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Vol. 15 (2023)

Conformal Human–Machine Integration Using Highly Bending-Insensitive, Unpixelated, and Waterproof Epidermal Electronics Toward Metaverse

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01176-5
Chao Wei
Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People’s Republic of China
Wansheng Lin
Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People’s Republic of China
Liang Wang
Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China
Zhicheng Cao
Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People’s Republic of China
Zijian Huang
Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People’s Republic of China
Qingliang Liao
Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of China
Ziquan Guo
Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People’s Republic of China
Yuhan Su
Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People’s Republic of China
Yuanjin Zheng
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
Xinqin Liao
Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People’s Republic of China
Zhong Chen
Department of Electronic Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Zhong Chen

chenz@xmu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 15 (2023), Article Number: 199

Abstract

Efficient and flexible interactions require precisely converting human intentions into computer-recognizable signals, which is critical to the breakthrough development of metaverse. Interactive electronics face common dilemmas, which realize high-precision and stable touch detection but are rigid, bulky, and thick or achieve high flexibility to wear but lose precision. Here, we construct highly bending-insensitive, unpixelated, and waterproof epidermal interfaces (BUW epidermal interfaces) and demonstrate their interactive applications of conformal human–machine integration. The BUW epidermal interface based on the addressable electrical contact structure exhibits high-precision and stable touch detection, high flexibility, rapid response time, excellent stability, and versatile “cut-and-paste” character. Regardless of whether being flat or bent, the BUW epidermal interface can be conformally attached to the human skin for real-time, comfortable, and unrestrained interactions. This research provides promising insight into the functional composite and structural design strategies for developing epidermal electronics, which offers a new technology route and may further broaden human–machine interactions toward metaverse.


Highlights:
1 The addressable electrical contact structure enables the multifunctional epidermal interface with an all-in-one function of sense, recognition, and transmission, which realizes high flexibility and high-precision touch detection.
2 The multifunctional epidermal interface achieves superior waterproofness and is constructed enough thin to be bent freely, which is not as rigid, bulky, and thick as common interactive electronic device.
3 The bending-insensitive characteristic facilitates accurate and stable human–machine interactions, which provides a key foundation for intelligent prostheses and super-soft robots.

Keywords

Carbon-based functional composite Multifunctional epidermal interface Property modulation Addressable electrical contact structure Conformal human–machine integration
Wei, Chao, Wansheng Lin, Liang Wang, Zhicheng Cao, Zijian Huang, Qingliang Liao, Ziquan Guo, Yuhan Su, Yuanjin Zheng, Xinqin Liao, and Zhong Chen. 2023. “Conformal Human–Machine Integration Using Highly Bending-Insensitive, Unpixelated, and Waterproof Epidermal Electronics Toward Metaverse”. Nano-Micro Letters 15 (August):199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01176-5.
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