Sensors and Actuators A-physical最新文献_第3页

Low-frequency electric-field sensing of static multiphase distributions in pipelines 管道中静态多相分布的低频电场传感

IF 4.9 3区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Sensors and Actuators A-physical

Pub Date : 2026-04-16 Epub Date: 2026-02-13 DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117590

Zhicheng Zhang , Guorui Feng , Tingye Qi , Zehua Wang , Zhenyu Li , Chengxiang Liu

Multiphase pipelines transporting gas, liquid, and solid media often exhibit stratification and sedimentation, which may lead to blockage or operational failure. Non-contact monitoring of such static multiphase distributions remains challenging due to the limited sensitivity of conventional sensing techniques to dielectric heterogeneity. In this study, a low-frequency electric-field–based sensing method is proposed to characterize static multiphase states inside pipelines by exploiting dielectric-contrast–induced electric-field perturbations. The sensing principle is first analyzed theoretically by establishing the relationship between dielectric permittivity variation, capacitive coupling, and electric-field redistribution in a uniform electric field. Numerical simulations based on finite-element modelling are then conducted to investigate electric-field responses under gas–liquid, gas–solid, and liquid–solid stratified configurations. Finally, laboratory experiments are performed using a non-contact electric-field sensing system to validate the proposed mechanism under multiple excitation frequencies. The results show that, as the internal medium transitions from low to high dielectric permittivity, the electric-field strength above and below the pipeline increases monotonically with interface height, while the lateral electric-field component decreases. The sensor response exhibits a stable nonlinear behavior that can be accurately described by an Exp3P2 composite model, with fitting coefficients exceeding

R^{2} > 0.98

. The proposed method demonstrates high sensitivity to dielectric distribution and interface position, providing a physically interpretable, non-contact electric-field sensing approach for static multiphase pipeline characterization.

输送气体、液体和固体介质的多相管道经常出现分层和沉积现象，这可能导致堵塞或运行故障。由于传统传感技术对介质非均质性的灵敏度有限，这种静态多相分布的非接触监测仍然具有挑战性。本研究提出了一种基于低频电场的传感方法，利用电介质对比引起的电场扰动来表征管道内部的静态多相态。通过建立均匀电场中介电常数变化、电容耦合和电场重分布之间的关系，对传感原理进行了理论分析。基于有限元模型的数值模拟研究了气-液、气-固和液-固分层结构下的电场响应。最后，使用非接触式电场传感系统进行了实验室实验，以验证在多种激励频率下所提出的机制。结果表明：随着内部介质介电常数由低向高转变，管道上下电场强度随界面高度单调增加，横向电场分量减小；传感器响应表现出稳定的非线性行为，可以用Exp3P2复合模型精确描述，拟合系数超过R2>；0.98。该方法对介质分布和界面位置具有很高的灵敏度，为静态多相管道表征提供了一种物理上可解释的非接触电场传感方法。

{"title":"Low-frequency electric-field sensing of static multiphase distributions in pipelines","authors":"Zhicheng Zhang , Guorui Feng , Tingye Qi , Zehua Wang , Zhenyu Li , Chengxiang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117590","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multiphase pipelines transporting gas, liquid, and solid media often exhibit stratification and sedimentation, which may lead to blockage or operational failure. Non-contact monitoring of such static multiphase distributions remains challenging due to the limited sensitivity of conventional sensing techniques to dielectric heterogeneity. In this study, a low-frequency electric-field–based sensing method is proposed to characterize static multiphase states inside pipelines by exploiting dielectric-contrast–induced electric-field perturbations. The sensing principle is first analyzed theoretically by establishing the relationship between dielectric permittivity variation, capacitive coupling, and electric-field redistribution in a uniform electric field. Numerical simulations based on finite-element modelling are then conducted to investigate electric-field responses under gas–liquid, gas–solid, and liquid–solid stratified configurations. Finally, laboratory experiments are performed using a non-contact electric-field sensing system to validate the proposed mechanism under multiple excitation frequencies. The results show that, as the internal medium transitions from low to high dielectric permittivity, the electric-field strength above and below the pipeline increases monotonically with interface height, while the lateral electric-field component decreases. The sensor response exhibits a stable nonlinear behavior that can be accurately described by an Exp3P2 composite model, with fitting coefficients exceeding <span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>R</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>></mo><mn>0.98</mn></mrow></math></span>. The proposed method demonstrates high sensitivity to dielectric distribution and interface position, providing a physically interpretable, non-contact electric-field sensing approach for static multiphase pipeline characterization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 117590"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192900","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}

引用次数: 0

Design and evaluation of a compact force feedback glove for virtual reality applications 用于虚拟现实应用的紧凑型力反馈手套的设计与评价

IF 4.9 3区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Sensors and Actuators A-physical

Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-21 DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117514

Dapeng Chen , Haojun Ni , Juncheng Lou , Lianshun Shen , Zhong Wei , Jia Liu , Aiguo Song

The rapid advancement of Virtual Reality (VR) technology has sparked growing interest among researchers in wearable force feedback gloves for enhancing users’ perception of haptic properties of virtual objects. To provide a lightweight VR haptic solution offering sufficient force, fast and accurate response, we designed a force feedback glove based on a miniaturized Magnetorheological (MR) brake. This MR brake is designed using a simple “catheter-sinew” structure and can be constructed in a distributed manner to form the compact glove. The series-connected MR brake group can provide a maximum feedback force of 9.86 N for a single finger. To address output force discrepancies stemming from hysteresis, we implemented an adaptive fuzzy PID control strategy for precise control of the MR brake’s output force. Subsequently, we conducted three subjective perception experiments to assess the glove’s efficacy in displaying virtual object features within a VR setting. Experimental results show that the response time of the glove is 28 ms, and the accuracy rate in helping users identify the shape of virtual objects and the size information of given spheres can both reach more than 80%.

