Superhydrophobic and Breathable Nonwoven-Based Pressure–Temperature Bimodal Tactile Sensor Without Signal Crosstalk

Abstract

To address the issues of signal crosstalk and discomfort between multifunctional sensors, this paper presents a novel design and integration approach that combines the capacitive pressure sensing mechanism of a fabric dome structure and the temperature sensing mechanism of ionic liquids/thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers/sewing threads (IG/TPU/ST), demonstrating a superhydrophobic and breathable bimodal tactile sensor with no crosstalk between pressure and temperature responses. The sensor has a pressure sensitivity of up to 0.043 kPa⁻¹ (in the range of 0–6.84 kPa), a wide detection range of 0–223 kPa, a fast response time of 120 ms, and excellent stability (12,000 compression cycles), while it has a temperature sensitivity of up to − 0.015 ℃⁻¹ (in the range of 18–42 ℃), and a response time of 5 s between 20 ℃ and 45 ℃. Moreover, the bimodal sensor effectively addresses the issue of interference between pressure and temperature sensing, while also offering benefits such as breathability and self-cleaning. These features render it well suited for the monitoring of physiological signals in human subjects. Thus, the pressure–temperature bimodal tactile sensor has the potential to play a significant role in the development of motion monitoring systems, health monitoring systems, and human–computer interfaces.