Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T20:11:15.611Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Development of a Carbon Fiber Knitted Capacitive Touch Sensor

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2016

Richard Vallett ,
Ryan Young ,
Chelsea Knittel ,
Youngmoo Kim  and
Genevieve Dion
Richard Vallett
Affiliation:
Shima Seiki Haute Tech Lab at ExCITe, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States ExCITe Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Ryan Young
Affiliation:
Shima Seiki Haute Tech Lab at ExCITe, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States ExCITe Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Department of Computer Science, College of Computing and Informatics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Chelsea Knittel
Affiliation:
Shima Seiki Haute Tech Lab at ExCITe, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States ExCITe Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Youngmoo Kim
Affiliation:
ExCITe Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Genevieve Dion*
Affiliation:
Shima Seiki Haute Tech Lab at ExCITe, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States ExCITe Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States Department of Design, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
*
*(Email: [email protected])

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Textiles, in combination with advances in materials and design, offer exciting new possibilities for human and environmental interaction, including biometric and touch-based sensing. Previous fabric-based or flexible touch sensors have generally required a large number of sensing electrodes positioned in a dense XY grid configuration and a multitude of wires. This paper investigates the design and manufacturing of a planar (two-dimensional, XY location) touch fabric sensor with only two electrodes (wires) to sense both planar touch and pressure, making it ideal for applications with limited space/complexity for wiring. The proposed knitted structure incorporates a supplementary method of sensing to detect human touch on the fabric surface, which offers advantages over previous methods of touch localization through an efficient use of wire connections and sensing materials. This structure is easily manufactured as a single component utilizing flatbed knitting techniques and electrically conductive yarns. The design requires no embedded electronics or solid components in the fabric, which allows the sensor to be flexible and resilient. This paper discusses the design, fabrication, sensing methods, and applications of the fabric sensor in robotics and human-machine interaction, smart garments, and wearables, as well as the highly transdisciplinary approach pursued in developing medical textiles and flexible embedded sensors.

Keywords

devicessimulationC
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Advances , Volume 1 , Issue 38: Materials Design , 2016 , pp. 2641 - 2651
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

References

REFERENCES

Büscher, G. H., Kõiva, R., Schürmann, C., Haschke, R., and Ritter, H. J., “Flexible and stretchable fabric-based tactile sensor,” Robot. Auton. Syst., vol. 63, Part 3, pp. 244–252, Jan. 2015.Google Scholar
“Project Jacquard.” [Online]. Available: https://www.google.com/atap/project-jacquard/. [Accessed: 01-Feb-2016].Google Scholar
Wu, W., Wen, X., and Wang, Z. L., “Taxel-Addressable Matrix of Vertical-Nanowire Piezotronic Transistors for Active and Adaptive Tactile Imaging,” Science, vol. 340, no. 6135, pp. 952–957, May 2013.Google Scholar
Alirezaei, H., Nagakubo, A., and Kuniyoshi, Y., “A tactile distribution sensor which enables stable measurement under high and dynamic stretch,” in IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces, 2009. 3DUI 2009, 2009, pp. 87–93.Google Scholar
Takamatsu, S., Kobayashi, T., Shibayama, N., Miyake, K., and Itoh, T., “Fabric pressure sensor array fabricated with die-coating and weaving techniques,” Sens. Actuators Phys., vol. 184, pp. 57–63, Sep. 2012.Google Scholar
Roh, J.-S., “Textile touch sensors for wearable and ubiquitous interfaces,” Text. Res. J., vol. 84, no. 7, pp. 739–750, May 2014.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cheng, J., Amft, O., Bahle, G., and Lukowicz, P., “Designing Sensitive Wearable Capacitive Sensors for Activity Recognition,” IEEE Sens. J., vol. 13, no. 10, pp. 3935–3947, Oct. 2013.Google Scholar
Cui, Z., Poblete, F. R., Cheng, G., Yao, S., Jiang, X., and Zhu, Y., “Design and operation of silver nanowire based flexible and stretchable touch sensors,” J. Mater. Res., vol. 30, no. 01, pp. 79–85, 2015.Google Scholar
Yao, S. and Zhu, Y., “Wearable multifunctional sensors using printed stretchable conductors made of silver nanowires,” Nanoscale, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 2345–2352, Jan. 2014.Google Scholar
Atalay, O., Kennon, W. R., and Husain, M. D., “Textile-Based Weft Knitted Strain Sensors: Effect of Fabric Parameters on Sensor Properties,” Sensors, vol. 13, no. 8, pp. 11114–11127, Aug. 2013.Google Scholar
Paradiso, R., Loriga, G., and Taccini, N., “A wearable health care system based on knitted integrated sensors,” IEEE Trans. Inf. Technol. Biomed., vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 337–344, Sep. 2005.Google Scholar
Zhang, H., Tao, X., Wang, S., and Yu, T., “Electro-Mechanical Properties of Knitted Fabric Made From Conductive Multi-Filament Yarn Under Unidirectional Extension,” Text. Res. J., vol. 75, no. 8, pp. 598–606, Aug. 2005.Google Scholar
Seyedin, S., Razal, J. M., Innis, P. C., Jeiranikhameneh, A., Beirne, S., and Wallace, G. G., “Knitted Strain Sensor Textiles of Highly Conductive All-Polymeric Fibers,” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, vol. 7, no. 38, pp. 21150–21158, Sep. 2015.Google Scholar
Zhang, H., Tao, X., Yu, T., and Wang, S., “Conductive knitted fabric as large-strain gauge under high temperature,” Sens. Actuators Phys., vol. 126, no. 1, pp. 129–140, Jan. 2006.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
“Lightweight Portable Sensors for Health Care.” [Online]. Available: http://www.academia.edu/5451330/Lightweight_Portable_Sensors_for_Health_Care. [Accessed: 28-Jan-2016].Google Scholar
Baker, M., Hong, J., and Billinghurst, M., “Wearable Computing from Jewels to Joules [Guest editors’ introduction],” IEEE Pervasive Comput., vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 20–22, Oct. 2014.Google Scholar
Yilmaz, T., Foster, R., and Hao, Y., “Detecting Vital Signs with Wearable Wireless Sensors,” Sensors, vol. 10, no. 12, pp. 10837–10862, Dec. 2010.Google Scholar
Zeagler, C., Gilliland, S., Audy, S., and Starner, T., “Can I Wash It?: The Effect of Washing Conductive Materials Usedin Making Textile Based Wearable Electronic Interfaces.,” in Proceedings of the 2013 International Symposium on Wearable Computers, New York, NY, USA, 2013, pp. 143–144.Google Scholar
Humphries, M., Fabric Reference , Fourth Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc, 2009.Google Scholar
OSD Manufacturing Technology Program, “Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) Deskbook,” Department of Defense, Version 2.2.1, Oct. 2012.Google Scholar
Assistance Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, “Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) Guidance.” Department of Defense.Google Scholar
Barrett, G. and Omote, R., “Projected-Capacitive Touch Technology,” Frontline Technology, pp. 16–21, Mar-2010.Google Scholar
Terzic, E., Terzic, J., Nagarajah, R., and Alamgir, M., “Capacitive Sensing Technology,” in A Neural Network Approach to Fluid Quantity Measurement in Dynamic Environments, Springer London, 2012, pp. 11–37.Google Scholar