虚拟现实（VR）技术的快速发展引起了研究人员对可穿戴力反馈手套的兴趣，以增强用户对虚拟物体触觉特性的感知。为了提供一个轻量级的VR触觉解决方案，提供足够的力，快速和准确的响应，我们设计了一种基于小型化磁流变（MR）制动器的力反馈手套。这种MR制动器采用简单的“导管-肌腱”结构设计，可以以分布式方式构造，形成紧凑的手套。串联的MR制动组可以为单个手指提供最大9.86 N的反馈力。为了解决磁滞导致的输出力差异，我们实施了自适应模糊PID控制策略来精确控制磁阻制动器的输出力。随后，我们进行了三个主观感知实验，以评估手套在VR环境中显示虚拟物体特征的功效。实验结果表明，该手套的响应时间为28 ms，帮助用户识别虚拟物体形状和给定球体大小信息的准确率均可达到80%以上。

{"title":"Design and evaluation of a compact force feedback glove for virtual reality applications","authors":"Dapeng Chen , Haojun Ni , Juncheng Lou , Lianshun Shen , Zhong Wei , Jia Liu , Aiguo Song","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117514","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117514","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid advancement of Virtual Reality (VR) technology has sparked growing interest among researchers in wearable force feedback gloves for enhancing users’ perception of haptic properties of virtual objects. To provide a lightweight VR haptic solution offering sufficient force, fast and accurate response, we designed a force feedback glove based on a miniaturized Magnetorheological (MR) brake. This MR brake is designed using a simple “catheter-sinew” structure and can be constructed in a distributed manner to form the compact glove. The series-connected MR brake group can provide a maximum feedback force of 9.86 N for a single finger. To address output force discrepancies stemming from hysteresis, we implemented an adaptive fuzzy PID control strategy for precise control of the MR brake’s output force. Subsequently, we conducted three subjective perception experiments to assess the glove’s efficacy in displaying virtual object features within a VR setting. Experimental results show that the response time of the glove is 28 ms, and the accuracy rate in helping users identify the shape of virtual objects and the size information of given spheres can both reach more than 80%.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117514"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079996","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}

引用次数: 0

Air-coupled ultrasonic transducers based on PIN-PSN-PT textured ceramic for non-contact photoacoustic imaging 基于PIN-PSN-PT纹理陶瓷的非接触式光声成像空气耦合超声换能器

IF 4.9 3区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Sensors and Actuators A-physical

Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117548

Zhiqing Zhang , Kanjie Du , Fei Li , Qingqing Ke

The quality of non-contact photoacoustic imaging is predominantly determined by the performance of air-coupled piezoelectric transducers, which is closely related to the electrical and acoustic properties of the piezoelectric materials. High-performance < 001 > -oriented ferroelectric ceramic, Pb(In_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃-Pb(Sc_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃-PbTiO₃ (PIN-PSN-PT) demonstrates with high piezoelectric charge coefficient (d₃₃＞900 pC/N) and large thickness electromechanical coupling factor (k_t＞0.6) and can be poten_tially used as candidate materials for making air-coupled transducers (ACTs). In this study, we successfully fabricated air-coupled ultrasonic transducers based on PIN-PSN-PT ceramic with improved performance. The transducers designed with center frequencies of 600 kHz, 800 kHz, and 1000 kHz, show –6 dB bandwidths of 15.5%, 12%, and 9.5%, respectively. The corresponding effective k_t values of 0.71, 0.70, and 0.74 are achieved together with bidirectional insertion losses (IL) of –72.4 dB, –68.8 dB, and –70.8 dB, respectively. A non-contact photoacoustic imaging experiments are conducted on carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) to evaluate the sensitivity of our ACTs. Remarkably, these transducers achieved high-sensitivity imaging of 3 mm diameter blind holes. This demonstrates that the use of PIN-PSN-PT textured ceramic holds significant potential for developing air-coupled acoustic sensors with high reception sensitivity for photoacoustic imaging applications, outperforming traditional PZT-based sensors.

空气耦合压电换能器的性能决定了非接触光声成像的质量，而空气耦合压电换能器的性能又与压电材料的电学和声学性能密切相关。高性能<； 001 >； 取向铁电陶瓷Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Sc1/2Nb1/2)O3-PbTiO3 （PIN-PSN-PT）具有高压电电荷系数（d33>900 pC/N）和大厚度机电耦合系数（kt>0.6），可作为制造空气耦合换能器（ACTs）的候选材料。在这项研究中，我们成功地制作了基于PIN-PSN-PT陶瓷的空气耦合超声换能器，并提高了其性能。设计的换能器中心频率为600 kHz、800 kHz和1000 kHz，其-6 dB带宽分别为15.5%、12%和9.5%。相应的有效kt值为0.71、0.70和0.74，双向插入损耗（IL）分别为-72.4 dB、-68.8 dB和-70.8 dB。通过对碳纤维增强聚合物（CFRP）的非接触光声成像实验，评价了ACTs的灵敏度。值得注意的是，这些传感器实现了3 mm直径盲孔的高灵敏度成像。这表明，使用PIN-PSN-PT纹理陶瓷在开发光声成像应用中具有高接收灵敏度的空气耦合声传感器方面具有巨大的潜力，优于传统的pzt传感器。

