Silver Nanowire Formation Sensor Technology Released

In 2012, Dr. Yong Zhu and the North Carolina State University team developed silver-wire nanowires for Highly conductive and elastic conductors. Zhu pointed out that this type of conductor can be used to make elastic electronic components on wearable multi-sensor devices. Two years later, they developed this sensor. The team's paper "Wearable Multisensor Made of Silver Nanowire Elastic Conductors" was published online in Nanoscale magazine.

By inserting an insulating material between two such conductors, the researchers developed electrical storage devices. When this elastic conductor is pushed, pulled, or touched, the resistance changes. By measuring this change, the device acquires sensing capabilities.

A Ph.D. from North Carolina State University, who is also the main contributor to this work, said: "This technology is based on external deformation or electric field changes. The latter works very similar to smartphone touch screens. But we develop the flexibility. The sensor can be placed on many curved surfaces, such as human skin."

Researchers call this sensor a wide range of applications, ranging from biomedical, military, motion to prosthetics, robotics and elastic touchscreens. They have used this sensor to monitor the movement of the thumb and show how the test object is running, jumping and walking.

Dr. Zhu said: "The deformation in these movements is very severe and will destroy many other sensor devices. But our sensors can stretch 150% or more without damaging the function."

The team also used this technique to form sensor arrays to map pressure distributions. Because the response time of this sensor is only 40 milliseconds, it can monitor the elasticity and pressure in real time. This is especially important for robotics and prosthetic devices.

Dr. Zhu said: "These sensors can be used to develop a hernitic device that responds to user motion. They can also provide feedback when applied. They can also be used to create an environment-aware robot, or they can be linked to clothing to track people. Actions and a person's physical condition.