Soft metal constructs for large strain sensor membrane

摘要: Thin gold films on silicone display large reversible change in electrical resistance upon stretching. Eutectic liquid metal conductors maintain bulk conductivity, even extensive elongation. When integrated together, the soft metals enable multidirectional, strain sensor skin. Their fabrication process combines thermal evaporation of thin film patterns through stencil mask with microplotting eutectic gallium indium microwires, and packaging rubber. Using three-element rectangular rosettes, we demonstrate a skin that can reliably locally quantify plane vector surfaces subject to stretch (up 50% strain) indentation. This hybrid technology will find applications robotics, prosthetics wearable health monitoring systems.