{"title":"Air-coupled ultrasonic transducers based on PIN-PSN-PT textured ceramic for non-contact photoacoustic imaging","authors":"Zhiqing Zhang , Kanjie Du , Fei Li , Qingqing Ke","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117548","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117548","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The quality of non-contact photoacoustic imaging is predominantly determined by the performance of air-coupled piezoelectric transducers, which is closely related to the electrical and acoustic properties of the piezoelectric materials. High-performance < 001 > -oriented ferroelectric ceramic, Pb(In<sub>1/2</sub>Nb<sub>1/2</sub>)O<sub>3</sub>-Pb(Sc<sub>1/2</sub>Nb<sub>1/2</sub>)O<sub>3</sub>-PbTiO<sub>3</sub> (PIN-PSN-PT) demonstrates with high piezoelectric charge coefficient (<em>d</em><sub><em>33</em></sub>＞900 pC/N) and large thickness electromechanical coupling factor (<em>k</em><sub><em>t</em></sub>＞0.6) and can be poten<sub><em>t</em></sub>ially used as candidate materials for making air-coupled transducers (ACTs). In this study, we successfully fabricated air-coupled ultrasonic transducers based on PIN-PSN-PT ceramic with improved performance. The transducers designed with center frequencies of 600 kHz, 800 kHz, and 1000 kHz, show –6 dB bandwidths of 15.5%, 12%, and 9.5%, respectively. The corresponding effective <em>k</em><sub><em>t</em></sub> values of 0.71, 0.70, and 0.74 are achieved together with bidirectional insertion losses (<em>IL</em>) of –72.4 dB, –68.8 dB, and –70.8 dB, respectively. A non-contact photoacoustic imaging experiments are conducted on carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) to evaluate the sensitivity of our ACTs. Remarkably, these transducers achieved high-sensitivity imaging of 3 mm diameter blind holes. This demonstrates that the use of PIN-PSN-PT textured ceramic holds significant potential for developing air-coupled acoustic sensors with high reception sensitivity for photoacoustic imaging applications, outperforming traditional PZT-based sensors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117548"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170719","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}

引用次数: 0

TiO₂/SiO₂/MWCNT/PV Waste (TSMP) nanocomposite for flexible strain sensors 用于柔性应变传感器的TiO₂/SiO₂/MWCNT/PV Waste （TSMP）纳米复合材料

IF 4.9 3区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Sensors and Actuators A-physical

Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-29 DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117537

Zufar Alfarros , Muhammad Luthfi Hakim , Rohadi Satrio Budi Utomo , Budi Prawara , Arif Kusumawanto , Muhammad Akhsin Muflikhun

A TiO₂/SiO₂/MWCNT/PV (TSMP) nanocomposite was synthesized through a modified sol–gel route to develop a structurally reinforced and highly conductive hybrid material for flexible strain-sensing applications. Characterization was done through a series of different tools including FT-IR, SEM-EDS, and UV-Visible analysis to ascertain the element distribution, chemical bonding, and optical absorption. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) revealed a glass transition temperature of 62.7 °C, indicating thermal stability suitable for wearable electronics. When integrated into a silicone rubber matrix, the TSMP/MWCNT composite enabled a flexible strain sensor with a gauge factor of 20.75, a strain ranges up to 100 %, a rapid response time of 130 ms, and stable electromechanical durability over 1200 loading–unloading cycles. These properties allowed precise real-time detection of human motions such as finger and wrist bending. The balanced contribution of TiO₂–SiO₂ structural rigidity, MWCNT conductivity, and PV matrix flexibility results in a robust and responsive nanocomposite. Notably, the PV employed in this work was derived from PV waste, demonstrating its successful incorporation into a high-performance functional material. The versatility and stability of this TSMP architecture also position it for future applications in soft robotics, interactive wearable systems, and next-generation health-monitoring platforms.

采用溶胶-凝胶改性的方法合成了tio2 / sio2 /MWCNT/PV （TSMP）纳米复合材料，为柔性应变传感应用开发了一种结构增强、高导电性的杂化材料。表征通过一系列不同的工具，包括FT-IR， SEM-EDS和uv -可见分析来确定元素分布，化学键和光吸收。差示扫描量热法（DSC）显示玻璃化转变温度为62.7°C，表明热稳定性适合可穿戴电子产品。当集成到硅橡胶基体中时，TSMP/MWCNT复合材料实现了测量系数为20.75的柔性应变传感器，应变范围高达100 %，快速响应时间为130 ms，并且在1200次加载-卸载循环中具有稳定的机电耐用性。这些特性可以精确地实时检测人体运动，如手指和手腕弯曲。TiO 2 -SiO 2结构刚度、MWCNT电导率和PV基体柔韧性的平衡贡献导致了坚固和响应的纳米复合材料。值得注意的是，这项工作中使用的光伏来源于光伏废弃物，表明其成功地融入了高性能功能材料。这种TSMP架构的多功能性和稳定性也使其在软机器人、交互式可穿戴系统和下一代健康监测平台的未来应用中处于有利地位。

