Ferroelectric-Assisted Ion Dynamics for Prolonged Tactile Cognizance in a Biomimetic Memory-in-Sensor System

The advancements in developing low-powered artificial tactile cognition devices, inspired by the iontronic-reliant human haptic sensory system, show great potential in future robotics and prosthetics. However, poor tactile memory and the complexity of integrating diverse modules for tactile sensing and neuromorphic functionalities pose a formidable challenge. Here, a mechanoreceptor-inspired tactile memory-in-sensor (TMIS) device is presented, employing ferroelectric-assisted ion dynamics (FAID) in FAID-based synaptic tactile transistor (FAID-STT). This approach improves the long-term memory (LTM) of tactile information while minimizing power consumption, all within a unified device architecture of TMIS. The FAID mechanism intricately combines the release of trapped ions solely under mechanical stress with remnant ferroelectric polarization induced by voltage stimulation, ensuring prolonged memory retention. Consequently, the FAID-STT exhibits a voltage-dependent memory effect stemming from the augmentation of ferroelectric dipole polarization, offering uninterrupted tactile memory for over 12 min without requiring additional power inputs for memory retention.