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Research Progress

Scientists Develop a Neuron-inspired Organic Tactile Perception System

Jun 23, 2017

During the past decades, chemists have developed many high mobility organic semiconductors for flexible and low-cost organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). The achievements create fascinating opportunities for multifunctional OFETs for intelligent applications.

Scientists from key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry of Chinese Academy of Sciences (ICCAS) have carried out systematic studies in the area of organic electronics in recent years. With the innovation in both functional materials and device design, they have demonstrated a series of OFET based flexible sensors with smart applications (Nat. Commun.; Adv. Mater.; Adv. Mater.). Besides, they proposed self-powered dual-parameter temperature–pressure sensors based on microstructure-frame-supported organic thermoelectric materials. The result is highlighted as “the first that combines the concept of thermoelectricity with a porous elastic system”.

Later on, their research is extended to a more challenge topic of developing bionic perception system with not only sensing, but also the neuron-inspired signal-processing functions. By creating the bionic/electronic interface in OFET, researchers demonstrated an organic synaptic transistor which emulates the single processing functions of biological synapses. They subsequently designed a dual-organic transistor structure composing of the synaptic OFET and pressure sensing OFET, and developed bionic tactile perception systems with integrated pressure sensing and neuron-inspired signal processing functions in a single element.

Benefiting from these features, this bionic system can “percept” the comprehensive tactile information of pressures, time durations and magnitudes. The combined bionic functionality of tactile perception systems, together with their unique features of flexibility and large-area fabrication, made this system possess promising application in novel e-skin devices and robotic elements.

This study was published in Advanced Materials, and featured by a research highlight in Nat. Rev. Mater. This demonstration has been highly evaluated as “this system represents a step forward for the fabrication of flexible electronic skin devices that mimic the functionality and sensitivity of skin”.

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, 973 program and the "Strategic Priority Research Program" of CAS.

 

Figure: Schematic illustration of OFET based tactile perception system. (Image by Prof. DI Chongan) 

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