{"title":"TiO₂/SiO₂/MWCNT/PV Waste (TSMP) nanocomposite for flexible strain sensors","authors":"Zufar Alfarros , Muhammad Luthfi Hakim , Rohadi Satrio Budi Utomo , Budi Prawara , Arif Kusumawanto , Muhammad Akhsin Muflikhun","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A TiO₂/SiO₂/MWCNT/PV (TSMP) nanocomposite was synthesized through a modified sol–gel route to develop a structurally reinforced and highly conductive hybrid material for flexible strain-sensing applications. Characterization was done through a series of different tools including FT-IR, SEM-EDS, and UV-Visible analysis to ascertain the element distribution, chemical bonding, and optical absorption. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) revealed a glass transition temperature of 62.7 °C, indicating thermal stability suitable for wearable electronics. When integrated into a silicone rubber matrix, the TSMP/MWCNT composite enabled a flexible strain sensor with a gauge factor of 20.75, a strain ranges up to 100 %, a rapid response time of 130 ms, and stable electromechanical durability over 1200 loading–unloading cycles. These properties allowed precise real-time detection of human motions such as finger and wrist bending. The balanced contribution of TiO₂–SiO₂ structural rigidity, MWCNT conductivity, and PV matrix flexibility results in a robust and responsive nanocomposite. Notably, the PV employed in this work was derived from PV waste, demonstrating its successful incorporation into a high-performance functional material. The versatility and stability of this TSMP architecture also position it for future applications in soft robotics, interactive wearable systems, and next-generation health-monitoring platforms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117537"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170765","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}

引用次数: 0

Design and prototyping of a multilayer polyvinyl chloride gel actuator for suppressing resting hand tremor 用于抑制静息手颤的多层聚氯乙烯凝胶致动器的设计和原型

IF 4.9 3区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Sensors and Actuators A-physical

Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-29 DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117536

Xia Zhang , Zhongliang Liu , Hanli Wang , Yi Li , Shaojiang Dong , Shizheng Sun , Minoru Hashimoto

Resting hand tremor, a prevalent neurological disorder, significantly compromises patients’ quality of life without being directly life-threatening. Conventional pharmacological and surgical interventions are often costly and carry potential complications, thereby generating considerable interest in non-invasive wearable assistive devices. However, existing exoskeleton-based tremor suppression devices, which predominantly rely on conventional motor-driven mechanisms, are frequently hampered by issues such as large size, substantial weight, and significant obtrusiveness. These limitations readily induce muscle fatigue, severely restricting their clinical utility and patient compliance. To address these challenges, this study pioneers the application of multilayer polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel actuators for hand tremor suppression. Aiming to develop a practical suppression device, we first identified the optimal parameter set by investigating the force/displacement characteristics of the actuator under varying plasticizer contents and stacking layers. This established a high-performance gel actuator configuration suitable for tremor suppression, upon which a modular encapsulation structure with adjustable pre-tension was designed. Subsequently, guided by the principles of active vibration control, a dedicated control system was developed, incorporating tremor signal frequency/phase detection and a voltage-source switching control strategy. Finally, a hand tremor simulation test platform was constructed for validation. Experimental results demonstrated that the multilayer PVC gel actuator achieved a suppression efficiency of up to 49%. The encapsulated actuator exhibited outstanding comprehensive performance, including low power dissipation (5.2%), rapid response (

\sim

50 ms), high operational bandwidth (10 Hz), and lightweight (33 g), thereby fully validating its application potential in physiological tremor suppression.

静息性手颤是一种常见的神经系统疾病，严重影响患者的生活质量，但不会直接危及生命。传统的药物和手术干预往往是昂贵的，并有潜在的并发症，因此产生了对非侵入性可穿戴辅助设备的相当大的兴趣。然而，现有的基于外骨骼的震颤抑制装置主要依赖于传统的电机驱动机制，经常受到诸如尺寸大、重量大和显著突兀性等问题的阻碍。这些限制很容易引起肌肉疲劳，严重限制了它们的临床应用和患者的依从性。为了解决这些挑战，本研究开创了多层聚氯乙烯（PVC）凝胶致动器用于手部震颤抑制的应用。为了开发一种实用的抑制装置，我们首先通过研究不同增塑剂含量和堆叠层下执行器的力/位移特性来确定最优参数集。建立了一种适用于震颤抑制的高性能凝胶致动器结构，并在此基础上设计了预张力可调的模块化封装结构。随后，在振动主动控制原理的指导下，开发了一种专用的控制系统，该系统结合了振动信号的频率/相位检测和电压源开关控制策略。最后，搭建了手颤仿真测试平台进行验证。实验结果表明，多层PVC凝胶致动器的抑制效率高达49%。封装驱动器具有低功耗（5.2%）、快速响应（~ 50 ms）、高工作带宽（10 Hz）、轻量化（33 g）等综合性能，充分验证了其在生理震颤抑制方面的应用潜力。

{"title":"Design and prototyping of a multilayer polyvinyl chloride gel actuator for suppressing resting hand tremor","authors":"Xia Zhang , Zhongliang Liu , Hanli Wang , Yi Li , Shaojiang Dong , Shizheng Sun , Minoru Hashimoto","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117536","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117536","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Resting hand tremor, a prevalent neurological disorder, significantly compromises patients’ quality of life without being directly life-threatening. Conventional pharmacological and surgical interventions are often costly and carry potential complications, thereby generating considerable interest in non-invasive wearable assistive devices. However, existing exoskeleton-based tremor suppression devices, which predominantly rely on conventional motor-driven mechanisms, are frequently hampered by issues such as large size, substantial weight, and significant obtrusiveness. These limitations readily induce muscle fatigue, severely restricting their clinical utility and patient compliance. To address these challenges, this study pioneers the application of multilayer polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel actuators for hand tremor suppression. Aiming to develop a practical suppression device, we first identified the optimal parameter set by investigating the force/displacement characteristics of the actuator under varying plasticizer contents and stacking layers. This established a high-performance gel actuator configuration suitable for tremor suppression, upon which a modular encapsulation structure with adjustable pre-tension was designed. Subsequently, guided by the principles of active vibration control, a dedicated control system was developed, incorporating tremor signal frequency/phase detection and a voltage-source switching control strategy. Finally, a hand tremor simulation test platform was constructed for validation. Experimental results demonstrated that the multilayer PVC gel actuator achieved a suppression efficiency of up to 49%. The encapsulated actuator exhibited outstanding comprehensive performance, including low power dissipation (5.2%), rapid response (<span><math><mo>∼</mo></math></span>50 ms), high operational bandwidth (10 Hz), and lightweight (33 g), thereby fully validating its application potential in physiological tremor suppression.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117536"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170838","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}

