioceptive hybrid joint enables the PBF to be aware of its precise shape (bending angle) in real-time, regardless of whether the bending is caused by active drive or by passive deformation. By detecting subtle passive deformation, the PBF can recognize the surface textures and topography of a seashell as it slides across its surface, similar to how human fingers do. In addition, two PBFs are assembled on a frame to form a bionic gripper. As humans employ their thumb and index finger to perform a pinching action on an object, the two-PBF gripper is capable of discerning the object's dimensions during the grasping process, facilitated by real-time joint angle sensing. Moreover, we have demonstrated that the two-PBF gripper is capable of grasping various objects from a big plastic bottle, a cup, to a small pen and a peanut.
{"title":"A highly sensitive multi-DOF soft bionic finger using clams-inspired rigid-soft hybrid joints","authors":"Zhipeng Wei , Houping Wu , Chenchen Li , Yulian Peng , Yingao Xu , Yufeng Wang , Seonggun Joe , Hongbo Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117525","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117525","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The human hand is endowed with unparalleled capacities for object manipulation and tactile perception of the external environment. In this work, we propose a Perceptive Bionic Finger (PBF), which consists of three vacuum-driven clam-inspired rigid-soft hybrid joints, connected with rigid phalanges. The PBF is capable of a maximum bending angle of 135°, with two actively controlled degrees of freedom (DOFs) and one passive DOF. The biomimetic design of the hybrid joints overcomes the drawbacks of low stiffness associated with silicone-rubber-based soft fingers. Magnetic induction-based split angle sensing films are seamlessly integrated into the two rigid plates of each hybrid joint, enabling the detection of bending angle changes as small as 0.1°. The high-resolution proprioceptive hybrid joint enables the PBF to be aware of its precise shape (bending angle) in real-time, regardless of whether the bending is caused by active drive or by passive deformation. By detecting subtle passive deformation, the PBF can recognize the surface textures and topography of a seashell as it slides across its surface, similar to how human fingers do. In addition, two PBFs are assembled on a frame to form a bionic gripper. As humans employ their thumb and index finger to perform a pinching action on an object, the two-PBF gripper is capable of discerning the object's dimensions during the grasping process, facilitated by real-time joint angle sensing. Moreover, we have demonstrated that the two-PBF gripper is capable of grasping various objects from a big plastic bottle, a cup, to a small pen and a peanut.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117525"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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