引用次数: 0

Miniature E-type photoacoustic cell for detection of trace acetylene gas 用于微量乙炔气体检测的微型e型光声电池

IF 4.9 3区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Sensors and Actuators A-physical

Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-03 DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117560

Bingyu Mo , Shanghu Zhou , Haiting Wang , Shenglong Li , Menglong Han , Xiaoyun Liu , Chenxi Li , Ke Chen

To achieve rapid flow measurement in oil-dissolved gas analysis, the photoacoustic (PA) detection technology based on a miniature E-type PA cell (E-PAC) has been proposed. The optimization of flow measurement time and volume reduction of the E-PAC are prioritized, while ensuring the stability of detection performance metrics. The E-PAC achieves sensor miniaturization by embedding the resonant cavity into the buffer chamber, with a total gas chamber volume of 3 mL. Consequently, concentrated thermal expansion from gas molecules absorbing optical energy generates stronger pressure fluctuations and enhanced PA signals. Meanwhile, finite element analysis is employed to optimize the positions of the gas inlet and outlet, achieving a reduction in gas response time. In the flow measurement experiment, when the gas flow rate reaches 50 sccm, the response time reaches its minimum, which is 39 s. Finally, to verify the gas detection capability of this system, acetylene (C₂H₂) gas detection experiment is carried out. When the integration time is set to 1 s, the sensor achieves a minimum detection limit of 12 ppb for C₂H₂ gas, accompanied by a normalized noise equivalent absorption (NNEA) coefficient of 6.97 × 10⁻¹⁰ W·cm⁻¹·Hz^−1/2.

为了实现油溶气分析中流量的快速测量，提出了一种基于微型e型光声池（E-PAC）的光声检测技术。优化流量测量时间和减少E-PAC的体积是优先考虑的，同时确保检测性能指标的稳定性。E-PAC通过将谐振腔嵌入缓冲腔中实现传感器小型化，总气室体积为3 mL。因此，吸收光能的气体分子的集中热膨胀产生更强的压力波动和增强的PA信号。同时，采用有限元分析对进气口和出气口位置进行优化，实现了气体响应时间的缩短。在流量测量实验中，当气体流量达到50 sccm时，响应时间达到最小值，为39 s。最后，为了验证该系统的气体检测能力，进行了乙炔（C2H2）气体检测实验。当积分时间设置为1 s时，传感器对C2H2气体的最小检测限为12 ppb，归一化噪声等效吸收（NNEA）系数为6.97 × 10−10 W·cm−1·Hz−1/2。

{"title":"Miniature E-type photoacoustic cell for detection of trace acetylene gas","authors":"Bingyu Mo , Shanghu Zhou , Haiting Wang , Shenglong Li , Menglong Han , Xiaoyun Liu , Chenxi Li , Ke Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117560","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117560","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To achieve rapid flow measurement in oil-dissolved gas analysis, the photoacoustic (PA) detection technology based on a miniature E-type PA cell (E-PAC) has been proposed. The optimization of flow measurement time and volume reduction of the E-PAC are prioritized, while ensuring the stability of detection performance metrics. The E-PAC achieves sensor miniaturization by embedding the resonant cavity into the buffer chamber, with a total gas chamber volume of 3 mL. Consequently, concentrated thermal expansion from gas molecules absorbing optical energy generates stronger pressure fluctuations and enhanced PA signals. Meanwhile, finite element analysis is employed to optimize the positions of the gas inlet and outlet, achieving a reduction in gas response time. In the flow measurement experiment, when the gas flow rate reaches 50 sccm, the response time reaches its minimum, which is 39 s. Finally, to verify the gas detection capability of this system, acetylene (C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub>) gas detection experiment is carried out. When the integration time is set to 1 s, the sensor achieves a minimum detection limit of 12 ppb for C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub> gas, accompanied by a normalized noise equivalent absorption (NNEA) coefficient of 6.97 × 10<sup>−10</sup> W·cm<sup>−1</sup>·Hz<sup>−1/2</sup>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117560"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170844","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}

引用次数: 0

A hierarchical adaptive particle swarm optimizer with diversity maintenance for suppressing edge distortion in DMD lithography 基于多样性保持的分层自适应粒子群优化算法抑制DMD光刻边缘畸变

IF 4.9 3区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Sensors and Actuators A-physical

Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-17 DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117512

Shengzhou Huang , Siwen He , Yongkang Shao , Dongjie Wu , Jiani Pan , Linsong Zhu , Chengcheng Sheng , Chenyi Song

Digital micromirror device (DMD) maskless lithography suffers from severe edge distortions, such as edge serration and linewidth non-uniformity, primarily due to the discrete nature of micromirrors and optical diffraction effects. These distortions significantly degrade imaging fidelity, posing a major challenge for high-precision applications. While particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a promising solution for mask optimization, its traditional form often succumbs to premature convergence in high-dimensional problems. To address this, we propose a novel hierarchical adaptive PSO algorithm integrated with a dynamic diversity maintenance strategy. The core of our approach lies in a dynamic particle classification mechanism that divides the population into superior, medium, and inferior tiers, enabling differentiated search guidance. This is coupled with an adaptive inertia weight strategy tailored to each particle's level to balance global exploration and local exploitation. Furthermore, the algorithm incorporates a hybrid learning strategy, a subpopulation assistance mechanism, and a stagnation detection-recovery mechanism to collectively sustain population diversity and prevent premature convergence. Extensive numerical experiments on the CEC2005 and CEC2022 benchmark suites demonstrate that the enhanced PSO significantly outperforms conventional PSO in solving high-dimensional and complex optimization problems. When applied to DMD mask optimization, our method reduces pixel errors (PE) by an average of 85.2 % and achieves a maximum structural similarity (SSIM) index of 0.99. These results validate the effectiveness and practicality of our proposed algorithm in suppressing edge distortion and enhancing imaging fidelity for digital lithography.

数字微镜器件（DMD）无掩模光刻受到严重的边缘畸变，如边缘锯齿和线宽不均匀性，主要是由于微镜的离散性和光学衍射效应。这些畸变显著降低了成像保真度，对高精度应用构成了重大挑战。粒子群优化（PSO）是一种很有前途的掩模优化方法，但其传统形式在高维问题中容易过早收敛。为了解决这个问题，我们提出了一种结合动态多样性维护策略的分层自适应粒子群算法。我们的方法的核心在于一个动态的粒子分类机制，该机制将种群划分为高级，中等和低级，从而实现差异化的搜索指导。这与针对每个粒子级别定制的自适应惯性权重策略相结合，以平衡全局探索和局部开发。此外，该算法还结合了混合学习策略、亚种群辅助机制和停滞检测-恢复机制，以共同维持种群多样性并防止过早收敛。在CEC2005和CEC2022基准套件上进行的大量数值实验表明，改进的粒子群算法在解决高维复杂优化问题方面明显优于传统粒子群算法。当应用于DMD掩模优化时，我们的方法将像素误差（PE）平均降低了85.2 %，最大结构相似度（SSIM）指数为0.99。实验结果验证了该算法在抑制边缘畸变和提高数字光刻成像保真度方面的有效性和实用性。

{"title":"A hierarchical adaptive particle swarm optimizer with diversity maintenance for suppressing edge distortion in DMD lithography","authors":"Shengzhou Huang , Siwen He , Yongkang Shao , Dongjie Wu , Jiani Pan , Linsong Zhu , Chengcheng Sheng , Chenyi Song","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117512","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117512","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Digital micromirror device (DMD) maskless lithography suffers from severe edge distortions, such as edge serration and linewidth non-uniformity, primarily due to the discrete nature of micromirrors and optical diffraction effects. These distortions significantly degrade imaging fidelity, posing a major challenge for high-precision applications. While particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a promising solution for mask optimization, its traditional form often succumbs to premature convergence in high-dimensional problems. To address this, we propose a novel hierarchical adaptive PSO algorithm integrated with a dynamic diversity maintenance strategy. The core of our approach lies in a dynamic particle classification mechanism that divides the population into superior, medium, and inferior tiers, enabling differentiated search guidance. This is coupled with an adaptive inertia weight strategy tailored to each particle's level to balance global exploration and local exploitation. Furthermore, the algorithm incorporates a hybrid learning strategy, a subpopulation assistance mechanism, and a stagnation detection-recovery mechanism to collectively sustain population diversity and prevent premature convergence. Extensive numerical experiments on the CEC2005 and CEC2022 benchmark suites demonstrate that the enhanced PSO significantly outperforms conventional PSO in solving high-dimensional and complex optimization problems. When applied to DMD mask optimization, our method reduces pixel errors (<em>PE</em>) by an average of 85.2 % and achieves a maximum structural similarity (<em>SSIM</em>) index of 0.99. These results validate the effectiveness and practicality of our proposed algorithm in suppressing edge distortion and enhancing imaging fidelity for digital lithography.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117512"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025121","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}

引用次数: 0

A rotary-actuated compression sensor for real-time biomechanical assessment of human skin 一种用于人体皮肤实时生物力学评估的旋转驱动压缩传感器

IF 4.9 3区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Sensors and Actuators A-physical

Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-20 DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117479

Kung Ahn , Ikjin Kwon , JaeWoo Moon , Kyudong Han , Yong Ju Ahn

Human skin displays complex viscoelastic behavior arising from the interplay of collagen, elastin, and dermal ground substances, yet existing suction- and indentation-based devices provide limited physiological relevance and insufficient temporal resolution to characterize dynamic mechanical responses. We developed a novel contact-based elasticity device that applies controlled mechanical micro-compression using a rotary actuator and quantifies deformation through time-resolved electrical resistance sensing. A fully automated algorithm segments the resulting time-series into repeated base–peak–trough cycles and extracts multi-dimensional biomechanical descriptors, including deformation amplitude, loading slope, snap-back velocity, recovery time, and energy-based metrics. Validation with PDMS standards confirmed that five of six parameters robustly distinguished materials of different stiffness, demonstrating high sensitivity across a broad elasticity range. In individual measurements revealed clear lateral asymmetry within a single individual: the right cheek exhibited greater deformation and steeper loading slopes, whereas the left cheek showed faster recovery kinetics. A total of 250 participants aged 16–80 years were enrolled, including 218 female and 32 male participants, five viscoelastic parameters exhibited significant positive correlations with age (r = 0.16–0.33), revealing age-dependent degradation patterns that were not detectable in raw data. These findings demonstrate that integrating controlled compression with high-frequency resistance sensing enables detailed, physiologically relevant quantification of skin mechanics beyond the capabilities of traditional suction devices. The device algorithm system offers a robust platform for dermatologic evaluation, cosmetic efficacy testing, population-level aging research, and next-generation personalized skin-profiling technologies.

由于胶原蛋白、弹性蛋白和真皮基质物质的相互作用，人体皮肤表现出复杂的粘弹性行为，然而现有的基于吸吸和压痕的设备提供有限的生理相关性和时间分辨率不足以表征动态力学反应。我们开发了一种新型的基于接触的弹性装置，该装置使用旋转致动器应用受控的机械微压缩，并通过时间分辨电阻传感量化变形。全自动算法将结果时间序列分割为重复的基峰谷周期，并提取多维生物力学描述符，包括变形幅度、加载斜率、反弹速度、恢复时间和基于能量的指标。PDMS标准验证证实，6个参数中有5个能够稳健地区分不同刚度的材料，在广泛的弹性范围内显示出高灵敏度。在个体测量中显示出明显的横向不对称：右脸颊表现出更大的变形和更陡峭的加载斜率，而左脸颊表现出更快的恢复动力学。共招募了250名年龄在16-80岁之间的参与者，其中包括218名女性和32名男性参与者，五个粘弹性参数与年龄表现出显著的正相关（r = 0.16-0.33），揭示了原始数据中无法检测到的年龄依赖性退化模式。这些发现表明，将控制压缩与高频电阻传感相结合，可以超越传统吸入装置的能力，对皮肤力学进行详细的、生理学相关的量化。该设备算法系统为皮肤病学评估、化妆品功效测试、人口老龄化研究和下一代个性化皮肤分析技术提供了一个强大的平台。

{"title":"A rotary-actuated compression sensor for real-time biomechanical assessment of human skin","authors":"Kung Ahn , Ikjin Kwon , JaeWoo Moon , Kyudong Han , Yong Ju Ahn","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117479","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117479","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human skin displays complex viscoelastic behavior arising from the interplay of collagen, elastin, and dermal ground substances, yet existing suction- and indentation-based devices provide limited physiological relevance and insufficient temporal resolution to characterize dynamic mechanical responses. We developed a novel contact-based elasticity device that applies controlled mechanical micro-compression using a rotary actuator and quantifies deformation through time-resolved electrical resistance sensing. A fully automated algorithm segments the resulting time-series into repeated base–peak–trough cycles and extracts multi-dimensional biomechanical descriptors, including deformation amplitude, loading slope, snap-back velocity, recovery time, and energy-based metrics. Validation with PDMS standards confirmed that five of six parameters robustly distinguished materials of different stiffness, demonstrating high sensitivity across a broad elasticity range. In individual measurements revealed clear lateral asymmetry within a single individual: the right cheek exhibited greater deformation and steeper loading slopes, whereas the left cheek showed faster recovery kinetics. A total of 250 participants aged 16–80 years were enrolled, including 218 female and 32 male participants, five viscoelastic parameters exhibited significant positive correlations with age (r = 0.16–0.33), revealing age-dependent degradation patterns that were not detectable in raw data. These findings demonstrate that integrating controlled compression with high-frequency resistance sensing enables detailed, physiologically relevant quantification of skin mechanics beyond the capabilities of traditional suction devices. The device algorithm system offers a robust platform for dermatologic evaluation, cosmetic efficacy testing, population-level aging research, and next-generation personalized skin-profiling technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117479"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025115","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}

引用次数: 0

Multi-responsive and self-sensing flexible actuators based on conductive polypyrrole/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels 基于导电聚吡咯/聚n -异丙基丙烯酰胺水凝胶的多响应自传感柔性致动器

IF 4.9 3区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Sensors and Actuators A-physical

Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-29 DOI: 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.

聚n -异丙基丙烯酰胺（PNIPAM）纳米复合水凝胶最近成为软水凝胶致动器的有前途的候选材料。然而，实现对外部刺激的自主反应，同时提供运动状态的实时反馈，仍然是PNIPAM水凝胶致动器面临的一个关键挑战。在这里，导电聚吡咯（PPy）纳米颗粒通过多个原位聚合步骤均匀地加入到PNIPAM网络中。通过直接粘附在被动PAA-Fe³ + /粘土水凝胶层上，成功制备了一种结构为PNIPAM/PPy//PAA-Fe³ + /粘土的双层水凝胶驱动器。该水凝胶驱动器在热刺激下表现出快速弯曲变形，能够在热水中快速抓取和提升物体。渗透在水凝胶基质中的聚吡啶网络作为一种有效的光热剂，在近红外光照射下促进稳定和可重复的温度升高。因此，PNIPAM/PPy水凝胶实现了多种仿生功能，包括模拟手势、模拟捕蝇草叶子的闭合、流体阀门的操作以及可编程的花瓣弯曲。值得注意的是，PNIPAM/PPy水凝胶具有优异的电导率（1.24 ± 0.04 S/m），可制成测量因子（GF）高达3.44的应变传感器，同时具有快速响应速度和优异的耐用性。利用这些综合性能，PNIPAM/PPy水凝胶能够通过实时阻力变化检测弯曲和举重驱动，从而在单片材料中实现自感知驱动能力。这种独特的设计突出了这种材料在软机器人中的应用前景。

{"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":"2026-04-01","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}

引用次数: 0

Intelligent soft gripper with independently controlled multi-segment structure and conformally integrated all-nanofiber pressure sensor for achieving multifunctional grasping capability 采用自主控制多节段结构和保形集成全纳米纤维压力传感器的智能软爪，实现多功能抓取能力

IF 4.9 3区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Sensors and Actuators A-physical

Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-20 DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117517

Yigen Wu , Jie Liu , Yubo Hu , Zhi Hu , Hongyi Liu , Jiu Yu , Hanshi Li , Jian Peng

Empowering intelligent soft gripper with diverse grasping modes has attracted extensive interests in scenarios of industrial productivity, automated sorting domain and human-machine interaction. However, existing strategies for enriching grasping capability of soft gripper, such as alternatively designing intricate structures or integrating flexible pressure sensor, mainly suffered from unsimultaneous enhancement of intelligence or dexterity, and the integrated flexible sensors are often seriously affected by the dynamic large deformation of soft structure. In this work, an intelligent soft gripper with multifunctional grasping capability is constructed by synergistically designing multi-segmented structure and integrating stretchable ionic capacitive pressure sensor. Each individual pneumatic soft finger of the proposed intelligent gripper consists of independently controlled proximal, middle, and distal segments, enabling the capability to pick a wide variety of objects and to demonstrate in-hand operations. Moreover, the integrated pressure sensor features all-nanofiber structures, not only facilitating the improvement of tactile sensing performance (high sensitivity of 1.58 kPa⁻¹, exceptional robustness and stability) based on ionic capacitive effect, but also prompting the conformal integration with the compliance body of pneumatic soft finger. Finally, potential applications are demonstrated, including continuous tactile monitoring of each segment and high-accuracy object recognition. The gripper achieves a recognition accuracy of 90.3 % with a single sensor, which is further enhanced to 99.0 % by employing a 2 × 2 sensor array, both facilitated by a machine learning algorithm.This study simultaneously enhances the dexterity and intelligence of soft gripper and expedites its applications towards practical scenarios, contributing to the development of soft robotics towards hand-like embodied artificial intelligence.

具有多种抓取方式的智能软爪在工业生产、自动分拣和人机交互等领域引起了广泛的关注。然而，现有的增强软夹持器抓取能力的策略，如交替设计复杂结构或集成柔性压力传感器等，主要存在智能或灵巧性提升不同步的问题，且集成柔性传感器往往会受到软结构动态大变形的严重影响。本文通过协同设计多节段结构和集成可拉伸离子电容压力传感器，构建了具有多功能抓取能力的智能软抓取器。所提出的智能夹持器的每个独立的气动软手指由独立控制的近端、中端和远端部分组成，使其能够挑选各种各样的物体并演示手持操作。此外，集成压力传感器采用全纳米纤维结构，不仅有利于基于离子电容效应提高触觉传感性能（1.58 kPa−1的高灵敏度，出色的鲁棒性和稳定性），而且促进了与气动软指顺应体的保角集成。最后，展示了潜在的应用，包括每个部分的连续触觉监测和高精度物体识别。单传感器抓手的识别精度为90.3 %，通过采用2 × 2传感器阵列进一步提高到99.0 %，两者都通过机器学习算法实现。本研究提高了软抓取器的灵巧性和智能性，加快了其在实际场景中的应用，为软机器人向类手具人工智能方向发展做出了贡献。

{"title":"Intelligent soft gripper with independently controlled multi-segment structure and conformally integrated all-nanofiber pressure sensor for achieving multifunctional grasping capability","authors":"Yigen Wu , Jie Liu , Yubo Hu , Zhi Hu , Hongyi Liu , Jiu Yu , Hanshi Li , Jian Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117517","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117517","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Empowering intelligent soft gripper with diverse grasping modes has attracted extensive interests in scenarios of industrial productivity, automated sorting domain and human-machine interaction. However, existing strategies for enriching grasping capability of soft gripper, such as alternatively designing intricate structures or integrating flexible pressure sensor, mainly suffered from unsimultaneous enhancement of intelligence or dexterity, and the integrated flexible sensors are often seriously affected by the dynamic large deformation of soft structure. In this work, an intelligent soft gripper with multifunctional grasping capability is constructed by synergistically designing multi-segmented structure and integrating stretchable ionic capacitive pressure sensor. Each individual pneumatic soft finger of the proposed intelligent gripper consists of independently controlled proximal, middle, and distal segments, enabling the capability to pick a wide variety of objects and to demonstrate in-hand operations. Moreover, the integrated pressure sensor features all-nanofiber structures, not only facilitating the improvement of tactile sensing performance (high sensitivity of 1.58 kPa<sup>−1</sup>, exceptional robustness and stability) based on ionic capacitive effect, but also prompting the conformal integration with the compliance body of pneumatic soft finger. Finally, potential applications are demonstrated, including continuous tactile monitoring of each segment and high-accuracy object recognition. The gripper achieves a recognition accuracy of 90.3 % with a single sensor, which is further enhanced to 99.0 % by employing a 2 × 2 sensor array, both facilitated by a machine learning algorithm.This study simultaneously enhances the dexterity and intelligence of soft gripper and expedites its applications towards practical scenarios, contributing to the development of soft robotics towards hand-like embodied artificial intelligence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117517"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025116","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}

引用次数: 0